Outside pressure on ag sector | U.S. state amends constitution to defend agricultural practices
Canadian farmers may need to follow the lead of producers in North Dakota if they want to preserve their right to use modern agricultural technology such as seed treatments. The state passed a right-to-farm amendment to its constitution in 2012 that enshrines a producer’s right to use scientifically proven agricultural practices. “It’s going to give […] Read moreNews
Will Ont. neonic crackdown spread West?
Prairie farmers urged to take note | Farmers in Ontario will have to take a management course and justify neonic use
An Ontario canola grower says western Canadian farmers shouldn’t ignore new seed treatment regulations in his province because the decision to cut neonicotinoid use by 80 percent will affect farmers across the country. The Ontario government unveiled proposed regulations last week to curtail the use of neonicotinoids on corn and soybean seeds. Starting in 2016, […] Read more
Manitoba anxious to control mussels
Lack of staff, funding | Potash was used to control zebra mussels in Lake Winnipeg, but they are still spreading
Manitoba worked hard for years to keep zebra mussels out of Lake Winnipeg, but it appears the Russian invaders are here to stay following an infestation that was discovered last year. “For Lake Winnipeg, right now, it looks like adaptation,” said biologist Laureen Janusz with Manitoba Conservation. An intensive campaign to inject liquid potash around […] Read more
Rely on Petzl head lamp to light up your way
Few things are as important as being able to see while hiking or working in the dark. A good head lamp is often superior to a flashlight because it illuminates where your head is pointed and keeps your hands free. Petzl, which manufactures quality head lamps, is a brand I have trusted for years to […] Read more
Interest growing in livestock price insurance scheme
It’s taken a little time, but the new livestock price insurance program is catching on with cattle and hog producers, says the head of the program. “We went to a lot of auction markets and bought a lot of coffee to have people listen to us,” said Bill Hoar, AFSC co-ordinator for the Western Livestock […] Read more
NFU proposes provinces buy CWB
The National Farmers Union wants Western Canada’s provincial governments to buy the assets of the former Canadian Wheat Board. In a Dec. 4 news release, the NFU said it has contacted the governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and is urging the provinces to become actively engaged in the federal government’s plan to […] Read more
Canola rises despite bigger crop estimate
A big weekly U.S. soybean export number had more force in the canola market today than a bearish production number from Statistics Canada. Surprisingly, canola closed the day up a fraction even with a Statistics Canada report that raised the year’s canola crop to 15.555 million tonnes, up about 1.5 million tonnes from the September […] Read more
More beekeepers join neonic lawsuit
MARKHAM, Ont. — The Alberta Beekeepers Commission doesn’t support the proposed lawsuit against Bayer CropScience and Syngenta over neonicotinoids, but individual beekeepers may have other ideas. Paula Lombardi with the litigation law firm Siskinds LLP of Toronto said there have been “serious inquiries” from beekeepers in Alberta about joining the more than 100 producers from […] Read more
Saskatchewan farmland attracts outside interest
New players | Researchers say nearly 800,000 acres are owned by out-of-province investors
A former Manitoba businessperson who now resides in Alberta has taken a major interest in Saskatchewan. Robert Andjelic said his portfolio of Saskatchewan farmland has grown to 180,000 acres over the past four years. “I’ve been studying the market for a lot longer,” said Andjelic, who previously owned industrial warehousing. “I got bored with retirement […] Read more
Farmfair champion takes another top prize
Black Angus bull | Agribition champion, owned by Remitall Farms, sold for $62,000
REGINA — A few hours before the big show, Richard Latimer was being circumspect about his bull’s chances at Canadian Western Agribition’s RBC Beef Supreme championship. No one knows what may happen when 36 bulls representing a wide range of breeds and type are displayed before a panel of five judges scoring each animal individually. […] Read more
