Prices for bison breeding stock were down at last week’s national sale held during Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, reflecting conditions the entire agricultural sector has been struggling with for the last few years. Canadian Bison Association President Les Kroeger said COVID market losses, drought and rising costs have combined to put his sector under […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Individual crop insurance premiums adopted in Sask.
Saskatchewan is moving to individual crop insurance premiums. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. said it is responding to requests from producers over the years who wanted the program to better reflect their own farms. Staff have been meeting with farm organizations for weeks to outline the change, which takes effect for the 2023 program. Acting chief […] Read more
Parliament considers national Food Day
The House of Commons agriculture committee is expected to report back before Christmas on a bill that would designate Food Day in Canada. Bill S-227 is a single clause bill asking that the Saturday before the first Monday each August be a day to nationally recognize food and food production. Senator Robert Black, who chairs […] Read more
Opposition questions Sask. policing legislation
Legislation introduced late last month in the Saskatchewan legislature paves the way for the recently announced provincial marshals service and potentially a provincial police force. The government has said it is not establishing a provincial police service and that the new service is meant to support existing forces, but some wonder why it is building […] Read more
On-farm research gains traction among producers
Producers can conduct their own trials to offer real-world data, but crop groups are also looking at performing research on farms
Farmers who wonder about the value of small-plot research on their individual farms might consider doing their own on-farm research. Farmers at an Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation seminar heard that on-farm trials can bridge the gap by offering real-world data specific to their farms. IHARF intends to partner with farmers and crop organizations this […] Read more
RMs want financial help to hire officers
Rural municipalities say sharing expenses would make it easier for them to afford hiring community safety officers
Rural municipalities that want to work together to hire a community safety officer say the provincial government should make that process easier. Last spring delegates to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities passed a resolution asking for financial assistance for RMs to hire CSOs. At the recent midterm convention, delegates heard that the response was […] Read more
FCC provides lease assurance
Farm Credit Canada said the company that took over its leasing portfolio last summer is honouring the same terms and conditions as when FCC held the contracts. FCC sold the portfolio to RCAP Leasing. Some customers have expressed concern that they are now unable to buy out equipment leases early in the same way they […] Read more
Prairie provinces oppose gun law changes
The three prairie provinces are opposing recent amendments to federal gun legislation. Amendments to Bill C-21 proposed in committee by Liberal MP Paul Chiang would ban any “rifle or shotgun that is capable of discharging centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner and that is designed to accept a detachable cartridge magazine with a capacity greater […] Read more
Sask. gains control of industrial carbon pricing
Saskatchewan has taken over carbon pricing for all large industrial emitters but residents will still pay the federal carbon price at the pumps. The provincial and federal governments last week announced that Saskatchewan’s Output-Based Performance Standards (OBPS) proposal for carbon pricing had been accepted and would take effect Jan. 1. The carbon tax collected on […] Read more
Last year’s crop most expensive ever: APAS
Saskatchewan’s general farm group asks for price, supply transparency as input costs soar for cattle and grain producers
Saskatchewan’s general farm organization is raising the alarm over rising input costs and what they mean for next year’s crop. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan said 2021 was the most expensive year ever for grain and livestock producers, according to information from Statistics Canada. Farm cash expenses were more than $11.5 billion; that’s 11 […] Read more
