Politics have had a significant impact on agriculture research in Alberta. The government in that province changed hands with the New Democrats taking power in 2015 and then new United Conservative Party winning the election in 2019. It has been a stressful time for those involved in research. A new organization called Results Driven Agriculture Research or RDAR has been given the responsibility of guiding Alberta’s ag research priorities to ensure they reflect the needs of farmers, ranchers, and others in the agriculture industry.I'll speak with RDAR board chair Dr. David Chalack about this new entity and its role in promoting beneficial research for the ag sector.Prairie honey producers take great pride in their pure product. But the fake honey showing up on store shelves is hurting their bottom line.Fake honey is being blamed for a dramatic drop in prices dating back to 2015 and it has been pushing the limits of beekeepers in Canada. In fact, prices were so low producers were not making enough money to even cover their costs.Tim Wendell of Wendell Honey Farm has felt the impact. Their operation includes sites in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Wendell will explain where this fake honey is coming from and how consumers can support this important industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Farmers have shortened up crop rotation for a number of reasons. Oilseed agronomy research scientist Patrick Molecki is with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Saskatoon Research and Development Centre. He there are numerous issues popping up because of this practice including herbicide resistance in weeds and increased disease pressure including blackleg and fusarium head blight.Patrick says the continuing practice will have long term implications.There tends to be a focus on the negative environmental aspects of farming like the greenhouse gases emitted from vehicles, fertilizers, and grain transportation. But there is new work showing this impact can be offset by planting trees. It's estimated more 21.3 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent is stored in Saskatchewan’s 60,000 km of shelterbelts, representing about $639 million in total economic value under the federal $30 per tonne carbon-dioxide-equivalent pricing system.Bryan Mood with USask will discuss a new app that is designed to show the economic value of shelterbelts while helping landowners determine the best trees to grow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Canada's elected officials need to prioritize the renegotiation of the Canada, United States, Mexico trade agreement and to tone down the rhetoric while working with allies in the U.S. to maintain trade.Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl suggests this matter should be the number one issue of Canada's agriculture ministers from coast to coast.Farm Credit Canada hosted its annual Food and Beverage Summit in Saskatoon. Smaller and medium sized companies from all parts of Western Canada were on hand. Stacey Gordon, FCC's area vice-president of commercial financing, said entrepreneurs at varying stages of the journey to the supermarket shelf attended the trade show and listened to presentations. Some are only selling locally; others are in regional stores while a few are looking to break into the national market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As parliament resumed the Grain Growers of Canada, who represent over 70-thousand producers across Canada, have four key priorities: international trade, capital gains tax, trade-enabling infrastructure, and research & development.Executive Director Kyle Larkin says continued uncertainty with the United States and tariffs from China is at the top of the list. And staying with Parliament, we’ll hear from new Saskatchewan senator Todd Lewis, who farms near Regina, on how he's fitting into his new roleFarm and Food Care Saskatchewan estimate 4,000 visitors took part in this year's Saskatchewan Open Farm Days.The second edition of the event saw approximately 35 different agriculture-related venues opening their doors to the public.Farm and Food Care Executive Director Clinton Monchuk said the event provides an opportunity for farmers to engage directly with consumers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
African Swine Fever has hit a 27,000 pig facility in Estonia. That was one of the revelations from the monthly newsletter from the Swine Health Information Center that released its domestic and global swine disease monitoring reports.SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says the latest developments related to African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease demonstrate the value of swine disease monitoring in understanding transmission routes and disease risksThe Saskatchewan Pork Development Board has launched its second whole hog video series.Sask Pork Whole Hog Youth Ambassador is 12-year-old Reise Podhordeski, a farm kid who lives and works on his family's commercial hay operation near Marcelin, Sask. Reise says there's more involved in pork production than what happens in the barn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Manitoba's efforts to control Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea are drawing international attention. Manitoba Pork Director of Swine Health Jenelle Hamblin says, since the introduction of Manitoba's PED elimination plan in the spring of 2023, numbers of cases have declined. Manitoba farmers and veterinarians have been reporting regular or lower incidences of other diseases. Hamblin says there has been a lot of outreaches from other jurisdictions on what's being done in Manitoba, particularly from the United States.The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board has launched its second whole hog video series. In the series of videos, the Sask Pork whole hog youth ambassador, interviewing various members of the pork value chain.Jessica Podhordeski with Sask Pork, says the videos run about three and a half minutes and are suitable for all audiences but they were primarily designed to educate youth about the pork industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There was a lot of excitement at the University of Saskatchewan surrounding the release of a landmark study. The USask led team of roughly 100 international scientists from ten countries generated the first genomic atlas for global wheat improvement. Crop Development Centre director Dr. Curtis Pozniak will tell us how this atlas will enable scientists and breeders to much more quickly identify genes that will improve yield, pest resistance and other important crop traits. Grain Growers of Canada have released a new video project to help educate politicians and policymakers about the challenges and realities facing farmers today. Today's Modern Grain Farm: A Harvest Across Canada features farmers from across Canada including Saskatchewan grain