The National Farmer’s Union has released a new report that challenges the notion that the Canadian farm income crisis is the fault of “inefficiencies” of production among small Canadian farmers. Called The Farm Crisis, Big Farms, and the Myths of Competition and Efficiency, the NFU report cites a 2001 Statistics Canada study. It found that […] Read more
News
Efficiency no guarantee of survival: NFU
Golden German millet glows in grazing trial
LANIGAN, Sask. – Backgrounding newly weaned calves on swath-grazed Golden German millet produced better daily gains than feedlot weaning in a research study that ended for the season last week. At the Termuende Research Farm near Lanigan, Sask., Bart Lardner of the Western Beef Development Centre and his colleagues found that the variety of foxtail […] Read more
Stock Sales
Nov. 21: Diamond D production sale, Bruderheim, Alta., 780-998-0057 Nov. 27: Agribition Charolais Diva sale, Regina, 306-933-4200 Dec. 1: L4 Ranches Red Angus bull sale, Brooks, Alta., 1-866-644-3917 Dec. 3: Brost Land & Cattle Hereford sale, Medicine Hat, Alta., 306-933-4200 Dec. 3: Chinook Classic Angus sale, Lethbridge, 403-625-2130
Ont. may be warming to APF
TORONTO – Ontario’s new Liberal government, one of the key hold-out provinces blocking the national launch of the agricultural policy framework, appears to be edging closer to signing on, perhaps by year’s end. In part, it reflects hints of new flexibility from Ottawa on program design as the federal government tries to get the five-year […] Read more
Timothy hay exports bring in the bacon
EDMONTON – The lucrative timothy hay export market is a well-kept secret in the agricultural world. While other producers struggle to cover their costs of production, timothy growers cover their costs and more. “We make very good money on our hay,” said Kate Whenham of Outlook, Sask., who grows timothy on 640 acres of irrigated […] Read more
Man. group pushing for cull kill plant
With the results of a feasibility study now in his hands, David Reykdal is optimistic about efforts to establish a slaughter plant in Manitoba for cull cows and bulls. Reykdal is one of the people leading the effort to convert a Winnipeg hog processing plant into a cattle slaughter plant under the name Rancher’s Choice […] Read more
What makes timothy tops?
EDMONTON – Canadian hay exporters know Japanese producers like Canadian timothy, but they don’t know why. “We’re trying to figure out why they buy what they buy,” said Albert Van Genderen of NAFTAC Commodities, a timothy export company from Lethbridge. “We know what the reasons could be, but we don’t know why.” Knowing why Japanese […] Read more
Grain purity rules viewed as too restrictive
Canadian grain and oilseed exporters face trade barriers and challenges around the world because governments, including Canada’s, have not moved quickly to dilute regulations against the presence of small amounts of unauthorized impurities in food. The problem, said Bill Leask of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, is that consumers take at face value claims that […] Read more
Litter good in pasture
Litter, the leftover vegetation often known as “carryover,” is one of the most important tools when managing native grassland on the southern Prairies. The phrase “take half, leave half” is a traditional guideline for ranchers whose goal is sustainable native rangeland. “Litter is important because, from a productivity standpoint, moisture is the most limiting factor,” […] Read more
Content rules provide food for thought
It is 7 p.m. and a careful consumer worried about a restless sleep, sucrose intolerance and pesticide residue plays it safe, ordering a sugar-free drink, an organic salad and a decaf coffee. The consumer may not actually be receiving what is expected. Federal rules now allow: The sugar-free product to contain up to 0.5 percent […] Read more
