Warm, dry weather over much of Saskatchewan and Manitoba last week allowed farmers to make “significant” harvest progress, the two provinces’ agriculture departments reported Monday. Saskatchewan farmers have harvested 66 per cent of the 2008 crop, up from 39 per cent the previous week and above the 2003-07 average of 63 per cent, the provincial […] Read more
Clear skies spur harvest work in Sask., Man.
Grits pledge “regional flexibility” in ag programs
A $564 million “regional flexibility fund” for farm programming is among the promises on offer from the federal Liberals leading up to next month’s election. Liberal leader Stephane Dion and members of the Liberal caucus and candidates’ roster appeared Friday morning at a farm at Headingley, Man., just west of Winnipeg, to outline their plans […] Read more
Friends of CWB sue again over elections
Just days after suing over the removal of spending limits on third-party electioneering for Canadian Wheat Board directorships, a Prairie farmers’ group is taking the federal government to court again over further changes to the election process. “The Harper government’s latest attack on the CWB is clearly designed to prevent legitimate voters from receiving ballots […] Read more
CWB opens CWRW fusarium program
Prairie wheat growers with fusarium-infected No. 2 Canada Western Red Winter (CWRW) wheat can now sign up for the Canadian Wheat Board’s 2008-09 fusarium program. Sign-up began Friday (Sept. 19) for the delivery contract program, which guarantees 100 per cent acceptance and delivery by Nov. 28 for No. 2 CWRW with fusarium levels between 2.1 […] Read more
N.S. poultry plant scores $3.5M loan
Nova Scotia’s provincial government plans to invest $3.5 million in working capital for the province’s sole major poultry processing plant. ACA Co-operative of New Minas, just east of Kentville, will be able to maintain its payroll of 650 employees and a like number of spin-off jobs, the province said in a release Friday. “This sole […] Read more
N.B. names new deputy ag minister
New Brunswick’s deputy minster of intergovernmental affairs will move over a chair to become the province’s top bureaucrat for agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries. Longtime provincial public servant Jim McKay becomes deputy minister for both the agriculture and aquaculture portfolio and the fisheries portfolio effective Monday (Sept. 22), Premier Shawn Graham said in a release Thursday. […] Read more
Ont. wines a $529M economic boost: study
Ontario’s wine and grape production industries combined yielded a value-added impact of $529 million for the province’s economy in 2007, a new study reports. The study, done by KPMG for the Wine Council of Ontario, says that impact is up from $202 million in 1997. Furthermore, the study said, the industry supported about 7,000 Ontario […] Read more
Ont. to fund Niagara agri-tour project
Ontario’s provincial government will provide start-up cash to launch an agricultural co-operative and seasonal tours through the Niagara region. The project, to be co-ordinated by Club 2000 Niagara, is meant to help make the region “a centre for agricultural tourism in southern Ontario,” the province said in a release Thursday. The province’s investment totals $128,480, […] Read more
Alta. feedlots must report cattle on move
Feedlots in Alberta will soon be required to record and report cattle move-in information to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency. In a newsletter released Thursday, the provincial ag department said the new requirement will kick in on Jan. 1, 2009, requiring this information to be recorded as cattle arrive and reported to the CCIA within […] Read more
Ritz’s listeria cracks should cost job: Grits
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s comments on the listeriosis outbreak have the federal Liberals again calling for his resignation, this time over “inappropriate and insensitive” wisecracks on a conference call. Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter cited a Canadian Press report Wednesday that quoted Ritz on an Aug. 30 call with staff from the federal agriculture and […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
