 Forage and Livestock
eNews
Updates and information from across
the industry
July 24,
2009 - Vol 1, Issue
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| Dear Leanne |
 Haying season is in full swing around the
province (finally!). Many are finding that yields
are below average due to the cool dry spring.
Livestock producers are already thinking about winter
feed supplies and are making tough decisions about how
best to deal with reduced hay
yields. Rains during July in some areas of
the province have eased the pressure on pastures but for
the most part were too late for hay
stands. This edition of the Forage
and Livestock eNews contains information on a
forage market price report, news on expansion of
the irrigation district around Outlook, a project
to raise awareness of native prairie sites in
Saskatchewan and reaction from the federal
government regarding drought conditions in the
province. As
always, feel free to share this publication with anyone
you think may be interested, or encourage them to join
our mailing list.
Please contact us if you have comments or questions
about our e-newsletter. Also, let us know if
you have ideas for upcoming issues. We
welcome your
input! | | |
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| Forage
Market Price Survey Now Available Online
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This document contains price information on both
standing and baled forage as of July 15, 2009 based on
information gathered from various sources including feed and
forage listings, classified ads, personal contacts,
feedlots and auction marts.
Besides containing forage pricing information, the report
details regional forage growing conditions, pest reports,
transportation costs and forage seed prices.
There is not a central marketing agency for forages,
and due to the fact that most sales are person to person,
pricing information on this commodity is difficult to
find. This market report provides a
valuable source of pricing information for both buyers and
sellers.
The prices reported for standing forage in the market
report accurately reflect 2009 crop prices. The
baled forage prices reported are largely for 2008 crop as
there is little 2009 crop on offer at this time.
The July survey of baled forage prices reflects sales in the
January - July 2009 period.
For more information on this survey, please contact the
SFC at office@saskforage.ca, or call (306)
966-2148.
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| Lake Diefenbaker
Irrigation Districts Infill Opportunities
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Submitted by: Sarah Sommerfeld, Irrigation
Agrologist
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture - Irrigation
Branch
The potential for increased forage production in the Lake
Diefenbaker area has been enhanced by a recent federal and
provincial government funding announcement.
Irrigation districts around Lake Diefenbaker are
50,000 acres short of maximum capacity according to the infill
studies recently completed by the South Saskatchewan River,
Luck Lake and Riverhurst Irrigation Districts.
On June 25,2009, the Honourable Lynne Yelich,
federal Minister of State for Western Economic
Diversification, and the Honourable Bob Bjornerud,
Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture, announced joint
federal-provincial funding to help expand and strengthen
economic opportunities based on those three irrigation
district infill studies.
These projects
will expand capacity by 15,000 acres, creating 20 to 22
short-term jobs and 60 long-term jobs, while sustaining 223
jobs across three districts.
The federal
government is providing funding of $4.7 million under the
Community Adjustment Fund and the Government of Saskatchewan
is contributing $530,000 for a total of $5.3 million over two
years.
Through the Community Adjustment Fund,
irrigation districts will supply off-farm infrastructure for
15,000 infill acres. Farmers will invest in irrigation
on their own land as they are financially able.
Development of 15,000 acres of irrigation with 90 centre
pivots can be realized with an on-farm financial investment of
approximately $100,000 per system, for a total of $9
million.
In 2008, about 8,000 acres representing
14 per cent of the irrigated acres of the three irrigation
districts grew forage crops.
Irrigation
development on an additional 15,000 acres could increase
forage production by another 2,100 acres, building a more
stable and reliable feed supply for livestock producers in the
Lake Diefenbaker and west central areas of
Saskatchewan.
For more information, contact Sarah
Sommerfeld, Irrigation Agrologist, Irrigation Branch,
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Outlook, at (306)
867-5521.
Top of Page
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Saskatchewan Prairie Places
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Submitted by Chet Neufeld,
Executive Director
Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan
(NPSS)
Saskatchewan is rich in natural history, and although it
has been greatly diminished from its original state, there are
still hundreds of representative areas left across the
province. Some of these areas have made their mark in
the tourism industry and are drawing in people from across the
province and around the world, but most are still unknown even
to people that live nearby. The Native Plant Society of
Saskatchewan (NPSS) hopes to change this and, in doing so,
educate the public on the diversity and importance of native
prairie and inject much needed dollars into rural
economies.
To do this, the NPSS is undertaking a
very ambitious project and needs your help! We're
compiling a list of publicly-accessible native prairie areas
in Saskatchewan that people can visit and publishing it all in
a guide called "Saskatchewan's Prairie Places". If you
know of any native prairie that the public would be able to
visit (including private land, with owner's permission) please
send us the information (name, nearest town, driving
directions, other important info). Tell us as much as
you can about these prairie areas, such as if camping is
allowed and if there are designated camp sites, or if there
are any trails or points of interest to enhance the
experience. Other information that we're looking for are
GPS coordinates for native prairie places, plant
species/communities that occupy them and photos and map images
of them.
Share your favourite prairie places with others so that
they can enjoy them too! Everyone who contributes will
be credited in the guide.  Please send all
information to info@npss.sk.ca or call (306)
668-3940. We'll take as much or as little information as
you have.
Thanks for your help!
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| Drought Reaction from
Federal Government
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In a press release issued July 22, 2009, the Federal
Government announced that there will be tax relief for
producers who are forced to downsize their herds due to
drought in some areas of Saskatchewan this year. Similar
announcements were issued in both Alberta and Manitoba.
Many producers, especially in the western region of
Saskatchewan are dealing with very dry conditions which has
resulted in stunted hay crops and poor pasture
growth. This has left many with no other option
than selling livestock to ensure that feed supplies
will be adequate.
In the announcement, Minister Ritz detailed that
producers who reduce their breeding herds by at least 15 per
cent are eligible. Thirty per cent of income from net sales
can be deferred if the herd has been reduced by at least 15
per cent, but less than 30 per cent. Where the herd has been
reduced by 30 per cent or more, 90 per cent of income from net
sales can be deferred.
Currently there is a list of approximately 75 RM's
which have been designated as eligible for this
deferral. However, as the growing season continues, this
list may be expanded to include other areas that meet the
criteria.
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Leanne Thompson - Editor
Forage and
Livestock eNews
Forage and Livestock eNews is
published by the Saskatchewan Forage Council (SFC).
Opinions
and information are provided by the authors and
publication does not imply endorsement by the
SFC. |
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The
Saskatchewan Forage Council recognizes the support of
our Annual Sponsors:
 
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Financial support for this project has
been provided by:
the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan through the
Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food
Saskatchewan (ACAAFS) program. Funding for the
ACAAFS program is provided by Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada
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