Michael Raine

REGINA – Three federal government agents work alone in the back of a cool, darkened concrete building. Tails of white lab coats flutter as they move among their subjects. The pale subject is forced against the only light source; it is bright and intense. The examiner stares straight through the object. He knows that deep […] Read more

REGINA – Changes to the traditional schedule at Canadian Western Agribition this year were hailed as mainly positive by producers taking part in the giant agricultural show and sale. “The shorter stay in the barns meant there was less stress on our cattle in the commercial barns. Last year the cattle dropped 50 pounds per […] Read more

REGINA – Commercial cattle set the stage for a successful Canadian Western Agribition this year. Moved to the front of the event, the show drew record crowds, the highest quality animals in years and a 29 percent increase in total sales. Jumping from $695,408 last year to $809,388 this year, North America’s largest indoor commercial […] Read more

RED DEER, Alta. – Big yellow combines may not have the immediate brand recognition they once did. As of last week, there’s another big yellow combine on the market besides New Holland. Caterpillar Agricultural Products released its first salvo in the North American combine war at a farm show here Nov. 12-15. On display for […] Read more

Bargaining has broken down between the union and a Neepawa, Man. poultry plant. Springhill Farms has operated without an agreement with its 215 unionized employees since last January. Unionized workers at the poultry slaughter and packing plant voted 92 percent in favor of strike action after they rejected a final offer by the company. The […] Read more

Co-operative watchers and the pioneers that began the co-operative movement say co-ops mirror the environments of the members they serve. In agriculture that environment is changing. “Agriculture has moved from a culture to an industry and the co-ops reflect that movement. Co-operative structures are changing to better compete just like the farmers they serve,” said […] Read more

Even as most weather forecasters predict the weather upheaval of the century bearing down on Canada’s major farming regions, most farmers are doing little in the way of serious preparation. But many producers in drought-prone areas say they are better equipped to combat this El Nino than they were during the 1980s when weather calamities […] Read more

Freer trade between nations is the major factor driving today’s markets and most in positions of authority say it is the way of the future. But where some see opportunity, others see ruin. For llama breeders in Canada, an eight-year ban on imports from the United States was lifted in March. Those who built their […] Read more

Fire on a potato assembly line damaged the McCain Foods potato processing plant in Portage la Prairie, Man. last weekend. Company officials would not confirm estimates of the damage reported to be about $200,000 to the plant and equipment, and $60,000 to potato inventory. The accident happened when a vat of grease, used to make […] Read more

Try before you buy. Sound advice. But many changes to livestock operations can only be measured after the fact – when the money has already been spent. Roger Cohen set out in 1993 to change that and, in the process, improve the sustainability and profitability of cattle operations. A professor of animal science at the […] Read more