The Western Canadian Animal Health Network (WeCAHN)  is keeping a close watch on H5N1 Avian Flu in the United States. Network coordinator  Dr. Barbara Wilhelm says industry, the provinces, the federal government, veterinarians, regional surveillance networks like WeCAHN,are planning for, as much as possible, prevent the opportunity for Avian Influenza to enter Canadian farms. Grain movement on CN Rail lines has been fairly consistent with strong demand April. CN's Assistant Vice-President of Grain David Przednowek says we haven't seen that seasonal drop-off that ususally happen ..read more

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was disappointed to see insufficient investment in agriculture in the 2024 budget. President Keith Currie said farmers continue to struggle under the weight of high-interest rates, a price on carbon for essential farming activities, and an increased risk of extreme weather events. He said these challenges are testing the limits and effectiveness of risk management programs.But he said there were also some positives in the budget. The Competition Bureau has stated the proposed acquisition of Viterra by Bunge would have ‘substantial anti–competitive ..read more

The farming industry is constantly changing. New innovations are being developed to make farms more efficient. A research project involving a Naicam Sask. Consulting company and the University of Regina are looking for a way to reduce environmental impact and save money.  Cory Willness of Crop Pro Consulting will talk about SWAT BOX, a data collection sensor and how information it collects can be used to generate maps that will help farmers selectively apply herbicides.     Everyone needs to eat. That’s why Canadians and governments s ..read more

Computer based artificial intelligence is offering new insights into animal welfare. A new tool being developed by the University of Saskatchewan is using A.I.at the abattoir. The University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed an automated swine welfare assessment system consisting of a digital security camera linked to an A.I. processor. Dr. Seokbum Ko explains how cameras record animal movement along the processing line and condensed AI models extract and assess images indicative of animal we ..read more

A new study from the Environmental Working Group has determined that 80 per cent of Americans are regularly exposed to the plant growth regulator chlormequat. It is used to control growth in grain crops such as oats, wheat, and barley in order to make them easier to harvest. Terry Tyson is the General Manager of Grain Millers Canada in Yorkton, Sask.  He provides his take on the situation and shares how this work aligns with the Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society's Interpretive Station. The main export market for Canada's malting barley is China. Peter Watts, the managin ..read more

The value of Canadian farmland rose 11.5% in 2023, according to a new report by agriculture lending firm Farm Credit Canada. While, overall it's a slight slowdown from the growth in 2022, it's still a rapid pace given cooling economic conditions overall. The lender's latest report on farmland values found that they increased in every province tracked except for British Columbia. The highest increases in average farmland value last year was in Saskatchewan. Ken Gurney is a senior appraiser with Farm Credit Canada. He'll discuss some of the factors behind an increase in land values on the prai ..read more

Canada ranks number three in the world for herbicide resistant weeds, only behind the United States and Australia. The last extensive survey in Saskatchewan occurred in 2019-2020 and estimated producer losses due to herbicide resistant weeds at $340 million per year. It found that green foxtail, volunteer canola, wild oat, wild buckwheat and kochia were the biggest concerns. The top instance of herbicide resistance in Saskatchewan five years ago was Group 1 resistance in wild oats. Herbicide Resistance wild oat was found in 77 per cent of 250 fields where wild oat was collected and tested. C ..read more

Preliminary results of research show pigs can be stimulated into engaging in play. The Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Swine Centre are exploring the prospects of using play to improve the emotional well being of pigs and improve their resilience and performance. In one experiment the behavior of two groups of pigs provided intermittent play opportunities was compared to a control group. Dr. Yolande Seddon is an Assistant Professor Swine Behaviour and Welfare. She says the objective is to determine whether play could be stimulated and identify the physiologic ..read more

Wild pigs have been an issue in Canada over the last 25 years, but a simple looking trap may be part of the solution to the problem. Called the "Pig Brig", it's big net that is 20-feet in diameter, which can be set up by one person in about an hour. To catch them, a pig simply walks underneath the mesh and once they're in, there is no way out. It's also portable so it can fit into a backpack. Aaron Sumrall is the Director of Outreach, Education, and Research at Pig Brig, the U.S. company that makes the traps of the same name. Aaron will talk about what inspired the creation of Pig Brig and th ..read more

A successful canola crop needs a lot of nitrogen, which is why nitrogen has A-list status. That same successful crop also depends on a strong supporting cast - phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and micronutrients. Canola council of Canada agronomy specialist Warren Ward says farmers will benefit from soil tests, yield history and economics to determine how much fertilizer their canola needs. Protein is an important component in a person's diet---whether it be animal-based or plant-based. Nationally recognized registered dietician Carol Harrison says protein has many benefits, but questions come ..read more