The drought in the United States southern plains that sapped the hard red winter wheat crop is now devastating cattle herds there. Ranchers without feed in Texas and Oklahoma are culling herds, causing a temporary increase in the number of cattle in feedlots. Packers will have adequate supply of slaughter cattle for a few months, […] Read more
News
Drought forces U.S. herd cull
Don’t be scared of the dark, spray trials show
There aren’t many downsides to spraying at night, according to a researcher and a farmer who regularly sprays after dark. Bob Blackshaw, a research scientist with Agriculture Canada, has compared the results of spraying barley, peas and camelina during day and night and found no significant differences in weed kill related to the timing of […] Read more
Ambitious farm policies face money woes: analyst
The next generation of farm programs is backward looking and not designed to tackle future challenges, says a food policy analyst. It is also being designed with little information about the performance of past and current programs. Bob Seguin, executive director of the George Morris Centre in Guelph, Ont., said federal and provincial agriculture ministers […] Read more
Prairie heat wave advances crops
Farmers often fear a mid-summer heat wave, but the one that recently passed through Western Canada was just what the doctor ordered. Crops have shot ahead, catching up much of the distance they had fallen behind normal development. “It’s pushed crop development forward, which is good,” said Bruce Burnett, head of the Canadian Wheat Board’s […] Read more
Revamped canola variety trials underway for 2011
Spring and summer flooding hasn’t dampened enthusiasm for the Canola Council of Canada’s newly revamped variety testing program. “It has been a really good start to a new program and a new focus,” said Denise Maurice, vice-president of crop production with the council. Trials are back in full swing after a one year hiatus to […] Read more
Farm has deep roots in northeastern Sask.
ETHELTON, Sask.—The Taylor name is part of the landscape near Ethelton, in northeastern Saskatchewan. When the family arrived there in the early 1900s, it settled on land with rich black soil and no stones, said Ryan. His great-grandfather, Herbert, had nine children in his family, many of whom remained and raised families of their own. […] Read more
Canfax Report – for Jul. 28, 2011
HEAT PRESSURES FED PRICES DOWN The rising loonie and falling U.S. cattle market pressured the Canadian market lower to a point where almost no cash fed trade was reported in Alberta or Saskatchewan. The punishing heat in the United States weakened beef demand, pressuring cutouts lower and forcing feeders to market cattle into the falling […] Read more
Sask. unseeded acre claims top record
The number of unseeded acreage benefit claims in Saskatchewan has surpassed the 2010 record. As of July 18, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. had registered 13,243 claims. That compares to 12,314 last year. So far, 5,104 claims worth $155.5 million have been paid out. Last year, total payout for unseeded acreage claims was $221.4 million. […] Read more
Canadian farmers urged to be generous in African support
A farmer who drove his combine across Canada to highlight the struggles of Canadian producers now wants them to dig deep for Africans suffering from famine. Nick Parsons of Farmington, B.C., said Canadian farmers could raise $10 million for famine relief in Africa if they donated $100. “We have a lot to be thankful for. […] Read more
Alberta youth’s artwork wins praise, award
A young woman’s love of animals and drawing has captured the attention of art lovers and judges at this year’s Calgary Stampede. Marleen Palsson, who recently graduated from high school in Standard, Alta., won $2,000 for her pen and ink portrait of a favourite Simmental calf as part of the Stampede western art scholarship program. […] Read more
