Ag News

Analysis says market correction could see values fall by 50 per cent

 A technical analysis of Saskatchewan farmland values reveals they could be on the verge of tumbling by more than 50 per cent.

Trent Klarenbach, a grain marketing analyst, believes farmland values are reaching a peak and could soon be retracing to the previous high set in 1981.

The 2026 Census of Agriculture questionnaire has now been published on the Statistics Canada website.

The census is conducted every five years with the last Agriculture Census being done in 2021.

For the 2026 Census of Agriculture, new categories have been added under the commodity questions to identify emerging agricultural products. 

Questions on agricultural practices have been expanded to include environmental practices and environmental sustainability.

The Calgary Stampede is officially underway, along with the rodeo, midway and live entertainment... the event also showcases agriculture and Alberta's ranching history

It's a chance to step back in time and experience life on the farm and ranch, with the Vintage Tractor Pull and Blacksmith showcase;  to the Heavy Horse, Cutting Horse, and Team Cattle Penning competitions; Chuckwagon races, to the Junior Steer Classic, the International Youth Livestock Supreme Championship and Scholarships, the World Stock Dog Championships, and International Livestock Auctioneer Championships.

Waterhemp has been changed to a Tier 2 weed in 28 Manitoba municipalities where the invasive weed is now too established to eradicate

There’s too much waterhemp in parts of Manitoba for total destruction to be feasible in those areas, according to Manitoba Agriculture.

The invasive species has been downgraded from a Tier 1 to a Tier 2 noxious weed in 28 municipalities where it has dug a foothold, Manitoba Agriculture has said.

Industry is applauding the federal government’s progress toward a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank after it awarded supply contracts to two companies.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogenesis Bago SA will supply vaccine products and develop the vaccine bank.

Canadian Cattle Association Saskatchewan director and former Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president Garner Deobald, who formerly worked for Boehringer, said both companies are well respected and were good choices.

“I think it is important, for sure, to be ready,” he said.

County of Newell takes over Crop Diversification Centre South and hopes to attract dozens of tenants for the $100 million facility

Like the mighty Phoenix, the County of Newell is hoping the Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks, Alta., will rise from the ashes and regain the prominence it once had in agricultural research.

June brought its share of thunderstorm activity to the Prairies.

The Canadian Crop Hail Association says mid-June thunderstorms damaged crops across Western Canada, dropping pea- to toonie-sized hail.
 
CCHA member companies are investigating more than 900 claims of crop damage from hailstorms that occurred June 13-20. The majority of the claims were filed in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Farmers have been out evaluating crop damage to determine the impact, as some crops can recover depending on the damage and the stage of the crop.

With the grazing season underway there are some things producers can look at to help gauge the health of their rangelands. One indicator is the species composition; this includes which species and types of plants you are seeing as well as amount of each species. 3 terms that we often hear when talking about range health are decreaser, increaser, and invader which can be used to describe how plants respond to grazing pressure.

Company works with the Farming Smarter Association as it searches for options other than the century-old Russet Burbank variety

Russet Burbank has been the go to potato variety for Canadian farmers and consumers.

This year, McCain Foods in Chin, Alta., has entered a corporate partnership with the Farming Smarter Association to explore the viability of other varieties in its food processing plant for farmers to consider.

Farming Smarter is using one of its commercial plots to do a research trial growing four varieties using six treatments.

One-time grant from Alberta government to help applied research associations upgrade equipment, facilities and infrastructure

Alberta’s government has provided a one-time grant of $3.2 million to 12 applied research associations across the province.

This capital funding will enable the research associations to upgrade equipment, facilities and infrastructure.

With the additional funding, the research associations will be able to address pressing capital equipment issues.