Reading Time: 2 minutes The Alberta government’s caucus lead on emergency medical services (EMS) reform has been promoted to handle the agriculture file in a post-election cabinet shuffle. RJ Sigurdson, MLA for the constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary, was sworn in Friday by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani as Alberta’s new minister of agriculture and irrigation, replacing Nate Horner. […] Read more
Calgary-area MLA named Alberta’s new ag minister
RJ Sigurdson to handle ag file, Horner moves to finance
Prairie Forecast: Switch in pattern but summer sticking around
Forecast issued June 7, covering June 7-14
Reading Time: 3 minutes The weather models are doing a good job handling all the heat and humidity that has been driving thunderstorms and breaking temperature records across the eastern half of the Prairies over the last week. To the west it has been a little cooler and drier, with not as much instability to deal with, but nonetheless, […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Market in a waiting game
U.S. corn, available wheat keep market supplied
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The feed grain market in Western Canada is holding relatively steady for the time being as both buyers and sellers wait to get a better handle on new-crop production. “It’s a waiting game at this point between the farmer and the feedlot,” said grain merchant Jay Janzen of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. […] Read more
Survey to look at farm stress from Alberta angle
Study to explore farmers' levels of resilience against stress
Reading Time: < 1 minute Researchers from the University of Alberta and AgKnow, the province’s farmer mental health network, are looking to build up Alberta-specific data on farming stress, mental health and well-being, and the ways in which farmers cope. They study team is “looking for farmers, ranchers, or anyone who works or lives on a farm” to participate, researchers […] Read more
Klassen: Texas flooding lifts Canadian feeder market
Fed cattle in counter-seasonal trend
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending Sunday, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $6-$8 higher. In some cases, quality yearling packages traded as much as $10 above week-ago levels. Live and feeder cattle futures closed the week US$8-$9 higher as traders monitored flooding conditions in Texas. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in […] Read more
Canada on track for worst-ever wildfire season
Unusual to see fires nationwide at one time
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Canada is on track for its worst-ever year of wildfire destruction as warm and dry conditions are forecast to persist through to the end of the summer after an unprecedented start to the fire season, officials said on Monday. Blazes are burning in nearly all Canadian provinces and territories, and federal […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Forecast pretty much on track
Update issued June 4, covering June 4-7, 2023
Reading Time: < 1 minute The heat and humidity moved into a large portion of the Canadian Prairies late last week and over the weekend as the previous general forecast played out pretty close to what the weather models predicted. There is not much change in the forecast for the next three days. The heat and humidity will continue across […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Weather market will determine grain prices
Old-crop pricing is starting to come down
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm – To Glen Loyns of JGL Commodities at Moose Jaw, Sask., feed grains on the Canadian Prairies are in a weather market, with prices for barley, wheat and corn quite able to go either way. “If it rains it’s going to be weak. If it’s dry it’s going to be higher. A pretty tough […] Read more
NEW FEATURE: Prairie Forecast: Summer has definitely moved in
Forecast issued May 31, 2023, covering May 31 to June 7, 2023
Reading Time: 3 minutes As we move into the official start of meteorological summer, it is looking like we have left spring behind and summer is here to stay. While this is great for those of us who like heat, humidity and thunderstorms, it can make it difficult to create an accurate forecast. The large areas of low pressure […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder market rationing demand
Improvement seen in feeding margins
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending Saturday, western Canadian feeder markets averaged $3-$6/cwt higher compared to seven days earlier. Weakness in the Canadian dollar along with strength in the deferred live cattle futures set a positive tone. Recent rains have enhanced yield potential for the Canadian barley crop, which also underpinned nearby cash values. Alberta packers were […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
