A report proposing to bring all employees in Saskatchewan under the province’s workers’ compensation system — including ag workers — is up for public feedback. The provincial government on Monday launched consultations on the recommendations in the final report from the Workers’ Compensation Act committee of review, running through from Monday until March 5. "The government […] Read more
Sask. seeks feedback on workers’ comp for farms
Alta. program aims to fill rural high-speed gaps
The Alberta government has set up a $5 million fund to help try to close any high-speed internet service gaps remaining in rural areas of the province. "This is about kids who want to research homework, families that want to stay connected and farmers and ranchers who want to market their products," provincial Agriculture Minister […] Read more
CN to shorten trains during ‘extreme cold’ snap
Expected "extreme cold weather conditions" over the next five or six days may cut into transit times for goods moving on Canadian National Railway (CN) track. In an advisory to shippers on Monday, CN listed specific corridors that could be affected including track from Winnipeg to Edmonton; from Toronto to Winnipeg via Thunder Bay, Ont.; […] Read more
Sask. proposes halt on spreading domestic sewage
Saskatchewan’s proposed new "results-based" Environmental Code, now up for public review, calls for an eventual clampdown on the spreading of municipalities’ liquid domestic waste on farmland. The draft code — which overall would require amendments on three pieces of provincial environmental law and passage of a new Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Act — would […] Read more
Safety standards upgraded for Canadian grain augers
Canadian manufacturers of portable grain augers have a new national standard for equipment safety to work into their product designs. The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) on Monday reported the release of a new standard, developed over "several years" by the iconic Canadian Standards Association (CSA) through its agricultural machinery technical committee. Most of the […] Read more
No extra tax for Ont. farms’ small-scale power plants
Ontario farmers generating power for the provincial grid through roof-mounted solar panels, small ground-mounted panels or biogas digesters won’t face added property taxes on those installations. The province on Wednesday announced "additional categories" of property tax assessment based on the size and location of privately-owned systems generating and selling power through its FIT and microFIT […] Read more
Farmers going mobile at same rate as others, survey says
Canada’s farmers are investing in smartphones and tablets at the same rate as the rest of the population, Farm Credit Canada reports. The federal farm lending agency last week released a survey of its FCC Vision Panel, finding 29 per cent of farmers now own smartphones, compared to 30 per cent for other Canadians. Six […] Read more
Outgoing Man. cattlemen’s chief Major Jay Fox, 32
Funeral services are to be held Wednesday at Eddystone, Man. for one of Manitoba’s Outstanding Young Farmers and a former president of Manitoba Beef Producers. Major Jay Fox died Friday in Winnipeg from injuries he suffered after being pinned Thursday evening by a tractor’s front-end loader bucket on his farm at Eddystone, about 75 km […] Read more
Alta. sheep producers backed for RFID readers, software
A new program to help Alberta’s 1,900-odd sheep producers cover the cost of RFID readers, software, installation and training will complement an earlier program to help cover the cost of RFID tags. The province and federal government on Tuesday rolled out their Sheep RFID Technology Assistance Program, aiming to encourage use of radio frequency identification […] Read more
Alta. biodiesel maker backed to process animal fats, oils
In a way, the federal government plans to pour funding into Kyoto for reduction of greenhouse gases. The government on Wednesday announced it will invest up to $31.14 million over six years in Lethbridge, Alta.-based Kyoto Fuels Corp. to produce biodiesel from converted vegetable oil, cooking oil and/or animal fat. Funding for Kyoto will come […] Read more
