Ag News

It's been a busy few weeks for hail adjusters with some major storms moving through the Prairies leaving a trail of crop and property damage. 

Scott McQueen, President of the Canadian Crop Hail Association says we may have had a slow start but in the last few weeks we've seen an increase in storm activity.

While McQueen didn't have total claim numbers available at the time of the interview, he notes in one week (July 25 - 31) they've had more than 1200 claims of crop damage reported between Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG) says soybeans are continuing to set and fill pods.

MPSG Production Specialist Jennifer McCombe-Theroux gave us an update.

"Most fields ranging from the R4 stage, where pods are three quarters of an inch long at one of the top four nodes, to R5, the beginning seed stage. We are seeing and hearing of soybean aphids across the province, with some at spraying thresholds. Grasshoppers are also continuing to be a challenge in some fields and will need to continue to be monitored."

She also commented on field peas.

The National Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) is being presented tonight as part of the Canadian Cattle Association's Semi-Annual Meetings in British Columbia.

TESA recognizes producers who go above and beyond standard industry conservation practices, and set positive examples for other cattle producers and the general public.

Producers are nominated at a Provincial level with the winners moving on to the National Award with this year's nominees representing B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

Many producers around the area are very familiar with a tiny, hard-shelled pest called a Flea Beetle, known for feasting on a range of different garden vegetables and some crops in the field.

Flea Beetles are very small, black, bronze, bluish or brown to metallic gray. Some species have stripes and all species have large back legs which they use for jumping.

Lately, around Shaunavon there appears to be a big increase in the Flea Beetle population.

The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) says growers who give canola crops time for all seeds to reach maturity can see a 10 per cent increase in yield. Agronomy Specialist Shawn Senko recommends swathing when the main stem shows at least 60 per cent seed colour change. 

Canadian Pacific Railway has announced a new two-year collective agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) - Train and Engine following binding arbitration.

The new agreement includes a 3.5 percent wage increase in 2022 and 2023 and increased benefits. 

Under the arbitration decision, the TCRC will also join a CP pension improvement account. 

The new collective agreement runs through 2023.   

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference represents approximately 3,000 locomotive engineers, conductors, train and yard workers across Canada.

Manitoba's winter wheat harvest is underway.

Alex Griffiths is an agrologist with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

The Canadian beef industry is making progress on the 2020-24 National Beef Strategy.

The Strategy was designed to take advantage of the opportunities facing the industry while simultaneously addressing the challenges. The first two years of the strategy have been dominated by COVID restrictions, drought, and feed shortages.

Written by Ally Paige

The Saskatchewan prairies are a gold mine for farmers, accounting for more than 40 per cent of Canada's cultivated farmland.  

With such a high portion of the province working in the farming industry, it is essential that support be readily and easily available for farmers in need.  

Summary

Insects: Insects of greatest concern currently are aphids in small grain cereals and soybeans, and grasshoppers. Insecticides have been applied for soybean aphid in some fields in Eastern and Central Manitoba. High populations of aphids are present in some fields of wheat, oats and barley, with insecticides applications occurring. There has been some spraying for Lygus bugs in canola in the Swan Valley area of the Northwest.