Agripod: Recent Episodes
Agripod
Agriculture through a modern lens. Digging into the topics that matter to you. With Alice Mcfarlane.
To enhance the ability of pork producers to be prepared to respond to a foreign animal disease outbreak, the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board in partnership with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Animal Health Emergency Management project has released a mass euthanasia and disposal producer guide.
Sask Pork Producer Services Manager Karolina Steinerova talks about the plan and training that's available.
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A new University of Saskatchewan study will examine whether pea protein can strengthen bone structure in people over the age of 50. The pea protein will be put into almond milk, which has low protein levels. The study will also include milk and pea milk as comparisons.
The one-year study involving as many as 200 men and women will be led by Dr. Phil Chillibeck---a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Kinesiology.
The study will also include strength training in combination with beverages.
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There has been a lot of discussion surrounding a pesky weed called kochia.
Wind helps spread the tumbleweed longer distances and there are more reports of herbicide resistant kochia. The seed banks are only viable for three years, but it has been discovered forages can compete with kochia in low-lying marginal areas.
Ducks Unlimited Extension Agrologist Jodie Horvath says DU sponsored research projects last year using drones that seeded forages on 14 farms covering a total of 560 acres.
She says there were promising results with more drone seeding projects coming up this year.
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Saskatchewan farmer Todd Lewis got the call from the Prime Minister himself and will be accepting an appointed to the Canadian Senate.
Lewis is the former president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and current Vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. For the farmer from Gray near Regina, Sask. the title of Senator is something he's still getting used.
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When it comes to the various cuts of pork, consumer preferences have changed dramatically over the past 20 years.
Since COVID consumers have been contending with steadily increasing food prices. Hubert Muckel, a retired southwestern Manitoba butcher-meat cutter who retired in 2023 after working more than 50 years, estimates food prices have approximately doubled over the past four years.
The price of medium ground pork has gone from $1.99 a pound to over $4.50 a pound for the same product.
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There is a growing recognition of the need to address anxiety and depression among farmers.
The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program is on on-line support program for farmers, their families and their employees who are dealing with anxiety or depression. Program Vice-chair Roberta Galbraith says the program was a response to a 2016 University of Guelph study that revealed depression and anxiety levels within the agriculture sector, particularly among farmers, were substantially higher than the general population. She says a follow-up 2021 study that showed the needle hadn't moved.
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A well-known Environment Canada Meteorologist will soon be calling it a career. Terri Lang will retire after 36 years at the national weather office. She'll talk about the changes in weather gathering that have occurred over her time and some of the most interesting weather events she has been able to cover.
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An animal science professor with Colorado State University says when it comes to health and welfare, aggression and animal handling, genetics is a key factor to consider.
Dr. Temple Grandin is the keynote speaker at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium.
Grandin explains animal handling has improved dramatically over the past 40 years, one factor that plays a role is genetics.
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The United States confirmed it was not going to renew the Canada-US-Mexico agreement in its current form for another 16 years. Farm Credit Canada is one of many groups paying extra attention to the July 1st deadline.
In preparation, FCC released a report in June on what would happen if the agreement were not renewed. FCC Vice-president and Chief Economist Craig Johnston says included in the report are the impacts U.S. tariffs have had on Gross Domestic Product and business confidence over the last year, as well as how it could impact the Bank of Canada interest rate.
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A national cattle group is not shocked by the U.S. deciding not to renew the Canada-U.S,-Mexico agreement on trade in its current version.
Tyler Fulton - President of the Canadian Cattle Association - says this is what he expected to happen.
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The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recognizes meat as nutritious, and a food item Americans should be prioritizing at every meal. The document is published every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and serves as the official blueprint for federal nutrition policies, education programs, and food assistance initiatives.
Dr. Ashley Johnson says since the 1980s, recommendations have tended toward reducing meat consumption and replacing it with plant-based proteins.
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Dr. Brian Rossnagel, a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre, will be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame later this year.
Rossnagel transformed barley and oat production during his 35-year career. His prolific breeding program developed more than 100 varieties of barley and oats for feed, forage, food, and malting markets. Rossnagel says these varieties were widely adopted by producers in Western Canada, as
well as other countries.
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Visitors from across Canada and Switzerland travelled to Northeast Saskatchewan to learn more about sustainable agriculture practices. The group, Nature United, is the Canadian affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization with more than a million members.
Kris Babbings, the president of Collective Impact, lead the tour.
He talks about the importance of how the tour gave the guests a perspective of why some agricultural practices are done the way they are.
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Manitoba's pork producers are welcoming Canada’s new African Swine Fever zoning agreement with Japan.
The Government of Canada and the Government of Japan have announced an agreement on the mutual recognition of containment zones in the event of an outbreak of ASF, an internationally reportable disease that has devastated swine herds around the world.
Cam Dahl, the General Manager of Manitoba Pork, says the detection of ASF in Canada would be catastrophic.
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Provisions will be included in the U.S. House of Representatives version of the Farm, Food and National Security Act to address feral swine.
The bill now awaits action in the Senate, where the Senate Agriculture Committee is drafting its own version.National Pork Producers Council CEO Bryan Humphreys at World Pork Expo in Des Moines, says feral swine have become a real problem that needs to be addressed.
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Difficult weather and soil conditions are also causing problems for the Saskatchewan farmers involved in Canadian Foodgrains Bank Projects. Rick Block is the Foodgrains Bank representative in Saskatchewan and is the point person for the various community grow projects.
He'll provide an update on the important work they do to support food security programs around the world
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Manitoba Pork is calling for the creation of strategic plan for dealing with trade.
General manager Cam Dahl says in the wake of the recent U.S. election, the federal government needs to develop a national strategy for agriculture and food trade particularly as Canada heads into the 2026 review of the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement.
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Protein Industries Canada is looking for companies that can blend pulses AND cereals to create new food products and ingredients.
PIC Senior Director of Programs Lisa Campbell says the purpose of calling for Expression of Interests (EOI) is to meet the consumer demand for more innovative ways to incorporate protein and fibre into their diets.
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The planned closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre places Canadian research programing at risk.
In January, as part of a broader federal mandate to reduce the size of the public service, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced the imminent closure of several research facilities.
Dr. Stuart Smyth, a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan says limiting federal government swine research capability to a single location puts swine research at risk and jeopardizes the global competitiveness of Canadian pork.
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A panel of producers, veterinarians and researchers is now reviewing 42 submissions received in response to a January call for research proposals to enhance the response to H5N1 Influenza.
SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says H5N1 is an Influenza A virus normally associated with avian species but, since 2024, that virus has been found in dairy cattle, sheep and goats and in October 2024 the infection was identified in backyard swine.
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The conflict that has affected the movement of goods through the Straight of Hormuz has resulted in reduced fertilizer availability leading to reduced grain production and shortages of food. As the result of trade friction and global conflict Canadian farmers are facing increased uncertainty.
Florian Possberg says the pork sector has enjoyed relatively low feed costs but there is some real concern over grain prices.
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The announcement was made a few months ago . . . but the official groundbreaking ceremony was held at the BASF Agricultural Solutions Canola Breeding Centre of Innovation expansion.
That centre is located a few kilometres northeast of Saskatoon—-just off Highway 41. Brent Collins, the Head of Seeds and Traits for BASF Agricultural Solutions, the $27-million dollars expansion will solidify Saskatoon's reputation as a global centre for canola breeding.
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Corteva Agriscience announced its new brand, Trusource™ wheat, a high fiber durum that can help meet consumers’ needs for increased dietary fiber through use in high-volume foods such as pasta.
Trusource wheat will be available to food companies to trial in product development and evaluation in late 2024, with North American commercialization plans for farmers to be announced in the coming years.
Tyler Groeneveld is the North American Director for value added ingredients at Corteva Agriscience.
He says it’s important because fiber is the most under-consumed macronutrient and there is a direct correlation between low fiber and chronic inflammation, leading to many human health issues.
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Hot summers may be great for your time at the lake, but very hot temperatures can cause stress in crops, especially flowering canola.
Curtis Rempel, vice president of crop production and innovation with the Canola Council of Canada says when the temperatures are in the 30's, it's especially hard on flowering canola plants.
The crop at flowering is when the pollen is produced, the canola gets pollinated, and seeds start forming. When you have high heat levels, when the crop is starting to flower, you get pollen dying because of the heat. Then the flower does not get pollinated, and it gets blasted
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Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) launches a new strategic plan with a new focus on priorities with the greatest impact on pulse growers in Saskatchewan, looking ahead to 2030.
SPG Executive Director Carl Potts explains the plan is built on direction from its ninemember Board of Directors-made up of farmers. The new plan highlights four key focus areas.
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The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities is urging rural residents to run for municipal councils and truly make a difference in their communities and make a difference.
SARM President Ray Orb says many RMs have vacancies on councils, and this presents an opportunity for individuals to get involved with the issues that directly affect daily life for the people in rural Saskatchewan. SARM has created a new video to discuss some common misconceptions around rural
representation.
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Cargill announced its newest canola processing facility west of Regina is in operation. Jeff Vassart the President of Cargill Canada says in the months leading up to this week, they were already taking in canola as part of the commissioning process.
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If you want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes operation of a farm, then Saskatchewan Open Farm Days might just be for you.
Coordinator Ashley Stone says the event is set for this summer and last year saw over 4,000 visits.
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Given the high prices of fertilizer, what would influence farmers to change their seeding plans? That's a question Farm Credit Canada explored with an analysis on swing acres and which crops could see the most change between now and when seeding begins.
FCC senior economist Lee Anderson talks about fertilizer prices, its effect on some of those decisions, and how that has all happened since the conflict in Iran started in late February.
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Canada is looking to increase pulse sales to India by working in areas of mutual need. Nutritional security is very important to India, and part of its plan is to build food processing capacity in the world's most populous country.
More pulse processing in India will in theory lead to increased pulse crop purchases from Canada.
We'll hear from Greg Cherewyk is the CEO of Pulse Canada.
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Computer based artificial intelligence is offering new insights into animal welfare. A new tool being developed by the University of Saskatchewan is using A.I.at the abattoir.
The University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed an automated swine welfare assessment system consisting of a digital security camera linked to an A.I. processor. Dr. Seokbum Ko explains how cameras record animal movement along the processing line and condensed AI models extract and assess images indicative of animal welfare.
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The 10th Annual Saskatchewan Beef Expo was recently held in Saskatoon.
Kirk Stierwalt, a long-time cattle operator and clinician from Leedey, Oklahoma has been conducting show cattle clinics for 37 years. He worked with the 4-H members at Beef Expo providing guidance on clipping, grooming and showmanship. He'll talk about some of the tip and tricks he shared with the young 4-Hers.
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The Vice-President of the Canadian Fuels Association says diesel prices are currently at historical levels in Canada.
Carol Montreuil has observed a lot of places across the country have diesel prices above $2.00 a litre with some in the range of $2.25 to $2.50 a litre. He says that's not the case yet in Saskatchewan but the trend, given the conflict in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, is not good.
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Rural communities and non-profit organizations across Canada interested in providing mental health education locally can now apply for the 2026 Community Fund for Mental Health.
Executive Director of Do More Ag Merle Massie says the Fund, going into its 8th year, is managed by a partnership between the Do More Agriculture Foundation and Farm Credit Canada. She explains the program and how to submit an application.
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Canada ranks number three in the world for herbicide resistant weeds, only behind the United States and Australia. The last extensive survey in Saskatchewan occurred in 2019-2020 and estimated producer losses due to herbicide resistant weeds at $340 million per year. It found that green foxtail, volunteer canola, wild oat, wild buckwheat and kochia were the biggest concerns.
The top instance of herbicide resistance in Saskatchewan five years ago was Group 1 resistance in wild oats. Herbicide Resistance wild oat was found in 77 per cent of 250 fields where wild oat was collected and tested. Charles Geddes is a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and will be leading the herbicide resistant weed survey.
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The federal carbon tax been completely ineffective in reducing fossil fuel use, it has also made it harder for farmers to afford the adoption of new innovations. That from Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl.
He says farmers face many challenges as they work to adopt environmentally sustainable green practices while operating in the red.
Dahl is calling on government to replace its policy of taxing farmers to stimulate decreased fossil fuel use with one where incentives are offered to stimulate the adoption of environmentally sustainable technologies and practices.
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A successful canola crop needs a lot of nitrogen, which is why nitrogen has A-list status. That same successful crop also depends on a strong supporting cast - phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and micronutrients.
Canola council of Canada agronomy specialist Warren Ward says farmers will benefit from soil tests, yield history and economics to determine how much fertilizer their canola needs.
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Protein is an important component in a person's diet---whether it be animal-based or plant-based. Nationally recognized registered dietician Carol Harrison says protein has many benefits, but questions come up on different the types of protein, how much is enough, are plant and animal-based proteins the same.
She will also have some tips on how to extend your meat budget a bit more.
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Retaliatory duties imposed on U.S. pork in response to the Trump Administration's tariff threats will have a far more negative effect on Canadian market hog prices than U.S. duties on imports from Canada.
As North American farmers await the next moves in Donald Trump's on again off again tariff war, analysts are monitoring developments in the U.S. as well as the international reaction to them. Paul Marchand, a Senior Risk Management Analyst with HAMS Marketing Services says the price for a Canadian market hog delivered to a federally inspected slaughter plant in Canada is established in the U.S. so any response that lowers the U.S. base price will lower the Canadian price for hogs.
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Uncertainty around tariffs can impact a farmer's decision on what to grow this year.
Retired Agronomist Thom Weir says it's even more important to understand your fertility needs and what adjustments can be made to keep a little more cash in a farmer's pocket.
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A just released study looks at supply management and the renegotiation of the Canada United States Mexico Agreement. Milk, eggs, chicken, turkey and, in most provinces, hatching eggs, are produced and marketed in Canada through supply management.
The Agri-Food Economic Systems Independent Agri-Food Policy Note examines the expected discussions on supply management as we approach the CUSMA renegotiation. Research Lead Dr. Al Mussell says in terms of Canada U.S. trade, dairy has been one of the longest standing irritants between the two countries.
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The Wheat Growers Association is welcoming China’s final ruling to sharply lower the antidumping tariff on Canadian canola seed to 5.9 per cent, plus the standard 9 per cent import duty, alongside the suspension of 100 percent tariffs on canola meal effective March 1.
Wheat Growers Chair Daryl Fransoo says the decision marks a positive step forward for prairie canola farmers who have faced prolonged uncertainty in one of Canada’s key export markets.
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While the use of food fermentation has typically been used for food preservation, people like the taste of fermented foods and are now discovering the heath benefits.
Dr. Jeremy Burton, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Western University and a cofounder of the Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative, will explain the fermentation process and health benefits.
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Alberta's latest case of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea appears to be isolated and has been contained to one site. This is the first confirmed case of PED in Alberta since 2022.
Javier Bahamon, with Alberta Pork, says, even before PED arrived in Alberta, the plan was to have a team that would respond to any outbreak quickly and investigate with the principal objective being to contain the disease and ensure it's doesn't spread.
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's proposed changes to traceability regulations have been a hot topic among the cattle community.
And it's kept the Saskatchewan Cattle Association (SCA) and like-minded groups busy, gathering feedback from producers. It all started in December when the CFIA first announced the proposed changes before swift backlash forced them to pause them to do more consultation.
Chair of SCA Chad Ross says they were the first ones to call for the pause. He says traceability rules have been an ongoing conversation for more than two decades.
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Canadian marked Food Freedom Day–the day the average Canadian has earned enough to pay for groceries for the rest of the year, according to a report from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
The CFA says the average Canadian is expected to have spent 12.3 per cent of their disposable income on food.
CFA Policy Officer Scott Ross shares some of the findings of the report and says the take-home message is that we have access to high-quality food that’s some of the cheapest in the world.
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A just completed economic impact assessment shows an eight to one return on dollars invested in pork sector research in Canada. Swine Innovation Porc explored the findings of an impact assessment which examined the returns on pork sector research investment in Canada.
Dr. Stuart Smyth, a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
at the University of Saskatchewan, and one of the authors of the report. He will explain the study looked at research investments made from 2010 until the end of 2023.
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The dairy industry has plenty of reasons to be optimistic in 2026. That's the view of Farm Credit Canada's 2026 Dairy Outlook, written by FCC Senior Economist Graeme Crosbie. He will share some of the highlights of 2025 and why 2026 is looking so encouraging.
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The forecast is looking bright for the pork sector in 2026. Farm Credit Canada expects a profitable year as outlined in the 2026 Hog Outlook.
FCC Senior Economist Justin Shepherd says 2025 ended up being a pretty good year for the hog industry in Canada and North America due to lower feed costs and strong pricing. This was fueled by strong demand for meat and higher costs for substitute proteins, whether it beef or chicken, making pork appealing for the consumer.
Shepherd expects 2026 to be much the same.
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A chef instructor with the Culinary Institute of Canada says consumers have become more aware of the cost of groceries. An article circulated through canadianfoodfocus.org looks at how consumers can trim their food costs by using "humble cuts of meat" to prepare nutritious meals at home.
Chef Ilona Daniel says people are paying closer attention to the prices on their food as they balance the cost of groceries, housing, fuel and general living costs.
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Ranchers care about the animals they raise. That is why when it's -50 with the windchill - they are on high alert watching out for those newborn calves. Sometimes it means going to any lengths to get them warmed up quickly so they can be returned to their mothers.
One rancher in southern Saskatchewan had several calves born on a very cold day. Those three newborn calves spent some time on a bathroom floor in the home of Chris Lees at Arcola, Saskatchewan.
Chris will tell us about the busy start to calving season on his farm.
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Nearly all forestry biomass pellets are shipped to the European Union, which wants environmentally friendly energy solutions that reduce the need to import oil and natural gas. Work at the University of Saskatchewan is exploring turning canola and oat hulls --along with canola meal into a better biomass pellet. The main work is being done by PhD candidate Tumpa Sarkar, under the supervision of Dr. Ajay Dalai.
The hope is to have a final version of the biomass pellet in one to two years. Dr. Dalai is a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Saskatchewan and holds the Canada Research Chair in bio energy.
He will share the research and the ultimate goal of developing a technology that would eventually be adopted by the private sector.
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What should I make for dinner? Canada Beef will say...beef.. of course. But what cut of beef should I chose? How do I prepare it?
That's why Canada Beef is working towards getting QR codes on every package of beef. One quick scan with your smart phone and all of those questions will be answered.
Canada Beef President Michael Young says when every cut of beef has its own QR code the home cook will have the information they need to make a decision on the type of beef to buy, how to cook it, access to recipes and videos and even a grocery list, at their fingertips. Eventually the QR code will be part of the retail meat case, print or digital flyers. While beef will be the first to do this, Young believes other commodities like chicken and pork will soon follow.
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Better brome....better beef.
The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan will receive $332,000 from the Agriculture Development Fund to find ways to make genetic improvements in bromegrass, an essential forage crop for cattle.
GIFS Director of Genomics and Bioinformatics Dr. Andrew Sharpe will explain how the research being done will produce a catalogue of genetic variations for bromegrass.
He says it will have a direct impact on the ability of breeders to select the most nutritious varieties of bromegrass that produce the largest yield.
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A company based in Edam in northwest Saskatchewan is getting ready to launch a pilot testing program for a new cattle ear tag.
Company owner James Babcock says the Ori-tags take basic health data from the cattle and use artificial intelligence to benefit the producer's operation.
While there's room for pork producers to be optimistic heading into 2026, that optimism is being tempered by tariff threats and global political uncertainty.
Manitoba Pork General Manager Can Dahl says, on the positive side, there was profitability in 2025 due to strong demand for both pigs and pork, on the flip side of the coin there is significant international market volatility and an uncertain relationship with the U.S., as well as tariffs on pork going into China.
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Grocery prices are rising, but the farmer's share continues to shrink. This according to National Farmers Union Vice President Stuart Wells. He says corporate processors and retailers are the ones that are benefiting. Wells will explain that consumers need to know that less and less of the money
they spend on food actually makes it back to the farmer, and retail food prices are high because meat packers, other processors and big retailers are taking ever larger shares.
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Canada's outstanding young farmers were announced at a special event recently. Jenny Butcher & Wes Kuntz run a dairy operation in the Brantford, Ontario region. Tracey & Raymond Bredenhoff, Abbotsford, BC. and have a 40,000 broiler per cycle chicken operation and are also the largest distributors of Canadian-grown hops. We'll hear from both families about winning the award and successes and challenges that they've faced in the past year.
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It wasn’t just farmers growing vegetables this year in Canada. According to a study from Dalhousie University, the pandemic inspired a lot of people to grow their own garden. Vanessa Young with the Horticulture and Agriculture Lifelong Learning Programs with the University of Saskatchewan says there was an increased interest in gardening.
Part of it she believes is provide food for the family, but it is also a stress reliever. She'll also talk about the different ways you can grow a garden on the prairies.
It is always great to connect with producers who are willing to share stories about their own farming operation. Lonny and Connie Bulmer run Bison River Ranch in northeast Saskatchewan.
In addition to raising bison, the couple recently added a rental cabin to their property. I talk to Lonny about their farm and how the addition of the cabin has been a pleasant surprise and welcomed addition to their operation.
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Just sign on the dotted line.
I just need your signature.
How many times are you asked to do this over the course of a year? We’ve all done it….you read the terms of agreement on your phone you scroll down and click "accept" without really reading the fine details. This has the potential to be disastrous for a farmer, particularly this year when it comes to the eligibility declaration you sign when selling grain and an elevator.
Tom Steve with the Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley commission has a warning for farmers. Those declarations may look the same but there are some significant differences. He will explain those changes, why it happened, the repercussions of not understanding what you've signed and your legal obligations.
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Often people have a certain vision of what a conventional farm looks like. It usually involved a tractor or combine and a field of golden grain.
Today on Not Your Everyday Farmer we will feature a very different type of farm operation. John Cote and his wife Barb Stefanyshyn Cote did the unthinkable and sold the family farm and then they embarked on a completely different experience…..making gin and selling flowers. Barb will talk about the creation of Black Fox Farm and Distillery and how they've never worked harder in their lives.
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Farm Credit Canada (FCC) wants to reward farmers for using practices that make the farm environmentally friendly.
FCC released its Sustainable Finance Framework, outlining how they will invest $1.9 billion by the year 2030, to help producers increase their farm's resilience to weather challenges, increase productivity, and ensure it's a long-term viable operation.
Marie-Claude Bourgie is the Vice-President of Sustainability for FCC.
She explains the sustainable financing is incentive-based and applies to FCC customers.
The Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission will have a key item on the agenda of its annual general meeting.
Chair of the Board Norm Hall says they will be discussing BASF's Invigor Gold variety of mustard.
Invigor Gold is a canola quality mustard and is able to cross pollinate with brown and oriental mustard.
BASF says Invigor Gold will be more drought tolerant than regular canola, but the mustard industry says it will put Canadian mustard sales in jeopardy.
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The spread of African Swine Fever to wild boar in Spain is a reminder of the importance of vigilance in terms of biosecurity especially as more people are traveling out of country.
Dr. Megan Niederwerder says a recent European Food Safety Authority review of the risk factors particular to Europe offers important information for North America.
There are more handling tips and tricks available to pork producers. Kevin Brooks is a production manager specializing in animal handling and training with Olymel West in Humboldt, Sask.
He spoke at the recent Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium about he things that have changed in the sector.
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Global Agri-Trends says tariffs on trade haven’t been as serious a concern for the meat sector.
Brett Stuart is a founding partner for Global AgriTrends. He was formerly employed by the US Meat Export Federation as their lead economist. He conducted numerous research and analysis projects in the global meat trade areas as well as advising US trade officials on internation meat access issues.
He shared some of his findings during the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium.
The House of Commons agriculture committee has been reviewing the policies and procedures of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as well as Health Canada. One issue discussed has been the growing number of concerns that have impacted Canada's veterinarians.
Tracy Fisher, the president of the Canadian Veterinarian Medical Association, share some of those struggles
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Crop diseases can have a serious impact on a farmer's bottom line, that’s why management is an ongoing concern for producers. Finding the right tools and technologies to help producers get a handle on diseases can be complicated and expensive.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Kelly Turkington says it all starts with having a basic knowledge of the nature of plant diseases as the first step towards understanding what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.
A University of British Columbia student design team has created the prototype for a fully autonomous agricultural robot.
The creation of the AgroBot started with four students. The team has grown to 40 students with backgrounds in various areas of engineering.
AgroBot team member Wendie Wu will explain the project and tell us about how the students took inspiration from other industries and applied them to the robot...all in an effort to make agriculture operations more sustainable.
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African Swine Fever and emerging diseases was a main topic of discussion at the recent Sask Industry Pork Symposium.
Dr. Stephanie Smith, the director of the veterinary unit with the Ministry of Agriculture, shares how the industry and farmers can prepare for emerging diseases like African Swine fever.
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The federal government is planning to reduce the amount of money spent on international aid----but it's unclear where those cuts will be made.
Paul Hagerman is the Canadian Foodgrain's Bank Public Policy Director.
He is concerned about the wording of the last federal budget.
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The Research Lead with Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests with Canadian oilseeds under increasing trade pressure, an oilseed strategy could be helpful.
An Independent Agri-Food Policy Note and accompanying Policy Concepts Paper, released by Agri-Food Economic Systems, examined the pressures facing Canadian oilseeds including China's 100 per cent tariff on canola oil and canola meal, trade action on Canadian peas from China, and now India - and issues with China and the U.S. over soybeans.
Research lead Dr. Al Mussell says Canadian oilseed producers are extremely export dependent but that's not a bad thing.
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) have sent a letter to the provincial government, laying out their views on Saskatchewan farmland ownership. President Bill Prybylski says while he has no proof of foreign farmland ownership being an issue in Saskatchewan, he is concerned that the price of farmland could be inflated by outside interests.
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A protein journalist says the technological revolution is helping shape the buying patterns of consumers more today than over the past century. "The Retail Meat Counter; What consumers are buying and how is it changing?" was among the topics discussed as part of the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium.
Lisa Keefe says demographics are increasingly shaping consumer buying patterns.
Pulse Canada was in China this past week. The goal was to work to maintain one-on-one relationships with business contacts in the effort to persuade the Chinese government to drop hefty tariffs on peas and canola. Pulse Canada President Greg Cherewyk spoke prior to his flight to China.
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U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10 per cent increase in tariffs on goods imported from Canada in response to ads produced by the Ontario government. Manitoba Pork General manager Cam Dahl says Canada's elected officials need to prioritize the renegotiation and to tone down the rhetoric while working with our allies in the U.S. to maintain trade including representatives from key states like Iowa.
He says there is an understanding among elected state officials and agricultural leaders in the U.S. - Canada must continue to work with like-minded partners helping them influence the Trump administration.
There is a unique Kindergarten to Grade Nine School in the rural area . . . 21 kilometres east of Medicine Hal.
In addition to the regular classes . . . the kids get a hands-on view of food production at the Irvine Agriculture Discovery Centre. An onsite agriculture demonstration project connects rural and urban students who look after a so-called "Noah's Ark" of animals as part of the education curriculum. We will talk to the centre coordinator Nicole Neubauer.
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Crop diseases can have a serious impact on a farmer's bottom line, that’s why management is an ongoing concern for producers. Finding the right tools and technologies to help producers get a handle on diseases can be complicated and expensive.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Kelly Turkington says it all starts with having a basic knowledge of the nature of plant diseases as the first step towards understanding what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.
A University of British Columbia student design team has created the prototype for a fully autonomous agricultural robot.
