Livestock producers will know before Christmas how much money they will get from the federal government’s $600 million AgriInvest program. There could be other announcements of financial assistance before the holiday, federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz told farmers in Regina last week. And in Ottawa, senior Agriculture Canada official Danny Foster told MPs that significant […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
PFRA shifts irrigation works to Saskatchewan producers
MOOSE JAW – As Saskatchewan farmers look at expanding irrigation activity, the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration is getting out of the business. The federal agency says that 2008 will be the last year it operates and administers irrigation projects. By 2016, it will no longer own any of them. PFRA owns five flood irrigation projects […] Read more
APAS ready for new term
Saskatchewan’s general farm organization says it will put a tumultuous year behind it and get on with the business of representing farmers to government. Glenn Blakley, who took over as president after Ken McBride abruptly resigned last May, was re-elected at the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan annual meeting last week. Blakley said the representatives […] Read more
New gov’t delivers Sask. throne speech
The first throne speech from the Saskatchewan Party government was light on agricultural content and action, said the opposition NDP. Agriculture critic Pat Atkinson said given the hurt in the livestock sector right now she expected something “more meaty” in the Dec. 10 speech. “I think the situation with rising grain prices and a rising […] Read more
CPR plans intermodal facility
Financial details have yet to be worked out but key roads will be upgraded as the first step toward a new Canadian Pacific Railway intermodal facility west of Regina. The federal government announced Dec. 7 a $27 million contribution to the $93 million project under its Building Canada infrastructure program. However, neither the provincial government, […] Read more
Sask. irrigation has ample water, says engineer
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Expanding three existing and adding two new irrigation projects in Saskatchewan still wouldn’t use all the available water. Dale Miller, an engineer with UMA in Lethbridge, said the annual flow of water from Alberta into Lake Diefenbaker is 5.5 million cubic dams, assuming that the province keeps its full share. One […] Read more
Irrigators hope to identify positive economic spinoffs
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – The agricultural benefits of irrigation are obvious, but Saskatchewan’s irrigators want to know what other benefits it provides. The Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association (SIPA) has commissioned Graham Parsons of Clifton Associates to find out. SIPA chair Rodger Pederson said the study is the single biggest issue the board will tackle in […] Read more
Young horse has what it takes to be champion
Cedarlane Ouray Warrior is making quite a name for himself. The two-year-old Clydesdale stallion capped off the six-month show season with a grand champion win at Canadian Western Agribition. His owner, Reg Madsen of Hamiota, Man., agrees the horse has a long career ahead, if he chooses to continue. “That’s going to be probably determined […] Read more
Numbers, prices increase at sheep shows
Entries, exhibitors and prices were all up this year at Canadian Western Agribition sheep events. Dallas Turner, vice-president of the Saskatchewan Sheep Breeders Association, said the industry is strong and breeders know they have to showcase genetics for commercial customers. “Agribition is about bringing the best to the best,” he said. “We had some new […] Read more
Goat sales steady; demand to rise
Success in the Canadian Western Agribition show ring translated into dollars for goat breeder Kerry O’Donnell. The Calder, Sask., producer of Boer goats showed the grand champion purebred buck and doe, as well as the best percentage doe. The buck kid went on to top the sale, selling for $1,000 to Guenette Bautz of Middle […] Read more
