Ag News

Farmers have been busy getting this year's crop in the ground. 

Provincially, 38 per cent of the crop is in, up from 29 per cent last week, but still behind the 5-year average of 53 per cent.

Crops extension specialist Mackenzie Hladun seeding is more advanced in the western half of the province as recent rains in the southeast while providing moisture relief has delayed  seeding operations.

Producers have been hard at work in the southeast trying to get seeds in the ground even as the ground is still filled with moisture.

Spring seeding normally starts up near the beginning of May, but for many in the southeast, the current conditions mean they may have only started this week.

That puts them far behind other farmers in the province, with the western areas pulling ahead.

Producers have been hard at work in the southeast trying to get seeds in the ground even as the ground is still filled with moisture.

Spring seeding normally starts up near the beginning of May, but for many in the southeast, the current conditions mean they may have only started this week.

That puts them far behind other farmers in the province, with the western areas pulling ahead.

Great news came in Tuesday for a local student set for a future in the agriculture industry.

The increased number of deer and elk in the province has caused significant damage to feed stacks in some areas.

In response to producer concerns, Provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit has announced a supplemental freight adjustment for livestock producers in the southwest and west central part of the province to compensate producers for the additional cost of transporting feed.

The Federal Government's Advance Payments Program is delivered through the Alberta Wheat Commission's FarmCash program and is open to all producers across Western Canada.

Under the program, producers can access cash advances on over 50 commodities including crops, livestock, and honey.

Jason Lenz is committee chair for FarmCash and says they've been running the government's Advance Payment Program for about four years and this year have seen a significant increase in applications.

With the wildfire situation in Alberta and Saskatchewan, people are once again recognizing the harsh reality of just how dangerous they are.

For livestock producers there's not just the concern of getting your family and pets to safety,  but also your livestock.

Grant McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association says livestock producers should look at developing an evacuation kit that includes your insurance information and more:

Agriculture Minister David Marit says it's great to see how passionate and well-versed Saskatchewan youth are about agriculture and the potential of this vital Saskatchewan industry.

"Our agriculture sector is growing, and it's important for us to effectively communicate to everyone in Saskatchewan about the abundant career opportunities available in this industry."

The top prize of $4000 was awarded to Caitlyn Spratt from Melfort.  

People are being asked to be extra cautious as wildfires burn out of control in some areas of the prairies.

With hot, dry conditions a simple spark off equipment or vehicles can quickly turn into a fire.

Individuals are encouraged to make sure they have fire extinguishers in the vehicle, equipment, and any off-road vehicles.

It's always important to be aware and follow any fire bans that may be in effect in your area.

The wildfire situation is growing across the prairies with a number of fires out of control in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Ottawa and the province are investing more than $1.4 million in research funding through the ADOPT and Strategic Field Program.

This year, funding for 56 ADOPT projects and eight Strategic Field Program projects have been approved.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says agricultural technology and best practices keep evolving, thanks to dedicated research across the country.