Ag News

Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, is in Italy to take part in the biennial conference of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

During her outreach, she's also working with stakeholders to advance Canadian agriculture and agri-food trade and promote the safety and quality of Canadian exports.

The FAO was formally established almost 78 years ago during a meeting in Quebec City, headed by future prime minister Lester Pearson as a specialized UN agency to lead international efforts in the fight against global hunger.

An interesting opportunity for local farmers is coming up next month in the Plenty area.

Sask Crop Commissions and Max Ag will be on hand as producers in the area are being invited to a special field tour on July 11 featuring a day of on-farm research trials.

The trials done will look at seeding rates of barley, pulses and canola, along with biological nitrogen fixation on wheat and canola.

Lunch and bus transportation will be provided, and you can register through the link here.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) workers who load and unload cargo at terminals at more than 30 B.C. ports, went on strike on Saturday, July 1.

On Monday, the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) released a statement saying it has gone as far as possible on core issues.

Concern continues to grow with the labor dispute at BC ports between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the BC Maritime Employers Association.

Union workers hit the picket lines on Saturday, while the BCMEA released a statement Monday saying it had gone as far as possible on its core issues.

David Przednowek, the assistant vice president of grain for CN Rail, says they are monitoring the situation closely, adding they're hoping for a positive outcome. 

Wheat midge are small, orange, fragile-looking flies that attack members of the grass family including barley, couch grass, wheat grass, triticale, and spring rye, though their preferred host is wheat.  

Adults emerge from mid-June through mid-July and typically coincide with wheat head development and flowering. Wheat midge remain in the humid crop canopy throughout the day and emerge on calm, warm evenings to mate and lay eggs. Eggs are laid singly or in groups of three to five on wheat kernels prior to flowering.  

For the 4-H members, one of the first events kicking things off during Frontier Days is the 4-H Judging Competition.

This year participants judged beef heifers, finished steers, light horse, prospect weiner pigs, and cattle feed.

This year Makaila Peutert from the Mankota 4-H Club took the top spot coming in first overall,  Victoria Kunze from the Ernfold 4-H Club won the Intermediate Class, the Junior Class was won by  Raleigh Little from the Abbey-Lancer 4-H Club, while Coy Hamilton of the Nomads 4H Club won the Cloverbud division.

Wheatland County has declared a Municipal Agricultural Disaster due to the extended drought conditions we've experienced.

"Low growing season moisture compounded by extended periods of extreme heat, both of which have substantially depleted our soil moisture reserves have dealt a severe blow to all facets of agricultural production within Wheatland County," a County press release said.

It's another busy day in the Bernie Kemick Show Ring as 4-H events take center stage.

This morning it was the 4-H Team Grooming Competition, 4-H Group Entry, and 4-H Club Showmanship.

The Female Pen Show judging gets underway at noon.

This afternoon it's the 4-H Cloverbud class, 4-H Heifer Futurity show, and the Supreme Champion 4-H Female competition.

The 4-H program is a key staple in many rural areas across the province and the country with the overall goal to inspire youth to continue to learn and grow.

Just what the cost will be is not yet known, as refineries will have a year to comply with Ottawa's new Clean Fuel Regulations.

The new regulations will cover everything from fuel production and transport to consumption. 

Ray Orb, President of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities says once again we will see an increase in the cost of gas and diesel for consumers, municipalities, and farmers.

He's concerned about the impact this could have on the agriculture sector and more specifically the viability of farmers' operations.

Ottawa and the province have committed $9.5 million in funding for Ag-West Bio over the next five years.

Investing in Ag-West Bio supports the growth of innovative ag, food, and bioscience businesses in Saskatchewan.

Agriculture Minister David Marit says Ag-West Bio is a key organization that connects businesses, entrepreneurs, and scientists so that
 we advance research into the hands of producers and industry.

Ag-West Bio will use the money to support its new 2023-28 strategic plan.