Agripod

Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan, through its canadianfoodfocus.org web site, has released the first of a series of videos to help non-farming consumers relate to farmers and life on the farm. Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says Canadian Food Focus was viewed as an opportunity to get out of our agriculture bubble. Shaping sustainability standards and what it mean...

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

The introduction of new technology has helped revolutionize the application of livestock manure fertilizer to cropland. This is an important topic as we examine the influence of modern agriculture on the environment and calls for the creation of a provincially appointed task group to develop solutions to the algae problem in Lake Winnipeg. Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl says the modernizat...

The world is closely watching the situation in the United States surrounding   Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza that has appeared in US dairy herds. HPAI was detected in milk and in dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas, while the virus has been confirmed in dairy herds in other states, in baby goats and one dairy farm worker has tested positive for the virus. Veterinary pathologist  Dr. Susan De...

The subject of Family Farm succession is complex and emotional. That's why we felt it was topic that was worthy of being the focus of the entire podcast this week. While discussions surrounding succession can be difficult there are strategies available to Canadian farm business families to confidently navigate the paths of transition decision making. My guest is Patti Durand, a certified Family En...

A Farm Credit Canada report shows farmland rental rates are keeping pace with farmland values. FCC has been comparing rental rates to the price of farmland and the data shows the national rent-to-price ratio in 2023 was 2.52 per cent, reflecting a decline from the previous year. FCC Senior Economist Justin Shepherd says in 2023 we saw some fairly strong farmland value growth across the prairies, e...

The Western Canadian Animal Health Network (WeCAHN)  is keeping a close watch on H5N1 Avian Flu in the United States. Network coordinator  Dr. Barbara Wilhelm says industry, the provinces, the federal government, veterinarians, regional surveillance networks like WeCAHN,are planning for, as much as possible, prevent the opportunity for Avian Influenza to enter Canadian farms. Grain movement on CN...

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was disappointed to see insufficient investment in agriculture in the 2024 budget. President Keith Currie said farmers continue to struggle under the weight of high-interest rates, a price on carbon for essential farming activities, and an increased risk of extreme weather events. He said these challenges are testing the limits and effectiveness of risk...

The farming industry is constantly changing. New innovations are being developed to make farms more efficient. A research project involving a Naicam Sask. Consulting company and the University of Regina are looking for a way to reduce environmental impact and save money.  Cory Willness of Crop Pro Consulting will talk about SWAT BOX, a data collection sensor and how information it collects can be...

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...

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 shar...

The Swine Health Information Center has five new research projects approved for funding under the 2.3 million dollar 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 Univer...

The value of Canadian farmland rose 11.5% in 2023, according to a new report by agriculture lending firm Farm Credit Canada. While, overall it's a slight slowdown from the growth in 2022, it's still a rapid pace given cooling economic conditions overall. The lender's latest report on farmland values found that they increased in every province tracked except for British Columbia. The highest increa...

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 of he...

Preliminary results of research show pigs can be stimulated into engaging in play. The Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Swine Centre are exploring the prospects of using play to improve the emotional well being of pigs and improve their resilience and performance. In one experiment the behavior of two groups of pigs provided intermittent play opportunities was compared to a c...

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...