Ag News

Each year the panel of judges at Ag Days' Innovation Showcase scrutinize, dissect, interview the creators and weigh the benefits of each entry; how does this innovation benefit the Ag industry as a whole?

This year the new online peer-to-peer help-mate website Combinesettings.com placed first in this week's Ag Technology category.

Father-son team, Pat and Trevor Scherman, brought two generations of experience and ingenuity together first with their SCHERGAIN drop pan, affixed behind a combine to measure the amount of loss during harvest.  

Farmers have been busy sending seed samples into seed labs across the prairies to determine the seed vitality for the upcoming growing season.

Knowing the germination and vigor of the seed plays an important role in seeding operations.

Germination refers to the capability of the seed to sprout, while vigour refers to the ability of the seed to establish under stressful conditions.

If numbers for germ and vigour are to low, or the disease numbers are to high farmers may want to look at purchasing seed.

A Saskatchewan poultry company has been fined $46,000 relating to a workplace injury.

Pedigree Poultry Ltd. based in the Lumsden area pled guilty earlier this month to one violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

The charges stem from a worksite incident that occurred on July 10, 2021, near Regina Beach.

The worker suffered a serious injury after their foot became entangled in a horizontal auger system.

As a result of these charges, the court imposed a fine of $32,857.14, with a surcharge of $13,142.86, for a total amount of $46,000.

The 'Business of Sheep' was the focus of the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board's recent AGM and Symposium.

Executive Director Gordon Schroeder says there's a lot of optimism in the industry right now as they see younger families entering the industry. 

"We're seeing larger commercial operations expanding. So we're quite optimistic about the future of the industry, even though we're going through a little bit of a low right now, but prices are picking up as well. So we're confident in 2024. "

Manitoba's AgriInsurance program is expected to pay out 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."

A new carbon study shows Western Canadian farmers are producing some of the world's most sustainable crops.

Steve Webb, the CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security says the study looked at the production of five crops canola, non-durum wheat, durum,  field peas, and lentils, and compared that with data collected from  Australia, France, Germany, Italy, and the U.S.

The potential for another dry year is a growing concern across the Prairies. 

 El Niño has produced a warm, dry winter with more than 70 per cent of the country experiencing drought conditions. 

Alberta has contracted WaterSMART Solutions to enhance drought modeling and explore ways to make the best use of Alberta’s water. 

The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) released its second and highly anticipated National Beef Sustainability Assessment (NBSA) and Strategy report. The assessment reflects three years of in-depth scientific analysis and highlights the Canadian beef sector’s progress between 2014 and 2021 on sustainability indicators like greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, carbon storage, people’s health and safety, animal care, economic contributions and more. The report also includes accompanying sustainability strategies that identify areas for continuous improvement.

A 2023 research trial looking at 'Hybrid Brown Mustard and Composite Yellow Mustard response to Soil Test Fertility Recommendations' was done across three locations in Saskatchewan last year Swift Current, Indian Head, and Redvers.

Amber Wall,  the Assistant Manager with Wheatland Conservation Area, says the ADOPT trial focused on AC Yellow 80 and AC Brown 18 and the addition of zinc and boron based on the soil test recommendations.