Corn - 4th of July

SARM seeking more rural road and bridge funding during provincial election campaign

Ahead of this month’s provincial election, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) is calling for increased funding for rural roads and bridges. The organization says the infrastructure is the lifeline of thousands of municipal residents and helps drive the rural economy by supporting oil and gas, agriculture, mining, and other natural resource sectors. In a news release, SARM said the roads and bridges in rural Saskatchewan will continue to deteriorate without further aid, and that will have social and economic impacts. Canada’s largest road network is here in Saskatchewan, and SARM said RM’s are responsible for 164,000 kilometres of roads that require regular upkeep and maintenance. They are also responsible for nearly 1300 bridge structures, and SARM says 60 per cent of rural bridges are at or beyond their expected service lifespan and are in need of replacement. The cost of building a bridge per square foot has increased 25 per cent between 2020 and 2022. A

Warmer, drier weather improves harvest progress

Most of this year’s crop is in the bin, with the provincial crop report stating that progress is at 91 per cent complete. That’s up from 79 percent last week, and well ahead of the five- and ten-year averages. Warmer, drier weather allowed progress to be made last week. In the northeast, harvest is 81 percent complete, a significant jump from the 65 percent complete last week. However, it’s still the least advanced of any crop region in Saskatchewan. The east-central region is 88 per cent complete, up from 75 percent the previous week, and 63 percent two weeks ago. Harvest is nearly done in the southwest at 99 percent, with the southeast region at 94 percent, the west-central at 90 percent and the northwest at 85 percent. All winter wheat, triticale, field peas, lentils are harvested; and virtually all of the durum have been harvested. The other spring-seeded crops are not far behind, with barley and mustard at 98 percent. Meanwhile, 96 per cent of spring wheat, 95 per cent of

Bayer Acquires Canola Facility from HyTech Production

Bayer Crop Science will acquire a canola treating and packaging facility in Coaldale, Alta., from HyTech Production on Nov. 1, the company announced. “With the growth of our canola business, we’ve been looking for ways to enhance our processes and assets,” said Antoine Bernet, president and CEO of Bayer Canada. “This facility is ideally located to support our operations and future expansion as we expect increased demand for canola.” HyTech Production will retain its other assets and continue its hybrid seed production, maintaining relationships with current customers while exploring new opportunities. “We remain committed to growth and quality, aiming to bring long-term value to our customers and seed growers,” said Cameron Van Roon, co-CEO of HyTech Ltd. Currently, Bayer uses third-party contractors, including HyTech, for canola treating and packaging. With this acquisition, Bayer will streamline its operations between its canola parent seed production site in Cranbrook, B.C., and

Ottawa Announces Funding for Eastern Canadian Oilseed Research

The federal government on Friday announced more than $4.3 million to improve the long-term security and sustainability of the eastern Canadian oilseed industry. 

Produce industry members to voice concerns ahead of federal election

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) will hold their fall joint advocacy event, Fall Harvest 2024, November 18-20, on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa.