Could a melt down in oil prices drag down crop values? It is worth pulling our heads out of weather forecasts and supply and demand reports to consider whether outside forces could deliver a blow against agricultural commodities. I was shocked into this after listening to an interview with Jeff Kennedy, chief commodity analyst at […] Read more
Tag Archives Ag Finance
Potential crude oil price meltdown bad for grain, oilseeds
Dishes to enjoy at the cottage or in the backyard
You can spend a little or a lot on steak. Here are the most common of the more expensive cuts:
What to barbecue? Tenderloin: Medallions or filets cut from the loin section are the leanest, most tender and most expensive Strip loin: Often called New York steak, it is not as tender as tenderloin, but some consider it the tastiest cut T-bone: It has tenderloin on one side of the bone and strip loin on […] Read moreWeevil invades alfalfa crops; up to 80 percent damage
A pest that was a blip on the radar screen in Saskatchewan has suddenly become a bright light. Saskatchewan Agriculture started surveying for alfalfa weevil in 2009 and discovered noticeable populations of the newcomer to the province. Regional forage specialist Lorne Klein said the infestation level rated a three on a scale of one to […] Read more
Growers should take close look at millet as late seeding option
Reynald Gauthier says all is not lost for growers confronted by flooded fields. He sells a crop that might work for them. “Millet right now is probably the only option that they have, being it’s getting late,” he said. “You can seed millet until about July 20 for cow feed.” Gauthier, who owns Millet King […] Read more
Prairie growers on alert for fast spreading disease
A winter wheat field near Burdett, Alta., is the proverbial canary in the coalmine for stripe rust. The large field, up to 40 percent infected with the disease, showed the potential for infection in other winter wheat fields, as well as possible spread to susceptible varieties of spring wheat. “It’s definitely showing up in a […] Read more
Habitat dwindles for barn swallow
The familiar swooping flight and forked tail of the barn swallow are not as common as they used to be. A year ago, the Committee on the State of Endangered Wildlife in Canada added the species to its list of threatened birds. Some have questioned COSEWIC’s decision, including the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Producers at […] Read more
Program assures farmers receive pay for grain
Farmers of North America has launched a program that ensures growers will be paid for the crops they sell. Farmers who join the MarketPower Assurance program and deliver grain to an insured grain buyer will receive a credit note that can be taken to any financial institution and presented as collateral against new borrowings. “By […] Read more
Role of crown prosecutor
One of a crown prosecutor’s most difficult roles is communicating with and managing the expectations of victims and families of victims in high profile criminal cases. Our criminal justice system is set up in such a way that, when someone is charged with a criminal offence, it is the crown that is the opposing party […] Read more
Draw up balance sheet to measure financial performance
Renowned management consultant Peter Drucker once said, “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” There are literally dozens of ratios and indicators — the measurements — that can be used to manage financial performance on a farm. Two key measurements look at the return farmers are getting from their financial investment in the […] Read more
Update to B.C. animal health act fails to pass muster
Proposed bill | B.C.’s privacy commissioner criticized one section of the bill that could prevent disease information disclosures
Last month’s controversy over a proposed update to British Columbia’s Animal Health Act was overblown, say livestock officials. B.C.’s Liberal government had tried in May to pass a bill that would have established a new process for disease outbreak detection and containment. However, a section of the act concerning privacy drew criticism from B.C.’s information […] Read more
