WestCentral

Rapid seeding progress is being noticed in the fields around west-central Saskatchewan judging by the second local crop report of the year (May 6-12). The region is hovering around the 50 per cent completion mark after the May long weekend, keeping pace with the rest of the province as over half of the province's acreage is seeded as we enter the final ten days of May. 

LEADER, Sask. — A diagnostic tool first introduced in Leader is now being rolled out to more rural Saskatchewan hospitals as part of a provincial push to stabilize emergency services and improve access to care in remote communities.

Point of Care Testing (POCT) devices, which can deliver vital lab results in under 30 minutes, were first piloted in Leader, Maple Creek and Wynyard in 2023. Since then, the technology has helped prevent 91 potential emergency room service disruptions across the province, according to the Saskatchewan government.

Deferred grazing, a practice that involves delaying livestock grazing until after key growing seasons, is a valuable strategy for preserving and enhancing native prairie ecosystems. Unlike continuous or early-season grazing, deferred grazing allows native grasses and forbs the opportunity to complete their life cycles, set seed, and recover from previous disturbances. This approach brings a range of environmental, ecological, and even economic benefits that support both sustainable ranching and grassland conservation. 

Canada needs flexible, farmer-driven standards to guide regenerative agriculture, experts say

With producer and policy interest in regenerative agriculture growing across Canada, policymakers and industry leaders are debating how to standardize the concept without undermining its core principles or grassroots appeal.

Questions around standardization and regulation were front and centre during an April 30 webinar hosted by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.

Alberta's latest crop report shows seeding of major crops is significantly ahead of historical averages. Manglai, product coordinator with Alberta Financial Services Corporation, who helps compile the report, says seeding is now at 47 per cent, well above the five-year average of 26 per cent and the ten-year average of 29 per cent.

Breaking down the regional analysis, the South region leads with 76 per cent of seeding completed, followed by the Central region at 51 per cent  the Northeast at 37 per cent, the Northwest at 29 per cent, and the Peace region at 27 per cent.

The Manitoba government has announced a $1 million partnership to enhance veterinary care services in northern and remote communities, which will include mobile spay and neuter services. Agriculture Minister Ron Kostitsyn emphasized that this funding is a step in the right direction to ensure every animal receives timely and compassionate care.

Leafs and Jets fans might need a few days to simmer, but it's been a fantastic NHL postseason so far.

Only four teams are left in the race for the Stanley Cup: the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and the Edmonton Oilers who are Canada's team once again after both Toronto and Winnipeg lost out in the second round over the weekend. 

Each potential Stanley Cup Final provides some juicy storylines:

Edmonton vs Florida

Rematch.

After officially being opened for the season on May 15, the Riverhurst Ferry is down for repairs. The crossing typically runs from mid-May, until December, and was right on track until the latest repairs announced late Saturday night.

While no timeline was given on the current work, plans are in place to improve the ferry after it was closed throughout parts of the 2024 season for repairs. The Ministry of Highways are planning to shut the crossing down earlier than usual this year, likely early November, as they install a new engine for the ferry.

West Central hockey fans kept a close eye on the Centennial Cup in Calgary May 8-18, Hockey Canada's Junior "A" National Championship.

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