Olds College and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Canadian Western Agribition at Regina, Sask. The MOU’s purpose will be to collaborate in joint activities related to automation and increased incorporation of digital data in agriculture. It will cover a five-year period and will be governed by a joint… Read More
Wild pigs pose ecological and agricultural problems across Canada and into the United States. Every year, this rapidly reproducing, non-native species expands its territory, most recently being discovered in Alberta’s Elk Island National Park. Originally brought into the country to help diversification efforts in agriculture in the late 80s and early 90s, the invasive species, cross-bred… Read More
With granular fertilizer prices where they’re at and with uncertainty about supply in ’22, anhydrous ammonia is an attractive option to get nitrogen into the field this fall. But what’s the best way to minimize losses? Jeff Schoenau, professor of soil fertility, and strategic research chair at the University of Saskatchewan, says that once ammonia… Read More
The University of Saskatchewan has launched the Insect Research Facility (USIRF), the first of its kind at a western Canadian university. The new facility will also be one of only a few facilities in Canada specifically designed to conduct research on arthropod plant pests and beneficial insects. Funding for the design and construction of USIRF… Read More
BASF Canada has committed $250,000 to the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) to help establish a research chair position focusing on pollinator health and biodiversity. The $50,000 per year contribution, over five years (2021-2025), will go towards the creation of a permanent, tenured veterinary research chair, with a focus on pollinator… Read More
The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) has announced Dr. Phyllis Shand as the 2021 AMSA Industry & Organizational Leadership Award recipient. Shand is a professor of meat and food science in the department of food and bioproduct sciences at the University of Saskatchewan whose research program focuses on physicochemical, biochemical, and functional aspects of muscle… 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
A University of Saskatchewan researcher is set to receive $2.5 million to improve processes of transforming pulses into novel food ingredients, new bioplastics, and high-value biomedical materials. Dr. Yongfeng Ai has been awarded the funding from the federal government and province of Saskatchewan as part of Saskatchewan’s Strategic Research Initiative Program, which announced its theme… Read More
In the uncertainty of a national carbon strategy and how a carbon offset system will work, farmers’ contributions to sequestration and carbon emission mitigation efforts are frequently minimized. It seems the more knowledge there is about the exact amount of carbon sequestered in agricultural land, the more power farmers may have in lobbying for exemptions… Read More
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have been awarded nearly $5.7 million in grants that will support 32 wide-ranging projects. Included in the project list is a study on cattle temperament that’s worth $152,500, titled “Development of a chute-side test to use feedlot cattle temperament as an indicator of disease resilience.” Dr. Diego Moya, Western… Read More
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has announced the creation of an endowed chair in wetland and waterfowl conservation position at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). As of July 1, Mitch Weegman, an avian ecologist, will take on a teaching position and a research program that will address pressing environmental issues in the Department of Biology. “Saskatchewan,… Read More
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has been awarded $6.76 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to help conserve bison and other threatened animal species. The announcement follows Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement of more than $518 million to support the infrastructure needs of universities and research institutions across the country. The wide-ranging research… Read More
First off, predictive soil mapping takes the information from the soil surveys in the 80s and 90s that were limited by technology, and improves the resolution of the generated maps and overlays polygons digitally, that contain more soil information. “Instead of knowing each polygon has three or four different soil types, you actually have an… Read More
After a year of building, prototyping, and delivering services to select customers and partners, the Omics and Precision Agricultural Laboratory (OPAL) has been launched by the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). OPAL was founded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, and… Read More
Is there a tool out there or a method for assessing and interpreting soil health? Research out of the University of Saskatchewan could provide such a tool, where farmers could put in their soil data, find out their soil health score, and receive interpretation and management advice. “Soil health is defined as its capacity to… Read More