The creation of the AgroBot started with four students. The team has grown to 40 students with backgrounds in various areas of engineering. AgroBot team member Wendie Wu will explain the project and tell us about how the students took inspiration from other industries and applied them to the robot...all in an effort to make agriculture operations more sustainable.
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A new online training platform for swine barn workers is allowing farms to manage, coordinate and track their training programs.
Mark Fynn is the Training Resources Coordinator with the Canadian Pork Council.
He will discuss the progress for the new program that was officially launched in March 2025.
Challenges in the trade and economic environment, largely due to tariffs from the U.S. and China, have affected Canada's Food and Beverage sector.
Farm Credit Canada released its mid-year update on the food and beverage industry and say while the first half of the year had a sales increase of 0.8 per cent, it’s not expected to hold, and FCC projects sales will decline to 0.3 per cent in the second half.
Most of the growth has been from price increases, but Senior Economist Amanda Norris says declining volumes of goods sold is causing slower-than-expected growth.
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Politics have had a significant impact on agriculture research in Alberta. The government in that province changed hands with the New Democrats taking power in 2015 and then new United Conservative Party winning the election in 2019.
It has been a stressful time for those involved in research. A new organization called Results Driven Agriculture Research or RDAR has been given the responsibility of guiding Alberta’s ag research priorities to ensure they reflect the needs of farmers, ranchers, and others in the agriculture industry.
I'll speak with RDAR board chair Dr. David Chalack about this new entity and its role in promoting beneficial research for the ag sector.
Prairie honey producers take great pride in their pure product. But the fake honey showing up on store shelves is hurting their bottom line.Fake honey is being blamed for a dramatic drop in prices dating back to 2015 and it has been pushing the limits of beekeepers in Canada.
In fact, prices were so low producers were not making enough money to even cover their costs.
Tim Wendell of Wendell Honey Farm has felt the impact. Their operation includes sites in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Wendell will explain where this fake honey is coming from and how consumers can support this important industry.
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Farmers have shortened up crop rotation for a number of reasons.
Oilseed agronomy research scientist Patrick Molecki is with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Saskatoon Research and Development Centre.
He there are numerous issues popping up because of this practice including herbicide
resistance in weeds and increased disease pressure including blackleg and fusarium head blight.
Patrick says the continuing practice will have long term implications.
There tends to be a focus on the negative environmental aspects of farming like the greenhouse gases emitted from vehicles, fertilizers, and grain transportation. But there is new work showing this impact can be offset by planting trees. It's estimated more 21.3 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent is stored in Saskatchewan’s 60,000 km of shelterbelts, representing about $639 million in total economic value under the federal $30 per tonne carbon-dioxide-equivalent pricing
system.
Bryan Mood with USask will discuss a new app that is designed to show the economic value of shelterbelts while helping landowners determine the best trees to grow.
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Canada's elected officials need to prioritize the renegotiation of the Canada, United States, Mexico trade agreement and to tone down the rhetoric while working with allies in the U.S. to maintain trade.
Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl suggests this matter should be the number one
issue of Canada's agriculture ministers from coast to coast.
Farm Credit Canada hosted its annual Food and Beverage Summit in Saskatoon. Smaller and medium sized companies from all parts of Western Canada were on hand. Stacey Gordon, FCC's area vice-president of commercial financing, said entrepreneurs at varying stages of the journey to the supermarket shelf attended the trade show and listened to presentations.
Some are only selling locally; others are in regional stores while a few are looking to break
into the national market.
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As parliament resumed the Grain Growers of Canada, who represent over 70-thousand producers across Canada, have four key priorities: international trade, capital gains tax, trade-enabling infrastructure, and research & development.
Executive Director Kyle Larkin says continued uncertainty with the United States and tariffs from China is at the top of the list. And staying with Parliament, we’ll hear from new Saskatchewan senator Todd Lewis, who farms near Regina, on how he's fitting into his new role
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan estimate 4,000 visitors took part in this year's Saskatchewan Open Farm Days.
The second edition of the event saw approximately 35 different agriculture-related venues opening their doors to the public.
Farm and Food Care Executive Director Clinton Monchuk said the event provides an opportunity for farmers to engage directly with consumers.
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African Swine Fever has hit a 27,000 pig facility in Estonia. That was one of the revelations from the monthly newsletter from the Swine Health Information Center that released its domestic and global swine disease monitoring reports.
SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says the latest developments related to African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease demonstrate the value of swine disease monitoring in understanding transmission routes and disease risks
The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board has launched its second whole hog video series.
Sask Pork Whole Hog Youth Ambassador is 12-year-old Reise Podhordeski, a farm kid who lives and works on his family's commercial hay operation near Marcelin, Sask. Reise says there's more involved in pork production than what happens in the barn.
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Manitoba's efforts to control Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea are drawing international attention.
Manitoba Pork Director of Swine Health Jenelle Hamblin says, since the introduction of Manitoba's PED elimination plan in the spring of 2023, numbers of cases have declined. Manitoba farmers and veterinarians have been reporting regular or lower incidences of other diseases. Hamblin says there has been a lot of outreaches from other jurisdictions on what's being done in Manitoba, particularly from the United States.
The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board has launched its second whole hog video series. In the series of videos, the Sask Pork whole hog youth ambassador, interviewing various members of the pork value chain.
Jessica Podhordeski with Sask Pork, says the videos run about three and a half minutes and are suitable for all audiences but they were primarily designed to educate youth about the pork industry.
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There was a lot of excitement at the University of Saskatchewan surrounding the release of a landmark study. The USask led team of roughly 100 international scientists from ten countries generated the first genomic atlas for global wheat improvement.
Crop Development Centre director Dr. Curtis Pozniak will tell us how this atlas will enable scientists and breeders to much more quickly identify genes that will improve yield, pest resistance and other important crop traits. Grain Growers of Canada have released a new video project to help educate politicians and policymakers about the challenges and realities facing farmers today.
Today's Modern Grain Farm: A Harvest Across Canada features farmers from across Canada including Saskatchewan grain farmer, Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel. Cherilyn will explain why it’s crucial to reach out to politicians and their teams and present what life is like as a modern grain farmer across the country.
She says the when the question is asked How can the Canadian economy recover from the Coronavirus? The answer might be in a strong agriculture industry and there are a number of ways Ottawa can be supportive of farmers.
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Harvest is still a few days away over most parts of the province----following rain in some regions last week. The 2025 crop will be a mixed bag-----very good in some areas----and poor in others.
Twyla Jones is the Agronomic Innovation Lead with Nutrien Ag Solutions in Canada. She talks about how crops are looking across the Prairies and picks out a couple of locations that could be combining above average yields.
Delisle is home to a brand-new flax processing facility. The plant is owned by the Minnesota company Grain Millers, which is widely recognized in Saskatchewan for its involvement in the oat industry, as they have a plant in Yorkton, but they are beginning to dabble in flax. The Delisle flax plant recently celebrated its grand opening where crews from the operations in Yorkton, of course Delisle, and also Minnesota were present for the event.
CEO and President of Grain Millers Todd Stohlmeyer will talk about the reasons for the over 30-million-dollar expansion.
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As North America closes in on the time frame for renegotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement the U.S. and has launched a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation into Canada's exports of skim milk.
An Independent Agri-Food Policy Note released by Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests U.S. complaints about Canadian dairy policy are unfounded. Research lead Dr. Al Mussell says while Canadian dairy policy has long been an irritant, Canada has remained in full compliance with its international trade obligations, including the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
China has implemented a 75.8 per cent duty on Canadian canola seed imports. China's Ministry of Commerce announced the preliminary ruling regarding their anti-dumping investigation on canola.
The latest tariff on canola seed is in addition to the 100 per cent tariff implemented on Canadian oil and meal back in March 2025.
President and CEO of the Canola Council of Canada, Chris Davison, says China is a highly valued and important market but there is great disappointed with the preliminary ruling.
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Confidence in Canada's Food System at an all-time high according to new research from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI).
Canadians are optimistic about their food supply, even as Canada's food system faces exceptional pressure and public scrutiny due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020.
President and CEO of CCFI John Jamieson will share the results of the latest public Trust Research Report, and how the Canadians are feeling about the overall direction of the food system. Farmers are poised to play a key role in Canada's economic recovery.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business submitted a list of concerns to the country's agriculture ministers, topping the list is needed improvements to Business Risk Management programs.
CFIB senior policy analyst Virginia Labbie says the focus should be on policies that will help drive growth in the agriculture and agri-food sector so that it can perform to its potential.
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Canada's position on supply management could trigger a further escalation of trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork, says hope of reaching a trade deal between Canada and the United States are dwindling.
Agriculture Innovation Awards were presented at Western Canada's largest outdoor farm show Ag in Motion.
The Innovation Award for Ag Tech went to Phiber Manufacturing of Crystal City, Manitoba for its DASH drone carrier. Steve Froese is Phiber's Director of Sales and he talks about what is unique about the drone carrier.
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Responsible Grain...it is a national code of practice being developed to show Canadian farmers care about the environment. It will address consumer and customer priorities and provide practical advice for farmers to continue to improve their practices.
Committee chair Ted Menzies from Claresholm, Alberta says the draft code, developed by farmers and industry experts, has been completed and is now open for consultation. Ted will share why it is important to have a code to share with our customers at home and abroad.
Agriculture is a key driver of Canadian economic growth. Achieving export goals will only happen through the development of a strong crops sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada along with Cereals Canada have established wheat research priorities from now to 2022.
Victoria Linden is the research director with Cereals Canada.
She will share those priorities and why it's important to revisit these goals every few years.
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North America is a role model when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production.
Dr. Frank Mitloehner is a professor with the University of California Davis. He told delegates at the recent Saskatchewan Swine Symposium the public needs to recognize the contributions of livestock agriculture to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
He said the most pressing need is to get the countries that are not efficient in producing animal sourced food to change, and that objective can be met while, at the same time, minimizing the carbon footprint.
Shelby Corey wears many hats. She is a wife and mother. She is a rancher, a rural municipal councillor, and a development officer with 4-H Saskatchewan. Life is hectic. Shelby will share how balancing the farm, kids, career, and everything else can be overwhelming but there is a way to find balance.
She will share some of the things she has learned to avoid burnout.
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Canada's new agriculture minister spent some time in Saskatchewan. Heath MacDonald toured around various areas---Regina, Indian Head, and Davidson and met with farm leaders from the grain and oilseed, beef, and dairy sectors.
Saskatchewan agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison also accompanied MacDonald on all stops during his tour. MacDonald will share more on the conversations and concerns of farmers during his visit.
Prairie farmers may face a potential rust threat this year
Dr. Kelly Turkington, a research scientist in plant pathology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lacombe, says rust spores typically originate from the Pacific Northwest and the Texas-to-Nebraska corridor in the U.S.
These spores, which include stripe rust, leaf rust, stem rust, and crown rust in oats, are carried by the wind and usually start appearing in the prairies in June. Over the years, research scientists, breeders, and pathologists have been working on developing crop varieties with increased rust resistance with moderately resistant (MR), or resistant (R) rating can control the disease effectively, making fungicide application unnecessary.
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Farm Credit Canada's Food and Beverage Report for 2025 shows in detail the challenges each manufacturing sector faces due to the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S. as well as changing consumer habits.
But it also shows opportunity through those challenges. Senior Economist Amanda Norris will be looking at two sectors in particular: grain and oilseed milling and meat.
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is partnering with provincially owned, private plant breeding company J4 Agri-Science to develop improved lines of faba bean. It is the second major collaboration SPG has entered into since its long-term agreement with the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre ran out more than four years ago. SPG provides upfront investments with any future royalties shared by the two parties.
J4 Agri-Science was founded by two farmers and has its main testing sites in northeast Saskatchewan. Dr. Jodi Souter is a plant breeder and co-founder of J4-Agri-Science. She'll talk about the collaboration.
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A Montreal area-based farmer and agrotourism operator is taking steps to help maintain rare livestock genetics, particularly the Lacombe breed of pig. Established in 1982, Quinn Farm is a 200-acre agricultural and agrotourism operation that produces a variety of horticultural crops, more than 18 varieties of apples, Christmas and balsam trees, raises chickens, pigs and sheep, including many rare breeds, and houses a large farm store that features the farm's own produce, and a variety of local products.
Farm cofounder Elwood Quinn says the public's awareness of the importance of maintaining genetic diversity, even within the one percent of those directly involved in food production, is minimal.
The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is getting the word out about its Harvest Sample Program.
The program encourages producers to send in a grain sample to the Commission for grading, then once the sample returns to the producer with a grade, they can use it for marketing purposes. Getting involved comes at no cost.
Kerri Pleskach is the Program Manager of Analytical Services. She says farmers wanting to participate can reach out to them by phone, email, or in person at their booth at one of the many farm shows throughout the year.
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Quick crop establishment lowers flea beetle risk. Growers responding to a Canola Council of Canada survey indicated flea beetles were the number one economic risk to canola last year . . . as well as 2022 and 2020.
Flea beetle populations vary from year-to-year . . . but seeding depth and weather are
the two main variables. Keith Gabert is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. He shares some tips for canola growers
Add the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association to the list of farm groups surprised by Heath MacDonald's appointment to federal agriculture portfolio. Many were expecting Kody Blois to maintain the role.
Kaitlyn Kitzan, treasurer and Director with the Wheat Growers speaks to the appointment and some of the issues the new ag minister will have to face.
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Technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect weeds and other crop pests while passing over a field could reduce pesticide use by up to 95 per cent, maintaining crop yield, saving farmers roughly $50 per acre per growing season.
A $26.2 million project is being led by Precision.ai, Sure Growth Solutions, Exceed Grain Marketing, and the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan. The partners are together investing $13.4 million into the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing the remaining $12.8 million.
Dan McCann is the founder and CEO of Precision.ai. Dan will talk about this multi-million-dollar project and how it can benefit farmers and the environment.
There are numerous resources available to the entire agriculture sector relating to weather and climate conditions.Maps and information about agroclimate - which is the relationship between climate and agriculture - conditions, events, and impacts can be accessed at no cost.
The information comes from weather stations and satellites but it's the people on the ground that help give a true indication of what's going on.
Agroclimate Specialist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Trevor Hadwen is with us to talk about how the public can get involved in this important work.
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Control your money so it does not control you.
Vanessa Stockbrugger is a former investment banker on Toronto’s Bay Street who went on to found and run Womencents. She says having more money does not necessarily fix things – instead, people need a strategy or action plan to achieve their financial goals.
But what happens when that business is a farm.
To reduce stress, she says people must have power and control over their finances.
She'll discuss strategies for dealing with some of the big decision including when to save, when to spend and when to pay down debt.
It's a collaboration that brings together the complete beef research cycle. The University of Saskatchewan's Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, located southeast of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan opened in 2018 and includes a two thousand head cattle feeding operation, cattle research facility, buildings for drying forages, a 350 head cow-calf research facility and forage research plots.
U of S College of Engineering professor and research Dr. Terry Fonstad will tell us about the collaboration between areas of the university that truly gives the full picture of what happens from the pasture to plate. He tells us what makes this research facility unique from any other.
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The dust has settled on the federal election and Canadian farmers will be looking to Canada's newly elected minority Liberal government to resolve Canada's trade disputes with both the United States and China. We talk to Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork, about the tariff threats and its impact on the agriculture sector.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is waiting to see what the next steps will be in the days ahead. President Keith Currie says they want to talk about with the government revolves around three areas - competitiveness, resiliency, and rules-based trade.
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Amid a simmering global trade war, a former Manitoba Liberal leader is calling on Canadian agriculture to put a greater emphasis on supplying more of Canada's food needs, adding more value to Canadian agricultural products within Canada-- and diversifying Canada's export markets.
Dr. Jon Gerrard says retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on Canadian canola, pea, pork and seafood imports / along with uncertainty over U.S. duties is pressuring Canadian farmers.
There has been substantial progress over the past year in the effort to coordinate and enhance the control of wild pigs in Canada.
In addition to the damage wild pigs inflict on the landscape and on crops - they present the potential to transmit disease to domestic pigs, the greatest threat being African Swine Fever. Erica Charlton, the Director of the Emergency Management Division of Animal Health Canada says the use of environmental DNA to identify the presence or absence of invasive wild pigs is gaining traction.
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With a lack of temporary foreign workers are higher food prices and fewer food choices on the horizon for Canadians?
University of Calgary research associate Robert Falconer has released his second report on the role of temporary foreign workers in the Canadian agriculture sector. He said if there was any attempt to manage the food supply without these workers it is a strong possibility.
Robert will talk about this latest research project and provide some short- and long-term solutions to this problem.
Amanda Radke is a blogger and South Dakota rancher who speaks out on issues that impact the cattle industry.
She recently spoke to the virtual Canadian Beef Industry conference about fake meats, environmental and animal rights activists and finding ways to bridge the urban and rural divide.
Amanda will share her strategies for connecting with consumers, ignoring the trolls and how ranchers can be a trusted source of information.
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A farmer from southwestern Manitoba is calling for a patient and reasoned response from the federal government to the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the United States on its trading partners to avoid escalating a brewing trade war.
Jim Downey says it's hard to read what's happening in the U.S. from day-to-day but at this point, we still have the ability to trade freely with the United States.
Spring offers pork producers an opportunity to take steps to improve biosecurity on their farms. The Swine Health Information Center has identified seasonal decreases in case positivity for PED, delta coronaviruses and mycoplasma; a seasonal decrease in PRRS case positivity, mostly in wean to finish with North Carolina and Iowa; and reporting higher than expected increases in PRRS positive cases and, over the past four years, no positive identification of transmissible gastroenteritis. SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says the warmer weather is welcome.
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Retaliatory duties imposed on U.S. pork in response to the Trump Administration's tariff threats will have a far more negative effect on Canadian market hog prices than U.S. duties on imports from Canada.
As North American farmers await the next moves in Donald Trump's on again off again tariff war, analysts are monitoring developments in the U.S. as well as the international reaction to them.
Paul Marchand, a Senior Risk Management Analyst with HAMS Marketing Services says the price for a Canadian market hog delivered to a federally inspected slaughter plant in Canada is established in the U.S. so any response that lowers the U.S. base price will lower the Canadian price for hogs.
Uncertainty around tariffs can impact a farmer's decision on what to grow this year. Retired Agronomist Thom Weir says it's even more important to understand your fertility needs and what adjustments can be made to keep a little more cash in a farmer's pocket.
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Confidence in Canada's Food System at an all-time high according to new research from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). Canadians are optimistic about their food supply, even as Canada's food system faces exceptional pressure and public scrutiny due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020.
President and CEO of CCFI John Jamieson will share the results of the latest public Trust Research Report, and how the Canadians are feeling about the overall direction of the food system.
Farmers are poised to play a key role in Canada's economic recovery.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business submitted a list of concerns to the country's agriculture ministers, topping the list is needed improvements to Business Risk Management programs.
CFIB senior policy analyst Virginia Labbie says the focus should be on policies that will help drive growth in the agriculture and agri-food sector so that it can perform to its potential.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Saskatchewan Open Farm Days provides a great opportunity for farmers to interact with and expand the public's understanding and trust of agriculture and to showcase the great agricultural products grown in the province.
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says expanding the understanding of those who do not live on a farm of what farmers do to produce food is becoming increasingly important as we move years and generations into the future.
The special announcement was made at Canada's Farm Show about the formation of a partnership between Startup TNT and Farm Credit Canada. Jesse Wiebe, Community Develop Lead with Startup TNT, made the announcement at the Launch Pad event.
He says FCC will support their Agri-Food programming with the goal of raising $500,000 for startup companies across Canada.
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Preliminary results of research show pigs can be stimulated into engaging in play. The Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Swine Centre are exploring the prospects of using play to improve the emotional well being of pigs and improve their resilience and performance.
In one experiment the behavior of two groups of pigs provided intermittent play opportunities was compared to a control group. Dr. Yolande Seddon is an Assistant Professor Swine Behaviour and Welfare. She says the objective is to determine whether play could be stimulated and identify the physiological effects of play on the pigs.
All internationally trained veterinarians hoping to practice in Canada take their final hands-on test in Saskatoon. Three times a year, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine hosts the clinical proficiency examination process for international veterinarian graduates who want to be license in Canada. It is the only location in Canada that hosts this testing. Dr. Gillian Muir explains the testing process and how this is easing some of the stress of the veterinarian shortage across Canada.
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Farmers have a plethora of support available at their fingertips - from apps to websites.
But a very important national phone line has been launched to help farmers with their
mental health. The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Well-being (CCAW) announced the launch of the National Farmer Wellness Network Crisis Line, an initiative designed to help farmers, farm families, and agricultural workers address the unique mental health challenges they face related to their operation.
It's being funded by Farm Credit Canada's $1.5-million investment over three years to
cover costs associated with running a national phone line. Chief Executive Officer of CCAW Briana Hagen says work on the national line started when the organization was established in 2022.
Saskatchewan is known around the world for haskap---and the man largely responsible
will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame this spring.
For many years, Dr. Bob Bors was the head of the Fruit Program in the University of
Saskatchewan’s Plant Sciences Department. He retired last year. He introduced nine sour cherries . . . but is best known for the 10 haskap varieties which are grown by home gardeners and commercial fruit producers across Canada, the United States and Europe.
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To enhance the ability of pork producers to be prepared to respond to a foreign animal disease outbreak, the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board in partnership with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Animal Health Emergency Management project has released a mass euthanasia and disposal producer guide.
Sask Pork Producer Services Manager Karolina Steinerova talks about the plan and training that's available.
A new University of Saskatchewan study will examine whether pea protein can strengthen bone structure in people over the age of 50.
The pea protein will be put into almond milk, which has low protein levels. The study will also include milk and pea milk as comparisons.The one-year study involving as many as 200 men and women will be led by Dr. Phil Chillibeck---a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Kinesiology.
The study will also include strength training in combination with the beverages.
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The Research Lead with Agrifood Economic Systems suggests Canadian agricultural organizations and government need to come together quickly and act decisively in response to the threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports.
Agrifood Economic Systems has released a Policy Advisory Note which examines Canada's one month reprieve on U.S. tariffs and how the agri-food sector should use that time.
Dr. Al Mussell says Canadians are suddenly faced with a generational event.
The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association has a new Chief Executive Officer.
During its Annual General Meeting, it was announced Christina Betker will be taking over from Grant McLellan, who is pursuing other opportunities.
Betker has been with the Association for 10 years as a Policy Manager and has experience in the agriculture sector along with time working in the Canadian and U.S. governments.
Her plan for the organization includes dealing with current issues, such as the tariff situation with the U.S. and enhancing their communication with the public AND the organization's decision to change its name.
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When it comes to the various cuts of pork, consumer preferences have changed dramatically over the past 20 years.
Since COVID consumers have been contending with steadily increasing food prices.
Hubert Muckel, a retired southwestern Manitoba butcher-meat cutter who retired in 2023 after working more than 50 years, estimates food prices have approximately doubled over the past four years.
The price of medium ground pork has gone from $1.99 a pound to over $4.50 a pound for the same product.
There is a growing recognition of the need to address anxiety and depression among farmers.
The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program is on on-line support program for farmers, their families and their employees who are dealing with anxiety or depression.
Program Vice-chair Roberta Galbraith says the program was a response to a 2016 University of Guelph study that revealed depression and anxiety levels within the agriculture sector, particularly among farmers, were substantially higher than the general population. She says a follow-up 2021 study that showed the needle hadn't moved.
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There has been a lot of discussion surrounding a pesky weed called kochia.
Wind helps spread the tumbleweed longer distances and there are more reports of herbicide resistant kochia.
The seed banks are only viable for three years, but it has been discovered forages can compete with kochia in low-lying marginal areas.
Ducks Unlimited Extension Agrologist Jodie Horvath says DU sponsored research projects last year using drones that seeded forages on 14 farms covering a total of 560 acres. She says there were promising results with more drone seeding projects coming up this year.
Saskatchewan farmer Todd Lewis got the call from the Prime Minister himself and will be accepting an appointed to the Canadian Senate.
Lewis is the former president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and current Vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. For the farmer from Gray near Regina, Sask. the title of Senator is something he's still getting used.
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With global politics, tariffs and uncertainty - canola prices in Canada would likely be higher, Marlene Boersch spoke to farmers and agronomists at a recent meeting sharing her thoughts on the canola market and the impact of impending tariffs.
She says she's angry that Canada's most important trading partner is ignoring trade agreements that were signed.
Plant growth regulators are synthetic compounds that can modify plant growth, development and function by altering hormonal activity.
In western Canadian cereal crops, PGRs can work to produce shorter stems, reduce lodging and maintain grain yield.
Moddus is a plant growth regulator from Syngenta that can be used on multiple crops
There is a new research project in Saskatchewan that is looking specifically at barley.
Mitchell Japp is the Research and Extension Manager for the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission.
He'll share the very early results of a study of PGR's in Barley.
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A southwestern Manitoba farmer is calling on government and industry to explore the feasibility of establishing a processing facility that would extract medical compounds from the byproducts of hog processing.
Heparin is a blood thinner that prevents the formation of blood clots.
Jim Downey says he became interested in the medical side of production about three years ago when he was contacted by a Chinese company looking to find out what was being done with the mucosa from the guts of the hogs being slaughtered in Manitoba.
The July heat did a number on 2024 crop yields in Saskatchewan, but it did prevent major disease outbreaks.
Sandy Junek, the Molecular Lab Manager with Discovery Seed Labs in Saskatoon says seed germination levels range from good to very good.
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Farmers get a lot of direction from agronomists, accountants, bankers and lawyers. All have a direct impact on their business. But one area they often neglect is their closest personal relationships.Our guest, Sean Brotherson, a professor and extension family science specialist from North Dakota State University says a farmer’s highest priority should be their spouse or partner.
Today we talk about how healthy relationships can improve the farm business.
And, the cattle industry has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Low prices and reduced processing capacity have devastated the industry.
We have Saskatchewan rancher Adrienne Ivey here to talk about how livestock producers are coping, why two large players in the meat packing industry in Western Canada hold the monopoly on processing and why its so difficult for small meat processing facilities to make a go of it.
Adrienne discusses why she chooses to share her personal story on social media, the positives and the disappointments, and how she is committed to working not only with farmers and consumers but with the entire value chain.
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The Federal Government needs to make changes to policies on illegal immigration and the illicit sale of drugs to avoid imposition of a 25 per cent US tariff on Canadian and Mexican pork imports.
That comes from Florian Possberg, a partner in Polar Pork. He says 2025 looks positive for pork producers but a tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports could change all of that.
A farmer and agricultural input dealer from West Central Saskatchewan has written a book for the average grocery shopper. Denis Bulani, the CEO of the Rack, is the author of What a Farmer Wants You to Know About Food.
He was inspired to write the book after attending a major entrepreneurs conference in Arizona, where one of the speakers made several remarks denigrating food production.
Belani wrote the easy-to-understand book using facts backed up by 199 footnotes.
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Researchers with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are using radio-frequency identification technology to track the feeding behavior of pigs to provide an early warning of disease.
Dr. Raj Sharma says the development of autonomous technologies are designed to capture data 24-7 to monitor and track individual pig feeding behavior to provide early disease detection.
He says it provides real-time insights on what an individual pig eats and drinks and will help them identify sick animals more quickly.
It's been said a lot that cattle prices in 2024 have been strong all year, but will they continue in 2025 and moisture improved for pastureland especially in areas where there’s been multiple years of drought.
CEO of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association Grant McLellan will discuss these and other important issues for producers in 2025.
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It was during very dry conditions that a retired soil scientist sent a message out on social media telling farmers they need to soil sample to understand what the nutrient carryover will be for the next crop. Smaller yields likely mean the fertilizer applied in the spring was not used up and could be available for the next crop.
