Reading Time: < 1 minute Ag for Life is running its Farm Babies photo contest earlier this year and “hoping to bring some of this joy into people’s lives during these difficult and unprecedented times.” The contest celebrates the arrival of spring and shines a spotlight on the efforts of farmers and their families in caring for their new arrivals. […] Read more

Spring brings special joy

Farming through the pandemic: A ‘Between the Rows’ podcast special
How is COVID-19 affecting different sectors of the ag industry? Listen to this special Between the Rows four-part podcast series on farming through the pandemic covering topics such as the impact to the agricultural economy, the challenges it presents for Canadian farmers and livestock producers and more. Farming through the pandemic: Part 1 Laura Rance […] Read more
Summer jobs program to pay entire wage
Reading Time: < 1 minute The federal government has made changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program for businesses with fewer than 50 employees delivering essential services. Businesses will have 100 per cent of their employees’ salaries covered by the federal government (up from the previous 50 per cent), and employees can be covered until February 2021. As well, the […] Read more

What’s the big deal with the falling number test?
Bakers and pasta makers prize wheat with a certain falling number as determined by this test
Reading Time: 2 minutes Even the best bread and pasta makers are at the mercy of an enzyme called alpha-amylase. The enzyme breaks down starch in wheat and converts it to sugars, but you don’t want too much — and the level of alpha-amylase in a batch can vary dramatically. And if there is too much, it’s a bad […] Read more

CPTPP trade agreement ratified
Canada will be among the original six and will gain some benefit from moving early
The last domestic legislative hurdle to enacting the CPTPP trade deal with Pacific rim countries has been cleared. The deal was approved by senate and received Royal Assent the afternoon of Oct. 25. The moves makes Canada one of the first countries to ratify the 11 nation deal which comes into effect once the first […] Read more
Second farm organization offering cash advances
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers have another option when seeking a cash advance. Beginning Sept. 1, the Alberta Wheat Commission will provide cash advances through FarmCash under the federal government’s Advance Payments Program. The federal loan guarantee program provides low-interest cash advances up to $400,000, with the first $100,000 interest free. FarmCash will offer advances on 45 commodities, including […] Read more

Federal government to invest $8.3-million in organics
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay today announced a federal investment of up to $8.3 million to the Organic Federation of Canada, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Clusters. The research investment, which includes an additional $4.4 million in contributions from industry, will help the organic sector enhance productivity through better soil health and […] Read more

VIDEO: You have to seed it to believe it
Ag in Motion 2018: Air seeders put to the test in live field demos
Reading Time: < 1 minute If you attended Ag in Motion last month, hopefully you made your way over to the field demonstration area where there was no shortage of activity. Here, sprayers were compared side-by-side in the Ride & Drive, land-levellers churned out arable land from pasture, and as you’ll see in this video, a variety of air seeders […] Read more

Fencing demos at Ag in Motion
Michael Hargrave, livestock co-ordinator for Ag in Motion, talks about what attendees can expect to see at the daily fencing demo (9:30 am) at the Ag in Motion show, July 17-19 north of Saskatoon.