Not an ideal deal | Provincial ag minister unlikely to risk losing federal funding for research, sources say
Saskatchewan will likely sign onto a new federal-provincial business risk management program this week with which it doesn’t necessarily agree. It has to if it wants to receive funding for non-BRM provincial-specific programming that has yet to be negotiated. Agriculture ministers are meeting in Whitehorse Sept. 12-14 to sign the next five-year farm support agreement […] Read moreNews
Sask. expected to reluctantly sign BRM agreement
Think-tank calls for farmer input
Plans to reduce farmer payments under key federal-provincial farm support programs should lead to more producer involvement in decisions, says a new report on farm program evolution. In Whitehorse this week, federal and provincial agriculture ministers are expected to approve significant cuts in payment eligibility under AgriStability, the mainstay farm support program. Farm leaders say […] Read more
Funding future coming to head
As agriculture ministers were expected to gather in Whitehorse this week to debate substantial cuts to farm support programs, federal minster Gerry Ritz says farmer input was key to the process. Many farm leaders beg to differ. Ministers are set to approve significant cuts to AgriStability coverage this week as part of the next five-year […] Read more
Insecticide link to bee deaths questioned
Despite multiple incidents in Ontario, Minnesota, Illinois, New York and Indiana, where the death of bees at planting time has been linked to corn seed treatments, a spokesperson for Bayer Crop Science said there is little reason to point the finger at insecticides. “We think that there is very poor correlation between the treatment of […] Read more
Global warming puts summer crops at risk: study
Impact on corn examined | Hotter temperatures and less rain will increase the need for more drought tolerant crop varieties
Scientists have speculated that rising carbon dioxide, which is associated with climate change, could potentially boost crop yields in the future. However, U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers in Colorado have determined that the negative effects of rising temperatures outweigh the potential benefits of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Laj Ahuja, a research leader with […] Read moreSask. premier makes trade promotion trip to Asia
First time to Indonesia Trip is also intended to deal with recurring trade irritants with the growing region
Agricultural products and issues are on the agenda for premier Brad Wall and 25 Saskatchewan-based companies on a trade trip to Asia. Wall said Sept. 6 he intended to help open doors for the producers and sellers of canola, wheat and other products, but he also planned to address recurring trade irritants. The Sept. 8-17 […] Read moreWinter wheat popularity expected to continue
Comparable to spring wheat prices | In some areas, winter wheat generated higher yields than spring wheat
Solid yields, an early harvest and the narrow price spread with spring wheat should help winter wheat hold onto its acreage in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, says a grower from Birtle, Man. “I don’t know if we’ll have more acres than last year … but I would anticipate it would be similar,” said Garth Butcher, who […] Read moreBarley, wheat commissions still ways off: APAS
Work is continuing to establish new wheat and barley commissions in Saskatchewan. Cory Kolt, media relations officer with Saskatchewan Agriculture, said department officials will be making an announcement about the proposed commissions in the near future. “The ministry at this point is not in a position to comment further but we do expect to be […] Read more
Drought dire for Man. producers
A dugout on a section and a half of pasture has provided water to thousands of cattle on John Tkachuk’s farm near Piney, Man., for more than 40 years. However, the dugout dried up this summer and turned “putrid,” Tkachuk said, after a year of minimal precipitation and scorching hot temperatures in July. “The water […] Read more
Drought tolerance ‘not a silver bullet’
Drought tolerant corn would not have saved the U.S. crop this year, says the National Corn Growers Association. “The drought was so intense in certain areas that even the hardiest of hardy crops would not have been able to make a significant dent,” said Nathan Fields, the association’s director of biotechnology. A number of seed […] Read more
