Joe Dales's Blog (72)

OFA responds to time-of-use electricity pricing proposal

The provincial government is proposing a new electricity pricing plan

Wheat Market Outlook - January 26, 2026

Market Outlook - Wheat Western Canadian export wheat bids picked up $2 per tonne week-over-week at the port and seeing some similar strength at inland locations. Bids have been relatively flat with basis improvements being thrown at producer bids to entice product into the system when needed. The markets are watching if cold weather in the United States and Black Sea wheat production regions will threaten any crop conditions in these areas. The market sits comfortably for the time being but will keep its focus onto winter wheat conditions in the Black Sea, European Union and United States. Aside from this, demand drive is what the market will need to see to chew away at some of the increased stocks that have ended up on the global balance sheet. As for Western Canadian wheat values, we are anticipating a neutral outlook for the coming weeks ahead as we currently sit in a demand driven market and global supplies have grown as Australia and Argentina wrapped up their harvest. Producers w

*Webinar* Practical Approaches to Managing Stock Water

Even water that looks clean and clear can be poor quality — and insufficient access to good-quality water can reduce beef cattle performance faster and more dramatically than any other nutrient deficiency. This February 18 webinar will explore the hidden risks of poor-quality water, discuss its implications for herd health and productivity and provide practical tools and strategies to ensure your cattle have clean, safe and adequate water supplies. Register for the live webinar to hear from our panelists: Dr. Cheryl Waldner with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Saskatchewan beef producer Karla Hicks. This webinar will be available for?one continuing education (CE) credit for veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists and technicians across Canada. WHEN IS THE WEBINAR? Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 7:00 PM MT   6:00 PM in BC? 7:00 PM in AB 8:00 PM in SK and MB 9:00 PM in ON and QC 10:00 PM in NS, NB and PEI 10:30 PM in NFLD   Duration  Approximately 1 hour.

IAFP 2026 Registration Now Open

The International Association for Food Protection will hold IAFP 2026, the Association’s Annual Meeting, July 26–29, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Registration and housing are now open via the Association website at: foodprotection.org. IAFP 2026 will feature hundreds of technical papers, posters, and symposia, detailing current information on a variety of topics relating to food safety. The quantity and quality of contributed presentations provide information on the latest methods and technologies available. In addition to the science-based presentations, the four-day meeting will include committee and Professional Development Group (PDG) meetings and an awards banquet. In addition, more than 140 companies will exhibit their products and services throughout most of the conference. The IAFP Annual Meeting has earned recognition as the leading food safety conference worldwide and is attended by top industry, academic, and governmental food safety professionals. This broad mix of attendee

AAFC staffing cuts threaten agricultural research capacity and ROI for farmers

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) is deeply concerned by the news that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is eliminating 665 staff positions across the country as part of plans to slash the department’s budget by 15 per cent over the next three years. “These staffing cuts, and related impacts at AAFC research stations, represent a tremendous loss for Canadian agriculture,” said CWRC chair Jocelyn Velestuk. “It is a loss of not only expertise and people who have contributed to farmers’ success, but also of agricultural research capacity that is crucial to fuelling innovation and maintaining progress throughout the industry.” AAFC has long been a key research partner that western Canadian farmers have trusted with significant investment on their behalf, including $19.9 million over three years as part of the CWRC’s current core breeding agreement (CBA) with AAFC. Canadian agriculture’s global reputation for quality and its competitiveness in international markets depen