

Klassen: Feeder market stabilizes
Cow-calf producers selling sooner than normal
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $2-$3 on either side of unchanged. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $275 delivered; the Alberta fed market has rallied $10-$12 over the past couple weeks. Secondly, U.S. feeder cattle prices have also rallied US$10-US$12 during the same time frame […] Read more

Prairie winter weather a sign of La Nina repeat
Full effects won't be seen for a while yet
MarketsFarm — December marks the start of what meteorologists call “meteorological winter” — and this winter, the Pacific Ocean phenomenon known as La Nina may be rearing its head once again. La Nina (Spanish for “little girl”) is a climate pattern detected over the Pacific every few years where cooler water pools at the equator […] Read more

B.C. extends fuel restrictions following flooding
Agricultural and farm-use vehicles exempted as 'essential'
Reuters — Government officials in British Columbia on Monday extended restrictions on the use of fuel by residents, saying it was needed for emergency vehicles as the region recovers from devastating floods. The order, first issued on Nov. 19, limits vehicles deemed “non-essential” by the government to 30 litres of gasoline or diesel fuel per […] Read more

Into the woods
A focus on balance required to get the most from grazing forested areas, producers say
On Kingsclere Ranch, the balance between forestry and beef production is mutually beneficial for both its business model and the environment. “The cows have a role to play in the total balance of the equation, and that’s a pretty significant role,” says Jeff Braisher, who produces high-end timber as well as raising cattle at Golden, B.C. Here […] Read more

Repair work on B.C. rail lines expected for days yet
CP expects to resume service 'mid-week;' some highways open only for essential travel
Canada’s big two railways expect repair work to continue into at least next week before service can resume through storm-battered areas of British Columbia to export terminals at Vancouver. Both railways, along with several major B.C. highways, have been shut this week due to damage from flooding and landslides spurred by a major multi-day storm […] Read more

Alberta looks for feed, Ottawa promises cash for B.C.
Alberta to help with veterinary testing after B.C.'s lab flooded, Alberta ag minister says
Even though supplies are low because of drought, Alberta is looking for feed to send to B.C. livestock producers, while Ottawa will provide emergency financial assistance to farmers dealing with flooding and closed roads in the hard-hit province. “We’ve been working with the B.C. department of agriculture,” Alberta Agriculture Minister Nate Horner said during a […] Read more
Thousands in B.C. still stranded by flood waters
'We are not out of this by a long shot'
Abbotsford | Reuters — Rescuers and workers in British Columbia were still trying to reach 18,000 people stranded on Thursday after floods and mudslides destroyed roads, houses and bridges in what could be the costliest natural disaster in the country’s history. Receding flood waters were helping rescue efforts, but the downpour blocked off entire towns […] Read more

Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association unveils first Wall of Fame
Brandon, Manitoba (Nov. 15, 2021) – Two producers, two provincial government representatives and a long-time agrologist from Ducks Unlimited Canada comprise the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Associations’ first-ever inductee group to the MFGA Wall of Fame, announced today on the eve of the organization’s fourth annual regenerative agriculture conference. The MFGA Wall Of Fame 2021 Inductees […] Read more

Severe B.C. rainstorms spur landslides, shut roads
Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian helicopters carried out multiple missions on Monday to rescue hundreds of people trapped in their vehicles on a highway after huge rainstorms sparked landslides in British Columbia. The rainstorms that started on Sunday triggered landslides, shut roads, prompted the evacuation of an entire community, forced an oil pipeline to close […] Read more

USask PhD student earns Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship for fungal research
Leading-edge research into ergot contamination recognized
University of Saskatchewan (USask) PhD student Jensen Cherewyk has been awarded one of Canada’s most prestigious doctoral scholarships for leading-edge research into an overlooked compound formed by a toxic fungus in forage grasses and cereal grains that threatens human and animal food safety. “I was not expecting it, and I’m very grateful,” Cherewyk said about receiving the Natural Sciences and […] Read more