Agripod

Herbicide resistance is the ability of an individual plant to survive a herbicide application that would kill a normal population of the same species. Resistant weeds can often survive application of herbicide at rates that are much greater than the recommended rate. Farmer Josh Lade said there is new technology available to deal with this problem. He'll explain the Seed Terminator, how its being...

Herbicide resistance is a growing concern and one of those biggest worries is with wild oats. In fact, the Herbicide Resistant Wild Oat action committee found roughly 69% of wild oat across the prairies display herbicide resistance. Farmer Josh Lade saw the devastating effects of herbicide resistance in his home country of Australia and now farming in west central Saskatchewan he has been dealing...

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 drought conditions in Western Canada and other parts of the country have caused a great deal of stress for producers. There will be crop losses. Now farmers are worried about filling grain and oilseed contracts. Senior commodity analyst Wayne Palmer says the situation is dire and producers need to be proactive in dealing with those contracts. A new app is showing how shelterbelts are helping t...

The prairies are dry.  While some farmers are dealing with this drought for the first year several ranchers have been struggling through these conditions for a number of years. Tamara Carter is the president of the Saskatchewan Forage Council and farms near Lacadena, Sask. She talks about how they are coping on her farm and why its more important then ever for farmers and ranchers to support...

Indigenous Works is a national organization tasked with helping to create opportunities for indigenous companies. President and CEO Kelly Lendsay says part of that has been to increase indigenous engagement in agri-business. Kelly will talk about the work of the organization and a new project to develop a national strategy to improve diversity and inclusion of Indigenous groups in the Canadian agr...

4-H youth members across the country now have access to a new mental health activity kit. Unbox Your Mind is part of the broader Healthy Living Initiative. 4-H Canada chief marketing officer Liz Jarvis says the resource will empower youth to get to know themselves better and find mental health practices and solutions that best fit their unique needs. Liz will also share how 4-H Canada has been mov...

The agribusiness industry in Canada faced many challenges. Labour shortages, competition from foreign players, rising land costs, shifting weather patterns, and of course, the pandemic. A report from KPMG says the future agriculture depends on its willingness to embrace technology and ultimately build a more sustainable, resilient system. David Guthrie, national agribusiness sector leader for KPMG...

To help farmers and agri-businesses find new ways to make their operations more sustainable the federal government has created the Agricultural Clean Technology Program. $50 million of the $165 million designated for the program will go specifically towards the purchase of more efficient grain dryers. Are there products out there that can meet the guidelines set out in the program. Triple Green Pr...

The return to normalcy in the in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is fuelling some of the highest hog prices in years. North American live hog prices, pressured by changing consumption patterns and reduced processing capacity, have rebounded dramatically since this time one year ago, driven in part, by the reopening of the U.S. economy. Tyler Fulton, the Director of Risk Management with HAMS Mark...

COVID-19 had an immediate impact on gatherings. Several agricultural conferences, events and meetings were either cancelled or switched to a virtual format in order to continue to deliver information to farmers. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Crops Extension Specialist Allie Noble is involved with the planning with many events. The pandemic certainly changed how these activities were deliver...

Ground-breaking research in fertilizer techniques from a soil science expert could increase yield for producers. Dr. Jeff Schoenau and a team of colleagues have recently published a soil study  that could change fertilizer techniques and increase crop yields for prairie producers. This new research, conducted using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron at the University of Saskatchewan analyz...

The Soil Conservation Council of Canada is the face and voice of soil conservation and health in Canada. It works with the value chain to advocate for government and industry, promote the benefits of improved soils and demonstrate best management practices to achieve healthier soils across the agricultural landscape. Executive Director Jim Tokarchuk will share the work of the council and explains...

Saskatchewan’s food processing facility is growing. The Food Industry Development Centre will be expanding its operation to provide support to the province's value-added sector. The centre, located in Saskatoon, Sask., is the province’s only commercial incubation centre for food processing and assists food processors to value add their products and prepare them for market. Food Centre...

Farmers are focused on seeding this year's crop so many were not thrilled to see the Census of Agriculture appear during a very busy time of year. Augustine Akuoko-Asibey is a director in the Agriculture Division of Statistics Canada. He says the census data contains important information when it comes to direct payments or various programs that support the ag industry. The inf...

Agripod is brought to you by Smart Nutrition M-A-P plus MST. Soil is your most powerful machine. Agriculture in the Classroom has revealed its new, kid-friendly website that brings the story of agriculture in Saskatchewan to life. The site was designed for Grades 4 to 6 students and will show them the Past and Present of agriculture in the province through highly interactive bits of info...

An online survey conducted by a Toronto-based public relations company shows 91 per cent respondents are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ confident in food grown or produced domestically. Just over 1,000 people were surveyed by Grassroots Public Affairs during the last week of March. Senior consultant Peter Seeman says Canadians are very positive towards agricultures’ contributio...

A new study by Ernst and Young projects the global plant-based food market will reach $250 billion by 2035. The largest portion of that would be alternative meats at about $160 billion with additional markets for beverages and seafood. Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel says we should be aiming for 10 per cent of the plant-based food market but this will require increased production ....

There was an increase in calls to the Farm Stress Line last year. The pandemic was partly responsible for that..... but depression, isolation addictions and family disputes can happen throughout the year. Jan Thorson is the Acting Executive director of Saskatchewan Mobile Crisis Services which oversees the Farm Stress Line. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Thorson says many...

  It wasn’t just farmers growing vegetables this year in Canada. According to a study from Dalhousie University, the pandemic inspired a lot of people to grow their own garden. Vanessa Young with the Horticulture and Agriculture Lifelong Learning Programs with the University of Saskatchewan says there was an increased interest in gardening. Part of it, she believes, is to provide food f...

An ancient practice involving the use of cover crops is being brought up with farmers across Canada. Callum Morrison is a second year PhD student at the University of Manitoba's Department of Plant Science says its a practice that has been used for thousands of years as a way to naturally keep the soil healthy. Part of Morrison's research is looking for farmers' input and he says its just as...

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...

Seeding wheat early can provide several benefits without many risks. That has been the focus of Brian Beres, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist based at Lethbridge, Alta. He has been evaluating ''ultra-early'' seeding for wheat. Rather than using the calendar seeding started when the soil temperature was plus 2 by 10am. There were several test sites and co-operator trials in va...

Beekeepers have been challenged with consecutive years of very low honey prices. The weak prices have been a challenge for prairie beekeepers because the cost of production (buying queens, miticides, labour, equipment) has continued to increase. Sheldon Hill with Sweet Pure Honey is all too familiar with the struggles. In fact, his struggles began to have a significant affect on his mental health....

Agriculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Canadian Western Agribition wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the movers and shakers in the sector. CWA initiated the Top 50 in agriculture program to recognize the best, brightest and boldest people ag leaders. CWA and Farm Credit Canada (FCC) started the search last year by asking for nominations from across...