Canola growers in Manitoba have been extremely disappointed by yields this harvest season, as record temperatures and arid conditions hindered pod development in July. Yet, the extreme heat may not be the only factor behind poor canola returns, which ranged from 20 to 25 bushels per acre on many farms, because blackleg also robbed canola […] Read more
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Manitoba canola yields disappointing producers
Investigation launched in piglet neglect case
Manitoba’s Chief Veterinarian’s Office euthanized about 1,300 piglets late last week at a farm in west-central Manitoba, after receiving a tip of animal neglect. Provincial animal welfare inspectors visited the farm and found the piglets in severe distress. The province has initiated an investigation. The Winnipeg Free Press reported the barn was near Austin, Man., […] Read more
Pilot escapes spray plane crash unhurt
A 30-year-old Regina pilot was uninjured after crashing his spray plane in a field near the city yesterday. Regina RCMP said the crash happened around 6:30 p.m. about 15 kilometres northwest of the city. The single engine Cedar spray plane was extensively damaged but the pilot declined any medical assistance. RCMP are investigating and said […] Read more
Year-round records help secure maximum AgriStability claim
Fall can be a busy time for farmers, but a deadline looms during this period: the submission of AgriStability returns. It is highly possible that your accountant will call you before the deadline to ask questions about yields, inventory and input costs for previous crop years. It is essential to maintain an organized farm book […] Read more
Canada names new WTO ambassador
An experienced federal trade and finance bureaucrat and diplomat is Canada’s new ambassador and chief negotiator at the World Trade Organization. Jonathan Fried, ambassador to Japan since 2008, former senior Canadian representative at the International Monetary Fund and a senior government lawyer for the North American Free Trade Agreement, was named WTO ambassador in Geneva […] Read more
Organic Alberta showcases diversity through field day
Organic Alberta recently invited its urban members and friends near Edmonton to share a diversity of agricultural experiences and broaden their understanding of what organic means in Alberta. It offers its Calgary members a similar experience in mid-August. Events for the first field day began with a tour of the grounds at the Multicultural Heritage […] Read more
Liberal senator Fairbairn taking sick leave
Longtime Alberta Liberal Senator Joyce Fairbairn, for years a prominent player in Senate agriculture debates, is leaving active Senate duty on sick leave as she battles Alzheimer’s disease. The 73-year-old former journalist and longtime aide to former prime minister Pierre Trudeau is going on sick leave from the Senate, where she has worked since being […] Read more
Anatomy of a diesel breakdown
Industry and government officials agree that a monster was born when diesel engines were built to meet the Tier 4i criteria in 2008, 2009 and 2010. But how did North America get into this mess? The heavy truck industry says it started when engine manufacturers and the U.S. government led each other down a dark […] Read more
Strip and chip shops thrive on Prairies
ROSENORT, Man. — Farmers lured into what seems like a good deal on a late model highway tractor should think twice before signing the cheque. That’s the opinion of brothers Jake and Peter Friesen of JPF 2000 in southern Manitoba, a specialty shop that focuses on performance modifications to diesel engines. “There are a lot […] Read more
Big diesels learn to play within rules
Some Tier 4i DPF truck owners want their entire emissions system removed at an independent shop. Others bring their trucks to an original equipment manufacturer dealer only for chip work. Most major truck dealers in Winnipeg agreed that the latest aftermarket electronic control technology has evolved to the point that diesel particulate filter, Tier 4 […] Read more
