Agripod

A new study from the Environmental Working Group has determined that 80 per cent of Americans are regularly exposed to the plant growth regulator chlormequat. It is used to control growth in grain crops such as oats, wheat, and barley in order to make them easier to harvest. Terry Tyson is the General Manager of Grain Millers Canada in Yorkton, Sask. He provides his take on the situation and...

Manitoba producers are welcoming action taken by the provincial government to cushion the impact on agriculture of the escalating Canada United States trade war.  On August 22nd a 50 percent U.S. tariff took effect on a broad range of Canadian imports prompting the Government of Canada to announce dollar-for-dollar retaliatory countertariffs to take effect September 8th. Cam Dahl, the General...

A research scientist with the Prairie Swine Centre suggests providing pigs with rooting materials they can chew will reduce the risk of tail biting. Tail biting is an abnormal behavior where one pig chews or bites the tail of a pen mate, raising the risk for reduced weight gain, increased carcass condemnations, higher risk of disease and even mortality.  Dr. Jen-Yun Chou says tail biting is a...

Honey is one of the products being hit by US tariffs. 15 to 20 per cent of Canada's honey heads south of the boarder. We'll hear from two honey producers - Simon Lalonde and Luke Moore about the tariffs and how the honey crop is looking for 2026. AND There are some parts of Saskatchewan that have been hit particularly hard by an outbreak of bertha army worms. Dr. James Tansey, Provincial Insect an...

Ag in Motion (AIM) is Western Canada’s largest outdoor agricultural trade show and farm expo. It takes place every July at Innovation Acres near Langham about 15 minutes northwest of Saskatoon. It is a huge outdoor agricultural exhibition where farmers can see equipment, crops and technology in action, rather than simply looking at displays in exhibition halls. Over the course of the three d...

Researchers have discovered new information about how phosphorus from recycled materials moves through soil. Phosphorus is essential for plant growth, yet many soils do not contain enough of it to support healthy crops. In this recent international study, researchers examined how phosphorus from these recycled fertilizers behaves in different soil types over time. Using advanced scientific tools,...

To enhance the ability of pork producers to be prepared to respond to a foreign animal disease outbreak, the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board in partnership with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Animal Health Emergency Management project has released a mass euthanasia and disposal producer guide. Sask Pork Producer Services Manager Karolina Steinerova talks about the plan and tr...

There has been a lot of discussion surrounding a pesky weed called kochia. Wind helps spread the tumbleweed longer distances and there are more reports of herbicide resistant kochia. The seed banks are only viable for three years, but it has been discovered forages can compete with kochia in low-lying marginal areas. Ducks Unlimited Extension Agrologist Jodie Horvath says DU sponsored research pro...

When it comes to the various cuts of pork, consumer preferences have changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Since COVID consumers have been contending with steadily increasing food prices. Hubert Muckel, a retired southwestern Manitoba butcher-meat cutter who retired in 2023 after working more than 50 years, estimates food prices have approximately doubled over the past four years. The price...

A well-known Environment Canada Meteorologist will soon be calling it a career. Terri Lang will retire after 36 years at the national weather office. She'll talk about the changes in weather gathering that have occurred over her time and some of the most interesting weather events she has been able to cover. AND An animal science professor with Colorado State University says when it comes to healt...

The United States confirmed it was not going to renew the Canada-US-Mexico agreement in its current form for another 16 years. Farm Credit Canada is one of many groups paying extra attention to the July 1st deadline. In preparation, FCC released a report in June on what would happen if the agreement were not renewed. FCC Vice-president and Chief Economist Craig Johnston says included in the report...

The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recognizes meat as nutritious, and a food item Americans should be prioritizing at every meal. The document is published every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and serves as the official blueprint for federal nutrition policies, education programs, and food assistance ini...

Visitors from across Canada and Switzerland travelled to Northeast Saskatchewan to learn more about sustainable agriculture practices. The group, Nature United, is the Canadian affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization with more than a million members. Kris Babbings, the president of Collective Impact, lead the tour. He talks about the importance of how the tour gave...

Provisions will be included in the U.S. House of Representatives version of the Farm, Food and National Security Act to address feral swine. The bill now awaits action in the Senate, where the Senate Agriculture Committee is drafting its own version. National Pork Producers Council CEO Bryan Humphreys at World Pork Expo in Des Moines, says feral swine have become a real problem that needs to be ad...

Manitoba Pork is calling for the creation of strategic plan for dealing with trade. General manager Cam Dahl says in the wake of the recent U.S. election, the federal government needs to develop a national strategy for agriculture and food trade particularly as Canada heads into the 2026 review of the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement. AND Protein Industries Canada is looking for companies that can ble...

The planned closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre places Canadian research programing at risk. In January, as part of a broader federal mandate to reduce the size of the public service, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced the imminent closure of several research facilities. Dr. Stuart Smyth, a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the Univers...

The conflict that has affected the movement of goods through the Straight of Hormuz has resulted in reduced fertilizer availability leading to reduced grain production and shortages of food. As the result of trade friction and global conflict Canadian farmers are facing increased uncertainty. Florian Possberg says the pork sector has enjoyed relatively low feed costs but there is some real concern...

Corteva Agriscience announced its new brand, Trusource™ wheat, a high fiber durum that can help meet consumers’ needs for increased dietary fiber through use in high-volume foods such as pasta. Trusource wheat will be available to food companies to trial in product development and evaluation in late 2024, with North American commercialization plans for farmers to be announced in the co...

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) launches a new strategic plan with a new focus on priorities with the greatest impact on pulse growers in Saskatchewan, looking ahead to 2030.  SPG Executive Director Carl Potts explains the plan is built on direction from its ninemember Board of Directors-made up of farmers. The new plan highlights four key focus areas. AND The Saskatchewan Association of Rur...

Cargill announced its newest canola processing facility west of Regina is in operation. Jeff Vassart the President of Cargill Canada says in the months leading up to this week, they were already taking in canola as part of the commissioning process. AND If you want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes operation of a farm, then Saskatchewan Open Farm Days might just be for you. Coordinator Ash...

Given the high prices of fertilizer, what would influence farmers to change their seeding plans? That's a question Farm Credit Canada explored with an analysis on swing acres and which crops could see the most change between now and when seeding begins. FCC senior economist Lee Anderson talks about fertilizer prices, its effect on some of those decisions, and how that has all happened since the co...

Computer based artificial intelligence is offering new insights into animal welfare. A new tool being developed by the University of Saskatchewan is using A.I.at the abattoir. The University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed an automated swine welfare assessment system consisting of a digital security camer...

The Vice-President of the Canadian Fuels Association says diesel prices are currently at historical levels in Canada. Carol Montreuil has observed a lot of places across the country have diesel prices above $2.00 a litre with some in the range of $2.25 to $2.50 a litre. He says that's not the case yet in Saskatchewan but the trend, given the conflict in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormu...

Canada ranks number three in the world for herbicide resistant weeds, only behind the United States and Australia. The last extensive survey in Saskatchewan occurred in 2019-2020 and estimated producer losses due to herbicide resistant weeds at $340 million per year. It found that green foxtail, volunteer canola, wild oat, wild buckwheat and kochia were the biggest concerns.  The top instance...

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. AND Prot...