Ag News

The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers are looking to fill three positions on their Board of Directors. 

Nominations are now being accepted for the three-year term positions. 

SPG sees particular value in candidates with the following characteristics and experience: 

China's Ministry of Commerce has announced plans to launch an anti-dumping case into Canadian canola seed imports.

The action was initiated in response to a Canadian decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.

Canadian Canola Council of Canada ((CCC) CEO and President Chris Davison says China is an important and valued market for Canadian canola.

“We are confident that an investigation into Canada’s canola trade with China will demonstrate alignment with and reinforce our support for rules-based trade.”

This year marks what would have been the 100th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, which started as the Saskatchewan Co-operative Wheat Producers in 1923. 

Farmers joined together with a goal of trying to get a fair price for their wheat by selling directly to importers rather than through the futures market or grain exchange.

Wymark area farmer, Marvin Wiens was a director with the Pool for 20 years and served as president from 2000 to 2004 and admires the drive and determination of the farmers that came together to form the SWP.

SaskCrops sent in their annual submission last week for Finance Canada’s federal pre-budget consultations. 

SaskCrops represents the vast majority of grain and oilseed producers in Saskatchewan through the participating growers' associations - SaskBarley, SaskCanola, SaskFlax, SaskOats, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and Sask Wheat. 

The groups note that research funding remains a key advocacy priority for SaskCrops and want to see significant, predictable, and sustained investment in research from the government.

Western Crop Innovations continues to grow. 

The Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission has joined Western Crop Innovations (WCI) as a voting member.

Sask Barley has committed $50,000 in core funding as a transitional grant for the current fiscal year.

Western Crop Innovations (WCI) work focuses on developing feed and forage barley, malting barley, and triticale varieties specifically tailored for the Western Prairies.

The newly formed organization - formerly known as the Field Crop Development Centre - was founded earlier this year. 

While farmers are out in the field harvesting this year's wheat crop, research scientists and breeders involved in the Canadian National Wheat Cluster are working on improving the crops' long-term sustainability in the cropping rotation.

Funding for the work being done by the Wheat Cluster comes through the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC).

The CWRC is a collaboration of the three producer wheat commissions across Western Canada, the Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and Manitoba Crop Alliance.

Alberta Agriculture's weekly crop report shows 20 per cent of the provincial crop has been harvested, with another nine per cent swathed. The winter wheat harvest is now 94 per cent complete, followed by the fall rye at 93 per cent, dry peas at 73 per cent, and lentils at 59 per cent across the province. 

Regionally, the South has seen the most progress with 38 per cent of crops combined, the Central Region is at 25 per cent,  the North West and North East  have less than 7 per cent finished, while the Peace Region is 11 per cent complete.

This week's crop report shows farmers have made good progress with the harvest despite scattered storm activity around the province.

Crop Extension Specialist Tyce Masich says the harvest is most advanced in the Southwest where 44 per cent of the crop is now in. That's followed by the southeast with 28 per cent, the east central with 25 per cent, the west-central with 15 per cent, the northeast with 12 per cent and the northwest with seven per cent. 

The railways have been working to ramp back up following last week's rail shutdown.

CN's Assistant Vice President of Grain, David Przednowek says the process takes some time noting the key to an efficient ramp up or recovery is a very measured and planned ramp down.

He says that involved implementing embargoes so that products (especially toxic, hazardous or dangerous goods) wouldn't be left in transport on the rail line.

Przednowek says it's important to review how everything played out to fully understand the process involved in gearing back up. 

Farmers are trying to work on the harvest in between the rain. 

This week's crop report shows Agro-Manitoba received variable amounts of precipitation over the past seven days. Precipitation for the past week ranged from 0.6 mm to 77.8 mm with areas of the Northwest and Southwest regions accumulating the largest amounts of precipitation. Minitonas (77.8 mm) received the most precipitation. Rain was reported in the Interlake, Northwest, and Southwest region over the last week.