Former Saskatchewan Liberal senator Herb Sparrow, who died Sept. 6 from complications of a stroke at age 82, was a Senate icon — a symbol of the patronage system and also of Senate independence. His work was also an example of how the usually background Senate can produce reports that literally change the face of […] Read more
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Former Sask. senator dies
Grain handler buys land in Sask.
Toronto based | The company is considering development opportunities
A Toronto company that owns grain handling facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, New York and Ontario is accumulating land near the Canada-U.S. border near Northgate, Sask. However, company officials are sharing few details about their plans in the area. Jason Gould, chief financial officer of Ceres Global Ag Corp., confirmed last week that […] Read moreElegant highway sculpture provides history lesson
Prairie symbols | Art lining Louis Riel Trail depicts story of Metis life
KENASTON, Sask. — She’s made of steel, stands nine feet tall and weighs 850 pounds. Her outstretched hand points to the prairie. She is Cree. The other hand gently touches her son’s head (four feet, 275 lb.) who follows his mother’s learned gaze. He is Metis. Their lifelike hair is crafted from stainless steel that […] Read moreOpening rabbit plant a hair pulling process
Patience and determination needed | Glitches in renovating and licensing the facility have almost been worked out
VALLEYVIEW, Alta. — Red tape, rules and regulations haven’t made it easy for a new rabbit processing plant to open its doors. Marion Popkin bought a provincially inspected slaughter plant built inside a shipping container from Rouleau, Sask., 18 months ago. However, floods and road bans prevented her from moving the plant to Alberta until […] Read moreFeds support antibiotic alternative
Recently announced federal funding will support a Saskatoon-based company researching substitutes for antibiotics in livestock feed. A $101,000 contribution will assist Prairie Plant Systems as it develops technologies to replace antibiotics using plants like mustard seeds. The company believes it can use feed supplements to stimulate an animal’s immune system to resist infection, improving herd […] Read more
Canola makes up for lost ground
Canola had another good day Friday, catching up some of the room it has recently lost to soybeans in this historical rally. Continued reports of sub-par yields instilled anxiety in buyers, and reports of damage from wild windstorms across the Prairies raised fears that less is now lying out there than just a week ago. […] Read more
Farm consolidations, ‘mega-farms’ a growing trend
Statistics Canada’s 2011 Census of Agriculture shows that farms continue to grow, especially on the Prairies. In coming issues The Western Producer will explore the trend toward mega-farms, why it’s happening and what it means to agriculture and rural communities By Sean Pratt, Saskatoon newsroom
One large Saskatchewan farm has swallowed another that was in financial trouble, creating the kind of mega-farm that has become a lightning rod of criticism for some producers. Broadacre Agriculture Inc., a division of Pike Management Group, has acquired Wigmore Farms of Regina. The sale includes 40,000 acres of leased and owned farmland in southern […] Read morePublic slow to donate to African famine relief
The response from Canadians to urgent appeals for donations to avert famine in West Africa’s Sahel region has been tepid, says international co-operation minister Julian Fantino. After a tour of the area accompanied by Canadian aid organization officials, the minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency said Sept. 11 that Canadians had pledged just […] Read more
Canola makes slight gain
Crop futures prices had a comfortably up day Thursday, with gains for virtually every crop, including a 10 cent per bushel increase for canola. But it wasn’t a sharp gain, and the modest gains highlighted how little the September U.S. Department of Agriculture reports Wednesday have affected the market. Winnipeg November canola futures rose $4.40 […] Read more
Fires banned in Cypress Hills park
Saskatchewan’s environment ministry has banned all open fires in the Centre and West blocks of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park due to extremely dry conditions. All burning permits in the area have been suspended until the ministry reinstates them. Several roads have also been closed to help fire suppression efforts. These include all roads and trails […] Read more
