Reading Time: < 1 minute Pencil, paper and a calculator don’t cut it when it comes to getting top value when buying a bull, the Beef Cattle Research Council says in a new video promoting its Bull Valuation Calculator. “It’s not so easy as doing some rough math and figuring out,” USask extension economist Kathy Larson says in the video. […] Read more
Use some higher math to avoid the bull
A shipping container fix may be coming
Reading Time: < 1 minute Bulk shipping rates are way down but getting past the pandemic is likely key to fixing the shipping container mess, says a provincial crops market analyst. “Relief in container shipping rates should occur within months following a decline in COVID-19 cases and easing of restrictions, as consumers turn more of their attention to out-of-home spending […] Read more
Good and bad in livestock outlook
Reading Time: < 1 minute “It will be another year of split margins in the cattle sector — positive for cow-calf and pressured for feedlots,” says a new forecast from Farm Credit Canada. The report also predicts higher prices for pigs but that feed costs for farrow-to-finish operations in the West mean “some profitability challenges may be present.” Not surprisingly, […] Read more
Pandemic home cooking trend is ‘entrenched’
Reading Time: < 1 minute Even though they’re paying more for ingredients, food manufacturers aren’t being squeezed and have been able to pass on cost increases to consumers, says a new report from CoBank, a major American lender. The pandemic led to a surge in spending at grocery stores as restaurant sales plunged. Market watchers thought that would be reversing […] Read more
Equipment maker Buhler distances self from Ukraine invasion
A Winnipeg farm equipment manufacturer is distancing itself from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Buhler Industries, which manufactures the Versatile tractor line and Farm King equipment, is majority-owned by the Russian firm Combine Factory Rostselmash. That firm purchased an 80 per cent stake in Buhler in 2007 and boosted that to 97 per cent ownership in […] Read more
No milk moustaches in new marketing effort from Alberta Milk
Reading Time: < 1 minute Forget the milk moustache, Alberta Milk’s new marketing campaign shifts the focus away from drinking the white stuff to “the myriad ways dairy can be consumed.” The “Smash Milk” campaign is a digital effort aimed at social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube — with a video showing very energetic young people […] Read more
Not surprisingly, the cost of certified cereal seed is up
The price hike for wheat has been modest but barley is up sharply, says market analyst
Reading Time: < 1 minute The cost of certified cereal seed is up and will likely keep climbing in the coming year, says a provincial market analyst. In an Agri-News article in mid-February, Ryan Furtas said barley seed prices shot up eight per cent in a month and are now 26 per cent higher than the five-year average. The price […] Read more
Despite the conditions, canola trials went ahead last year
The results from the 2021 Canola Performance Trials are now available, along with past results
Reading Time: 2 minutes It wasn’t a great year for putting top canola varieties through their paces, but the results of the 2021 Canola Performance Trials are in and now available at canolaperformancetrials.ca. The trials “represent the next generation in variety evaluation for western Canadian canola growers,” states the website. The initiative, funded by Alberta Canola and its sister […] Read more
Free training on equine code of practice
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada has created a free training program for the code of practice for the care and handling of equines. The code was developed by the National Farm Animal Care Council and the course (available at horsewelfare.ca) covers each of the 10 sections of the code, the alliance states on its […] Read more
Chevraux new chair of Alberta Canola
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Canola has a new chair, vice-chair and one director — but still has two spots to fill on its 12-person board. Roger Chevraux of Killam is the new chair and his vice-chair role is now being filled by Ian Chitwood of Airdrie. As well, Charles Simoneau from Guy steps on to the board as […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
