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By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup

Agriculture Roundup for Friday February 28, 2020

Feb 28, 2020 | 9:05 AM

The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) said action is needed as the anniversary of the Chinese ban on canola seed approaches.

The council called on Ottawa to resolve the dispute and to support industry diversification efforts.

CCC President Jim Everson said the federal government should do more to reopen market access to China as well as diversify here at home by increasing the use of biofuels to grow Canada’s economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He said farmers and the industry cannot continue to shoulder the impact of something entirely out of their control.

Canola seed exports to China were down approximately 70 per cent last year due to trade disruptions, resulting in an estimated $1 billion loss in revenue.

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It is widely believed China restricted imports of Canadian canola in retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou.

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Protein Industries Canada and an industry consortium said they will spend $9.25 million on a project that aims to improve on-farm logistics and food traceability.

The money will be used to develop an integrated platform that would use data from the farm gate through the entire supply chain.

The hope is the system will make on-farm practices more efficient, increase consumer traceability and reduce input costs.

The consortium includes Calgary firms Provision Analytics, Verge Technologies and Skymatics from Calgary.

Half the money will come from Coutts Agro in Kindersley with Protein Industries Canada providing the rest.

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The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan has presented the Native Prairie Stewardship Award to a Ponteix area rancher.

Orin Balas’ operation includes a large area of native grass on the Continental Divide with a summer and winter pasture.

He has a deep connection with the ranch, growing up on the family farm, later taking it over from his parents. Over the years Balas has hosted a number of educational tours and events.

Balas worked with a variety of organizations and sat on a number of boards with a focus on prairie conservation.

As a Saskatchewan Stock Grower member, Balas held various positions on the board including acting as the organization’s land use chair and a representative and chair of the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF