Agripod

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 should not take farming and food for granted. That’s the message from Kerri Holland with the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy who prepared a report on Canada’s Food Security. Holland says food security is vital and government policy must reflect the essential service agriculture provides for the entire country. She says there will be dire consequences if farmers don’t get the support they need. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 welfare. The 10th Annual Saskatchewan Beef Expo was recently held in Saskatoon. Kirk Stierwalt, a long-time cattle operator and clinician from Leedey, Oklahoma has been conducting show cattle clinics for 37 years. He worked with the 4-H members at Beef Expo providing guidance on clipping, grooming and showmanship. He'll talk about some of the tip and tricks he shared with the young 4-Hers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 managing director of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre in Winnipeg, says the industry wants to see the customer list expand to Mexico and various countries in central and South America. But, this comes with several challenges. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Swine Health Information Center has five new research projects approved for funding under the 2.3 million dollar Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program. The initiative was launched to enhance biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest of phase of pork production. Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says five institutions, including Lowe Consulting, Pipestone Research, Texas Tech University, the University of Missouri and the University of Montreal, were awarded funding. It is a canola disease that is moving east across the Prairies . . . starting in Manitoba and now gaining a foothold in eastern portions of Saskatchewan. The ideal time to scout for verticillium strip is at harvest when symptoms are most obvious. Courtney Boyachek is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada based in western Manitoba.Verticillium stripe is also similar in appearance to two other well-known canola diseases---blackleg and sclerotinia stem rot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 prairies. The Farm Credit Canada Young Farmer Summit brings farmers under the age of 40 together to dig into the business side of farming, connect with peers, and pass on knowledge to producers that will help them take their operation to the next level. Erica Leniczek is a Masters Counselling Psychology Candidate, Keynote Speaker and Crisis Responder from Marwayne, Alberta. She shares ways to reduce stress and explains psychological safety in agriculture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Charles Geddes is a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and will be leading the herbicide resistant weed survey. The federal carbon tax been completely ineffective in reducing fossil fuel use, it has also made it harder for farmers to afford the adoption of new innovations. That from Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl. He says farmers face many challenges as they work to adopt environmentally sustainable green practices while operating in the red. Dahl is calling on government to replace its policy of taxing farmers to stimulate decreased fossil fuel use with one where incentives are offered to stimulate the adoption of environmentally sustainable technologies and practices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 physiological effects of play on the pigs. All internationally trained veterinarians hoping to practice in Canada take their final hands-on test in Saskatoon. Three times a year, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine hosts the clinical proficiency examination process for international veterinarian graduates who want to be license in Canada. It is the only location in Canada that hosts this testing. Dr. Gillian Muir explains the testing process and how this is easing some of the stress of the veterinarian shortage across Canada. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 the potential to use it to control other pests. A researcher with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine says the use of AI to assess animal welfare offers an opportunity to eliminate human error and bias during assessments. Dr. Martyna Lagoda says measuring welfare of animals is a complex task but there are animal-based indicators of welfare which are visible on the animal's carcass throughout the pig's life and these are used as the scoring targets of an automated system. She says the indicators tell a story of welfare retrospectively and can be tracked back to different stages of the production chain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 up on different the types of protein, how much is enough, are plant and animal-based proteins the same. She will also have some tips on how to extend your meat budget a bit more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each year, a survey is conducted in late May through early June to track the movement of pea leaf weevil throughout Saskatchewan. Provincial insect specialist James Tansey says the pest is on the move with northern and eastern Saskatchewan experiencing the worst infestations. A new pulse processing plant is coming to Saskatchewan. Louis Dreyfus Company announced a new pea protein isolate production plant at the same site as its existing canola crush facility at Yorkton. Construction is expected to begin in 2024, with completion projected for the end of 2025. The plant will employ around 60 people. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers executive director Carl Potts talks about the new plant and the importance of having a secure, domestic market for Saskatchewan peas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CN Rail signed a deal to purchase Iowa Northern Railway. The Iowa Northern operates 275 miles of track that connects to CN's U.S. rail network. David Przednowek, the Assistant Vice President of Grain for CN Rail, says they are very excited about the transaction as Iowa Northern is a great rail property with a very heavy agricultural focus. The United Kingdom announced the suspension of talks after Canada decided not to extend two temporary trade measures – a special quota on U.K. cheese exports, which expired in December 2023, and country-of-origin rules on products being exported, which is set to expire at the end of March. Those measures were in place since Britain left the European Union. Canadian Cattle Association President Nathan Phinney said the other major issue revolves around Canadian beef. The U.K. doesn’t allow hormone-treated beef and pork imports from Canada but is able to export approximately 40,000 tons of beef to Canada annually. Phinney says he wasn't surprised by the UK's move and discusses Canada's next step. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers are looking at biomarkers as an indicator of animal welfare. Biological markers are observable characteristics that can be measured to determine whether an animal is in a state of good health and well being. Darian Pollock is a PhD candidate in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She says the objective of the study was to identify indicators of welfare, and in the case of her work, measuring chronic stress. Seed germination and vigour for the 2024 crop in Saskatchewan is looking quite good at this point. Discovery Seed Labs in Saskatoon compiled a report for the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association in early January. Molecular Lab Manager Sandy Junek says seed germination rates are very close to what they were last year across all crops followed by strong vigour. He says barley and flax were the only crops that dropped of a bit and cereal and pulse crop disease are present . . . but at manageable levels. