A flax field west of Pathlow, Sask. in August. The Saskatchewan government is tightening its rules on who can and can’t own more than 10 acres of the province’s farmland.

New farmland legislation will quintuple the fines for non-compliance

Sask. moves to toughen farmland ownership law

The Saskatchewan government is set to lay down more law on who can and can’t buy up farmland in the province, backstopped with more enforcement and heavier penalties. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart on Oct. 20 introduced amendments to the province’s Farmland Security Act, the legislation that already prevents non-Canadians and entities that aren’t 100

Souris River flooding north of Melita, Man.

KAP still pushing AgriRecovery

The Manitoba and Saskatchewan governments say they’re still assessing the damage

Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) continues to build a case for an AgriRecovery program to assist Manitoba farmers who couldn’t seed or lost crops due to flooding or excessive moisture this season. “We’re continuing to engage as many members as we can to get information and provide supporting rationale for a program,” KAP president Doug Chorney


Farmers, Ottawa put $25.2 million over five years into national wheat research program

Canadian wheat research is getting a boost thanks to $25.2 million in farmer and federal government investment over the next five years. “The primary output will be new varieties, however, there will be other projects that look at breeding tools to support varieties,” said Garth Patterson, executive director of the farmer-funded Western Grains Research Foundation

Alliance seeks improved wheat photosynthesis, nutrient use

Alliance seeks improved wheat photosynthesis, nutrient use The Canadian Wheat Alliance wants to boost wheat yields by developing new varieties with increased tolerance to drought, heat, cold and diseases such as fusarium head blight and rust. “By working in an integrated fashion and bringing in additional collaborators and contributors, the alliance is striving to ensure

Agriculture Canada’s Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg is being mothballed and its research staff transferred to other locations.  photo: shannon vanraes

Where is AAFC’s wheat-breeding program headed?

After closing Winnipeg’s Cereal Research Centre, the federal government has
invested $85 million in a new wheat research program in Saskatoon

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has led Canadian wheat breeding for more than 100 years, but recent actions by the federal government have some wondering about its future role. A year ago, Ottawa announced it will close AAFC’s venerable Cereal Research Centre on the University of Manitoba’s Winnipeg campus because it would cost too much


photo AAFC

Is alfalfa weevil taking a bite out of your forage crop?

Researchers are working on an interactive map to help producers assess potential for weevil infestations

Many Saskatchewan forage growers dutifully waited for alfalfa to reach the 15 per cent bloom stage before cutting last year, but their patience went unrewarded. Thanks to the alfalfa weevil, a nasty little pest that has been gradually spreading across the southern Prairies since its arrival here in the 1950s, they were waiting for a

Province admits to flooding from Shellmouth operations

The Manitoba government now admits there was some “artificial flooding” downstream from the Shellmouth Dam this summer and has promised compensation. But the chair of the Assiniboine Valley Producers Association is wary and fears farmers won’t be fully compensated because of the narrow definition of artificial flooding in the Shellmouth Dam Act. “They say if

Puratone, Big Sky in receivership

Industry observers are worried processors could soon be scrambling for hogs as two of Canada’s largest producers tipped over the financial ledge last week and governments refused to ride to the rescue. “Obviously the challenge that we currently face is producers are exiting the business,” Jason Manness, director of procurement at Maple Leaf Foods said


Glencore’s Viterra takeover wins federal government blessing

Commodity giant Glencore’s “commitments to Canada” and Canadian farmers in its proposed takeover of the country’s biggest grain handler have earned the federal government’s formal approval of the deal. Federal Industry Minister Christian Paradis on Sunday announced he has approved Glencore International’s application under the Investment Canada Act for its friendly takeover of Viterra, which

Canadian farm groups want curbs on Agrium’s clout

Reuters / Two influential Canadian farm groups will urge the country’s Competition Bureau to scale back Agrium Inc.’s proposed purchase of Viterra Inc. assets, saying Agrium might become too powerful in the sale of fertilizer and other crop supplies. In a $6.1-billion deal, global commodities giant Glencore International PLC will buy Viterra, Canada’s biggest grain