CP Rail continues to outperform CN Rail on the percentage of hopper cars supplied to shippers. Those statistics come from the Ag Transport Coalition, which monitors rail performance on behalf of shippers and producer groups. CP supplied 79 per cent of cars ordered in shipping week 18 . . .compared to 68 per cent for CN. Those numbers show a small decline from the previous week.

Milt Poirier is with QGI Consulting, which produces the weekly report for the Ag Transport Coalition. He will tell us about the latest report on rail service and performance.

Saskatchewan's insect specialist calls 2020 a “relatively moderate” year for pests in the province’s agricultural crops. Flea beetle and cutworm in canola and other crops, grasshoppers, diamondback moth are just a few. James Tansey with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture will discuss the areas most impacted by insects and the pest that could be a real troublemaker in the 2021 growing season.

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Producers face a number of challenges from drought to disease pressure, unpredictable weather patterns, market volatility, fluctuations in input prices and labour shortages. These are just a few but they are the ones farmers have little to no control over and yet they have a huge impact on profitability and sustainability of farming operations. The Olds College Smart Farm in central Alberta is essentially a giant lab that provides the agriculture sector a venue for commercial scale applied research.

Director of Applied Research Joy Agnew will explain how the Smart Farm is examining the future of ag and technology and finding solutions to some of the problem’s farmers face every day.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on our lives. COVID-19 shut down large portions of the global economy this spring—and while there has been a moderate rebound—the overall numbers are negative. Craig Klemmer with Farm Credit Canada will talk about the repercussions of the pandemic on the Canadian economy, and the ag sector and provide us glimpse into 2021 when the recovery begins.

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Responsible Grain...it is a national code of practice being developed to show Canadian farmers care about the environment. It will address consumer and customer priorities and provide practical advice for farmers to continue to improve their practices. Committee chair Ted Menzies from Claresholm, Alberta says the draft code, developed by farmers and industry experts, has been completed and is now open for consultation.

Ted will share why it is important to have a code to share with our customers at home and abroad.

Agriculture is a key drive of Canadian economic growth. Achieving export goals will only happen through the development of a strong crops sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada along with Cereals Canada have established wheat research priorities from now to 2022.

Victoria Linden is the research director with Cereals Canada. She will share those priorities and why it's important to revisit these goals every few years.

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North America is a role model when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of livestock production. Dr. Frank Mitloehner is a professor with the University of California Davis. He told delegates at the recent Saskatchewan Swine Symposium the public needs to recognize the contributions of livestock agriculture to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. He said the most pressing need is to get the countries that are not efficient in producing animal sourced food to change, and that objective can be met while, at the same time, minimizing the carbon footprint.

Shelby Corey wears many hats.  She is a wife and mother.  She is a rancher, a rural municipal councillor, and a development officer with 4-H Saskatchewan.  Life is hectic. Shelby will share how balancing the farm, kids, career, and everything else can be overwhelming but there is a way to find balance. She will share some of the things she has learned to avoid burnout.

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There was a lot of excitement at the University of Saskatchewan surrounding the release of a landmark study. The USask led team of roughly 100 international scientists from ten countries generated the first genomic atlas for global wheat improvement.

Crop Development Centre director Dr. Curtis Pozniak will tell us how this atlas will enable scientists and breeders to much more quickly identify genes that will improve yield, pest resistance and other important crop traits.

Grain Growers of Canada have released a new video project to help educate politicians and policymakers about the challenges and realities facing farmers today.

Today's Modern Grain Farm: A Harvest Across Canada features farmers from across Canada including Saskatchewan grain farmer, Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel. Cherilyn will explain why its crucial to reach out to politicians and their teams and present what life is like as a modern grain farmer across the country. She says the when the question is asked How can the Canadian economy recover from the Coronavirus? The answer might be in a strong agriculture industry and there are a number of ways Ottawa can be supportive of farmers.

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Confidence in Canada's Food System at an all-time high according to new research from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI). Canadians are optimistic about their food supply, even as Canada's food system faces exceptional pressure and public scrutiny due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020. President and CEO of CCFI John Jamieson will share the results of the latest public Trust Research Report, and how the Canadians are feeling about the overall direction of the food system.

Farmers are poised to play a key role in Canada's economic recovery. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business submitted a list of concerns to the country's agriculture ministers, topping the list is needed improvements to Business Risk Management programs. CFIB senior policy analyst Virginia Labbie says the focus should be on policies that will help drive growth in the agriculture and agri-food sector so that it can perform to its potential.

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There is nothing light a fresh cover of snow to brighten up your farmyard.  It also covers those unfinished projects and unsightly piles of garbage or old equipment. When the time comes to sell farmland, all of that junk will have an impact on the value of that property. Wayne Lowry with Farm Credit Canada says with time and a little bit of money, even small improvements can make your land more valuable. Wayne will have some helpful hints to help producers to get ready for the sale in order to get the best dollar.

Americans have elected their new leader. Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States.  A change in administration usually impacts the agriculture sector but is the election the main factor affecting grain prices? Exceed Grain Marketing Senior Consultant Wayne Palmer will look back at the Trump administration and the events leading to the change in power, what a Biden administration means for the agriculture in the U.S., Canada and around the world; how supply is the biggest factor affecting commodity prices, advice for farmers still holding grain and when it will be the best time to sell.

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Scientists are continuing to investigate root rot in pulse crops. It was particularly bad in pea and lentil crops in western Canada this year. Extending the crop rotation has been the only way to manage the disease once it is present in a field.

Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Researcher Syama Chatterton has been studying this issue and is now recommending producers sample the soil for the presence of the spores. Dr. Chatterton will explain the latest work on aphanomyces.

It's been a difficult year as we adjust to the realities of COVID-19 with the disruption of social events, the economy and interpersonal relationships. Fighting burnout and compassion fatigue is a real issue. Dr. Jody Carrington is child psychologist from Olds, Alberta.

During a recent virtual presentation, she talked about emotional dysregulation, what causes it and the importance of face to face connection.

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Concerns over COVID-19 could result in a higher uptake of flu vaccinations this season. Each year health officials encourage the public to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu. Dr. Susan Detmer, an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says if you get influenza your defences will weaken making you more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Dr. Detmer will tell us why the Vet College is particularly interested in flu vaccinations as it applies to humans and animals.

Saskatchewan has just been through a provincial election that saw the governing Saskatchewan Party returned to office with another majority. Agriculture groups actively followed the campaign. They spent a lot of time getting their message out about issues they want the government to address. The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association went so far as to contact the political parties with a list of questions that outlined some of their top concerns.

SCA CEO Ryder Lee will tell us about what needs attention and says what it comes down to is government doing what it can to improve the competitiveness of cattle producers.

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Crop diseases can have a serious impact on a farmer's bottom line, that’s why management is an ongoing concern for producers.  Finding the right tools and technologies to help producers get a handle on diseases can be complicated and expensive. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Kelly Turkington says it all starts with having a basic knowledge of the nature of plant diseases as the first step towards understanding what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.

A University of British Columbia student design team has created the prototype for a fully autonomous agricultural robot. The creation of the AgroBot started with four students. The team has grown to 40 students with backgrounds in various areas of engineering. AgroBot team member Wendie Wu will explain the project and tell us about how the students took inspiration from other industries and applied them to the robot...all in an effort to make agriculture operations more sustainable.

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