File photo of a cow grazing near Leader, Sask., about 85 km south of Kindersley. (James_Gabbert/iStock/Getty Images)

Saskatchewan holds Crown grazing rents at last year’s levels

Also, leaseholders on drought-downgraded land eligible for rate cut

Cattle producers leasing Crown land for grazing in Saskatchewan won’t see a rate hike this year and may be eligible for a significant rate cut. The provincial government announced Wednesday it has frozen the rates charged to producers who lease Crown grazing land in 2023 at their 2022 level. The freeze will apply to all […] Read more

Drought expands across western Prairies

Drought expands across western Prairies

MarketsFarm — Drought conditions expanded across Alberta and Saskatchewan in October, with very little precipitation across the agricultural regions of the two provinces since August. That’s according to the latest Canadian Drought Monitor from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as of Oct. 31. At the end of that month, 72 per cent of the Prairie region […] Read more


At least 12 killed in Nigeria attack over farmland

Gunmen appear in village in north

Abuja | Reuters — Gunmen have killed at least 12 people in an attack on a village in the northern Nigerian state of Plateau, residents and the state governor said on Wednesday, the latest deadly incident fuelled by growing pressure on land resources in the country. Violence between farmers and pastoralists has become increasingly common […] Read more

The invasion of noxious weeds on rangelands can have a substantial impact on a pasture’s grazing capacity.

Turning weeds into feed

A variety of noxious weeds have been deemed as safe alternative forages for cattle

A noxious weed is an invasive non-native species that may reduce the yield of existing crops and forages if not controlled through herbicide application or by other means. Many weed species can be consumed by cattle and provide nutritive value during drought-induced feed shortages, while at the same time reducing herbicide use. Kochia (Bassia scoparia) […] Read more


A section of pasture shows evidence of careful grazing around leafy spurge stems.

Living with leafy spurge

Research projects look at how to manage, not eliminate, this pasture weed

Glacier FarmMedia – In terms of nightmare plants for pasture management, leafy spurge is a scary one. It’s an official noxious weed, invasive, deeply rooted, able to spread through both seed and creeping roots and almost impossible to eliminate. Its thick patches can wreak havoc on pasture productivity for most outdoor livestock species, goats and […] Read more

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Saskatchewan crops advancing quickly

MarketsFarm — Hot and humid conditions saw crops in Saskatchewan advance quickly during the week ended Monday, according to the latest provincial crop report — although the humidity has slowed haying. When humidity is high, cutting hay becomes more challenging and hay that is cut does not dry down as quickly, which can result in […] Read more



A relay crop growing after the swath grazing crop has been cut.

Stocking cattle and stockpiling forage

Tim Wray walks us through his family’s plan for the grazing season as they seek to balance forage supplies with cattle inventory

When it comes to handling drought, a little planning and strategy go a long way for the Wray family. Tim Wray grew up on his family’s cattle operation in Irricana, a small town located 50 kilometres northeast of Calgary. Today Tim and his uncle, Doug Wray, operate Wray Ranch, which has endured dry conditions for […] Read more


(Lightguard/iStock/Getty Images)

Planting progress picking up in Saskatchewan

MarketsFarm — Overall spring planting across Saskatchewan reached 33 per cent complete as of Monday, according to the latest weekly crop report from Saskatchewan Agriculture. Despite the good progress over the week, that’s still 20 points behind the five-year average. When compared to the excellent progress this time last year, the gap expands to 41 […] Read more