Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
The Saskatchewan Bison Association says all signs point to the continued strengthening of prices for top quality live bison and bison meat products for the balance of 2006 and well into 2007.
“Prices in the United States have been quite strong and continue to increase,” said Jim Warren, executive director of the Saskatchewan Bison Association. “Premium prices in the U.S. market drive the price in the domestic market, as well.”
In terms of market conditions, Warren said all the signals are positive from the U.S. At the Saskatchewan Bison Industry Economic Outlook sessions held in the spring, the CEO of the North American Bison Co-operative, Rusty Seedig, predicted that his firm would be increasing its purchases by as much as 42 per cent this year.
Warren said producers are receiving $1.70 to $1.90 per pound, hot carcass weight, for youthful animals (those under 30 months of age).
“There’s plenty of room for optimism,” said Warren. He indicated that acceptance of bison is growing, with bison being added as a menu item at national restaurant chains. In Canada, for example, the Montana’s Restaurant chain offered bison on their lunch specials menu right across Canada this summer.
Bison producers are subject to the same BSE export restrictions as beef producers and, as a result, accurate age verification is becoming more important.
“Producers should be registering their animals' birth dates with the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency,” said Warren. “Age verification registration is available online, and it’s a point and click process.”
The website is found at www.canadaid.com, and information is also available toll free at 1-877-909-BEEF (2333). As opposed to registering each animal, the system allows registration of a total number of bison born during the normal 60-day calving season.
According to Warren, there are now over 500 bison producers in Saskatchewan. “We have everything from people just getting started with 10 or 20 animals, to many herds of over 100 and a few over 1,000,” he said. The Saskatchewan Bison Association estimates the total herd in the province at about 100,000 bison of all ages and types, including approximately 35,000 breeding cows.
At this point, the market breaks down into three broad segments: about one-third of the stock is sold to the U.S. as live animals or meat products, one-third is processed in Canada for sale to Europe, and one-third is sold into the domestic Saskatchewan market.
The Saskatchewan Bison Association is currently drafting a brand new production and marketing manual for bison producers.
“Initially, the industry followed beef production practices, but in the past 10 years we’ve developed quite a bit of new experience specific to bison,” said Warren.
The new manual will pull together what producers have learned, and indicate best practices in the Saskatchewan industry. It is expected to be released in early 2007.
For more information, contact:
Jim Warren, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Bison Association
Phone: (306) 585-6304
e-mail: saskbison@sasktel.net
Website: www.saskbison.com
Saturday, September 09, 2006
New Software To Aid With Ag Business Decisions
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
An innovative project under development at the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) in Humboldt has the potential to greatly help producers, entrepreneurs and even public policy-makers make critical agricultural business decisions.
The project is in the form of a multi-faceted computer program that takes account of a wide variety of factors and inputs to generate a comprehensive spreadsheet which calculates the economics of different farming techniques, product usages, business opportunities, etc.
Les Hill, PAMI’s Business Development and Technical Services Manager, has worked closely on the initiative since its inception. He says the project is called the “Comparison of Whole Crop Harvesting Options,” because the concept behind it is to enable farmers to make the best possible use of all products and by-products generated in the crop production process.
Producers will be able to see how a different farming practice, an alternate usage of a commodity, or a simple change in a single input might affect the bottom line of their whole operation.
“We’ve tried to put all possible variables into the program that can give farmers as complete a picture as possible when they weigh the options available to them or look at the value of their products,” said Hill. For example, under what conditions might it be preferable for a producer to bale the straw and chaff left over after harvest for sale to a cattle operation or other commercial venture, and when might it be better to retain the crop residue to enhance the soil?
The software can also show producers how different farming techniques and practices might alter their profit equation. “Every piece of equipment can be operated differently. If you’re a conservative operator, you might reduce your machinery upkeep and repair costs, but you’ll probably spend more time in the field,” Hill said. “There are tradeoffs for all of these kinds of decisions, and this program has the ability to maybe help producers find ways to do things better or cheaper.”
But he was quick to point out that the tool will have benefits beyond just the farm gate. Entrepreneurs with agricultural business ideas could use it to calculate the viability of their plans and determine how changing factors might affect their profit margins. They would then be able to work with the numbers, adjusting different variables to see what it might take to make the venture successful.
Hill said that tests conducted on the program so far have gone quite well. “We’ve been experimenting with different inputs, and it’s all working very nicely,” he noted.
Hill estimated the project would be completed by March of 2007. The PAMI team is continuing to add new data from many sources to ensure the program is as thorough as possible. They are also working to make the software as simple and user-friendly as it can be, which is a big focus of their current efforts.
Given its many potential applications and benefits, Hill said PAMI was very encouraged to receive some funding for the project from the provincial government’s Agricultural Development Fund, aimed at supporting innovative research and development initiatives.
“The program can help in developing best practices for utilizing agricultural products and in making strategic business decisions,” he stated. “If it can take an agricultural business venture or a farming operation over the line from losing money to profitability, I think it will be a very worthwhile tool.”
For further information, contact:
Les Hill, Business Development and Technical Services Manager
Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute
Phone: 1-800-567-7264, ext. 226
An innovative project under development at the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) in Humboldt has the potential to greatly help producers, entrepreneurs and even public policy-makers make critical agricultural business decisions.
The project is in the form of a multi-faceted computer program that takes account of a wide variety of factors and inputs to generate a comprehensive spreadsheet which calculates the economics of different farming techniques, product usages, business opportunities, etc.
Les Hill, PAMI’s Business Development and Technical Services Manager, has worked closely on the initiative since its inception. He says the project is called the “Comparison of Whole Crop Harvesting Options,” because the concept behind it is to enable farmers to make the best possible use of all products and by-products generated in the crop production process.
Producers will be able to see how a different farming practice, an alternate usage of a commodity, or a simple change in a single input might affect the bottom line of their whole operation.
“We’ve tried to put all possible variables into the program that can give farmers as complete a picture as possible when they weigh the options available to them or look at the value of their products,” said Hill. For example, under what conditions might it be preferable for a producer to bale the straw and chaff left over after harvest for sale to a cattle operation or other commercial venture, and when might it be better to retain the crop residue to enhance the soil?
The software can also show producers how different farming techniques and practices might alter their profit equation. “Every piece of equipment can be operated differently. If you’re a conservative operator, you might reduce your machinery upkeep and repair costs, but you’ll probably spend more time in the field,” Hill said. “There are tradeoffs for all of these kinds of decisions, and this program has the ability to maybe help producers find ways to do things better or cheaper.”
But he was quick to point out that the tool will have benefits beyond just the farm gate. Entrepreneurs with agricultural business ideas could use it to calculate the viability of their plans and determine how changing factors might affect their profit margins. They would then be able to work with the numbers, adjusting different variables to see what it might take to make the venture successful.
Hill said that tests conducted on the program so far have gone quite well. “We’ve been experimenting with different inputs, and it’s all working very nicely,” he noted.
Hill estimated the project would be completed by March of 2007. The PAMI team is continuing to add new data from many sources to ensure the program is as thorough as possible. They are also working to make the software as simple and user-friendly as it can be, which is a big focus of their current efforts.
Given its many potential applications and benefits, Hill said PAMI was very encouraged to receive some funding for the project from the provincial government’s Agricultural Development Fund, aimed at supporting innovative research and development initiatives.
“The program can help in developing best practices for utilizing agricultural products and in making strategic business decisions,” he stated. “If it can take an agricultural business venture or a farming operation over the line from losing money to profitability, I think it will be a very worthwhile tool.”
For further information, contact:
Les Hill, Business Development and Technical Services Manager
Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute
Phone: 1-800-567-7264, ext. 226
Immigration Helps Meet Farm Labour Needs
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Finding reliable farm labour in Saskatchewan is not always easy, but producer Paul La Casse went a little further than most to find employees for his operation: to South America, in fact.
La Casse operates a 10,000-acre family farm in the Kincaid district, about 80 kilometres west of Assiniboia. He chooses his crop mixture based on “marketability and cash flow.” This year, that means cultivation of cereal grains, peas, barley and brown mustard. He also has a significant acreage in pasture, since he is running a herd of 200 cows.
The La Casse family has farmed in the area since the 1950s, and Paul says there was never a time that they did it without some outside help.
“My mom was cooking for harvesting crews in the fifties, so I can never remember a time when we didn’t have hired hands in our operation,” La Casse said.
When he began managing the farm in partnership with his mother, Louisa, in the 1980s, they were still using mainly seasonal labour for seeding and harvest.
Eventually, he found that recruiting short-term workers twice a year was simply not efficient, and decided to employ full-time employees to work in the operation. In recent years, it became challenging to recruit and retain these workers, who had generally been young men.
So, in the winter of 2005, La Casse began to look farther afield.
“I read an article about a woman in southern Manitoba who was working to attract immigrants from Paraguay to work on farms there, he said. “I gave her a call and that’s how things got started.”
His conversation with Bertha Penner resulted in La Casse discovering a community connection between the Canadian prairies and Paraguay: the international Mennonite community.
“A large percentage of rural Paraguayans are Mennonite,” according to La Casse. “That’s the link with the folks in Manitoba.”
La Casse got in touch with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (now Service Canada), which conducted a job study on the positions he had to offer, and the issues with recruiting Canadian workers to fill them. With approval granted to offer the jobs to non-Canadians, his search began.
Over a period of about six months, he completed the required paperwork and began looking at prospects. “You have to remember that once Immigration is on side, you are just beginning,” he commented.
He reviewed a number of candidates before deciding on two 29-year-old men. Both are married, and intended to bring their wives with them. “I felt that having a family unit rather than a single man would create some stability for them, and a source of support,” said La Casse.
In August of 2006, La Casse and his family welcomed the two Paraguayan couples to Regina. One couple also brought their four-year-old daughter.
Their mother tongues are Portugese, Spanish and German. The La Casse operation has another hand who speaks German, and a neighbour who speaks Spanish, both of whom were instrumental in helping to bridge the language barrier. In addition, the new workers have committed to studying English, and La Casse himself is now taking Spanish.
The workers are here on 24-month work visas, after which time they will be able to apply for landed immigrant status.
La Casse says his initial experience with the new employees has been positive. He describes them as very hard working, industrious and, “in a word, 'respectful'.”
They have been introduced to the local Mennonite community, which has embraced them.
In their native country, their maximum income expectation is about $300 per month, so the wages they receive here are an enormous improvement.
La Casse says the other important thing is that these are true farm folks, who understand and love the rural lifestyle. He is proud to have helped bring new families and young children into his community.
Will immigrant workers become Saskatchewan’s new farm labour force? “I guess I’m the guinea pig around here,” said La Casse. “My neighbours are watching to see how it works out for me. I expect that soon they’ll all be asking how I did it, and I’ll enjoy sharing my experience.”
For more information, contact:
Paul La Casse
(306) 264-3680
Finding reliable farm labour in Saskatchewan is not always easy, but producer Paul La Casse went a little further than most to find employees for his operation: to South America, in fact.
La Casse operates a 10,000-acre family farm in the Kincaid district, about 80 kilometres west of Assiniboia. He chooses his crop mixture based on “marketability and cash flow.” This year, that means cultivation of cereal grains, peas, barley and brown mustard. He also has a significant acreage in pasture, since he is running a herd of 200 cows.
The La Casse family has farmed in the area since the 1950s, and Paul says there was never a time that they did it without some outside help.
“My mom was cooking for harvesting crews in the fifties, so I can never remember a time when we didn’t have hired hands in our operation,” La Casse said.
When he began managing the farm in partnership with his mother, Louisa, in the 1980s, they were still using mainly seasonal labour for seeding and harvest.
Eventually, he found that recruiting short-term workers twice a year was simply not efficient, and decided to employ full-time employees to work in the operation. In recent years, it became challenging to recruit and retain these workers, who had generally been young men.
So, in the winter of 2005, La Casse began to look farther afield.
“I read an article about a woman in southern Manitoba who was working to attract immigrants from Paraguay to work on farms there, he said. “I gave her a call and that’s how things got started.”
His conversation with Bertha Penner resulted in La Casse discovering a community connection between the Canadian prairies and Paraguay: the international Mennonite community.
“A large percentage of rural Paraguayans are Mennonite,” according to La Casse. “That’s the link with the folks in Manitoba.”
La Casse got in touch with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (now Service Canada), which conducted a job study on the positions he had to offer, and the issues with recruiting Canadian workers to fill them. With approval granted to offer the jobs to non-Canadians, his search began.
Over a period of about six months, he completed the required paperwork and began looking at prospects. “You have to remember that once Immigration is on side, you are just beginning,” he commented.
He reviewed a number of candidates before deciding on two 29-year-old men. Both are married, and intended to bring their wives with them. “I felt that having a family unit rather than a single man would create some stability for them, and a source of support,” said La Casse.
In August of 2006, La Casse and his family welcomed the two Paraguayan couples to Regina. One couple also brought their four-year-old daughter.
Their mother tongues are Portugese, Spanish and German. The La Casse operation has another hand who speaks German, and a neighbour who speaks Spanish, both of whom were instrumental in helping to bridge the language barrier. In addition, the new workers have committed to studying English, and La Casse himself is now taking Spanish.
