Ag News

We've seen a real mix of weather on the Prairies this week, from rain in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to snow in Alberta.

Farmers all across the prairies have been really hoping to see wetter weather this spring to help alleviate the drought conditions that we've seen in many areas over the last few years.

The moisture we've been seeing this week is expected to continue sporadically over the next few days.

Spring seeding activity ground to a halt this week with the rain, but seeding is on par with the five-year average. 

Pulse and Soybean Specialist Dennis Lange puts together the weekly crop report and says seeding is now two per cent complete across the province. 

The most advanced area is in the central region, where about 10 per cent of the crop, mainly cereals and some peas are now in. 

According to Statistics Canada, the 2024 Census Test will begin the following week.

The procedure involves testing the revised census questions and collection methods two years before the next census.

The Census of Population and the Census of Agriculture are scheduled to start collecting data on May 6, 2024, and end in late June. All information gathered will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and will not be shared with third parties or kept for later use.

Do you know an outstanding individual who has made a significant contribution to the agriculture industry in Alberta?

If so, you may want to consider nominating them for Alberta's Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Alberta's Agriculture and Irrigation Branch inducts up to three individuals every two years who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in the ag sector. 

Candidates will have made a significant province-wide impact on the industry.

Since it began in 1951, the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame has recognized 141 individuals

A new alternative protein option is being developed for health-conscious markets.

Protein Industries Canada announced a new project today to bring new protein products to Canadians with special nutritional requirements. 

The project involving Enhanced Medical Nutrition (EMN), Acenzia, and Gruppo Nutrition will create alternative plant-based protein options to meet the quality, sensory, and muscle health benefits of whey protein isolate.

The Canadian Cattle Association is calling for a revision to the 2013 Beef Cattle Code of Practice.

New information, technology, and advancements in the beef sector have occurred since the code was originally released.

As a result, the industry, general public, and other interested individuals are being asked to participate in a top-of-mind survey relating to the welfare of beef cattle.

The information will be used to help in the development of an updated version of the code.

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has released its Volume-Related Composite Price Index (VRCPI) for the railways.

The VRCPI was increased by 5.39  per cent for CN to 1.9281 and 6.49 per cent for CPKC to 1.8760  for the new crop year beginning August 1st.

The index is an inflation factor determined by detailed railway submissions and reflects a composite of the forecasted prices for railway labour, fuel, material, and capital purchases.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Seed Regulatory Modernization Survey is set to wrap up May 1st.

The online survey covering seed crops only opened in February as part of the CFIA's efforts to modernize the Seed Regulations.

The CFIA is looking for input from businesses, farm organizations, the seed and grain sector, farmers, seed growers, analysts, developers, and conditioners.

Anyone interested in variety registration, sampling, testing and grading of seed, or the sale, import and export of seed is encouraged to participate.

Grain movement on CN Rail lines has been fairly consistent over the last few weeks.

CN's Assistant Vice-President of Grain says demand remained strong right through April.

David Przednowek says we haven't seen that seasonal drop-off for seeding, but that could be because spring seeding has been slow to develop.

Farm Credit Canada has been studying farmland rental rates as compared to farmland values.

Data shows the national rent-to-price ratio in 2023 was 2.52%, reflecting a negligible decline from the previous year. 

FCC Senior Economist Justin Shepherd says in 2023 we saw some fairly strong farmland value growth across the prairies, especially in Saskatchewan as well as Manitoba,
while Alberta had a little bit slower growth, but it was still positive.