I have received a number of emails and have overheard plenty of conversations about wind chill over the last week. Some of the emails are asking what it is, but most are asking for clarification on whether a -52 C wind chill really means it is -52 C outside. When we talk about apparent temperature […] Read more
News
Glyphosate, glufosinate prices hit rock bottom
Producers are urged to take advantage and book one or two year’s supply, but many are reluctant to buy too far ahead
SASKATOON — Farmers should seriously consider locking up their glyphosate and glufosinate needs at today’s rock bottom prices, say suppliers of the products. “I absolutely think growers should be pouncing,” said Joel Merkosky, president of Johnston’s Grain. “If I was a producer and I was sitting on a solid cash position, I’d be looking at […] Read more
Farmers to plant more pulses this spring
SASKATOON — Fewer cereals and oilseeds and more pulses — that sums up Agriculture Canada’s first crack at predicting what Canadian farmers will plant in 2024. The federal government agency is forecasting a three percent drop in wheat and a five percent decline in barley acres. Canola plantings are anticipated to be down 1.5 percent, […] Read more
Loreburn elevator lost to fire
MEDICINE HAT — A blaze has gutted a grain elevator in a southwestern Saskatchewan town following a fire Sunday. Volunteers were called in from Elbow and Davidson to the Loreburn, Sask., scene Sunday morning to help battle the fire with local firefighters, according to social media postings from the village and participating fire departments. Favourable […] Read more
Robinson named to Senate
REGINA — Mary Robinson, former president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, has been appointed to the Senate. She fills a vacancy in Prince Edward Island. Robinson is a sixth-generation farmer and agribusiness operator in P.E.I. and current vice-president of the World Farmers’ Organization. She holds a bachelor of arts in economics and business. She […] Read more
Russian wheat estimates can be tough to make
A limited U.S. diplomatic presence in Russia following that country's invasion of Ukraine can make forecasting difficult
SASKATOON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says strained diplomatic relations with Russia are hampering its ability to properly forecast the country’s wheat production. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has been way off the mark the past couple of years with its early estimates for the Black Sea country. It initially pegged the 2023-24 […] Read more
GSU accepts Viterra offer
REGINA — Members of the Grain and General Services Union who work for Viterra have voted to accept the company’s latest contract offer. The GSU announced the decision today, saying the support wasn’t overwhelming but enough to accept the offer. Local 1 voted 63 percent in favour and Local 2 voted 68 percent to accept. […] Read more
No charges laid in Taser incident
MEDICINE HAT — Charges won’t be laid against an RCMP officer accused of pointing a Taser at a civilian employee and the matter has been referred back to the force to investigate internally, according to a report by the Alberta law-enforcement watchdog. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was called in to investigate allegations […] Read more
Research priorities worry farmers
SASKATOON — Crop organizations say the federal government’s research priorities are increasingly at odds with those of farmers. The issue surfaced during the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission’s annual general meeting. “Are we in alignment or are we starting to see what our priorities are as growers isn’t necessarily the same priorities as the federal government?” […] Read more
Organic sector asks for targets
Industry lobbies government to adopt an organic action plan but concedes it will not happen overnight
WINNIPEG — Organic farming leaders want the federal government to implement a policy similar to Europe, in which 25 percent of farmland is supposed to be organic by 2030. That’s considered an unrealistic target for Canada, considering only three percent of farmland is currently in organic production. As a result, organic leaders are proposing a […] Read more
