Disease transmission is always a risk when transporting livestock around Canada, and it can have devastating consequences not only on individual farms, but entire industries. But the CEO of Farm Health Guardian is tackling the issue of biosecurity head-on to reduce the risk of disease spread.Rob Hannam explains the new bio-security system.   A cattle producer from Piapot, Sask.  says she wasn't expecting to be a finalist of the Canadian Cattle Association's Young Leaders Program.Brooke Martin is one of 16 finalists from across the country, after participating in the annual CYL Selections competition August 15th during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Calgary.She talks about some of the topics that were covered during the judged roundtable discussions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A report released by Agri-Food Economic Systems suggests the declining number of mid-sized farms in Canada jeopardises the rural institutions that have traditionally supported farms and farm families. The report explores the potential consequences of the decline in the number of small and, especially, medium-sized farms. Research Lead Dr. Al Mussell will share the results of the report how it impacts rural communities and consumers. The RCMP is advising producers to take precautions against theft from their farms. There is often a focus on larger items or equipment, but those small portable items are expensive and easy to steal. Staff Sergeant Devin Pugh will share some tips for protecting those important items, large or small, and why its important to report all thefts immediately.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saskatchewan's sheep breeding flock is the fourth largest in Canada.There are approximately 800 producer members across the province with a breeding flock totaling approximately 60,000 breeding ewes. Sask Sheep Executive Director Gordon Schroeder shares more on the industry in the province and potential for growth. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation paid out $60.4 million under the Forage Rainfall Insurance program this year. Over 90 per cent of the three million plus acres enrolled under the program received a payment. The insured area was a bit lower than the record set last year, following the widespread drought in 2021.SCIC Acting President and CEO Jeff Morrow says about 80 per cent of insured forage acres this year were in the very dry southwest and west-central regions of the province.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 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.

I’m away this week.  Here’s something to hold you over until I get back. Farmers and ranchers are wanted to participate in a mental health project. Saskatchewan Polytechnic wants to identify exactly what is needed for a mental health support system for the agriculture sector. Michelle Pavloff is the research chair for rural health and principal investigator with Sask Polytech. She will explain what they are looking for and how producers can participate. Fertilizer Canada estimates 60 percent of forage crops are under fertilized. Imagine, each ton of dry matter harvested from a hayfield removes 35-50 pounds of nitrogen and about 10 pounds of phosphorous. Nutrient removal through grazing is substantially less, but there is still a net loss of nutrients from the grazing system. Replenishing these nutrients can help to improve forage productivity. But it can be a tricky process.Dr. Jeff Schoenau is a professor and strategic research chair at the University of Saskatchewan’s Soil Science department. He will talk about some strategies to get the most out of those valuable forage stands.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian farmers have at their disposal new options for gopher control after strychnine was deregistered. However, farmers need to use the same care in the use and where they store these new products, according to Dr. Vanessa Cowan with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. She says there have been cases this year of livestock that have come into contact with zinc phosphide.   Way back when...if you were looking at farmland and wanted more information of the soil component of it you would have to get a hold of a hard copy of a soil survey map. Now the Saskatchewan Soil Information System is available on-line.Angela Bedard-Hahn is the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan. She says the website has historical soil information on land in the province.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International travelers entering North America are reminded to report visits to farms in regions infected by transboundary diseases such as African Swine Fever to customs.Those travellers are also asked to notify the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) of incidents where visitors to foreign farms were not diverted for secondary screening.SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg says it's all about preventing the introduction of foreign animal disease.A research scientist with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan is working on a project to determine if too much serotonin is connected to a respiratory disease in feedlot cattle.Most people are familiar with serotonin and its use as a sleep aid in humans. Too much serotonin is believed to be a contributor to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Dr. Emily Snyder is now trying to see if there are any similarities between this and atypical interstitial pneumonia or AIP in feedlot cattle. AIP causes inflammation in the lining of the lungs but little is known about the cause and treatments are limited and not effected. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North America is a role model when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. Dr. Frank Mitloehner is a professor with the University of California Davis. He told delegates at the recent Saskatchewan Swine Symposium the public needs to recognize the contributions of livestock agriculture to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. He said the most pressing need is to get the countries that are not efficient in producing animal sourced food to change, and that objective can be met while, at the same time, minimizing the carbon footprint. Shelby Corey wears many hats.  She is a wife and mother.  