In the early 2000s, Canadian farmers from the east helped out those in the west with hay supplies, after the drought of 2002 left very little for feed. Dubbed Hay West, the grassroots movement was revived 10 years later, when western Canadian farmers returned the favour for many farmers in Ontario’s Ottawa Valley with Hay… Read More
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau has announced $2.6 million in federal funding for the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) to support three projects that will assess and improve alfalfa growth using artificial intelligence and develop a carbon offset system for grasslands. Some of the funding announced July 19 will also be used… Read More
The University of Saskatchewan is establishing a new beef industry integrated forage management and utilization research chair position. The intent of the position is to connect the study of soils, plants, animals, economics, and ecosystems, to top into forage crops’ full range of benefits. “The chair will help to address concerns raised for a number… Read More
Saskatchewan Agriculture is reminding producers to be on the lookout for anthrax in their animals after confirmation that anthrax has been found in the RM of South Qu’Appelle. Anthrax was confirmed by laboratory results on July 7, 2021, as the cause of death in one animal in a flock of sheep. It is the suspected… Read More
The Northern Great Plains are in a major drought. Unfortunately, there isn’t a better way to say it out loud, as it’s not just the Canadian Prairies — the drought extends into parts of the whole western half of North America. Janna Block, livestock systems extension specialist with North Dakota State University extension, recently joined… Read More
If you’re a livestock producer in Ontario and are wondering where the renewal form is for the Risk Management Program, wonder no more: they haven’t been sent out yet. The usual deadline to enrol lamb, cattle, hogs, and veal sales for the current year is April, however last year and this year’s deadlines were pushed… Read More
Integrated pasture management can include practices such as grazing rotations, herbicide applications, fertility analysis, mechanical brush management, and regular pasture health assessments. Corteva Agriscience wants to use a systemic approach to highlight the soil health aspects of integrated pasture management. Isabelle Thibout, product manager for specialties at Corteva Agriscience, says that soil type, soil fertility,… Read More
The Ontario Forage Council, Ontario Hay Listings, Ontario Biomass Producers Co-op, and the Ontario Hay and Forage Co-operative have worked together to provide one online hub for forage, pasture, and biomass crop production for Ontario. The Ontario Forage Network at ONForageNetwork.ca will host information on seeding, growing, harvesting, storing, and marketing these crops. The network… Read More
Meat & Poultry Ontario is looking for a few more livestock producers in the southwest region of the province to participate in a pilot project. The organization has been working diligently on assessing and evaluating livestock processing capacity, stumbling blocks, and opportunities from both the producer and processor perspective. As part of the study, the… Read More
A Conservative private member’s bill that aims to address the risks from biosecurity breaches and trespassing on farms was approved at the second reading stage in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Brought forward by Foothills MP John Barlow, Bill C-205 would amend the Health of Animals Act to “make it an offence to enter,… Read More
What would you think if your parents told you at 12 you’d be moving to another country on another continent? Well, today’s RealAg LIVE! guest embraced what that new country had to offer and ran with it. Joining our host Kara Oosterhuis, Jess Verstappen talks about what led her to a career in agriculture, the… Read More
Statistics Canada says that the cow herd and ewe flock have declined as of January 1, 2021, year-over-year, while hog numbers are up slightly. As of the first of the year, StatsCan says the hog herd increased by less than one per cent — just 0.4% year-over-year — while cattle numbers dropped one per cent… Read More
Meat and Poultry Ontario (MPO) is launching a project to identify opportunities to increase meat processing capacity in Ontario. The $127,000 project, funded through the federal/provincial Canadian Agricultural Partnership, is aimed at addressing a growing demand for abattoir services across the province, including the north. MPO has begun researching a strategy that pairs skills development with… Read More
Not only is Tom Vilsack set to return as U.S. secretary of agriculture, he’s also open to bringing back U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for beef and pork; but only if it doesn’t lead to retaliation from trading partners, such as Canada, under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Vilsack, who was ag secretary when the Obama… Read More
There’s no way to get around putting up feed for wintering livestock, but there are several ways to minimize the amount of hay fed, the cost of feed delivery, and the cost of hauling away and spreading manure. Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching at Busby, Alta., says that planning for winter grazing and feeding… Read More