Ag News

Seeding progress has been delayed across the province with the recent rains

Pulse and Soybean Specialist Dennis Lange puts together the weekly report and says timing of the rain was ideal.

"In the last week, just based on the weather report, rainfall levels were anywhere from four mm all the way up to 37 mm across the province. It has delayed the seeding over the last week. So we haven't moved a whole lot we're sitting at about four per cent complete. "

Provincially, 12 per cent of the crop is in, that's behind the five year average (2019-2023) of 23 per cent. Seeding is most advanced in the southwest at 23 percent, followed by the southeast at 16 per cent, the northwest at eight per cent and the west-central region at five per cent

The recent rainfall has been a welcome sight in many areas with amounts varying across the province, the most rainfall recorded in the Moose Jaw area at 103 mm.

Spring seeding is off to a good start across the Prairies, but producers are being reminded to monitor the crop closely for weed, disease and insect concerns. 

Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist with a focus on entamology at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, says its important that farmers scout their crops on a regular basis.

The CEO of Bunge Gregory Heckman has released the following statement regarding the proposed merger of Bunge-Viterra,

Agriculture Minister David Marit was at Moose Jaw’s Agriculture Knowledge Centre on Tuesday morning, marking 15 years of offices providing regional services for Saskatchewan producers.  

Agriculture Minister David Marit was at Moose Jaw’s Agriculture Knowledge Centre on Tuesday morning, marking 15 years of offices providing regional services for Saskatchewan producers.  

The four recipients for this year's  Agriculture Student Scholarship Program will attend the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan in the fall, with their fields of study ranging from animal health and welfare to agribusiness and agricultural sciences. 

The grand prize recipient, Marleigh Mann from Lloydminster, was awarded $6,000.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has released its latest livestock feed guidance update, noting that gene-edited crops are safe for livestock feed. 

Krista Thomas, Vice President of Trade Policy, Seed Innovation, for the Canada Grains Council, says Health Canada and the CFIA have now answered longstanding calls from the seed and grain sectors for predictable, clear, and consistent policies for gene-edited crops.

She says this opens up incredible opportunities for innovation within the grain sector.

The University of Manitoba will receive over $835 thousand from the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) over the next five years for the renewal of two technician positions in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. 

Dean Martin Scanlon says the department's work focuses principally on crops and cropping systems.

The moisture over the last few weeks is a welcome sight for farmers and ranchers as they focus on seeding this year's crop.

The additional precipitation will help to replenish soil moisture and dugouts while helping to boost pasture growth.

For producers looking at seeding forages this spring, the Forage U-Pick Seed Rate Calculator is a valuable tool available through your provincial forage associations or the Beef Research Council website.