Ross McKenzie explains how the soil test could save farmers money at seeding.
In part two of Agripod...Ross will explain why it’s important to sample at the right time, give some guidelines for sampling and gives a list of labs that can provide that analysis.
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The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has a new president.
Bill Prybyski was elected to the position during the group's annual general meeting.
Prybylski says there are many files the organization is working on but he has one of particular interest to him.
Dr. Louis-Pierre Comeau of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has been working with Dr. Franck Stefani to lead the Canadian Soil Biome Survey.
More information was released on Dec 5th which is World Soil Day.
Dr. Comeau will share some thoughts on data that has been gathered so far
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We're going to be talking a lot in the next few weeks about 'year-in-review stories'.
Two specialists have examined the ten most important variables impacting Canadian Agriculture for 2025. It was compiled by two senior analysts from GrainFox---Neil Townsend and Ranulf Glanville.
They will share their thoughts on 2024 and the year to come.
Canadian Western Agribition wrapped up with organizers expecting attendance to be near the record set one year ago. Agribition President Michael Latimer will talk about some of the highlights of the event and particularly the purebred and commercial cattle shows and sales.
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A professor with Dalhousie University says Canada will need to work with the United States under the new Donald Trump administration to ensure benefits to Canadian agriculture. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois says Canada followed the United States in terms of food inflation, but Canada is now higher, the result of Canada's own food policies.
Farmers are investing in the next generation of young people by participating in the Acres for Education program. A voluntary donation of 10 cents an acre goes to help Ag in the Classroom and its many programs both inside and outside school. Some farmers also participate by allowing students to come to their farms on tours and learn more about what modern agriculture is all about.
McArthur Ag Ventures in the Watrous, Sask. area have participated in both programs
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Manitoba Pork is calling for the creation of strategic plan for dealing with trade.
General manager Cam Dahl says in the wake of the recent U.S. election, the federal government needs to develop a national strategy for agriculture and food trade particularly as Canada heads into the 2026 review of the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement.
Protein Industries Canada is looking for companies that can blend pulses AND cereals to create new food products and ingredients. PIC Senior Director of Programs Lisa Campbell says the purpose of calling for Expression of Interests (EOI) is to meet the consumer demand for more innovative ways to incorporate protein and fibre into their diets.
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Donald Trump will return to the US presidency early next year after winning yesterday’s election. What will this mean for international trade as well as imports and exports between Canada and the United States.
Trump campaigned on implementing tariffs---specifically against China, which would impact US corn and soybean producers. We spoke this morning to Stephen Nicholson---a global sector strategist for grains and oilseeds with Rabobank in St.Louis.
Farmers are celebrating the passage of Right-to-Repair Legislation Grain Growers of Canada said passage of Bills C-244 and C-294, an important step forward and significant victory for Canadian farmers.
Executive Director Kyle Larkin says the bills provide farmers the ability to repair their own equipment, ensuring the continued functionality of the advanced technology essential to modern agriculture.
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A well-known Environment Canada Meteorologist will soon be calling it a career. Terri Lang will retire after 36 years at the national weather office. She'll talk about the changes in weather gathering that have occurred over her time and some of the most interesting weather events she has been able to cover.
An animal science professor with Colorado State University says when it comes to health and welfare, aggression and animal handling, genetics is a key factor to consider.
Dr. Temple Grandin is the keynote speaker at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium.Grandin explains animal handling has improved dramatically over the past 40 years, one factor that plays a role is genetics.
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A new high-throughput immunogen-screening method developed by the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization will hopefully help reduce the costs associated with developing new vaccines.
Haoming Liu, a fourth year PhD student with VIDO, explains immunogens, be they proteins, sugars, or fats, and explains how they help the immune system recognize and fight off infections.
The Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium features an impressive list of speakers and great opportunity for networking.
The event is scheduled for Saskatoon November 5th and 6th.
Sask Pork Communications and Marketing Coordinator Steve Seto says the symposium is the perfect opportunity to hear about the latest in the industry and technological advances.
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The Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health located at the University of Saskatchewan has received an anonymous, $1.5-million donation to fund the purchase and operating costs of a new mobile unit that will travel around rural Saskatchewan.
Centre Director Dr. Shelly Kirchuk and Kendra Ulmer, the manager of the Agricultural Health and Safety Network will talk about the work of the rural and agricultural centre and the significance of the donation.
Often people have a certain vision of what a conventional farm looks like.
It usually involved a tractor or combine and a field of golden grain. John Cote and his wife Barb Stefanyshyn Cote did the unthinkable and sold the family farm and then they embarked on a completely different experience...making gin and selling flowers.
Barb will talk about their journey to the creation of Black Fox Farm and Distillery and how they've never worked harder in their lives.
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has released a report on the latest recommendations and feedback relating to modernizing the seed regulations in Canada.
The process began in 2021 and covers several areas from import to export, seed conditioning, storage, testing and labeling to seed sales. The National Manager for the Seed Section of the CFIA, Wendy Jahn (Yawn) says a number of the regulations, policies and programs interact with each other and rather than making changes one at a time it makes more sense to take a holistic approach to modernizing the system.
Animal Health Canada has been awarded 13 million dollars to further its efforts to improve conditions for farmed animals in Canada. AHC will continue its collaborative work to advance animal health and welfare in Canada. Executive Director Colleen McElwain says the goal is to build a more resilient and responsive industry that can meet both current and future challenges.
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There are many pieces of legislation introduced during a Parliamentary session—-only a few received widespread media coverage while other bills fly under the radar getting much less public attention. Bill C-293 is a private member’s bill introduced by a Liberal backbench MP from Toronto.
Published reports indicate Nathaniel Erskine-Smith was raised as a vegetarian and is now a vegan. Bill C-293 deals with governmental powers in the event of another pandemic covering a wide variety of topics ranging from food to vaccines.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is the Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax and is a well-known figure in food circles.
He published an opinion piece expressing serious concerns about Bill C-293 and its contents.
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan celebrated its 10th anniversary with a social event in Saskatoon. Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says it was an opportunity to share what has been accompished and the future direction for the organization.
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More than ever consumers are curious about how and where their food is produced. Amy te Plate-Church is the Director of the U.S. based Center for Food Integrity. She says consumer trends and developments in consumer perceptions have far reaching implications for farmers. She says some of the factor’s consumers consider when making purchasing decisions are changing.
The General Manager of Manitoba Pork is calling on governments to adopt an incentive rather than regulatory based approach to achieving environmental targets and sustainability goals.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's has completed consultations on a new sustainable agricultural strategy. Cam Dahl wrote an article for Manitoba community newspapers and Manitoba Pork's Chop Talk newsletter looking at the issue of sustainability. He says we are at a crossroads in terms of government policy, especially when it comes to the whole question of sustainability and environmental impact.
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The Animal Health Canada's Emergency Management Division says the focus of the division right now is planning and preparedness for foreign animal disease. Director Erica Charlton says, at this stage, the main focus is disease planning and preparedness with the big three being African Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease and High Path Avian Influenza in poultry.
Four cereal-based producer commissions in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario have announced plans to contribute $13.4 million to the proposed Global Technology Exchange in Winnipeg. The project---known by the acronym GATE---will contain state-of-the-art equipment for milling, baking, pasta and noodle making, malt and brewing as well as processing.
It will cover services provided in the current Cereals Canada facility. GATE’S total cost will be $102 million—which includes a site in downtown Winnipeg, construction and the cost of housing advanced milling equipment.
Sask Wheat director Rob Stone farms in the Davidson area. He says with the producer funding in place . . . along with $5 million from Cereals Canada . . . the next step will be to approach government entities and other potential funding partners.
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A program developed by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, to attract veterinary students into swine medicine, is a win for the students, their educators and the swine veterinary practices participating in the program.
The Pharmhouse Summer Student Swine Experience Program places veterinary students into swine veterinary practices during the summer.
Dr. John Harding says the program was created to help overcome the shortage we face in livestock veterinary medicine, particularly in the swine industry.
We'll talk to Dr. Harding and two vet students that participated.
In the wake of the Canadian Grain Commission's (CGC) revocation of the grain dealer license for Purely Canada Foods, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is urging for an immediate review of the CGC's bonding and licensing system to better safeguard producers in the grain industry.
APAS President Ian Boxall says the cancellation marks the fourth instance in recent months where grain companies have had their licenses revoked, signaling a troubling trend that requires rapid and resolute responses to protect the interests of hardworking farmers.
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The Canadian Canola Growers association met with canola crop commissions from Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to discuss trade issues with China.
The Chinese are promising to launch an anti-dumping case against Canadian canola in retaliation for Canada's decision to impose stiff tariffs on steel, aluminum and electric vehicles coming from China.
CCGA President Rick White shares what was discussed and the calls for a swift resolution to a dispute that's threatening Canada's canola exports.
Saskatchewan's Water Security Agency is putting its Agriculture Water Stewardship Policy to the test through a series of pilot projects. Krystal Tendler is the Executive Director of Agriculture Water Management with the WSA. She says those pilot projects are in areas where drainage is common, such as the east-central and northeast regions.
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Canada's own regulatory system is making its farmers less competitive internationally and hampering their ability to provide the world with food. Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl says when the costs imposed on Canadian agriculture as the result of regulations are higher than they are in countries like the United States or Brazil it means that Canadian farmers are less competitive.
Farm Health Guardian is looking to test its digital biosecurity technology with farms and food companies across Canada. The ideal project participants are farms or food companies with multiple connected sites, such as pig production systems; transport or feed companies looking to verify vehicle biosecurity; and veterinarians who oversee a group of farms with shared biosecurity protocols.
Rob Hannam, CEO of Farm Health Guardian, says it automates biosecurity to send biosecurity breach alerts, stop unauthorized entry, and verify requirements to protect against disease transmission.
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A document released by the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance outlines eleven principles designed to help Canada's trade negotiators achieve fair and sustainable trade agreements that won't inadvertently hinder trade.
CAFTA Executive Director Michael Harvey says the document "Principles for Sustainable and Fair Trade in the Agri-Food Sector." - provides a structured approach for governments and interested stakeholders as they engage in policy discussions related to trade and sustainability.
The beef industry hosts a major get-together with the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Saskatchewan.
It'll be the first time Saskatoon is hosting the conference, which includes meetings and presentations by numerous important figures in Canada's beef industry. Canadian Cattle Association Nathan Phinney talks about the pressing issues facing the cattle industry and how the U.S. election can impact producers.
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It’s a new chapter for Ray Orb, as he is now adjusting to life after being the president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) for the last ten years, and twenty overall with the Board. Orb talks about what he has seen in his two decades with the organization, working with different levels of government, the key issues, accomplishments and regrets.
Root rot in pulse crops has grown to be a devastating issue for growers across Western Canada, so a team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers and colleagues at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the National Research Council(NRC) led by Dr. Sabine Banniza (PhD) of USask’s Crop Development Centre (CDC) is searching for ways to beat it.
Banniza, a professor with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, received more than $4.2 million from the Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) to uncover solutions for root rot in pea and lentil crops.
As Banniza puts it, root rot in pea and lentil has become so prevalent in Western Canada it has caused growers to stop planting the crops in some areas.
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The subject is Family Farm succession is complex and emotional. That's why we felt it was topic that was worthy of being the focus of the entire podcast this week.
While discussions surrounding succession can be difficult there are strategies available to Canadian farm business families to confidently navigate the paths of transition decision making. My guest is Patti Durand, a certified Family Enterprise Advisor, with Brightrack Consulting.
Over the past six years she's guided 350 farm families through transition and succession conversations.As a speaker and workshop leader, Patti provides relatable, thoughtful ideas to help business families move ahead, together and with certainty.
I'll talk to Patti about nine habits worth adjusting and shifting to in the conversation of the future of the family farm.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Canadian Western Agribition’s Next Gen Mentorship Program was created to support the next generation of agriculture leaders.
The program matches eight young leaders in the agriculture industry with professionals for an 18-month mentorship where they gain skills and experiences to advance their careers. David McTaggart is one of the mentees in the fourth cohort. He has been partnered with Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel.
I'll talk to David about what he has gained from being involved in the program.
The aging demographic of producers may be the most significant issue facing the future of the livestock sector . . . but is only one of several areas of concern. Representatives from cattle, sheep and bison organizations participated in a Livestock Summit sponsored by the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan.
A young cattle producer from eastern Saskatchewan Levi Hull talked about some of the challenges including access to capital for new producers, improving business risk management programs and preventing the ongoing conversion of pastures into cropland.
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Showcasing agriculture innovation - that's the premise behind the Innovation Awards handed out before the start of this year's outdoor farm show Ag in Motion. There were 5 categories – crops, livestock, business solutions, agronomics and environmental sustainability
I had a chance to speak to 2 of the winners at Dennis Bulani the creator of the HedgeHog app that allows farmers to quickly hedge diesel fuel prices for up to two years in advance and Deans Scrivens with CropScan Ag with its on-combine grain analyzer, the winner in the agronomics category.
The Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada officially unveiled their mobile skills lab at Western Canada 's largest outdoor farm show.
The lab is designed to encourage people to consider a career and ag. I had a chance to talk to AMC president Donna Boyd about the mobile lab. She said it has been 3 years since they first started to notice the ag manufacturing industry was having challenges attracting new talent despite a boom period for the sector.
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Corteva Agriscience announced its new brand, Trusource™ wheat, a high fiber durum that can help meet consumers’ needs for increased dietary fiber through use in high-volume foods such as pasta.
Trusource wheat will be available to food companies to trial in product development and evaluation in late 2024, with North American commercialization plans for farmers to be announced in the coming years.
Tyler Groeneveld is the North American Director for value added ingredients at Corteva Agriscience.
He says its important because fiber is the most under-consumed macronutrient and there is a direct correlation between low fiber and chronic inflammation, leading to many human health issues.
Hot summers may be great for your time at the lake but very hot temperatures can cause stress in crops, especially flowering canola.
Curtis Rempel, vice president of crop production and innovation with the Canola Council of Canada says when the temperatures are in the 30's, it's especially hard on flowering canola plants.
The crop at flowering is when the pollen is produced, the canola gets pollinated and seeds start forming. When you have high heat levels, when the crop is starting to flower, you get the pollen dying because of the heat.
Then the flower does not get pollinated and it gets blasted off or falls off, and the farmer loses that yield potential they would have otherwise had.
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Hunters and wildlife, like bears, add to the challenges of locating feral wild boar. Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Alberta pork and Alberta Invasive Species Council are working together to locate and eliminate wild boar from Alberta's landscape, Charlotte Shipp is the industry programs manager with Alberta Pork, and she will talk about their joint efforts.
Western Canada's largest outdoor show is celebrating its 10th anniversary at AG in motion Prairie farmers have a chance to see what's new in agriculture and connect with others in the industry. AIM has over 100 acres of trade show exhibits, company share products and new technology at the three-day event and there are live infield demonstrations, ride and drives and a showcase of over 550 exhibitors
Show manager Rob O'Connor says the show in 2023 reached a record attendance of over 31,000 guests and they anticipate a similar crowd in 2024.
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Cereals Canada recently released its annual report and announced the national cereal grain value chain organization want a new facility that would serve as the hub for Canada’s grain industry, promoting the use of Canadian crops around the world.
That new $100 million facility would be built in downtown Winnipeg and would be branded as the Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (GATE.) Cereals Canada CEO Dean Dias will talk about the report and share why this new building is needed.
Farmers and agronomists scout for signs of sclerotinia in canola fields following a wetter than normal spring and early summer. The challenge is determining the economic threshold for spray treatments. The Canola Council of Canada has developed a new online tool to assist with the decision. It is available at CanolaCalculator.ca,
Chris Manchur with the council says the sclerotinia risk assessment tool offers both a recommendation about whether or not to spray a canola crop based on information provided by the user and rating sclerotinia severity at maturity.
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Canadian agriculture needs to focus on adapting to climate change in a manner that will help sustain food security in the world. A policy paper released by Agri-Food Economic Systems, reviewed the effects of climate change on agriculture.
Research Lead Dr. Al Mussell says data from Environment and Climate Change Canada indicates Canada is getting warmer and wetter, however, rather than focusing on adapting to those changing conditions, policy makers have prioritized mitigating the effects of climate change.
Demand for beef is expected to stay high even though the cattle herd has declined in Canada and the United States and beef prices are relatively high. Anne Wasko is the president of Cattle Trends. She says the U.S. beef cow herd has declined 2.5 per cent to 28.2 million head so far this year.
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A series of surveys conducted by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine suggests a need to step up the recruitment of veterinary students. In response to a shortage of swine veterinarians, surveys asked how long vets had been in practice, their educational background, what attracted them to the profession and how long they plan to remain active.
Dr. John Harding, a professor of swine medicine with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says the five surveys focused on different topics including the swine profession and its needs, swine medicine education, swine medicine curricula, swine veterinarian clinical competency and swine continuing education and advanced certification.
The president of the Wheat Grower says its time for the federal government to re-think its climate change policies.
In his Wheat Beat June newsletter to Wheat Growers, Gunter Jochum shared his frustrations with government's emphasis on climate change- which he sees as a misplaced priority.
Jochum aslo questioned if farm groups have been buying into the government's climate action programs and too anxious to accept government subsidies for things like cover crop programs.
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Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan, through its canadianfoodfocus.org web site, has released the first of a series of videos to help non-farming consumers relate to farmers and life on the farm.
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says Canadian Food Focus was viewed as an opportunity to get out of our agriculture bubble.
Shaping sustainability standards and what it means to the agriculture sector. This was the focus of a presentation at the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association annual meeting by Dr. Tammy Nemeth, is a U.K.-based Energy Security Analyst.
Nemeth, originally from Saskatchewan, says the requirements the International Sustainability Standards Board would impose on agriculture would be onerous and detrimental to the industry.
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Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) launches a new strategic plan with a new focus on priorities with the greatest impact to pulse growers in Saskatchewan, looking ahead to 2030.
SPG Executive Director Carl Potts explains the plan is built on direction from its nine-member Board of Directors-made up of farmers. The new plan highlights four key focus areas.
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities is urging rural residents to run for municipal council and truely make a difference in their communities.
SARM President Ray Orb says many RMs have vacancies on councils, and this presents an opportunity for individuals to get involved with the issues that directly affect daily life for the people in rural Saskatchewan and SARM has created a new video to discuss some common misconceptions around rural representation.
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The introduction of new technology has helped revolutionize the application of livestock manure fertilizer to cropland.
This is an important topic as we examine the influence of modern agriculture on the environment and calls for the creation of a provincially appointed task group to develop solutions to the algae problem in Lake Winnipeg.
Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl says the modernization of agriculture is making the application of manure more precise.
A mid-sized chicken farm in Saskatchewan needs to heat the barns to above 30 degrees the entire year-round. In 2023, this chicken farmer paid $23,000 in natural gas heating bills. Of that bill, about a third, or $7,500 is just carbon tax and GST on the carbon tax.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing 70 per cent of Canadians support a carbon tax exemption on propane and natural gas for farmers. CTF Prairie Director Gage Haubrich said this shows Canadians know that keeping costs down for farmers helps lower costs at the grocery store for all of us.
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The world is closely watching the situation in the United States surrounding
Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza that has appeared in US dairy herds. HPAI was detected in milk and in dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas, while the virus has been confirmed in dairy herds in other states, in baby goats and one dairy farm worker has tested positive for the virus.
Veterinary pathologist Dr. Susan Detmer with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine suggests biosecurity procedures in place on Canadian swine farms to protect against the introduction of foreign animal disease will help protect against other infections, including HPAI.
Detmer will talk about how the infection virus has been traveling through wild birds returning to North America.
A new opportunity this summer for anyone wanting to learn more about Saskatchewan agriculture and food. Saskatchewan will hold its first Open Farm Days August 10 and 11 which will bring people from across province together through educational and agricultural-based initiatives all designed to create an opportunity to learn about where food comes from.
Sask Open Farm Days cooordinator Ashley Stone says many other provinces have enjoyed success hosting this event and they are hoping to build on that success.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The subject of Family Farm succession is complex and emotional. That's why we felt it was topic that was worthy of being the focus of the entire podcast this week.
While discussions surrounding succession can be difficult there are strategies available to Canadian farm business families to confidently navigate the paths of transition decision making. My guest is Patti Durand, a certified Family Enterprise Advisor, with Brightrack Consulting.Over the past six years she's guided 350 farm families through transition and succession conversations.
As a speaker and workshop leader, Patti provides relatable, thoughtful ideas to help business families move ahead, together and with certainty. I'll talk to Patti about nine habits worth adjusting and shifting to in the conversation of the future of the family farm.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Farm Credit Canada report shows farmland rental rates are keeping pace with farmland values.
FCC has been comparing rental rates to the price of farmland and the data shows the national rent-to-price ratio in 2023 was 2.52 per cent, reflecting a decline from the previous year.
FCC Senior Economist Justin Shepherd says in 2023 we saw some fairly strong farmland value growth across the prairies, especially in Saskatchewan as well as Manitoba, while Alberta had a little bit slower growth, but it was still positive.
Seeding is underway in Manitoba. While other parts of the prairies started the season on the dry side, its a different story in Manitoba. Rain has slowed spring seeding but will give this year's crops a good start.
Dennis Lange is a pulse and soybean specialist with Manitoba Agriculture and the editor of the provincial crop report. He'll tell us about seeding progress and where that number compares with previous year.
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The Western Canadian Animal Health Network (WeCAHN) is keeping a close watch on H5N1 Avian Flu in the United States. Network coordinator Dr. Barbara Wilhelm says industry, the provinces, the federal government, veterinarians, regional surveillance networks like WeCAHN,are planning for, as much as possible, prevent the opportunity for Avian Influenza to enter Canadian farms.
Grain movement on CN Rail lines has been fairly consistent with strong demand April. CN's Assistant Vice-President of Grain David Przednowek says we haven't seen that seasonal drop-off that ususally happens during seeding, but that could be because spring seeding has been slow to develop. Going forward, he expects that we'll start to see demand tail, with just the amount of grain that's able to come into the supply chain as farmers are in the field.
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The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was disappointed to see insufficient investment in agriculture in the 2024 budget. President Keith Currie said farmers continue to struggle under the weight of high-interest rates, a price on carbon for essential farming activities, and an increased risk of extreme weather events.
He said these challenges are testing the limits and effectiveness of risk management programs.But he said there were also some positives in the budget. The Competition Bureau has stated the proposed acquisition of Viterra by Bunge would have ‘substantial anti–competitive effects in agricultural markets in Canada.
The Bureau’s concerns are outlined in a report submitted to the Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez.The Bureau determined that the transaction is likely to harm competition in markets for grain purchasing in Western Canada, as well as for the sale of canola oil in Eastern Canada. Saskatchewan Wheat development commission chair Jake Leguee said its a concern of many farm groups.
Leguee will also responds to the appointment of the new Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission.
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The farming industry is constantly changing. New innovations are being developed to make farms more efficient. A research project involving a Naicam Sask. Consulting company and the University of Regina are looking for a way to reduce environmental impact and save money.
Cory Willness of Crop Pro Consulting will talk about SWAT BOX, a data collection sensor and how information it collects can be used to generate maps that will help farmers selectively apply herbicides.
Everyone needs to eat. That’s why Canadians and governments should not take farming and food for granted. That’s the message from Kerri Holland with the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy who prepared a report on Canada’s Food Security.
Holland says food security is vital and government policy must reflect the essential service agriculture provides for the entire country. She says there will be dire consequences if farmers don’t get the support they need.
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Computer based artificial intelligence is offering new insights into animal welfare. A new tool being developed by the University of Saskatchewan is using A.I.at the abattoir.
The University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed an automated swine welfare assessment system consisting of a digital security camera linked to an A.I. processor. Dr. Seokbum Ko explains how cameras record animal movement along the processing line and condensed AI models extract and assess images indicative of animal welfare.
The 10th Annual Saskatchewan Beef Expo was recently held in Saskatoon. Kirk Stierwalt, a long-time cattle operator and clinician from Leedey, Oklahoma has been conducting show cattle clinics for 37 years. He worked with the 4-H members at Beef Expo providing guidance on clipping, grooming and showmanship.
He'll talk about some of the tip and tricks he shared with the young 4-Hers.
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A new study from the Environmental Working Group has determined that 80 per cent of Americans are regularly exposed to the plant growth regulator chlormequat. It is used to control growth in grain crops such as oats, wheat, and barley in order to make them easier to harvest.
Terry Tyson is the General Manager of Grain Millers Canada in Yorkton, Sask. He provides his take on the situation and shares how this work aligns with the Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society's Interpretive Station.
The main export market for Canada's malting barley is China. Peter Watts, the managing director of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre in Winnipeg, says the industry wants to see the customer list expand to Mexico and various countries in central and South America.
But, this comes with several challenges.
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The Swine Health Information Center has five new research projects approved for funding under the 2.3 million dollar Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program. The initiative was launched to enhance biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest of phase of pork production.
Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says five institutions, including Lowe Consulting, Pipestone Research, Texas Tech University, the University of Missouri and the University of Montreal, were awarded funding.
It is a canola disease that is moving east across the Prairies . . . starting in Manitoba and now gaining a foothold in eastern portions of Saskatchewan. The ideal time to scout for verticillium strip is at harvest when symptoms are most obvious. Courtney Boyachek is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada based in western Manitoba.Verticillium stripe is also similar in appearance to two other well-known canola diseases---blackleg and sclerotinia stem rot.
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The value of Canadian farmland rose 11.5% in 2023, according to a new report by agriculture lending firm Farm Credit Canada. While, overall it's a slight slowdown from the growth in 2022, it's still a rapid pace given cooling economic conditions overall.
The lender's latest report on farmland values found that they increased in every province tracked except for British Columbia. The highest increases in average farmland value last year was in Saskatchewan.
Ken Gurney is a senior appraiser with Farm Credit Canada. He'll discuss some of the factors behind an increase in land values on the prairies.
The Farm Credit Canada Young Farmer Summit brings farmers under the age of 40 together to dig into the business side of farming, connect with peers, and pass on knowledge to producers that will help them take their operation to the next level.
Erica Leniczek is a Masters Counselling Psychology Candidate, Keynote Speaker and Crisis Responder from Marwayne, Alberta. She shares ways to reduce stress and explains psychological safety in agriculture.
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Canada ranks number three in the world for herbicide resistant weeds, only behind the United States and Australia. The last extensive survey in Saskatchewan occurred in 2019-2020 and estimated producer losses due to herbicide resistant weeds at $340 million per year.
It found that green foxtail, volunteer canola, wild oat, wild buckwheat and kochia were the biggest concerns. The top instance of herbicide resistance in Saskatchewan five years ago was Group 1 resistance in wild oats. Herbicide Resistance wild oat was found in 77 per cent of 250 fields where wild oat was collected and tested.
Charles Geddes is a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and will be leading the herbicide resistant weed survey.
The federal carbon tax been completely ineffective in reducing fossil fuel use, it has also made it harder for farmers to afford the adoption of new innovations. That from Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl.
He says farmers face many challenges as they work to adopt environmentally sustainable green practices while operating in the red. Dahl is calling on government to replace its policy of taxing farmers to stimulate decreased fossil fuel use with one where incentives are offered to stimulate the adoption of environmentally sustainable technologies and practices.
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Preliminary results of research show pigs can be stimulated into engaging in play.
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Swine Centre are exploring the prospects of using play to improve the emotional well being of pigs and improve their resilience and performance. In one experiment the behavior of two groups of pigs provided intermittent play opportunities was compared to a control group. Dr. Yolande Seddon is an Assistant Professor Swine Behaviour and Welfare.
