Glenda Lee Vossler

Drake Meats has announced a significant expansion with the construction of a new federally inspected plant in Saskatoon. This marks the first major expansion for the company, which has been operating out of its original plant in Drake, Saskatchewan.

Drake Meats has announced a significant expansion with the construction of a new federally inspected plant in Saskatoon. This marks the first major expansion for the company, which has been operating out of its original plant in Drake, Saskatchewan.

Farmers have been experiencing rain delays as they work to complete their seeding operations.

Oilseed Specialist Sonia Wilson reports that recent rain events in Manitoba over the past eight days have brought much-needed precipitation to many areas. However, she remains hopeful that producers will soon be able to return to the fields.

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.

As the 2025 crop season begins, farmers across the prairies are already on high alert for potential insect damage. Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist in field crop entomology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provides insights into what farmers might expect this year based on last year's conditions and winter observations.

The Canadian cattle industry is experiencing unprecedented profitability, with cattle prices reaching all-time highs. Despite this positive outlook, there are significant concerns about the ongoing trade war with the United States and its impact on the industry's stability.

Alberta

The St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) is notifying irrigators that they are now accepting water orders.

For the 2025 irrigation season, water allocation will remain at 12 inches at the farm gate based on the recent Irrigation Water Supply Forecast from Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation.

Crews have started flushing lines and are charging the system for water startup, expected to be available across the entire district by May 5th to 9th.

Charlie Mayer, a prominent figure in Canadian agriculture and politics, has passed away at the age of 89. Born in Saskatoon in 1936, Mayer attended the University of Saskatchewan before purchasing a farm in Manitoba in 1965. He grew grain, potatoes, and raised Simmental cattle, becoming active in the Manitoba Beef Growers Association. Mayer played a key role in opposing the introduction of supply management to the beef industry.

Over the years, certain areas in Canada have seen an increase in wild pig populations. Wayne Lees from Squeal on Pigs Manitoba highlights the difficulty in tracking these animals, especially on foot. "In our experience, finding the pigs is the single hardest thing that we have to do. Our situation in Canada is very, very much different than the US under cold climate conditions. We don't have the large numbers of wild pigs that they experience in warmer climates.

The Western Dairy Expo wrapped up Saturday in Saskatoon. 

This year's event featured 200 Holstein and about 60 Jersey cows and heifers and was judged by Paul Trapp a product acquisition specialist with Semex USA out of Wisconsin, and his associate judge Jon Larson.

Some of the highlights from the Holstein Show: