Karen Morrison

OUTLOOK, Sask. – Gert Kruger is a familiar face at potato farms in Saskatchewan, where he collects data and promotes sustainable farming practices. The Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association has hired him to oversee its integrated pest management initiative, which includes reducing chemical use, developing environmental farm plans and helping farmers assess diseases and insects […] Read more

OUTLOOK, Sask. – Surveys are underway in Saskatchewan to determine the incidence of black dot in potatoes. Early findings indicate a low incidence of the disease, with silver scurf and rhizoctonia the most dominant diseases, followed by black dot. Arcadio Viveros Guzman, a University of Saskatchewan graduate student from Mexico, is working with 11 seed […] Read more

LUMSDEN, Sask. – A trio of chubby grain bins line up behind Jim Latrace as he augers yellow peas into one of their large metal bellies. Latrace scrabbles up the bin to check how full it is, then returns to the grain truck to raise the tilt on the truck box before standing watch over […] Read more

With just 80 acres left to combine in 1992, Ken Dietz turned his thoughts to putting the equipment away for the season and taking in a football game. “I wasn’t paying attention,” said the Sceptre, Sask., producer. Dietz, then 36, was moving an auger by hand to one of the last bins to be filled […] Read more

BASHAW, Alta.-Walter Buelow’s weathered straw hat bobs in and out of sight behind the Grulla horses grazing belly deep on pasture grasses. The 89-year-old cowboy and rancher no longer rides but still checks his horses and makes harnesses and saddles on his farm in central Alberta. He started farming here at 13 and today his […] Read more

Optimism was in good supply among Canadian Federation of Agriculture members who gathered in Saskatoon July 24-27. CFA president Bob Friesen said it’s fitting that the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan hosted the group’s semi-annual meeting. “It’s important Saskatchewan farmers are at the table, especially for grains and oilseeds policies,” he said, noting the province […] Read more

Producers need a clear signal from government on the funding and continuity of on-farm food safety programs in the new version of the federal agriculture policy framework, say Canadian Federation of Agriculture members. During interviews at the CFA’s semi-annual meeting in Saskatoon July 24-27, food safety committee chairs William Versteeg and Betty Jean Crews say […] Read more

PREECEVILLE, Sask. – Blue skies and warm weather have helped Saskatchewan fruit growers challenged by excess moisture and frost. Herman Meerholz, who manages Fatikaki Farms in east-central Saskatchewan, said this year’s saskatoon crop is in good shape and should yield well when harvested later this month. “I think I will do a good crop,” Meerholz […] Read more