The light at the end of the western grain-shipping tunnel turned out to be a slow, short, understaffed train. A strike by 2,800 Canadian National Railway workers, a tough winter and a sluggish response to customer complaints by one railway are plaguing grain movement in the West this year, according to the Canadian Wheat Board. […] Read more
Stories by Michael Raine
Anthrax threat looms in Sask.
When the snow goes, the anthrax comes. Livestock producers in Saskatchewan’s central and northeastern regions are being told that if they or their neighbours or their neighbours’ neighbours had anthrax last year, then they better plan to vaccinate against the bacterial infection. Wet soil conditions helped spawn the largest outbreak of anthrax in Canadian history […] Read more
High barley prices may make pasture feeding attractive
If cattle feed prices stay high, Canada could see a shift to more grass-fed cattle as producers look for cheaper ways to add weight to their cattle. “I see a lot of cattle on grass for longer periods. I see Manitoba and Saskatchewan increasing their share of the Canadian market and Alberta continuing to reduce […] Read more
Disease researcher moves on
VIDO head Lorne Babiuk is leaving the Saskatoon vaccine research organization to become the vice-president of research at the University of Alberta. Babiuk has worked at the University of Saskatchewan for 33 years, including 24 with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the U of S. Andy Potter, a VIDO senior scientist, said Babiuk […] Read more
Experts predict insect populations
What will bug prairie farmers most in the spring of 2007? Although it’s an early forecast, the list of insects farmers should prepare for in the coming growing season is shorter than it has been in recent years. In 2007, producers should expect to find the same pests they had in their fields at the […] Read more
Experts debate farm policy
Canadian cattle feeders heard from two leading agricultural economists that the industry here can expect little relief from high grain prices and border conflicts now that both houses of congress in the United States are controlled by the Democrats. Larry Flinchbaugh of Kansas State University said high grain prices caused mainly by ethanol and biodiesel […] Read more
Canola growers urged to expand slowly
Joanne Buth wants 21 million acres of canola in the ground – but not this year. “It would be a wreck this year or in the next few, but with the new and expanding markets for canola oil we will need to reach that 15 million tonnes (of production) by 2015, if not before,” the […] Read more
Eggs keep family close to home
HAGUE, Sask. – Kaylin, Vince and Gerard Fehr are doing something different in agriculture. They’re young and they farm. It’s no part-time enterprise for the three young people, who work with their parents, Marie and Stan Fehr. “We’ve had a lot of good fortune over the years,” said Stan. “Made some choices that happened to […] Read more
Sask. flax industry urged to adopt new technologies
Jerome Konecsni has made an offer to help flax growers build their industry. The head of Genome Prairie told growers attending Sask Flax’s Flax Day at Crop Production Week in Saskatoon last week that his agency would help them raise money for grower and market education, to organize meetings, to create new plant breeding opportunities, […] Read more
Prepare to adapt or quit, farmers told
A man who advises North America’s biggest companies on their futures has told prairie farmers they must adapt or get out. “The best thing you can do for yourself is prepare to adapt,” Richard Worzel said during Crop Production Week’s Canola Days held last week in Saskatoon. “There is no one crop or livestock, only […] Read more
