AgriStability, the whole farm, business risk management program has been in place for Canadian farmers for 16 years. In that time, it’s been maligned and criticized, and it continues to be subject to an ongoing tug-of-war between federal and provincial politicians. But with a new ag policy framework to be unveiled for 2023, changes to the… Read More
Paramount Fine Foods is an 80 restaurant, 17 butcher shop food company chain, operating not just in Canada but in seven other countries around the world. Mohamad Fakih, president and CEO of Paramount Fine Foods, started the operation after coming to Canada in 2006, with $1,200 in his pocket. Fakih sat down with RealAg Radio… Read More
It’s a surprise to only a few at this point to hear we’re currently at a 20-year high in the fertilizer markets. The reasoning comes from a combination of things, but as Ryan Furtas, market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry explains, a hike in crop prices, an increase of feedstock costs, and as we… Read More
2021 has been a tough weather year. From prolonged drought and excessive heat, to the flooding witnessed in recent weeks in British Columbia — weather disasters have had a tremendous impact on Canadian farms and agriculture businesses. Erik Davies, from Barefoot Consulting, has spent his career working on disaster recovery and risk management issues. Last month… Read More
As farmers continue to look for answers to questions they are faced with on their farm, the need for on-farm research programs continues. One of these on-farm research programs is the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions Plot2Farm program. Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension specialist with Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, was at the Prairie Cereals… Read More
Organizers of the biennial international equipment event Agritechnica say the postponed 2021 show will no longer be held in March 2022, and will instead be cancelled. The Hanover, Germany, event will return to the regular fall schedule in 2023. “Due to the deteriorating pandemic situation and the current official regulations, the conditions for hosting a… Read More
Tara Sawyer of Acme, Alta., is returning as Alberta Barley’s chair, with Roy Newman of Blackie, Alta. taking the place of vice-chair. The new executive was announced at Alberta Barley’s annual general meeting in conjunction with the Prairie Cereals Summit. Also passed at the meeting was a resolution that calls for a farmer plebiscite on… Read More
In November, John Barlow, MP for Foothills, was re-named to the position as the Conservatives’ shadow minister for agriculture. Among Barlow’s current priorities is the attention — or lack thereof — that country-of-origin labelling (COOL) is currently getting in Ottawa. As the conversations grow in strength with a bipartisan bill in the U.S. senate surrounding… Read More
Neeralta Manufacturing is well-known for their grain baggers, extractors, and line of grain bags, but they’re adding augers to the product line-up this year. John Weirenga, co-owner of Neeralta Manufacturing, says they’re excited to come out with their first ever auger, the 1046. “We have a heavy-duty auger tube, it’s 10-gauge. The flighting is extra… Read More
A cereal, oilseed, and even pulse drill, the Ultra SR 60 foot air drill from SeedMaster is an all-in-one complete unit, the company says. It has a 750-bushel capacity and uses the Ultra-Pro II metering system for both fertilizer and seed says Duane Kent, territory manager at SeedMaster. “This is kind of a new concept… Read More
One challenge that many farmers face is how to pass the reins of an operation to a successor and how to get out of the way, but not go away. Dick Wittman learned plenty of valuable lessons managing a family-operated 20,000 acre crop, cattle, and timber operation in northern Idaho. He now heads Wittman Consulting, specializing… Read More
Designed and manufactured in the U.S., the Herd-Boss is meant for feeding bulk rations to livestock with minimal stopping or cleaning out, efficiently covering more ground. Cameron Mulder of Herd-Boss Feeders says that whether it’s a total mixed ration for cattle, or by-product of something from ethanol plants for example, the Herd-Boss will make feeding… Read More
Many Canadian beef cow-calf operators are not just surviving, they’re thriving. That’s one of the key takeaways from the first report produced by the Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network, which was established in the spring of 2021. Made up of cow-calf operations from across Canada, the network of producers is working with Canfax Research Services… Read More
CropLife Canada, the national trade association representing the manufacturers, developers, and distributors of plant science innovations, including pest control products and products of plant breeding innovations, has announced a new chair of the board following its annual general meeting. Bryce Eger, president of Corteva Agriscience Canada, is now chair of the CropLife Canada board of… Read More
MacDon’s new FD 200 series headers boasts plenty of features, but has aluminum components to keep the weight down. The new line-up comes in 30- and 35-foot widths (with optional double knife), and 40-, 45-, and 50-foot widths, says Joel Woods, North American sales manager at MacDon Industries. The 50-foot header is the largest they’ve… Read More