Ag News

The Western Dairy Expo wrapped up Saturday in Saskatoon. 

This year's event featured 200 Holstein and about 60 Jersey cows and heifers and was judged by Paul Trapp a product acquisition specialist with Semex USA out of Wisconsin, and his associate judge Jon Larson.

Some of the highlights from the Holstein Show:

Multi-species cover crops are proving to be a valuable tool in improving soil health and boosting farm productivity, according to ongoing research led by Dr. Bharat Shrestha at Beaverlodge Research Farm. Dr. Shrestha, the biology study lead in soil health and fertility development, is part of a collaborative project under the Peace River Living Lab initiative, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Agricultural Climate Solutions - Living Lab program.

Southern Alberta irrigators enter the growing season with full reservoirs following the much drier conditions of previous years.

Irrigation reservoirs in southern Alberta are looking a lot better than they have in recent years.

“We are going into the year with full reservoirs, which is nice, especially since the snowpack in the mountains is still in that lower quartile,” said Alex Ostrop, chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association (AIDA) and board member of the St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID).

The federal government, provinces, and territories have made a key change to AgriStability that will benefit producers.

Given the pressures and uncertainty facing the agricultural sector, they have agreed to extend the 2025 AgriStability enrolment deadline from April 30th to July 31st.

The extension gives producers more time to evaluate their needs and the potential impact to their farming operation for production losses, increased costs, and changing market conditions. 

This is the second change to the program as farmers deal with tariff issues.

The Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame will officially recognize six outstanding individuals who will be formally inducted into the Hall and honored for their lifetime of achievements and contributions in agriculture. 

Reed Andrew, President of the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame, says this award recognizes a lifetime of commitment, innovation, and plain hard work to help strengthen and grow Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector.

"Congratulations to this year’s inductees; they have made a lasting impact on agriculture and the province as a whole."

Canadian farmers are worried about trade, business risk management and how much attention agriculture is getting from politicians, among other issues, as Canada enters the final countdown before the 2025 federal election.

When it comes to the 2025 federal election, what do farmers from different regions of Canada have in common?

Canadians lose sight of how big their country is — unless, for example, they get to rub shoulders with Europeans who are staggered by the time it takes to drive across a single province.

Agricultural societies in Central Alberta and across the province are getting a significant funding boost from the Government of Alberta to help them manage rising operational costs and invest in long-term sustainability.

The province has announced more than $7.4 million in one-time funding for its seven regional agricultural societies, including those in Red Deer, Camrose, Olds, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Lloydminster and Grande Prairie.

The Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame will officially recognize six outstanding individuals who will be formally inducted into the Hall and honored for their lifetime of achievements and contributions in agriculture. 

Reed Andrew, President of the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame, says this award recognizes a lifetime of commitment, innovation, and plain hard work to help strengthen and grow Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector.

"Congratulations to this year’s inductees; they have made a lasting impact on agriculture and the province as a whole."

Seed treatments can play an important role against disease, helping to give the newly emerging crop a better start.

Dr. Kelly Turkington, a plant pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe says seed treatments can effectively control seed-borne diseases such as Fusarium, spot blotch pathogens in cereals, and loose smut in barley. 

The second annual Canadian Wild Pig Summit is set to take place on April 29th. This virtual event will feature a morning of presentations focusing on wild pig monitoring programs and recommendations from Indigenous communities regarding the Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Strategy.

Organized by Manitoba Pork, Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, and Animal Health Canada, the summit aims to address the growing wild pig population in Western Canada. These animals pose significant dangers to people and livestock and cause considerable environmental damage.