The workers are here on 24-month work visas, after which time they will be able to apply for landed immigrant status.
La Casse says his initial experience with the new employees has been positive. He describes them as very hard working, industrious and, “in a word, 'respectful'.”
They have been introduced to the local Mennonite community, which has embraced them.
In their native country, their maximum income expectation is about $300 per month, so the wages they receive here are an enormous improvement.
La Casse says the other important thing is that these are true farm folks, who understand and love the rural lifestyle. He is proud to have helped bring new families and young children into his community.
Will immigrant workers become Saskatchewan’s new farm labour force? “I guess I’m the guinea pig around here,” said La Casse. “My neighbours are watching to see how it works out for me. I expect that soon they’ll all be asking how I did it, and I’ll enjoy sharing my experience.”
For more information, contact:
Paul La Casse
(306) 264-3680
Country Critters Fall Fair Entertaining For Young And Old
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Duane and Margaret Rose are accustomed to having strangers stop by their farm near Zehner, but they’re expecting about 900 of them at once on September 16.
The Roses, who operate Rose Farm and Shepherds’ Cottage Wool, are hosting the third annual Country Critters Fall Fair. Duane Rose said the fair grew out of a need they felt wasn’t being served.
“It started as a result of three couples, friends, just sitting around saying how we need something to showcase our fibres,” he stated.
The Roses keep sheep and llamas, and their friends have Romney sheep, angora rabbits and alpacas.
The one-day event welcomes farm and city folks alike. Those planning to attend should be sure to bring their appetites. Rose noted there will be up to 16 different vendors offering all kinds of dishes.
“We built a clay oven,” he said. “We had built another one last year, on a trailer. I was going to put it away and it fell off the trailer. So we played in the mud for a while and got the new one ready.”
Rose said the new oven will have a permanent home on their farm in order to stay better preserved. It will be put into use the whole day, baking up bread, cinnamon buns and individual pizzas around lunch time.
Because the fair is designed to be a showcase for the various wool fibres the farms produce, there are also displays of sheep shearing, sheep fitting for showing, fleece washing, carding, spinning, weaving, knitting and quilting. Other displays will include cow milking, butter churning, cream separating, and the sure-fire hit – home-made ice cream in production.
Horse and wagon rides will be running throughout the day, and children can expend some energy on the hay bale play structure or riding the ponies. The Roses will also have livestock on display, including sheep, chickens, donkeys, rabbits, alpacas, llamas, goats and cattle. Miniature donkeys will be brought in from near Kronau, and angora goats from around Saskatoon will round out the animal displays.
Admission for the day is $3 per person, which includes a horse and wagon ride, or a pony ride for children.
To get to Rose farm, travellers should head to Zehner and follow the road for seven kilometres straight east. If approaching from the Pilot Butte area, the Rose farm can be found six kilometres east of the correction line where Pilot Butte Road meets Highway 46 (roughly 14 kilometres north of the #1 Highway). Signs will be posted along both routes.
For more information, contact:
Margaret and Duane Rose, Rose Farm
Zehner, Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 789-3763
e-mail: rosefarm@sasktel.net
Website: www.rosefarm.info
Duane and Margaret Rose are accustomed to having strangers stop by their farm near Zehner, but they’re expecting about 900 of them at once on September 16.
The Roses, who operate Rose Farm and Shepherds’ Cottage Wool, are hosting the third annual Country Critters Fall Fair. Duane Rose said the fair grew out of a need they felt wasn’t being served.
“It started as a result of three couples, friends, just sitting around saying how we need something to showcase our fibres,” he stated.
The Roses keep sheep and llamas, and their friends have Romney sheep, angora rabbits and alpacas.
The one-day event welcomes farm and city folks alike. Those planning to attend should be sure to bring their appetites. Rose noted there will be up to 16 different vendors offering all kinds of dishes.
“We built a clay oven,” he said. “We had built another one last year, on a trailer. I was going to put it away and it fell off the trailer. So we played in the mud for a while and got the new one ready.”
Rose said the new oven will have a permanent home on their farm in order to stay better preserved. It will be put into use the whole day, baking up bread, cinnamon buns and individual pizzas around lunch time.
Because the fair is designed to be a showcase for the various wool fibres the farms produce, there are also displays of sheep shearing, sheep fitting for showing, fleece washing, carding, spinning, weaving, knitting and quilting. Other displays will include cow milking, butter churning, cream separating, and the sure-fire hit – home-made ice cream in production.
Horse and wagon rides will be running throughout the day, and children can expend some energy on the hay bale play structure or riding the ponies. The Roses will also have livestock on display, including sheep, chickens, donkeys, rabbits, alpacas, llamas, goats and cattle. Miniature donkeys will be brought in from near Kronau, and angora goats from around Saskatoon will round out the animal displays.
Admission for the day is $3 per person, which includes a horse and wagon ride, or a pony ride for children.
To get to Rose farm, travellers should head to Zehner and follow the road for seven kilometres straight east. If approaching from the Pilot Butte area, the Rose farm can be found six kilometres east of the correction line where Pilot Butte Road meets Highway 46 (roughly 14 kilometres north of the #1 Highway). Signs will be posted along both routes.
For more information, contact:
Margaret and Duane Rose, Rose Farm
Zehner, Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 789-3763
e-mail: rosefarm@sasktel.net
Website: www.rosefarm.info
Pami Aims To Improve Farm Safety
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
A multi-year project aimed at improving farm safety is now entering a new phase.
Over the past year, the Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute (PAMI) has been developing strategies and innovations to improve the safety of used farm equipment, and is now looking to spread the word to farmers about what they have found.
Jim Wasserman, PAMI’s Vice President of Saskatchewan Operations, said the project flowed out of a study sponsored by the provincial government’s Agriculture Development Fund, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association, Alberta AgTech Centre and Bourgault Industries.
“We found that a lot of work was going into improving the safety of new farm equipment, but there was actually very limited engineering activity occurring with regard to the safety of used farm equipment,” Wasserman said.
He stated that the first phase of the project was to determine what engineering activity might provide maximum injury reduction for farmers. PAMI used existing research data from Canada, Australia and the United States, as well as consultations with over 40 individuals from groups representing researchers, machinery manufacturers, regulators and farmers themselves.
A number of issues were identified, but the top four became the focus of the next phase of the project:
1. Improving guarding for used equipment;
2. Increasing the amount of rollover protective structures;
3. Improving access to guarding for power take-offs; and
4. Improving guarding for grain auger intakes.
Wasserman said all of these issues require easy and economical solutions to make a difference, since the cost and the complexity of corrective action is often a barrier to it being implemented.
An example of how the PAMI team overcame this challenge can be found in the handbook developed to help producers quickly and cheaply build their own guarding if it is not readily available in the after-market. The handbook, called “On Guard!,” is written for farmers rather than for engineers.
“It’s intended to simplify the process, which can be fairly complex,” said Wasserman. “Through pictures and simplified instructions, we tried to make it something that farmers can access.”
A similar guidebook is planned for rollover structures with a target for material costs of under $250. Wasserman said that product is still a year or two away.
“There’s a lot of research to make sure we do it right, because there is potential liability associated with these types of recommendations. But we see there being huge potential, so we are going to work our way through it,” he stated.
For the time being, PAMI has created a reference book for farmers to quickly determine which after-market rollover structure will work for their equipment and where they can get it.
Simplicity is also the main goal for PAMI’s work related to grain auger intake guards. Wasserman noted that, if a guard is difficult to use, it often winds up on the ground rather than on the equipment.
“What we found is that standard auger intake guards were either bolted on or welded on, so if the guard was removed for maintenance or for storage, it was quite a pain to put it back on the auger,” he explained.
The auger intake guard design that is available on the PAMI website requires no tools to move it.
“It basically takes 10 seconds to move it from in position to out of position, and more importantly, 10 seconds to move it from out of position back into the guard position,” Wasserman observed. “Because of this, it doesn’t wind up forgotten in the long grass.”
An ongoing effort of PAMI is to determine if a manufacturer can be found to build the auger intake guards for a price point of less than $250.
The entire safety project is now moving into a new phase: getting the word out to producers.
“What we’ve come to realize is that, with every innovation, you’ve got to solve the problem and you’ve then got to get it into the hands of the users,” said Wasserman.
“Right now, across Canada, in each one of the provinces, there is a least one farm safety association that deals one-on-one with the farmers,” he added. “Part of this project is to market these innovations, thoroughly educate each of the farm associations on what we have available so that they can use a system that fits their province, and ultimately get these innovations into the hands of farmers.”
Information about the safety innovations, designs and guidebooks are available at PAMI’s website, www.pami.ca.
For more information contact:
Jim Wasserman, Vice President of Saskatchewan Operations
Prairie Agriculture Machinery Association
Phone: 1-800-567-7264, ext. 223
A multi-year project aimed at improving farm safety is now entering a new phase.
Over the past year, the Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute (PAMI) has been developing strategies and innovations to improve the safety of used farm equipment, and is now looking to spread the word to farmers about what they have found.
Jim Wasserman, PAMI’s Vice President of Saskatchewan Operations, said the project flowed out of a study sponsored by the provincial government’s Agriculture Development Fund, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association, Alberta AgTech Centre and Bourgault Industries.
“We found that a lot of work was going into improving the safety of new farm equipment, but there was actually very limited engineering activity occurring with regard to the safety of used farm equipment,” Wasserman said.
He stated that the first phase of the project was to determine what engineering activity might provide maximum injury reduction for farmers. PAMI used existing research data from Canada, Australia and the United States, as well as consultations with over 40 individuals from groups representing researchers, machinery manufacturers, regulators and farmers themselves.
A number of issues were identified, but the top four became the focus of the next phase of the project:
1. Improving guarding for used equipment;
2. Increasing the amount of rollover protective structures;
3. Improving access to guarding for power take-offs; and
4. Improving guarding for grain auger intakes.
Wasserman said all of these issues require easy and economical solutions to make a difference, since the cost and the complexity of corrective action is often a barrier to it being implemented.
An example of how the PAMI team overcame this challenge can be found in the handbook developed to help producers quickly and cheaply build their own guarding if it is not readily available in the after-market. The handbook, called “On Guard!,” is written for farmers rather than for engineers.
“It’s intended to simplify the process, which can be fairly complex,” said Wasserman. “Through pictures and simplified instructions, we tried to make it something that farmers can access.”
A similar guidebook is planned for rollover structures with a target for material costs of under $250. Wasserman said that product is still a year or two away.
“There’s a lot of research to make sure we do it right, because there is potential liability associated with these types of recommendations. But we see there being huge potential, so we are going to work our way through it,” he stated.
For the time being, PAMI has created a reference book for farmers to quickly determine which after-market rollover structure will work for their equipment and where they can get it.
Simplicity is also the main goal for PAMI’s work related to grain auger intake guards. Wasserman noted that, if a guard is difficult to use, it often winds up on the ground rather than on the equipment.
“What we found is that standard auger intake guards were either bolted on or welded on, so if the guard was removed for maintenance or for storage, it was quite a pain to put it back on the auger,” he explained.
The auger intake guard design that is available on the PAMI website requires no tools to move it.
“It basically takes 10 seconds to move it from in position to out of position, and more importantly, 10 seconds to move it from out of position back into the guard position,” Wasserman observed. “Because of this, it doesn’t wind up forgotten in the long grass.”
An ongoing effort of PAMI is to determine if a manufacturer can be found to build the auger intake guards for a price point of less than $250.
The entire safety project is now moving into a new phase: getting the word out to producers.
“What we’ve come to realize is that, with every innovation, you’ve got to solve the problem and you’ve then got to get it into the hands of the users,” said Wasserman.
“Right now, across Canada, in each one of the provinces, there is a least one farm safety association that deals one-on-one with the farmers,” he added. “Part of this project is to market these innovations, thoroughly educate each of the farm associations on what we have available so that they can use a system that fits their province, and ultimately get these innovations into the hands of farmers.”
Information about the safety innovations, designs and guidebooks are available at PAMI’s website, www.pami.ca.
For more information contact:
Jim Wasserman, Vice President of Saskatchewan Operations
Prairie Agriculture Machinery Association
Phone: 1-800-567-7264, ext. 223
Friday, September 08, 2006
Efforts enhanced to provide anthrax information online
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Efforts are being stepped up to ensure the most up-to-date information on anthrax is available online to Saskatchewan producers and the general public.
Adele Buettner, Executive Director of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS), said added measures have been taken in response to concerns raised by cattle farmers at Anthrax Information Sessions held in various parts of the province.
“Many producers who attended [the sessions] stated it was difficult to find current information on the web,” she said.
“Therefore, in an effort to provide easy-to-find data, we are working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), and providing regular updates online.”
The information is available on the FACS website at www.facs.sk.ca.
New cases of anthrax were confirmed in new areas of the province in late July and early August. Cattle vaccinations have also been ongoing, as many Saskatchewan farmers take steps to minimize the risk of their herds contracting the disease.
Since shortly after the first anthrax outbreak, the FACS has been working closely with the CFIA, SAF and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine to ensure producers and the public have current and accurate information on the disease. The internet has proven to be an effective and convenient vehicle to get that material out on a timely basis.
