Fife Lake Railway shareholders gathered in Coronach, Sask., July 12 to officially open the railroad and celebrate the successes of its first half year. Company president David Marit said the railway has moved more than 500 cars since it took ownership of the short line from Canadian Pacific Railway in January 2006. He explained how […] Read more
Stories by Karen Morrison
Insect pressure increasing
A warm prairie summer is filling the beaches but also providing good conditions for insects to infiltrate farm fields. Dale Risula, the integrated crop management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture at Moose Jaw, said an outbreak of bertha armyworms is imminent in Saskatchewan and only a cold snap could slow them down now. The province is […] Read more
Central Manitoba, northern Alberta too dry for crops
Crop rows are thin, canola looks sparse and large cracks are forming in the soil in fields around Winnipeg. “It looks like growers will move back into a crop insurance position,” said Rob Park of Manitoba Agriculture at Carman. In 2004, large tracts of land remained unseeded in the province due to flooding and heavy […] Read more
Past droughts offer key lessons: experts
Prairie droughts need to be analyzed more thoroughly to help lessen their impacts on producers and communities, researchers told a recent Saskatoon conference on climate change and water on the Prairies. Elaine Wheaton, a climatologist with the Saskatchewan Research Council in Saskatoon, said Canada should have been better prepared to deal with recent droughts. “We […] Read more
Climate change falling off radar
Climate change is taking a back seat to the federal government’s desire to get re-elected, delegates heard at a conference on climate change and water in the Prairies held last month in Saskatoon. “Climate change is not going away, it’s like trying to ignore an elephant on the dance floor,” said John Stone, a professor […] Read more
Weedy fields have heyday in wet Sask.
Warm weather has done little to dry down unseeded fields significantly in east-central Saskatchewan, where weeds are becoming a problem. Markus Breitkreuz, an agronomist with TerraSato Agronomy at Springside, Sask., reported weeds in higher numbers than normally seen in early July. A wet fall and spring prevented about 10 percent of fields in his area […] Read more
Study looks at feed values
A Belgian swine researcher is seeking ways to reduce the costs of production and better estimate growth rates. Pascal Leterme recently joined the Prairie Swine Centre outside Saskatoon to lead three studies on pulses, flax and peas. One study began last fall and is funded by prairie pulse grower associations. It is examining the nutritional […] Read more
Farm women sustain a B.C. network
LILLOOET, B.C. – From farms accessed by logging roads to U-pick operations lining tourist corridors, the British Columbia Farm Women’s Network is working together to make a difference in agriculture and rural living. The group of 60 women in B.C. and the Yukon, founded in 1987, annually holds an educational seminar and conference and lobbies […] Read more
Spring rain ideal for crops, pastures
Rick Ashton is quietly amused by invoices for hip waders from community pasture managers fixing fences in the wet areas of Saskatchewan. Pastures are in great shape thanks to a rainy spring, said the manager of resource and management services and the Saskatchewan pastures program. “It’s a great situation to have lots of water, in […] Read more
Regina plant to open in fall
A proposed biodiesel plant in Regina may create an alternative fuel source and new markets for farmers. Michael Shenher, president and chief executive officer of Canadian Green Fuels Inc., expects the new production and distribution plant to be operating by September. Regina was chosen for the plant’s location due to its proximity to the Federated […] Read more
