Clay Serby will have to sign on to the national farm program by the end of the month or risk losing federal support for Saskatchewan producers. But he isn’t happy about it. The provincial agriculture minister told reporters Dec. 12 that he was disappointed his Ontario counterpart signed the agricultural policy framework a day earlier. […] Read more
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Sask. resigned to signing APF
Ag Notes
Olds officials change The Olds College Centre for Innovation in Olds, Alta., has made two management changes. As senior vice-president of business development, Rick Tofani will help entrepreneurs create innovative and competitive products, processes and knowledge that will contribute to Alberta’s primary value-added goals and help build sustainable communities. Shelley Gingrich becomes director of finance […] Read more
Manitoba group opens private, multi-species packing plant
McCREARY, Man. – Manitoba soon will have a new multi-species slaughter and processing plant. The plant near McCreary is expected to open early in the new year and will be able to slaughter cattle, hogs, bison and elk. Its owners say they will be slaughtering and processing animals to market meat wholesale. They also will […] Read more
Aussies enter precision ag market
An Australian precision agriculture electronics company is entering the Canadian market, riding in on Morris Industries’ latest 8-Series seed carts. David Sharp of Farmscan said making money by saving money is what precision agriculture is all about. “We’ve seen the acreages increase in Australia, it’s the same thing that is happening in Western Canada,” Sharp […] Read more
Machinery makers lean on dealers
Prairie farm equipment dealers are once again facing arm-twisting tactics from main-line manufacturers, despite provincial legislation designed to prevent that from happening. The Canada West Equipment Dealers Association says many of its members have complained about a new John Deere contract that encourages them to discontinue carrying products from smaller companies on their lots. “They […] Read more
Man. sunflower producers warned of insect problems
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. – Manitoba sunflower growers were warned this month that there are three pest insects likely to pose the greatest menace to their crops in 2004. Of most concern are cutworms and lygus bugs, said provincial entomologist John Gavloski, but grasshoppers could also pose a threat. “At this point, I would probably […] Read more
Gov’t pork deal goes sour
The Saskatchewan government stands to lose another substantial sum of money on an investment in agriculture gone bad. Between Crown Investments Corp. and the department of agriculture, the province sunk nearly $2 million into Birsay Livestock Ltd. Partnership, a 1,200-sow southern Saskatchewan hog operation that filed for bankruptcy Nov. 4. Both are listed as secured […] Read more
Light shed on nitrates
An experiment finished nearly 30 years ago by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, uncovered recently during new study preparations, shows that it’s best to be patient when measuring the movement of nitrates through soil and ground water. Mark Tomer and Michael Burkart, soil scientists and hydrologists at the USDA’s National Soil […] Read more
SWP ag directors educate others
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool brought independent directors to its board table for their financial and management expertise. Now, the farmers around that table are returning the favour. The pool’s eight farmer directors have formed an agriculture committee to help the four independents learn more about the industry. President Marvin Wiens said the committee meets regularly to […] Read more
U.S. lights fire under ethanol production
Doug Durante has a map that shows the growth of the ethanol industry in the United States. It is growing so quickly he cannot keep the map current. “The map is out of date,” the executive director of the Washington-based Clean Fuels Development Coalition apologized as he spoke Dec. 9 to a meeting of the […] Read more
