Only 24 percent of canola producers monitor their crop weekly once it’s in the bin, according to a Canola Council of Canada survey. Council agronomist Jim Bessel said a similar percentage of farmers check once a month. He’d like to see those numbers go up. “There is a lot of great canola that went into […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Saskatchewan farmers face the usual suspects – and a new disease – in 2010
The prevalence of crop disease can be hard to predict, but Saskatchewan farmers are advised to watch for the usual suspects and a potential formidable newcomer this year. Clubroot The fungal disease hasn’t made an official appearance in Saskatchewan, but clubroot is a significant threat to canola growers. At last week’s annual convention of the […] Read more
Hereford’s attributes bring top price
Lynn Woods’ single entry in the 105th Regina Bull Sale was all he needed to make a big impact. The two-year-old animal was named grand champion Hereford and topped the sale at $8,250. Tom Warnyca of Warnyca Land and Cattle Co. at Montmartre, Sask., bought him after intense bidding hushed the crowd. Greg Freitag of […] Read more
Saskatchewan horse herd increases, driving down prices
Saskatchewan has a lot of horses for sale. A study of the state of the provincial industry in 2009 found there are about 115,000 horses, with a third defined as young horses not yet in use. But people breed horses for a reason, said Vel Evans of Strategic Equine Marketing in Newmarket, Ont., who did […] Read more
Farmers wrestle with seeding questions
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Receiving a good price is important, but getting a crop to grow in the first place is perhaps more important. For David Delahey, that means growing durum. “We’re not cutting our durum acres back,” he said at a recent market outlook conference in Moose Jaw. “Durum for us has been a […] Read more
Rates up for Sask. rural customers
SaskWater is raising its rates for hundreds of rural customers in Saskatchewan effective next month. The nine percent increase will raise the average household bill for potable water by $4.14 to $6.24 per month for farms that are directly connected to the utility’s delivery system. The April increase affects customers who do not have scheduled […] Read more
Sask. to return potash royalties
The Saskatchewan government has to repay royalties to the potash industry for the first time in the province’s history. According to a third-quarter budget update presented by finance minister Rod Gantefoer March 2, the government must refund $204 million the industry has already made. The government had expected to earn $1.9 billion from the mineral […] Read more
Sask. DDG maker eyes Asia
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Asian livestock could soon be getting their meals from Saskatchewan. Terra Grain Fuels of Belle Plaine is looking at shipping dried distillers grain to offshore customers. Dale Williamson, manager of supply and logistics for the company, told farmers at a market outlook conference hosted by the Canadian Wheat Board that the […] Read more
Pharmacists will get new role
Saskatchewan pharmacists will have greater prescribing authority by this summer, health minister Don McMorris said last week. Regulatory amendments to the Pharmacy Act bylaws will allow pharmacists to extend refills during a doctor’s absence and provide emergency supplies of prescribed medication. About 1,300 pharmacists practise in Saskatchewan. The minister said the changes put patients first […] Read more
Sask. bus riders pay more
Riding the government-owned bus company in Saskatchewan is now more expensive. The Saskatchewan Transportation Company increased fares March 1 by an average of 4.5 percent, citing increased costs and revenue lost due to declining ridership. “STC fares are still affordable and comparable to western Canadian cities,” said acting president and CEO Shawn Grice. Discounts for […] Read more