For more information, contact:
Adele Buettner, Executive Director
Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc.
Phone: (306) 249-3227
Efforts are being stepped up to ensure the most up-to-date information on anthrax is available online to Saskatchewan producers and the general public.
Adele Buettner, Executive Director of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS), said added measures have been taken in response to concerns raised by cattle farmers at Anthrax Information Sessions held in various parts of the province.
“Many producers who attended [the sessions] stated it was difficult to find current information on the web,” she said.
“Therefore, in an effort to provide easy-to-find data, we are working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), and providing regular updates online.”
The information is available on the FACS website at www.facs.sk.ca.
New cases of anthrax were confirmed in new areas of the province in late July and early August. Cattle vaccinations have also been ongoing, as many Saskatchewan farmers take steps to minimize the risk of their herds contracting the disease.
Since shortly after the first anthrax outbreak, the FACS has been working closely with the CFIA, SAF and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine to ensure producers and the public have current and accurate information on the disease. The internet has proven to be an effective and convenient vehicle to get that material out on a timely basis.
For more information, contact:
Adele Buettner, Executive Director
Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc.
Phone: (306) 249-3227
Age Verification for cattle a vital marketing tool
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
With the possibility of mandatory age verification for beef cattle just around the corner in Alberta, Saskatchewan cattle producers should consider their own needs and cattle marketability in the coming months.
April 1, 2007, is the proposed mandatory age verification date for Alberta. With 75 per cent of Saskatchewan-fed cattle and over 65 per cent of feeder cattle going into the Alberta market, age verification makes good business sense for Saskatchewan producers, as well.
Sandy Russell, Beef Economist with the Livestock Development Branch of Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, says presently, age verification is the only export-safe classification.
“It isn’t mandatory to have age verification, but if you want to export – particularly to Japan, where cattle have to be less than 21 months – then our only route right now is age verification,” she said.
Dennis Fuglerud, president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, agrees, and says it’s important for producers to ensure their cattle's value in all markets.
“With age verification, the Canadian beef industry will be eligible for all markets,” he stated. “It’s also a way for producers to add value from possible premiums on their age-verified cattle.”
Age verification is rapidly becoming the expected norm in markets around the world, and verification from the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is considered a standard those markets will accept.
The Government of Saskatchewan currently recommends voluntary age verification, meaning it is up to the individual producer to decide whether or not to verify his or her stock.
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association also supports voluntary age verification, and Fuglerud has an important reminder about its benefits.
“Producers who don’t age-verify their cattle will be missing out on any premiums that may be paid for age-verified cattle,” he noted.
Roy Rutledge, manager of the Assiniboia and Weyburn auction marts, says although age verified cattle won’t always fetch a premium, it is a good, modern business practice to verify your herd.
“I have sellers who say to me, ‘What if we do it (age verify) and don’t get anything extra?’ and I tell them, ‘It doesn’t cost you anything to verify either, so what are you out?’” he said.
It is not necessary to age-verify cattle down to the exact date of their birth. Working with their stock tags, farmers can enter birth dates that correspond with tag numbers (if available), or can enter a calving start date associated with their tags.
The CCIA takes age verification only though its website at www.canadaid.com. The process can be a bit daunting for those who are not comfortable using the internet, but there are a number of resources to use for help, including asking the younger generation to navigate the process with you, asking a fellow producer who is familiar with the process, or calling CCIA toll-free at 1-877-909-2333.
“It’s about marketing opportunities,” said Russell. “Any time there’s an opportunity to capitalize on the market from your business perspective; it’s good to take it.”
For further information, contact:
Sandy Russell
Beef Economist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 933-5570
With the possibility of mandatory age verification for beef cattle just around the corner in Alberta, Saskatchewan cattle producers should consider their own needs and cattle marketability in the coming months.
April 1, 2007, is the proposed mandatory age verification date for Alberta. With 75 per cent of Saskatchewan-fed cattle and over 65 per cent of feeder cattle going into the Alberta market, age verification makes good business sense for Saskatchewan producers, as well.
Sandy Russell, Beef Economist with the Livestock Development Branch of Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, says presently, age verification is the only export-safe classification.
“It isn’t mandatory to have age verification, but if you want to export – particularly to Japan, where cattle have to be less than 21 months – then our only route right now is age verification,” she said.
Dennis Fuglerud, president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, agrees, and says it’s important for producers to ensure their cattle's value in all markets.
“With age verification, the Canadian beef industry will be eligible for all markets,” he stated. “It’s also a way for producers to add value from possible premiums on their age-verified cattle.”
Age verification is rapidly becoming the expected norm in markets around the world, and verification from the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is considered a standard those markets will accept.
The Government of Saskatchewan currently recommends voluntary age verification, meaning it is up to the individual producer to decide whether or not to verify his or her stock.
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association also supports voluntary age verification, and Fuglerud has an important reminder about its benefits.
“Producers who don’t age-verify their cattle will be missing out on any premiums that may be paid for age-verified cattle,” he noted.
Roy Rutledge, manager of the Assiniboia and Weyburn auction marts, says although age verified cattle won’t always fetch a premium, it is a good, modern business practice to verify your herd.
“I have sellers who say to me, ‘What if we do it (age verify) and don’t get anything extra?’ and I tell them, ‘It doesn’t cost you anything to verify either, so what are you out?’” he said.
It is not necessary to age-verify cattle down to the exact date of their birth. Working with their stock tags, farmers can enter birth dates that correspond with tag numbers (if available), or can enter a calving start date associated with their tags.
The CCIA takes age verification only though its website at www.canadaid.com. The process can be a bit daunting for those who are not comfortable using the internet, but there are a number of resources to use for help, including asking the younger generation to navigate the process with you, asking a fellow producer who is familiar with the process, or calling CCIA toll-free at 1-877-909-2333.
“It’s about marketing opportunities,” said Russell. “Any time there’s an opportunity to capitalize on the market from your business perspective; it’s good to take it.”
For further information, contact:
Sandy Russell
Beef Economist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 933-5570
Age Verification - Computer skills not necessarily required
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Age verification for Canadian cattle is done entirely online, which can be anything from daunting to annoying, especially if producers don’t have an internet connection in the house.
While age verification is not mandatory, it is a strongly recommended process that will make cattle much more marketable, especially in the most convenient marketplace: Alberta. That province is considering mandatory age verification by April 2007. Choosing not to age-verify their cattle could mean lost marketing opportunities and lost revenue for Saskatchewan cattle producers.
“Nobody can do it for you,” stressed Jason Dean with the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association. “Keep records. The information is yours; you are the one who has it. Get someone else to go on the computer if you need to.”
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is the national agency dedicated to maintaining the database. The CCIA does not accept paper applications for age verification, so producers planning to use the system will have to submit information through the agency’s website, at www.canadaid.com.
No matter what level of computer literacy producers may possess, Roy Rutledge, manager of the Assiniboia and Weyburn auction marts, says it’s not a good idea for them to just assume that somebody else in the industry, such as their auctioneer or veterinarian, will handle the verification for them.
“We have certainly been assisting people by telling them where to go for help,” said Rutledge, “but we can’t keep up at our end if people are going to expect us to age-verify for them, too.”
For those who have privacy concerns about sharing so much of their operation’s information over the internet, Dean says to remember the database is industry-controlled.
“The industry owns the database, and gives very limited access to it. We set the policy,” he noted.
In Alberta, where proposed mandatory age verification could take effect next spring, third parties like veterinarians, auction marts and even public libraries have joined forces with producers to help with the age-verification process, offering internet access and help learning the system. It can simply be a matter of knowing who to ask for a little help when it comes to the internet.
Rutledge says, above all, don’t go without verification, and get help with the process if you need it.
“Call your tag supplier, if you don’t know who else to talk to. Get on the bandwagon; get ’er done, and nobody has to worry about it anymore,” he stated.
To age-verify their cattle online, producers should take the following steps:
1. Visit www.clia.livestockid.ca.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen. If it is your first time visiting the site, you will need to choose “Option 2,” and create an account. (The website will automatically direct you to the right place and ask for the necessary information, which will include your operating name and a current tag number.)
3. When you have set up your account, the site will allow you to log in as a registered user, and you will be ready to enter information for your cattle. When you set up your account, make sure you record your user name and password for future reference.
4. Don’t forget to look for the “log out” or “sign out” button on the page when you are done, in order to close the connection you have on the site and keep your own computer secure.
If cattle producers do not have access to a computer, CCIA states that they may designate a third party to use the site on their behalf. Contact the CCIA for information on third party users.
For further information, contact:
Canadian Cattle Identification Agency
Phone: 1-877-909-2333
Jason Dean
Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association
Phone: (306) 629-3270
Christy Winquist
Beef and Forage Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Phone: (306) 694-3768
Age verification for Canadian cattle is done entirely online, which can be anything from daunting to annoying, especially if producers don’t have an internet connection in the house.
While age verification is not mandatory, it is a strongly recommended process that will make cattle much more marketable, especially in the most convenient marketplace: Alberta. That province is considering mandatory age verification by April 2007. Choosing not to age-verify their cattle could mean lost marketing opportunities and lost revenue for Saskatchewan cattle producers.
“Nobody can do it for you,” stressed Jason Dean with the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association. “Keep records. The information is yours; you are the one who has it. Get someone else to go on the computer if you need to.”
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is the national agency dedicated to maintaining the database. The CCIA does not accept paper applications for age verification, so producers planning to use the system will have to submit information through the agency’s website, at www.canadaid.com.
No matter what level of computer literacy producers may possess, Roy Rutledge, manager of the Assiniboia and Weyburn auction marts, says it’s not a good idea for them to just assume that somebody else in the industry, such as their auctioneer or veterinarian, will handle the verification for them.
“We have certainly been assisting people by telling them where to go for help,” said Rutledge, “but we can’t keep up at our end if people are going to expect us to age-verify for them, too.”
For those who have privacy concerns about sharing so much of their operation’s information over the internet, Dean says to remember the database is industry-controlled.
“The industry owns the database, and gives very limited access to it. We set the policy,” he noted.
In Alberta, where proposed mandatory age verification could take effect next spring, third parties like veterinarians, auction marts and even public libraries have joined forces with producers to help with the age-verification process, offering internet access and help learning the system. It can simply be a matter of knowing who to ask for a little help when it comes to the internet.
Rutledge says, above all, don’t go without verification, and get help with the process if you need it.
“Call your tag supplier, if you don’t know who else to talk to. Get on the bandwagon; get ’er done, and nobody has to worry about it anymore,” he stated.
To age-verify their cattle online, producers should take the following steps:
1. Visit www.clia.livestockid.ca.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen. If it is your first time visiting the site, you will need to choose “Option 2,” and create an account. (The website will automatically direct you to the right place and ask for the necessary information, which will include your operating name and a current tag number.)
3. When you have set up your account, the site will allow you to log in as a registered user, and you will be ready to enter information for your cattle. When you set up your account, make sure you record your user name and password for future reference.
4. Don’t forget to look for the “log out” or “sign out” button on the page when you are done, in order to close the connection you have on the site and keep your own computer secure.
If cattle producers do not have access to a computer, CCIA states that they may designate a third party to use the site on their behalf. Contact the CCIA for information on third party users.
For further information, contact:
Canadian Cattle Identification Agency
Phone: 1-877-909-2333
Jason Dean
Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association
Phone: (306) 629-3270
Christy Winquist
Beef and Forage Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Phone: (306) 694-3768
Defeating the Armyworm
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
To spray or not to spray: that is the question. Whether it is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous armyworm infestation, or to risk seeing tight margins eroded by insecticide costs: that is the question facing farmers after an army of insects cut a swath across much of the province this year.
Dale Risula, Integrated Cropping Management Systems Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), said this year has been a particularly bad year for the Bertha armyworms.
“Historically, if you take a look at Bertha armyworm, it only seems to be a pest, on average, two or three out of 20 years,” he said. “The cycle seems to be dependant on a number of factors – more than just weather, perhaps also the number of acres that are seeded to the host crops where they are attracted to lay their eggs.”
Risula said the timing of the life cycle of the crop and the life cycle of the Bertha armyworm timed out in early August to result in significant damage.
“The worms were in their later stages of development and the crops had lost their leaf material, so the only thing left for them to chew on was the pods. If they start doing damage to the pod, that is a direct impact on the yield,” he said.
“Contrast that to the damage that they would have done to leaf material earlier, that would be less of an impact on the yield than them doing damage to the pod itself,” Risula added.
“If [the armyworms] are there in sufficient numbers – meaning a certain economic threshold – then they will do significant damage, so control measures have to be taken in order to deal with that.”
Aye, there’s the rub.
Given the tight margins in farming, producers have to make a judgement call about whether the cost of spray will outweigh the damage from the insect.
“I think it is important that, if they decide to spray, it be based on good economical threshold information,” said Risula.
According to SAF, if there are under 10 larvae per square metre in a field, it might not be worth spraying.
A chart to help determine the economic threshold for spraying, and more detailed information on the Bertha armyworm, is available at www.agr.gov.sk.ca.
Risula noted there are other options to help control populations for the coming crop year.
“Crop diversification and rotation is probably the most important thing you can do in terms of lessening the potential impact of the moth laying its eggs on suitable host crops the following year,” he said. “Not growing canola every year is a good thing, or, if farmers do grow canola every year, at least space the fields far apart. That, in itself, won’t deal with the problem completely, but it will at least help.”
Risula said another option is to manipulate the timing of seeding.
“You want to avoid anything that flowers at the time when the moth usually emerges, sometime near the end of June,” he noted. “If the plants are flowering, that seems to be a greater attractant to the egg-laying capabilities of the moth. They are attracted to a flowering plant quite readily.”
Another option is crop selection, since cereal and pulse crops are less vulnerable to Bertha armyworms than canola.
“None of these options are 100-per-cent foolproof,” Risula stated. “It’s difficult to get around the outbreak of Bertha. Sometimes the only means left for producers to deal with them is through chemical action.”
More information on Bertha armyworm control can be obtained by calling the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
For further information, contact:
Dale Risula
Integrated Cropping Management Systems Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Phone: (306) 694-3714
To spray or not to spray: that is the question. Whether it is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous armyworm infestation, or to risk seeing tight margins eroded by insecticide costs: that is the question facing farmers after an army of insects cut a swath across much of the province this year.
Dale Risula, Integrated Cropping Management Systems Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), said this year has been a particularly bad year for the Bertha armyworms.
“Historically, if you take a look at Bertha armyworm, it only seems to be a pest, on average, two or three out of 20 years,” he said. “The cycle seems to be dependant on a number of factors – more than just weather, perhaps also the number of acres that are seeded to the host crops where they are attracted to lay their eggs.”
Risula said the timing of the life cycle of the crop and the life cycle of the Bertha armyworm timed out in early August to result in significant damage.
“The worms were in their later stages of development and the crops had lost their leaf material, so the only thing left for them to chew on was the pods. If they start doing damage to the pod, that is a direct impact on the yield,” he said.
“Contrast that to the damage that they would have done to leaf material earlier, that would be less of an impact on the yield than them doing damage to the pod itself,” Risula added.
“If [the armyworms] are there in sufficient numbers – meaning a certain economic threshold – then they will do significant damage, so control measures have to be taken in order to deal with that.”
Aye, there’s the rub.
Given the tight margins in farming, producers have to make a judgement call about whether the cost of spray will outweigh the damage from the insect.
“I think it is important that, if they decide to spray, it be based on good economical threshold information,” said Risula.
According to SAF, if there are under 10 larvae per square metre in a field, it might not be worth spraying.
A chart to help determine the economic threshold for spraying, and more detailed information on the Bertha armyworm, is available at www.agr.gov.sk.ca.
Risula noted there are other options to help control populations for the coming crop year.
“Crop diversification and rotation is probably the most important thing you can do in terms of lessening the potential impact of the moth laying its eggs on suitable host crops the following year,” he said. “Not growing canola every year is a good thing, or, if farmers do grow canola every year, at least space the fields far apart. That, in itself, won’t deal with the problem completely, but it will at least help.”
Risula said another option is to manipulate the timing of seeding.
“You want to avoid anything that flowers at the time when the moth usually emerges, sometime near the end of June,” he noted. “If the plants are flowering, that seems to be a greater attractant to the egg-laying capabilities of the moth. They are attracted to a flowering plant quite readily.”
Another option is crop selection, since cereal and pulse crops are less vulnerable to Bertha armyworms than canola.
“None of these options are 100-per-cent foolproof,” Risula stated. “It’s difficult to get around the outbreak of Bertha. Sometimes the only means left for producers to deal with them is through chemical action.”
More information on Bertha armyworm control can be obtained by calling the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
For further information, contact:
Dale Risula
Integrated Cropping Management Systems Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Phone: (306) 694-3714
Thursday, September 07, 2006
"Whole Buncher" helps farmers and the environment
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
A simple device that attaches to the back of a combine can help cattle producers keep their winter feed costs down, and help the environment, too.
"It was a pilot project for the province that proved to be successful," said Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Forage Development Specialist Lorne Klein.
In 2005, the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association obtained funding through the federal Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program to obtain six specialized pieces of equipment produced by A.J. Manufacturing in Balzac, Alberta. SAF got involved in helping to set up the project.
The mechanism, called a "Whole Buncher," looks like a giant pitchfork that attaches to the back of a combine and collects crop residue, rather than having it spread across the field. When around 150 pounds of chaff and straw land on the tines of the device, it tips, the pile drops off, and it springs back into position.
"Instead of the crop residue being baled and hauled to the cattle, the piles are left in the field for the livestock to graze on during fall and winter," Klein explains. "This reduces the amount of fuel that would ordinarily need to be burned in the feed production process. As a result, it's a much 'greener' approach, and it reduces the input costs to the farmer."
Five of the six Whole Bunchers were provided to cattle producers to try out. The sixth went to the Western Beef Development Centre, a research farm near Lanigan.
"One of the concerns with this method of crop residue collection was how it might affect the crop on that field in the following year," said Klein. "But we've found that there really is no detriment."
He noted, "The producers testing the Whole Buncher grew crops afterwards with no problem, provided the piles are cleaned up reasonably well."
However, Klein indicated there are a few considerations that farmers would have to take into account before using the device.
First, since cattle will be released to graze there afterwards, producers will want to use it on fields that are fenced or can be fenced.
Second, if there is relatively little snow during the winter, the field will require a water source.
Third, some form of shelter, be it bush, trees, a creek area, a portable windbreak or some other form of protection, will be needed if cattle are to remain there for a period of time.
With these measures looked after, the findings from the trial period showed the Whole Buncher can deliver positive benefits to Saskatchewan cattle producers, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the course of the crop year.
Farmers interested in obtaining more information on the benefits or cost of the device can contact A.J. Manufacturing at (403) 226-0767.
For further information, contact:
Lorne Klein, Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 848-2382
e-mail: lklein@agr.gov.sk.ca
A.J. Manufacturing
Balzac, Alberta
Phone: (403) 226-0767
A simple device that attaches to the back of a combine can help cattle producers keep their winter feed costs down, and help the environment, too.
"It was a pilot project for the province that proved to be successful," said Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Forage Development Specialist Lorne Klein.
In 2005, the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association obtained funding through the federal Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program to obtain six specialized pieces of equipment produced by A.J. Manufacturing in Balzac, Alberta. SAF got involved in helping to set up the project.
The mechanism, called a "Whole Buncher," looks like a giant pitchfork that attaches to the back of a combine and collects crop residue, rather than having it spread across the field. When around 150 pounds of chaff and straw land on the tines of the device, it tips, the pile drops off, and it springs back into position.
"Instead of the crop residue being baled and hauled to the cattle, the piles are left in the field for the livestock to graze on during fall and winter," Klein explains. "This reduces the amount of fuel that would ordinarily need to be burned in the feed production process. As a result, it's a much 'greener' approach, and it reduces the input costs to the farmer."
Five of the six Whole Bunchers were provided to cattle producers to try out. The sixth went to the Western Beef Development Centre, a research farm near Lanigan.
"One of the concerns with this method of crop residue collection was how it might affect the crop on that field in the following year," said Klein. "But we've found that there really is no detriment."
He noted, "The producers testing the Whole Buncher grew crops afterwards with no problem, provided the piles are cleaned up reasonably well."
However, Klein indicated there are a few considerations that farmers would have to take into account before using the device.
First, since cattle will be released to graze there afterwards, producers will want to use it on fields that are fenced or can be fenced.
Second, if there is relatively little snow during the winter, the field will require a water source.
Third, some form of shelter, be it bush, trees, a creek area, a portable windbreak or some other form of protection, will be needed if cattle are to remain there for a period of time.
With these measures looked after, the findings from the trial period showed the Whole Buncher can deliver positive benefits to Saskatchewan cattle producers, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the course of the crop year.
Farmers interested in obtaining more information on the benefits or cost of the device can contact A.J. Manufacturing at (403) 226-0767.
For further information, contact:
Lorne Klein, Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 848-2382
e-mail: lklein@agr.gov.sk.ca
A.J. Manufacturing
Balzac, Alberta
Phone: (403) 226-0767
Nominations open for Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Do you know a Saskatchewan producer, business, organization or individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to agriculture? If so, why not put their name forward for a prestigious national honour?
Nominations are now being accepted for the Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence.
The awards recognize outstanding achievement in five key areas that are vital to the continued success of the agricultural sector: environmental stewardship, innovation, export performance, agricultural awareness and education, and agricultural volunteerism.
The annual awards are sponsored by the federal department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF). This year, they will be presented at the 2006 Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence Banquet, hosted by RAWF on November 6 in Toronto.
"This country has some pretty special people making significant contributions to the sector," awards co-ordinator with AAFC Brock King said. "These awards are a way to shine a spotlight on their achievements."
The awards have been handed out annually since 2001, but surprisingly, have never gone to anyone from Saskatchewan.
"It's something we'd love to see redressed," King said with a chuckle. "Given the innovative and vibrant agricultural sector in Saskatchewan, it would be terrific to have a nominee from the province finally break that drought this year."
Nomination forms, additional information on the awards, and specific criteria for each category are available on the AAFC website at www.agr.gc.ca under "Features," or by using the website's search function.
The deadline for nominations is September 8, 2006.
For further information, contact:
Brock King, Co-ordinator, Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Phone: (613) 759-7780
E-mail: kingb@agr.gc.ca
Website: www.agr.gc.ca
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Phone: (416) 263-3406
Website: www.royalfair.org
Do you know a Saskatchewan producer, business, organization or individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to agriculture? If so, why not put their name forward for a prestigious national honour?
Nominations are now being accepted for the Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence.
The awards recognize outstanding achievement in five key areas that are vital to the continued success of the agricultural sector: environmental stewardship, innovation, export performance, agricultural awareness and education, and agricultural volunteerism.
The annual awards are sponsored by the federal department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF). This year, they will be presented at the 2006 Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence Banquet, hosted by RAWF on November 6 in Toronto.
"This country has some pretty special people making significant contributions to the sector," awards co-ordinator with AAFC Brock King said. "These awards are a way to shine a spotlight on their achievements."
The awards have been handed out annually since 2001, but surprisingly, have never gone to anyone from Saskatchewan.
"It's something we'd love to see redressed," King said with a chuckle. "Given the innovative and vibrant agricultural sector in Saskatchewan, it would be terrific to have a nominee from the province finally break that drought this year."
Nomination forms, additional information on the awards, and specific criteria for each category are available on the AAFC website at www.agr.gc.ca under "Features," or by using the website's search function.
The deadline for nominations is September 8, 2006.
For further information, contact:
Brock King, Co-ordinator, Canadian Agri-Food Awards of Excellence
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Phone: (613) 759-7780
E-mail: kingb@agr.gc.ca
Website: www.agr.gc.ca
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Phone: (416) 263-3406
Website: www.royalfair.org
Job program becomes powerful rural youth retention tool
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
A major Saskatchewan hog producer is learning that you reap what you sow when it comes to youth retention.
Big Sky Farms of Humboldt has an innovative summer job program that has created three dozen positions for young people looking for employment in their home communities.
"We know that a locally based job is a powerful tool for retaining young people in rural communities," said Big Sky Farms President and Chief Executive Officer Florian Possberg.
"We hope that, by creating a few dozen summer placements in our operations, we can contribute to sustaining the communities our barns operate in," he added. "At the same time, by offering students employment, we can identify potential employees and leaders of tomorrow."
That strategy is now starting to pay off.
Four of the summer placements have turned into full-time employees, and another summer student is considering a full-time job offer. In previous years, students who worked at Big Sky barns while pursuing a degree or diploma later chose to join the company full-time, returning to rural communities upon graduation.
"Some of them now include barn managers, training co-ordinators, senior production managers, herd health technicians and production technicians," explained Denys Robidoux, the Vice-President of Human Relations for Big Sky.
Thirty-four of the positions are in Saskatchewan communities, with the remaining two in southern Manitoba.
Five local students have been hired at barns in the Porcupine Plain area. Another five are working at barns in the Rama district. Other communities in east-central Saskatchewan hosting Big Sky summer students are: Humboldt (two posts), Kelvington (two posts), Melville (one post), Preeceville (one post), Quill Lake (one post), St. Denis (two posts), Sturgis (one post) and Theodore (two posts).
Barns in central and western Saskatchewan account for 13 of the summer job placements. Three students (including one student who has become a full-time employee) are working at the Great West barn near Broderick. Another student is working in the Melville area, two have been placed in the Ogema facility, two are at Riverhurst, two are at Rosthern (including one full-time employee), one at Shaunavon and one at Strasbourg.
In addition to the local students who secure summer work at Big Sky operations, the company has also introduced the prairie farming lifestyle to students from Germany and France. This is the third year that the company has hosted a student from the Lycee College in France.
Students joining the Big Sky team undergo an intensive and wide-ranging student orientation and training program that includes an overview of the hog industry and where Big Sky, as the third largest hog producer in Canada, fits into the industry.
The orientation also covers production techniques and targets, as well as occupational health and safety rules, the company's management trainee program and career development opportunities within Big Sky Farms.
For more information, contact:
Denys Robidoux, Vice-President, Human Resources
Big Sky Farms, Humboldt
Phone: (306) 682-5041
A major Saskatchewan hog producer is learning that you reap what you sow when it comes to youth retention.
Big Sky Farms of Humboldt has an innovative summer job program that has created three dozen positions for young people looking for employment in their home communities.
"We know that a locally based job is a powerful tool for retaining young people in rural communities," said Big Sky Farms President and Chief Executive Officer Florian Possberg.
"We hope that, by creating a few dozen summer placements in our operations, we can contribute to sustaining the communities our barns operate in," he added. "At the same time, by offering students employment, we can identify potential employees and leaders of tomorrow."
That strategy is now starting to pay off.
Four of the summer placements have turned into full-time employees, and another summer student is considering a full-time job offer. In previous years, students who worked at Big Sky barns while pursuing a degree or diploma later chose to join the company full-time, returning to rural communities upon graduation.
"Some of them now include barn managers, training co-ordinators, senior production managers, herd health technicians and production technicians," explained Denys Robidoux, the Vice-President of Human Relations for Big Sky.
Thirty-four of the positions are in Saskatchewan communities, with the remaining two in southern Manitoba.
Five local students have been hired at barns in the Porcupine Plain area. Another five are working at barns in the Rama district. Other communities in east-central Saskatchewan hosting Big Sky summer students are: Humboldt (two posts), Kelvington (two posts), Melville (one post), Preeceville (one post), Quill Lake (one post), St. Denis (two posts), Sturgis (one post) and Theodore (two posts).
Barns in central and western Saskatchewan account for 13 of the summer job placements. Three students (including one student who has become a full-time employee) are working at the Great West barn near Broderick. Another student is working in the Melville area, two have been placed in the Ogema facility, two are at Riverhurst, two are at Rosthern (including one full-time employee), one at Shaunavon and one at Strasbourg.
In addition to the local students who secure summer work at Big Sky operations, the company has also introduced the prairie farming lifestyle to students from Germany and France. This is the third year that the company has hosted a student from the Lycee College in France.
Students joining the Big Sky team undergo an intensive and wide-ranging student orientation and training program that includes an overview of the hog industry and where Big Sky, as the third largest hog producer in Canada, fits into the industry.
The orientation also covers production techniques and targets, as well as occupational health and safety rules, the company's management trainee program and career development opportunities within Big Sky Farms.
For more information, contact:
Denys Robidoux, Vice-President, Human Resources
Big Sky Farms, Humboldt
Phone: (306) 682-5041
"Shishliki" adds sizzle to barbeques across Saskatchewan
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
At times, 1978 seems like only yesterday to Terry Dennis.
That's the year he began working as a butcher in the family grocery store his father and uncle opened in Canora in 1947.
It's also the year he began experimenting with a traditional recipe for a marinated lamb dish known as "shishliki." The product quickly became one of the most popular items in the store, and Dennis knew he was onto something.
"It seemed to catch on pretty quickly with our regular customers and people from around town," he said. "Pretty soon, we had people coming into the store from all over asking for it."
Shishliki is a food of Russian origin, referring to marinated meat. Today, "Terry's Shishliki," as the product is marketed, can be found in many parts of Saskatchewan. Dennis estimates roughly 35 to 40 stores across the province have carried the product line over the years.
But its popularity hasn't remained a Saskatchewan secret. "We've had people come into the store to take packs of shishliki back with them to places like Victoria, Detroit, Toronto and all parts in between," he said.
"I've even custom-shipped a few packs out to some far-away destinations. My shishliki has done more traveling than I have," Dennis added with a chuckle.
Shishliki can be cooked like any other meat at any time of year, but by far the most popular method of preparation is on the barbeque. As a result, with numerous lake resorts surrounding Canora, it's the summertime that keeps Dennis the busiest.
The business began taking its shishliki show on the road in 1990, doing custom cookouts for various functions. Since then, Dennis estimates he has served hundreds of family reunions, weddings, staff barbeques, farmer appreciation days and the like.
"This is now one of the busiest parts of our operation," he said. "This summer alone, we're booked for 25 to 30 cookouts."
One of the highlights in Dennis' business career came in the early 1990s, when a shishliki booth he operated at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina was featured as one of the most popular booths at the show.
Today, Dennis and his brother Gerald continue to own and operate the family grocery store. While making a go of a business in a rural community can be challenging at times, Dennis says that finding a niche market with a specialty product has helped them immensely.
"If we didn't do this kind of diversification, we probably wouldn't be here today," he said.
Over the years, Dennis has continued to experiment and add new products to his shishliki line. Pork, chicken and beef shishliki can now be found in addition to lamb. Different flavours of meat, such as honey garlic pork and soya citrus chicken, have also been added.
"It's a value-add for us, and it's a value-add for the farmers who produce the product we use," he said. "Many of them are also our customers, so it's a win-win situation that we like a lot."
For further information, contact:
Terry Dennis
Dennis Foods
Canora, Saskatchewan
(306) 563-5412
At times, 1978 seems like only yesterday to Terry Dennis.
That's the year he began working as a butcher in the family grocery store his father and uncle opened in Canora in 1947.
It's also the year he began experimenting with a traditional recipe for a marinated lamb dish known as "shishliki." The product quickly became one of the most popular items in the store, and Dennis knew he was onto something.
"It seemed to catch on pretty quickly with our regular customers and people from around town," he said. "Pretty soon, we had people coming into the store from all over asking for it."
Shishliki is a food of Russian origin, referring to marinated meat. Today, "Terry's Shishliki," as the product is marketed, can be found in many parts of Saskatchewan. Dennis estimates roughly 35 to 40 stores across the province have carried the product line over the years.
But its popularity hasn't remained a Saskatchewan secret. "We've had people come into the store to take packs of shishliki back with them to places like Victoria, Detroit, Toronto and all parts in between," he said.
"I've even custom-shipped a few packs out to some far-away destinations. My shishliki has done more traveling than I have," Dennis added with a chuckle.
Shishliki can be cooked like any other meat at any time of year, but by far the most popular method of preparation is on the barbeque. As a result, with numerous lake resorts surrounding Canora, it's the summertime that keeps Dennis the busiest.
The business began taking its shishliki show on the road in 1990, doing custom cookouts for various functions. Since then, Dennis estimates he has served hundreds of family reunions, weddings, staff barbeques, farmer appreciation days and the like.
"This is now one of the busiest parts of our operation," he said. "This summer alone, we're booked for 25 to 30 cookouts."
One of the highlights in Dennis' business career came in the early 1990s, when a shishliki booth he operated at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina was featured as one of the most popular booths at the show.
Today, Dennis and his brother Gerald continue to own and operate the family grocery store. While making a go of a business in a rural community can be challenging at times, Dennis says that finding a niche market with a specialty product has helped them immensely.
"If we didn't do this kind of diversification, we probably wouldn't be here today," he said.
Over the years, Dennis has continued to experiment and add new products to his shishliki line. Pork, chicken and beef shishliki can now be found in addition to lamb. Different flavours of meat, such as honey garlic pork and soya citrus chicken, have also been added.
"It's a value-add for us, and it's a value-add for the farmers who produce the product we use," he said. "Many of them are also our customers, so it's a win-win situation that we like a lot."
For further information, contact:
Terry Dennis
Dennis Foods
Canora, Saskatchewan
(306) 563-5412
Lentils Offer Farmers a Positive Option
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Lentils are a pulse crop with a long history world-wide, and a particularly promising future in Saskatchewan.
A member of the legume family, lentils were first grown in southwest Asia around 7,000 B.C.
Commercial production in Western Canada began in 1970 with just a few acres, but has taken off substantially from there.
Today, Canada is one of the world's leading lentil producing and exporting countries.
Ray McVicar, provincial crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, pointed out that the pulse crop has become increasingly popular with producers in this province. In 2006, 580,000 hectares (1.4 million acres) were seeded to lentils across Saskatchewan.
"Lentils have a number of qualities that make them well-suited to production in Saskatchewan," McVicar said. "They are best adapted to cooler temperate zones, and grow well in brown and dark brown soil types."
He adds, "More importantly for producers, lentils can help to improve their economic returns, diversify and lengthen their crop rotations, and reduce their requirement for nitrogen fertilizer."
Lentil production is particularly successful in rotation with cereal grains, since its rooting depth is much shallower than that of crops like wheat. As a result, moisture found in deeper ranges of the soil remains untapped by the lentil roots, leaving it in place for cereal grains to extract in the following year to boost yields and protein content.
McVicar noted that lentils do have some drawbacks, however. Most notably, they are susceptible to certain types of diseases and are a poor competitor with weeds. Producers must therefore consider these factors when planning their crop rotations and crop protection programs in a given year.
"Research is presently going on to develop improved red and green lentil varieties, and to determine the best agronomic practices for lentil production in Saskatchewan," McVicar said. "More information is becoming available all the time, especially with respect to red lentils, as production shifts to better match world demand."
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food has prepared a document for farmers interested in learning more about the qualities, benefits and production of the pulse crop. Recent updates include information on lentils with the Clearfield trait and procedures for harvesting red lentils.
The document, entitled Lentil in Saskatchewan, is available electronically on the department's website under the Crops category, or in hard copy by calling the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
For further information, contact:
Ray McVicar, Provincial Specialist, Specialized Crops
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-4665
E-mail: rmcvicar@agr.gov.sk.ca
Lentils are a pulse crop with a long history world-wide, and a particularly promising future in Saskatchewan.
A member of the legume family, lentils were first grown in southwest Asia around 7,000 B.C.
Commercial production in Western Canada began in 1970 with just a few acres, but has taken off substantially from there.
Today, Canada is one of the world's leading lentil producing and exporting countries.
Ray McVicar, provincial crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, pointed out that the pulse crop has become increasingly popular with producers in this province. In 2006, 580,000 hectares (1.4 million acres) were seeded to lentils across Saskatchewan.
"Lentils have a number of qualities that make them well-suited to production in Saskatchewan," McVicar said. "They are best adapted to cooler temperate zones, and grow well in brown and dark brown soil types."
He adds, "More importantly for producers, lentils can help to improve their economic returns, diversify and lengthen their crop rotations, and reduce their requirement for nitrogen fertilizer."
Lentil production is particularly successful in rotation with cereal grains, since its rooting depth is much shallower than that of crops like wheat. As a result, moisture found in deeper ranges of the soil remains untapped by the lentil roots, leaving it in place for cereal grains to extract in the following year to boost yields and protein content.
McVicar noted that lentils do have some drawbacks, however. Most notably, they are susceptible to certain types of diseases and are a poor competitor with weeds. Producers must therefore consider these factors when planning their crop rotations and crop protection programs in a given year.
"Research is presently going on to develop improved red and green lentil varieties, and to determine the best agronomic practices for lentil production in Saskatchewan," McVicar said. "More information is becoming available all the time, especially with respect to red lentils, as production shifts to better match world demand."
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food has prepared a document for farmers interested in learning more about the qualities, benefits and production of the pulse crop. Recent updates include information on lentils with the Clearfield trait and procedures for harvesting red lentils.
The document, entitled Lentil in Saskatchewan, is available electronically on the department's website under the Crops category, or in hard copy by calling the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
For further information, contact:
Ray McVicar, Provincial Specialist, Specialized Crops
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-4665
E-mail: rmcvicar@agr.gov.sk.ca
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Family Farm Enterprise a "Spinning" Success
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Approximately 30 kilometres between Biggar and Rosetown is a picturesque farm perched on the top of a hill, surrounded by a beautiful rolling valley dotted with sheep, and a lovely, secluded dam in the middle of the sea of green grass.
Sheila Sperling-Law, her husband Fred, and their family are the owners and operators of this scenic farm. Along with it, they run Prairie Fibre Mill, the only fibre mill in Saskatchewan, as well as a retail shop.
Needless to say, with so much on the go, the entire family is kept extremely busy.
Sheila can normally be found in the barn working with the spinning equipment. This tall, slim woman with her down-to-earth manner and dimpled smile radiates vitality, purpose and determination.
She said, "In '98, Fred and I moved to my home area after living in Alberta for 18 years. Fred had never been in Saskatchewan before the day we arrived with all of our belongings. We purchased a small acreage and bought five bred ewes. Fred, my mother and I started to hand spin."
They started out small, hand spinning and knitting items for trade fairs and craft shows. Most buyers were not interested in the hand spinning as much as the hand knitting, so they had some of their fibre spun at a commercial mill.
After growing tired of waiting months for their fibre to be processed, the Law family decided to look at starting their own mill.
On July 20, 2005, they received their shipment of custom equipment and underwent one week of training. By the end of September, the custom work got going.
They now process wool from sheep, bison, alpaca, llama and rabbit, as well as other fibres. Demand for their skills has proven to be incredible-so much so that they are currently almost three months behind in their custom yarn-making business.
"We advertise by word of mouth, and have customers from B.C. to Ontario," said Sheila. "They will either send their wool to us by bus or deliver it in person. Some people make a vacation out of the trip."
Attached to the barn/workshop is the retail store, a very quaint, homey place that may very well entice you to pick up some needles and start knitting.
The store boasts a variety of products, several of which are homemade by the Law family, as well as items featured for sale by other local artists and artisans.
The Laws own 55 Merino and 65 Shetland sheep, from which they sell wool through their store and meat at the farm gate. Among the goods offered for purchase are yarn, roves, quilt batting and felts. The wool is also available as value-added products, including sweaters, socks, hats and mittens, as well as stuffed toys, saddle blankets, mitten inserts and wall hangings made of felt.
The Law family farm is not connected to the provincial power grid, but generates its own electricity to run the entire operation. A generator is used to drive the mill equipment, and a heat exchanger heats the barn and loft areas in the winter months. The generator also charges huge batteries that are used to power the barn and to store power so that the generator is not running all the time. Solar panels on the house roof and a small windmill provide power for the house, including the hot water heater.
The Prairie Fibre Mill is indeed a special place to visit. "Our store is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. every weekday and on Saturday," Sheila said. "If customers are unable to come during those hours, they are welcome to give us a call for other arrangements."
She also noted that the family is very happy to offer individual and group tours of its unique operation.
"We run tours through the lambing barns, and have a hands-on demonstration of different fibre types. Then we demonstrate drop spinning and hand spinning, tour the mill and make a small felt project," she stated.
Tours can be arranged by calling (in advance, please) (306) 882-4542 or e-mailing themill@sasktel.net. There is a small charge of $5 per person.
"We are so pleased to be living here and to offer the services of our mill to fibre producers," Sheila said. "Come for a visit!"
For more information, contact:
Fred Law and Sheila Sperling-Law
Phone: (306) 882-4542
e-mail: themill@sasktel.net
Approximately 30 kilometres between Biggar and Rosetown is a picturesque farm perched on the top of a hill, surrounded by a beautiful rolling valley dotted with sheep, and a lovely, secluded dam in the middle of the sea of green grass.
Sheila Sperling-Law, her husband Fred, and their family are the owners and operators of this scenic farm. Along with it, they run Prairie Fibre Mill, the only fibre mill in Saskatchewan, as well as a retail shop.
Needless to say, with so much on the go, the entire family is kept extremely busy.
Sheila can normally be found in the barn working with the spinning equipment. This tall, slim woman with her down-to-earth manner and dimpled smile radiates vitality, purpose and determination.
She said, "In '98, Fred and I moved to my home area after living in Alberta for 18 years. Fred had never been in Saskatchewan before the day we arrived with all of our belongings. We purchased a small acreage and bought five bred ewes. Fred, my mother and I started to hand spin."
They started out small, hand spinning and knitting items for trade fairs and craft shows. Most buyers were not interested in the hand spinning as much as the hand knitting, so they had some of their fibre spun at a commercial mill.
After growing tired of waiting months for their fibre to be processed, the Law family decided to look at starting their own mill.
On July 20, 2005, they received their shipment of custom equipment and underwent one week of training. By the end of September, the custom work got going.
They now process wool from sheep, bison, alpaca, llama and rabbit, as well as other fibres. Demand for their skills has proven to be incredible-so much so that they are currently almost three months behind in their custom yarn-making business.
"We advertise by word of mouth, and have customers from B.C. to Ontario," said Sheila. "They will either send their wool to us by bus or deliver it in person. Some people make a vacation out of the trip."
Attached to the barn/workshop is the retail store, a very quaint, homey place that may very well entice you to pick up some needles and start knitting.
The store boasts a variety of products, several of which are homemade by the Law family, as well as items featured for sale by other local artists and artisans.
The Laws own 55 Merino and 65 Shetland sheep, from which they sell wool through their store and meat at the farm gate. Among the goods offered for purchase are yarn, roves, quilt batting and felts. The wool is also available as value-added products, including sweaters, socks, hats and mittens, as well as stuffed toys, saddle blankets, mitten inserts and wall hangings made of felt.
The Law family farm is not connected to the provincial power grid, but generates its own electricity to run the entire operation. A generator is used to drive the mill equipment, and a heat exchanger heats the barn and loft areas in the winter months. The generator also charges huge batteries that are used to power the barn and to store power so that the generator is not running all the time. Solar panels on the house roof and a small windmill provide power for the house, including the hot water heater.
The Prairie Fibre Mill is indeed a special place to visit. "Our store is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. every weekday and on Saturday," Sheila said. "If customers are unable to come during those hours, they are welcome to give us a call for other arrangements."
She also noted that the family is very happy to offer individual and group tours of its unique operation.
"We run tours through the lambing barns, and have a hands-on demonstration of different fibre types. Then we demonstrate drop spinning and hand spinning, tour the mill and make a small felt project," she stated.
Tours can be arranged by calling (in advance, please) (306) 882-4542 or e-mailing themill@sasktel.net. There is a small charge of $5 per person.
"We are so pleased to be living here and to offer the services of our mill to fibre producers," Sheila said. "Come for a visit!"
For more information, contact:
Fred Law and Sheila Sperling-Law
Phone: (306) 882-4542
e-mail: themill@sasktel.net
Insurance Options for Fall-Seeded Crops
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Producers with acres left unseeded this spring due to excess moisture may be considering seeding a winter cereal crop this autumn. For those who want to manage the risk of fall-seeded acres, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation provides winterkill, spring establishment and yield-loss coverage on fall rye and winter wheat.
Winterkill coverage is a separate coverage option. Producers have until August 25 to select winterkill insurance for fall rye and winter wheat crops seeded on or before September 15. The premium for this option will appear on their Statement of Insurance in 2007.
"Optimum seeding dates are between the last week of August and the first week of September, depending on your area," said Saskatchewan Crop Insurance agrologist Chris Stewart. "Seeding typically extends over a month, from mid-August to mid-September."
He added, "Crop Insurance recognizes that the winter cereal manual indicates the ideal seeding date for winter cereals is between August 27 and September 6. However, our policy allows producers to seed until September 15 in the event of less-than-ideal conditions."
Winterkill coverage on winter wheat is available in southwestern risk zones three, four and 10, and in northeastern RMs 394, 395, 426, 456 and 486, if seeded into stubble, summerfallow or chemfallow.
Coverage is available outside these areas if seeded into undisturbed standing stubble or chemfallow, but only if there is sufficient stubble (minimum of six inches or 15 centimetres) to trap enough snow to insulate the crop.
"Six inches of stubble is a requirement of coverage outside those designated areas," said Stewart. "It's necessary to help keep the crown of the plant at a survivable temperature throughout the winter."
Acres that do not qualify for winterkill coverage, or that were not selected for winterkill coverage by the deadline, may still be eligible for yield-loss coverage in 2007 if they establish in the spring. Crops seeded in the fall of 2006 and insured against yield-loss by March 31, 2007 will be covered for spring-related establishment losses. Those acres will be inspected to determine if they qualify for the establishment payment of $20 per acre.
Producers with any questions about insuring fall-seeded crops should contact their customer service office or call 1-888-935-0000.
For more information, contact:
Chris Stewart, Agricultural Specialist
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation
Phone: (306) 728-7284
Producers with acres left unseeded this spring due to excess moisture may be considering seeding a winter cereal crop this autumn. For those who want to manage the risk of fall-seeded acres, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation provides winterkill, spring establishment and yield-loss coverage on fall rye and winter wheat.
Winterkill coverage is a separate coverage option. Producers have until August 25 to select winterkill insurance for fall rye and winter wheat crops seeded on or before September 15. The premium for this option will appear on their Statement of Insurance in 2007.
"Optimum seeding dates are between the last week of August and the first week of September, depending on your area," said Saskatchewan Crop Insurance agrologist Chris Stewart. "Seeding typically extends over a month, from mid-August to mid-September."
He added, "Crop Insurance recognizes that the winter cereal manual indicates the ideal seeding date for winter cereals is between August 27 and September 6. However, our policy allows producers to seed until September 15 in the event of less-than-ideal conditions."
Winterkill coverage on winter wheat is available in southwestern risk zones three, four and 10, and in northeastern RMs 394, 395, 426, 456 and 486, if seeded into stubble, summerfallow or chemfallow.
Coverage is available outside these areas if seeded into undisturbed standing stubble or chemfallow, but only if there is sufficient stubble (minimum of six inches or 15 centimetres) to trap enough snow to insulate the crop.
"Six inches of stubble is a requirement of coverage outside those designated areas," said Stewart. "It's necessary to help keep the crown of the plant at a survivable temperature throughout the winter."
Acres that do not qualify for winterkill coverage, or that were not selected for winterkill coverage by the deadline, may still be eligible for yield-loss coverage in 2007 if they establish in the spring. Crops seeded in the fall of 2006 and insured against yield-loss by March 31, 2007 will be covered for spring-related establishment losses. Those acres will be inspected to determine if they qualify for the establishment payment of $20 per acre.
Producers with any questions about insuring fall-seeded crops should contact their customer service office or call 1-888-935-0000.
For more information, contact:
Chris Stewart, Agricultural Specialist
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation
Phone: (306) 728-7284
Organic Growth at Galarneau Farms
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
When Alex and Robert Galarneau's father first started looking into organic farming, it was 1981, and not quite the readily accepted practice it is today.
"We got called a lot of things," son Alex recalls, "but 'trailblazers' wasn't one of them."
Alex says he grew along with the industry, working in organic farming since he was 17 years old. Over the last 25 years, the Galarneau farm has gone from a family business to an organic farming and processing business, with nine employees on the payroll and 87 producers on contract.
Alex describes the choice to go organic on the farm as an important matter of diversification.
"Back in the early 1980s, we were fifty-fifty fallow. We knew we would have to go with high inputs or branch off…so we branched off."
Alex says what the family didn't like about their farm business at the time was that they were always dependent on prices and costs that were out of their control. They investigated what was then called "chemical free grain" and decided it offered better control of their own resources, and possibly a better way to make a living from farming.
Galarneau Farms was one of the first to bring organic certification to Saskatchewan, and that certification put them on the map. Other producers who were attracted to the organic market didn't always want to handle the marketing aspects, and Galarneau Farms became known as the people to ask.
"We were always out there, ready to share information," says Alex. "Some people didn't want to do their own marketing, so they relied on our expertise."
It's expertise that pays to know: Alex says every farm working with them can generally be guaranteed a profit on an average crop year.
"We're very free with our information," says Alex. "We always have people coming in and asking for advice on how to get started, whether they should (get into the business), that kind of thing."
Alex says for producers considering branching off into organic production, there are some very important considerations.
"You have got to question why. If it's because you're already experiencing financial hardship, I don't know if this will help."
The Galarneaus' marketing expertise also helped them expand into processing of all crops. Today, their facility in Radville does primary cleaning and bagging of hard red spring wheat, kamut, oilseeds and other grains. Alex estimates they market for a land base of approximately 40,000 to 50,000 acres.
The hottest market for Galarneau Farms' product right now is Europe. European markets account for about 80 per cent of their business, as opposed to opportunities in North America, where organics still have some catching up to do.
"Europe is a more mature market," says Alex. "We are still realizing substantial growth in Europe, whereas North America is just kicking into high gear."
Alex estimates that Galarneau Farms' products, especially the kamut wheat, are found in 1,500 different products, from the familiar (pastas and bread) to the new (a variety of kamut-based milk launched in Europe in February 2006).
For more information, contact:
Alex Galarneau or Robert Galarneau
PHS Organics/Galarneau Farms
Phone: (306) 869-2926
When Alex and Robert Galarneau's father first started looking into organic farming, it was 1981, and not quite the readily accepted practice it is today.
"We got called a lot of things," son Alex recalls, "but 'trailblazers' wasn't one of them."
Alex says he grew along with the industry, working in organic farming since he was 17 years old. Over the last 25 years, the Galarneau farm has gone from a family business to an organic farming and processing business, with nine employees on the payroll and 87 producers on contract.
Alex describes the choice to go organic on the farm as an important matter of diversification.
"Back in the early 1980s, we were fifty-fifty fallow. We knew we would have to go with high inputs or branch off…so we branched off."
Alex says what the family didn't like about their farm business at the time was that they were always dependent on prices and costs that were out of their control. They investigated what was then called "chemical free grain" and decided it offered better control of their own resources, and possibly a better way to make a living from farming.
Galarneau Farms was one of the first to bring organic certification to Saskatchewan, and that certification put them on the map. Other producers who were attracted to the organic market didn't always want to handle the marketing aspects, and Galarneau Farms became known as the people to ask.
"We were always out there, ready to share information," says Alex. "Some people didn't want to do their own marketing, so they relied on our expertise."
It's expertise that pays to know: Alex says every farm working with them can generally be guaranteed a profit on an average crop year.
"We're very free with our information," says Alex. "We always have people coming in and asking for advice on how to get started, whether they should (get into the business), that kind of thing."
Alex says for producers considering branching off into organic production, there are some very important considerations.
"You have got to question why. If it's because you're already experiencing financial hardship, I don't know if this will help."
The Galarneaus' marketing expertise also helped them expand into processing of all crops. Today, their facility in Radville does primary cleaning and bagging of hard red spring wheat, kamut, oilseeds and other grains. Alex estimates they market for a land base of approximately 40,000 to 50,000 acres.
The hottest market for Galarneau Farms' product right now is Europe. European markets account for about 80 per cent of their business, as opposed to opportunities in North America, where organics still have some catching up to do.
"Europe is a more mature market," says Alex. "We are still realizing substantial growth in Europe, whereas North America is just kicking into high gear."
Alex estimates that Galarneau Farms' products, especially the kamut wheat, are found in 1,500 different products, from the familiar (pastas and bread) to the new (a variety of kamut-based milk launched in Europe in February 2006).
For more information, contact:
Alex Galarneau or Robert Galarneau
PHS Organics/Galarneau Farms
Phone: (306) 869-2926
Century Family Farm Award Great Legacies
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Saskatchewan has witnessed some remarkable contributions from its citizens over its 100-plus year history - none greater than those of its agricultural producers.
With the province now embarking on its second century, an increasing number of family farms around the province are similarly approaching their 100th anniversaries.
The Province of Saskatchewan created the Century Family Farm Award as a way to acknowledge and honour residents preparing to celebrate these historic milestones.
Since the program's inception in 1981, these awards have been presented to hundreds of Saskatchewan families.
"The Century Family Farm Award is a wonderful tribute to the pioneers who helped settle this province, and to their descendants who have worked hard for so many years to continue building upon their legacies," said Ellen Harder, the co-ordinator of the award program with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.
"It's a way for the people of Saskatchewan to say 'thank you' to families who have contributed so much to this province over the years," she added. "And the pride you see on the faces of those receiving the award shows just how special it is to them."
The Trimble family of Elstow is one of those proud recipients.
Charlotte Trimble and her husband Don Hartz are the third generation to work the family farm that was settled by her grandfather Luther Trimble in 1906.
"We love Saskatchewan and we love the land," Trimble said. "While it's taken a lot of work and a lot of guts over the years, we're very proud of what's been accomplished on our farm over the past century. Receiving this honour was just the icing on the cake."
Application forms for the Century Family Farm Award can be found on the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food website at www.agr.gov.sk.ca under Forms/General, or by using the website's Search function.
Hard copies of the form can also be obtained by contacting Ellen Harder at (306) 787-5216, or the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
In order for a farming operation to be eligible, members of the same family must have farmed the land continuously for 100 years or more. Applicants are responsible for providing a written history of family ownership and/or verifying information offering reasonable proof of operation along with the application.
The family must live in Saskatchewan and continue to operate the farm. Applicants are eligible for one award per family.
Recipients have the option of receiving an etched glass figure, an indoor wall plaque, or a gate sign (for an additional fee). Certificates marking the honour may also be presented to family members as determined by the eligible family.
For more information, contact:
Ellen Harder, Co-ordinator
Century Family Farm Award Program
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-5216
Saskatchewan has witnessed some remarkable contributions from its citizens over its 100-plus year history - none greater than those of its agricultural producers.
With the province now embarking on its second century, an increasing number of family farms around the province are similarly approaching their 100th anniversaries.
The Province of Saskatchewan created the Century Family Farm Award as a way to acknowledge and honour residents preparing to celebrate these historic milestones.
Since the program's inception in 1981, these awards have been presented to hundreds of Saskatchewan families.
"The Century Family Farm Award is a wonderful tribute to the pioneers who helped settle this province, and to their descendants who have worked hard for so many years to continue building upon their legacies," said Ellen Harder, the co-ordinator of the award program with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.
"It's a way for the people of Saskatchewan to say 'thank you' to families who have contributed so much to this province over the years," she added. "And the pride you see on the faces of those receiving the award shows just how special it is to them."
The Trimble family of Elstow is one of those proud recipients.
Charlotte Trimble and her husband Don Hartz are the third generation to work the family farm that was settled by her grandfather Luther Trimble in 1906.
"We love Saskatchewan and we love the land," Trimble said. "While it's taken a lot of work and a lot of guts over the years, we're very proud of what's been accomplished on our farm over the past century. Receiving this honour was just the icing on the cake."
Application forms for the Century Family Farm Award can be found on the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food website at www.agr.gov.sk.ca under Forms/General, or by using the website's Search function.
Hard copies of the form can also be obtained by contacting Ellen Harder at (306) 787-5216, or the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
In order for a farming operation to be eligible, members of the same family must have farmed the land continuously for 100 years or more. Applicants are responsible for providing a written history of family ownership and/or verifying information offering reasonable proof of operation along with the application.
The family must live in Saskatchewan and continue to operate the farm. Applicants are eligible for one award per family.
Recipients have the option of receiving an etched glass figure, an indoor wall plaque, or a gate sign (for an additional fee). Certificates marking the honour may also be presented to family members as determined by the eligible family.
For more information, contact:
Ellen Harder, Co-ordinator
Century Family Farm Award Program
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-5216
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Soybean Processing Comes to Saskatchewan
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
A new state-of-the-art facility for processing soybeans could provide the Saskatchewan agricultural sector with its latest value-added innovation.
Biosynergeuticals Inc., or BioSyn for short, recently held an open house at its production site in Wynyard to unveil a ground-breaking pilot project.
The BioSyn technology is capable of extracting enzymes from soybeans, which have shown promising health benefits in the treatment of a diverse range of ailments, from diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure to acne, hives and allergic reactions.
The enzymes are removed using an innovative process that Lorne Nystrom, one of the founding members of BioSyn, calls "cutting edge, one-of-a-kind technology."
Nystrom said, "No one else in the world has this technology. We have it here in Wynyard, and we hope to take it world-wide."
The company's machinery can process batches of soybeans in 30 to 40 seconds, producing a liquid extract that removes five per cent of the soybean by weight and leaves the remainder intact for other uses, such as the production of cattle feed or tofu.
Nystrom said BioSyn will operate the Wynyard facility as a pilot project demonstration plant using a single machine for now, while the company proceeds with global product marketing and investigates additional financing opportunities.
According to Nystrom, there is a great deal of interest in the product in Asia, where aggressive promotion is currently taking place. The American and European markets are also being targeted for growth.
BioSyn is presently awaiting approval from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to sell the extract as a food in this country. In time, it is hoped the product can also be marketed in Canada as a health food, although that process can be quite lengthy.
The Wynyard processing facility is located in a former water bottling plant that sat unused for more than10 years until it was converted by BioSyn for its present use. The soybeans currently processed at the site are all grown by a local producer.
While the company's proponents feel the sky's the limit when it comes to their innovation, Nystrom said they are taking a gradual, step-by-step approach to prospective expansion.
"Our first step is to firm up markets and incorporate additional investment from folks who are expressing a great deal of interest in our technology," he said.
"We have the ability to handle some commercial processing using the single machine we currently have set up. We'll expand from there as need be," he added, noting the 45,000-square-foot Wynyard plant has room for 90 machines in addition to office space.
"Our goal is to take Wynyard, and Saskatchewan, world-wide," said Nystrom.
For further information, contact:
Lorne Nystrom, Chair, BioSyn Inc.
(306) 775-2326
A new state-of-the-art facility for processing soybeans could provide the Saskatchewan agricultural sector with its latest value-added innovation.
Biosynergeuticals Inc., or BioSyn for short, recently held an open house at its production site in Wynyard to unveil a ground-breaking pilot project.
The BioSyn technology is capable of extracting enzymes from soybeans, which have shown promising health benefits in the treatment of a diverse range of ailments, from diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure to acne, hives and allergic reactions.
The enzymes are removed using an innovative process that Lorne Nystrom, one of the founding members of BioSyn, calls "cutting edge, one-of-a-kind technology."
Nystrom said, "No one else in the world has this technology. We have it here in Wynyard, and we hope to take it world-wide."
The company's machinery can process batches of soybeans in 30 to 40 seconds, producing a liquid extract that removes five per cent of the soybean by weight and leaves the remainder intact for other uses, such as the production of cattle feed or tofu.
Nystrom said BioSyn will operate the Wynyard facility as a pilot project demonstration plant using a single machine for now, while the company proceeds with global product marketing and investigates additional financing opportunities.
According to Nystrom, there is a great deal of interest in the product in Asia, where aggressive promotion is currently taking place. The American and European markets are also being targeted for growth.
BioSyn is presently awaiting approval from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to sell the extract as a food in this country. In time, it is hoped the product can also be marketed in Canada as a health food, although that process can be quite lengthy.
The Wynyard processing facility is located in a former water bottling plant that sat unused for more than10 years until it was converted by BioSyn for its present use. The soybeans currently processed at the site are all grown by a local producer.
While the company's proponents feel the sky's the limit when it comes to their innovation, Nystrom said they are taking a gradual, step-by-step approach to prospective expansion.
"Our first step is to firm up markets and incorporate additional investment from folks who are expressing a great deal of interest in our technology," he said.
"We have the ability to handle some commercial processing using the single machine we currently have set up. We'll expand from there as need be," he added, noting the 45,000-square-foot Wynyard plant has room for 90 machines in addition to office space.
"Our goal is to take Wynyard, and Saskatchewan, world-wide," said Nystrom.
For further information, contact:
Lorne Nystrom, Chair, BioSyn Inc.
(306) 775-2326
Cheery Cherry Festival Coming in Bruno
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
The third annual Cherry Festival in Bruno, August 11 to 13, will combine all things cherry with literary, educational and social pursuits. Marilyn Jonas, chair of the Carlton Trail Agricultural Society (which helps organize the festival) says there are a lot of new features this year.
"The festival starts out with a warm-up night on Friday, August 11, with the Literary Cherry Book Club," says Jonas. "We have a book club in town and they wanted to know what they could contribute, so they have organized a supper and an author discussion."
The supper costs $20 to attend and is followed by a discussion of the book What I'm Trying to Say is Goodbye, by Lois Simmie. Simmie will be there for the open discussion, which happens in conjunction with the Cherry Cheesecake Café. The café serves home-baked New-York-style cheesecake, with, of course, cherry topping. Performances of cowboy poetry throughout the festival round out the literary component.
The festival gets into full swing on Saturday, August 12, with educational seminars running from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This year's seminars focus on fruit production and horticulture, as well as cooking and wine-making demonstrations. Local demonstrators will cook up a menu using cherries and other Saskatchewan-made products.
"This is 'real food' you would make in your own kitchen," says Jonas. "The cooks use a home-grown approach, so people can actually make these dishes themselves."
A wine-maker from Saskatoon will also be on hand to demonstrate wine-making with fruit. All these delicious dishes need fruit to get started, so there are also regular tours of the demonstration orchard, with "how to" sessions on grafting, planting and mulching.
A mini cherry trade show will also be open for both days of the festival, featuring fruit growers, educational and industry displays, and local businesses and artists. Also available is a cherry products booth, selling frozen cherries, cherry topping, and the more exotic cherry salsa and cherry vinaigrette.
Entertainment for all ages runs throughout the festival, including a children's carnival, a corn maze and wagon rides for the younger set. Older cherry enthusiasts can enjoy bingo, a licensed area, and dozens of cherry dishes to try.
Jones says one of the "can't miss" events is the ever-popular Cherry Pit Spit Challenge, in which contestants go through several run-off rounds for the honours of the farthest "pit spit."
"Those winners will take the big challenge on Sunday afternoon. It's made up of a final four, as well as celebrity spitters." Jonas is keeping the identities of the celebrity spitters a secret for the moment.
A complete schedule of events and more information about the festival is on the Internet at www.carltontrailagsociety.ca. A festival pass is $2.00 per person or $5.00 per family, and covers all events and activities, except for food and beverage purchases and the bingo tent.
For more information, contact:
Marilyn Jonas
Chair, Carlton Trail Agricultural Society
(306) 369-2824
www.carltontrailagsociety.ca
The third annual Cherry Festival in Bruno, August 11 to 13, will combine all things cherry with literary, educational and social pursuits. Marilyn Jonas, chair of the Carlton Trail Agricultural Society (which helps organize the festival) says there are a lot of new features this year.
"The festival starts out with a warm-up night on Friday, August 11, with the Literary Cherry Book Club," says Jonas. "We have a book club in town and they wanted to know what they could contribute, so they have organized a supper and an author discussion."
The supper costs $20 to attend and is followed by a discussion of the book What I'm Trying to Say is Goodbye, by Lois Simmie. Simmie will be there for the open discussion, which happens in conjunction with the Cherry Cheesecake Café. The café serves home-baked New-York-style cheesecake, with, of course, cherry topping. Performances of cowboy poetry throughout the festival round out the literary component.
The festival gets into full swing on Saturday, August 12, with educational seminars running from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This year's seminars focus on fruit production and horticulture, as well as cooking and wine-making demonstrations. Local demonstrators will cook up a menu using cherries and other Saskatchewan-made products.
"This is 'real food' you would make in your own kitchen," says Jonas. "The cooks use a home-grown approach, so people can actually make these dishes themselves."
A wine-maker from Saskatoon will also be on hand to demonstrate wine-making with fruit. All these delicious dishes need fruit to get started, so there are also regular tours of the demonstration orchard, with "how to" sessions on grafting, planting and mulching.
A mini cherry trade show will also be open for both days of the festival, featuring fruit growers, educational and industry displays, and local businesses and artists. Also available is a cherry products booth, selling frozen cherries, cherry topping, and the more exotic cherry salsa and cherry vinaigrette.
Entertainment for all ages runs throughout the festival, including a children's carnival, a corn maze and wagon rides for the younger set. Older cherry enthusiasts can enjoy bingo, a licensed area, and dozens of cherry dishes to try.
Jones says one of the "can't miss" events is the ever-popular Cherry Pit Spit Challenge, in which contestants go through several run-off rounds for the honours of the farthest "pit spit."
"Those winners will take the big challenge on Sunday afternoon. It's made up of a final four, as well as celebrity spitters." Jonas is keeping the identities of the celebrity spitters a secret for the moment.
A complete schedule of events and more information about the festival is on the Internet at www.carltontrailagsociety.ca. A festival pass is $2.00 per person or $5.00 per family, and covers all events and activities, except for food and beverage purchases and the bingo tent.
For more information, contact:
Marilyn Jonas
Chair, Carlton Trail Agricultural Society
(306) 369-2824
www.carltontrailagsociety.ca
Saskatoon Berry Harvest Improves Over Last Year
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Saskatoon lovers will be licking their lips this year, as commercial growers in the province enjoyed a better-than-average harvest, according to Ken Adams of Valleytop Berry Farm near Langenburg.
Adams and his wife Kathy harvested 9,000 pounds of commercial berries this summer, on top of those gathered by patrons of their U-pick operation.
That was a noticeable improvement over last year, when cold, wet weather and an early frost left most growers in Saskatchewan with smaller crops, some of which were hit by disease.
Due to the hot, dry conditions this July, the saskatoon harvest also came and went very quickly across the province.
Ordinarily, Adams harvests his crops in two passes - one when about 60 to 70 per cent of the crop is ripe, and another when the remaining berries reach maturity.
This year, the berries on his farm ripened rapidly and had to be gathered in a single pass by the harvester, which made for a very busy season.
Adams noted that berry operations are like most other types of farming. "There are lots of overhead and input costs, and you've got to work hard at it to make a go of things," he said. And, like grain producers, he has found the price his commercial saskatoon crop fetches remains stubbornly low. As a result, Adams is studying the potential offered by export markets.
"If I've got an opportunity to improve my returns by expanding my market, that's something I have to look at very closely," he said.
In the meantime, saskatoon fans in Saskatchewan can look forward to enjoying their favourite pies, jams and jellies again this year.
Readers looking for saskatoon berry recipes should check out the website of the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association. Here they will find instructions on how to prepare a wide range of traditional berry favourites, as well as some unique, mouth-watering delicacies.
The website is located at www.saskfruit.com.
For more information, contact:
Ken Adams, Valleytop Berry Farm
(306) 743-2792
Saskatoon lovers will be licking their lips this year, as commercial growers in the province enjoyed a better-than-average harvest, according to Ken Adams of Valleytop Berry Farm near Langenburg.
Adams and his wife Kathy harvested 9,000 pounds of commercial berries this summer, on top of those gathered by patrons of their U-pick operation.
That was a noticeable improvement over last year, when cold, wet weather and an early frost left most growers in Saskatchewan with smaller crops, some of which were hit by disease.
Due to the hot, dry conditions this July, the saskatoon harvest also came and went very quickly across the province.
Ordinarily, Adams harvests his crops in two passes - one when about 60 to 70 per cent of the crop is ripe, and another when the remaining berries reach maturity.
This year, the berries on his farm ripened rapidly and had to be gathered in a single pass by the harvester, which made for a very busy season.
Adams noted that berry operations are like most other types of farming. "There are lots of overhead and input costs, and you've got to work hard at it to make a go of things," he said. And, like grain producers, he has found the price his commercial saskatoon crop fetches remains stubbornly low. As a result, Adams is studying the potential offered by export markets.
"If I've got an opportunity to improve my returns by expanding my market, that's something I have to look at very closely," he said.
In the meantime, saskatoon fans in Saskatchewan can look forward to enjoying their favourite pies, jams and jellies again this year.
Readers looking for saskatoon berry recipes should check out the website of the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association. Here they will find instructions on how to prepare a wide range of traditional berry favourites, as well as some unique, mouth-watering delicacies.
The website is located at www.saskfruit.com.
For more information, contact:
Ken Adams, Valleytop Berry Farm
(306) 743-2792
Discuss Anthrax Concerns with a Veterinarian
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
The number of dead cattle attributed to anthrax reached 273 on 59 premises in Saskatchewan as of July 25, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The vast majority of the cases have occurred in the northeast region of the province, where a total of 14 rural municipalities have thus far been affected. Most are located in areas that experienced heavy rainfall, flooding and excessive moisture this spring.
However, the spores that cause anthrax can potentially be buried anywhere across the prairies, according to Dr. Sandra Stephens with the Saskatoon branch of the CFIA.
"We've recently had a new case spring up in Chaplin, in the southwest part of the province, and a small outbreak in southern Manitoba," she said. "So we're still seeing a few new cases."
Stephens noted that cattle producers generally remain concerned about the disease. She is reminding farmers to speak with their veterinarians if they are particularly worried about the risk to their animals.
"Many producers are wondering whether they should vaccinate their cattle against anthrax," she said. "I would urge them to talk to their veterinarian. These professionals can provide them with the best possible advice on the matter."
Anthrax is spread by spores that can remain in the soil for long periods of time, then rise to the surface when there is excessive moisture or drought. Cattle can also be at risk when standing water dries up, revealing grazing areas that normally wouldn't be exposed. Excavation work done on some farms may likewise cause spores to emerge.
While Saskatchewan producers appear most concerned about cattle, Stephens noted that anthrax can occur in all mammals, particularly grazing animals. As a result, horses, swine, bison, sheep and goats are also susceptible, as are wild cervids such as whitetail deer.
Animals that are determined to have died from the disease are either burned or buried to prevent further contamination; however, it is impossible to know whether anthrax might arise or recur in a given area, and under what conditions. That's why producers are particularly well-served seeking professional input from their veterinarian, Stephens suggested.
"The good news is that there is an effective vaccine against anthrax, and it's not very expensive," she said, noting that the cost of the vaccine generally ranges from $2 to $2.50 per animal.
For media inquiries, contact:
Robin Locke, Communications Officer, CFIA
(403) 292-6733
For more information about anthrax, contact:
1-800-O-CANADA
(1-800-622-6232)
The number of dead cattle attributed to anthrax reached 273 on 59 premises in Saskatchewan as of July 25, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The vast majority of the cases have occurred in the northeast region of the province, where a total of 14 rural municipalities have thus far been affected. Most are located in areas that experienced heavy rainfall, flooding and excessive moisture this spring.
However, the spores that cause anthrax can potentially be buried anywhere across the prairies, according to Dr. Sandra Stephens with the Saskatoon branch of the CFIA.
"We've recently had a new case spring up in Chaplin, in the southwest part of the province, and a small outbreak in southern Manitoba," she said. "So we're still seeing a few new cases."
Stephens noted that cattle producers generally remain concerned about the disease. She is reminding farmers to speak with their veterinarians if they are particularly worried about the risk to their animals.
"Many producers are wondering whether they should vaccinate their cattle against anthrax," she said. "I would urge them to talk to their veterinarian. These professionals can provide them with the best possible advice on the matter."
Anthrax is spread by spores that can remain in the soil for long periods of time, then rise to the surface when there is excessive moisture or drought. Cattle can also be at risk when standing water dries up, revealing grazing areas that normally wouldn't be exposed. Excavation work done on some farms may likewise cause spores to emerge.
While Saskatchewan producers appear most concerned about cattle, Stephens noted that anthrax can occur in all mammals, particularly grazing animals. As a result, horses, swine, bison, sheep and goats are also susceptible, as are wild cervids such as whitetail deer.
Animals that are determined to have died from the disease are either burned or buried to prevent further contamination; however, it is impossible to know whether anthrax might arise or recur in a given area, and under what conditions. That's why producers are particularly well-served seeking professional input from their veterinarian, Stephens suggested.
"The good news is that there is an effective vaccine against anthrax, and it's not very expensive," she said, noting that the cost of the vaccine generally ranges from $2 to $2.50 per animal.
For media inquiries, contact:
Robin Locke, Communications Officer, CFIA
(403) 292-6733
For more information about anthrax, contact:
1-800-O-CANADA
(1-800-622-6232)
Monday, August 21, 2006
Junior Equestrians to Compete in Melville
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Equine enthusiasts from across the province will come together in Melville on August 19 and 20 for the Youth Equestrian Summer Games.
The event features two days of competition, and also includes the Saskatchewan Light Horse Show.
"We'll be taking registrations right up until the day of the games," said Sandy Assman, one of the games'
co-ordinators. "Of course, we would prefer if people registered early."
Youth members from 4-H, Pony Club Quarter Horse, High School Rodeo, Paint, Arabian, Appaloosa, POA Dressage and Hunter/Jumper clubs are all eligible to take part in the event.
Last year's games and show drew nearly 100 youth competitors from all around Saskatchewan, and this year's event could be even larger, Assman said. Competitors are organized by age groups (11 and under, 12-14 and 15-17).
The games are a product of the youth programs offered through the Saskatchewan Horse Federation, the provincial association dedicated to promoting the breeding and raising of better quality horses, as well as organizing equestrian activities, shows and competitions in the province.
Assman said there are many parts of the event that everyone will enjoy, but the best event for a casual observer is the costume class.
"There will be about 25 kids (with their horses) in what are starting to become very elaborate costumes," she noted. "The costume class is choreographed to music, and the kids all dress and choreograph their own rides."
One of Assman's goals when she organized the first summer games in Yorkton five years ago was to make equine competition a fun, friendly time, and to mix the youth into different categories so they could get to know people from outside their class and riding style.
"I wanted to emphasize that we are all human beings riding equines. It doesn't matter what the saddle is," she said.
Youth are randomly split into one of four teams when they arrive, and team members are encouraged to cheer one another on across the many classes of competition and age ranges, regardless of style or skill. A special medal is given to the team with the most points at the conclusion of the games.
Saskatchewan Horse Federation shows and competitions are about teaching and raising the performance standards of the industry, a message Assman said is best taught while riders are young.
The federation also offers classes year-round that emphasize horse care and learning riding styles like English and Western.
Assman said there are features of the event that are appealing to serious riders and equine experts, as well as the general public.
The competitions are free of charge to attend, and will all take place in two rings at the Melville Agricultural Park on the east side of the city.
The games wrap up on Sunday, August 20, with an awards and medal ceremony.
For more information, contact:
Sandy Assman
4-H, Youth Equestrian Summer Games Co-ordinator
Phone: (306) 697-3195
e-mail: rslakequarterhorses@sasktel.net
Equine enthusiasts from across the province will come together in Melville on August 19 and 20 for the Youth Equestrian Summer Games.
The event features two days of competition, and also includes the Saskatchewan Light Horse Show.
"We'll be taking registrations right up until the day of the games," said Sandy Assman, one of the games'
co-ordinators. "Of course, we would prefer if people registered early."
Youth members from 4-H, Pony Club Quarter Horse, High School Rodeo, Paint, Arabian, Appaloosa, POA Dressage and Hunter/Jumper clubs are all eligible to take part in the event.
Last year's games and show drew nearly 100 youth competitors from all around Saskatchewan, and this year's event could be even larger, Assman said. Competitors are organized by age groups (11 and under, 12-14 and 15-17).
The games are a product of the youth programs offered through the Saskatchewan Horse Federation, the provincial association dedicated to promoting the breeding and raising of better quality horses, as well as organizing equestrian activities, shows and competitions in the province.
Assman said there are many parts of the event that everyone will enjoy, but the best event for a casual observer is the costume class.
"There will be about 25 kids (with their horses) in what are starting to become very elaborate costumes," she noted. "The costume class is choreographed to music, and the kids all dress and choreograph their own rides."
One of Assman's goals when she organized the first summer games in Yorkton five years ago was to make equine competition a fun, friendly time, and to mix the youth into different categories so they could get to know people from outside their class and riding style.
"I wanted to emphasize that we are all human beings riding equines. It doesn't matter what the saddle is," she said.
Youth are randomly split into one of four teams when they arrive, and team members are encouraged to cheer one another on across the many classes of competition and age ranges, regardless of style or skill. A special medal is given to the team with the most points at the conclusion of the games.
Saskatchewan Horse Federation shows and competitions are about teaching and raising the performance standards of the industry, a message Assman said is best taught while riders are young.
The federation also offers classes year-round that emphasize horse care and learning riding styles like English and Western.
Assman said there are features of the event that are appealing to serious riders and equine experts, as well as the general public.
The competitions are free of charge to attend, and will all take place in two rings at the Melville Agricultural Park on the east side of the city.
The games wrap up on Sunday, August 20, with an awards and medal ceremony.
For more information, contact:
Sandy Assman
4-H, Youth Equestrian Summer Games Co-ordinator
Phone: (306) 697-3195
e-mail: rslakequarterhorses@sasktel.net
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