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
Strychnine training available now Wednesday, May 6, 2026 The mandatory training course for Prairie individuals planning to apply or distribute strychnine to control Richardson’s ground squirrels (gophers), is available now. The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) is offering the course until Aug. 1 to people in Saskatchewan... Read this article online
How to Keep Your Groundwater Safe and Clean Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Groundwater plays a vital role for families and businesses in rural and agricultural settings. It supports essential activities such as livestock care, irrigation, and cleaning processes, and in many areas, it's the sole source of drinking water. For this reason, it's critical for rural... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online
Operating farm equipment in the Canadian territories Tuesday, May 5, 2026 Farms.com’s final look at insurance and licensing requirements for ag equipment takes readers up to the Canadian north with the three territories. Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut Is a license... Read this article online
Monette Farms Granted Court Extension as $90M Financing Secured Tuesday, May 5, 2026 Monette Farms has been granted additional time under court protection as one of North America’s largest private farming operations works to stabilize itself during the heart of the 2026 planting season. On May 1, 2026, the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta approved an amended order... Read this article online