She says the objective is to determine whether play could be stimulated and identify the physiological effects of play on the pigs.
All internationally trained veterinarians hoping to practice in Canada take their final hands-on test in Saskatoon.
Three times a year, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine hosts the clinical proficiency examination process for international veterinarian graduates who want to be license in Canada. It is the only location in Canada that hosts this testing.
Dr. Gillian Muir explains the testing process and how this is easing some of the stress of the veterinarian shortage across Canada.
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Wild pigs have been an issue in Canada over the last 25 years, but a simple looking trap may be part of the solution to the problem. Called the "Pig Brig", it's big net that is 20-feet in diameter, which can be set up by one person in about an hour. To catch them, a pig simply walks underneath the mesh and once they're in, there is no way out. It's also portable so it can fit into a backpack.
Aaron Sumrall is the Director of Outreach, Education, and Research at Pig Brig, the U.S. company that makes the traps of the same name. Aaron will talk about what inspired the creation of Pig Brig and the potential to use it to control other pests.
A researcher with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine says the use of AI to assess animal welfare offers an opportunity to eliminate human error and bias during assessments.
Dr. Martyna Lagoda says measuring welfare of animals is a complex task but there are animal-based indicators of welfare which are visible on the animal's carcass throughout the pig's life and these are used as the scoring targets of an automated system.
She says the indicators tell a story of welfare retrospectively and can be tracked back to different stages of the production chain.
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A successful canola crop needs a lot of nitrogen, which is why nitrogen has A-list status. That same successful crop also depends on a strong supporting cast - phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and micronutrients.
Canola council of Canada agronomy specialist Warren Ward says farmers will benefit from soil tests, yield history and economics to determine how much fertilizer their canola needs.
Protein is an important component in a person's diet---whether it be animal-based or plant-based. Nationally recognized registered dietician Carol Harrison says protein has many benefits, but questions come up on different the types of protein, how much is enough, are plant and animal-based proteins the same. She will also have some tips on how to extend your meat budget a bit more.
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Each year, a survey is conducted in late May through early June to track the movement of pea leaf weevil throughout Saskatchewan. Provincial insect specialist James Tansey says the pest is on the move with northern and eastern Saskatchewan experiencing the worst infestations.
A new pulse processing plant is coming to Saskatchewan.
Louis Dreyfus Company announced a new pea protein isolate production plant at the same site as its existing canola crush facility at Yorkton. Construction is expected to begin in 2024, with completion projected for the end of 2025. The plant will employ around 60 people.
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers executive director Carl Potts talks about the new plant and the importance of having a secure, domestic market for Saskatchewan peas.
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CN Rail signed a deal to purchase Iowa Northern Railway. The Iowa Northern operates 275 miles of track that connects to CN's U.S. rail network.
David Przednowek, the Assistant Vice President of Grain for CN Rail, says they are very excited about the transaction as Iowa Northern is a great rail property with a very heavy agricultural focus.
The United Kingdom announced the suspension of talks after Canada decided not to extend two temporary trade measures – a special quota on U.K. cheese exports, which expired in December 2023, and country-of-origin rules on products being exported, which is set to expire at the end of March.
Those measures were in place since Britain left the European Union. Canadian Cattle Association President Nathan Phinney said the other major issue revolves around Canadian beef.
The U.K. doesn’t allow hormone-treated beef and pork imports from Canada but is able to export approximately 40,000 tons of beef to Canada annually. Phinney says he wasn't surprised by the UK's move and discusses Canada's next step.
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Researchers are looking at biomarkers as an indicator of animal welfare.
Biological markers are observable characteristics that can be measured to determine whether an animal is in a state of good health and well being.
Darian Pollock is a PhD candidate in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
She says the objective of the study was to identify indicators of welfare, and in the case of her work, measuring chronic stress.
Seed germination and vigour for the 2024 crop in Saskatchewan is looking quite good at this point. Discovery Seed Labs in Saskatoon compiled a report for the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association in early January.
Molecular Lab Manager Sandy Junek says seed germination rates are very close to what they were last year across all crops followed by strong vigour. He says barley and flax were the only crops that dropped of a bit and cereal and pulse crop disease are present . . . but at manageable levels.
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Baiting and trapping is proving to be the most effective method for controlling wild pigs. The Coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba Dr Wayne Lees says this is the best way to eliminate them from the landscape.
He says wild pigs are a pest as they can contaminate water sources, damage natural habitats and farm crops, and can spread different diseases to commercial and small-scale livestock. Dr. Lees will tell us about the program and some of the most common signs there may be wild pigs in your area.
The Executive Director of Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan says with an increasing smaller percentage of the population involved in the production of food it's important for those who are engaged in agriculture to be ready to share their stories.
Clinton Monchuk says many consumers have a basic idea of what's happening in food production but the not the technologies or practices farmers use. He says the more farmers can get out there and engage with consumers, the more knowledge consumers will have.
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The Western College of Veterinary Medicine's three year Foreign-Trained Veterinarian Swine Medicine Residency Certification program is opening more doors for vets. The program, one of four pillars of the University of Saskatchewan's swine medicine advancement, recruitment and training or SMART program, targets internationally trained veterinarians who are working in non-veterinary roles in the Canadian swine industry.
Dr. John Harding says this program is designed to retool internationally trained veterinarians as swine specialists initially in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
It was a lot warmer than normal in Saskatchewan in December----now we know exactly how much.Terri Lang is an Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist based in Saskatoon. Most centres had warmer December temperatures than during the last major El Nino in 1997.
Lang talks about some of the record breaking temperatures and whether we can expect a warmer than normal winter.
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The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women has been focusing on some of the specific issues rural women face on a day-to-day basis. Rural connectivity was discussed at a recent committee meeting.
Saskatchewan farmer and rancher Adrienne Ivey had a chance to share her challenges with internet and cell phone service and how it impacts the family and farming operation.
Farmer Jake Leguee has been writing a blog for a few years now. It was a way for him to share his thoughts on important topics like GMO's and the use of crop protection products. In his most recent post, he talked about his concern surrounding communication. He called it Have We Forgotten How to Talk to Each Other.
I talk to Jake about his blog and why he is concerned about how we are losing the ability to have conversations especially when we do not agree.
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Autosteer is a form of precision agriculture most farmers use . . . but the toolbox is growing rapidly due to new technology. Don Campbell is a Field Smart Agronomist at Western Sales in Rosetown, Sask. He says precision agriculture aims to optimize each region of the field and create maximum return on investment. Campbell says precision agriculture technology is improving every year.
It's a brown Christmas for many parts of the prairies. While there has been some snow and rain more moisture is needed across the prairies. Trevor Hadwen an Agroclimate Specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) says its certainly drier than we would like to be. Hadwen shares the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's drought monitoring map.
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Do More Ag Foundation says more and more farmers are reaching out and asking for help because of the devastating effects of drought. The dry and hot conditions have impacted both the cattle and grain side.
Executive Director Adele Stewart says farmers need to be supported and encouraged to take care of their mental well being now and, in the days, to come.
I talked to Adelle last fall about the work of the organization and the importance of producers needing to know they are not alone, and they have an entire industry behind them.
Dominican Republic is experiencing an outbreak of African Swine Fever. Dr. Paul Sundberg is the Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center. Sundberg says he is confident the first outbreak of African Swine Fever identified in the Western Hemisphere in more than 40 years will not alter the level of risk for North America.
Sundberg explains the outbreak was identified through a cooperative surveillance program where banked tissue samples from sick, dying, and dead pigs as well as feral pigs collected in the Dominican Republic are sent to the USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.
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The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture released its 2023 Grasshopper Survey. While parts of west-central Saskatchewan seemed to be a hot spot there was significant and damaging grasshopper populations seen in Central, Southwest, and far Southeastern regions.
Dr. James Tansey, provincial Insect/Pest Management specialist talks about population density, concerns about the unusually warm fall and its possible impact on grasshopper populations in 2024.
The federal government and the canola sector will team up for another five-year research cluster. The feds are putting up $9 million in funding. The 2023–2028 Canola AgriScience Research Cluster follows a similar program from 2018.
Canola Council of Canada vice president of crop production and innovation Curtis Rempel will talk about how the model supports projects intended to address significant national priorities like increasing canola productivity, helping the canola sector meet global demands, and improve the industry’s competitiveness globally, all with an eye to sustainability.
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A Saskatchewan teenager was able to share her love for the sport of cutting horses during a recent livestock show in Regina. The sport involves a horse and a rider trying to separate one animal from a herd of cattle. Zoe Schellenberg not only participates in the sport but is also the youth director for Saskatchewan, for the National Cutting Horse Association.
She was instrumental in getting virtual reality goggles for their booth at Agribition. She talks about the things she loves about the sport.
Producer voices are needed at the table when there are discussions around sustainability and agriculture. Farmers for Climate Solutions have put a call out for farmers and ranchers to part of select Forums across the Prairies in early 2024. Recommendations coming out of the forums will be included in a report to be released later in the year. Gordon Bacon is a co-lead for the forums. He says they want to sit down and have an open and frank discussion about sustainability, carbon emissions, and solutions going forward while still focusing on profitability.
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Manitoba Ag Days is a three-day show held in January in Brandon that highlights agriculture production, technology, and equipment and attracts exhibitors and visitors from across Canada and the United States. The Keystone Centre is the home to the trade show that showcases new and unique products and guest speakers.
Terese Vallotton is the media coordinator for AG Days.She shares what's new at this year's event and explains why those face-to-face conversations are so important in the ag industry.
Online hackers are becoming more sophisticated, so, there is a need for stepped up awareness and heightened cybersecurity. Cathy Lennon, the General Manager of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, explains cybersecurity is about protecting any of your assets that are attached to the internet, be it a cell phone, an iPad or anything in your tractor or your barn that is potentially vulnerable to attack through the internet.
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An Edmonton based veterinary consultant believes by improving the design of the loadout, pork producers can improve the biosecurity of their farms and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Dr. Julia Keenliside says the loadout is the area of the barn where finisher pigs or cull sows or isoweans or sometimes deadstock are loaded onto the truck. Sometimes animals will enter the barn through the loadout. She says the project was inspired by a large outbreak of PED in Manitoba in the spring of 2022.
Protein Industries Canada has released “The Road to $25 Billion,” an updated roadmap for Canada’s ingredient manufacturing, food processing, and bio-products sector. It includes a goal of $25 billion in revenue by 2035.
Bill Greuel, the CEO of Protein Industries Canada, says the country's agriculture and food sector has long been undervalued as an economic driver with trading partners importing raw commodities. He says its time to generate value through ingredient manufacturing, food production, and bio-product development.
Greuel will discuss the steps required to meet its target, including investing in infrastructure, trade, and domestic processing.
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The Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon was the location of an award-winning film on regenerative agriculture. Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association hosted the premiere of the documentary "Common Ground" earlier this month.
Derek Axten is the president of SaskSoil. He says the film examines the benefits of healthy soil and its impact on climate AND he hopes it is the jumping off point for meaningful discussion on regenerative agriculture.
A new cull sow processing facility in Saskatchewan is expected to generate economic spin offs for the next 30 to 40 years. North 49 Foods is ramping up operations at its new state-of-the-art sow processing facility at Moose Jaw. The federally inspected plant is on the site of the former XL beef plant and has the capacity to process up to 225 thousand sows annually.
North 49 Foods industry relations manager Neil Ketilson says the project has received tremendous support from producers and industry leaders across Western Canada.
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I’m away this week. Here’s one of my favourite episodes to tide you over until I’m back.
Agriculture technology is helping to fight COVID-19 and play a role in preparations for future pandemics. A recent article in Nature Biotechnology said the current pandemic shows the need to mobilize efforts on a large scale to ramp up diagnostics and testing. The lead author is Steve Webb, chief executive officer of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan. Webb will explain how the tools used in plant breeding—like genetic testing and sequencing, are the same as those use in the pharmaceutical and health care fields.
The Canadian Beef Industry Conference usually attract hundreds of cattle producers, as well as the other players in the beef industry to Calgary, Alberta. But instead the conference was held entirely on-line due to COVID-19.
The opening keynote speaker was from London, England. David Hughes is an Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College. He is considered an expert in global food issues and opportunities. He spoke about food trends and the steps the cattle industry needs to take in order to be sustainable and strong.
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The federal government has announced $219 million for its 60 per cent share of an AgriRecovery payment targeted at livestock producers in areas of Western Canada impacted by drought. Saskatchewan committed its 40 per cent two months ago.
The “Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program” will cover 70 per cent of extraordinary costs related to feed purchase and transportation costs, as well as pasture rentals. Funding will provide eligible producers an initial payment of up to $150 per head to help maintain the breeding herd in the drought regions.
Jeff Morrow is the Acting President and CEO of Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation who will administer the program. He will provide details on what producers will need to to do to apply.
Some very enthusiastic school aged children took a field trip to a farm near Norquay, Sask. to participate in a program called Food Farm. Food Farm aims to teach children about Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry.
It has been hosted by Jennifer Lindgren and her family for a number of years.
Jennifer will share what the students learned during the tour and her family feels its an important to share the good news story of agriculture.
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Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan wants direct discussion among farmers and consumers saying it is a key step toward building trust. Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says this organizations’ goal is encourage more farmers to get out there and talk to others about what they do. He'll share what some of the consequences are for not sharing those stories.
Fifteen farm families have worked through the year to grow 120 acres of canola that was harvested with all the proceeds to going to assist children in India, Cambodia and Brazil. Harvest for Kids has been active in the Saskatoon area for more than a decade----highlighted by a 2012 event in the Dalmeny area that set a Guinness Book of World record for the most combines harvesting simultaneously on the same field. It took 249 combines less than five minutes to harvest a single field.
The new world record of 303 combines was established six years later at Winkler, Manitoba. The current focus is on smaller harvest projects. There are four in the Saskatoon region. One of this year's projects cleared $75,000 from a wheat crop. Art Thiessen with Harvest for Kids tells us about the event in Hepburn and explain where all the proceeds go.
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Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan wants direct discussion among farmers and consumers saying it is a key step toward building trust. Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says this organizations’ goal is encourage more farmers to get out there and talk to others about what they do. He'll share what some of the consequences are for not sharing those stories.
Fifteen farm families have worked through the year to grow 120 acres of canola that was harvested with all the proceeds to going to assist children in India, Cambodia and Brazil.
Harvest for Kids has been active in the Saskatoon area for more than a decade----highlighted by a 2012 event in the Dalmeny area that set a Guinness Book of World record for the most combines harvesting simultaneously on the same field. It took 249 combines less than five minutes to harvest a single field.
The new world record of 303 combines was established six years later at Winkler, Manitoba. The current focus is on smaller harvest projects. There are four in the Saskatoon region. One of this year's projects cleared $75,000 from a wheat crop. Art Thiessen with Harvest for Kids tells us about the event in Hepburn and explain where all the proceeds go.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Genesis Fertilizers is a partnership that will be majority owned by Western Canadian farmers to build a urea production and distribution facility to be located at Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan, and a network of seven storage and distribution facilities across the three Prairie provinces.
One of those distribution centers will be in Northeast Saskatchewan at Tisdale. This proposed project, if completed, will be new investment in, and will create jobs at, the newly established agricultural industrial park in Tisdale. Terry Drabiuk is the Vice President of Business Development for Genesis.He'll talk about the company's plans and how farmers can get involved.
Four provincial farm organizations want the Saskatchewan government to examine the proposed merger between Bungee and Viterra. Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, along with crop commissions SaskCanola, SaskWheat and SaskBarley have sent a joint letter to Agriculture Minister David Marit making the request.
Farmers are worried about less competition. A recent poll of farmers found that well over 80 percent were concerned about a lack of competition if the Bunge/Viterra deal is approved. APAS President Ian Boxall shares those concerns and points to the province's examination of the 2012 Glencore-Viterra merger as a precedent . . . along with a 2010 proposed merger between Potash Corp and BHP Billiton, which eventually fell through.
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The Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health located at the University of Saskatchewan has received an anonymous, $1.5-million donation to fund the purchase and operating costs of a new mobile unit that will travel around rural Saskatchewan.
Centre Director Dr. Shelly Kirchuk and Kendra Ulmer, the manager of the Agricultural Health and Safety Network will talk about the work of the rural and agricultural centre and the significance of the donation.
Saskatchewan Agriculture is telling farmers to watch for anthrax after one confirmed case in the eastern part of the province.Two additional cows in the same herd are also suspected of contracting the fatal disease.
Dr Wendy Wilkins, a disease surveillance veterinarian with the Ministry of agriculture says anthrax is caused by a bacterium which can survive in spore form for decades in the soil. Changes in soil moisture from flooding and drying can lead to a buildup of spores on pastures. Those spores tend to concentrate in slough and pothole and become exposed in drier years.
She'll explain which animals are susceptible and what should be done if you suspect anthrax on your farm.
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Disease transmission is always a risk when transporting livestock around Canada, and it can have devastating consequences not only on individual farms, but entire industries. But the CEO of Farm Health Guardian is tackling the issue of biosecurity head-on to reduce the risk of disease spread.
Rob Hannam explains the new bio-security system.
A cattle producer from Piapot, Sask. says she wasn't expecting to be a finalist of the Canadian Cattle Association's Young Leaders Program.
Brooke Martin is one of 16 finalists from across the country, after participating in the annual CYL Selections competition August 15th during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Calgary.
She talks about some of the topics that were covered during the judged roundtable discussions.
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A report released by Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests the declining number of mid-sized farms in Canada jeopardises the rural institutions that have traditionally supported farms and farm families.
The report explores the potential consequences of the decline in the number of small and, especially, medium-sized farms. Research Lead Dr. Al Mussell will share the results of the report how it impacts rural communities and consumers.
The RCMP is advising producers to take precautions against theft from their farms.
There is often a focus on larger items or equipment, but those small portable items are expensive and easy to steal. Staff Sergeant Devin Pugh will share some tips for protecting those important items, large or small, and why its important to report all thefts immediately.
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Saskatchewan's sheep breeding flock is the fourth largest in Canada.
There are approximately 800 producer members across the province with a breeding flock totaling approximately 60,000 breeding ewes. Sask Sheep Executive Director Gordon Schroeder shares more on the industry in the province and potential for growth.
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation paid out $60.4 million under the Forage Rainfall Insurance program this year. Over 90 per cent of the three million plus acres enrolled under the program received a payment. The insured area was a bit lower than the record set last year, following the widespread drought in 2021.
SCIC Acting President and CEO Jeff Morrow says about 80 per cent of insured forage acres this year were in the very dry southwest and west-central regions of the province.
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The Swine Health Information Center has five new research projects approved for funding under the $2.3 million Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program. The initiative was launched to enhance biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest of phase of pork production.
Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says five institutions, including Lowe Consulting, Pipestone Research, Texas Tech University, the University of Missouri and the University of Montreal, were awarded funding.
It is a canola disease that is moving east across the Prairies . . . starting in Manitoba and now gaining a foothold in eastern portions of Saskatchewan. The ideal time to scout for verticillium strip is at harvest when symptoms are most obvious. Courtney Boyachek is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada based in western Manitoba.
Verticillium stripe is also similar in appearance to two other well-known canola diseases---blackleg and sclerotinia stem rot.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
I’m away this week. Here’s something to hold you over until I get back.
Farmers and ranchers are wanted to participate in a mental health project. Saskatchewan Polytechnic wants to identify exactly what is needed for a mental health support system for the agriculture sector. Michelle Pavloff is the research chair for rural health and principal investigator with Sask Polytech. She will explain what they are looking for and how producers can participate.
Fertilizer Canada estimates 60 percent of forage crops are under fertilized. Imagine, each ton of dry matter harvested from a hayfield removes 35-50 pounds of nitrogen and about 10 pounds of phosphorous. Nutrient removal through grazing is substantially less, but there is still a net loss of nutrients from the grazing system. Replenishing these nutrients can help to improve forage productivity. But it can be a tricky process.
Dr. Jeff Schoenau is a professor and strategic research chair at the University of Saskatchewan’s Soil Science department. He will talk about some strategies to get the most out of those valuable forage stands.
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Canadian farmers have at their disposal new options for gopher control after strychnine was deregistered. However, farmers need to use the same care in the use and where they store these new products, according to Dr. Vanessa Cowan with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
She says there have been cases this year of livestock that have come into contact with zinc phosphide.
Way back when...if you were looking at farmland and wanted more information of the soil component of it you would have to get a hold of a hard copy of a soil survey map. Now the Saskatchewan Soil Information System is available on-line.
Angela Bedard-Hahn is the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan. She says the website has historical soil information on land in the province.
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International travelers entering North America are reminded to report visits to farms in regions infected by transboundary diseases such as African Swine Fever to customs.
Those travellers are also asked to notify the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) of incidents where visitors to foreign farms were not diverted for secondary screening.
SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg says it's all about preventing the introduction of foreign animal disease.
A research scientist with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan is working on a project to determine if too much serotonin is connected to a respiratory disease in feedlot cattle.
Most people are familiar with serotonin and its use as a sleep aid in humans. Too much serotonin is believed to be a contributor to acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Dr. Emily Snyder is now trying to see if there are any similarities between this and atypical interstitial pneumonia or AIP in feedlot cattle. AIP causes inflammation in the lining of the lungs but little is known about the cause and treatments are limited and not effected.
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North America is a role model when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. Dr. Frank Mitloehner is a professor with the University of California Davis.
He told delegates at the recent Saskatchewan Swine Symposium the public needs to recognize the contributions of livestock agriculture to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
He said the most pressing need is to get the countries that are not efficient in producing animal sourced food to change, and that objective can be met while, at the same time, minimizing the carbon footprint.
Shelby Corey wears many hats. She is a wife and mother. She is a rancher, a rural municipal councillor, and a development officer with 4-H Saskatchewan. Life is hectic.
Shelby will share how balancing the farm, kids, career, and everything else can be overwhelming but there is a way to find balance. She will share some of the things she has learned to avoid burnout.
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I’m away this week. Here is an episode from our archives to tide you over until I get back.
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association continues its effort to fight Ottawa's proposed fertilizer emission reduction policy.
The federal government wants to reduce those emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030.
Wheat Growers President Gunter Jochum believes it could result in a food shortage
Over the last several years, there have seen more cow/calf producers try their hand at direct-to-consumer marketing.
Mark Hoimyr and his wife Laura own Box H Farm near Gladmar, straight south of Regina, Sask. near the U.S. border.
Box H Farm has 250 head of breeding stock---plus replacements. There is about 5,000 acres of tame grass and native prairie---with a heavy emphasis on rotational grazing.
Mark Hoimyr is here to talk about selling his grass-fed beef direct to consumers.
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Researchers with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization expect to be ready to begin field trials of new bovine tuberculosis vaccines within the next couple of years. Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection, primarily of livestock but it also affects other mammals like wildlife species, and it can spread from mammals to humans.
Dr. Jeffrey Chen, a Research Scientist with VIDO at the University of Saskatchewan says because TB is highly transmissible and poses a serious risk to the public, Bovine TB is reportable and if Canada was to be affected it would shut down the cattle industry resulting in disastrous economic consequences.
It's going to take weeks to clear the backlog of traffic as a result of the B.C. port strike. A lot of cargo is sitting waiting to be loaded onto vessels and moved out of the port.
CN's assistant vice president of grain, David Przednowek says the strike caused a number of delays for traffic flow but the focus now is on implementing an orderly plan to resume carloads and intermodal movements. He says there's all kinds of traffic that was stalled in the port that's got to move inland east, and traffic that's loaded that wants to move west.
He says for every day that the supply chain was shut down it will take many days to get back to normal.
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Founded in 1968, the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) is a North American organization dedicated to advancing and coordinating all segments of the beef industry. From the start, the BIF sought to connect science and industry to improve beef cattle genetics. At its annual research symposium in Calgary, two Canadians received a continuing service award.
We talk to one of the recipients Bruce Holmquist about the group and the great strides made in beef cattle genetics.
Manitoba dairy farmer David Wiens has been elected to serve as the president of Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). He farms together with his brother Charles at Grunthal, Man., milking 230 cows and farming 1,600 acres of cropland.
Wiens, who has served as vice-president of DFC since 2011, succeeds Pierre Lampron in leading the national dairy producer organization.
We'll hear more from the new president about the organizations annual meeting, issues of concern and the new collaboration with Farm Credit Canada on a sustainability initiative.
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The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan, has completed the construction and commissioning of its new on-site pilot scale vaccine manufacturing facility.
VIDO Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts says it's one of the most versatile vaccine manufacturing facilities in the world.
He explains having access to inhouse manufacturing will speed up the development and testing of new vaccines.
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A global leader in agricultural origination and processing and supply chain management, has purchased a pulse crop cleaning, milling, and packaging facility in Saskatchewan.
With the acquisition of Prairie Pulse, Archer Daniels Midland or ADM will double the company’s processing in the region.
Aaron Brown is ADM's Western Canada Commercial Manager. He'll tell us about the how the pulse dehulling and splitting facility transforms lentils, chickpeas, and peas into shelf- and food-ready products for domestic and international consumption.
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The Canola Council of Canada is supporting the federal government as it joins the dispute settlement consultation with Mexico on agricultural biotechnology.
The consultation was initiated by the United States under the Canada-United States-Mexico-Agreement, and Canada joined as a third party.
Chris Davison is the Vice President of Stakeholder and Industry Relations for the Canola Council of Canada. He will share why groups like his support the governments actions.
New technology designed to help detect when cattle are ready to breed was tested at a field day. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association hosted a SenseHub Cow-Calf Field Day, at D&N Ranch, just south of Peebles.
Dr. Samuel Wauer is the Associate Director of Cattle Veterinary Services with Merck Animal Health, the company that owns the technology. He explains how the SenseHub Cow Calf Monitoring System works.
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Hiring new agriculture researchers ensures progress continues. New scientists also bring new knowledge, skills, perspectives, and energy.
But having a PhD doesn’t automatically make someone a good researcher, just like a Class 1 license doesn’t automatically make someone a good trucker, or an agriculture degree doesn’t necessarily make a good farmer.
It’s often better if a new, fresh-faced recruit has a chance to work with a grizzled veteran before they retire.
Dr. Reynold Bergen is the Science Director for the Beef Cattle Research Council.
He says succession planning in research is as important as succession planning on the farm and having experienced researchers available to mentor new researchers helps shorten the runway to productivity and success.
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A 24/7 agricultural mental health forum launched was launched at Canada's Farm Show in Regina.
Do More Agriculture launched a new peer-support mental health platform, Ag Talk.
Do More Ag Executive Director Megz Reynolds says the platform, which is powered by Togetherall, provides a safe and anonymous space where anyone over 16 can connect, share, and receive support from a community of peers who relate to their unique experiences.
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Identifying forage efficient cattle was the focus of a study conducted by Dr. Greg Penner at the University of Saskatchewan.
The study focused its work on individual operations to compare cattle within a herd instead of across herds. it involves a comparison in their owned herds by weighing the cattle, assessing the body condition, and recording the day of calving.
Dr. Penner shares some of things things he learned through this process.
CN Rail reported a continued slowdown in grain movement for the month of May as farmers' focus shifted to seeding.
David Przednowek, the assistant vice president of grain for CN Rail says it's not a surprise adding that the majority of grain has already moved through the system.
He'll discuss grain movement, the impact of wildfires and how changes to labour regulations will impact the company.
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I’m away this week. Here is one of my favourite episodes to hold you over until I get back.
