Ag News

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) is five-year suite of programs that launched in 2023 and offers a variety of programs, including some for sheep producers.

Manitoba Agriculture has released its first crop report of the season, providing valuable insights into the current state of seeding and livestock activities across the province.

Oilseed Specialist Sonya Wilson says seeding is just getting underway, with provincial seeding progress at approximately three per cent. This is ahead of the five-year average of one per cent. Farmers are currently planting spring wheat, peas, and a small amount of oats, particularly in areas west of Brandon and near Rapid City, with some activity in other regions as well.

With the recent election victory of Mark Carney and his Liberal team, the Grain Growers of Canada have emphasized the urgent need to address the ongoing tariff situation with the U.S. and China. Executive Director Kyle Larkin highlighted the severe impact these tariffs are having on Canadian farmers and the broader economy.

Tariff Challenges:

The Liberals have won their fourth mandate this time under the leadership of leader Mark Carney.

When Mark Carney formed government as Canada's 24th Prime Minister on March 14, 2025, he selected 34-year-old Kody Blois from the Kings-Hants riding in Nova Scotia as the Federal Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Rural Economic Development.

Blois is heading back to Parliament after winning his riding last night. Expectations are that Carney could keep him in that role, but that will be determined when he announces his new cabinet in the days ahead.

The Western Dairy Expo wrapped up Saturday in Saskatoon. 

This year's event featured 200 Holstein and about 60 Jersey cows and heifers and was judged by Paul Trapp a product acquisition specialist with Semex USA out of Wisconsin, and his associate judge Jon Larson.

Some of the highlights from the Holstein Show:

Multi-species cover crops are proving to be a valuable tool in improving soil health and boosting farm productivity, according to ongoing research led by Dr. Bharat Shrestha at Beaverlodge Research Farm. Dr. Shrestha, the biology study lead in soil health and fertility development, is part of a collaborative project under the Peace River Living Lab initiative, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Agricultural Climate Solutions - Living Lab program.

Southern Alberta irrigators enter the growing season with full reservoirs following the much drier conditions of previous years.

Irrigation reservoirs in southern Alberta are looking a lot better than they have in recent years.

“We are going into the year with full reservoirs, which is nice, especially since the snowpack in the mountains is still in that lower quartile,” said Alex Ostrop, chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association (AIDA) and board member of the St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID).

The federal government, provinces, and territories have made a key change to AgriStability that will benefit producers.

Given the pressures and uncertainty facing the agricultural sector, they have agreed to extend the 2025 AgriStability enrolment deadline from April 30th to July 31st.

The extension gives producers more time to evaluate their needs and the potential impact to their farming operation for production losses, increased costs, and changing market conditions. 

This is the second change to the program as farmers deal with tariff issues.

The Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame will officially recognize six outstanding individuals who will be formally inducted into the Hall and honored for their lifetime of achievements and contributions in agriculture. 

Reed Andrew, President of the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame, says this award recognizes a lifetime of commitment, innovation, and plain hard work to help strengthen and grow Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector.

"Congratulations to this year’s inductees; they have made a lasting impact on agriculture and the province as a whole."

Canadian farmers are worried about trade, business risk management and how much attention agriculture is getting from politicians, among other issues, as Canada enters the final countdown before the 2025 federal election.

When it comes to the 2025 federal election, what do farmers from different regions of Canada have in common?

Canadians lose sight of how big their country is — unless, for example, they get to rub shoulders with Europeans who are staggered by the time it takes to drive across a single province.