Gophers are now officially pests in Saskatchewan. Agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud announced last week the rodents have been declared pests under provincial legislation. That means rural municipalities can now take action to control gophers through bylaws. He said RMs needed more authority in the fight against Richardson’s ground squirrels. “If 10 producers are trying to […] Read more
News
Gophers make Sask. official pest list
Budget trims BRM funds
Agricultural leaders say the Saskatchewan budget announced March 24 was what they expected. The numbers show a significant cut of nearly $100 million, but most of that is a drop of $93 million in the money allocated for business risk management (BRM) programs. The province plans to spend $383.5 million on agriculture this fiscal year, […] Read more
FPCC role examined
A 2008 decision by the federal supply management system watchdog to “reinvent itself” as a more activist body has landed it in court and created tensions with the agencies it oversees. Chicken Farmers of Canada has asked a judge to rule on whether the Farm Products Council of Canada exceeded its jurisdiction last year when […] Read more
Prairie briefs – for Apr. 1, 2010
Alberta program picks up 13 new cases CAMROSE – Twelve cases of chronic wasting disease were identified in wild deer in Alberta during the fall surveillance program. The 12 new cases, plus an emaciated deer found in June, brought to 13 the total number of cases of CWD found in wild deer last year. Hunters […] Read more
Big Sky Farms back in business
Big Sky Farms is out of creditor protection. The Humboldt, Sask., hog company completed the process under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act March 20 and is once again operating on its own. The company fulfilled its obligations under a plan of arrangement developed after it filed for protection Nov. 10. Shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour […] Read more
Tories vow to take stand on Colombia
The federal Conservative government has relaunched the parliamentary debate on approving a Canada-Colombia free trade deal and this time it plans to thwart opposition plans to scuttle it. The deal, strongly supported by many Canadian agricultural lobbies, including the Canadian Wheat Board, was the first bill tabled by the Conservatives in the new parliamentary session. […] Read more
Letters to the editor – for Apr. 1, 2010
Acupuncture on animals I am prompted to write this after reading Dr. Jeff Grognet’s column on acupuncture, which appeared in the March 18 edition. The article is misleading and creates an improper image of the state of this alternative therapy in veterinary medicine. He states that acupuncture has been used in animals for thousands of […] Read more
Budget cuts take agriculture sector by surprise
For Manitoba’s farm leaders, this year’s provincial budget was the same old song and dance. The government focused on other priorities and agriculture was ignored. “A stable agriculture sector is important to the entire province and that has been too often overlooked,” said Jay Fox, president of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association, in a statement. […] Read more
Trade experts say EU access would boost beef
Canada’s chief agriculture negotiator Gilles Gauthier told Canadian Cattlemen’s Association members last week that their sector would benefit if a Canada-European Union free trade deal is negotiated. “I’m optimistic we will open the doors for Canadian beef exports,” he told a meeting of the CCA trade committee in Ottawa March 23. CCA leaders had a […] Read more
Anti-gun registry lobby pressures opposition MPs
Public hearings on legislation to abolish the long gun registry will be held in May and by early June, it could be sent to the House of Commons to await a final vote. Now, anti-registry activists are worried that opposition MPs who favour keeping the registry will dominate the committee studying it and will try […] Read more
