Reading Time: < 1 minute The phrase ‘that’s so last week’ is supposed to be ironic, but it’s an apt description for the ongoing whirlwind of trade measures coming out of the Oval Office. Since ordering tariffs of 25 per cent on US$50 billion worth of Chinese goods in early April, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered more tariffs on […] Read more
Farmers wonder what’s next from mercurial president
The threat of a trade war has been pushed off the front pages, but continues to roil the farm sector
VIEW FROM THE NORTH: Small pond, big ripples
There could be some benefits in some areas, but the downsides are many and could seriously disrupt markets
Reading Time: 3 minutes China’s tariffs on American pork and soybeans will have impacts here, although how exactly is an open question. “It affects our producers because our hog prices are set off of the U.S. market,” said provincial pork specialist Ron Gietz after their imposition earlier this month. The tariffs sent American prices plunging, with Canadian prices following […] Read more
Smartphone app for aphid control in cereal crops
Reading Time: < 1 minute Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has released a smartphone app called the Cereal Aphid Manager to help producers control the pest. Producers count both aphids and beneficials that eat them (at a minimum of five locations), and the app predicts what the aphid population will be in seven days and recommends whether to spray or not. […] Read more
The numbers are in and, baby, it was cold this winter
A cold snap that started in February and continued through March made for a long and chilly winter
Reading Time: 3 minutes Yet another month has come and gone, and for most of us across the Prairies, March 2018 was not one we really care to remember. After a warm start to 2018 that saw January temperatures averaging from 1 C to 3 C above the long-term average across all three Prairie provinces, cold weather moved in […] Read more
Normal monsoon season expected for India
Reading Time: < 1 minute The India Meteorological Department is suggesting this year’s monsoon season will be average, the Times of India reports. The newspaper points to a recent weather bulletin from the agency saying El Niño won’t be a factor during the summer rainy season. The weather pattern — an abnormal warming of the ocean surface in central and […] Read more
Ag scholarship opens the world to farmers
Application deadline is April 30
Reading Time: < 1 minute There’s still time to apply for a 2019 Nuffield Canada scholarship or to consider taking advantage of this learning opportunity in the future. Nuffield Canada offers five $15,000 scholarships, which allow scholars to participate in a training session with other Nuffield participants from the U.S., Britain, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Holland, Brazil, China, India, […] Read more
AFSC lowering crop insurance premiums this year
The provincial crop insurer says it is reducing premiums by an average of eight per cent
Reading Time: < 1 minute Agriculture Financial Services Corporation is lowering crop insurance premiums. “On average, 2018 premium rates for crops are eight per cent lower than they were in 2017,” AFSC said in a news release. “The decrease in premium rates is a reflection of the generally good growing conditions over the past few years, which resulted in positive […] Read more
Elm pruning ban now in place
Reading Time: < 1 minute The pruning ban for elms is now in effect. The ban is part of an effort to keep Dutch elm disease (DED) out of Alberta. Any pruned elm branches or firewood should have been burned, buried, or chipped by March 31. “If elm trees are pruned during the pruning ban period, beetles that are active […] Read more
Orphan wells a growing problem for Alberta farmers
There are thousands of abandoned wells, which not only means lost rents but weed issues and contamination risks
Reading Time: 4 minutes Landowners and farmers could be left holding the bill following the bankruptcy of yet another Alberta energy company. Calgary-based natural gas producer Sequoia Resources Corp. ceased operations last month, abandoning a number of aging oil and gas wells that need to be sealed and cleaned up. “With Sequoia, there are 3,000 wells — 700 abandoned […] Read more
There’s a new kind of loneliness — but overcoming it isn’t easy
You can see it everywhere — at least you can when you stop staring at your cellphone
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was a beautiful winter day. The weather was mild and the Prairie ice was just right for skating. I was thrilled to see a young boy navigating his wobbly way around the ice. It was obvious he was new to the sport. Dad sat faithfully on a nearby bench and not once did he […] Read more
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