CN Rail exceeded its volume-based “cap” on grain revenue in the 2013-14 crop year by almost $5 million, according to a ruling issued by the Canadian Transportation Agency today. The CTA says CN’s grain revenue of $672,110,852 was $4,981,915 above its entitlement of $667,128,937. Under federal regulations, the railway now has 30 days to pay the… Read More
Year: 2014
The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board will receive up to $260,000 in funding towards research into Brachyspira hampsonii and vibriosis, announced Member of Parliament Brad Trost in Saskatoon today. Brachyspira hampsonii is a newly discovered bacterium, first identified in Saskatchewan in 2009. The symptoms of infection closely resemble those of B. hampsonii and lab tests are required to determine the species of… Read More
Just because nitrogen fertilizer is placed below the soil surface doesn’t mean it’s going to stay there for plants to use it. In fact, if it’s not buried deep enough, you might be better off broadcasting it on top of the soil, says the senior agronomist for Koch Agronomic Services. Whether for equipment reasons, with more… Read More
We’re staring down the barrel of the dreaded New Year’s Resolutions — you know, where you swear off treats, chocolate, booze and anything else fun hoping to whittle a few pounds off the midsection. Of course, if you’re like most people, you probably did the exact same thing last year, to no avail. The reasons… Read More
Ontario has announced the Greenhouse Nutrient Feedwater Regulation. This new regulation, the government says, will streamline environmental compliance and will make it easier for greenhouse growers to comply with regulation regarding the disposal of greenhouse nutrient feedwater. Many greenhouse operators use nutrient solutions to grow their produce. After reusing multiple times, operators sometimes must dispose… Read More
A combined investment of up to $1.16 million to Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise (PREVENT) was announced today in Saskatoon, by Member of Parliament Brad Trost (Saskatoon—Humboldt). The funding, provided through federal and provincial governments, will help PREVENT identify methods to slow the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a progressive neuro-degenerative disease endemic to wildlife populations in the… Read More
Research into the role of inputs in field peas has often looked at each individually, with little known on the effects of combining inputs. The Western Applied Research Corporation (WARC) looked to change that with a study that’s wrapping up this year. Over the past three years, trials have been conducted at Scott, Melfort, Swift Current… Read More
Students at regional colleges across Saskatchewan will receive up to $300,000 in scholarships over the next three years thanks to a major contribution from Viterra. The grain company announced today that it’s contributing $150,000 to a new scholarship fund. Through the Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Scholarship Program, colleges will be able to access up to $150,000… Read More
Increasing nitrogen rates can actually prove detrimental if producers don’t also take the time to apply fungicides, says Peter Johnson, cereals specialist with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. That’s because the resulting improvements in canopy can actually increase the potential for disease development. Enter the nitrogen/fungicide duo. “That synergy is so significant,” says Johnson, referring to… Read More
Dear [Reader’s Name], It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we didn’t send the last letter. Time really does fly. So much changed on the website this year. There’s a new timeline with upcoming events, a nifty Futures Market, and a behind-the-scenes members area. Oh, and we starred in a couple of videos for the… Read More
Imagine selling 30 000 individual cow pies (within thirty minutes of going live). That’s what Cards Against Humanity was up to on Black Friday. The boxes, containing pasteurized bull feces branded as the company’s best and only deal of the year, were priced at $6.00, and though CAH is known for its love of outlandish pranks… Read More
Transparency needs to be built into the federal government’s plan to create a producer payment protection fund for Western Canada, says the chair of Keystone Agricultural Producers’ grains, oilseeds and pulses committee. Farm groups, including KAP, Grain Growers of Canada and the Canadian Canola Growers Association, are generally welcoming Bill C-48, which was introduced in the House of… Read More
Dr. Stephen Koontz, of Colorado State University, is shining a light on a rather complicated, but incredibly important part of how cattle prices are currently set. Markets and marketing evolves over time, and the cattle industry is no different. Koontz says that the strong transition from a negotiated cash trade, to formula and forward pricing… Read More
This year, Farming Smarter brought some very powerful keynote speakers to Medicine Hat for the 2014 Farming Smarter Conference. Speakers included Michael Shermer, the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and the executive director of the Skeptics Society; William W. Wilson, a professor at North Dakota State University; Trish Sahlstrom, vice president of purchasing and distribution at… Read More
A combination of a poor malt barley crop this year and a longer-term downward trend in malt barley acres is leading North American maltsters and brewers to import more barley from Europe. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of the barley crop in Western Canada was hit by rain or snow just prior to harvest,… Read More