Author: Nicole Czemeres

New Forage Insurance Program a Small Step in the Right Direction

On February 25th, 2016, the Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced the 2016 Crop Insurance Program. The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) believes that many of the changes announced are positive ones, although there is still more that needs to be done to improve forage insurance and increase the benefits to producers under the program.

“Both crop and forage insurance are important programs that provide relief to producers. The changes announced yesterday are indeed positive, especially a much needed increase to the crop insurance budget to $166 million for 2016,” said SARM President Ray Orb. Specific changes that have been announced to the forage insurance programs include the removal of the 50 per cent cap on the Variable and In-Season Price options, an increase in forage establishment coverage from $55 to $70 per acre, and making it easier to update individual yield history with a producer’s own production records.

In late 2015 SARM was a part of a working group that consisted of the Saskatchewan Cattleman’s Association (SCA), the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) and the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC). This group was assembled with the purpose of discussing the forage insurance program, identifying gaps in the program and then providing recommendations to SCIC to address those gaps for the 2016 year.

While some of the changes announced this year are positive, the recommendations given by the working group were not enacted. SARM is thankful for the opportunity to provide comments but is hopeful that the positive relationship and open dialogue will continue in the hopes of further changes in the future. “Overall SARM is fine with the changes to the forage insurance program and so we look forward to a continued collaboration to resolve the issues” says SARM President Ray Orb.

For more information please contact:

Jay Meyer

Our Valentine Tea + Bake Sale on Sat. Feb 13/16, at the Legion Hall (library) from 1:30-3:30.  There will also be a Toonie Trail of prizes.  Admission is $2/person and you are entered in for a doorprize, plus there will be coffee/goodies to eat.  Funds raised will go towards the automated computer bill in the spring.

YOUR INVITED – Jan 28th Potash INFO SESSION

Interesting article on the outages.

http://leaderpost.com/opinion/columnists/in-the-dark-no-thanks-to-saskpower

There is a culvert going in so follow detour signs and expect delays.  Thank you for your cooperation.

This could be a fun game!

Cattle Market Update

For the Week Ending November 20, 2015

Canfax reported that a total of 37,750 head of cattle were sold in Saskatchewan this week, down from 42,142 head marketed the previous week. Prices were lower on general market weakness with lower feeder cattle demand in Western Canada. Canadian feeder cattle exports to the U.S. over the last eight weeks ending November 7, 2015 were down almost 75 per cent from 2014 and down almost 54 per cent from 2013; compared to the same eight week periods.

Saskatchewan feeder steer prices were lower over the week in all weight categories. Prices declined between $4.04 per cwt and $14.25 per cwt, from the previous week. The 800-900 lb. feeder steer weight category had the largest loss declining $14.25 per cwt. Feeder steer prices overall averaged almost $10 per cwt lower in the different weight categories.

Saskatchewan feeder heifer prices over the week were also lower in all weight categories. Feeder heifer prices over the week declined between $7.84 per cwt and $15.08 per cwt. The 700-800 lb. feeder heifer weight category had the largest loss declining $15.08 per cwt, with overall feeder heifer prices declining by over $11 per cwt on average over the week.

The Saskatchewan 750 lb. feeder steer basis compared to the November 19, 2015, U.S. feeder cattle index at US$174.39 per cwt was calculated at $2.82 per cwt (US$174.39/0.7493-$229.92), a basis widening (negative) of $2.00 per cwt from the basis of $0.82 per cwt the previous week.

Not RM related but thought it was good enough to share.  Some religion so if it doesn’t apply to use just modify it to what does.

1. Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice shoes.
2. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there’s a 50% chance you’…ll die within the next 3 years.
3. There are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly like you. There’s a 9% chance that you’ll meet one of them in your lifetime.
4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and keeps your spine stronger.
5. A person’s height is determined by their father, and their weight is determined by their mother.
6. If a part of your body “falls asleep”, You can almost always “wake it up” by shaking your head.
7. There are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing – food, attractive people and danger.
8. Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side.
9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes will absorb the unpleasant odor.
10. According to Albert Einstein, if honey bees were to disappear from earth, humans would be dead within 4 years.
11. There are so many kinds of apples, that if you ate a new one every day, it would take over 20 years to try them all.
12. You can survive without eating for weeks, but you will only live 11 days without sleeping.
13. People who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don’t.
14. Laziness and inactivity kills just as many people as smoking.
15. A human brain has a capacity to store 5 times as much information as Wikipedia.
16. Our brain uses the same amount of power as a 10-watt light bulb!!
17. Our body gives enough heat in 30 minutes to boil 1.5 liters of water!!
18. The Ovum egg is the largest cell and the sperm is the smallest cell!!
19. Stomach acid (conc. HCl) is strong enough to dissolve razor blades!!
20. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
21. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
22. When you wake up in the morning, pray to ask God’s guidance for your purpose, today.
23. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
24. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
25. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
26. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts and things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
27. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
28. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
29. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything.
30. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
31. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
32. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
33. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
34. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
35. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
36. Help the needy, Be generous! Be a ‘Giver’ not a ‘Taker’
37. What other people think of you is none of your business.
38. Time heals everything.
39. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
40. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. Each night before you go to bed, pray to God and be thankful for what you accomplished, today. What if you woke up this morning and only had what you thanked God for yesterday? DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING.
43. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.