APAS Recognizes Provincial Investment in Agriculture

Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, June 2, 2016 News Release

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is pleased with the funding commitment provided for agriculture in the 2016/17 provincial budget, which was tabled Wednesday morning.

“By continuing to fund current agricultural programs and services, the budget for 2016/17 clearly recognizes the important role that agriculture plays in sustaining economic growth now and into the future,” said Norm Hall, APAS President.

The 2016-17 budget maintained funding for important agricultural business risk management programs including crop insurance, AgriInvest and AgriStability. The government will also continue to invest in strategic initiatives in the areas of research and innovation, business development, and programs to enhance awareness of our industry’s commitment to safe and sustainable production practices.

“Agriculture is an essential industry in the province, accounting for thousands of jobs and over a third of provincial exports,” Hall says. “APAS welcomes the support and recognition for agriculture provided through today’s budget.”

For more information, please contact:
Norm Hall
APAS President
306-530-3886
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Posted June 4, 2016

SK Forage Council Annual Meeting and Tour

July 26, 2016 near Saskatoon, SK 

Join the SFC for our 18th Annual Meeting and Tour! This year's event will be held in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission's (SFSDC) Forage Crop Summer Field Tour. The tour will be hosted by the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre. 

Tour the Kernen Research Farm and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Farm, hear updates on the SFC's activities at the AGM, followed by presentation of the Forage Industry Innovation Award.  This award was developed by the Saskatchewan Forage Council in 2008 to acknowledge exemplary innovation, leadership, service and stewardship in Saskatchewan’s forage industry by producers, land managers, agency staff and researchers.

Registration is free and refreshments are provided. please pre-register with the Saskatchewan Forage Council: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 306.329.3116.

Posted May 7, 2016

Update from the Saskatchewan Forage Network

The Value in Creating Conversations

Entering the third and final year of the current funding cycle, the Saskatchewan Forage Network provides the following update on activities and accomplishments to date. In addition an emphasis is placed upon the future as the Network strives to maintain and expand these collaborative industry actions.

Formally initiated in November 2012 through the efforts of a group of industry partners with establishment made possible through a project administered by the Saskatchewan Forage Council, the concept of the Saskatchewan Forage Network was many years in the making. Discussions and brainstorming sessions started long before day one to create a model for industry collaboration, cooperation and communication. And that is exactly what has been accomplished and where the Network is today!

With a vision to grow the forage and livestock industry’s future for producer profitability a very active and engaged steering committee* was established. A Coordinator was hired and the Network got to work sharing information, creating dialogue and ‘getting things done’.

The Network model essentially corresponds to a virtual meeting space built upon regular and ongoing conversations amongst a far-reaching group of stakeholders.  The Network is not the creation of a new organization or legal entity but rather a forum where those with an interest in forage can share their knowledge, expertise, and opinions to help find and create a path forward.

It is important to note that for the purpose of the Network’s areas of focus, “forage” includes tame species, native rangelands, perennials and annuals – from forage seed production through to end-users in the livestock sectors, while sustaining important ecosystems and resources. It is this recognition of just how far-reaching and important the forage industry is that has brought the various sectors to the table. It is relatively unique to find a gathering of no fewer than nine industry organizations, from forage seed growers to various livestock producers, working collectively.   

Janice Bruynooghe, MSc PAg
SK Forage Network Coordinator
p. 306.867.8126
e. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

To read the full update, click here.

Demonstration of Forage Pea in Mixture with Cereals for Greenfield

Saskatchewan Forage Council Forage ADOPT Project *COMPLETED*                

This project was undertaken in 2015 at four regional locations (Swift Current, Scott, Melfort and Yorkton, SK) to demonstrate the yield and forage value of pea/cereal mixtures in comparison to monocultures of oats, barley and peas. Thirteen treatments at each site included pea, barley and oat monocultures as well as pea/barley and pea/oat mixtures at two different seeding rates. The highest overall yielding mixture was Haymaker oats at 30% of full seeding rate and CDC Horizon pea at 100% of full seeding rate. In contrast the lowest yielding forage treatment was CDC Horizon pea seeded without a cereal crop. Regional differences in yield were noted. Soil zone, growing conditions, protein requirements of livestock and cost should all be considered when selecting forages for greenfeed production.

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Forage Specialists partnered on this project to oversee the demonstration sites.  The SFC would like to thank Denis Lueke of One Oak Farms (Humboldt, SK) and Scott and Shawn Fraser (Pambrun, SK) for donating seed for the project. Thank you to the research farms for their excellent work at the demonstration sites:Wheatland Conservation Area (Swift Current, Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (Melfort, SK), East Central Research Foundation (Yorkton, SK), and Western Applied Research Corporation (Scott, SK).

 This project was supported by the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) initiative under the Canada-Saskatchewan Growing Forward bi-lateral agreement.

To read the full report, click here to downloas the pdf version or visit our Projects page.

Image: Maverick barley (50% seeding rate) and Horizon Peas (50% seeding rate) in mixture at Melfort in August 2015.

Image Credit: Brett Mollison, AAFC/Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation

Posted April 28, 2016