FCC says 2023 crop was the most expensive crop ever for farmers
One of the key stories in 2023 was the economy with higher interest rates and increased costs.
JP Gervais, Farm Credit Canada's vice president and chief economist says the 2023 crop was the most expensive crop farmers have ever put in the ground with higher input costs and lower commodity prices as compared to 2022.
He says those factors had a key impact on farm profitability along with weather-related issues.
Victoria Ave closed due to construction
Victoria Ave between George Street and Henry Street will be closed all day today due to construction.
The public is requested to avoid this area until the construction has been completed.
GSU Locals 1 and 2 to vote on Viterra's latest offer
Two days of mediation and a revised offer from Viterra last week avoided a strike.
Members of the Grain and General Services Union Local 1 and Local 2 will be voting on the revised offer in the days ahead.
The union represents 436 employees with GSU Local 1 representing operations and maintenance, while Local 2 represents Regina Head Office employees.
Hog barn fire claims thousands of pigs
A devastating fire near Cudworth on Thursday night resulted in the loss of thousands of pigs.
The on-site barn manager called in the fire at about 7:00 p.m.
Reeve for the RM of Hoodoo Derreck Kolla says volunteer fire crews from Cudworth and Wakaw responded.
"They were hoping they could do a little more, but the problem was it just moved so fast."
The fire quickly spread through all four barns which were connected by hallways.
Viterra puts forward a new Final Offer to avoid a strike
Viterra has put forward a new Final Offer to the bargaining committee of the Grain and General Services Union.
The offer came in last night following extensive negotiations.
The two sides spent the last two days meeting with a federal mediator.
Viterra's first Final Offer was rejected by GSU members in November (2023).
The elected officers for GSU Locals 1 and 2 are currently reviewing the offer.
The GSU served its 72-hour strike notice on Tuesday and would be in a position to walk out this afternoon.
ASKO Holding acquires majority shares of Buhler Industries
Another key change in Canada's Agricultural Manufacturing sector.
As of December 28th, ASKO Holdings has officially acquired 96.7 per cent of the common shares for Winnipeg-based Buhler Industries.
In July of last year, Buhler known for its Versatile and Farm King brands started looking for a long-term investment partner.
Basak Traktör, a Turkish-based company, and a division of ASKO Holdings has acquired all of the outstanding debt for Buhler in a deal worth $60.5 million Canadian.
Barlow says agriculture has a loot of untapped potential if government gets out of the way
The Conservative Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food says the agriculture industry today has a lot of untapped potential.
John Barlow says things like the carbon tax and regulatory burden are holding agriculture back.
"When it comes to harmonization of regulations, we hear so many times that it's impossible to get new innovations commercialized here in Canada to get approvals. I just think it's a matter of in many cases just getting government out of the way, or government being a partner with agriculture rather than an adversary."
APAS tackles key issues for the ag sector
In 2023, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan released a couple of key reports one of which focused around the rising cost of food.
After a full year of study, consultation, and review APAS released its final report on 'Farmers and Food Prices'.
President Ian Boxall says the report indicated that food prices are not driven by the farm gate.
CRSB updates the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework
The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef has released a comprehensive update to its Certified Sustainable Beef Framework.
A committee representing the whole beef supply chain reviewed all aspects of the Framework with input from stakeholders, subject matter experts, and public consultation.
The Assurance Protocols that guide how certification is carried out have been updated, as have the Chain of Custody Requirements, on how cattle and beef are tracked through the supply chain.
The clock is ticking on a potental strike/walk-out at Viterra facilities in Saskatchewan
Earlier this week the Grain and General Services Union Locals 1 and 2 issued 72-hour strike notice to Viterra.
The union represents 436 employees at Viterra's Regina head office and its other facilities across Saskatchewan.
Key issues for employees relate to fair wages, respect, and improved work-life balance.
Bargaining was set to resume yesterday between the two parties and a government-appointed mediator.
Jordan Jakubowski, VP of Human Resources for Viterra Canada says they remain cautiously optimistic that an agreement will be reached.