Statistics show slightly lower costs for fertilizer, fuel and cattle and calf purchases in 2016, against higher crop sales and program payments, led to a rise in realized net farm income last year. Statistics Canada on Wednesday released data showing Canadian producers’ realized net farm income — the difference between cash receipts and operating expenses,
Stats from 2016 show uptick in net farm income
A new concept comes to combines
Our History: June 1983
This ad in our June 2, 1983 issue promoted a relatively new concept at the time — a rotary combine. The new Gleaner Series 3 had a crosswise rather than lengthwise cylinder. Seeding progress had been varied across the province — as of May 31 the northwest region was only 10 per cent complete but
New Alberta labour standards for paid farm workers tabled
Waged farm workers in Alberta will be allowed to unionize and get new rules governing vacation pay and youth employment, under a provincial labour bill tabled Wednesday. The new rules are tucked into Bill 17, the Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act, which went through first reading Wednesday and, if passed, would take effect Jan. 1,
Deadline extended for comment on cash ticket deferral
Public consultations on the income tax treatment of deferred grain cash tickets, with an eye toward “potential elimination” of farmers’ option to defer grain income, have been extended by two months. The federal government on Tuesday said the consultation, first announced in Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s March budget and due to end Wednesday, will instead
Crocus photo contest winners named
Amateur photographers from across the province once again put their best photo forward
Adult and youth competitors have once again flooded the village of Arden with crocus photographs. The 2017 Wild Prairie Crocus photo contest attracted more than 100 photos, and 13 photographers from eight different towns and cities throughout the province captured prizes totalling $600. The tiny village, 160 km northwest of Winnipeg, is home to about
Dairy fat not heart and stroke culprit
A major analysis of past studies says the risk from dairy fat has been overstated
A review of 29 health studies involving more than a million patients says dairy fat doesn’t increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. These findings challenge the widely held belief that dairy products can damage health. In fact the analysis found that even full-fat versions of dairy favourites like cheese, yogurt and sour cream
Quebec sets up single line for flooded farmers
Quebec farmers whose operations have been hit by flooding in recent weeks will have a single number to call for provincial support starting Tuesday. The province’s agriculture ministry (MAPAQ), public security ministry (MSP) and ag lending agency, la Financiere agricole du Quebec (FADQ) on Friday announced a “concerted effort” to manage supports for flood-affected farms.
Regional-level biosecurity urged against PED in Manitoba
Producers in southeastern Manitoba’s “hog alley” are being urged to keep animal movements to a minimum and limit contact with hog operations in an area that’s seen five on-farm cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) this month. The province’s chief veterinary officer on Thursday confirmed positive test results for PED at a sow operation in
Take time to judge frost damage on canola
After temperatures Thursday dropped as low as -5 C in parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, growers who’ve already seeded may be wondering whether emerging canola plants have survived. It’s best not to write off those seedlings right away, according to the Canola Council of Canada in a Canola Watch newsletter on Friday. It can take
U.S. expands war on Canadian wheat
Our History: May 1994
The world wheat trade war was in full swing in 1994, as we reported in our May 26 issue. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy had been in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil the previous week, urging them to take action against what he claimed was price undercutting by the Canadian Wheat Board. Espy claimed the CWB