Ag News

The Agricultural Clean Technology  (ACT) Program provides farmers and agri-businesses with funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and boost their long-term competitiveness. 

This morning, Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced over $97 million through the program for 162 projects across the country.

The funding includes support for 27 projects in Manitoba, 35 in Saskatchewan, and 33 projects in Alberta.

For cow-calf operations, a major component of profitability is reproductive efficiency or the number of calves weaned per cow exposed. When open rates are higher than expected, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause; there may be many factors that contributed. Dry conditions over the past several years have impacted many aspects of beef operations, including those that contribute to open rates.

Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has reserved its decision in a case that found a thumbs-up emoji to be legally binding.

It's an interesting case that has attracted a lot of interest and a lot of discussion.

The case stems from a text conversation between South West Terminal and Achter Land & Cattle Ltd over a flax contract that was not fulfilled.

In March of 2021,  a grain buyer with SWT sent a text to one of the owners Chris Achter saying that the company was looking to buy 86 tonnes of flax for $17 per bushel to be delivered in the fall.

Students who are enrolled in their final year of high school and eligible to graduate in 2024 can now apply for the scholarship.

To be eligible for a scholarship students must live on, work for, or have guardians that work for a farm that is a member of Manitoba Canola Growers Association. 

Applications must be received by April 1, 2024 and will be judged based on academics, canola connection, school and community involvement, and essay submission. 

The top five applicants will be selected and each winner will be presented with a $1000 scholarship.

Next week is Canadian Agricultural Safety Week

St John Ambulance, Farm Safe Manitoba, and Manitoba Canola Growers are holding two farmer first aid events next week 

The March 12 event in Steinbach is sold out,  while a few spots are still available for the March 14th event in Virden. 

Participants will learn First Aid principles and the skills needed in life-threatening emergencies and/or common non-emergency farm-related injuries or illnesses. 

Topics to be covered:

Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is now accepting applications for the 2024 Advance Payments Program (APP) .

Under the program, cash advances are available on honey and over 35 different crops.

Eligible farmers can receive up to $1,000,000, with the first $100,000 being interest-free.

MCA’s interest rate on interest-bearing cash advances is prime – 0.50 per cent. 

Alberta Farm Animal Care officially closed its doors as of the first of March.

AFAC was started in 1993 by Alberta livestock producers and over the last 30 years, it's developed into the collective voice of the livestock industry on matters of livestock welfare.

It's also provided an opportunity for the industry to work together to advance and promote responsible livestock care. 

AFAC has been hit hard in recent months, including a lack of government funding. 

Agriculture Minister David Marit released the details on the 2024 Saskatchewan Crop Insurance program on Tuesday.

The program is cost shared between the Federal Government, the Province, and producers with the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) administering the program.

Marit says this year's enhancements build on SCIC's existing suite of Business Risk Management programs that have helped to support producers that have been impacted by drought.

The Prairie Cattle Marketing Report for the week ending March 1st is out.

Manitoba auction marts put 12,179 animals through the auction ring last week, that's up from  the 10,527 head marketed the previous week.

In Manitoba, feeder steer prices ranged from an average of $470.25 per cwt for the 401 to 500 lb weights to $288 per cwt for the 901 + category.

Feeder heifer prices ranged from an average of $390.53 per cwt for the 401 to 500 lb to $255.50 per cwt for the 901 + category.

A number of areas across the prairies are looking for more moisture.

Nutrien's Senior Agronomist Lyle Cowell took part in the Top Crop Summit this week noting that any moisture we see now will be beneficial.

He says depending where you are in Western Canada, quite a bit of what we get from here on in is going to largely lead to runoff.