NOW: Farmers might not feel they are living in a golden era when they see those sorts of headlines. Somehow, the record highs don’t seem to have the impact that a farmer might hope for. It’s a result of the difference between nominal and real prices, which disguises the brutal long-term reality of agricultural production, […] Read more
News
Now: New winter wheats offer feed, milling potential; Then: New winter wheat for use in northwest
NOW: The two million acres of prairie farmland seeded to winter wheat this fall pale in comparison to the tens of millions of acres dedicated to the crop in the United States. However, the number shows significant growth from a few decades ago, when a few hundred thousand acres were grown in Canada, mostly for […] Read more
Prairie residents most generous in Canada
Among Canadians, prairie residents are the most generous in donating to charities, according to an analysis of charitable giving conducted by the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute. Manitobans are the most generous, followed by Saskatchewan and Alberta residents, according to the December report. Quebec residents are the least generous to charities among provinces, although residents of Northwest […] Read more
CME feeder cattle settle mixed
CHICAGO, Dec 23 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Monday rose for a third straight session, buoyed by last Friday’s bullish U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly cattle-on-feed report, traders said. Friday’s USDA data showed the number of cattle placed in U.S. feedlots dropped 3 percent from a year earlier as improved grazing […] Read more
Canola drops $8 per tonne today
Pressured by sinking soy futures and the continued burden of a record Canadian crop, canola futures dropped $8 per tonne Monday. The March canola contract in Winnipeg sank to $445.70 per tonne, down from $453.70 per tonne Friday. Forecasts of rain and cooler temperatures in Brazil and Argentina put a damper on soybean futures. March […] Read more
Grower, SeCan reach agreement on unauthorized seed sales
A Saskatchewan seed grower who sold a midge tolerant wheat variety without proper authorization has reached a settlement in a legal action initiated by SeCan. Gary Christianson and Eastway Holdings, of Naicam, Sask., reached an agreement with SeCan last month. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The settlement stemmed from the illegal, unauthorized sale […] Read more
Now: Tens of thousands of farmers participate in protests; Then: Ottawa delegation to be 1000 strong
NOW: It’s March 1959, and Keith Dryden is on a special Canadian National Railway train bound for Ottawa. The Western Producer reporter is on assignment, joining carloads of prairie farmers, led by then-Saskatchewan Wheat Pool president Jack Wesson, who are on their way to ask prime minister John Diefenbaker for deficiency payments. His editor, Tom […] Read more
Hope to find missing dog renewed by online clue
A British Columbia farm family is hoping for a Christmas miracle. They want their dog back. Neiko, an Australian Shepherd owned by the Irvine family, went missing July 5. It was unlike him to leave the farm, where he and his sister, Tessa, often waited at the end of the long driveway for family members […] Read more
Canola posts modest gain on week, but bearish factors remain
January canola gained $3.70 on the week, battling back a little from major losses the previous two weeks. All crop markets rose modestly Friday, mostly on traders squaring positions ahead of the holidays next week. Technical factors and bargain buying were features. Fundamental support came from forecasts of dry, warm weather in Argentina. Soils in […] Read more
RCMP still looking for missing cattle in fraud case
The search continues for more than 600 cattle related to an Alberta fraud conviction stemming from an RCMP investigation that began in 2009. Timothy William Flad, 47, of Brownfield, Alta., was convicted in September of cattle theft over $5,000. The police investigation revealed that Flad sold cattle he had financed without notifying the lender he […] Read more
