The highly anticipated amendments to The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act will come into effect January 4, 2016. “The people of Saskatchewan provided very clear direction during the consultation process,” Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said in a release. “The legislation reflects the views of Saskatchewan residents, provides clarity around farmland ownership and gives the Farm Land... Read More
Category: Western Canada
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declared on Friday afternoon that “effective immediately” the U.S. Department of Agriculture would not be enforcing country of origin labeling rules for beef and pork. It’s been over seven years since American packers were forced to segregate Canadian animals and meat. How quickly can they go back to operating how... Read More
Dairy — milk, in particular — is facing big challenges from the likes of pop companies and juice manufacturers. They’ve marketed their way into the lunch buckets of Canadian children over the years, and taken hold. A study underway now by University of Guelph researchers has found milk is not considered cool by adolescents, one... Read More
North America’s first dairy milk robot was installed in 1999, less than 50 kilometres from Jack Rodenburg’s Woodstock, Ontario office. The long-time OMAFRA dairy specialist was sceptical at first, but he quickly realized that robot technology could revolutionize Canadian dairy farms. He says early models had their issues, but he quickly realized the potential for... Read More
Darrell Busby of the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity talks about the monetary benefits of calm cattle. For those of us who work in the livestock business, stories of injury are all too common. Often, the blame lies with the animal being managed. But, is there more that we can do to manage for quality disposition... Read More
Grain prices have swayed back and forth this week thanks to some aggressive reactions to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate increase on Wednesday, as well as a little short-covering, and (barely) bullish weather concerns out of Brazil. Most of the complex ended the week lower though than it started, with oats being the biggest... Read More
After 13-plus years of opposition — the last seven of those in legal and trade disputes, Canadian livestock producers and their organizations are celebrating the end of U.S. country of origin labeling legislation for beef and pork today. Both the U.S. House and Senate voted in favour of the omnibus appropriations bill that includes text... Read More
OmniTrax has accepted a letter of intent from a group of Northern Manitoba First Nations wanting to purchase the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay Railway. It was first reported several weeks ago that the Denver-based transportation company was considering selling its Manitoba assets. The letter triggers a 45 day due diligence period in... Read More
The Canola Council of Canada's Curtis Rempel on some of the key take-aways from the 2015 growing season. A misleading start to the 2015 growing season had many canola producers hopeful of record-breaking crops. But, as we know, drought took hold of much of the prairies, and challenge ensued. Farmers were left wondering whether to... Read More
A special(?) holiday edition of TWORA: ‘Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the land RealAggies (or Agros?) were thinking about the year we’ve had Not our regular podcast this week, not the same TWORA, We’re looking back on 15 — officially, the year of our soil So as the stockings are hung by... Read More