farmer, Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel. Cherilyn will explain why it’s crucial to reach out to politicians and their teams and present what life is like as a modern grain farmer across the country. She says the when the question is asked How can the Canadian economy recover from the Coronavirus? The answer might be in a strong agriculture industry and there are a number of ways Ottawa can be supportive of farmers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Harvest is still a few days away over most parts of the province----following rain in some regions last week. The 2025 crop will be a mixed bag-----very good in some areas----and poor in others.Twyla Jones is the Agronomic Innovation Lead with Nutrien Ag Solutions in Canada. She talks about how crops are looking across the Prairies and picks out a couple of locations that could be combining above average yields.Delisle is home to a brand-new flax processing facility. The plant is owned by the Minnesota company Grain Millers, which is widely recognized in Saskatchewan for its involvement in the oat industry, as they have a plant in Yorkton, but they are beginning to dabble in flax. The Delisle flax plant recently celebrated its grand opening where crews from the operations in Yorkton, of course Delisle, and also Minnesota were present for the event. CEO and President of Grain Millers Todd Stohlmeyer will talk about the reasons for the over 30-million-dollar expansion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As North America closes in on the time frame for renegotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement the U.S. and has launched a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation into Canada's exports of skim milk.An Independent Agri-Food Policy Note released by Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests U.S. complaints about Canadian dairy policy are unfounded. Research lead Dr. Al Mussell says while Canadian dairy policy has long been an irritant, Canada has remained in full compliance with its international trade obligations, including the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.China has implemented a 75.8 per cent duty on Canadian canola seed imports. China's Ministry of Commerce announced the preliminary ruling regarding their anti-dumping investigation on canola.The latest tariff on canola seed is in addition to the 100 per cent tariff implemented on Canadian oil and meal back in March 2025.President and CEO of the Canola Council of Canada, Chris Davison, says China is a highly valued and important market but there is great disappointed with the preliminary ruling.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Confidence in Canada's Food System at an all-time high according to new research from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). Canadians are optimistic about their food supply, even as Canada's food system faces exceptional pressure and public scrutiny due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020. President and CEO of CCFI John Jamieson will share the results of the latest public Trust Research Report, and how the Canadians are feeling about the overall direction of the food system. Farmers are poised to play a key role in Canada's economic recovery.The Canadian Federation of Independent Business submitted a list of concerns to the country's agriculture ministers, topping the list is needed improvements to Business Risk Management programs.CFIB senior policy analyst Virginia Labbie says the focus should be on policies that will help drive growth in the agriculture and agri-food sector so that it can perform to its potential.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Canada's position on supply management could trigger a further escalation of trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork, says hope of reaching a trade deal between Canada and the United States are dwindling.Agriculture Innovation Awards were presented at Western Canada's largest outdoor farm show Ag in Motion.The Innovation Award for Ag Tech went to Phiber Manufacturing of Crystal City, Manitoba for its DASH drone carrier. Steve Froese is Phiber's Director of Sales and he talks about what is unique about the drone carrier.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Responsible Grain...it is a national code of practice being developed to show Canadian farmers care about the environment. It will address consumer and customer priorities and provide practical advice for farmers to continue to improve their practices.Committee chair Ted Menzies from Claresholm, Alberta says the draft code, developed by farmers and industry experts, has been completed and is now open for consultation. Ted will share why it is important to have a code to share with our customers at home and abroad.Agriculture is a key driver of Canadian economic growth. Achieving export goals will only happen through the development of a strong crops sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada along with Cereals Canada have established wheat research priorities from now to 2022.Victoria Linden is the research director with Cereals Canada.She will share those priorities and why it's important to revisit these goals every few years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
North America is a role model when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production.Dr. Frank Mitloehner is a professor with the University of California Davis. He told delegates at the recent Saskatchewan Swine Symposium the public needs to recognize the contributions of livestock agriculture to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.He said the most pressing need is to get the countries that are not efficient in producing animal sourced food to change, and that objective can be met while, at the same time, minimizing the carbon footprint.Shelby Corey wears many hats. She is a wife and mother. She is a rancher, a rural municipal councillor, and a development officer with 4-H Saskatchewan. Life is hectic. Shelby will share how balancing the farm, kids, career, and everything else can be overwhelming but there is a way to find balance.She will share some of the things she has learned to avoid burnout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Canada's new agriculture minister spent some time in Saskatchewan. Heath MacDonald toured around various areas---Regina, Indian Head, and Davidson and met with farm leaders from the grain and oilseed, beef, and dairy sectors.Saskatchewan agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison also accompanied MacDonald on all stops during his tour. MacDonald will share more on the conversations and concerns of farmers during his visit.Prairie farmers may face a potential rust threat this yearDr. Kelly Turkington, a research scientist in plant pathology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lacombe, says rust spores typically originate from the Pacific Northwest and the Texas-to-Nebraska corridor in the U.S.These spores, which include stripe rust, leaf rust, stem rust, and crown rust in oats, are carried by the wind and usually start appearing in the prairies in June. Over the years, research scientists, breeders, and pathologists have been working on developing crop varieties with increased rust resistance with moderately resistant (MR), or resistant (R) rating can control the disease effectively, making fungicide application unnecessary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Farm Credit Canada's Food and Beverage Report for 2025 shows in detail the challenges each manufacturing sector faces due to the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S. as well as changing consumer habits.But it also shows opportunity through those challenges. Senior Economist Amanda Norris will be looking at two sectors in particular: grain and oilseed milling and meat.Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is partnering with provincially owned, private plant breeding company J4 Agri-Science to develop improved lines of faba bean. It is the second major collaboration SPG has entered into since its long-term agreement with the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre ran out more than four years ago. SPG provides upfront investments with any future royalties shared by the two parties.J4 Agri-Science was founded by two farmers and has its main testing sites in northeast Saskatchewan. Dr. Jodi Souter is a plant breeder and co-founder of J4-Agri-Science. She'll talk about the collaboration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Montreal area-based farmer and agrotourism operator is taking steps to help maintain rare livestock genetics, particularly the Lacombe breed of pig. Established in 1982, Quinn Farm is a 200-acre agricultural and agrotourism operation that produces a variety of horticultural crops, more than 18 varieties of apples, Christmas and balsam trees, raises chickens, pigs and sheep, including many rare breeds, and houses a large farm store that features the farm's own produce, and a variety of local products.Farm cofounder Elwood Quinn says the public's awareness of the importance of maintaining genetic diversity, even within the one percent of those directly involved in food production, is minimal.The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is getting the word out about its Harvest Sample Program.The program encourages producers to send in a grain sample to the Commission for grading, then once the sample returns to the producer with a grade, they can use it for marketing purposes. Getting involved comes at no cost. Kerri Pleskach is the Program Manager of Analytical Services. She says farmers wanting to participate can reach out to them by phone, email, or in person at their booth at one of the many farm shows throughout the year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Quick crop establishment lowers flea beetle risk. Growers responding to a Canola Council of Canada survey indicated flea beetles were the number one economic risk to canola last year . . . as well as 2022 and 2020.Flea beetle populations vary from year-to-year . . . but seeding depth and weather are the two main variables. Keith Gabert is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. He shares some tips for canola growersAdd the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association to the list of farm groups surprised by Heath MacDonald's appointment to federal agriculture portfolio. Many were expecting Kody Blois to maintain the role.Kaitlyn Kitzan, treasurer and Director with the Wheat Growers speaks to the appointment and some of the issues the new ag minister will have to face.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect weeds and other crop pests while passing over a field could reduce pesticide use by up to 95 per cent, maintaining crop yield, saving farmers roughly $50 per acre per growing season.A $26.2 million project is being led by Precision.ai, Sure Growth Solutions, Exceed Grain Marketing, and the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan. The partners are together investing $13.4 million into the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing the remaining $12.8 million.Dan McCann is the founder and CEO of Precision.ai. Dan will talk about this multi-million-dollar project and how it can benefit farmers and the environment.There are numerous resources available to the entire agriculture sector relating to weather and climate conditions.Maps and information about agroclimate - which is the relationship between climate and agriculture - conditions, events, and impacts can be accessed at no cost.The information comes from weather stations and satellites but it's the people on the ground that help give a true indication of what's going on.Agroclimate Specialist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Trevor Hadwen is with us to talk about how the public can get involved in this important work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Control your money so it does not control you.Vanessa Stockbrugger is a former investment banker on Toronto’s Bay Street who went on to found and run Womencents. She says having more money does not necessarily fix things – instead, people need a strategy or action plan to achieve their financial goals.But what happens when that business is a farm.To reduce stress, she says people must have power and control over their finances.She'll discuss strategies for dealing with some of the big decision including when to save, when to spend and when to pay down debt.It's a collaboration that brings together the complete beef research cycle. The University of Saskatchewan's Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, located southeast of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan opened in 2018 and includes a two thousand head cattle feeding operation, cattle research facility, buildings for drying forages, a 350 head cow-calf research facility and forage research plots.U of S College of Engineering professor and research Dr. Terry Fonstad will tell us about the collaboration between areas of the university that truly gives the full picture of what happens from the pasture to plate. He tells us what makes this research facility unique from any other.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The dust has settled on the federal election and Canadian farmers will be looking to Canada's newly elected minority Liberal government to resolve Canada's trade disputes with both the United States and China. We talk to Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork, about the tariff threats and its impact on the agriculture sector.The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is waiting to see what the next steps will be in the days ahead. President Keith Currie says they want to talk about with the government revolves around three areas - competitiveness, resiliency, and rules-based trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.