The incredible drought of 2021 in Western Canada will have a long-term impact on many farms and ranches, but fallout from trying to keep livestock in the breeding herd is impacting farmers out east, too. Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), says that while the total amount isn’t huge, farmers who… Read More
Due to last year’s extreme drought across many areas, straw was at a premium which may have tipped the scales in favour of baling for some producers. This year, much of the Prairies are in a different situation and farmers may be hurting themselves in the long run if they choose to bale off straw… Read More
Nothing about drought is fun or easy, especially when you’re gearing up for your next seeding season with less than ideal soil moisture conditions. However, research is being done on how farmers could adjust their seeding rates to best maximize their wheat yields following a drought. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School, we are… Read More
Andy Kieraszewicz never thought the sandy soils on the former tobacco land he farms at Rodney, Ont., could ever average more than 200 bushels of corn per acre. But a fervent commitment to rebuilding organic matter in the drought-prone areas across the 1,000-acre operation has the farmer now consistently producing eye-popping yields he didn’t think… 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
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
As I sit in my home office and listen to my house get sandblasted, while patio furniture flys around the yard, and watching topsoil swirl left and right, I can’t help but think — is this what The Dust Bowl looked like? Despite many areas of Canada experiencing too much moisture and cool temperatures —… Read More
April brought upwards of 100 millimeters of rain to parts of Manitoba with a large part of Alberta begging for even a fraction of that moisture, as Saskatchewan is stuck in the middle with a grab-bag of weather ranging from average moisture, too much or not enough. One thing is for certain, it doesn’t matter… Read More
Snowbanks may have made moving feed to cattle a challenge in eastern areas of the Prairies that received plenty of snow this winter, but cattle producers are definitely not complaining about the now-melting drifts as they scratch through an extremely tight feed situation in anticipation of green pastures. As foreseen since the drought last summer,… Read More
Drought, offshore import shortages, and labour disruptions are among several factors CN Rail is juggling as the railway continues to work in overdrive to ensure products and commodities get to where they need to be. Many people likely think of trains running westbound bringing goods to the coast, however in recent times, where it seems… Read More
While drought is still top of mind in Western Canada, especially in areas of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan that are without snow, there are reasons to be hopeful for more moisture on the Prairies than last year. With La Nina fading, it’s possible a shift in the jet stream along the West Coast could result… Read More
Depending on where you farm, the story of the 2021 edible bean varied across the country. Growers in Eastern Canada were the recipients of excellent growing conditions that produced above-average yields in most classes. The story in Western Canada was much different, however, as growers endured a dry, difficult year that produced below-average crops. On… Read More
There are an estimated 100 million pounds of hay pledged to the Hay West ’21 initiative waiting for a ride west from the Maritimes, Quebec, and Ontario. The federal minister of agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, on Wednesday (Dec. 15) pledged up to $3 million in support for the program to help cover the cost of hay… Read More
A month into the job as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development, Nate Horner says he’s catching up with producer groups in the province and working to get up to speed on the priorities for Alberta agriculture. Up first on the docket following his appointment was the Federal-Provincial-Territorial ministers meeting last month, where Horner… Read More
The premier of Saskatchewan says the dust-up between his government and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan can be attributed to the way the province has kept its books since 2014. APAS, led by vice-president Ian Boxall, has raised concerns about the provincial government blaming its record-high projected deficit of $2.7 billion on increased crop… Read More
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