By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Wednesday April 21, 2021

Apr 21, 2021 | 11:42 AM

MELFORT, Sask. – This Western Canadian Wheat Growers see little benefit for grain farmers in this week’s federal budget.

Saskatchewan director and past president Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel said grain farmers have been early adopters of technology that maximizes production and minimizes costs.

“The federal government has stated it wants a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by limiting nitrogen fertilizer use but has never consulted industry or farmers to see if this is even achievable,” Jolly-Nagel said.

Prairie grain farmers adopted low-till farming techniques decades ago. Jolly-Nagel said according to Canadian data, grain farmers are already a net-zero industry and farmers have not received recognition for the work they have done.

–

Election 2024

Former corrections officer running again in Ward 1

3h ago

Court proceedings

Not guilty verdict in Byron Bear murder case

16h ago

Armed robbery

Suspected robber caught after returning to the scene

21h ago

The Saskatchewan government has made changes to allow for further support of agricultural technology (agtech) development in the province.

The Innovation Saskatchewan Amendment Act gives authority to Innovation Saskatchewan to make investments in agtech startups through a Venture Capital fund.

Innovation Saskatchewan minister Jeremy Harrison said government remains committed to supporting growth and investment in the technology sector.

“The changes we are making will allow for new investment into game-changing technology for farmers and producers that will help accelerate our economic recovery and become a significant economic driver for our province,” Harrison said in a media release.

In the last provincial budget, the government announced $3 million per year over five years for an agtech Venture Capital fund.

The privately managed fund will provide a vehicle to leverage millions more from private investors for companies that require Venture Capital to develop beyond the start-up phase.

–

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW