The McDougall Creek wildfire burns outside West Kelowna, B.C. on Aug. 18, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Chris Helgren)

AgriRecovery feed, freight, breeding herd aid set for Alberta, Saskatchewan, B.C.

Feds, provinces announce combined $365 million in aid programs

The federal and Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia governments are jointly putting up $365 million to support ranchers and farmers up against this summer’s drought and wildfire damage. The feds on Friday announced their 60 per cent, or $219 million, share of AgriRecovery program funding for the three westernmost provinces. “I’ve had the opportunity to […] Read more

File photo of vessels on the Mississippi River south of New Orleans on Nov. 5, 2017. (Dave Bedard photo)

Low water on Mississippi to persist despite improved drought outlook

Risk of getting stuck mean less grain per barge

Chicago | Reuters — Low water levels on the lower Mississippi River are likely to persist through at least January despite expected above-normal precipitation across the southern U.S. this winter, forecasters with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Thursday. The severe to exceptional drought choking the lower Mississippi River valley is expected to […] Read more


Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in degrees Celsius on Oct. 18, 2023. (NOAA.gov)

El Nino worries Brazil soy farmers as planting progresses, grain lobby says

Dry weather has pushed back planting

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Soybean farmers in top growing state Mato Grosso worry that scarce rains and high temperatures will lead to replanting of some areas while lowering yields in others, local grain farmer lobby Aprosoja-MT said Thursday. The unusual heat and dryness has been linked to the El Nino weather pattern, which is […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

FCC to offer beef heifer replacement loans

Loan program for those wanting to build, maintain herds

Cattle producers wanting to expand or maintain herds — in a time of nationwide herd contraction — are the expected beneficiaries for a new loan program from Farm Credit Canada. FCC on Tuesday announced what it calls the Replacement Heifer Program, consisting of a loan with a maximum loan life of seven years and a […] Read more


Here is a soil core laid out for sampling. Soil samples collected for soil nutrient analyses should be placed in breathable bags. In this picture, soil moisture samples were being collected and placed in stainless steel containers to precisely determine soil moisture content.

The importance of soil testing after a season of drought

Develop sound, economical fertilizer plans for each crop and field

In my last article, I discussed concerns of herbicide residue carry-over after a season of drought. In this article, I will discuss the importance of soil testing for plant-available nutrients after a drier-than-normal growing season. Many farmers in the southern Prairies had below normal growing season rainfall, while some had almost no rain. The result […] Read more

Gregory snaps a photo of some of the spring calves on pasture.

Eppich: Harvest begins with hot, dry weather

More ditch hay hauled home, pastures could use some rain

The beginning of August found us still making bales in the ditches and a few sloughs. Gregory and John were also working summerfallow and trying to get ready for harvest. During the week of Aug. 14 to 18, Saint James Parish in Wilkie held its yearling Vacation Bible School. Joseph and James were able to […] Read more



Herbicide carry-over concerns on the Prairies

Herbicide carry-over concerns on the Prairies

The 2023 growing season was drier and warmer than normal resulting in lower-than-normal crop yields over much of the Prairies. The worst affected areas are in the Brown and Dark Brown soil zones. Figure 1 shows an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada map of soil moisture conditions across the Prairies at the end of July 2023. […] Read more