Ag News

The province’s Rat Control Program has helped make it one of the few rat-free zones in the world

Alberta is marking 75 years of rat-free status.

An aggressive control program had made it the largest inhabited area in the world that is free of true rats.

There is no resident population of rats, and the rodents are not allowed to establish themselves.

A revolutionary piece of agricultural technology is making waves in the fields of southern Saskatchewan. The NEXAT, a multi-functional farming system manufactured in Germany, has arrived at Chute Farms Joint Venture at Moose Jaw.

Rhett Chute says NEXAT reached out to them earlier in the summer to see if they would be interested in trying the prototype, and they were able to reach an agreement.

As harvest operations begin across the prairies, CN Rail is monitoring the impact of weather on the harvest and working with customers as it prepares to ramp up grain movement. 

David Przednowek,Vice President of Grain for CN Rail says with the seasonal decline that they usually see in shipping, they move some of the hopper car fleet into long-term storage, and it's time to bring them back out and get them ready to roll.

Farmers are working on bringing in the harvest as the weather cooperates.

Last week's hot, dry weather also brought its share of thunderstorm activity with strong winds and hail which caused some lodging in crops. The Nipawin area had the most rainfall, with 42 mm, followed by the North Battleford and Consul areas with 30 mm and 28 mm, respectively. A number of other areas around the province are also seeing some scattered showers.

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson has announced an increase in the lending limit on the Feeder Associations Loan Guarantee Program (FALGP).

Locally owned feeder associations utilize the program for low-interest financing backed by a government guarantee. Through the program feeder associations help livestock producers get financing to buy animals and grow their herds.

Producer, Dustin Lamb says the program played a huge part in his decision to return to the family farm and will be instrumental in keeping it going.

The province is once again giving livestock producers on crown land the opportunity to apply for the Crown Grazing Lease Rental Reduction Program.

Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison says, given the dry conditions throughout most of the grazing season, they are once again offering the program for producers.

"Crown grazing land lessees who have reduced the number of animals grazing on the land are eligible to apply (by the October 31st deadline) for a rent reduction for the 2025 grazing season.To be eligible, the lessee must reduce their stocking rate by 20 per cent."

Canada changed its BSE surveillance after lower global incidence of ‘mad cow disease’ led to international standards shift

Canada’s agency for food safety is encouraged with cattle industry response to a new, more farmer-friendly approach to BSE surveillance.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) updated national bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) surveillance program — put in place earlier this year to meet new international standards — has received 152 samples of risk material as of Aug. 11, it recently said.

Massive storm in southeastern Alberta causes significant damage to crops and reported deaths of livestock

The numbers are still coming in for the cost of the damage caused by a huge hail storm that hit various areas of Alberta Aug. 20.

The storm ripped its way through vast swaths of land from Cayley, Milo and Brooks to the Saskatchewan border, as well as Camrose to the Viking, Edberg, Sedgewick, and Hughenden areas.

Manitoba Agriculture released its latest weekly crop report on Tuesday, offering a snapshot of harvest progress and crop conditions across the province. Cereal crop specialist Anne Kirk, who is compiling the reports this month, says harvest operations are moving forward despite recent weather challenges.

Lead poisoning impacts cattle in Saskatchewan every year, potentially killing multiple animals in a herd. Not only is there the concern associated with losing cattle, but there is also potential for lead to enter the food chain – because of this, testing is required in lead poisoning cases to protect public health.