Uncollectible loans and unsustainable agriculture Sunday, April 3, 2011 The Nova Scotia government wrote off $16.2 million in bad loans from 2008. The loans included more than $1 million in uncollectible student loans, and smaller amounts for pharmacare premiums and unpaid fees. But by far the majority of the uncollectible loans had been made by the Nova Scotia agriculture department. "This unusually high amount is due to defaulted hog loan accounts under the Farm Loan Board," said a ministry of finance press release."For many years, hog farming in Nova Scotia was heavily subsidized by government," the release went on. "When government support was discontinued in 2007-08, many hog farmers were unable to sustain their business due to low pork prices and rising production costs."The Canadian Pork Council's public relations manager, Gary Stordy, says the Nova Scotia industry has collapsed. There are six pig farms left, compared to more than 80 four years ago.Many provinces offer loans to producers of various commodities, Stordy says. Another pork example is Big Sky Farms Inc. in Saskatchewan. The province now has a stake in the embattled company. BP Inconsistent reports on red meat The 'bacon bubble' that didn't burst
Sask Wheat Boosts Ag Education in Classrooms Tuesday, July 7, 2026 Agriculture in the ClassroomSaskatchewan AITC SK and the Saskatchewan Wheat Development CommissionSaskWheat have announced a newthree-yearpartnership to improve agriculture education in schools across Saskatchewan. The goal of this partnership is to help students better understand farming,... Read this article online
Grain Markets Rebound as Key Crop Reports Surprise Traders Monday, July 6, 2026 On the weekly Farms.com Risk Management with experts Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal, the discussion focused on major agricultural developments affecting grain, oilseed, and fertilizer markets. The tile of the July 3 podcast was “?” The... Read this article online
Central Alberta Growers Watch for Seedpod Weevils Monday, July 6, 2026 AlbertaCanolais advising canolagrowers in CentralAlbertatomonitorfields closely for cabbage seedpod weevils (CSPW) as populations continue to expand across the region. Recent observations have shown that the pest is becoming more common in areas where it has not traditionally been a... Read this article online
Farmer named rural development critic in new Poilievre shadow cabinet Monday, July 6, 2026 Another member of Canada’s ag community is represented in Pierre Poilevre’s new Conservative shadow cabinet. Dave Epp, the MP for Chatham-Kent in Ontario and a vegetable and cash crop producer, is the party’s new shadow minister for rural development, the party announced on June... Read this article online
Major Heat Ridge Builds as Record-Pace El Niño Raises New Weather Concerns Monday, July 6, 2026 The past few weeks have already been crazy for agriculture weather wise, with more to come. Nearly 2,000 severe wind reports were recorded across the United States over the past three days, with the most widespread impacts stretching from the central Plains through the Midwest and... Read this article online