Canadian farmers are known for their ability to adapt but they will need continued investments to help them find climate change solutions, organizations told the House of Commons agriculture committee recently. Producers are feeling the effects of climate change in different ways, said Andrea Brocklebank, executive director of the Beef Cattle Research Council at the […] Read more
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Ag groups call for research funding
Warm winter boosts export estimates
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) — Warm winter weather and fewer storm disruptions at ports have pushed expectations for Russia’s 2017-18 grain exports to record levels, with room for further increases, analysts and industry players said. The previously forecast 45 million tonnes of exports in the 2017-18 marketing year, which began on July 1, was seen by […] Read more
Fababeans chart own course in the livestock feed market
If fababean prices continue to move above feed peas, market analyst Chuck Penner thinks that could be positive for the crop in the longer term. Prices for the two crops often move in tandem, and Penner told the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers that has been true until recently. “Just in the last few months fabas have […] Read more
Hog farms make extra effort to keep employees
The Keirsey Sorter defines people as being one of four general types: artisan, guardian, idealist and rational. Here are some of the traits displayed by each:
BANFF, Alta. — Large agricultural operations are putting more emphasis on human resources in efforts to find and keep employees amid a country-wide shortage of farm labour. Among those is Sunterra Farms, and Trish Hyshka, human resources manager in the company’s Acme and Trochu hog operations, said it remains difficult to find enough people to […] Read morePoor farmer ‘myth’ targeted
OTTAWA — Most people have a favourite actor or a favourite hockey player. It’s more unusual to have a favourite agricultural economist, but Barry Goodwin has one that he especially likes. “My favourite Canadian agricultural economist — Neil Young of Farm Aid. Save the family farm,” said Barry Goodwin, a professor of agricultural economics at […] Read more
Alta. changes Carbon Offset Credit program
The big change is that farmers must now have an aggregator by May 1 to claim credits with the program
Alberta farmers have to change the way they claim carbon credits for fields they don’t till. The provincial government announced last week that farmers must now have an aggregator in place by May 1 to claim carbon credits with the Conservation Cropping program. If they don’t have an aggregator by that date, they won’t be […] Read morePulse sector develops diversification plan to reduce reliance on Indian market
Canada has been too reliant on the Indian market for pulse exports, says Pulse Canada chief executive officer Gordon Bacon. That came home to roost in the last few months when India imposed tariffs. Pulse Canada intends to counteract that with a diversification strategy. “We set a very specific target, saying that 25 percent of […] Read more
Chinese warning shot targets Trump’s core farm base
BEIJING, China (Reuters) — In launching a probe into United States sorghum imports, China has fired a warning shot across its top trading partner’s bow that shows farmers in states that voted for U.S. President Donald Trump may be Beijing’s top retaliatory target in the event of a trade war. On Feb. 4, China’s Ministry […] Read more
What you need to know about risk vs. hazard
The head of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society tries to educate those who want to know more about science
SASKATOON — So many myths, so little time to debunk them all. But Joe Schwarcz, who heads McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, routinely tries to educate those who want to learn more about science. He hosts the Dr. Joe Show on radio in Montreal and has written 16 books. Recently, he spoke at […] Read moreHorses surrendered to SPCA
The Alberta SPCA has removed 25 horses from a property east of Taber, Alta., out of concern for their welfare. SPCA communications manager Roland Lines confirmed Feb. 6 that the herd of saddle horses was voluntarily surrendered by the owner when the SPCA responded to reports of horses in distress. “There was concern for the […] Read more
