Ag News

Over the last few years there's been more of an emphasis put on the importance of monitoring your mental health and learning how to deal with and limit stress.

Life on the farm or ranch can be highly stressful Lesley Kelly understands it all to well as a farmer and a strong advocate for mental health and agriculture.

She says we think of a stressful harvest, or the stress of moving animals, etc, but sometimes stress can be more than a season.

The return to warmer weather is helping the railways clear some of the backlog after the slowdown in grain movement during the recent cold snap.

Elizabeth Hucker, CPKC's assistant vice president of sales and marketing for bulk says that extreme cold dipped as far as Louisiana, and covered much of CPKC's network. 

She says operations slowed due to the cold, but thanks to their experienced crews they were able to keep things moving.

Last week the federal and provincial levels of governments announced a $1.5 million investment to the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) for the FarmSafe Manitoba program, to promote safe and healthy farm operations in Manitoba.

Trade negotiations between Canada and the U.K. are at a standstill after the U.K. suspended talks last week.

The President of the Canadian Cattle Association Nathan Phinney says he's disappointed with the halt in negotiations, adding that Canadian beef exports into the area is a key issue right now.

MP's are back to work today in Ottawa following the Christmas break.

Over the last few weeks, MPs have been spending time in their ridings meeting with their constituents to discuss their concerns.

They'll be raising those concerns with their colleagues back in Ottawa.

A key issue for the agriculture sector and one of the first Bills expected to hit the floor this week for discussion is Bill C-234.

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association held its semi-annual meeting during the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference this week.

The membership passed seven resolutions including one to address the growing wildlife damage problem that producers are dealing with.

President Garner Deobald says SSGA resolved to lobby Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation to put a monetary value on stockpiled forages-similar to the compensation that is currently available for damaged crops and stack damage. 

The event formerly known as FarmTech is a collaboration of the Alberta Canola, Alberta Grains, and Alberta Pulse Commissions.

Committee Chair Todd Hames says this year's event focuses on "New Ideas and Directions" with presentations on innovation and sustainability, agriculture policy and farm management.

"We're trying to create that environment to have speakers, that encourage conversation and ideas. Then have opportunities during the program to network and share those ideas and thoughts and have the discussion."

The province is opening up the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance initiative to more producers. 

Agriculture Minister RJ Sigurdson says they have expanded the program to include 23 new regions.

“I’m pleased Alberta’s government was able to work with the federal government to expand this financial support to additional regions impacted by severe drought and extreme heat conditions. I will continue to look out for the interests of our hard-working livestock producers.”

The Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference this week also featured several beef industry meetings. 

During the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association Annual General Meeting, producers heard about the organization's activities over the last year.

CEO Grant McLellan says there was a good discussion during the resolution session

Members voted in favor of increasing the provincial portion of the checkoff by $1.50 per head starting April 1, 2025.

The provincial portion of the checkoff is currently $2.00 per head which is where it's been since 2012.

Wheatland County in partnership with Rocky View County, Kneehill County, and the County of Newell will be hosting a Drought Resilient Crop Production Workshop at the Strathmore Municipal Library (85 Lakeside Blvd). 

Topics will include understanding soil moisture, soil management for drought resiliency, a practical solutions panel discussion for managing drought conditions, maximizing the use of every inch in irrigation, crop systems for managing drought risk and building farm resiliency.

This workshop will take place on February 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.