Poet. Cowboy. Comedian. Musician. Author. Whatever role he was in, Baxter Black did it with good humour and stage-presence. Instantly recognizable by his bushy moustache, silk neck tie, and cowboy hat, Black was well-loved and well-respected throughout the North American farm and ranch community. He passed away late last week, at the age of 77…. Read More
After a dreary few weeks, we’re starting this episode of the Beef Market Update on a positive note. Anne Wasko, of the Gateway Livestock Exchange, says on her ranch in southwest Saskatchewan, they got some rain, and hey, the markets are on the way up. The markets started out this week slow, but quickly picked… Read More
Discussions are underway on whether or not a new beef packing facility would be viable in Saskatchewan. The industry has sustained healthy margins over the past two-and-a-half years and with Saskatchewan being the literal breeding ground for upwards of one million cows, it’s no wonder the province is up for consideration. Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association… Read More
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) will not be performing soil nitrate tests for public extension this growing season. Which begs the question: will it pay for farmers and agronomists to draw tests in corn fields anyway? The answer — if the field saw any manure or red clover the in… Read More
From drought conditions, poor market prices, high input costs, and on-going costs for health maintenance, many western Canadian cattle producers are starting to question how much longer they can stay afloat. Some producers who are in drought-ridden areas are looking at selling off a portion of their herd out of necessity as their pastureland can no… Read More
Although ground meat, such as beef or pork, is a single-ingredient food product, proposed regulation changes by Health Canada could require front-of-package labelling warning of the food’s saturated fat content. Single-ingredient foods, such as eggs, vegetables, and fruit, are usually exempt from some labelling requirements, under Health Canada. Other countries that have implemented front-of-package regulations… Read More
Drought conditions are adding insult to injury for some cattle producers who considering tough decisions if pasture conditions don’t improve soon. Producers Jocelyn and Travis Wasko, who own XTC Ranches and Bar 4 Bar Ranches near Eastend Sask., are going into their third year of drought conditions and say they continue to employ a “take… Read More
Purchases of diesel fuel happens several times a year on nearly all Canadian farms, and yet, it’s a purchase that is rarely hedged. That’s according to the latest RealAgristudies survey on diesel fuel purchasing, which wrapped in late May. Regardless of acreage or gross income level, most farms don’t have more than 25 per cent… Read More
Many cattle producers in west central and southwest Saskatchewan are once again facing extreme drought conditions, and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is calling on the federal government to introduce a tax-deferral option for those producers who have no choice but to liquidate a portion of their herd. Scott Owens, vice president of APAS,… Read More
It’s a global game of chess and it’s Russia’s move. With ongoing talks of Russia allowing wheat exports to come out of Ukraine, which could mean 50 to 60 million metric tonnes of wheat, those market values have experienced a slight decline over the recent past; however some experts are saying it’s not likely long-lived… Read More
For those with two years of experience or more, Scotiabank is offering a new finance option for sheep farmers to expand the ewe flock. The Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) and Scotiabank have partnered on a new short-term financing option to add ewes through the Scotiabank Yield More Financing program. Ontario Sheep members may access funds to purchase… Read More
Ranchers who employ multi-paddock grazing for cattle do so for many reasons, but a new study from the University of Alberta suggests the practice doesn’t significantly improve plant diversity on the land. A research team led by Jessica Grenke, PhD candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences, compared adaptive multi-paddock grazing, called AMP, with other… Read More
A private member’s bill aimed at reducing the risks of biosecurity breaches and trespassing on farms was re-introduced in the House of Commons on May 30. Bill C-275 was brought forward by Foothills MP and Conservative shadow minister for agriculture, John Barlow. Like Barlow’s previous Bill C-205, the new bill would amend the Health of… Read More
After a string of storms tore through parts of Saskatchewan early this spring, many cattle producers sustained losses which severely impacted their bottom line. The current eligibility requirements for disaster relief programs has left some producers with no relief at all. The Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) provides assistance to residents, small businesses, agricultural operations, First… Read More
Ontario heads to the polls June 2, 2022, to select its next government. We’ve heard from the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), on the six priority areas the organization is focused on. But what does the livestock sector need? For the dairy, beef, and lamb sectors, there are common asks surrounding infrastructure needs and risk… Read More
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