Payments under the federal grains and oilseeds program have been going out steadily since the Conservative government took office in February. Ellen Funk, spokesperson for the Grains and Oilseeds Producer Payment, or GOPP program, said 89,000 payments worth $472 million had been made across Canada as of May 3. Saskatchewan farmers account for nearly half […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
More biodiesel support needed: Sask. opposition
A biofuel strategy recently announced by the Saskatchewan Party calls on the federal government to mandate a 10 percent ethanol blend in gasoline by 2010. That’s double the five percent blend the Conservatives have promised. The strategy also calls for a five-percent biodiesel blend mandate. Opposition leader Brad Wall said problems in the agriculture sector […] Read more
New Sask. ag official
A senior public service shuffle announced last week by Saskatchewan premier Lorne Calvert has led to a new deputy minister of agriculture. Harvey Brooks will take over from Doug Matthies, who moves to finance, effective June 1. Brooks was raised on a farm near Rosthern, Sask., and obtained degrees in agricultural economics at the University […] Read more
Graphic demo stresses farm safety
TUGASKE, Sask. – Neil Zoerb dangles the sleeve over the power take-off, letting the pto grab it, swing it around wildly and fling it into a student standing nearby. It’s a powerful message to the children attending the Progressive Agriculture Farm Safety Camp about what can happen if they get too close to farm equipment. […] Read more
Farmers want cash owed
Gregor Beck was happy to unload frozen lentils last April. He’s not so happy that he still hasn’t been paid. Roger Lafontaine, Larry Blenkin, Harvey Malo and Kevin Emmerson are in the same situation. All of the Saskatchewan farmers sold crop to Boersch Farms Ltd. at Indian Head in 2005, and are still waiting for […] Read more
Pork plant gets Sask. gov’t help
A financial commitment from the Saskatchewan government has moved Worldwide Pork one step closer to re-opening. Saskatchewan agriculture minister Mark Wartman said the province will provide up to $1.5 million to help get the Moose Jaw pork processing facility running again. He said the money is not a loan but neither would he characterize it […] Read more
No leeway on crop insurance bill
A deadline is a deadline, Saskatchewan agriculture minister Mark Wartman maintained last week. But one farmer who tried to negotiate payment terms for his crop insurance bill after the March 31 deadline said the government should be more flexible. Rick Wildfong of Craik came to the Saskatchewan legislature April 20 because he wanted to see […] Read more
Sask. RMs work together on ethanol project
Doug Thul spent the winter sitting in front of a new grain-burning stove as some of his best crop ever went up in smoke. With no delivery calls, and needing to move at least 200 loads of grain over the winter to make ends meet, the Drinkwater, Sask., farmer said he took a hard look […] Read more
Agribition ponies up for expansion
Canadian Western Agribition is willing to put its money where its mouth is by offering $25,000 to assist with a business plan to renew the facilities at Regina Exhibition Park. Agribition president Herb McLane said last week that some of the buildings in barn row must be repaired or replaced. Some members of the board […] Read more
Crop insurance contracts nixed
Nearly 500 farmers who owed Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. money are out of the program. They were among 3,803 who received letters in mid-March asking them to pay their balances, make arrangements for payments or face cancellation of their contracts. On April 13 agriculture minister Mark Wartman said 1,481 producers had paid their accounts in […] Read more
