Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister says he needs more information before he can consider providing more money to livestock producers. Bob Bjornerud said he would meet with cattle producers this week to discuss the state of their industry and Alberta’s June 5 announcement of $300 million to help its producers. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Few attend review of Sask.crop insurance
ESTEVAN, Sask. – Organizers are scratching their heads over poor attendance at public meetings held as part of Saskatchewan’s crop insurance review. The time of year isn’t the best, they acknowledge, but farmers haven’t come out even when rain forced them off their fields. Attendance is low at most meetings, and industry observers outnumber farmers. […] Read more
Farmers’ info lost in theft
Farmers say the federal agriculture department should have told them sooner that a computer containing their personal information had been stolen. “I’m furious over it,” said Adam Campbell of Rosalind, Alta. But he also had harsh words for the Canadian Canola Growers Association, which owned the laptop containing personal and financial information on 32,000 farmers […] Read more
Few advise crop insurance review
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – Allan Oliver has a few ideas about how to improve crop insurance. Coping with drought and gophers for the last four years has shown him the program’s shortcomings, at least on his farm. The Aneroid farmer brought his list to the first of 10 public meetings to get farmers’ views about […] Read more
Small museum has big plans
KRONAU, Sask. – A museum generally isn’t the busiest place in a community. The school or the rink, yes. A former church, soon to be joined by an old school, not so much. But members of the museum committee in Kronau, Sask., think they can make the buildings a gathering place. The school closed almost […] Read more
Former APAS employee seeks redress
A former employee of Saskatchewan’s struggling general farm organization wants the money she says is owed her for unpaid overtime and wrongful dismissal. Deborah McLaren was the senior policy analyst for the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan for about 10 months. She was fired Oct. 19, 2007, while she was on a doctor-ordered week of […] Read more
Japanese brome blowing into bigger problem
The behaviour of Japanese brome is causing concern among weed watchers. It’s acting more like an annual and less like a winter annual, which makes control more difficult, said Saskatchewan weed specialist Clark Brenzil. The problem has grown over the last 10 years, he said. “It’s germinating in spring with the crop and becoming a […] Read more
SSGA hires new GM
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association has a new general manager, after almost a year without a permanent replacement for its previous administrator. Chad MacPherson, who had been working as stewardship co-ordinator for Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards Inc., grew up on a mixed farm near McLean, Sask., and holds a bachelor of science degree. SSGA […] Read more
Jobs, farm require juggling
VIBANK, Sask. – The peaceful setting of Lone Pine Cattle Services belies the busy lifestyle its occupants lead. A gently rolling landscape dotted with bush and grazing beef cows suggests the bucolic life usually depicted in photographs. This is home for 235 Hereford cows. Rob and Dawn O’Connor live here, too, but some days it […] Read more
Sask. weed act under review
Changes to Saskatchewan’s Noxious Weed Act are in the works, but it will be a while before they are official. Provincial weed specialist Clark Brenzil said the first round of consultations will take place this summer and fall and will include municipalities, producer and environmental organizations and industries that work in “critical pathways of spread.” […] Read more
