Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers can expect several changes to Agriculture Financial Services Corporation’s insurance products for 2023. The changes include a move to monthly payments for Moisture Deficiency Insurance, an increase in the reseeding benefit compensation rate, the addition of a bear predation pilot project (for hives and bees) to the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program, increased coverage for […] Read more
Insurer moves to monthly drought coverage payouts
AFSC also cancelling pasture coverage program that relied on satellite imagery
What works — or at least helps — in reducing livestock predation?
That’s what a comprehensive pilot project led by Manitoba’s main cattle group hopes to establish
Reading Time: 3 minutes There are a lot of ways to reduce losses to predators, but what works best and which ones are a good investment? That’s what a multi-year pilot project in Manitoba is trying to determine. Among the items being studied are: special penning, with seven strings of electric wire and predator-resistant gates. game cameras that give […] Read more
U.S. lifts federal protections for gray wolf
Reuters — The Trump administration in the U.S. said Thursday said it will lift Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf, arguing the species had been brought back successfully from the brink of extinction. The move gives states in the continuous United States the authority to manage their local wolf populations, including by allowing […] Read more
The bear facts: Farming with grizzly bears in your area
Some simple measures can reduce the odds of bears becoming an issue on your ranch or farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes Jim Duncan has his bear stories, but so do all of his neighbours. The Clearwater County rancher has seen bears in his yard looking in the calf sheds, but has never had a calf taken. Wolves, however, have taken two or three animals while cougars — which are out there but rarely seen — have […] Read more
Too close for comfort: Farmers recount grizzly bear encounter
Bear makes sheep farm its hunting ground and wreaks destruction before being snared
Reading Time: 2 minutes Bears can wreak havoc on a farm — Norm and Irene Korth learned this the hard way. The couple has a sheep farm in Clearwater County and lamb about 200 head. “About four years ago, we had a grizzly here, but we never did catch him,” said Irene Korth But things escalated this April, on […] Read more
Ontario plugs holes in wildlife compensation plan
Ontario’s agriculture ministry has patched a glitch in its wildlife damage compensation program, in which farmers’ claims risked rejection over the validity of their farm business registrations. “We heard livestock farmers’ concerns with the program so we’re making the first changes effective immediately,” Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman said in a release Monday. “We’re also continuing […] Read more
Predator compensation benefits all of society
Ranchers are key to maintaining wildlife habitat but pay a price because of predator losses, which are on the rise
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ranchers play a key role in conservation by keeping their lands available to wildlife, and it’s important that they be compensated for those losses, says a new study “Our paper makes a case that there are benefits… if those ranchers who have depredation programs see some compensation for wildlife to be on their private lands,” […] Read more
Saskatchewan sets new cougar, bear trapping seasons
Saskatchewan has set up a new cougar season for trappers, plus a southern expansion of its black bear trapping season, in part to help limit livestock predation. The province on Wednesday announced a new “trapping-only” cougar season will open Oct. 15, 2017 and close March 15, 2018. It also announced a new “black bear opportunity” […] Read more
Saskatchewan to thin out wolf pack along treeline
Aiming to prevent “wolf-livestock conflicts” in the region, Saskatchewan’s environment department will again offer a wolf hunting season along the provincial forest fringe starting Saturday. The wolf hunt, running from Oct. 15, 2016 through to March 31, 2017, is to be allowed in wildlife management zones 43 (Melfort, Tisdale), 47 (North Battleford, Turtleford), 48 (Preeceville, […] Read more
Stockmanship schools on offer
Classes run June 13-14 in Red Deer and June 16-17 in Cochrane
Reading Time: < 1 minute Richard McConnell and Tina William are presenting a two-day Proper Stockmanship School in Red Deer (June 13-14 at the Red Deer County Office) and Cochrane (June 16-17 at the Weedon Pioneer Community Hall). Topics include pressure and release; instincts of humans and livestock; the predator/prey relationship; positioning and movement; and sorting, weaning, receiving, and loading livestock. […] Read more
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