Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald visits Saskatchewan to meet with producers
Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald recently spent Friday and Saturday touring Saskatchewan.
During his visit, he had an opportunity to talk with producers and stakeholders about key agricultural issues and concerns and the potential opportunities that exist within the industry today and in the future.
Growing Knowledge: WADO Field Day returns with crop trials, student innovation, and expert iInsights
Manitoba Agriculture is ramping up for their annual Field Day through the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) in Melita scheduled for Thursday, July 17th.
Applied Research Specialist, Scott Chalmers, says they're looking forward to sharing their test plot studies on a variety of crops and varieties.
"We're bringing back our touring buses for people to ride in comfort as we travel from field to field," he explains. "But we're looking forward to having a great day at this year's Field Day once again."
From Fields to Fundraisers: New Foodgrains Rep Dale Friesen embraces diverse initiatives and shares the invite
Manitoba and northern Ontario rep (all the way to Thunder Bay) for Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Dale Friesen, has been making the rounds, touring across his region to meet and greet partner Foodgrains communities and learn more about their projects.
Friesen stepped into the role upon the retirement of former rep, Gordon Janzen. He says the first 5 months of this new position has been great in getting to know the folks behind the projects.
Virden's Brennin Jack claims Reserve Champion at World Livestock Auctioneering Championship
He sold his first million-dollar pre-sort cattle sale in Kelvington, Saskatchewan at just 12 years old and hasn't looked back!
Last week, Branch Manager at Heartland Livestock Services in Brandon, Brennin Jack won the Reserve Champion at the World Livestock Auctioneering Championship in Iowa, placing second in the 30-competitor lineup. The Livestock Marketing Association convention was held in Omaha, Nebraska with the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship being held at Dunlap Livestock Auction in Dunlap, Iowa.
Eyes on the Ground: What to watch for as June turns to July
Applied Research Crop Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Scott Chalmers, calls this spring's seeding season a 'split start', but in the end we're off to a great start!
"So, we had an early start. A lot of people seeded their serials and corn nice and early, and then we had that soggy May long weekend, which was perfect because, you know, when it decided to rain it sure rained and we ended up with 2 1/2 to 3 inches in the area, which laid kind of a really nice foundation for seeding our shallow and expensive crops like canola for example," explains Chalmers.
Canada's first FMD vaccine bank is another step closer
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious and severe disease that affects cattle, sheep, swine, and other cloven-hoofed animals making it hard for them to eat and walk, leaving them weak and sick.
The FMD vaccine bank builds on existing protections for the livestock industry and equips producers with another tool to control and eliminate the disease should an outbreak occur.
Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over five years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the CFIA to establish the FMD vaccine bank and response plans.
Physiological Leaf Spot is showing up in Southern Alberta
Physiological Leaf Spot is suspected in a number of winter wheat fields in Southern Alberta.
Physiological leaf spot (PLS) appears as round or oval lesions that may be yellow or bleached white to gray in color. Lesions may also have a dark center with a narrow chlorotic (yellow) halos and tend to be more numerous toward the tip of the leaf blade. PLS lesions are often found in the upper canopy, and missing or rare on lower leaves.
Three Factors Favoring Physiological Leaf Spot (PLS):
Pulse sector fights anti-green trend
U.S. president Trump has attacked the sustainability movement, but a major pulse player urges investors to stick with the industry
A Canadian food industry executive is telling pulse companies to stick with their sustainability messaging despite attempts by powerful people to undermine the movement.
Murad Al-Katib, president of AGT Food and Ingredients, said U.S. president Donald Trump has been very vocal about his disdain for the green movement.
Wood Mountain couple win the 2025 Saskatchewan Stock Grower TESA
Mark and Karin Elford of Wood Mountain ranch near the Saskatchewan/Montana border, and have been named the Saskatchewan Stock Growers 2025 TESA winners.
Since 1996, TESA, or The Environmental Stewardship Award, has recognized producers who go above and beyond standard industry conservation practices and set positive examples for other cattle producers and the general public.
CN deploying Poseidon and Trident to help fight the wildfires
The ongoing wildfire situation stretches from northern Ontario right across the prairies, with the threat to homes and communities and thousands of people being evacuated.
The Assistant Vice-President of Grain for CN, David Przednowek, says they are monitoring the situation very closely as their rail lines run through the north.
CN reports they've had some delays moving grain in and out of the Port at Thunder Bay but are also doing what they can to help with the wildfires.