Pig farms are vulnerable to a host of nasty viruses, but in the case of porcine epidemic diarrhea, no immunity develops after the disease strikes. Transmissible gastroenteritis, similar to PED, is found on many farms but it does not provide immunity to PED, said Egan Brockhoff of Prairie Swine Health Services in Red Deer. “It […] Read more
News
Vaccine not fully effective against disease targeting piglets
Grower group looks to simplify grain contracts
Producer concerns | Separate study finds that only a small minority of growers actually read contracts with grain companies
EDMONTON — Concerns over one-sided grain company contracts have prompted industry officials to study grain contracts, says Cheryl Mayer, a policy analyst with the Canadian Canola Growers Association. She hopes the initiative will encourage companies to make contracts easy to read, understand and less one sided. “We wanted to better understand the frustrations and concerns […] Read morePrairie Paper Ventures uses crowd funding to raise capital for new paper plant
Crowd funding arrived at just the right moment for Jeff Golfman, a Winnipeg entrepreneur who wants to revolutionize the North American paper industry. Golfman is using the relatively new practice of selling small amounts of equity to many investors, usually through the internet, to try to raise $5 million for his company, which manufactures paper […] Read more
Nitrogen fertilizer shortage looms
Tight supplies on hand | Lowered North American prices reduced nitrogen imports
Growers in Western Canada could be facing a nitrogen fertilizer shortage this spring. “It’s probably not time to press the panic button, but in terms of nitrogen, it’s getting tight,” said Brian Kenyon, director of sales and marketing for Yara. He has polled growers at various meetings and events, and nobody is indicating they intend […] Read moreEnd-point royalties on seed may become reality
Royalties benefit research | Farmers say plant breeders’ rights legislation would create restrictions on farm-saved seed
A plan to update Canada’s plant breeders’ rights laws could potentially cost grain farmers tens of million of dollars per year through a new system known as end-point royalties. End-point royalties (EPRs) are charged on harvested grain. In countries where they exist, the royalties generally range from $1 to $3 per tonne, although rates can […] Read morePasture group seeks reduced liabilities, grazing fee for patrons
Saskatchewan ag minister says the leasing fee is fair and he may provide money for noxious weed control
DAVIDSON, Sask. — The organization that represents most of the federal pastures switching over to patron administration says grazing costs will be too high and patrons are taking on too much risk. The Community Pasture Patron Association of Saskatchewan wants changes to the lease agreements its members are signing with the province and told agriculture […] Read moreCFIA food safety rules costly, frustrating: report
Regulations hurt small businesses | Canadian Federation of Independent Business says inconsistent decisions among issues
The cost of complying with Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations has risen to $657 million a year, according to a report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. The CFIB said last week the cost and time needed to deal with agency bureaucracy is a blow to competitiveness and productivity in the industry. A senior […] Read moreStampede official says staff dedication helps recovery
The designation 101 identifies a basic lesson or application, but Stampede 101 was anything but basic. Fourteen days before the 101st Calgary Stampede was set to begin last summer, the most extensive flood in Alberta history flooded the grounds, part of the city and a large area of southern Alberta. However, Stampede 101 was held […] Read more
AG Notes
Nominations sought for Outstanding Young Farmers Nominations for the 2014 Saskatche-wan Outstanding Young Farmers’ Program will close March 1. Forms are available at www.saskoyf.ca. The program is open to individuals, couples or managing partners-shareholders of a farm group. Nominees must obtain at least two-thirds of their gross revenue from farming and have not reached age […] Read more
Conference speakers encourage integrated weed management
VANCOUVER — North American farmers have used weed control methods for the past two decades that are comparable to eating at a fast food restaurant: convenient and cheap. However, simplistic weed control had serious consequences, causing glyphosate resistance to spread across the continent. The major chemical companies say the era of easy and cheap weed […] Read more
