A juggling act | Managing goods and people
REDCLIFF, Alta. — The new warehouse buzzes with activity. Forklifts toot their horns. Equipment chugs and whirrs. Bright lights illuminate new concrete. Conveyors transport brightly coloured vegetables to boxes and pallets. And eyes follow Lyle Aleman. Red Hat Co-operative Ltd. packages and ships fresh vegetables from its 40 active greenhouse operator members. It’s Aleman’s job, […] Read moreNews
Vegetable plant whirs with activity
Canal upgrades provide much-needed facelift
Fighting drought | Canal provides water to 37,000 acres of irrigated land
Even dreams need upkeep. Rehabilitation work is well underway on the M1 Canal north of Lake Diefenbaker and the Gardiner Dam in central Saskatchewan. The canal was first considered more than 80 years ago during the Dirty Thirties and was part of a larger dream to build Gardiner Dam and Lake Diefenbaker. Gerry Gross, agrologist […] Read moreHog producers hope rainbow doesn’t fade
Hog producers can see the other side of the chasm but don’t know if the road will run out before they get there, the Canadian Swine Health Forum heard. “Is there anything to build a bridge, to get them over,” wondered Manitoba Pork Council vice-chair Rick Bergmann in an interview. Dozens of producers attended the […] Read more
Dry winter forecast may get wetter
La Nina-El Nino transition | Shift in weather patterns behind reasons for updated predictions
An unusual shift in weather patterns could save dry prairie farms from getting drier. Forecasters were certain this summer that the world was transitioning from a La Nina event into an El Nino event, which would gain strength in the fall. That meant western Canadian farms would be in for a drier-than-normal winter after many […] Read moreOlymel enters new territory with bid for Big Sky Farms
Potential owners of Big Sky Farms have until Nov. 9 to outbid Olymel, which last week offered $65.25 million for the troubled Saskatchewan-based hog producer. The receiver, Ernst and Young, expects other bidders to step forward now that a judge has approved the sale process, which included the selection of Olymel as a stalking horse […] Read more
Japanese millerswary ofnew system
Japanese millers saw Australian wheat and durum quality and consistency decline a few years ago and worry Canada’s might go the same way. As well, they aren’t sure who to talk to if problems arise in the post CWB-monopoly era. “Since the CWB single desk system was dismantled, there is no contact person to address […] Read more
Growers face several dilemmas when dealing with fusarium
Evidence of the widening spread of fusarium head blight acrossSaskatchewan this year adds to a growing chorus emphasizing the importance of variety choice in keeping the disease at bay. However, industry officials warn there is no perfect solution for growers. “You’re going to deal with whatever is the biggest issue in your region,” said Pierre […] Read more
Masterfeeds, Ridley merge
Companies plan to merge livestock, feed and nutrition business
The merger of two feed businesses will create the second largest feed provider in Canada. Masterfeeds Inc. and Ridley Inc. announced Oct. 18 that they will merge their commercial livestock and poultry feed and nutrition businesses in Canada. The new company, with its headquarters in London, Ont., will be called Masterfeeds LP and operate 22 […] Read moreNew arena hopes to drawmore livestock to Regina event
Organizers expect more livestock in a new show footprint at next month’s 42nd annual Canadian Western Agribition. A couple of older barns have been retired and a new sale arena constructed in the commercial cattle barn, said chief executive officer Marty Seymour. “I think the biggest thing you’re going to see is a completely new […] Read more
New institute addresses growth
Protecting valuable resources The Alberta Land Institute plans to study the impact on farmland from the rising population expected during the next 50 years
EDMONTON — With the Alberta population expected to double in the next 50 years, what’s going to happen to farmland? It’s a question the new Alberta Land Institute hopes to answer in an effort to help protect the province’s valuable resource. Executive director Andre Tremblay said a growing demand for land designed for many uses, […] Read more
