Glenda Lee Vossler

The Canadian cattle industry is experiencing unprecedented profitability, with cattle prices reaching all-time highs. Despite this positive outlook, there are significant concerns about the ongoing trade war with the United States and its impact on the industry's stability.

Alberta

The St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) is notifying irrigators that they are now accepting water orders.

For the 2025 irrigation season, water allocation will remain at 12 inches at the farm gate based on the recent Irrigation Water Supply Forecast from Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation.

Crews have started flushing lines and are charging the system for water startup, expected to be available across the entire district by May 5th to 9th.

Charlie Mayer, a prominent figure in Canadian agriculture and politics, has passed away at the age of 89. Born in Saskatoon in 1936, Mayer attended the University of Saskatchewan before purchasing a farm in Manitoba in 1965. He grew grain, potatoes, and raised Simmental cattle, becoming active in the Manitoba Beef Growers Association. Mayer played a key role in opposing the introduction of supply management to the beef industry.

Over the years, certain areas in Canada have seen an increase in wild pig populations. Wayne Lees from Squeal on Pigs Manitoba highlights the difficulty in tracking these animals, especially on foot. "In our experience, finding the pigs is the single hardest thing that we have to do. Our situation in Canada is very, very much different than the US under cold climate conditions. We don't have the large numbers of wild pigs that they experience in warmer climates.

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:

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."

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."

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."

The second annual Canadian Wild Pig Summit is set to take place on April 29th. This virtual event will feature a morning of presentations focusing on wild pig monitoring programs and recommendations from Indigenous communities regarding the Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Strategy.

Organized by Manitoba Pork, Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, and Animal Health Canada, the summit aims to address the growing wild pig population in Western Canada. These animals pose significant dangers to people and livestock and cause considerable environmental damage.