Glenda-Lee Vossler

CN and CPKC took steps early Thursday morning to lockout over 9000 employees who are members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference after an agreement was not reached.

In a press release following the lockout CN notes that they chose to lock out employees after the union did not respond to another offer by CN in a final attempt to avoid a labour disruption.

CN says over the last nine months they have negotiated in good faith

An agricultural manufacturing firm in Saskatchewan has been ordered to pay $65, 000 relating to a workplace accident two years ago.

Highline Manufacturing Limited, a subsidiary of Bourgault Industries entered a guilty plea July 22nd in Saskatoon Provincial Court to one violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 22, 2022, in Vonda, when a worker was seriously injured while flushing highly flammable solvent through an electrostatic paint gun.

Two other charges were withdrawn.

Manitoba Agriculture's weekly crop report show high humidity, rainfall and localized storms continue to be an issue.

Dennis Lange puts together the weekly crop report for Manitoba Agriculture and says right now most areas in the province are now exceeding 130 per cent of normal rainfall.  

Farmers have been dealing with a real mix of weather this year, from isolated heavy rains, to strong winds, hail and even a few tornado sightings. 

Anne Kirk, the Cereal Crop Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, says its been fairly wet in many areas of the province.

The weekly crop report shows peak wind speeds at the Manitoba Agriculture Weather Station at Rivers  hit 113 km/hr on June 12. Precipitation for the past seven days ranged from 7.8 mm to 54.8 mm (Table 1)

Saskatchewan's Deputy Agriculture Minister Rick Burton says the carbon tax is a significant hit for Saskatchewan producers.

"The carbon tax was at $65 per tonne and as of April 1st it'll be moving to $80 a tonne, at that rate its estimated cost to Saskatchewan producers will be around $137 million a year."

He says it adds costs to the inputs they are using and just about everything that's coming in or off their farm is impacted by the carbon price.

The Federal Liberal Carbox Tax Pricing plan would see the pricing increase to $170.00 per tonne by 2030.

Saskatchewan's Deputy Agriculture Minister Rick Burton says the carbon tax is a significant hit for Saskatchewan producers.

"The carbon tax was at $65 per tonne and as of April 1st it'll be moving to $80 a tonne, at that rate its estimated cost to Saskatchewan producers will be around $137 million a year."

He says it adds costs to the inputs they are using and just about everything that's coming in or off their farm is impacted by the carbon price.

The Federal Liberal Carbox Tax Pricing plan would see the pricing increase to $170.00 per tonne by 2030.

This week's Alberta Clipper is bringing more snow and cold temperatures to the Prairies again.

The snow creates several challenges but will be a welcome sight in many areas of the province.

The majority of the snow is hitting the central and northern areas around Saskatoon and Humboldt, while a wider system later in the week is expected to bring more snow including to areas in the southern part of the province.

Cattle can handle fairly cold temperatures, but extra measures are needed when the temperature hits -20 or colder.

Jordan Johnson, a livestock and feed extension specialist, says animals start preparing for the cold through a process called 'photoperiod sensitivity'.

Manitoba's AgriInsurance program is expected to provide farmers with nearly $5 billion in coverage for the upcoming crop year on an estimated 9.55 million acres.

The program delivered through MASC helps producers manage production shortfalls and quality losses.

Manitoba has over 90 per cent of annual crop acres and more than 7,650 farms enrolled in the program.

Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn says managing costs and risks will be critical for success as margins are projected to tighten.

Premier Wab Kinew announced an investment of $450 thousand over the next three years for the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program  during Manitoba Ag Days.

He says the government supports the hard work that farmers have committed their lives to and knows that being a producer in the Ag industry can be difficult.

"This is why it is important to have specialized mental health resources available specifically for producers and their families, and why we are proud to partner with the federal government on this key initiative."