Agriculture

As land prices are climbing and forage acres are dwindling due to flooding or alternative land uses, producers place higher expectations on the productivity of their hay stands.

Sometimes a very random event brings a writer to an idea for a weekly column. Recently I was in a local sandwich shop in Yorkton and decided to try the spicy black bean offering.

With the recent financial issues of Broadacre Agriculture, discussed in this space a couple of weeks ago the issue of who owns land in Saskatchewan is back on the front burner for a time.

The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) is reminding producers December 31, 2014, is the final deadline to submit 2013 AgriStability forms and pay 2014 program fees.

Saskatchewan Agriculture is reminding producers to be aware of the risk of anthrax after confirmation of a positive case in a cow in the Rural Municipality of Hazel Dell No. 335, on December 5.

Monitoring and appropriate management of stored grain (especially tough grain) is essential to ensuring that grain will not spoil and will remain in good shape during storage.

Canadian farmers have tried to diversify in a list of ways, both in terms of field crops, and livestock.

Livestock Services Corporation of Saskatchewan (LSS) recently announced fee increases for brand inspection services and for brand registration. The fee increase will come into effect January 2, 2015. The cost of inspection will increase by $0.

The December sale of petroleum and natural gas rights raised $18.3 million in revenue for the province, bringing final land sale revenues for the 2014 calendar year to $197.9 million.

Agriculture Week and the kick off to the 2014 Grain Millers Harvest Showdown was held Monday with the traditional symbolic branding. Branders are Anne Britton, Donna Malinowsky and Elsie Varga.