Agripod

Wild pigs have been an issue in Canada over the last 25 years, but a simple looking trap may be part of the solution to the problem. Called the "Pig Brig", it's big net that is 20-feet in diameter, which can be set up by one person in about an hour. To catch them, a pig simply walks underneath the mesh and once they're in, there is no way out. It's also portable so it can fit into a backpack. Aaro...

A successful canola crop needs a lot of nitrogen, which is why nitrogen has A-list status. That same successful crop also depends on a strong supporting cast - phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and micronutrients. Canola council of Canada agronomy specialist Warren Ward says farmers will benefit from soil tests, yield history and economics to determine how much fertilizer their canola needs. Protein...

Each year, a survey is conducted in late May through early June to track the movement of pea leaf weevil throughout Saskatchewan. Provincial insect specialist James Tansey says the pest is on the move with northern and eastern Saskatchewan experiencing the worst infestations.   A new pulse processing plant is coming to Saskatchewan. Louis Dreyfus Company announced a new pea protein isolate product...

CN Rail signed a deal to purchase Iowa Northern Railway. The Iowa Northern operates 275 miles of track that connects to CN's U.S. rail network.  David Przednowek, the Assistant Vice President of Grain for CN Rail, says they are very excited about the transaction as Iowa Northern is a great rail property with a very heavy agricultural focus. The United Kingdom announced the suspension of talks afte...

Researchers are looking at biomarkers as an indicator of animal welfare. Biological markers are observable characteristics that can be measured to determine whether an animal is in a state of good health and well being. Darian Pollock is a PhD candidate in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She says the objec...

Baiting and trapping is proving to be the most effective method for controlling wild pigs. The Coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba Dr Wayne Lees says this is the best way to eliminate them from the landscape. He says wild pigs are a pest as they can contaminate water sources, damage natural habitats and farm crops, and can spread different diseases to commercial and small-scale livestock. Dr. ...

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine's three year Foreign-Trained Veterinarian Swine Medicine Residency Certification program is opening more doors for vets. The program, one of four pillars of the University of Saskatchewan's swine medicine advancement, recruitment and training or SMART program, targets internationally trained veterinarians who are working in non-veterinary roles in the Can...

The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women has been focusing on some of the specific issues rural women face on a day-to-day basis. Rural connectivity was discussed at a recent committee meeting. Saskatchewan farmer and rancher Adrienne Ivey had a chance to share her challenges with internet and cell phone service and how it impacts the family and farming operation. Farmer Jake...

Autosteer is a form of precision agriculture most farmers use . . . but the toolbox is growing rapidly due to new technology. Don Campbell is a Field Smart Agronomist at Western Sales in Rosetown, Sask. He says precision agriculture aims to optimize each region of the field and create maximum return on investment. Campbell says precision agriculture technology is improving every year. It's a brown...

Do More Ag Foundation says more and more farmers are reaching out and asking for help because of the devastating effects of drought. The dry and hot conditions have impacted both the cattle and grain side. Executive Director Adele Stewart says farmers need to be supported and encouraged to take care of their mental well being now and, in the days, to come. I talked to Adelle last fall about the wo...

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture released its 2023 Grasshopper Survey. While parts of west-central Saskatchewan seemed to be a hot spot there was significant and damaging grasshopper populations seen in Central, Southwest, and far Southeastern regions. Dr. James Tansey, provincial Insect/Pest Management specialist talks about population density, concerns about the unusually warm fall and i...

A Saskatchewan teenager was able to share her love for the sport of cutting horses during a recent livestock show in Regina. The sport involves a horse and a rider trying to separate one animal from a herd of cattle. Zoe Schellenberg not only participates in the sport but is also the youth director for Saskatchewan, for the National Cutting Horse Association. She was instrumental in getting virtua...

  Manitoba Ag Days is a three-day show held in January in Brandon that highlights agriculture production, technology, and equipment and attracts exhibitors and visitors from across Canada and the United States. The Keystone Centre is the home to the trade show that showcases new and unique products and guest speakers. Terese Vallotton is the media coordinator for AG Days. She shares what's new at...

An Edmonton based veterinary consultant believes by improving the design of the loadout, pork producers can improve the biosecurity of their farms and reduce the risk of disease transmission. Dr. Julia Keenliside says the loadout is the area of the barn where finisher pigs or cull sows or isoweans or sometimes deadstock are loaded onto the truck. Sometimes animals will enter the barn through the l...

The Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon was the location of an award-winning film on regenerative agriculture. Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association hosted the premiere of the documentary "Common Ground" earlier this month. Derek Axten is the president of SaskSoil. He says the film examines the benefits of healthy soil and its impact on climate AND he hopes it is the jumping off point for meaningfu...

I’m away this week.  Here’s one of my favourite episodes to tide you over until I’m back. Agriculture technology is helping to fight COVID-19 and play a role in preparations for future pandemics. A recent article in Nature Biotechnology said the current pandemic shows the need to mobilize efforts on a large scale to ramp up diagnostics and testing. The lead author is Steve Webb, chief executive of...

The federal government has announced $219 million for its 60 per cent share of an AgriRecovery payment targeted at livestock producers in areas of Western Canada impacted by drought. Saskatchewan committed its 40 per cent two months ago. The “Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program” will cover 70 per cent of extraordinary costs related to feed purchase and transportation costs, as well as pasture rentals...

Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan wants direct discussion among farmers and consumers saying it is a key step toward building trust. Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says this organizations’ goal is encourage more farmers to get out there and talk to others about what they do. He'll share what some of the consequences are for not sharing those stories. Fifteen farm families have worked through the...

Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan wants direct discussion among farmers and consumers saying it is a key step toward building trust. Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says this organizations’ goal is encourage more farmers to get out there and talk to others about what they do. He'll share what some of the consequences are for not sharing those stories. Fifteen farm families have worked through the...

Genesis Fertilizers is a partnership that will be majority owned by Western Canadian farmers to build a urea production and distribution facility to be located at Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan, and a network of seven storage and distribution facilities across the three Prairie provinces. One of those distribution centers will be in Northeast Saskatchewan at Tisdale. This proposed project, if complete...

The Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health located at the University of Saskatchewan has received an anonymous, $1.5-million donation to fund the purchase and operating costs of a new mobile unit that will travel around rural Saskatchewan. Centre Director Dr. Shelly Kirchuk and Kendra Ulmer, the manager of the Agricultural Health and Safety Network will talk about the work of the rural...

Disease transmission is always a risk when transporting livestock around Canada, and it can have devastating consequences not only on individual farms, but entire industries. But the CEO of Farm Health Guardian is tackling the issue of biosecurity head-on to reduce the risk of disease spread. Rob Hannam explains the new bio-security system.   A cattle producer from Piapot, Sask.  says she wasn't e...

A report released by Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests the declining number of mid-sized farms in Canada jeopardises the rural institutions that have traditionally supported farms and farm families. The report explores the potential consequences of the decline in the number of small and, especially, medium-sized farms. Research Lead Dr. Al Mussell will share the results of the report how it impa...

Saskatchewan's sheep breeding flock is the fourth largest in Canada. There are approximately 800 producer members across the province with a breeding flock totaling approximately 60,000 breeding ewes. Sask Sheep Executive Director Gordon Schroeder shares more on the industry in the province and potential for growth.  Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation paid out $60.4 million under the Forage R...

The Swine Health Information Center has five new research projects approved for funding under the $2.3 million Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program. The initiative was launched to enhance biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest of phase of pork production. Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says five institutions, including Lowe Consulting, Pipestone Research, Texas Tech University,...