She is a rancher, a rural municipal councillor, and a development officer with 4-H Saskatchewan. Life is hectic. Shelby will share how balancing the farm, kids, career, and everything else can be overwhelming but there is a way to find balance. She will share some of the things she has learned to avoid burnout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m away this week.  Here is an episode from our archives to tide you over until I get back. The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association continues its effort to fight Ottawa's proposed fertilizer emission reduction policy. The federal government wants to reduce those emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030. Wheat Growers President Gunter Jochum believes it could result in a food shortage   Over the last several years, there have seen more cow/calf producers try their hand at direct-to-consumer marketing.Mark Hoimyr and his wife Laura own Box H Farm near Gladmar, straight south of Regina, Sask. near the U.S. border.Box H Farm has 250 head of breeding stock---plus replacements. There is about 5,000 acres of tame grass and native prairie---with a heavy emphasis on rotational grazing.Mark Hoimyr is here to talk about selling his grass-fed beef direct to consumers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization expect to be ready to begin field trials of new bovine tuberculosis vaccines within the next couple of years. Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection, primarily of livestock but it also affects other mammals like wildlife species, and it can spread from mammals to humans. Dr. Jeffrey Chen, a Research Scientist with VIDO at the University of Saskatchewan says because TB is highly transmissible and poses a serious risk to the public, Bovine TB is reportable and if Canada was to be affected it would shut down the cattle industry resulting in disastrous economic consequences. It's going to take weeks to clear the backlog of traffic as a result of the B.C. port strike. A lot of cargo is sitting waiting to be loaded onto vessels and moved out of the port.CN's assistant vice president of grain, David Przednowek says the strike caused a number of delays for traffic flow but the focus now is on implementing an orderly plan to resume carloads and intermodal movements. He says there's all kinds of traffic that was stalled in the port that's got to move inland east, and traffic that's loaded that wants to move west. He says for every day that the supply chain was shut down it will take many days to get back to normal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in 1968, the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) is a North American organization dedicated to advancing and coordinating all segments of the beef industry. From the start, the BIF sought to connect science and industry to improve beef cattle genetics. At its annual research symposium in Calgary, two Canadians received a continuing service award.We talk to one of the recipients Bruce Holmquist about the group and the great strides made in beef cattle genetics. Manitoba dairy farmer David Wiens has been elected to serve as the president of Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). He farms together with his brother Charles at Grunthal, Man., milking 230 cows and farming 1,600 acres of cropland. Wiens, who has served as vice-president of DFC since 2011, succeeds Pierre Lampron in leading the national dairy producer organization.We'll hear more from the new president about the organizations annual meeting, issues of concern and the new collaboration with Farm Credit Canada on a sustainability initiative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan, has completed the construction and commissioning of its new on-site pilot scale vaccine manufacturing facility. VIDO Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts says it's one of the most versatile vaccine manufacturing facilities in the world. He explains having access to inhouse manufacturing will speed up the development and testing of new vaccines. AND A global leader in agricultural origination and processing and supply chain management, has purchased a pulse crop cleaning, milling, and packaging facility in Saskatchewan. With the acquisition of Prairie Pulse, Archer Daniels Midland or ADM will double the company’s processing in the region. Aaron Brown is ADM's Western Canada Commercial Manager. He'll tell us about the how the pulse dehulling and splitting facility transforms lentils, chickpeas, and peas into shelf- and food-ready products for domestic and international consumption.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Canola Council of Canada is supporting the federal government as it joins the dispute settlement consultation with Mexico on agricultural biotechnology. The consultation was initiated by the United States under the Canada-United States-Mexico-Agreement, and Canada joined as a third party.Chris Davison is the Vice President of Stakeholder and Industry Relations for the Canola Council of Canada. He will share why groups like his support the governments actions.   New technology designed to help detect when cattle are ready to breed was tested at a field day. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association hosted a SenseHub Cow-Calf Field Day, at D&N Ranch, just south of Peebles. Dr. Samuel Wauer is the Associate Director of Cattle Veterinary Services with Merck Animal Health, the company that owns the technology. He explains how the SenseHub Cow Calf Monitoring System works.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hiring new agriculture researchers ensures progress continues. New scientists also bring new knowledge, skills, perspectives, and energy.   But having a PhD doesn’t automatically make someone a good researcher, just like a Class 1 license doesn’t automatically make someone a good trucker, or an agriculture degree doesn’t necessarily make a good farmer.   It’s often better if a new, fresh-faced recruit has a chance to work with a grizzled veteran before they retire.   Dr. Reynold Bergen is the Science Director for the Beef Cattle Research Council.   He says succession planning in research is as important as succession planning on the farm and having experienced researchers available to mentor new researchers helps shorten the runway to productivity and success.    -   A 24/7 agricultural mental health forum launched was launched at Canada's Farm Show in Regina.   