Saskatchewan finance minister Rod Gantefoer says he will use his recent Parkinson’s diagnosis to raise awareness of the disease. The 62-year-old Melfort MLA announced Feb. 10 that he had been diagnosed a month earlier. He will stay on in cabinet and told reporters during an at times emotional news conference he intends to run in […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Forage researchers urge more funding
Bruce Coulman probably doesn’t tell a lot of people how old he is, but in his profession age is becoming an issue. The head of plant sciences at the University of Saskatchewan is 60. He’s one of six forage researchers at public institutions in Canada. Five of them are at least his age or older. […] Read more
SaskPower struggles with line relocation backlog
A program to bury power lines in Saskatchewan farmyards was so popular last year that it went over budget and still has a lengthy waiting list. Mike Mamona, SaskPower’s construction supervisor of field services, said 199 names were on the waiting list for the first-come, first-paid program as of Dec. 31. “It tells me that […] Read more
Livestock gets $2.5 million for research
Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund has allocated $2.5 million for 21 livestock and forage research projects. Agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud said the money has leveraged another $1.5 million in third-party funding. The money will fund cattle, forage, swine, meat processing, bison and sheep research. Most of it – $1.7 million – is going to the University […] Read more
Big Sky payment plan gets OK
Nearly all creditors of Big Sky Farms voted Feb. 8 in favour of a repayment plan proposed by the hog company from Humboldt, Sask. When the votes were counted, 763 of 774 creditors, or 98.6 percent, voted to approve the plan. Most of the votes had been sent by proxy and about 40 people attended […] Read more
Price recovery in cattle ‘very rapid’ in two years
SASKATOON – A quarter of the Canadian beef industry could be lost before the sector stabilizes two years from now, predicts Brian Nilsson. “The really good news for everybody in this room – it’s going to happen next door,” the co-chief executive officer of Nilsson Bros. and XL Foods told the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Symposium. […] Read more
High dollar takes toll on feeding sector
SASKATOON – The Canadian beef industry has been told to get used to living with a higher-valued dollar. The traditionally lower dollar, when compared to the United States, allowed Canada to build and maintain a strong feeding sector. “We’re adjusting to the new model where we are not a low cost producer,” said Brian Nilsson, […] Read more
Gov’t urged to dish out for traceability
SASKATOON – It’s time for governments to pay animal traceability costs, says the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Members attending the organization’s recent semi-annual meeting said producers have paid millions of dollars for the first two portions of traceability: individual animal identification and premises identification. They want governments to pony up for the third portion of […] Read more
SCA to be voice for feeders group
SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association is expected to become the province’s representative to the National Cattle Feeders’ Association. Currently, the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association has that responsibility, but producers attending the recent annual meeting heard that the SCA will be asked to take over. Bill Jameson, SCA director and vice-chair of the NCFA, confirmed […] Read more
SCA policy irks producers
SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association does not advocate supply management for the beef industry, said chair Jack Hextall. Several producers attending the SCA’s annual meeting last month said they were concerned about the organization’s policy statement, developed a year ago, which listed protection of the existing cow herd and feeding infrastructure as a priority. […] Read more
