Ag News

Researchers at Dalhousie University believe the food inflation rate in Canada may have already peaked.

Statistics Canada reported the rate was 8.8% in June, which is still higher than the general inflation rate.

Janet Music is the Research Program Coordinator at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions has made a contribution of $500,000 to STARS.

The announcement was made this week at the STARS base in Saskatoon.

The donation will be used by STARS for mission operations as well as to help purchase medically equipped Airbus H145 helicopters at a cost of $13 million each. The new helicopters will help STARS deliver vital care to patients across the Prairies and parts of British Columbia for the next 30 years or more.

An event was held Tuesday in Winnipeg to mark the 50th anniversary of Cereals Canada.

Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau was on-hand along with several international customers of Canadian wheat.

“For half a century, Cereals Canada has supported the value chain by working with both government and stakeholders to provide timely, expert technical information, and to deliver a best-in-class customer experience,” said Cereals Canada CEO Dean Dias.

A fundraising auction and concert during Ag in Motion  raised nearly $300,000 for STARS.

The Field of STARS gala has raised more than $1.7 million dollars since 2018.

This years event featured Juno and CCMA award winning recording artist Jess Moskaluke and Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Major.

Show Manager Rob O'Conner says the agriculture sector recognizes the vital role STARS plays for farmers and producers. 

Agriculture Minister Nate Horner is at the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Agriculture Minister's Conference in Saskatoon this week. 

He's cautiously optimistic heading into the discussions around the next ag policy framework. 

"We've been a long ways apart on a few things, some things the provinces desperately want to see in the deal. We haven't had any of those formal talks yet, but we're still optimistic. We're hearing rumblings from the Federal Minister's team that some of our conditions may be able to be reached."

Forward hog contract prices are on the upswing.

Tyler Fulton is Director of Risk Management with Hams Marketing Services.

"They're actually about as good as they've been in the last month and a half," he said. "Forward contracts have appreciated by about 15 per cent over the course of that month and a half. Probably, I would say, depending on the time frame, on average, profitable, even with high commodity prices right now."

He notes cash prices for hogs are all over the board.

Tuesday marked the return of Western Canada's largest outdoor farm expo.

Farmers and exhibitors seemed happy to be back in the field at Langham, this years show features 543 exhibitors spread out over 100 acres.

Organizers for Ag in Motion were pleased with attendance on the first day of the show after more than two years.

One of the highlights for the event is the celebration of some of the new and novel innovations in agriculture with the TD Agricultural Services Innovation Program.

In the latest crop report, Manitoba Agriculture says strong winds with recent thunderstorms were the primary driver of lodging events in spring wheat, oats, winter cereals, as well as some canola and corn crops. 

Farmers expect most crops to recover, but dense, lodged crop canopy can encourage rapid disease infection and associated yield losses.

Warm temperatures, high humidity, and frequent rain and unstable weather has elevated risk for many fungal diseases. 

Many crops have been, or will be sprayed with a fungicide, as application is widespread.

Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Agriculture ministers are meeting in Saskatoon this week.

The clock is ticking to finalize the next Ag Policy Framework with current programs set to expire March 31, 2023.

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie Claude Bibeau says the discussions are moving forward in the right direction.

"I'm hopeful that we will reach a consensus for the cost share portion of the new partnership agreement, in the way that will reach the objectives that we have jointly agreed to (in the Guelph Statement)."

Forward hog contract prices are on the upswing.

Tyler Fulton is Director of Risk Management with Hams Marketing Services.

"They're actually about as good as they've been in the last month and a half," he said. "Forward contracts have appreciated by about 15 per cent over the course of that month and a half. Probably, I would say, depending on the time frame, on average, profitable, even with high commodity prices right now."

He notes cash prices for hogs are all over the board.