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baiting and trapping is proving to be the most effective method for controlling wild pigs. The Coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba Dr Wayne Lees says this is the best way to eliminate them from the landscape. He says wild pigs are a pest as they can contaminate water sources, damage natural habitats and farm crops, and can spread different diseases to commercial and small-scale livestock. Dr. Lees will tell us about the program and some of the most common signs there may be wild pigs in your area. The Executive Director of Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan says with an increasing smaller percentage of the population involved in the production of food it's important for those who are engaged in agriculture to be ready to share their stories. Clinton Monchuk says many consumers have a basic idea of what's happening in food production but the not the technologies or practices farmers use. He says the more farmers can get out there and engage with consumers, the more knowledge consumers will have. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine's three year Foreign-Trained Veterinarian Swine Medicine Residency Certification program is opening more doors for vets. The program, one of four pillars of the University of Saskatchewan's swine medicine advancement, recruitment and training or SMART program, targets internationally trained veterinarians who are working in non-veterinary roles in the Canadian swine industry. Dr. John Harding says this program is designed to retool internationally trained veterinarians as swine specialists initially in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It was a lot warmer than normal in Saskatchewan in December----now we know exactly how much.Terri Lang is an Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist based in Saskatoon. Most centres had warmer December temperatures than during the last major El Nino in 1997. Lang talks about some of the record breaking temperatures and whether we can expect a warmer than normal winter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women has been focusing on some of the specific issues rural women face on a day-to-day basis. Rural connectivity was discussed at a recent committee meeting. Saskatchewan farmer and rancher Adrienne Ivey had a chance to share her challenges with internet and cell phone service and how it impacts the family and farming operation. Farmer Jake Leguee has been writing a blog for a few years now. It was a way for him to share his thoughts on important topics like GMO's and the use of crop protection products. In his most recent post, he talked about his concern surrounding communication. He called it Have We Forgotten How to Talk to Each Other. I talk to Jake about his blog and why he is concerned about how we are losing the ability to have conversations especially when we do not agree. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been much more attention focused on the mental health of Canadian producers. Many suffer in silence. We continue our conversation with Gerry Friesen a Stress & Conflict Management Specialist and mental health advocate. On the last episode he shared his story on being diagnosed with depression and how he brought his illness into the open and made the decision to seek help. As a recovering farmer Gerry talks about the stresses associated with agriculture, how to cope with the things in life we cannot control and how just talking to someone can be very therapeutic. And, a report on women in agriculture sees both challenges and opportunities. Dr. Amber Fletcher is an associate professor with the University of Regina. She says women face challenges of sexism, discrimination, and access to financing.... but attitudes are changing. Amber will share the report's eight recommendation to support women in agriculture, including more childcare support and access to training. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Autosteer is a form of precision agriculture most farmers use . . . but the toolbox is growing rapidly due to new technology. Don Campbell is a Field Smart Agronomist at Western Sales in Rosetown, Sask. He says precision agriculture aims to optimize each region of the field and create maximum return on investment. Campbell says precision agriculture technology is improving every year. It's a brown Christmas for many parts of the prairies. While there has been some snow and rain more moisture is needed across the prairies. Trevor Hadwen an Agroclimate Specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) says its certainly drier than we would like to be. Hadwen shares the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's drought monitoring map. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do More Ag Foundation says more and more farmers are reaching out and asking for help because of the devastating effects of drought. The dry and hot conditions have impacted both the cattle and grain side. Executive Director Adele Stewart says farmers need to be supported and encouraged to take care of their mental well being now and, in the days, to come. I talked to Adelle last fall about the work of the organization and the importance of producers needing to know they are not alone, and they have an entire industry behind them. Dominican Republic is experiencing an outbreak of African Swine Fever. Dr. Paul Sundberg is the Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center. Sundberg says he is confident the first outbreak of African Swine Fever identified in the Western Hemisphere in more than 40 years will not alter the level of risk for North America. Sundberg explains the outbreak was identified through a cooperative surveillance program where banked tissue samples from sick, dying, and dead pigs as well as feral pigs collected in the Dominican Republic are sent to the USDA's Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture released its 2023 Grasshopper Survey. While parts of west-central Saskatchewan seemed to be a hot spot there was significant and damaging grasshopper populations seen in Central, Southwest, and far Southeastern regions. Dr. James Tansey, provincial Insect/Pest Management specialist talks about population density, concerns about the unusually warm fall and its possible impact on grasshopper populations in 2024. The federal government and the canola sector will team up for another five-year research cluster. The feds are putting up $9 million in funding. The 2023–2028 Canola AgriScience Research Cluster follows a similar program from 2018. Canola Council of Canada vice president of crop production and innovation Curtis Rempel will talk about how the model supports projects intended to address significant national priorities like increasing canola productivity, helping the canola sector meet global demands, and improve the industry’s competitiveness globally, all with an eye to sustainability. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Saskatchewan teenager was able to share her love for the sport of cutting horses during a recent livestock show in Regina. The sport involves a horse and a rider trying to separate one animal from a herd of cattle. Zoe Schellenberg not only participates in the sport but is also the youth director for Saskatchewan, for the National Cutting Horse Association. She was instrumental in getting virtual reality goggles for their booth at Agribition. She talks about the things she loves about the sport. Producer voices are needed at the table when there are discussions around sustainability and agriculture. Farmers for Climate Solutions have put a call out for farmers and ranchers to part of select Forums across the Prairies in early 2024. Recommendations coming out of the forums will be included in a report to be released later in the year. Gordon Bacon is a co-lead for the forums. He says they want to sit down and have an open and frank discussion about sustainability, carbon emissions, and solutions going forward while still focusing on profitability. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.