Ag News

Agriculture is one of the largest industries in the province, and simultaneously one of the most dangerous. As seeding and calving season gets underway, safety is once again top of mind for local farmers and their employees.  

Ryan Jacobson is the Chief Executive Officer with the Saskatchewan Safety Council (SSC) and formerly operated an agricultural farm in southeast Saskatchewan. He explains that every industry experiences gaps in safety protocols. 

Observers say the American government’s move toward deregulation could have sweeping consequences for Canadians.

A new policy paper warns Canadian agriculture to prepare for changing U.S. domestic policies that seek efficiencies through deregulation.

The paper from Agri-Food Economic Systems said this could include food inspection.

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As seeding season begins in Saskatchewan, SaskPower is reminding everyone to stay safe when working near power lines.

Last year, there were 262 farm-related incidents involving power infrastructure, a slight decrease from 268 in 2023, according to SaskPower. Most of these incidents occurred in the spring.

"Safety at SaskPower is our number one priority. So, if we can share the message with farmers and other large equipment operators working in the fields this spring, we're absolutely happy to do it," said Scott McGregor, spokesperson with SaskPower.

Strong nitrogen fertilizer demand is butting up against tight supplies in some regions of the world, says an analyst.

India is the world’s top importer of the product.

Indian urea demand surged to 38.8 million tonnes in 2024-25, an eight per cent increase over the previous year, according to Argus Media.

That was due in part to tight supplies of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer during the winter (rabi) crop season.

Manitoba Environment and Climate Change is encouraging residents to test their well water or cistern to detect coliforms and E. coli in their water supply.

The ideal time to conduct these tests is in the spring, especially after a flood or heavy rainstorm.

Changes in the colour, clarity, odor, or taste of well or cistern water are also indicators that testing should be done. The Private Well Testing Subsidy Program, in collaboration with Duracan Laboratory in Winnipeg, offers these tests at a subsidized cost for private well and cistern owners once per year.

As the 2025 crop season begins, farmers across the prairies are already on high alert for potential insect damage. Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist in field crop entomology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provides insights into what farmers might expect this year based on last year's conditions and winter observations.

As seeding season begins in Saskatchewan, SaskPower is reminding everyone to stay safe when working near power lines.

Last year, there were 262 farm-related incidents involving power infrastructure, a slight decrease from 268 in 2023, according to SaskPower. Most of these incidents occurred in the spring.

"Safety at SaskPower is our number one priority. So, if we can share the message with farmers and other large equipment operators working in the fields this spring, we're absolutely happy to do it," said Scott McGregor, spokesperson with SaskPower.

Abbey Norek of Gerald is this year's Agriculture Student Scholarship grand-prize $6,000 winner.

Norek's winning video highlighted an urban-rural disconnect when it comes to agriculture. 

She proposed education and advocacy as key solutions to this issue. 

In her video presentation, she talked about her experience building a school garden using recycled materials, leading outreach programs on her family farm, and lobbying for agriculture electives in her school division.  

Southern Alberta farmer has long-standing issues with supply-management system for smaller egg producers like himself.

A southern Alberta egg producer who had been jailed for missing a court date for violating the provincial laws governing egg production has passed a premises inspection by Egg Farmers of Alberta.

Henk Van Essen said an inspector only spent a few minutes inside his operation before coming back out and telling him he was in full compliance.

“They were so sure they were going to find thousands of chickens in this barn,” Van Essen said.

Seeding is kicking off across the province. And whether you're already putting in fertilizer, or still fine-tuning your plan, it’s important to make informed decisions when it comes to your inputs for the season ahead.

New products are everywhere on the market and choosing the right ones can determine profitability and long-term success for your farm. I’m going to talk about one group of products that gets a lot of attention -- micronutrient fertilizers.