Ag News

Protein Industries Canada is looking for someone to take over its top role. 

Bill Greuel, who has been CEO of the organization since it was created in October of 2018, is leaving. He has accepted the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture with the Government of Saskatchewan. is last day with Protein Industries Canada will be July 31,2024.

The board will announce the appointment of an interim CEO in the coming weeks while the search for a permanent CEO is underway.

Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is looking to fill a number of vacancies on its four crop committees.

Nominations are now being accepted for delegates to fill four open positions on each of the corn, flax, and sunflower committees, as well as five open positions on the wheat and barley committees.

CEO Pam de Rocquigny says they take great pride in the collaborative, farmer-driven nature of our organization.

The WADO Field Day is coming up in mid-July with a welcome addition to their day lineup.  

"We have two buses ordered so that means we can have about 100 people come," says Applied Research Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Scott Chalmers.  "We've decided to not just stay in one place this year. Where we usually have a tent, we're going to have a bus tour and go to multiple sites." 

Charolais breeders from around the globe are in Canada for the World Charolais Congress.

The last time the World Congress was in Canada was in 2006 when it was held in Alberta.

Helge By, President of Charolais Charbray International says this year they wanted to show their International visitors more of Canada, and a chance to see the breed on farm by  visiting more producer operations.

On the Canadian side of the border, traceability is front and center," says Rick Wright, Executive Administrator for the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association.

Wright attended the 2024 Livestock Marketing Association Annual Convention in Oklahoma City a couple of weeks ago.  He says the first publication of the new regulations on full traceability have been published in the Canada Gazette, with expectations for the new regulations to come into full effect in January of 2026.  

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay has announced over $2 million for Canada's organic industry.

The Canada Organic Trade Association will receive over $1.1 million to facilitate the growth of the organic sector by resolving market access issues, ensuring Canadian organic products are competitive, building export capacity, and developing domestic opportunities. 

Executive Administrator for the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association, Rick Wright, attended the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Convention in Oklahoma City earlier this month.

The LMA Annual Convention is the premiere annual gathering of the livestock marketing industry with livestock auction market owners, dealers, auctioneers, and others involved in the livestock marketing industry.  This is a time to network, learn from keynote speakers, share innovative ideas and support the cattle industry as a whole. 

Thursday was a busy day in the Bernie Kemick Arena as Frontier Day's activities kicked off in the Livestock Area. 

4-Her's from around the Southwest took part in the 4H Regional Judging Competition.

The top eight qualifying senior members will represent the region at the Provincial Judging Competition.  

There was strong competition in the show ring with the Junior Breed Show, Purebred, Crossbred and All Breed Championships.

Steele Sylvestre of Coronach and her heifer "Smurfette" a polled hereford won the Junior Breed Show.

Cyle and Erica Stewart from Pine Ranch at Morse have been named Saskatchewan's 2024 Outstanding Young Farmers.

The pair run a commercial cow/calf operation and grass yearlings in the Coteau Hill and have been dealing with a severe drought for the last seven years.

The couple are constantly looking at ways to learn and improve their production practices from soil health to cattle nutrition and low stress handling.

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) held its official groundbreaking ceremony this week in Yorkton as it starts construction on a new pea protein isolate production plant.

The new plant will be located next to the company's current LDC canola crushing facility.

The company says the new pea protein isolate production facility is expected to be ready by the end of 2025, and will employ about 60 people.