The farming industry is constantly changing. New innovations are being developed to make farms more efficient. A research project involving at Naicam, a Saskatchewan consulting company and the University of Regina is looking for a way to reduce environmental impact and save money.
Cory Willness of CropPro Consulting will talk about SWAT BOX, a data collection sensor and how information from it will be used to generate maps that will help farmers selectively apply herbicides
Everyone needs to eat. That's why Canadians and Canada’s governments should not take farming and food for granted.
That was the message from Kerri Holland with University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy who prepared a report on Canada's Food Security.
Holland says food security is vital and government policy must reflect the essential service agriculture provides for the country. She says there will be dire consequences if farmers don't get the support they need.
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California Proposition 12 is an initiative that sets new standards for space allowance for raising of animals that produce the pork sold in that state.
It has raised concerns in Canada because not only will this apply to farmers in California but to all farmers in North America who sell pork into that state. Manitoba Pork general manager Cam Dahl says the issue is now being brought to the attention of the Canadian government concerning the impacts of that ballot on the pork sector.
Most people are aware of how important agriculture to the entire Canadian economy. In fact, Economic Development Regina (EDR) decided to take that thought a step further and quantify its significance.
EDR President and CEO Chris Lane says the report is called Saskatchewan’s Annual Megaproject: Spring Seeding, which uses data from a range of sources to understand the impact of this investment and examine the economic factors at play for producers as the crop year progresses.
Lane will share the significance of the $11-billion spent during seeding season alone.
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Hundreds of Canadian scientists and researchers were in Saskatchewan for a conference marking the conclusion of the seven-year Global Water Futures program.
Global Water Futures was established with a $78 million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. The University of Saskatchewan was one of four leading institutions with the others including Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier, and McMaster; all located in Ontario.
Dr. John Pomeroy is the Global Water Futures director and the Canada Research Chair in Climate Change and Water Resources at the University of Saskatchewan.
He will talk about the water research that was agriculture related.
Tracking grain movement across Canada is now easier than ever.
This month Statistics Canada released the Grain Supply Chain Dashboard, an interactive map that details, among other things, segments of the railway network, the number of cars, and a car's last known location.
The Dashboard was developed in partnership with the Ag Transport Coalition.
Greg Northey with Pulse Canada, one of the members of the Coalition, says it's all about transparency.
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Healthy feet and hooves are extremely important for bulls, especially heading into breeding season.
Dr. Chris Clark at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan talks about what to look for to prevent hoof problems in bulls and cows and the ground-breaking equipment being used at the Vet College to trim cattle hooves and treat foot problems.
The Do More Agriculture Foundation announced the launch of its 2023 campaign to raise awareness about mental health in agriculture.
The campaign addresses the stressors in agriculture such as weather uncertainty, market instability, and financial pressures.
Executive Director Megz Reynolds will share the details of the ‘Talk It Out’ campaign that encourages conversations about mental health, promotes resources and support for those struggling with mental health challenges, and help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
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The first revision of the Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator in more than 20 years is now available online for producers and agronomists.
The updated version covers more crops, 15 in total, as well micro-nutrients boron, zinc, and copper. It was a three-year process covering 2020, 2021 and 2022
Dr. Fran Walley, along with Dr. Rich Farrell are the research scientists with the University of Saskatchewan leading the effort. They'll talk about their work.
Several government departments, consultations, and decisions are converging to clear a path for gene-editing technology to be approved as a breeding technique for conventional crops.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would move forward with Part 5 of the Seed Regulations, in line with Health Canada’s decision a year ago.
That decision set out that gene-editing was considered “non-novel” and would be treated as such through the regulatory system.
Jim Everson with the Canola Council of Canada will talk about the updated guidance and how this will be beneficial to farmers.
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Wild pigs are an invasive species that damage crops, and the environment. As well they are at high risk for the spread of disease. That's why the Governments of Canada and Manitoba, in collaboration with Manitoba’s agricultural sector, launched the Squeal on Pigs campaign to inform the public about the damage caused by wild pigs and what to watch for in order to report sightings.
The coordinator for Squeal on Pigs Dr. Wayne Lees says the response from the public has been exceptional.
Farmers are being advised to make sure their agricultural insurance is up to date.
Farm equipment and out-buildings have been appreciating in value recently, and replacing them in the event of a loss, could become costly for those who don't have proper insurance.
Blair McClinton is the Farm Segment Director for SGI Canada.
He'll talk about importance of reviewing those insurance policies.
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More than ever consumers are curious about how and where their food is produced. Amy te Plate-Church is the Director of the U.S. based Center for Food Integrity.
She says consumer trends and developments in consumer perceptions have far reaching implications for farmers. She says some of the factor’s consumers consider when making purchasing decisions are changing.
The General Manager of Manitoba Pork is calling on governments to adopt an incentive rather than regulatory based approach to achieving environmental targets and sustainability goals.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's has completed consultations on a new sustainable agricultural strategy. Cam Dahl wrote an article for Manitoba community newspapers and Manitoba Pork's Chop Talk newsletter looking at the issue of sustainability. He says we are at a crossroads in terms of government policy, especially when it comes to the whole question of sustainability and environmental impact.
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A former president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says the agriculture industry has been hurt by international activist and protest organizations. Tim McMillian, who was also a Saskatchewan cabinet minister in Brad Wall's government, is concerned these same groups are, more then ever before, turning their attention to the farming community.
Farmland values continued to trend higher in 2022 as demand for farmland remains high and available supply is low. Higher interest rates and farm input prices were offset by strong cash receipts, mitigating profitability pressures on the demand for farmland.
Farm Credit Canada says roughly 40 per cent of Canadian farmland area is rented as renting land is a business approach that offers financial flexibility because the financial cost of renting is often lower than buying.
FCC Chief Economist J.P. Gervais says study shows cash farmland rental rates are reflecting a slight increase from drought-stricken 2021 but remain lower than rates in 2020.
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Live cattle prices are at their highest point in eight years. Brenna Grant, the executive director of Canfax in Calgary, says the first quarter of 2023 has been a good one for both cow/calf producers and feedlots.
A smaller supply of live cattle in North America has forced processors to pay more for feeder cattle and slaughter cows.Brenna will discuss prospects for the rest of the year.
The aging demographic of producers may be the most significant issue facing the future of the livestock sector . . . but is only one of several areas of concern. Other challenges include providing access to capital for younger producers, improving business risk management programs and preventing the ongoing conversion of pastures into cropland.
Suggestions include paying livestock producers for storing carbon in the soil as well as providing a habitat for birds and wildlife.
Representatives from cattle, sheep and bison organizations participated in a Livestock Summit sponsored by the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan.
Cattle producer Levi Hull shares his thoughts on the future of the industry.
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Farmers across the prairies are ready for the snow to disappear so they can start Plant 2023.
Three farmers from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba talk to me about their seeding preparations and some of the issues they are concerned about facing the ag sector.
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Canadian Western Agribition’s Next Gen Mentorship Program was created to support the next generation of agriculture leaders. The program matches eight young leaders in the agriculture industry with professionals for an 18-month mentorship where they gain skills and experiences to advance their careers.
David McTaggart is one of the mentees in the fourth cohort. He has been partnered with Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel. I'll talk to David about what he has gained from being involved in the program.
The aging demographic of producers may be the most significant issue facing the future of the livestock sector . . . but is only one of several areas of concern. Representatives from cattle, sheep and bison organizations participated in a Livestock Summit sponsored by the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan.
A young cattle producer from eastern Saskatchewan Levi Hull talked about some of the challenges including access to capital for new producers, improving business risk management programs and preventing the ongoing conversion of pastures into cropland.
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The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops (CRSC) is nearing completion of a document that highlights the sustainable practices used on Canadian farms.
The goal is to develop a tool that can be used to convey these messages around sustainability and quality to domestic and international buyers, as well as the Canadian public and government.
Jason Lenz is the CRSC chair and a farmer from Alberta. He says the first attempt included seven different modules. That's been reduced to four with the draft outlining key messages and practices under each of these categories.
The Canadian Cattle Association is looking for its next crop of individuals for the Young Leaders program.
Jessica Radau is the CCA's Youth Leadership Co-ordinator.
She says the overall objective is to use the program as a built-in industry succession planning tool and designed for 18 to 35 year olds with an interest in any aspect of the cattle industry.
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Later this year, the first three students will graduate from the Distance Delivery Option of the Registered Veterinary Technologist Program at SaskPolyTech in Saskatoon, Sask.
These three students were able to take most of their classes online, as well as gaining experience at a local veterinary clinic that provides large animal care services.
Rural areas of Western Canada are not only experiencing a shortage of veterinarians . . . there is also a need for Registered Veterinary Technologists or RVT's. RVT's perform many dutie s and provide valuable assistance to veterinarians.23-year-old Mollie Hastings from Weyburn was the first student accepted into the Distance Delivery Option of the RVT program. She will talk about her experience.
The Prairie Grain Development Committee recently held its annual meeting in Banff. The group evaluated potential new breeding variety lines and recommended the best of the best for registration. This year the Pulse and Special Crops Committee recommended 16 new lentil lines, 13 pea lines, 5 faba bean and 5 dry bean lines for registration.
Dr. Glen Hawkins is a Senior Manager and Agronomist with DL Seeds. He also chairs that committee and says there's some great potential coming forward.
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4-H Canada Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction (LEAD) recognize outstanding members who show 4-H values in the way they live their lives.The awards honour youth who have become exceptional leaders through their 4-H experience, and who share the best of themselves with their community.
Kate Axton from Saskatchewan is one of the recipients of the $20,000 scholarship for her post secondary education. Kate will talk the award and her passion for agriculture.
Kendall Wicks was looking for a story about combining to share with her son. When she couldn't find one, she decided to write her own story.
A Harvest Story is now part of the Agriculture in the Classroom-Saskatchewan resources.Kendall will share the process of getting the story printed and the response she has received so far.
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Canadian's dependence on exports makes the prevention and preparation for foreign animal disease critical.
In response to the threat of African Swine Fever, the Saskatchewan government and the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board have contributed one million dollars to support swine disease mitigation, including adding a dedicated cull line into the North 49 sow processing facility being built in Moose Jaw by Donald's Fine Foods.
Sask Pork General Manager Mark Ferguson says this is one part of Canada's effort to be prepared.
Research scientists are working on a couple of important projects....one is to develop a weed competitiveness rating for barley...the other is examining effectiveness of plant growth regulators in cereal crops.
Breanne Tideman is a weed research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe, Alberta.
She presented some of her work at a recent conference in Saskatchewan
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The Palette Skills Digital Agriculture Specialist program was created to prepare people for jobs in the agriculture sector in several areas including farm robotics, agriculture automation and food processing. Program manager Ednali Fertuck-Zehavi says it was designed to prepare people with already have some post-secondary education, with the skills they need for jobs in the agriculture industry.
Ednali will explain more about the program and share with us how an upcoming networking can connect participants with potential employers.
Saskatchewan agriculture is forecasting some hotspots for wheat midge this year. With the loss of some of the products wheat farmers would normally use to control the pest, there may concerns about control options.
Kurt Printz with the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association says producers have several options for growing midge tolerant wheat varieties. He says farmers should be making arrangements now to secure seed for the 2023 growing season.
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On-farm research has become a powerful decision-making tool for farmers, especially when it comes to making management decisions on their own operation.
On-farm research can provide meaningful information specific to your soils, farming practices, and local conditions, allowing you to make management decisions with confidence.
Christiane Catellier with the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation will tell us about a new project and how farmers can get involved.
Canola is Canada's oil.
It is one of the healthiest cooking oils available, with zero trans fat and the lowest amount of saturated fat of all common cooking oils. And because canola oil is so versatile and affordable, it's ideal for making a wide range of healthy foods, both at home and on a commercial scale.
Lynn Weaver is a registered dietitian and the market development manager at SaskCanola.
She'll talk about the health benefits of canola oil and the development of a new national canola strategy.
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African Swine Fever has been confirmed in two dead wild boars in Greece. This is the first report of ASF in Greece since 2020.
Dr. Paul Sundberg, the Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center, says North America can learn a lot from Greece and other countries when it comes to controlling the spread of ASF.
Applications can now be made under the Advance Payments program---better known as the cash advance. The cash advance helps cover initial productions costs and is repaid when the crop or livestock is sold.
Several organizations administer the program on behalf of the federal government including the Canadian Canola Growers Association. Dave Gallant is the CCGA Director of Finance and Operations. He talks about the process and says applying early ensures everything is ready to go when money from the federal program comes out in early April.
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The Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair with the University of Saskatchewan is confident genetic improvements accomplished through gene editing will contribute to lower food prices in Canada. U-Sask associate professor Dr. Stuart Smyth says one of the challenges is there isn't a regulatory system for gene edited livestock.
The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board has launched the Whole Hog Youth Ambassador Program, a new agricultural education program designed to help share the story of pork production.
I'll speak to ambassador Reise Podhordeski and Lynn Redl Huntington with Sask Pork who describe the purpose of the program.
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The livestock industry is very concerned about the shortage of veterinarians. But what are the main issues that are preventing post-secondary students from getting into and then staying in the veterinary profession?
Alberta Veterinarian Sydney Crosby spoke to the recent Saskatchewan Beef Industry Symposium and share some of her thoughts on how the sector can change to help keep vets in the industry.
Every year Farm Credit Canada compiles a lot of data. One that usually generates a lot of conversation is the farm cash receipts. Chief Agricultural Economist JP Gervais will go through the statistics and share his thoughts on what's to come in 2023.
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Preliminary results of research show pigs can be stimulated into engaging in play.
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Swine Centre are exploring the prospects of using play to improve the emotional well being of pigs and improve their resilience and performance.
In one experiment the behavior of two groups of pigs provided intermittent play opportunities was compared to a control group. Dr. Yolande Seddon is an Assistant Professor Swine Behaviour and Welfare.
She says the objective is to determine whether play could be stimulated and identify the physiological effects of play on the pigs.
All internationally trained veterinarians hoping to practice in Canada take their final hands-on test in Saskatoon. Three times a year, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine hosts the clinical proficiency examination process for international veterinarian graduates who want to be license in Canada. It is the only location in Canada that hosts this testing.
Dr. Gillian Muir explains the testing process and how this is easing some of the stress of the veterinarian shortage across Canada.
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It's the time of year when many producers and agronomists are attending trade shows, industry meetings and annual general meetings hoping to gain some insights for the next growing season.
Chuck Penner with Leftfield Commodity Research gave his outlook for the grains and oilseed markets at Western Canadian Crop Production Show in Saskatoon.
He says he's not a predictor but rather spends time doing reconnaissance assembling information on the past growing season and how that may shape the coming year.
There is a desperate shortage of agriculture technicians...to the point that it's being called a crisis by John Schmeiser, the President of the North American Equipment Dealers Association.
He will share what the industry is doing to attract more young people to the field.
And
He also talks about the controversy surrounding ‘right to repair’.
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It’s no surprise to grain and oilseed producers that 2022 was a year of great uncertainty.
The senior analyst with FarmLink Marketing Solutions Neil Townsend says the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a key market factor in the past year and any restrictions to the flow of grain out of Ukraine this year will have far reaching affects on commodity markets.
Moving to the pork market, despite exceptionally high feed costs, 2022 was among the top three year most profitable years for North American pork producers over the past decade.
The Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services Tyler Fulton explains why and what is in the forecast for 2023.
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It's estimated soil salinity is affecting anywhere from five to 10 million acres on the Canadian Prairies. Establishing perennial forages is one of the top recommended methods to manage saline soils for the long term.
At a Forage Crop Walk in northeast Saskatchewan where producer Harvey Heavin shared his story of how he converted 90 acres of poorly producing saline land to a productive forage crop which is baled each year by another farmer. Agri-environmental specialist Charlotte Ward also shared some thoughts on the many forage blends that are available and choosing variety will depend a great deal on what the crop will be used for.
Many farmers have diversified their operations.
But one farm southwest of Saskatoon has several revenue streams including crops, livestock, part ownership in a Saskatoon restaurant and operating a summer day camp for elementary school students.
Arlie LaRoche is the owner-operator of Farm One Forty and she will share more about the farm and its various ventures.
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Plenty of changes in fertilizer pricing in the past six month----with some products remaining high and others declining in price. Josh Linville with Fertilizer StoneX in the United States.
This past summer there was a lot of concern about the potential for even higher fertilizer prices---considering the war between Russia and Ukraine. Linville talks about the lower prices for phosphate, potash and urea---but the same cannot be said for anhydrous or urea ammonium nitrate.
Canada's Food Price Report predicts the average family of four will be spending an additional $1,065 on food next year---which works out to a 5 to 7 percent increase.
The report is an annual collaboration between four Canadian Universities---including the University of Saskatchewan. USask Associate professor Stuart Smythe says on-farm and processing costs are rising---but other things are adding to the bill as well.
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A prairie farm group is concerned about the federal government's recently announced, “Sustainable Agriculture Strategy.” Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie Claude Bibeau says the sector needs to work together to develop a roadmap to improving environmental performance.
Western Canadian Wheat Growers President Gunter Jochum will share what is most worrying to their organization about the process.
Bill C-21 and its recent amendments will criminalize Saskatchewan residents. That according to the Ray Orb the president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities.
He says Bill C-21 does nothing to target the illegal use of firearms; instead, it targets lawfully licensed firearms owners and their legally acquired firearms.
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Oat prices fell sharply just prior to harvest as it became apparent the 2022 crop was going to produce large yields. Good rain at just the right time in prime growing regions of eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba contributed to the good crop.
Jonathan Dreidger with Leftfield Commodity Research shares what is happening with the oat prices and what to expect in the coming months.
Statistics Canada cut its final canola production estimate by nearly one million tonnes compared to the September estimate which surprised the trade. The wheat estimate is also lower.
Ken Ball with P.I. Financial in Winnipeg will have his reaction to the final crop estimates.
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The Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) has a new affiliation agreement with its seven regional branches. The agreement includes the Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers, Saskatchewan Seed Growers, and the Manitoba Seed Grower Associations.
CSGA Executive Director Doug Miller says with the industry going through a seed industry modernization initiative it's important to have unity and a clear message
Overall demand for farm equipment is projected to remain strong into 2023, despite rising interest rates and a weakening Canadian US exchange rate.
Farm Credit Canada's 2023 outlook for the farm equipment market indicates demand is being supported by strong farm cash receipts, even with commodity prices softening from peak levels. FCC Chief agricultural economist J.P. Gervais believes as supply chains recover, equipment manufacturers are expected to increase the delivery of new equipment orders. But inventory levels will remain below pre-pandemic levels and will remain tight beyond 2024.
Gervais will talk about the farm equipment sector and the recent food and beverage report.
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Everyone knows the importance of doing things in a safe manner on the farm. Sometimes it's hard to get started creating a strategy. Dean Anderson is the Strategic Advisor for Agriculture with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services.
Dean will talk about some of the greatest risk factors on the farm, how to avoid injury and how to create a farm safety plan for your own operation.
The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission’s are considering amalgamating. Resolutions were passed in January so the two organizations could explore options for amalgamation. An initial online survey found producers were overwhelmingly in favor of exploring options for amalgamation.
Carol Ann Patterson with the winter cereals commission will talk about the process and why its important for farmers to participate.
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Research conducted by the University of Saskatchewan is looking at the effect of feed processing on ergot toxicity. The work is expected to change how feed samples are analysed.
Monogastric Nutrition assistant professor Dr. Denice Beaulieu says researchers are examining the ability of heat and steam to alter a certain ratio of the ergot.
The Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame officially welcomed four new inductees at a ceremony in Toronto as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Hall president Ted Menzies says it was an extra special event as the organization celebrated its 60th Anniversary.
He will tell us about the four outstanding individuals.
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The first ever Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index suggests there is short term optimism tempered by longer term concerns. About 3,000 farms across the country have agreed to enter information into the data base---so they can participate in the nationwide survey. Justin Funk is the managing partner of Agri Studies.
He'll share more on the 900 farmers and ranchers that answered last month's survey which contained a series of questions, and how they can access to the numbers so they can see how their responses stack up with their counterparts.
There is growing interest globally in Canada's plant-based food sector. Last week delegates from around the world took part in the first Plant Forward conference in Toronto. The event was organized by Protein Industries Canada, Pulse Canada, and Plant-Based Foods of Canada.
PIC CEO Bill Greuel will share more about the conference and how the international guests responded to the information shared during the event.
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4-H Canada Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction (LEAD) recognize outstanding members who show 4-H values in the way they live their lives. The awards honour youth who have become exceptional leaders through their 4-H experience, and who share the best of themselves with their community.
Kate Axton from Saskatchewan is one of the recipients of the $20,000 scholarship for her post secondary education. Kate will talk the award and her passion for agriculture.
Kendall Wicks was looking for a story about combining to share with her son. When she couldn't find one, she decided to write her own story. A Harvest Story is now part of the Agriculture in the Classroom-Saskatchewan resources.
Kendall will share the process of getting the story printed and the response she has received so far.
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The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association continues its effort to fight Ottawa's proposed fertilizer emission reduction policy. The federal government wants to reduce those emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030.
Wheat Growers President Gunter Jochum believes it could result in a food shortage.
Over the last several years, there have seen more cow/calf producers try their hand at direct-to-consumer marketing. Mark Hoimyr and his wife Laura own Box H Farm near Gladmar, straight south of Regina, Sask. near the U.S. border.
Box H Farm has 250 head of breeding stock---plus replacements. There is about 5,000 acres of tame grass and native prairie---with a heavy emphasis on rotational grazing.
Mark Hoimyr is here to talk about selling his grass-fed beef direct to consumers.
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The ongoing war in Ukraine is creating problems for two major exporters of potash fertilizer.
Prior to the conflict, Russia and its close ally---Belarus----accounted for a combined 40 percent of global potash production. Both countries are going through challenges selling their product.
Nutrien has six potash mines in Saskatchewan and is in the process of expanding production at three of those mines.
Ken Seitz is Nutrien's Chief Executive Officer.
He says while Russia has managed to skirt around European sanctions by moving more oil and natural gas to China and India---it is a much different story for potash, which is a bulk commodity.
Farm Credit Canada is working with indigenous peoples to expand agricultural ventures---both large and small.
However, accessing capital from banks has been a major challenge for First Nations and Farm Credit Canada want to make the process easier.
Shaun Soonias is the Director of Indigenous Relations with FCC.
He says First Nations already have business experience in other economic sectors.
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The two major railways are having a more difficult time filling hopper car orders and the number of unfulfilled orders is increasing rapidly.
The Ag Transport Coalition monitors railway performance on behalf of grain companies and various producer organizations. The organization is concerned the rail companies are falling behind on rail car deliveries.
However, the assistant vice president of grain at CN Rail, David Przednowek said CN is prepared to move this falls’ larger prairie crop to market.
He'll talk about the company's winter rail plan has been released.
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The province of Saskatchewan celebrates agriculture month in October.
It's a time for the industry and consumers to learn more about the products produced right here in our own province.
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says the agriculture industry is thriving thanks to the dedicated individuals that make up the value-chain and have a passion for producing healthy and affordable food.
He says the public is encouraged to share their connection to food through the theme, "#MealsFromtheFarm."
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After the break..... David Przednowek.
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Indonesia is taking steps to control a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in that country. The Swine Health Information Center monitors domestic and global diseases and provides monthly surveillance reports.
Center Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says Foot and Mouth Disease virus has been on the radar for global detection since May because there have been substantial outbreaks, particularly in Indonesia where approximately 500,000 animals have been infected.
She will talk about the importance of controlling the spread of the disease that can affect cattle and pigs.
Saskatchewan's chief veterinary officer issued an Animal Health Order prohibiting the transport of birds to shows, auctions and fairs after several reports of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The disease is carried by migratory birds.
The animal health order will remain in place until October 21, when it will be reviewed. Dr. Noel Ritson-Bennett is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency veterinary program manager and part of the CFIA's Western Area Response Team for avian influenza.
He says this month's outbreak was expected.
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A new survey shows most farmers believe a proposed fertilizer emissions target will not remain voluntary. That was one of the findings of poll of 546 Western Canadian farmers.
The first question was "Do you agree with the federal government's 30 percent fertilizer emission reduction target by the end of the decade?” 72 percent strongly disagreed. Another question on the way emissions were calculated--82 per cent said it was not achievable.Greg Dunlop is the President of iFusion, in Guelph, Ontario. He'll share the results of the survey.
This past week marked the five-year anniversary of the free trade deal between Canada and the European Union. The Canadian Cattle Association supports the deal---but says technical barriers are preventing the agreement from achieving its full potential.
CCA general manager Ryder Lee explains the good and bad of the deal.
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Saskatchewan produces 30 per cent of Canada’s beef cattle, but there are no federally inspected packing facilities in the province. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) believes the province and its producers are selling all that potential value out-of-province and at a discount.
SSGA released a study into the feasibility of building and operating a packing plant in Saskatchewan. The study called Opportunities & Challenges for Growing Saskatchewan’s Beef Processing Sector indicates there is a way to create more packing capacity.
Stock Growers president Garner Deobald will share the details of the report and explain the next steps to establishing a beef packing in Saskatchewan.
Despite the suspension of use of a new African Swine Fever vaccine in Vietnam, progress is still being made to find a vaccine for ASF. Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg says the vaccine was a gene deleted African Swine Fever Vaccine developed by USDA's Ag Research Service.
The license for further testing by a company in Vietnam was suspended after pigs that had been vaccinated died. Sundberg says initial reports indicated the vaccine's efficacy was very high and safety studies were also very promising.
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Bank of Canada increased its policy interest rate by 75 basis points to 3 and a quarter per cent. J.P. Gervais, Chief Economist with Farm Credit Canada says expect more interest rate increases before the end of the year as the Bank of Canada tries to tame inflation.
He says with even with higher interest rates and inflation for farm inputs, most farmers should still be in the black.
A veterinary clinic in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan hopes the extension of a loan forgiveness program will help attract newly graduated veterinarians to their practice. The Saskatchewan government announced the veterinary clinics in larger centres will be able to participate in a program introduced last year for smaller communities.
The province will forgive 4-thousand dollars of student loans per year for a maximum of five years for veterinarians and veterinary technologists. To qualify, the vets need to provide a minimum of 400 hours of service to large animal producers over a twelve-month period.
Prince Albert veterinarian Dr. Tom Avey will explain how this will help practices like his.
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Everyone involved in agriculture needs to better communicate the story of farming. Cam Dahl is the General Manager of Manitoba Pork. He says the sector needs to work together to dispel the myths surrounding modern agriculture.
An article circulated through community newspapers examines the connection between farmers and the "Prove It" generation and the need to better communicate the role of new technology in meeting the need for food. Dahl says while people trust farmers, they don't necessarily understand or trust what they do.
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers have started an online petition about the federal government's plan to reduce fertilizer emissions 30 percent by the end of the decade. Director Jim Wickett says the groups has taken a firm stand in opposition to the proposal, saying it attempts to reduce greenhouse gases, but the actual reduction would be small, and the impact on the food in Canada, and globally, would be significant.
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Two companies conducted an extensive crop tour of Western Canada during the first week of August. Argus Media and Leftfield Commodity Research combined resources to stop at more than forty farms in the three-prairie province. At more than half of the sites, they were able to speak to local producers.
The companies produced average yield and production estimates for canola and wheat in Western Canada. Jonathon Driedger, the vice president of LeftField Commodity Research will share what they saw on the tour.
Crop protection products, specifically pre-harvest glyphosate, are heavily scrutinized domestically and internationally. In recent years, there has been increased attention towards maximum residue limits (MRLs).
