Rural residents encouraged to take precautions, but challenges still exist when trying to bring perpetrators to justice
MEDICINE HAT — New Year’s Day 2023 isn’t a day Redwater, Alta., resident Brad Gulka will soon forget. That’s the day he watched via remote video camera as thieves broke into his home with a large pry bar and walked out with his possessions. The video, shared with The Western Producer, shows four people as […] Read moreNews
Manitoba crown land regulations take effect
New measures take forage capacity into account, allow farmers to add five years to their terms and address lease transfers
The Manitoba Crown Land Leaseholders Association says the province’s new regulations are a welcome step and more is needed. “We’re still holding out for the promises that were made by the premier and (agriculture) minister during the election,” said president Brent Benson. On Jan. 2, the province announced that changes to the system were officially […] Read more
Cover crop efficiency may drop
Cover crops can help improve soil health, reduce soil erosion, cut fertilizer costs and increase soil organic matter. But how climate change will affect the practice remains a wild card. A recent study from the University of Illinois suggests cover crops may become less efficient in the future. The study also showed that yields of […] Read more
China eyes boosting farm tech
REUTERS — China will use “all strengths” to accelerate the advancement and use of agricultural technology to secure higher productivity and a stable supply of crops, the agriculture ministry said Jan. 4. “It is necessary to intensify the application of research and development, leave no stone unturned to accelerate high-yield and high-oil soybeans, breakthrough in […] Read more
Global food prices shrink
REUTERS — The United Nations food agency world price index ended last year about 10 percent below its 2022 level. Values in December were also down from the previous month, further easing concerns over global food price inflation. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 118.5 […] Read more
Producers fear Paris Olympics river closure
REUTERS — Traffic restrictions on the river Seine during next summer’s Olympics in Paris, including a week-long closure before the opening ceremony, could upend grain transport in the midst of harvest in the European Union’s top exporter, an industry group warned. The Seine is a major route for bringing crop to the northern port of […] Read more
Breeding malting barley varieties a tricky business
Giant North American brewers and maltsters want one thing, while micro-brewers and micro-maltsters often want something else
WINNIPEG — Farmers can be frustrated by how few new varieties of malting barley are available for them to use in the real world. Brewers and maltsters can be cautious about changing anything that goes into their production systems. New varieties spell risk and danger to them. These two sides define an industry that requires […] Read more
Climate report focuses on best management practices
Farmers for Climate Solutions holds consultations as it looks for ways in which farms can reduce climate change impact
A new preliminary report from Farmers for Climate Solutions is expected to be released in March and will look at more than 50 approaches and best managements practices that can reduce carbon emissions. The sector-wide report is being developed by a farmer-led task force. Its members include agricultural emissions modellers and agricultural economists. The goal […] Read more
Sask. teachers plan one-day strike
REGINA — Saskatchewan teachers will be off the job Tuesday, Jan. 16, for a one-day province-wide strike. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation issued notice Jan. 11, noting that it is only required to give 48 hours notice but wanted to give families extra time. “Additional notice also provides government an opportunity to change course,” the STF […] Read more
Man. wild pig control requires different strategy
Copying U.S. strategies has not worked in Canada because the northern pigs act differently than their southern cousins
HOLLAND, Man. — Manitoba’s rugged wild pigs ain’t like the pampered porkers down south. That means finding, trapping, controlling and monitoring them can’t be done in the same way that Texans do it. As millions of people have seen on YouTube, Texans and other southern plains humans have become adept at trapping large numbers of […] Read more
