Ag News

Manitoba producers will receive higher Excess Moisture Insurance (EMI) coverage levels as part of the AgriInsurance program for the 2023 crop year, federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced today.

“Extreme weather conditions continue to challenge and threaten the viability of many producers,” said Bibeau. “With the increasing cost of inputs, these enhancements to the AgriInsurance program’s Excess Moisture Insurance will allow for greater coverage in the event of financial losses.”

With few producers reporting an abundance of hay this year many will be stretching these supplies out with straw in their daily rations. Straw can make up a large portion of the ration when hay is in shortage as long as it is accompanied with a concentrate such as oats, barley or grain screenings pellets. It is important to plan an adequate ration as straw does have its limitations when used to feed beef cattle.

A recent review of farmland valuations by Farm Credit Canada shows that demand is still on the rise.

Climbing interest rates and poor growing conditions are likely to be deciding factors in some areas.

In 2022, the FCC said that the average 12-month change as of July was 13.1% in Canada.

For the prairie provinces, that comes out to 5.8% in Alberta, 14.9% in Saskatchewan, and 13.6% in Manitoba.

In comparison, PEI and Ontario exploded in value, with those being at 26.4 and 27.7% respectively.

Agriculture Minister David Marit has proclaimed October 2-8 as Animal Health Week in Saskatchewan in recognition of the high level of care ranchers provide to their livestock, the veterinarian-client relationships that inform animal care decisions, and the links between human and animal health and the environment.

"Saskatchewan producers are rightfully proud of the care they provide to their livestock, and Animal Health Week is a chance for us to learn more about it - both from them and from the veterinarians who do so much to support them," Marit said.

The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is seeking public input to proposed changes to the standards for sustainable beef production and processing that form the foundation of the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework (the Framework).

An online 60- day comment period on the draft updated Standards opens today and runs until December 2, 2022.

Manitoba's Progressive Conservative Caucus is calling on the federal government to abandon its fertilizer reduction strategy.
    
Ian Wishart, MLA for Portage la Prairie, brought forward a private member’s resolution Tuesday, calling on Ottawa to abandon its plan to create what he calls, arbitrary fertilizer reduction targets.

Average farmland values continued to increase in most parts of Canada, despite higher interest rates in the first half of 2022, according to a mid-year review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC).

Average farmland values continued to increase in most parts of Canada, despite higher interest rates in the first half of 2022, according to a mid-year review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC).

The Province's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Stephanie Smith says there is a real shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technologists especially in rural areas.  

She notes in order for Saskatchewan to be fully staffed we need about forty additional veterinarians.

Last month, the province announced it's expanding the eligibility for loan forgiveness for veterinarians and veterinary technologists in a move to encourage more people to look at a career in veterinary medicine and to look at practicing in rural areas.

With harvest winding down and completed in many parts of the province, Saskatchewan is taking the time to show off agriculture producers as October has been proclaimed Agriculture Month in Saskatchewan.

With a long harvest in the rearview mirror for many, a lot of producers will be focused on putting their feet up for a bit, before something else inevitably appears on the farm.

But they'll also be able to attend multiple events being put on throughout the province, which are centered on getting the rest of the province to better understand how food is made.