Good science communication tells a clear story. Taking a science communications class was a requirement of my MSc program at the University of Saskatchewan, and it has turned out to be a skill that I use every day. One of the most important things I learned in that class is that communicating science can be… Read More
Throughout COVID and the resulting logistical constraints of the past 18 months, some shortages have been overstated, inflated in their impact, or should have been ignored in hindsight — but the potential for a fertilizer disruption for 2022 is different. Fertilizer is not toilet paper or cheap clothing from China; regardless of prices or supplies… Read More
I am going to tell you a story. It’s a story that probably will leave your mouth agape and thinking, “People wouldn’t actually do that, would they?” But I assure you, this story is true. Last Wednesday, our employee at our second solar grazing site (about 1.25 hour drive from the home farm) texted to… Read More
Many farm shows took an 18-month pause during the pandemic as organizers dealt with provincial and state-level restrictions. As vaccines have rolled out and a new crop year has begun, many people continue to wonder how quickly and to what extent, farm shows will return. When our team talks to farmers, exhibitors, and show organizers,… Read More
As the federal election gears up, political parties are rolling out platforms — easily made promises that they hope appeal to enough voters to support their party’s rise to form the next government. Ultimately, governments are decided not by those who grow or process food, but by those who live in the most populous areas,… Read More
The federal government has its eye on reducing nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer, but it’s not clear how it intends to reach its target, and whether the target is achievable without having a detrimental impact on crop yields. Last December, while announcing the federal carbon tax would be increasing to $170/tonne of CO2 equivalent, the… Read More
Trade is so critical to the health of the Canadian economy. With vast natural resources, millions of acres of farmland, and a growing technology sector, Canada is open for business in the global trade arena. But are we really up to the opportunity in front of us as a nation? Some believe that change is… Read More
By Bill Greuel Canada needs to stop being comfortable. That’s a bold statement, but one I believe to be true if we are going to reach the ambitious targets our agrifood sector aspires to. We often talk about Canada taking our place atop the podium as the most reliable and preferred supplier of safe, nutritious… Read More
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
Agriculture is a big tent covering many different facets of food and commodity production. From coast to coast, there are so many different farm types, sizes, production systems and end use markets. How we describe ourselves within agriculture usually involves farmer, producer or grower, and for some, rancher, but at the end of the day… Read More
By Pierre Petelle We hear a lot about regenerative agriculture these days, but everyone has their own definition of what this term means. Some of these definitions focus too closely on practices and not on outcomes. At the end of the day, it’s all about soil health. I would define regenerative agriculture as any approach… Read More
Saskatchewan’s push towards developing value-added processing industries has been accelerating in recent years. Just this year, three canola crush plants have either been announced as new builds or expansions. But canola isn’t the only agri-processing moving ahead, as Red Leaf Pulp recently announced its plans to build a wheat straw-based pulp mill at Regina, Sask…. Read More
The UN Food Systems Summit is set to take place this fall, and what happens at the summit could very well impact your farm operation. Whether you are in British Columbia or through to Prince Edward Island, this meeting could inform policy back here in Canada and alter what is deemed acceptable practices in here… Read More
Since the beginning of time, the business world has focused on size. The pursuit of scope and scale to lower cost of production, increase efficiency, and expand markets has been celebrated from the hallways of Boeing and CN Rail to farms in Saskatchewan and Ontario. In Canada we have big farms and we have small… Read More
The recently announced Bill C-290, the Soil Conservation Act, has many steps to pass through before becoming an act. The premise of the bill — supporting efforts to create a national soil health strategy, that soil is the foundation for sustainable food production, enhanced biodiversity, cleaner air and water, and are at the root of… Read More