It's backwards. Illogical. The federal government's move to enforce an outdated rule that increases the risk of PED virus infecting Western Canadian pig farms doesn't make sense. While hog operations across the U.S. and Eastern Canada have been devastated by PEDv over the last few years, Western Canadian hog farms have managed to stay mostly... Read More
Category: Western Canada
We ran a poll last week asking Alberta producers if they were procrastinating or protesting the mandatory sign up for WCB. You can see from the results that 28% of respondents say they refuse to sign up for a WCB account based on their personal principles. It's been brought to my attention that I misinterpreted... Read More
When it comes to climate change, here’s another thing to worry about: the continuing viability and stability of ancient fungi living deep inside your pasture grass, and the overall lack of attention they — and indeed the ecology of pasture grass in general — are receiving in these rapidly changing times. If you pasture livestock,... Read More
Julaine Treur was on Facebook one day when she stumbled upon a video of a family of dairy farmers. The video described the family's role as stewards of the land, and Treur felt it was absolutely beautiful. She thought most people would share her sentiment. Then she read the comments. "I was horrified," she said.... Read More
With maps of moisture extremes popping up across the prairies, and predictions of another dry year, it's hard to know what to make of seeding. But, as Murray Hartman, oilseed specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry points out in this episode of the Canola School, there isn't much sense in panicking. Not yet. Moisture Extremes... Read More
As the US dairy industry struggles with low milk prices, a number of trends continue to drive a make over of the country’s dairy farm operations. Overall, the size of farm operations continues to grow rapidly, says Mark Stephenson, University of Wisconsin’s Director of Dairy Policy Analysis. Stephenson told farmers attending the Canadian Dairy XPO... Read More
Grains continued their push higher to end the month of April as a multitude of factors extended the fenceline for bulls to run along. Money flows into the commodity sector have been the biggest reason for the rally, as the commodity complex had its best one-month since 2010, beating all other asset classes (i.e. stocks,... Read More
For some growers, treating wheat seed is a no-brainer, while others still choose to forego a treatment and the input cost that comes with it. So how do you decide? With seeding ramping up for another spring, Pam de Rocquigny, cereal crop specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, joins us in the field... Read More
Soy Canada is calling on the European Union to move ahead with its decision on approval of three genetically modified soybean products and for an explanation of why it's taken so long. Monsanto was planning to introduce one of these GM traits — Roundup Ready 2 Xtend and its stacked glyphosate and dicamba tolerance —... Read More
Crop Production Services (CPS) and Andrukow Group Solutions Inc. (AGSI) today announced that they have entered into an agreement in principle. Pending it clears all regulatory hoops, CPS will purchase AGSI and its affiliates. "The transaction provides the opportunity to combine the strengths of two high quality agricultural retailers in the fiercely competitive agricultural products... Read More