File photo of initial symptoms that may be seen the morning after a frost in canola. Depending on the amount of frost and weather conditions, either moderate damage or severe damage may develop. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Prairies at risk of frosty harvest

MarketsFarm — Another dilemma is expected for the 2019 growing season: after a late start, western Canadian farmers could be challenged by an early end. Over the Aug. 10 weekend there were isolated reports of frost in some areas of the Peace region in northwestern Alberta. Other parts of the Prairies may be experiencing similar […] Read more



A pea crop soaks up the sun near Ethelton, Sask., on July 30.

Harvest begins in Saskatchewan, crop development two weeks behind for some

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending August 5

Harvest operations have already begun in some parts of the province, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. As crops continue to mature in the next few weeks, most producers will begin to harvest. Some crops are one-to-two weeks behind in development and this may be of concern depending on weather during harvest. Scattered rainfall […] Read more

A slide is pictured behind members of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) during a news conference on the Special Report on Climate Change and Land after IPCC’s 50th session in Geneva on Aug. 8, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse)

UN flags need to reduce meat consumption to curb land use impact on global warming

London/Geneva | Reuters — Global meat consumption must fall to curb global warming, reduce growing strains on land and water and improve food security, health and biodiversity, a United Nations report on the effects of climate change concluded. Although the report stopped short of explicitly advocating going meat-free, it called for big changes to farming […] Read more


Photo: File

Crop reports stoke hay shortage concerns

MarketsFarm – Rainfall varied across the Prairie provinces during week ended August 2, as concerns of a hay shortage continue. Approximately 39 per cent of the hay crop in Saskatchewan is now baled or stored. While hay quality is 55 per cent good-to-excellent, yields have been well below normal across the province. According to the […] Read more

Sask producers make good haying progress, crops mostly measure fair-to-good

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending July 29

Livestock producers continue to make good haying progress as 39 per cent of the hay crop is now baled or put into silage. An additional 27 per cent is cut and ready for baling according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Hay quality is currently rated as three per cent excellent, 52 per cent good, […] Read more



Photo: File

Livestock producers receive tax relief for 2019

Drought in Western Canada and Quebec has prompted the federal government to release an initial list of regions eligible for livestock tax deferrals. The livestock tax deferral provision allows livestock producers in prescribed drought, flood or excess moisture regions to defer a portion of their 2019 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until 2020 to help […] Read more


Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau (fifth from left) meets in Quebec City with provincial and territorial ag ministers. (CNW Group/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Ag ministers aim for AgriStability upgrades for 2020

Coming out of their meeting in Quebec City, Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial ministers for agriculture say they plan to meet again before year’s end to see about improving the AgriStability program for 2020. In a statement Friday, the ministers said they discussed “adjustments that could improve existing (business risk management) programs to address the […] Read more

Majority of Sask. crops measure ‘poor-to-good condition’

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending July 15

Crops continue to develop across the province, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Sixty-three per cent of the fall and spring cereals, 53 per cent of the oilseeds, and 73 per cent of the pulse crops are at their normal stages of development for this time of year. Crop conditions vary throughout the province, […] Read more