The 106th Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) annual general meeting was held this past week in Moose Jaw, Sask. More than 100 ranchers and industry from across the province came to the convention held on Monday to hear from keynote speakers with the formal AGM held on Tuesday. “We had a very productive AGM adopting… Read More
Yet another undercover animal abuse video rolled out last week, filmed months ago by animal rights “activists,” and released just as tweets and photos celebrating June as Dairy Month began. In the same week, mainstream media published several stories following up on what many farmers had brought forward at the Standing Committee on Agriculture: that… Read More
The provincial government of Ontario has informed the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) it will no longer act as the delivery agent of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) to organizations and collaborations. AAC say it is “shocked” by the decision. The organization has been a delivery agent of federal/provincial funding programs for more than 23 years. The… Read More
In April, the Saskatchewan RCMP expanded its Crime Watch Advisory Network from the southern part of the province to all of Saskatchewan, and it appears to be paying off. Mounties report 10,341 people have signed up for the free service as of Thursday, June 6. “The success stories from across the province show that we… Read More
For a large part of the corn growing area of Ontario the deadline to plant corn is fast approaching, however Agricorp — the crop insurance vehicle in the province — has announced several extensions and exceptions for the 2019 cropping year. Depending on the area, farmers may have up to June 17 to plant corn… Read More
If you’re quick about it, you may be able to access funding from the federal government to hire a summer student. Earlier this week, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced that the Youth Employment and Skills Program was open for applications. The program offers cost-share of employee wages and benefits at 50%, up to a maximum… Read More
Conexus Credit Union will be shutting the doors to seven of its rural locations in Saskatchewan. The seven locations are at Chamberlain, Cupar, Drake, Middle Lake, Mossbank, Spy Hill, and Young. Two other locations in Regina — one on Fifth Avenue, the other on Wallace Street — will also be closing. In a news release,… Read More
Canola farmers in Canada will now have access to $500,000 in interest-free loans under the Advanced Payments Program. The changes, effective immediately, are an increase from the original amount of $100,000. “The implementation of these regulations means that farmers facing cash flow challenges in Canada will now have access to up to $500,000 interest-free for… Read More
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, regulations are now in place for the changes to the Advanced Payments Program (APP) announced at the beginning of May. The original changes were an increase to the APP cap from $400,000 to $1,000,0000 for all producers in an effort to help farmers in the face of… Read More
The Agriculture and Agri-Food standing committee released its 16th report dubbed, Mental Health: A Priority for Our Farmers. The report comes after the committee, back on April 23, 2018, agreed to undertake a study on mental health challenges in the agriculture community. From June 13, 2018 to January 29, 2019 — the committee heard testimony… Read More
Statistics Canada is reporting last year’s 45.1 per cent decrease in realized net farm income (to $3.9 billion) as the largest since 2006. Realized net income is the difference between a farmer’s cash receipts and operating expenses, minus depreciation, plus income in kind. The attribution for the steep decline includes rising feed, interest and labour… Read More
Has anyone ever told you, “you have to have a plan”? For many small businesses, creating and monitoring a plan can be difficult, but if done right, a long-term plan will provide the tools for long-term success. In this Mind Your Farm Business podcast, Larry Martin, principal with Agri-food Management Excellence, and owner of Dr…. Read More
Frustration is brewing among farmers as changes to the Advanced Payment Program (APP) have yet to happen. The increase to $1 million cap from the previous $400,000 was announced more than three weeks ago. Scott Keller, farmer from New Norway, Alta., took to Twitter on Wednesday calling on the federal government to do something about… Read More
The Do More Ag Foundation has announced the hiring of Adelle Stewart as its new executive director. The not-for-profit organization focuses on mental health in agriculture across Canada. “We’re excited to have her on board to help lead the foundation even further,” says co-founder Himanshu Singh. “Adelle brings an important combination of operational experience and the… Read More
American President Donald Trump has authorized the department of agriculture to provide up to US$16 billion in assistance program payouts to American farmers. The announcement comes after President Trump directed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to create a relief strategy to support its farmers for the long-run as the country continues a trade war with China…. Read More