The debate over whether crop insurance should play a larger role in controlling canola rotations is heating up in Saskatchewan. Disease pressure caused significant yield losses in the province this year, and there is also concern that clubroot will migrate into the province from Alberta. Meanwhile, producers enticed by high canola prices try to cash […] Read more
Robin Booker
Stories by Robin Booker
New institute tackles global hunger
Global Institute for Food Security | University receives funding from PotashCorp, provincial government
The Global Institute for Food Security expects to bring new research money to Saskatchewan and improve local and global food systems. The institute, established at the University of Saskatchewan, hopes to make itself heard on policy initiatives to improve interactions between the various parts of the food system. It will also conduct agronomic research, including […] Read moreB.C. cranberry growers reap big berries, top yields
British Columbia’s cranberry crop is a whopper this year. Mike Wallace, executive director of the B.C. Cranberry Growers Association, said the 91 million pound harvest is the biggest production year to date, largely because of a favourable growing year and an increase in acres. Sixty million lb. of cranberries were produced last year. A wet […] Read more
Global Institute at UofS
Today Brad Wall met a promise he made during the last election by establishing the Global Institute for Food Security. The institute, established at the University of Saskatchewan, hopes to make itself heard on policy initiatives to improve interactions between the various parts of the food system. It will also conduct agronomic research, including breeding […] Read more
Industrial hemp processor makes plans for 2013
GILBERT PLAINS, Man. — The machines lined up in the Plains Industrial Hemp Processing plant near Gilbert Plains are silent. However, the new facility will soon be operational and hums will resonate from the state of the art processing equipment and hemp bale loader. The industrial hemp processing plant is said to be the first […] Read more
Co-ops applauded for resiliency
Economic contributions | Panelists say co-op members require education to be effective
The economic resiliency of co-ops can help stabilize local economies, says a sociology professor from the University of Saskatchewan. Michael Gertler told the National Farmers Union’s annual convention in Saskatoon that the increasing level of distrust of other economic models means the time is right for a renaissance in the co-operative movement. “They are fundamentally […] Read moreWinter grazing more than turning cattle out on field
Winter grazing can greatly reduce a cattle farm’s operational costs, but savings come with increased risk. Vern Baron, an Agriculture Canada research scientist who studies the costs and benefits of winter grazing, said it can reduce production costs by up to 40 percent. “Daily costs of cattle production are from $1.50 to $2 a day, […] Read more
Sask. farmer fits farm around kids for 50 years
Off-farm income | Driving a bus has enabled Douglas Smith to drive his children — and now his grandchildren — to school every morning
ARELEE, Sask. — Saskatchewan school bus driver Douglas Smith first drove a 1960 Ford panel van that hauled nine children and rode much too low on roads that were challenging in bad weather. “I was a feeder bus for the big bus that went to Perdue. Then I’d go around and pick up the little […] Read moreCo-ops help balance power in agriculture systems: NFU
43rd annual convention Trade agreements, dismantling of co-ops seen as threats to farmers’ ability to make a fair living
Co-ops are still important organizing structures, especially considering the government’s trend of dismantling the regulatory processes and institutions that balance power relations in the agriculture industry, said Terry Boehm, National Farmers Union president. An example of the system being pulled apart is the Canadian Grain Commission coming under Agriculture Canada’s Administrative Monetary Penalties Act, meaning […] Read more
Morris disc drill designed to improve seed placement
Walking axle technology | Reduced cutting angle produces narrow, easy to close furrows at higher speeds
A new disc drill designed to work faster and boost seed placement accuracy is expected to be available soon to prairie farmers. Morris Industries has been re-searching and designing their new depth controlled opener system since 2009. It tried nine different opener systems on a plot drill in a variety of field conditions. Ultimately, it […] Read more
