Provincial, federal cost share | Saskatchewan ag minister says investment will help meet ag goals
The federal and Saskatchewan governments are contributing $3.4 million to 23 livestock and forage research projects in the province. Sixty percent of the money is from Ottawa and 40 percent from the province. Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz, who made the announcement at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in Saskatoon Jan. 23 with Saskatchewan agriculture […] Read more
William DeKay
Stories by William DeKay
DNA wins the day for Sask. cattle producer
Good record keeping | DNA tests help catch a thief
Glenn Strube has proven that DNA and dogged detective work aren’t just the realms of scientists and police officers. The mixed farmer from Shellbrook, Sask., recently saw his determination rewarded at a trial over the loss of his bred heifers more than three years earlier. Following a week-long trial in Court of Queen’s Bench in […] Read more
Maturity makes for smooth transition
Family farms | Consultant stresses communication as families balance money and emotions
Reg Shandro spends hours sitting at farmers’ kitchen tables discussing futures. Based in Lacombe, Alta., Shandro is building a business around easing the burden of succession planning for family farms. It’s not easy work labouring through the wide range of emotions, dynamics and finances of individual families. “All farm families have their issues,” he said […] Read more$6.5M for crop research
Disease control | Funds contribute to record research budget
The federal and Saskatchewan governments are investing $6.5 million into 38 crop-related research projects in Saskatchewan. Sixty percent of the money is from Ottawa and 40 percent from the province. Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz and his Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart made the announcement at the SaskCanola producer conference held during Crop Production Week, […] Read more
Cattle fitting team eager to make mark
ALTICANE, Sask. — Sara Archdekin mused about her first impressions of husband Ryan. She was showing cattle in her final year of 4-H in Saskatchewan and Ryan was just out of 4-H and judging the same show. “My last year of 4-H and I didn’t even win,” she said, laughing. Over the next several years, […] Read more
$6.5 million into crop research
The federal and Saskatchewan governments will invest $6.5 million in funding for 38 crop-related research projects. The money is part of a record $20.4 million provincial research budget in 2012-13, an increase of more than 50 percent since 2007. The federal and provincial agriculture ministers made the joint announcement during the SaskCanola Producer conference and […] Read more
Meet the busiest guy in the cattle ring
He was born Ted Serhienko, but most in the business call him T Bar. Widely recognized and warmly greeted by newcomers and veterans alike in the cattle industry, he’s been a fixture at show rings, cattle sales and barns for more than 40 years. Serhienko, who runs the T Bar C Cattle Co. near Saskatoon, […] Read more
Farm couple moves along road less travelled
Kevin and Melanie Boldt are accidental entrepreneurs. The husband and wife business duo doesn’t fit into the usual business patterns in Saskatchewan, where exports far exceed locally grown and sold food. “We’re doing some things that some people think could not be done,” said Melanie. Added Kevin: “We were bucking the trend when we started. […] Read more
Beef producers select new executive
Alberta Beef Producers has re-elected Doug Sawyer of Pine Lake as chair and Greg Bowie of Ponoka as vice-chair. John Buckley of Cochrane is finance chair. As well, the environmental stewardship award was presented to Gerry and Grant Taillieu of Tomahawk Cattle Ranch near Drayton Valley. They assumed control the ranch in 2001 and turned […] Read more
Worker injuries bite into pork production profits
Safety research | Barn workers videotaped to examine how to prevent health problems
All that pinching, squeezing and clipping can take their toll on a pig producer, not to mention the lifting, bending and twisting. Hog production has among the heaviest physical tasks in agriculture and is prone to a variety of injuries. Many producers do a good job of tracking their animals’ performance but tend to overlook […] Read more
