Strychnine not a silver bullet for gophers
While the decision has been widely applauded, the emergency registration of strychnine for gopher control in specified areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan may actually hamper gopher control. At this point, no information is available on what the enhanced mandatory training will entail. Hopefully, it’s just information a producer has to read, but it could be …
Farmland value caution flags
For more than 30 years, farmland values on the Prairies have been steadily increasing, leading to a prevailing attitude that land prices only increase and will never drop. That belief is now being challenged. Based on the 2025 Farmland Values Report by Farm Credit Canada, cultivated farmland prices nationally increased by 9.3 per cent last …
Farm cash receipts reveal trends
According to Statistics Canada, farm cash receipts increased in Canada last year. Rising livestock receipts more than compensated for a decline in crop receipts as well as a drop in direct payments. Every province saw an overall increase, except Saskatchewan where the crop sector is much larger than livestock. Total farm cash receipts in Canada …
Expect lower crop insurance coverage in 2026
With only a few notable exceptions, grain, oilseed and specialty crop prices are lower than last year at this time. Many prices are dramatically lower. Crop prices around this time are a major determinant of where crop insurance price levels will be set. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that crop insurance coverage will be much …
Higher farmland taxes for investors?
Most people believe it’s desirable for farmers to own the land they farm. Most people also recognize that governments are running huge deficits and there’s never enough money for education and health care. What if a way existed to address both of these issues at the same time? I can’t claim credit for the essence …
Kochia has become a serious problem
The fight against weeds, particularly kochia, seems to be a losing battle. As you travel through southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, particularly in areas challenged by dry growing conditions, the magnitude of the problem is easy to see. Some fields, especially those with pulse crops had terrible kochia infestations this year. In some cases, it was …