Do More Agriculture launched a new peer-support mental health platform, Ag Talk.Do More Ag Executive Director Megz Reynolds says the platform, which is powered by Togetherall, provides a safe and anonymous space where anyone over 16 can connect, share, and receive support from a community of peers who relate to their unique experiences. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Identifying forage efficient cattle was the focus of a study conducted by Dr. Greg Penner at the University of Saskatchewan.The study focused its work on individual operations to compare cattle within a herd instead of across herds. it involves a comparison in their owned herds by weighing the cattle, assessing the body condition, and recording the day of calving.Dr. Penner shares some of things things he learned through this process. CN Rail reported a continued slowdown in grain movement for the month of May as farmers' focus shifted to seeding.David Przednowek, the assistant vice president of grain for CN Rail says it's not a surprise adding that the majority of grain has already moved through the system. He'll discuss grain movement, the impact of wildfires and how changes to labour regulations will impact the company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m away this week.  Here is one of my favourite episodes to hold you over until I get back. The farming industry is constantly changing. New innovations are being developed to make farms more efficient. A research project involving at Naicam, a Saskatchewan consulting company and the University of Regina is looking for a way to reduce environmental impact and save money. Cory Willness of CropPro Consulting will talk about SWAT BOX, a data collection sensor and how information from it will be used to generate maps that will help farmers selectively apply herbicides Everyone needs to eat. That's why Canadians and Canada’s governments should not take farming and food for granted.That was the message from Kerri Holland with 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 country. She says there will be dire consequences if farmers don't get the support they need.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California Proposition 12 is an initiative that sets new standards for space allowance for raising of animals that produce the pork sold in that state. It has raised concerns in Canada because not only will this apply to farmers in California but to all farmers in North America who sell pork into that state. Manitoba Pork general manager Cam Dahl says the issue is now being brought to the attention of the Canadian government concerning the impacts of that ballot on the pork sector.   Most people are aware of how important agriculture to the entire Canadian economy. In fact, Economic Development Regina (EDR) decided to take that thought a step further and quantify its significance.EDR President and CEO Chris Lane says the report is called Saskatchewan’s Annual Megaproject: Spring Seeding, which uses data from a range of sources to understand the impact of this investment and examine the economic factors at play for producers as the crop year progresses.Lane will share the significance of the $11-billion spent during seeding season alone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of Canadian scientists and researchers were in Saskatchewan for a conference marking the conclusion of the seven-year Global Water Futures program.Global Water Futures was established with a $78 million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. The University of Saskatchewan was one of four leading institutions with the others including Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier, and McMaster; all located in Ontario.Dr. John Pomeroy is the Global Water Futures director and the Canada Research Chair in Climate Change and Water Resources at the University of Saskatchewan.   He will talk about the water research that was agriculture related.   Tracking grain movement across Canada is now easier than ever.This month Statistics Canada released the Grain Supply Chain Dashboard, an interactive map that details, among other things, segments of the railway network, the number of cars, and a car's last known location.The Dashboard was developed in partnership with the Ag Transport Coalition. Greg Northey with Pulse Canada, one of the members of the Coalition, says it's all about transparency.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Healthy feet and hooves are extremely important for bulls, especially heading into breeding season.Dr. Chris Clark at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan talks about what to look for to prevent hoof problems in bulls and cows and the ground-breaking equipment being used at the Vet College to trim cattle hooves and treat foot problems. The Do More Agriculture Foundation announced the launch of its 2023 campaign to raise awareness about mental health in agriculture. The campaign addresses the stressors in agriculture such as weather uncertainty, market instability, and financial pressures. Executive Director Megz Reynolds will share the details of the ‘Talk It Out’ campaign that encourages conversations about mental health, promotes resources and support for those struggling with mental health challenges, and help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first revision of the Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator in more than 20 years is now available online for producers and agronomists.The updated version covers more crops, 15 in total, as well micro-nutrients boron, zinc, and copper. It was a three-year process covering 2020, 2021 and 2022Dr. Fran Walley, along with Dr. Rich Farrell are the research scientists with the University of Saskatchewan leading the effort. They'll talk about their work. Several government departments, consultations, and decisions are converging to clear a path for gene-editing technology to be approved as a breeding technique for conventional crops. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would move forward with Part 5 of the Seed Regulations, in line with Health Canada’s decision a year ago. That decision set out that gene-editing was considered “non-novel” and would be treated as such through the regulatory system. Jim Everson with the Canola Council of Canada will talk about the updated guidance and how this will be beneficial to farmers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.