Pulse Canada has developed a program to provide free, confidential glyphosate residue testing for farmers and agronomists to ensure the proper application timing of pre-harvest glyphosate for pulse crops. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Agronomy Manager Sarah Anderson says this be another tool for farmers.
She will also share more on the Harvest Sample Program.
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If the price of feed grain remains at its current high level, consumers can expect continued higher meat prices. A combination of factors including shortages of locally produced feed grains due to last year's drought, transportation challenges due to COVID-19 and generally higher global grain prices due to the war in Ukraine has pushed grain prices to record levels.
Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork Farms, says, if grain prices are going to be at a higher-level longer term, and grain is in short supply, the price is going be higher for meat prices.
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers has entered into a plant breeding agreement with Limagrain Field Seeds. This will likely be the first in a series of deals SPG makes with private companies following the end of a long-term agreement with the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre.
Carl Potts the executive director of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Potts says the new environment will encourage multiple pulse crop breeding programs . . . and a transition from a royalty-free system, to growers paying for access to new varieties like they do for other crops. He will outline the deal with Limagrain.
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It's estimated soil salinity is affecting anywhere from five to 10 million acres on the Canadian Prairies. Establishing perennial forages is one of the top recommended methods to manage saline soils for the long term.
Recently there was a Forage Crop Walk near Melfort, Sask. where local farmer Harvey Heavin shared his story of how he converted 90 acres of poorly producing saline land to a productive forage crop which is baled each year by another farmer. And agri-environmental specialist Charlotte Ward spoke to the group and said there are several forage blends available, however, the producer needs to know what he wants to do with that forage crop.
The Canola Council of Canada has unveiled a new program offering financial support to help growers initiate or advance 4-R Nutrient Stewardship on canola acres.
The program, called Canola 4-R Advantage, will reimburse growers for up to 85 per cent of eligible costs, up to $12,000 per farm, per year.
Curtis Rempel is the Council's Vice President of Crop Production and Innovation. He will share the details about this program.
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The Canadian Cattle Association has hired a new general manager and he comes from our province.
Ryder Lee will become the CCA general manager on September 1st.
For the past seven years, he has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association.
Ryder worked for the CCA in several capacities between 2005 and 2015.
He will reflect on his experience with the Saskatchewan group and what he sees as some of the big issues the cattle industry is facing right now.
A new reality Canadian TV show is being developed called Farming for Love.
The goal is to bring two people together to share a life on a farm in British Columbia.
Executive producer Grant Greschuk will explain the concept and plans for the future expansion of the show to other locations in Canada.
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Baiting and trapping entire groups appears to be one of the more effective means of eliminating wild pigs.
The Squeal on Pigs campaign in Manitoba, launched earlier this year, is designed to inform the public about the dangers posed by wild pigs and to provide a mechanism to report sightings.
Dr. Wayne Lees the Coordinator of the Manitoba Invasive Swine Eradication Project will share the latest research and explain how those sightings can be reported.
A new report says grain farmers need better grain contracts.
Last year's drought drastically reduced yields and, in turn, forced many producers to buy out their contracts, costing some hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and crop development groups hired Mercantile Consulting Ventures to study the matter.
APAS president Ian Boxall says the study found only 46 per cent of farmers feel they are treated fairly by contracts.
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A group that represents Canadian ranchers has changed its name to be more gender inclusive.
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association, which represents more than 60,000 ranchers and feedlot operators nationwide, will now be known as the Canadian Cattle Association.
He'll talk about the name change, the recent reversal of a Health Canada decision to back away from a saturated fat warning label on ground beef and pork, and one groups’ request for a complete price review of beef.
Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute located in Portage la Prairie, will be closing its doors at the end of July.
The consulting firm specializes in agriculture, mining, and transportation, with several unique pieces of test equipment.
President and CEO Leah Olson outlines what brought about the closure.
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The grain markets have been taking a beating.
Are there signs prices have started to bottom out?
Without a swift recovery of bullish sentiment, growers who held off selling the best new crop prices in a decade may be headed for a familiar marketing strategy this fall; holding and hoping.
Errol Anderson, the president of Pro Market Communications in Calgary says it isn't just the ag sector feeling the effects as the world slows down and enters a recession.
An International Bison Convention is being hosted in Saskatchewan, the first time in Canada since 2012 when the conference was held in Quebec City.
Convention chair and bison producer Les Kreuger said it was a very challenging year for many bison producers due to the extensive drought.
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Many farmers have diversified their operations. But one farm southwest of Saskatoon has several revenue streams including crops, livestock, part ownership in a Saskatoon restaurant and operating a summer day camp for elementary school students.
Arlie LaRoche is the owner-operator of Farm One Forty and she will share more about the farm and its various ventures.
Does Saskatchewan have the ability to support a beef packing plant? The report was discussed at the recent Saskatchewan Stock Growers convention. Beef industry consultant and report co-author Willie Van Solkema says there are many variables and challenges in setting up a new beef processing plant.
But he believes the challenges can be overcome but determining the size of the facility is the big question mark.
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The first North American veterinary college honeybee research chair will be located at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Sarah Wood is a veterinarian known for her pollinator research.
Wood says bees play an important role in agriculture and with roughly 45 per cent of bee colonies lost last year the work to save the bees is more important then ever.
Saskatchewan students interested in studying agriculture at times had to leave the province for their post secondary education. But that has all changed. Cumberland Regional College in northeast Saskatchewan is offering an agriculture Sciences Certificate program.Chair of Post-secondary Education, Jeff Fisher, said the certificate is in partnership with Lakeland College in Vermillion, Alberta with an emphasis on crop production.
Jeff will explain how the program will be offered and why it's so important for the agriculture sector.
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It's a given that pastures and land growing forages store additional carbon in the soil. The question is how much carbon is stored and which management practices increase forage production.
A new five-year carbon soil mapping study aims to answer those questions. The joint effort between research scientists at the University of Saskatchewan and University of Alberta will be conducted in our province. Cameron Carlyle is a University of Alberta rangeland ecologist.He says the project will quantify the environmental benefits of grazing cattle.
Saskatchewan's pork producers are calling on the federal government to follow the lead of other countries and exempt ground beef and pork from proposed front-of-package labeling that would require symbols indicating products are high in fat, sugar, or sodium. Toby Tschetter is the Chair of the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board. He says the implications for pork and beef producers are concerning.
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The National Farmers Union has updated its report on greenhouse gas emissions . . . using recently released 2020 data. The report said emissions from Canadian agriculture and the production of associated farm inputs is up 35 percent since 1990. NFU Director of Climate Crisis Policy Darrin Qualman will talk about the report and the significance of a 35 per cent increase spread over three decades.
The president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities is worried the soaring cost of fuel could push some farmers off the land. Ray Orb says small family farms are looking at an additional one thousand dollars a day to fuel equipment this year, and larger farms upwards of an additional 5 thousand dollars a day. He says government needs to take action like removing the federal carbon taxes to avoid forcing small farmers out of business.
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All kinds of conditions on the prairies this year. Very dry in the west but wet in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan which has meant seeding has been delayed. A retired agronomist says broadcasting seeding could be an option on those wet fields.
Ag Direct Hail has created another option for farmers. It is the first and only, exclusively online private crop hail insurance provider on the Prairies. Ag Direct General Manager Sheila Suetta will explain how it works and why farmers are happy with features like the computerized application for repeat customers is efficient and time saving.
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Humans can transmit avian influenza to birds. That message from Dr. Susan Detmer, an Associate Professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The Saskatchewan government made the move to restrict the movements of birds including pet birds and falcons and refrain from taking birds to shows to reduce the risk that they could pick up, transmit and spread the virus.
She will talk about how the receptors are only in the lower respiratory tract for humans so the chance of it getting is limited. But caution should be exercised.
It doesn't happen very often but when it does traffic accidents involving livestock pose big challenges for first responders. Trent Catley is the director of Saskatchewan Agriculture's Emergency Response and Inspection Unit. He helps producers, drivers, emergency responders, and animal health specialists confidently prepare and respond to livestock transportation emergencies in an organized and safe manner.
With his over 30 years experience in enforcement and emergency response, including 18 years in the fire service, Trent has developed a livestock handling course for the Saskatchewan Volunteer Fire Fighter Association.
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A new agreement has been signed between SeedMaster and John Deere. The SeedMaster Toolbar will be used exclusively with John Deere air seeding equipment. SeedMaster CEO Don Henry calls it a win for both companies and the agriculture industry.
The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is a farmer-funded and farmer-directed non-profit organization that invests in agricultural research that benefits western Canadian farmers. Since 1981, WGRF has funded more than $210 million of research in field crops of interest to western Canadian farmers. The man at the helm has announced he is retiring this year.
Garth Patterson will talk about his work over the past 11 years and some of the research projects planned for this year.
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Canola seeded into cool, over-wet and over-dry soil can be slow to emerge and slow to grow. That can put seedlings at higher risk of flea beetle damage. Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialist Keith Gabbert says farmers need to prepare seedbeds as well as possible to help the crop outgrow its susceptible stage quickly.
And while seed treatments usually provide effective protection past the riskiest cotyledon stage and a bit longer.... farmers should plan now in case fields suffer heavy flea beetle pressure.
Protein Industries Canada (PIC) played a role in setting up a food science diploma and chemical technology diploma at Assiniboine Community College at Brandon, Manitoba. PIC CEO Bill Greuel says the goal is to ensure an adequate workforce for the evolving plant processing and food manufacturing sector especially with the newly opened Roquette plant in Manitoba.
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A treasure trove of data from the 2021 census of agriculture is being released. Erin Kumar is responsible for the census of agriculture at Statistics Canada. She says the information will provide a sense of what’s going on in the AG sector and how the definition of a farm is changing.
And a team of researchers is taking a look at food security and culture following the pandemic. University of Regina Associate Professor of Social Studies Amber Fletcher says the research will include an online survey asking the public about food supply issues. She will also talk about the goal to resolve at least some food issues.
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Pulse processing in this country is expanding again.
Eat Well Investment Group, which owns Belle Pulses plans to upgrade and expand its production facilities to meet recent demand increases caused by the global food supply chain crisis. Eat Well Chief investment officer Mark Coles says Belle produced approximately 90,000 metric tonnes of protein in 2021 and will be adding up to an additional 15,000 metric tonnes per year of annual production.
Coles will talk about the company's expansion plans and its goal to help support the global food industry.
The recent drought had many thinking of ways to help livestock through these tough conditions. Two University of Saskatchewan research projects aim to help cows, and forage plants deal with stresses. Dr. Greg Penner will discuss the projects that will look at developing drought and salinity-tolerant forage crops and reducing heat stress in dairy cattle.
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Canola Council of Canada says advanced biofuels is a new opportunity for growth for the country's canola growers.
Earlier this month the Environmental Protection Agency released a proposal that could open the export doors even wider for Canadian canola producers. The proposed plan would recognize renewable diesel and jet fuel made from canola oil as “advanced biofuels” under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard. Council president Jim Everson is excited about the announcement, as the move to advanced biofuels means the product can be combined with traditional diesel, producing a fuel with lower greenhouse gas emissions. And the U.S. proposes to accept canola oil opposed to raw seed. This creates another opportunity for Canada that right now has 14 processing plants with several more having been announced
Reg Schellenberg, a rancher from Saskatchewan was elected by acclamation as the new president at the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) annual general meeting in Ottawa.
Schellenberg has served as a director in 2010 and was mostly recently CCA vice-president. Schellenberg will talk about the priorities for his term including advocating for the creation of a Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine bank, enhancing the current suite of business risk programs for cattle producers, and increasing market access for Canadian beef in world markets.
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Healthy soils retain carbon and are an unsung hero waiting in the wings to tackle climate change. That's the main message of a new 52 page report released by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada . . . and the Compost Council of Canada.
The report says if properly managed . . . Canada's 175 million acres of agricultural and urban soils can be developed to increase and retail more carbon . . . helping the country meet its greenhouse emission targets. The Executive Director of the Soil Conservation Council of Canada Jim Tokarchuk and Glenn Munroe, the reports co-author, will tell us about the report and how that information will be shared.
Escalating tensions in eastern Europe have the potential to destabilize food production globally. It's also causing havoc on many markets. Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork Farms says one of the biggest concerns will be on how this will impact the availability of feed grain which has already been an issue since last year.
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The federal government tabled its new emissions reduction plan as required under the net-zero emissions law passed last year. It projects the oil and gas industry will need to cut greenhouse emissions by 42 per cent by the end of the decade from current levels.
Agriculture accounts for about 10 per cent of that total and the challenge will be to reduce that to net zero by the year 2050. Branden Leslie with the Grain Growers of Canada says his organization will be working with the federal government to meet those targets without impacting producer profitability and he will share the path forward focusing on innovation, research, and beneficial management practices.
This is the second year of a summer program to give veterinary students more experience working with pigs. It's supported by industry and is open to first- and second-year students in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
Dr. John Harding is a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Services. He'll share more about the program and what they hope to accomplish
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The work stoppage at CP Rail lasted for two days . . . before the two sides agreed to let the dispute enter binding arbitration. There is plenty of relief that CP service resumed without having to go through the lengthy process of back-to-work legislation for the 3,000 engineers, conductors, train and yard workers.
Greg Northey is the Vice President of Corporate Affair with Pulse Canada. He will tell us how long it will take to clear up the backlog of products shipped by rail and there is also the potential for another rail dispute late in the 2022 calendar year.
COVID-19 and now inflation are changing the average Canadian's food purchasing habits. Francis Parisien is the vice-president of Nielson IQ . . . a leading retail and consumer intelligence firm, which breaks down enormous amounts of shopper data into trends.
While it is comparatively small right now . . . he says a growing trend is on-line grocery shopping.
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Even with the threat of interest rate increases it appears farmers are still hungry for land. Farm Credit Canada Chief economist J.P. Gervais shares the results of the 2021 Farmland values report.
He says the price for the country's farmland climbed despite impacts from pandemic supply chain disruptions and adverse weather that affected parts of the country.
India has lifted fumigation requirements for Canadian pulse imports. This comes as the two countries have agreed to resume free trade negotiations.
Pulse Canada chair Corey Loessin tells us why this news is important to pulse growers and how much of an impact the recent concerns of global food security had on moving this process forward.
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The United Nations is warning the war in Ukraine could send global food prices soaring. Murad Al-Katib is the CEO and President of AGT Food and Ingredients.
He says Ukraine and Russia are both major exporters of grain---especially to Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Al-Katib explains how a shortage of food could increase domestic tensions in those countries in the coming months---creating additional global instability. He'll also share how AGT is involved in providing important food aid.
Canadian barley is important for crop rotations, furthering sustainability and has a lower environmental impact compared to other crops. Barley is also the main feed stock for the livestock industry in Western Canada. The federal government recently announced it would provide the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre $960,000 to work towards expand existing markets and to develop new markets for Canadian barley and barley products.
Peter Watts with the centre will share some of his thoughts on the crop and current global barley situation.
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Another value-added food processing announcement for the prairies.
AGT Food and Ingredients will be adding an oat processing line to its facility in Aberdeen . . . about 40 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. The Aberdeen plant has been handling pulse crops for about 15 years . . . and some construction will be needed for the oat expansion. Murad Al-Katib is the president and CEO of AGT Food and Ingredients and he will share the process to get to this point.
Pork producers should focus on risk management strategies amid the market volatility being created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Tyler Fulton, the Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services says the futures markets had rallied to some of the highest levels seen in years. The invasion is now throwing another level uncertainty is the sector.
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Measuring the environmental sustainability of farming. The National Index on Agri-Food Performance is focused on developing a set of indicators and metrics that measures these practices across the agriculture and agrifood sector will allow Canada to back up its sustainability claims.
Protein Industries Canada C.E.O. Bill Greuel says this will strengthen the country's reputation and global brand and increase trust in Canadian products.
Greuel will talk about this second phase of Canada’s National Index on Agri-Food Performance, alongside partners Pulse Canada and the Global Institute for Food Security.
Application forms are now being accepted for the 2022 Advance Payments Program cash advance. It's a federal program that is delivered to producers by several organizations, including the Canadian Canola Growers Association.
CCGA Director of Finance and Operations Dave Gallant will talk about the program and how producers can participate.
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The US and Canada are scheduled to receive rare malting barley cargoes from Argentina and Australia as drought conditions in North America last summer have weighed on both countries' production of crop. Will this result in more barley being grown on the prairies?
Zenneth Faye, the new chair of the Barley Council of Canada will talk about production prospects and what he is planning for his own farm this year.
New research suggests rye can be used as a replacement in swine rations for corn, wheat or barley. A high yielding hybrid of rye developed in Germany is less susceptible to ergot . . . a mycotoxin that reduces the animals intake and in some cases . . . can even be fatal.
University of Saskatchewan assistant professor Dr. Denise Beaulieu says as long as the energy content of the rations remains high up to 40 percent rye is similar to the typical corn or wheat/barley based diets. She will share this newest research into an alternative feed stock
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Eight farm groups in Canada have called on governments to end the border blockades and restore the flow of goods and animals across the U.S. border. The groups include the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, Canadian Pork Council, and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). CFA second Vice President Todd Lewis will tell us how these prolonged disruptions are affecting shipments of food, livestock and inputs for farmers and food processing.
The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board says the cross-border vaccine mandate is making accessing feed imports from the United States difficult at a time when supplies in western Canada are tight due to last year's drought. Toby Tschetter is the new chair of the pork board. He'll talk about feed costs and availability as well as a host of other issues the board is dealing with now.
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Tensions between Russia and Ukraine are being felt around the world. The agriculture sector is no exception as the uncertainty is having an impact on grain markets. How can farmers plan with another level of uncertainty?
Errol Anderson is the president of ProMarket Communications in Calgary. He is going to share his thoughts on the conflict as well as thoughts on the oilseed, pulse, and cattle markets.
A new plains bison herd has been established on the Key First Nation, near Norquay, Saskatchewan. The goal is to renew cultural, historical and ecological connections.
Michael Burak is the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Program Director for southwestern Saskatchewan. He will share the journey for the bison from Grasslands National Park and its significance for the Indigenous community.
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Farmers and ranchers were interviewed over the past year for a mental health project organized by Saskatchewan Polytechnic and its research chair for rural health. Patient-advisors, with a background in agriculture, conducted those interviews.
Shari Laventure is a grain marketing specialist with Cargill and was one of those advisors. Laventure volunteered for the project as a way to help cope with the loss of her brother to suicide in 2015. She says no one knew he was struggling until it was too late.
There are lots of difficulties associated with being a rancher in a drought year. But many producers do not know about how high nitrate levels in feed can affect the cow’s ability to absorb vitamin A ...and its implications to calves. Dr. John Campbell with the University of Saskatchewan is a professor of large animal clinical sciences. He shared some of those concerns at the recent Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.
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The federal government revealed plans to rebate carbon taxes paid by farmers in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in the Dec. 14 fiscal update. It was promised, in the lead-up to the federal budget in spring 2021, that it would refund an estimated $100 million to farmers in provinces without federally-approved carbon pricing systems in 2021. Many farmers argue the rebate has fallen short of what producers spend and farmers need more details on how the payment rates were set.
Retired agronomist Thom Weir says there are problems with the way the tax is applied to farmers.
The faba bean plant is high in protein, well-suited to growing in colder climates and capable of virtually eliminating the need for fertilizer. But like many other crops - fabas suffered with the drought conditions which impacted crop production in 2021. We're going to take a closer look at faba beans.
Chuck Penner with Leftfield Commodity Research will talk about last year's faba crop and give some projection for 2022.
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A popular agricultural trade show in Saskatchewan returned after a pandemic break and farmers as well as the agriculture industry welcomed the opportunity to meet face to face again. Scott Lessmeister is the western regional sales manager for Brandt Agricultural products.
He'll share what he heard from farmers who are preparing for spring seeding.
Farm Credit Canada economists have created a top five list of trends to watch for in 2022.
JP Gervais said the possibility of increased interest rates will be a major concern for producers.
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The 2021 growing season was one of challenges and successes at the Discovery Farm which is adjacent to the Ag in Motion site near Langham, Saskatchewan.
The Discovery Farm has released its 2021 Field Report which covers over 20 research and demonstration projects. Many of those projects are conducted in conjunction with industry partners. Blake Weiseth is the applied research lead at the Discovery Farm. He is also the agricultural research chair at Sask Polytechnic in Saskatoon.
He talks about the past year and the impact the drought had on their work.
Canary seed is well known as a bird seed, but it will soon be marketed as a health food product for consumers as well. In addition, the human food product will have a different name.
Adelle Buettner is the general manager of the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan. She will share the change in marketing and the processing that's happening in the province.
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Wheat prices were, at one point, up over 50 per cent September 2021 over the September previous according to Statistics Canada's latest report. The federal agency said it was the largest increase in the grains index since 2008. Strong demand and tightening supplies in Western Canada strengthened both wheat and barley prices.
Farmer Bill Gehl is wrapping up an eight-year stint as a past chair and director with the Saskatchewan Wheat development commission. He puts the wheat prices in perspective with rising costs rising and reduced production and he believes its too early to worry about soil moisture for spring seeding.
Pork producers are cautiously optimistic about the coming year. Global pork supplies are lower due to African Swine Fever---with China continuing to be most affected. Substantially higher feed prices will have an impact on pork production.
And there haven't been any significant disease issues found in Canada and countries. Florian Possberg is a partner with Polar Pork Farms. He shares his thoughts on the coming year.
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For this episode I've picked two of my favourite stories from the archives and combined them into a unique episode.
First, Bob Tosh, a farm and family advisor with MNP. The process of transitioning the farm from one generation to the next is a long and difficult process.
What makes it so difficult is each family farm business is unique and no single approach works for everyone.
Bob will discuss the roadblocks, the importance of being heard, the difference between succession planning and estate planning and the first steps in getting the conversation started.
Control your money so it does not control you.
Vanessa Stockbrugger is a former investment banker on Toronto's Bay Street who went on to found and run Womencents. She says having more money does not necessarily fix things - instead, people need a strategy or action plan to achieve their financial goals.
But what happens when that business is a farm. To reduce stress, she says people must have power and control over their finances.
Vanessa discusses strategies for dealing with some of the big decisions including when to save, when to spend and when to pay down debt.
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The current estimate for the drought reduced canola crop is 12.8 million tonnes . . . but those numbers could change. Market analyst Mike Jubinville is projecting Canadian canola exports will be less than half of the usual 10 million tonnes. He explains how this will affect the canola crushing industry which is very important this country.
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association has developed a 12-point plan to help producers following the devastating 2021 drought. The SSGA says it appreciates the federal/provincial Agri-Recovery program . . . which could amount to nearly 300 million dollars for Saskatchewan. But it adds additional measures are needed to safeguard producers into the next growing season.
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Grocery Prices are Rising. But the farmers' share continues to shrink.
National Farmers Union Vice President Stewart Wells says corporate processors and retailers are the ones benefiting.
Wells will explain consumers need to know that less and less of the money they spend on food actually makes it back to the farmer and retail food prices are high because meat packers, other large processors, and big retailers are taking ever larger shares.
Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers were announced at a special event recently. Jenny Butcher and Wes Kunz run a dairy operation in the Brantford, Ontario region.
Raymond and Tracey Bredenhoff are from Abbotsford, BC. and have a 40-thousand broiler per cycle chicken operation and are also the largest distributors of Canadian grown hops.
We'll hear from both families about winning the award and the successes and challenges they've faced this year.
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There is a growing disparity along the beef supply chain . . . with consumers paying more at the front end and cow/calf producers getting less money on the back end.
Throw in high feed costs and the threat of a strike at Cargill's High River Alberta Beef Processing Plant . . . and there is a lot of dis-satisfaction on the farm. Livestock producer and chair of the Alberta Beef Producers Melanie Wowk will talk about some of those concerns and why she thinks the cattle price cycle is broken.
The labor shortage facing agriculture is limiting the sector's growth potential and causing some operations to question whether they can continue to operate. The labor crunch faced by Canadian agriculture is examined as part of an article posted to the Manitoba Pork Council website and distributed through Manitoba newspapers.
Manitoba Pork General manager Cam Dahl will share his thoughts on the problem and discuss a recent Canadian Agricultural Resources Council survey last year that showed 40 percent of agricultural business had not met their staffing requirements and the possibility of over 135,000 open positions by the end of the decade.
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Ask any farmer - it doesn’t matter what the commodity prices are if you have no crop to sell. Those short supplies have meant record commodity prices.
Neil Townsend of FarmLink Marketing Solutions says there is going to be very high prices this winter on canola, wheat, and barley. Neil will share some thoughts on what to expect in early 2022.
An outspoken advocate and dedicated researcher on innovations and agriculture has been named the 2021 Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Champion. Dr. Stuart Smyth has been vocal on social media and outspoken advocate correcting misinformation about agriculture.
Stuart will share why he feels so strongly about why we should be speaking the truth around the industry and what he has shared with his students these past 15 years.
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The Saskatchewan Seed Growers’ Association has warned farmers that seed supply will be tight in 2022. Drought had an impact on seed production. But grain contracts that need to be filled might tempt seed growers to take grain to the elevator instead of keeping it as seed.
Todd Hyra with SeCan talks about how seed production was impacted this year and gives some advice for producers who are still trying to secure seed for the spring.
Ergot is a fungus that can be found in wheat, barley, and rye during wet and damp growing seasons. The ergot body or sclerotia replaces the kernel and turns it a black or dark purple color. These sclerotia contain poisonous chemical compounds, which can cause conditions such as lameness and gangrene in cows. In humans, ergot poisoning is linked to convulsions and hallucinations.
University of Saskatchewan PhD student Jensen Cherewyk is studying how ammonia and UV light can be used to reduce the harmful effect of ergot in cereal crops. Jensen will talk about her research.
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A report released by Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests the declining number of mid-sized farms in Canada jeopardises the rural institutions that have traditionally supported farms and farm families.The report explores the potential consequences of the decline in the number of small and, especially, medium-sized farms. Research Lead Dr. Al Mussell will share the results of the report how it impacts rural communities and consumers.
The RCMP is advising producers to take precautions against theft from their farms. There is often a focus on larger items or equipment, but those small portable items are expensive and easy to steal. Staff Sergeant Devin Pugh will share some tips for protecting those important items, large or small, and why its important to report all thefts immediately.
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Farmers are seeing the benefits in cover crops. That's according to a University of Manitoba survey reflecting the growing use of cover crops on the Prairies.
Callum Morrison, a graduate student at the U of M, created the survey alongside Professor Yvonne Lawley. Morrison says this practice is in the early stage of adoption on the Prairies, there’s not that much information available as to how farmers are integrating cover crops into their operations.
He’ll share the details of the survey and what the roughly 200 farmers shared about their experiences in 2020. There have been many stories about farmers who have experienced problems filling their grain contracts and the repercussions.
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan heard from about 200 farmers discussing grain production and struggles filling contracts.
APAS President Todd Lewis said one of the greatest challenges is there does not appear to be a standard way of dealing with theses contractual arrangements.
Lewis will discuss the survey and what they hope to learn.
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Farm Credit Canada says, all things considered, 2020 was a pretty good year for Canadian agriculture and food exporters.
Chief Economist J.P. Gervais will tell us how Canada’s agriculture and food industry has shown resilience during the pandemic and has the potential to emerge from this even stronger. Canada had the highest year-over-year increase for agriculture commodity exports at 13.8 per cent.
Even with challenges on the road ahead, Gervais says the sector is looking very strong.
The canola crop is now in the bin; the Canola Council of Canada is taking the opportunity to remind producers about growing clubroot-resistant canola and the steps needed to keep disease spores from spreading.
Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialist Autumn Barnes will talk about the newly created infographics for farmers to help them tackle clubroot and strategies for planning for next year's crop.
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A new research report was released discussing the needs of Indigenous agricultural producers. Farm Management Canada executive director Heather Watson said Indigenous business owners from across the country talked about what would be helpful to them.
In the last episode of Agripod, Heather discussed the five recommendations that came from the survey. She will discuss how these recommendations can be implemented to grow the number of Indigenous people participating in agriculture.
The wild boar population continues to grow and is causing concern because of the damage they cause to private property and native plants due to their feeding habits and reproductive capability.
Feral pigs can carry parasites, viruses or diseases that can be transmitted to domestic livestock, wildlife, and even humans. They are known to carry African Swine Fever, a serious disease which if introduced to domestic swine herds causes would cause financial and economic losses for Canadian hog producers.
Mark Ferguson with the Saskatchewan Pork Development Commission will talk about the efforts to control wild pigs and how the public can help.
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Farm Management Canada has released a research report investigating the business management needs of Indigenous agricultural producers. "The Path Forward” was made possible through the participation of Indigenous agricultural business owners from across the who participated in surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
FMC executive director Heather Watson said they were able to create a picture of the current state of their farm businesses and what they need. Heather will share what they learned and how the information will be used to benefit Indigenous agriculture.
Architectural planning has started on an insect research facility at the University of Saskatchewan. Just over one million dollars is being spent on the project located on the sixth floor of the Agriculture Building on campus.The facility will work with both plant pest and beneficial insects . . . . some of which are not native to Western Canada.
USask's first entomologist Sean Prager will talk about the work involved in getting this new facility operational.
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Farmers across Western Canada have received or are awaiting the results of their soil tests in order to make important decisions about fertilizer applications for the year ahead. Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialist Warren Ward says without soil testing, producers are guessing how much nutrients are in the soil and how much fertilizer is needed to hit target yields. He explains how soil sampling is the starting point of a good nutrient management plan.
The driving force of the agriculture industry is the resilient, hardworking, and dedicated individuals along the value chain who produce high-quality, safe food that feeds the world. As we become more urbanized it is increasingly important for farmers to connect with consumers and teach the public about modern agriculture.
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk will talk about how agriculture month offers an opportunity to engage and build trust. Clinton is also a farmer, and he will share with us what this growing season has been like on his family farm near Lanigan, Sask.
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A new report is warning of the potential loss in farm incomes in the billions of dollars if proposed fertilizer reductions come to pass. Meyers Norris Penny compiled the report which stated cutting fertilizer use to reduce on-farm emissions could cost growers nearly $48 billion over the next eight years.
Karen Proud with Fertilizer Canada said under Canada’s A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, the Government of Canada is envisioning a 30 per cent absolute emissions reduction target for on-farm fertilizer use by the year 2030. Proud will explain how MNP used the European Union (EU) proposal of a 20 per cent reduction of fertilizer and what the implications would be if Canada adopted the EU model.
There has been a significant reduction in oat production because of the hot, dry conditions on the prairies. As a result, we are seeing record prices for oats. It's good news for the farmers who might have oats to sell, but what are the other implications as buyers look to other countries for product?
Scott Sheils with Grain Millers will discuss current prices and where they're likely to head into 2022
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Crop yields have been seriously impacted by this year's hot weather and lack of rainfall. As a result, many farmers will not be able to meet their contractual obligations to grain companies simply because they don't have the product to sell.
Saskatchewan's NDP opposition sent a letter to the government asking them to take immediate action to protect producers who are unable to fulfill the terms of their forward contracts and are now facing severe penalties. NDP agriculture opposition critic Trent Wotherspoon will outline what they want the government to do to help farmers.
A new diagnostic extension service is now being offered to farmers and veterinarians to help translate diagnostic results into treatment. Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS) works collaboratively with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. PDS is a full-service animal health lab that provides diagnostic services for all animal species and primarily serves clinical veterinarians but also animal owners and researchers.
Dr. Yanyun Huang, an Anatomic Pathologist and CEO with PDS says its new service provides analysis of the results and provides guidance for formulating treatment
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Ross McKenzie is a retired soil and crop research scientist with Alberta Agriculture. Ross shared a Tweet where he explained soil sampling to check for nutrient carryover would be important this year in order to prepare for the 2022 crop. On the last episode Ross shared why it’s important to sample at the right time. He's back to give some guidelines for sampling and gives a list of labs that can provide analysis.
The drought has meant many ranchers will not have enough feed and water to get them through the winter. Several provinces have set out a plan to provide assistance to producers to help cover the costs of those necessities. Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association chair Arnold Balicki says the payment will help. What else has helped as been some rain that has made some improvements to pastures.
Arnold says those two little things have helped to improve the mood of cattle producers.
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The dry conditions prompted a retired soil scientist to send out a tweet telling farmers they need to soil sample this fall to understand what the nutrient carryover will be next spring. Smaller yields likely mean the fertilizer applied in the spring was not used up and could be available for next years crop. Ross McKenzie will explain how the soil test could possibly save farmers money at seeding time.
A deferred delivery contract locks in the price for a certain quantity of a base grade of grain to be delivered to a certain location at some date in the future. The drought reduced crop means that some producers will not have enough grain to cover even modest contracts. SaskCanola Chair Bernie McClean says commodity groups are reaching out to grain companies asking them to work with producers to reduce contract penalties and administration fees for this year in light of the growing conditions. Bernie will explain what they hope to accomplish during the discussions.
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Herbicide resistance is the ability of an individual plant to survive a herbicide application that would kill a normal population of the same species. Resistant weeds can often survive application of herbicide at rates that are much greater than the recommended rate. Farmer Josh Lade said there is new technology available to deal with this problem.
He'll explain the Seed Terminator, how its being used on his farm, and share the results of some trials.
Ag Transport Coalition (ATC) is a consortium of agriculture groups focused on measuring the service performance of Canada’s rail carriers. QGI Consulting is tasked with compiling this information for the partner groups. Milt Poirier with QGI will share the final results of the 2020-21 crop year and provide some insights for the new crop year. He says less grain to move this year doesn't necessarily mean it will get to port any quicker.
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Herbicide resistance is a growing concern and one of those biggest worries is with wild oats. In fact, the Herbicide Resistant Wild Oat action committee found roughly 69% of wild oat across the prairies display herbicide resistance. Farmer Josh Lade saw the devastating effects of herbicide resistance in his home country of Australia and now farming in west central Saskatchewan he has been dealing with herbicide resistant weeds.
He'll share his strategies for management including patch targeted spraying, herbicide layering and on farm trials.-
The prairies and parts of Ontario are dealing with extremely dry conditions. There has been a great deal of focus on grains, oilseeds, and the livestock sector. Wayne Dobbie with Nutrien will discuss forage seed stands and provides a strategy for preparing the crop for 2022.
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Do More Ag Foundation says more and more farmers are reaching out and asking for help because of the devastating effects of drought. The dry and hot conditions have impacted both the cattle and grain side. Executive Director Adele Stewart says farmers need to be supported and encouraged to take care of their mental well being now and, in the days, to come.
I talked to Adelle last fall about the work of the organization and the importance of producers needing to know they are not alone, and they have an entire industry behind them.
Dominican Republic is experiencing an outbreak of African Swine Fever. Dr. Paul Sundberg is the Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center. Sundberg says he is confident the first outbreak of African Swine Fever identified in the Western Hemisphere in more than 40 years will not alter the level of risk for North America.
Sundberg explains the outbreak was identified through a cooperative surveillance program where banked tissue samples from sick, dying, and dead pigs as well as feral pigs collected in the Dominican Republic are sent to the USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.
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The drought conditions in Western Canada and other parts of the country have caused a great deal of stress for producers. There will be crop losses. Now farmers are worried about filling grain and oilseed contracts. Senior commodity analyst Wayne Palmer says the situation is dire and producers need to be proactive in dealing with those contracts.
A new app is showing how shelterbelts are helping the environment. Research at the University of Saskatchewan is showing the benefits of planting trees. Bryan Mood with USask will discuss the app, how its showing the economic value of shelterbelts and is also helping landowners determine the best trees to grow.
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The prairies are dry. While some farmers are dealing with this drought for the first year several ranchers have been struggling through these conditions for a number of years. Tamara Carter is the president of the Saskatchewan Forage Council and farms near Lacadena, Sask. She talks about how they are coping on her farm and why its more important then ever for farmers and ranchers to support each other.
The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization or VIDO-InterVac as its known, is pursuing two options for protecting pigs from the ravages of African Swine fever. African Swine Fever is not present in North America, but it continues to spread in Europe and Asia. Dr. Andrew Van Kessel, the Associate Director Research with VIDO-Intervac says the virus is complex, making vaccine development has been challenging.
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Indigenous Works is a national organization tasked with helping to create opportunities for indigenous companies. President and CEO Kelly Lendsay says part of that has been to increase indigenous engagement in agri-business.
Kelly will talk about the work of the organization and a new project to develop a national strategy to improve diversity and inclusion of Indigenous groups in the Canadian agriculture.
The first protein fractionation plant for faba bean is slated to begin operations this fall. It will be in an existing mill north of Edmonton. The facility will continue to produce a substitute for peanut butter . . . with the feedstock switched from peas to faba beans.
Brad Goudy is the President of Faba Canada. He will talk about the conversion of the plant and exciting opportunities for faba bean growers.
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4-H youth members across the country now have access to a new mental health activity kit. Unbox Your Mind is part of the broader Healthy Living Initiative. 4-H Canada chief marketing officer Liz Jarvis says the resource will empower youth to get to know themselves better and find mental health practices and solutions that best fit their unique needs. Liz will also share how 4-H Canada has been moving through the pandemic and how the local clubs have been coping.
A new report says one of the biggest worries for farmers would be a sudden increase in interest rates. Farm Credit Canada principal economist Craig Klemmer says a sharp rise in interest rates could have a significant impact on the ability of farm operations to service debt. Craig says there is a way to prepare, and producers need to understand their financial situation and be prepared to adjust their business plans so they can weather the
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The agribusiness industry in Canada faced many challenges. Labour shortages, competition from foreign players, rising land costs, shifting weather patterns, and of course, the pandemic.
A report from KPMG says the future agriculture depends on its willingness to embrace technology and ultimately build a more sustainable, resilient system. David Guthrie, national agribusiness sector leader for KPMG, will share a report on why agriculture should be transformed into a high-tech industry.
The rollercoaster ride of the commodity markets continues. Senior crops analyst Wayne Palmer says after record highs, prices dropped off again. He will talk about the factors contributing to this 'price chaos' and gives some advice for farmers still trying to make decisions about whether or not to lock in prices.
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To help farmers and agri-businesses find new ways to make their operations more sustainable the federal government has created the Agricultural Clean Technology Program. $50 million of the $165 million designated for the program will go specifically towards the purchase of more efficient grain dryers. Are there products out there that can meet the guidelines set out in the program.
Triple Green Products of Manitoba has created BioDryAir that uses biomass material to fire up those dryers eliminating the need for natural gas or propane. Lyall Wiebe will explain the new dryer and how it fits into the federal governments’ new strategy.
A California ballot initiative set to take effect at the end of the year has implications for the production of livestock throughout the United States and Canada. Proposition 12 imposes new minimum space requirement for calves raised for veal, breeding sows, and laying hens and restricts the use of certain production practices and bans the sale of product from any farm that fails to meet those standards.
National Pork Producers assistant vice president and general counsel Michael Formica explains what this means for anyone that supplies meat products to Californians and the concerns it raises for all of North Americas producers. To help farmers and agri-businesses find new ways to make their operations more sustainable the federal government has created the Agricultural Clean Technology Program. $50 million of the $165 million designated for the program will go specifically towards the purchase of more efficient grain dryers.
Are there products out there that can meet the guidelines set out in the program. Triple Green Products of Manitoba has created BioDryAir that uses biomass material to fire up those dryers eliminating the need for natural gas or propane. Lyall Wiebe will explain the new dryer and how it fits into the federal governments’ new strategy.
A California ballet initiative set to take effect at the end of the year has implications for the production of livestock throughout the United States and Canada. Proposition 12 imposes new minimum space requirement for calves raised for veal, breeding sows, and laying hens and restricts the use of certain production practices and bans the sale of product from any farm that fails to meet those standards.
National Pork Producers assistant vice president and general counsel Michael Formica explains what this means for anyone that supplies meat products to Californians and the concerns it raises for all of North Americas producers.
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The return to normalcy in the in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is fuelling some of the highest hog prices in years. North American live hog prices, pressured by changing consumption patterns and reduced processing capacity, have rebounded dramatically since this time one year ago, driven in part, by the reopening of the U.S. economy.
Tyler Fulton, the Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services will explain the remarkable turnaround for the market and how it has been able to recover from last years huge shock to the value chain.
There is new technology being developed that would spot control weeds using artificial intelligence while passing over a field. It could reduce pesticide use by as much as 95 per cent. Dan McCann is the founder and CEO of Precision.ai. He will share some history on the project, ongoing research and how it could be a game changer for agriculture and the environment.
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COVID-19 had an immediate impact on gatherings. Several agricultural conferences, events and meetings were either cancelled or switched to a virtual format in order to continue to deliver information to farmers. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Crops Extension Specialist Allie Noble is involved with the planning with many events. The pandemic certainly changed how these activities were delivered but she says it wasn't all bad news. In fact, the pandemic taught organizers a lot about what farmers want and how they want to receive information. Noble says things will return to normal, but it will be a new normal.
Manitoba's pork producers applauded the government's passage of new bills designed to enhance the ability of farmers to enforce biosecurity protocols. Prior to adjourning for its summer recess, the Manitoba Legislature passed the Animal Diseases, Petty Trespass and Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Acts. Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl said this will help ensure that farmers can help protect their animals from biosecurity threats.
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Ground-breaking research in fertilizer techniques from a soil science expert could increase yield for producers. Dr. Jeff Schoenau and a team of colleagues have recently published a soil study that could change fertilizer techniques and increase crop yields for prairie producers.
This new research, conducted using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron at the University of Saskatchewan analyzed the reaction that fertilizers undergo once they hit the soil, and how effective current techniques are in retaining nutrients and micronutrients for plants to use. Schoenau will explain how this can improve a farmers bottom line.
Reduced international airline travel, masking, and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is being credited for a dramatic reduction in Influenza and other respiratory infections this year. Dr. Susan Detmer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She says the number of cases of Influenza did go up slightly during the winter but dropped again, and, for humans, there have been record low numbers.
Detmer tells us why this information is important when dealing with infections in the animal population and the concerns it generates.
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The Soil Conservation Council of Canada is the face and voice of soil conservation and health in Canada. It works with the value chain to advocate for government and industry, promote the benefits of improved soils and demonstrate best management practices to achieve healthier soils across the agricultural landscape.
Executive Director Jim Tokarchuk will share the work of the council and explains one of the efforts to raise public awareness through the SOIL YOUR UNDIES program.
Art Lange is an independent farm business consultant based near Edmonton. Art has worked in many areas of the agriculture and food industry in Alberta and B.C. for almost 40 years.
He has experience in the farm machinery industry, feed industry, inspection work with the federal government, living and working on a hog farm, and selling veterinary medicines for a multi-national drug company.For for 20 years he worked at Alberta Agriculture. Art took all of those experiences and created his own consulting business called AJL Consulting.
He's going to talk about his experience creating business plans for farm operations and shares some of the dos and don'ts of getting this important document together and why every farm should have one.
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Saskatchewan’s food processing facility is growing. The Food Industry Development Centre will be expanding its operation to provide support to the province's value-added sector. The centre, located in Saskatoon, Sask., is the province’s only commercial incubation centre for food processing and assists food processors to value add their products and prepare them for market. Food Centre President Dan Prefontaine says the vision to be a leader in agri-food industry is stronger than ever with the new expansion
Lysine, an amino acid, is a building block of protein. The human body cannot make lysine so it must come from our diet from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and some plants like soy and other legumes. Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are studying how increasing the lysine content in sow rations during late gestation will stimulate the development of mammary tissue to increase the productivity of piglets. Dr. Chantal Farmer will talk about her work and role lysine may play in pork production.
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Farmers are focused on seeding this year's crop so many were not thrilled to see the Census of Agriculture appear during a very busy time of year. Augustine Akuoko-Asibey is a director in the Agriculture Division of Statistics Canada.
He says the census data contains important information when it comes to direct payments or various programs that support the ag industry. The information is also used to defend farmers interests in trade disputes and negotiations.
Augustine will tell us about some of the changes that have been made since the last census in 2016, provide some tips to make the process easier and explain the provisions that have been made to give farmers and ranchers more time to complete the paperwork.
Farmers Edge announced late April that it would offer Canada’s first canola heat blast yield protection product to its customers. The company will digitize the flow of insurance data from start to finish, and Munich Re will underwrite the contract.
Wade Barnes, co-founder and CEO of Farmers Edge, says the measurement of yield lost is based on temperature measurements from an in-field sensors. Once it hits the key temperature, the sensor will trigger the claim, and Munich Re will go in and make the payment directly to the grower.
Other reinsurance companies have offered this type of product globally, but have based the data off government weather stations, as opposed to the in-field sensors. Barnes says the Canola Heat Blast Yield Protection product is the first of its kind and there is going to be others coming down the pipeline.
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Agriculture in the Classroom has revealed its new, kid-friendly website that brings the story of agriculture in Saskatchewan to life. The site was designed for Grades 4 to 6 students and will show them the Past and Present of agriculture in the province through highly interactive bits of information.
Executive director Sara Shymko says the website is informative and engaging with its colourful illustrations and real-life photos which gives students a visual perspective on farming. Quizzes and teacher lessons are also provided. Sara will share how the website came to be and its plans for the future.
The most valuable resource for any business is its people. Agriculture is no exception.
Human capital remains essential in ensuring the continued production of high-quality food, fibre and fuel. The entire food value chain relies on people to fill planting, production, quality control, processing, and distribution roles to keep the agri-food system viable. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council identified the main areas of concern within the industry as part of its recent report - Understanding the Effects of COVID-19 on Canada’s Agriculture Workforce.
Council chair Cyr Couturier will share the findings from the research AND the key recommendations.
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An online survey conducted by a Toronto-based public relations company shows 91 per cent respondents are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ confident in food grown or produced domestically. Just over 1,000 people were surveyed by Grassroots Public Affairs during the last week of March. Senior consultant Peter Seeman says Canadians are very positive towards agricultures’ contributions to the economy and national security. And while Canadians hold very positive opinions of agriculture and agri-food— the intensity of these opinions has decreased in the past year.
Peter will share the key findings from the survey and how the results can help shape ag policy.
After a successful first year, Cumberland College in Melfort, Saskatchewan is bringing its Agriculture Sciences Certificate program back again this fall. There is no doubt there continues to be strong demand for skilled agriculture workers so Lakeland College in Vermillion, Alberta and Cumberland struck to deal to offer a program to Saskatchewan students allowing them to earn a certificate closer to home. The one year program focuses on crop Production where they can learn about plant science and field crops to weed and herbicide management, pesticide applications, and even going into areas of business records and reporting as it applies to agriculture.
The program will benefit students with a background in agriculture as well as those who are learning about the industry for the first time. Rebecca Bryson and Daniel Ferre with Cumberland College will talk about the program and that will give students a good base for a career in agriculture or it can be a steppingstone to furthering their education in ag.
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A new study by Ernst and Young projects the global plant-based food market will reach $250 billion by 2035. The largest portion of that would be alternative meats at about $160 billion with additional markets for beverages and seafood.
Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel says we should be aiming for 10 per cent of the plant-based food market but this will require increased production . . . additional ingredient processing and more domestic plant-based food manufacturing.
A new report from Farm Credit Canada says the Canadian food and beverage sector is well positioned to take advantage of the new marketing opportunities that will be created as the global economy opens back up.
While the global pandemic has resulted in losses, it has also created new opportunities. FCC Principal Economist Craig Klemmer will talk about the roller coaster year of 2020 disrupting supply chains and export markets and prompting the closure of food service, but, the food and beverage sector has adapted.
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There was an increase in calls to the Farm Stress Line last year. The pandemic was partly responsible for that..... but depression, isolation addictions and family disputes can happen throughout the year. Jan Thorson is the Acting Executive director of Saskatchewan Mobile Crisis Services which oversees the Farm Stress Line. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Thorson says many farmers are reluctant to call for help but she urges them to just give it a try.
In order to deal with concerns about food insecurity or simply finding a way to spend time during the pandemic many people found gardening gave them comfort. Vanessa Young is the with the Horticulture and Agriculture Lifelong Learning Programs with the University of Saskatchewan. She says we have a very old-fashioned view about gardening and a no till approach may be a good option for you especially if you're tired of pulling weeds.
Vanessa will explain how mulch plays an important role in a no till garden, its a lot of work the first year but is worth it.
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It wasn’t just farmers growing vegetables this year in Canada. According to a study from Dalhousie University, the pandemic inspired a lot of people to grow their own garden.
Vanessa Young with the Horticulture and Agriculture Lifelong Learning Programs with the University of Saskatchewan says there was an increased interest in gardening.Part of it, she believes, is to provide food for the family, but it is also a stress reliever. She'll also talk about the different ways you can grow a garden on the prairies.
It is always great to connect with producers who are willing to share stories about their own farming operation. Lonny and Connie Bulmer run Bison River Ranch in northeast Saskatchewan. In addition to raising bison, the couple recently added a rental cabin to their property. I talk to Lonny about their farm and how the addition of the cabin has been a pleasant surprise and welcomed addition to their operation.
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An ancient practice involving the use of cover crops is being brought up with farmers across Canada. Callum Morrison is a second year PhD student at the University of Manitoba's Department of Plant Science says its a practice that has been used for thousands of years as a way to naturally keep the soil healthy.
Part of Morrison's research is looking for farmers' input and he says its just as important to hear why farmers aren't growing cover crops, what challenges are limiting their use
Research being conducted at the University of Saskatchewan will benefit livestock producers whose crops have been contaminated by ergot. It infects primarily wheat and rye and grasses and If livestock consume very small amounts of ergot, there is reduction of feed intake, decreased growth and can cause gangrene and in very high amounts. Animals can lose tails and lose their ears and hooves often you'll see in lactating sows, milk output to be decreased.
Dr. Denise Beaulieu is part of a group evaluating the effect of various forms of feed processing using heat and moisture, such as pelleting, extrusion and steam explosion in reducing the toxic effects of ergot contamination.
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The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women has been focusing on some of the specific issues rural women face on a day-to-day basis. Rural connectivity was discussed at a recent committee meeting.
Saskatchewan farmer and rancher Adrienne Ivey had a chance to share her challenges with internet and cell phone service and how it impacts the family and farming operation.
Farmer Jake Leguee has been writing a blog for a few years now. It was a way for him to share his thoughts on important topics like GMO's and the use of crop protection products. In his most recent post, he talked about his concern surrounding communication. He called it Have We Forgotten How to Talk to Each Other.
I talk to Jake about his blog and why he is concerned about how we are losing the ability to have conversations especially when we do not agree.
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Seeding wheat early can provide several benefits without many risks. That has been the focus of Brian Beres, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist based at Lethbridge, Alta. He has been evaluating ''ultra-early'' seeding for wheat.
Rather than using the calendar seeding started when the soil temperature was plus 2 by 10am. There were several test sites and co-operator trials in various parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Brian will share some of the outcomes of five years of research.
Manitoba ranch is using several production practices to lengthen the grazing season and reduce the number of days on winter feed. Nerbas Brothers Angus is located near Shellmouth, Manitoba north of Russell and near the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border. Arron Nerbas will discuss the holistic approach they have taken with an emphasis on pasture rejuvenation where they use a ''hooves not harrows'' approach to improving old pastures.
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Beekeepers have been challenged with consecutive years of very low honey prices. The weak prices have been a challenge for prairie beekeepers because the cost of production (buying queens, miticides, labour, equipment) has continued to increase.
Sheldon Hill with Sweet Pure Honey is all too familiar with the struggles. In fact, his struggles began to have a significant affect on his mental health. Sheldon will share his story and talk about what we can be doing to support beekeepers and those little bees.
A Canada-wide organization that teaches kids about food systems is celebrating an important milestone. Canadian agriculture literacy month is celebrating its tenth anniversary. The federal government announced $1.6 million for Agriculture in the Classroom Canada, an organization that works with schools across the country to implement food and agriculture into curricula. Sara Shymko with Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan will talk about the important work of educating our young people, many of whom do not have any connection to the farm.
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Agriculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Canadian Western Agribition wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the movers and shakers in the sector. CWA initiated the Top 50 in agriculture program to recognize the best, brightest and boldest people ag leaders.
CWA and Farm Credit Canada (FCC) started the search last year by asking for nominations from across the country. A panel of judges then picked the top 10 finalists in the categories of mentors, upstarts, innovators, deal makers and designated hitters.
Kim Keller from Saskatchewan made the list in the Upstarts category. I talk to Kim about her work in the areas of technology and mental health.
Statistics Canada used the recent Canada's Agriculture Day to talk about some of the accomplishments and contributions of farmers and workers in the food industry, especially during the challenges of the pandemic. The gathering of agricultural information has a long history in Canada. The data collected is used to generate numerous statistics about agricultural commodities, food, land use, farm finances and much more.
Sébastien Larochelle-Côté is the assistant director with the agriculture division of Statistics Canada. He will tell us about why the information gathered is so important, How the stats are compiled and who uses it.
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Ranchers care about the animals they raise. That is why when it's -50 with the windchill - they are on high alert watching out for those newborn calves. Sometimes it means going to any lengths to get them warmed up quickly so they can be returned to their mothers. One rancher in southern Saskatchewan had several calves born on a very cold day. Those three newborn calves spent some time on a bathroom floor in the home of Chris Lees at Arcola, Saskatchewan. Chris will tell us about the busy start to calving season on his farm.
Nearly all forestry biomass pellets are shipped to the European Union, which wants environmentally friendly energy solutions that reduce the need to import oil and natural gas. Work at the University of Saskatchewan is exploring turning canola and oat hulls --along with canola meal into a better biomass pellet. The main work is being done by PhD candidate Tumpa Sarkar, under the supervision of Dr. Ajay Dalai. The hope is to have a final version of the biomass pellet in one to two years. Dr. Dalai is a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Saskatchewan and holds the Canada Research Chair in bio energy. He will share the research and the ultimate goal of developing a technology that would eventually be adopted by the private sector.
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Prairie barley growers may have dealt with a variety of growing conditions but for the most part the 2020 harvest was a success simply because the dry, warm fall had farmers bringing in the crop in near-record time. With strong feed barley prices producers will have a lot to consider before Plant 2021 begins. Mitchell Japp is the research and extension manager with the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission. We'll talk about the condition of last year's crop and some of the strong performing barley varieties to think about before spring seeding.
Researchers with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine have found using body cameras, similar to those used by police, offers a viable option for swine barn workers to support remote animal welfare assessments.Dr. Yolande Seddon is an Assistant Professor of Swine Behaviour and Welfare with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. She says the technology might also be able to identify animal welfare factors that impact product quality.
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What should I make for dinner? Canada Beef will say...beef.. of course. But what cut of beef should I chose? How do I prepare it? That's why Canada Beef is working towards getting QR codes on every package of beef. One quick scan with your smart phone and all of those questions will be answered. Canada Beef President Michael Young says when every cut of beef has its own QR code the home cook will have the information they need to make a decision on the type of beef to buy, how to cook it, access to recipes and videos and even a grocery list, at their fingertips. Eventually the QR code will be part of the retail meat case, print or digital flyers. While beef will be the first to do this, Young believes other commodities like chicken and pork will soon follow.
Better brome....better beef. The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan will receive $332,000 from the Agriculture Development Fund to find ways to make genetic improvements in bromegrass, an essential forage crop for cattle.
GIFS Director of Genomics and Bioinformatics Dr. Andrew Sharpe will explain how the research being done will produce a catalogue of genetic variations for bromegrass.
He says it will have a direct impact on the ability of breeders to select the most nutritious varieties of bromegrass that produce the largest yield.
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It is the first of its kind in Canada. Lakeland College announced the new Bachelor of Agriculture Technology degree program starting in the fall of 2021 at the Vermilion, Alberta campus. Josie Van Lent, the dean of agriculture technology and applied research will tell us about the development of this new program, how students, wanting to stay and learn more at the college played a roll, and the consultations and feedback from the agriculture industry shaped the curriculum.
The commodity markets continue to shock and amaze farmers and grain traders. February arrived the same way January ended with prices technically and fundamentally trending higher. Exceed Grain Marketing senior analyst Wayne Palmer says the market’s wild ride of the past few weeks may be a recurring theme this year and are showing no sign of easing up heading into planting and the summer growing season.
Wayne will talk about the latest trends, how every USDA supply/demand report will be important in confirming the continuation of very tight supplies and aggressive demand. While prices are great for farmers who still have grain to sell, there is also a downside to this active market.
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Farmers and ranchers are wanted to participate in a mental health project. Saskatchewan Polytechnic wants to identify exactly what is needed for a mental health support system for the agriculture sector. Michelle Pavloff is the research chair for rural health and principal investigator with Sask Polytech. She will explain what they are looking for and how producers can participate.
Fertilizer Canada estimates 60 percent of forage crops are under fertilized. Imagine, each ton of dry matter harvested from a hayfield removes 35-50 pounds of nitrogen and about 10 pounds of phosphorous. Nutrient removal through grazing is substantially less, but there is still a net loss of nutrients from the grazing system. Replenishing these nutrients can help to improve forage productivity. But it can be a tricky process.
Dr. Jeff Schoenau is a professor and strategic research chair at the University of Saskatchewan’s Soil Science department. He will talk about some strategies to get the most out of those valuable forage stands.
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Infectious diseases threaten the health of people and animals and impact the global economy. The University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) works with international partners to study human and animal pathogens and develop solutions. VIDO-InterVac has developed a COVID-19 vaccine which it is preparing to test in humans. Just before Christmas VIDO-InterVac received approval from Health Canada to begin a combined phase-1, phase-2 human clinical trial of its vaccine to protect against COVID-19.
Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts says that vaccine was developed using a technology that is proved to be safe, reliable, and cost effective.
We have heard about the devastating impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on the pig population. Canada is still ASF free, but the work continues to prevent the spread but there is also a lot of work going on behind the scenes developing a strategy to deal with it IF it comes to Canada. John Ross with the Canadian Pork Council will explain the complex process involved in developing a plan in order to protect the industry.
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Many of us will be missing the numerous farm shows and information meeting this winter and spring. These events were canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. We always look forward to hearing from World Weather Meteorologist Drew Lerner who provides a glimpse into the weather for the upcoming growing season. Drew is here to share his thoughts on what is to come and look at some of the weather issues in other major growing regions and how that is affecting commodity markets.
Over the last four years more than 500 firefighters have been trained to respond to grain entrapments whether it be on-farm or at a commercial grain terminal. The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association has provided 16-hour training courses to over 30 fire departments in four provinces. It is a good start but more needs to be done. Rob Gobeil is the CASA's agricultural health and safety specialist. He will talk about the BeGrainSafe program. We will also hear from a farmer who will share his own story of getting trapped in a grain bin of beans, the rescue, and his recovery.
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Several sectors deemed essential services are calling on governments to ensure
COVID-19 vaccines are provided to their workers. That includes meat processing plant employees. When the pandemic began disruptions in pork processing resulted in plant closures and impacted North American live hog prices. Sask Pork General Manager Mark Ferguson will discuss the impacts of the pandemic and praised the actions of western Canada's processors and farmers.
The federal government has released its Clean Fuel Standard that producers and distributors would have to follow under its climate plan. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon in fuels people burn to run their cars or heat their homes. It is part of an overall federal strategy that the Liberal government says will allow Canada to meet or exceed its Paris climate agreement commitments.
It is expected it would increase the cost of a litre of gasoline by up to 11 cents over the next decade. Officials say the standard would reduce emissions by nearly 21 mega tonnes by 2030. What does this mean for farmers? Brian Innes with the Canola Council of Canada says there are benefits for canola producers because it would create a new, domestic market for their crop.
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CP Rail continues to outperform CN Rail on the percentage of hopper cars supplied to shippers. Those statistics come from the Ag Transport Coalition, which monitors rail performance on behalf of shippers and producer groups. CP supplied 79 per cent of cars ordered in shipping week 18 . . .compared to 68 per cent for CN. Those numbers show a small decline from the previous week.
Milt Poirier is with QGI Consulting, which produces the weekly report for the Ag Transport Coalition. He will tell us about the latest report on rail service and performance.
Saskatchewan's insect specialist calls 2020 a “relatively moderate” year for pests in the province’s agricultural crops. Flea beetle and cutworm in canola and other crops, grasshoppers, diamondback moth are just a few. James Tansey with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture will discuss the areas most impacted by insects and the pest that could be a real troublemaker in the 2021 growing season.
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Producers face a number of challenges from drought to disease pressure, unpredictable weather patterns, market volatility, fluctuations in input prices and labour shortages. These are just a few but they are the ones farmers have little to no control over and yet they have a huge impact on profitability and sustainability of farming operations. The Olds College Smart Farm in central Alberta is essentially a giant lab that provides the agriculture sector a venue for commercial scale applied research.
Director of Applied Research Joy Agnew will explain how the Smart Farm is examining the future of ag and technology and finding solutions to some of the problem’s farmers face every day.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on our lives. COVID-19 shut down large portions of the global economy this spring—and while there has been a moderate rebound—the overall numbers are negative. Craig Klemmer with Farm Credit Canada will talk about the repercussions of the pandemic on the Canadian economy, and the ag sector and provide us glimpse into 2021 when the recovery begins.
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Responsible Grain...it is a national code of practice being developed to show Canadian farmers care about the environment. It will address consumer and customer priorities and provide practical advice for farmers to continue to improve their practices. Committee chair Ted Menzies from Claresholm, Alberta says the draft code, developed by farmers and industry experts, has been completed and is now open for consultation.
Ted will share why it is important to have a code to share with our customers at home and abroad.
Agriculture is a key drive of Canadian economic growth. Achieving export goals will only happen through the development of a strong crops sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada along with Cereals Canada have established wheat research priorities from now to 2022.
Victoria Linden is the research director with Cereals Canada. She will share those priorities and why it's important to revisit these goals every few years.
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North America is a role model when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. Dr. Frank Mitloehner is a professor with the University of California Davis. He told delegates at the recent Saskatchewan Swine Symposium the public needs to recognize the contributions of livestock agriculture to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. He said the most pressing need is to get the countries that are not efficient in producing animal sourced food to change, and that objective can be met while, at the same time, minimizing the carbon footprint.
Shelby Corey wears many hats. She is a wife and mother. She is a rancher, a rural municipal councillor, and a development officer with 4-H Saskatchewan. Life is hectic. Shelby will share how balancing the farm, kids, career, and everything else can be overwhelming but there is a way to find balance. She will share some of the things she has learned to avoid burnout.
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There was a lot of excitement at the University of Saskatchewan surrounding the release of a landmark study. The USask led team of roughly 100 international scientists from ten countries generated the first genomic atlas for global wheat improvement.
Crop Development Centre director Dr. Curtis Pozniak will tell us how this atlas will enable scientists and breeders to much more quickly identify genes that will improve yield, pest resistance and other important crop traits.
Grain Growers of Canada have released a new video project to help educate politicians and policymakers about the challenges and realities facing farmers today.
Today's Modern Grain Farm: A Harvest Across Canada features farmers from across Canada including Saskatchewan grain farmer, Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel. Cherilyn will explain why its crucial to reach out to politicians and their teams and present what life is like as a modern grain farmer across the country. She says the when the question is asked How can the Canadian economy recover from the Coronavirus? The answer might be in a strong agriculture industry and there are a number of ways Ottawa can be supportive of farmers.
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Confidence in Canada's Food System at an all-time high according to new research from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). Canadians are optimistic about their food supply, even as Canada's food system faces exceptional pressure and public scrutiny due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020. President and CEO of CCFI John Jamieson will share the results of the latest public Trust Research Report, and how the Canadians are feeling about the overall direction of the food system.
Farmers are poised to play a key role in Canada's economic recovery. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business submitted a list of concerns to the country's agriculture ministers, topping the list is needed improvements to Business Risk Management programs. CFIB senior policy analyst Virginia Labbie says the focus should be on policies that will help drive growth in the agriculture and agri-food sector so that it can perform to its potential.
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There is nothing light a fresh cover of snow to brighten up your farmyard. It also covers those unfinished projects and unsightly piles of garbage or old equipment. When the time comes to sell farmland, all of that junk will have an impact on the value of that property. Wayne Lowry with Farm Credit Canada says with time and a little bit of money, even small improvements can make your land more valuable. Wayne will have some helpful hints to help producers to get ready for the sale in order to get the best dollar.
Americans have elected their new leader. Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States. A change in administration usually impacts the agriculture sector but is the election the main factor affecting grain prices? Exceed Grain Marketing Senior Consultant Wayne Palmer will look back at the Trump administration and the events leading to the change in power, what a Biden administration means for the agriculture in the U.S., Canada and around the world; how supply is the biggest factor affecting commodity prices, advice for farmers still holding grain and when it will be the best time to sell.
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Scientists are continuing to investigate root rot in pulse crops. It was particularly bad in pea and lentil crops in western Canada this year. Extending the crop rotation has been the only way to manage the disease once it is present in a field.
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Researcher Syama Chatterton has been studying this issue and is now recommending producers sample the soil for the presence of the spores. Dr. Chatterton will explain the latest work on aphanomyces.
It's been a difficult year as we adjust to the realities of COVID-19 with the disruption of social events, the economy and interpersonal relationships. Fighting burnout and compassion fatigue is a real issue. Dr. Jody Carrington is child psychologist from Olds, Alberta.
During a recent virtual presentation, she talked about emotional dysregulation, what causes it and the importance of face to face connection.
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Concerns over COVID-19 could result in a higher uptake of flu vaccinations this season. Each year health officials encourage the public to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu. Dr. Susan Detmer, an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says if you get influenza your defences will weaken making you more vulnerable to COVID-19.
Dr. Detmer will tell us why the Vet College is particularly interested in flu vaccinations as it applies to humans and animals.
Saskatchewan has just been through a provincial election that saw the governing Saskatchewan Party returned to office with another majority. Agriculture groups actively followed the campaign. They spent a lot of time getting their message out about issues they want the government to address. The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association went so far as to contact the political parties with a list of questions that outlined some of their top concerns.
SCA CEO Ryder Lee will tell us about what needs attention and says what it comes down to is government doing what it can to improve the competitiveness of cattle producers.
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Crop diseases can have a serious impact on a farmer's bottom line, that’s why management is an ongoing concern for producers. Finding the right tools and technologies to help producers get a handle on diseases can be complicated and expensive. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Kelly Turkington says it all starts with having a basic knowledge of the nature of plant diseases as the first step towards understanding what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.
A University of British Columbia student design team has created the prototype for a fully autonomous agricultural robot. The creation of the AgroBot started with four students. The team has grown to 40 students with backgrounds in various areas of engineering. AgroBot team member Wendie Wu will explain the project and tell us about how the students took inspiration from other industries and applied them to the robot...all in an effort to make agriculture operations more sustainable.
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Politics have had a significant impact on agriculture research in Alberta. The government in that province changed hands with the New Democrats taking power in 2015 and then new United Conservative Party winning the election in 2019. It has been a stressful time for those involved in research. A new organization called Results Driven Agriculture Research or RDAR has been given the responsibility of guiding Alberta’s ag research priorities to ensure they reflect the needs of farmers, ranchers, and others in the agriculture industry, I'll speak with RDAR board chair Dr. David Chalack about this new entity and its role in promoting beneficial research for the ag sector.
Prairie honey producers take great pride in their pure product but the fake honey showing up on store shelves is hurting their bottom line. Fake honey is being blamed for a dramatic drop in prices dating back to 2015 and it has been pushing the limits of beekeepers in Canada. In fact, prices were so low producers were not making enough money to even cover their costs. Tim Wendell of Wendell Honey Farm has felt the impact. Their operation includes sites in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Wendell will explain where this fake honey is coming from and how consumers can support this important industry.
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The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has put more of a focus on the importance of Canadian farmers, farm workers and food production. Many of those conversations play out on Twitter. Michele Austin with Twitter Canada will tell us about a some of the trending topics, like the pandemic, and mental health, we'll run through the top hashtags, and ag twitter accounts and the role social media plays in sharing agriculture stories with the non-farming public.
There are very different visions of what a farm should look like. As we continue our series Not Your Everyday Farmer, we will feature a very different type of farming operation that decided to take a chance on a little purple fruit. Haskap not only does well in the harsh north east Saskatchewan climate but has also proven to be a one of the healthiest plants in the world. Marg Sullivan with Sweet Prairie Haskap explains how they directed their attention towards the health food market and instead of shipping the berries to the United States, decided to take the big step into value added production.
Marg will talk about the journey which includes shipping their first load of haskap products to the United States.
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Unprecedented. That's how a senior commodity analyst has described the grain trade. Wayne Palmer is with Exceed Grain Marketing and he says a rally at harvest is unheard of and the first time he has witnessed this in his 40 years in the business. He will explain what's been happening, how it has impacted prices and explains what farmers can watch for in order to cash in on possible grain and oilseed price increases.
Huge U.S. agricultural subsidies are impacting Canadian business risk management programs. The Trump administration has announced four multi-billion dollar aid programs for U.S. farmers over the past three years . . . some as compensation for the US/China trade war and others are connected to COVID 19. An independent economic research organization is sounding the alarm in a policy note released last week. Dr. Al Mussell is the research lead for Agri-Food Economic Systems based in Guelph, Ontario. He'll explain how US ag subsidies are distorting the market.
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Just sign on the dotted line. I just need your signature. How many times are you asked to do this over the course of a year? We’ve all done it….you read the terms of agreement on your phone you scroll down and click "accept "without really reading the fine details. This has the potential to be disastrous for a farmer, particularly this year when it comes to the eligibility declaration you sign when selling grain and an elevator.
Tom Steve with the Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley commission has a warning for farmers. Those declarations may look the same but there are some significant differences. He will explain those changes, why it happened, the repercussions of not understanding what you've signed and your legal obligations.
Often people have a certain vision of what a conventional farm looks like. It usually involved a tractor or combine and a field of golden grain. Today on Not Your Everyday Farmer we will feature a very different type of farm operation. John Cote and his wife Barb Stefanyshyn Cote did the unthinkable and sold the family farm and then they embarked on a completely different experience…..making gin and selling flowers.
Barb will talk about the creation of Black Fox Farm and Distillery and how they've never worked harder in their lives.
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Do More Ag Foundation envisions a culture in agriculture where all farmers are encouraged, empowered and supported to take care of their mental well being. This can only happen through awareness about mental health and breaking the stigma that currently exists while building a community of support and resources for those impacted and affected.
Executive Adelle Stewart says producers need to realize they are not alone, and they have an entire industry behind them. Talk More, Ask More and Listen More.
Adelle will talk about the groups efforts to keep the conversation on mental health going, the mental health first aid certificate program and what their goals are for the coming year.
The chief agricultural economist with Farm Credit Canada is suggesting a moderate increase in the average value of farmland across Canada. FCC's mid year review shows the national average for farmland values increased an average of 3.7 per cent for the first half of 2020 and is in line with the mid year results for the past five years.
J.P. Gervais will talk about the trends for farmland prices and explain why Canadian agriculture has shown great resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Control your money so it does not control you. Vanessa Stockbrugger is a former investment banker on Toronto’s Bay Street who went on to found and run Womencents. She says having more money does not necessarily fix things – instead, people need a strategy or action plan to achieve their financial goals.
But what happens when that business is a farm? To reduce stress, she says people must have power and control over their finances. She'll discuss strategies for dealing with some of the big decisions including when to save, when to spend and when to pay down debt.
It's a collaboration that brings together the complete beef research cycle. The University of Saskatchewan's Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, located southeast of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan opened in 2018 and includes a two thousand head cattle feeding operation, cattle research facility, buildings for drying forages a 350 head cow-calf research facility and forage research plots.
U of S College of Engineering professor and research Dr. Terry Fonstad will tell us about the collaboration between areas of the university that truly gives the full picture of what happens from the pasture to plate.
He tells us what makes this research facility unique from any other.
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Rural ratepayers will go to the polls this fall to pick their representatives on their local rural municipal councils. Making the decision to put your name on the ballot should not be taken lightly. It's not an easy job but it can be a rewarding experience according to the president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities.
In my conversation with Ray Orb we'll learn about how these rural councils are the voice of farming communities and why he has stayed involved on his local council for 35 years.
There is nothing normal about 2020. Even the commodity markets have reacted differently this summer. Exceed Grain Marketing senior analyst Wayne Palmer will explain why the markets have moved upward when they are usually quite stagnant at the start of harvest. He'll also dive into the latest Statistics Canada report that shows Canadian farmers will harvest more wheat, corn for grain, barley and oats this fall compared with last year, but less canola and soybeans. AND he'll tell us if those reports are right or wrong.
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With a lack of temporary foreign workers are higher food prices and fewer food choices on the horizon for Canadians? University of Calgary research associate Robert Falconer has released his second report on the role of temporary foreign workers in the Canadian agriculture sector. He said if there was any attempt to manage the food supply without these workers it is a strong possibility.
Robert will talk about this latest research project and provide some short- and long-term solutions to this problem.
Amanda Radke is a blogger and South Dakota rancher who speaks out on issues that impact the cattle industry. She recently spoke to the virtual Canadian Beef Industry conference about fake meats, environmental and animal rights activists and finding ways to bridge the urban and rural divide.
Amanda will share her strategies for connecting with consumers, ignoring the trolls and how ranchers can be a trusted source of information.
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Technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect weeds and other crop pests while passing over a field could reduce pesticide use by up to 95 per cent, maintaining crop yield, saving farmers roughly $50 per acre per growing season. A $26.2 million project is being led by Precision.ai, Sure Growth Solutions, Exceed Grain Marketing, and the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan. The partners are together investing $13.4 million into the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing the remaining $12.8 million. Dan McCann is the founder and CEO of Precision.ai. Dan will talk about this multi-million-dollar project and how it can benefit farmers and the environment.
There are numerous resources available to the entire agriculture sector relating to weather and climate conditions. Maps and information about agroclimate - which is the relationship between climate and agriculture - conditions, events, and impacts can be accessed at no cost. The information comes from weather stations and satellites but it's the people on the ground that help give a true indication of what's going on. Agroclimate Specialist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Trevor Hadwen is with us to talk about how the public can get involved in this important work.
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Agriculture technology is helping to fight COVID-19 and play a role in preparations for future pandemics. A recent article in Nature Biotechnology said the current pandemic shows the need to mobilize efforts on a large scale to ramp up diagnostics and testing. The lead author is Steve Webb, chief executive officer of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan. Webb will explain how the tools used in plant breeding—like genetic testing and sequencing, are the same as those use in the pharmaceutical and health care fields.
The Canadian Beef Industry Conference usually attract hundreds of cattle producers, as well as the other players in the beef industry to Calgary, Alberta. But instead the conference was held entirely on-line due to COVID-19. The opening keynote speaker was from London, England. David Hughes is an Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College. He is considered an expert in global food issues and opportunities. He spoke about food trends and the steps the cattle industry needs to take in order to be sustainable and strong.
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There has been much more attention focused on the mental health of Canadian producers. Many suffer in silence. We continue our conversation with Gerry Friesen a Stress & Conflict Management Specialist and mental health advocate. On the last episode he shared his story on being diagnosed with depression and how he brought his illness into the open and made the decision to seek help.
As a recovering farmer Gerry talks about the stresses associated with agriculture, how to cope with the things in life we cannot control and how just talking to someone can be very therapeutic.
And, a report on women in agriculture sees both challenges and opportunities. Dr. Amber Fletcher is an associate professor with the University of Regina. She says women face challenges of sexism, discrimination, and access to financing.... but attitudes are changing. Amber will share the report's eight recommendation to support women in agriculture, including more childcare support and access to training.
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Gerry Friesen calls himself “The Recovering Farmer.” He grew up on a farm and he took over the family farm in 1983. Then financial issues led to the decision to sell the hog operation in 2007. Gerry openly shares his struggles with his mental health and how he has now spent several years working with farm families on a variety of topics including effective communication, conflict resolution, and stress management.
He takes a combination of his own life experiences, training in conflict resolution, and intensive counseling to help others who are struggling. Gerry shares his story and gives some insights on mental health.
The University of Regina and Levene School of Business have released a report on women agriculture entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan. Amber Fletcher was the lead researcher on the project. The report sheds light on the potential power of women entrepreneurs in agriculture and the struggles women continue to face including sexism, discrimination, and stereotyping.
Amber will share the study's findings.
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Crop rotation plays a key role in sustainable production practices. There are many factors for growers to consider in their short and long-term crop planning. Western Ag professional agrologist Edgar Hammermeister says long-term crop planning is necessary for pest management and soil health. Edgar will discuss the costs and benefits of crop choices based on a number of factors that impact agronomy and ultimately, long term profitability.
The Saskatchewan Government said it will spend $4 billion in new irrigation infrastructure at Lake Diefenbaker, a project that has been in the discussion stage for decades. The province plans to spend $22.5 million for preliminary engineering and initial construction.Once in full operation an additional 500,000 acres will be irrigated which is double the current total.
Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association board chair Aaron Gray is excited about the announcement. He will share plans and discuss the potential for economic growth from the province's biggest ever infrastructure project to date.
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Farmers have shortened up crop rotation for a number of reasons. Oilseed agronomy research scientist Patrick Mooleki is with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Saskatoon Research and Development Centre. He said there are numerous issues popping up because of this practice including herbicide resistance in weeds and increased disease pressure including blackleg and fusarium head blight. Patrick says the continuing practice will have long term implications.
There tends to be a focus on the negative environmental aspects of farming like the greenhouse gases emitted from vehicles, fertilizers, and grain transportation. But there is new work showing this impact can be offset by planting trees. It's estimated more 21.3 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent is stored in Saskatchewan’s 60,000 km of shelterbelts, representing about $639 million in total economic value under the federal $30 per tonne carbon-dioxide-equivalent pricing system.
Bryan Mood with USask will discuss a new app that is designed to show the economic value of shelterbelts while helping landowners determine the best trees to grow.
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Richardson Pioneer will be implementing a new Oat Procurement Program next year. The company does not want growers to use pre-harvest desiccants. This is not a new concept. Grain Millers stopped buying pre-harvest glyphosate treated oats five years ago. Jenneth Johanson is President of the Prairie Oat Growers Association. She talks about how this will impact oat farmers decisions in the next growing season
There will be some major changes coming to pulse crop research over the next few years. A funding agreement between Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre will end in September. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Director of Research and Development Dave Greenshields will tell us how the changes will affect farmers and the ways they will benefit.
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Herbicide resistance is a growing problem around the world. Dr. Charles Geddes with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada based out of Lethbridge, Alberta specializes in the discovery, monitoring, and management of herbicide-resistant weeds in western Canada with a special interest in the management of glyphosate-resistant kochia.
He will explain just how widespread the problem is and what farmers need to do to protect the herbicides they have available.
The work continues to develop a safe and effective vaccine to protect pigs against African Swine Fever. Researchers around the world are using various techniques to develop vaccines to protect pigs from ASF. In Saskatchewan, VIDO-InterVac Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts says that vaccine will be available within two to three years. Dr. Gerdts will tell us about the process of developing the vaccine using an approach that is much safer than methods that use live virus.
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When its time to spray crops, either for weed or insect control, there is nothing more frustrating then poor weather especially strong winds. At times a farmer will make the decision to spray in those high winds which can lead to spray drift damage on a neighbouring field. That's when forensic agrologist George Lewko is called in. George will talk about diagnosing spray drift damage and the process of resolving the issue between the two parties involved.
The University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre has hired a new director. Curtis Pozniak has been a fixture at the CDC since his arrival as a wheat breeder in 2003. During that time, he and his team have released 15 wheat varieties and played an important role in the global effort to sequence the durum genome. Curtis will talk about his new responsibilities and goals during his five-year term.
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The farming industry is constantly changing. New innovations are being developed to make farms more efficient. A research project involving a Saskatchewan consulting company and the University of Regina is looking for a way to reduce environmental impact and save money. Cory Willness of CropPro Consulting will talk about SWAT BOX, a data collection sensor and how information from it will be used to generate maps that will help farmers selectively apply herbicides
Everyone needs to eat. That's why Canadians and Canada’s governments should not take farming and food for granted. That was the message from Kerri Holland with University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy who prepared a report on Canada's Food Security. Holland says food security is vital and government policy must reflect the essential service agriculture provides for the country. She says there will be dire consequences if farmers don't get the support they need.
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Intergenerational farm transfer is viewed as one of the most complex and difficult decisions that a farmer must make in his lifetime. How do you make it work so every member of the family is happy? Is that an impossible dream OR is it the process and not the end result that's important.
In part two of our series on transitioning the family farm from one generation to the next, MNP farm and family advisor Bob Tosh will talk about how to get started, setting a realistic timeline for getting it done and why it's important for all family members to have an opportunity to speak.
Keeping agricultural plastics out of our landfills and ditches is the goal of CleanFarms, a nonprofit organization that leads recycling program for everything from pesticide and fertilizer containers as well as grain bags. CleanFarms general manager Barry Friesen says farmers are getting the message and recycling plastics like never before. He'll tell us how the program is being received across Canada and the how the pandemic is affecting their future plans.
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The process of transitioning the farm from one generation to the next is a long and difficult process. What makes it so difficult is each family farm business is unique and no single approach works for everyone. Bob Tosh a farm and family advisor with MNP will discuss the roadblocks, the importance of being heard, the difference between succession planning and estate planning and the first steps in getting the conversation started.
Flea beetles, weevils, cutworms, wheat midge, grasshoppers. The list of pests that can impact a crop during the growing season is endless. We have entomologist Meghan Vankosky with us. In addition to her research for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, she is also the co-chair of the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. She'll talk about how the network is an important tool for producers during the growing season and why there is an increased focus on beneficial insects.
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Agriculture through a modern lens, this is the Agri-Pod. Digging in to the topics that matter to you. With Alice McFarlane.
Farmers get a lot of direction from agronomists, accountants, bankers and lawyers. All have a direct impact on their business. But one area they often neglect is their closest personal relationships. Our guest Sean Brotherson, a professor and extension family science specialist from North Dakota State University says a farmer’s highest priority should be their spouse or partner. We talk about how healthy relationships can improve the farm business.
And, the cattle industry has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Low prices and reduced processing capacity have devastated the industry. We have Saskatchewan rancher Adrienne Ivey here to talk about how livestock producers are coping, why two large players in the meat packing industry in Western Canada hold the monopoly on processing and why its so difficult for small meat processing facilities to make a go of it. Adrienne discusses why she chooses to share her personal story on social media, the positives and the disappointments, and how she is committed to working not only with farmers and consumers but with the entire value chain.
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