EDMONTON — Attracting farm help is one problem, but keeping and managing workers can also be a challenge, farmers learned during a panel discussion at FarmTech. Panelist Kevin Serfas said his 56,000 acre farm and 6,000 head feedlot operation can no longer operate with just family members. However, it has taken time to allow strangers, […] Read more
News
Retaining good workers goes beyond pay
SARM calls on feds for ag program support
Rural leaders want Ottawa to increase Agri-Stability and Agri-Invest funding to its original contribution
A federal budget is expected in March, and at least one Saskatchewan organization is heading to Ottawa before then to make its priorities known. The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities has released a list of priorities for rural areas and will meet with officials in Ottawa later this month. President Ray Orb said he didn’t […] Read moreDairy Agropur eyes further U.S. acquisitions
By Rod Nickel WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb 10 (Reuters) – Canada’s second-biggest dairy, Agropur Cooperative, said it is looking to grow in the United States, possibly through acquisitions, in the face of an expected erosion of its market share at home due to recent international trade deals. Agropur, whose brands include Iogo yogurt and Oka cheese, […] Read more
Know your enemy: Ontario on hunt for worst weeds
WINNIPEG — The 2016 version of Ontario’s Worst Weeds is inviting growers to cast their ballots and share information about the worst weeds on their farms. The survey is conducted by weed specialist, David Bilyea, at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus, along with colleagues, Kris McNaughton and Christie Shropshire. “We did the survey back […] Read more
Club Moo focuses on milk
Club Moo is a program fostered by Alberta Milk to encourage children from kindergarten to Grade 6 to regularly drink milk. It has been operating for 31 years, when six schools began offering milk several times a week to their students. Schools in Barrhead, Bonanza, Rocky Mountain House, Niton Junction and Two Hills were the […] Read more
From combine eaters to minor nuisances, prairie soap holes under investigation
Soap holes can be a minor nuisance or a major mud hole capable of sinking a combine. University of Calgary researchers are investigating the geological phenomena known as soap holes, which have been documented since Alberta was homesteaded. So far, soap holes have been found from Calgary to Red Deer with a few reports as […] Read more
Below normal spring runoff expected in Sask.
The preliminary spring runoff outlook issued Feb. 9 anticipates below normal runoff for most of Saskatchewan. The Water Security Agency said that could change, however, with late spring snows and rains. The snow pack is below normal for most of the province except for some near normal areas north of Yorkton to Hudson Bay and […] Read more
Pakistan pays US $388 for Canadian canola
HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) — Pakistani importers have bought 30,000 to 35,000 tonnes of canola from Canada, European traders said today. It was for May shipment and purchased at $388 a tonne c&f, they said. The deals involved part loads of a vessel with capacity for about 60,000 tonnes, they said. Pakistani importers had last week […] Read more
U.S. corn, wheat supplies to rise as exports wane – USDA
WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) – U.S. corn and wheat ending stocks will be higher than previously expected at the end of the marketing year due to a drop in already weak demand for U.S. supplies on the export market, the government said on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in its monthly supply and demand […] Read more
Ag commodities escaped market bloodbath
There was blood in the streets of the equity markets, but crop futures only saw a few drops of red on Monday. Most crop futures, including canola, fell less than 10 cents per bushel, with March oats being the only contract rising. Even in oats, prices barely nudged up in the March contract and were […] Read more
