The chief executive officer of the world’s largest ag retailer says sustainability and higher yields are not mutually exclusive
OTTAWA — The head of the world’s largest agricultural retailer said farmers can meet the challenge of providing enough food for the world’s growing population and do it sustainably. But they can’t do it alone. Ken Seitz, chief executive officer of Nutrien, said sustainability and increasing yields are not mutually exclusive. “We need to dispel […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
VIDEO: Farmers encouraged to use Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy
OTTAWA — An international relations expert urged Canadian farmers to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the country’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Janice Gross Stein, who was co-chair of the advisory committee that helped create the strategy, said the market is the fastest growing for exports and will account for 60 percent of the world’s growth. […] Read more
Minimum tillage continues to pay long-term dividends
Senate ag committee’s soil study told that carbon levels in the soil have continued to increase 30 years after zero till was adopted
Prairie soils store carbon each year, even after widespread adoption of conservation tillage, a Saskatchewan farmer told the senate agriculture committee last week. Jocelyn Velestuk farms near Broadview and has a master’s degree in soil science. “Long-term studies, such as the Prairie Soil Carbon Balance Project, have found that there is still incremental positive carbon […] Read more
Sask. anticipates surplus budget, payments on debt
Saskatchewan is forecasting a surplus of just more than $1 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year and intends to pay down operating debt as a result. Finance minister Donna Harpauer delivered the most recent budget, tagged Growth that Works for Everyone, March 22. Revenue is expected to be $19.7 billion and expenses will be $18.7 […] Read more
Developing strong relationships builds strong businesses
Respect, honesty and being able to speak safely about expectations and ideas are all keys to building strong relationships within families
YORKTON, Sask. — Healthy communication and relationships among family members who farm together are just as important as the bottom line, young farmers attending a Farm Credit Canada event heard earlier this month. Dani Wildfong, who grew up on a Saskatchewan farm and now helps farm families with transition plans, said relationships are the bottom […] Read more
Breeding program focuses on ultra-high-protein peas
Israel-based Equinom is using artificial intelligence to create ultra-high-protein yellow pea varieties that Canadian farmers will soon be able to grow. Founder and CEO Gil Shalev said the company’s use of technology extends to being able to know early on just how much protein a plant will produce. The varieties contain between 27 and 32 […] Read more
Grocery execs reject blame for food inflation
U of G food economist agrees with company leaders, saying there is not a lot of evidence that grocers are price gouging
OTTAWA — Senior executives from major grocery companies who appeared last week before a House of Commons agriculture committee examining food price inflation said they aren’t to blame for higher food prices. Michael Medline, chief executive officer of Empire Foods, said food inflation is a global phenomenon. “At Empire, I can assure you we are […] Read more
VIDEO: Ontario grain farmer takes the wheel at CFA
Keith Currie replaces Mary Robinson as president, while Todd Lewis of Sask. and Pierre Lampron of Que. become VPs
OTTAWA — Keith Currie, who grows grain, oilseeds, hay and sweet corn on his farm near Collingwood, Ont., is taking over as the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s new president. He takes over from Mary Robinson, who stepped down at last week’s annual meeting following a four-year term. Currie has been involved with the Ontario Federation […] Read more
Canada encouraged to aim for an agricultural moon shot
Royal Bank’s senior VP says ag industry should be a priority for all governments as he urges them to be ‘export obsessed’
OTTAWA — Canada requires the national ambition to move agriculture ahead faster and in a climate-smart way, said Royal Bank senior vice-president John Stackhouse. Speaking to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture annual meeting last week, Stackhouse said the country’s agriculture sector is being asked to do more to feed and fuel the world but is […] Read more
Small steps make big gains
YORKTON, Sask. — Evan Shout encourages young farmers to think big while making small improvements. The president of Maverick Ag, chief financial officer at Hebert Grain Ventures and coach at Farmer Coach is a proponent of the five-percent rule, in which farmers increase yields and decrease expenses by that percentage. American agricultural economist Danny Klinefelter […] Read more
