Statistics Canada's Farm Product Price Index (FPPI) increased 1.4 per cent in December compared with the same month a year earlier, mainly due to higher hog and cattle prices. This was the first increase after three consecutive monthly year-over-year decreases. The FPPI measures the changes in prices that farmers receive for the agriculture commodities they... Read More
Category: News
The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) has hired Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton as OVC director of well-being programming. In this newly-created position, Jones-Bitton will provide well-being expertise founded on an understanding of current literature, focused training, and knowledge of emerging trends. “Andria brings a depth of knowledge and expertise in mental health and well-being research, particularly surrounding... Read More
Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency has announced it is cancelling the registration of strychnine for the control of Richardson's ground squirrels, commonly referred to as gophers. The PMRA says "an evaluation of available scientific information has not shown that risks to the environment are acceptable when strychnine is used according to the current conditions... Read More
Fresh off a fifty basis-point cut by the Federal Reserve in the U.S. on March 4, 2020, the Bank of Canada lowered its key rate by the same amount from 1.75 per cent to 1.25 per cent. In a written statement the Bank of Canada said, “As the situation evolves, the Governing Council stands ready... Read More
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has announced Dr. Maryse Bourgault, a crop physiologist with a background in environmental sciences, as its first Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) Integrated Agronomy Chair. Bourgault was recruited from the Northern Agricultural Research Centre (Havre site) at Montana State University and will hold a joint appointment in the plant sciences... Read More
Collaboration is key when it comes to getting things done; when you have two organizations working towards one goal, that's even better. Lethbridge College and Farming Smarter have announced they've signed a 15-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together on a variety of projects. The agreement will mean the two sides will examine opportunities... Read More
Saskatchewan-based Avena Foods Limited has announced it will be starting construction on a $20 million oat processing plant at Rowatt, Sask., this spring. The company says the facility will double Avena's processing capacity for its "start safe, stay safe" gluten-free oat program, and is slated to open in 2021. "This expansion builds on the achievements... Read More
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture is calling on the federal government to resolve the issues with railway blockades, as agriculture sits on a "tipping point" of lost revenue, lost trade, and potentially an animal welfare issue, as propane, once again, is not making its way east. In Quebec, 85 per cent of poultry barns are... Read More
Saskatchewan's Crop Insurance Program has announced a reduction in premiums to $7.40 per acre, down from $8.61 in 2019. According to a news release, on average Crop Insurance coverage holds steady at $224 per acre, a decrease from $230 per acre last year. “We are dedicated to maintaining a strong, growing agricultural economy,” says David... Read More
Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has elected Rob Lipsett as its new president, with Jack Chaffe serving as vice president. Lipsett replaces Joe Hill, who stepped down after completing the maximum three terms on the BFO board of directors. The new executive was voted in at the 58th annual general meeting held last week in... Read More