Okotoks

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is reporting the presence of AI in three non-commercial poultry flocks in Saskatchewan last week, in the RM of Indian Head, the RM of Colonsay, and the RM of Lipton.

To date, one case has been found in a commercial poultry operation in Manitoba in the RM of Wallace.

Previous occurrences have been found in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Most poultry and egg production operations already have biosecurity measures in place, but producers who maintain small flocks, should look at enhancing their on-farm biosecurity measures.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today, following months of the U.S. president targeting Canada with tariffs and taunts.

Carney and Trump will meet at the White House and the prime minister has said he expects "difficult, but constructive" conversations.

Carney has said the meeting will mark the beginning of a larger economic and security agreement between Canada and the United States.

Newly elected Conservatives and returning MPs are set to meet in Ottawa this morning as the party charts its path forward after last week's election loss to the Liberals.

Leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost his bid to continue representing the riding of Carleton after 20 years as the area's MP, will not be in the House of Commons when it opens later this month.

In a video posted on social media Monday afternoon, Poilievre says he has a lot to be thankful for after the election, including an expanded coalition of Conservative voters.

 Alliance will remain a 'standalone' brand under Canterra ownership.

The lone remaining shareholder in a pedigreed seed company formed by a group of independent grain handling companies in Western Canada is selling that business to another Prairie seed firm.

Canterra Seeds announced May 1 it has acquired Alliance Seed for an undisclosed amount, and will continue to operate Alliance as “a standalone brand under Canterra Seeds’ umbrella, with key staff transitioning to maintain continuity and customer relationships.”

SASKATOON — Canada has far fewer green peas than the government is reporting, says an analyst.

“Purely from a price perspective, markets believe the Canadian harvest was smaller than estimated by Statistics Canada,” Stat Publishing noted in a recent article.

Using crop insurance data, a “strong argument” can be made that growers planted 358,000 acres of green peas last year, well below Statistics Canada’s 463,000-acre estimate.

Stat believes the area has been over-reported since 2021.

Root rots are the number one disease issue for pulse crops, significantly impacting pea and lentil fields across the Prairies.  Studies show that the disease which thrives in warm, wet conditions can cause a yield loss of anywhere from 60 to 84 percent.

Last year, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture conducted a pulse disease survey, which focused on the root rot disease complex.

Okotoks Municipal Enforcement (OME) recently initiated a traffic stop, after a vehicle was caught speeding.  

The vehicle was travelling at 113 km/h in a 50 km/h zone on Northridge Drive.  

The driver was issued a summons and must now appear in court.  

“Travelling at these speeds is extremely dangerous,” the Town of Okotoks Facebook page said.  

The provincial government is expanding immunization access to help prevent the spread of measles.  

Alberta health officials have reported 210 confirmed cases of measles to date, with 26 active cases.   

Measles symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a red, blotchy rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts.  

A candlelight vigil is being held in Okotoks on Monday (May 5) evening to honour the victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day festival tragedy in Vancouver on April 26.

It's being held at the Old Towne Plaza at 7 p.m.

A local School Lunch Program just got a needed boost.  

The Okotoks Elks donated $15,000 to the Okotoks School Lunch Program on April 28.  

The program is run out of the United Church and was first started by Coordinators Brian Olson and his wife Shannon 13 years ago.