Spring Road Restrictions 7th Order
The 7th Order was released on Friday. See the details below.
Uncategorized
Friday Funny – Travelling with Kids
I am leaving this morning to Calgary with my youngest and some extra kids for a gymnastics competition. 18 hours in 3 days will be spent driving. I already got a text the oldest telling me the youngest has forgot her favourite stuffed animal. I anticipate those 18 hours feeling like 18 years!
P.S. – The office will be closed this afternoon! Have a great weekend.
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Insect Surveys 2017
Insect Pest Surveys in Crops in 2017
Each year, entomologists from AAFC Research Centres collaborate with extension agrologists, crop specialists and industry groups to conduct insect pest surveys in field crops throughout the prairie region. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your tremendous support of the provincial insect monitoring programs in the past and we hope that you will be equally supportive in 2017.
Pest surveys furnish valuable information as to what insect pest species are present at different times of the year, and also provide an estimate of their density within different crops. Producers, provincial agricultural representatives and industry groups are provided with advance warning of potential pest problems through well-run insect pest monitoring programs. From a research perspective, survey results help to guide our research efforts on integrated insect pest management.
In 2017, our plans are to conduct organized surveys of a number of different insect pests. In most cases, the protocols require survey locations to be selected at random, making it very difficult to predict exactly where and when surveyors will be in a specific area. Most of the survey protocols require that the surveyor enters selected fields to visually inspect plants or to take sweep samples with a standard insect net. Other protocols may require that the surveyor enters selected fields to take random plant or soil samples. Our surveyors will be driving vehicles clearly marked with the Government of Canada logo and will be carrying photo-ID cards. We do not trespass on lands that are posted or have been restricted by owners and do not drive onto fields, only entering on foot. Surveyors wear disposable booties that are changed after each survey stop. If, during the surveys, you wish to obtain further clarification or wish to be provided with a report on the insect pests found at specific sites, our field staff would be more than pleased to discuss the results of their finding with you or please feel free to contact me at the address above.
Survey protocols along with weekly updates from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network are posted on the PPMN blog http://prairiepestmonitoring.blogspot.ca/. Automatic emails of the weekly update can be received by subscribing to the blog. Survey protocols and weekly updates are also available on the WFPM website: http://www.westernforum.org/IPMNProtocols.html .
In order to give you a sense of the insect monitoring activities planned for 2017, we have provided brief examples of what to expect from some of the different surveys:
Cabbage seedpod weevil in canola. This pest was first discovered in southwest Saskatchewan in 2000. The objective is to determine the extent to which this pest has spread from the original infestation area in southern Alberta. Field staff will be surveying much of the province, during the flowering stage and will be taking sweep samples in canola fields.
Leafhoppers in canola. This pest carries the plant disease called Aster Yellows, a disease that has become more common in canola in recent years. The objective is to determine the extent and severity of leafhopper populations and their level of infectivity. Field staff will be surveying, primarily in the central and northern agricultural areas, prior to the flowering stage and will be taking sweep samples in canola fields.
Bertha armyworm and Diamondback moth in canola. Advance warning of these two pests are provided by the pheromone traps that have been set out by cooperators across the province to monitor the arrival of adults in canola. Once adult female moths have laid eggs in canola, the objective is to determine the extent and severity of larval populations in the crop. In this instance, field staff will be surveying during the flowering and pod development stage and will be visually counting larvae in the field.
Wheat midge in wheat. There are two life stages of the wheat midge that are monitored, the adult and the larval cocoon. The objective of the adult survey is to assess population density in the crop during the susceptible period, from head emergence to flowering. Field staff may be surveying in many regions of the province, during late June and early July, and will be entering fields late in the evenings to visually inspect wheat plants. The objective of the larval cocoon survey is to determine the extent and severity of midge populations in wheat. Field staff will be surveying in late fall throughout the province and will be entering fields after harvest to take small soil cores.
Grasshoppers in field crops and pastures. The objective of the adult grasshopper survey is to determine the extent and severity of grasshopper populations in field crops and pastures. Field staff will be surveying in early fall and will be entering ditches, fields and pastures to visually estimate grasshopper numbers over an 100m transect.
Pea Leaf Weevil. Recently, pea leaf weevil has begun to cause economic yield losses to field peas in Alberta, and it has been also been recorded in southwest Saskatchewan. This small weevil notches field pea leaves, decreasing production. Plans are to sweep pea fields in June and July to verify its status.
Swede midge & Cereal Leaf Beetle. Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that adult Swede midge, confirmed in Saskatchewan in 2007, was recorded again in 2009. Swede midge is native to Europe and Asia, is a pest of plants in the Cruciferae family including vegetable crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) and oilseed crops (canola). Also a new record for Saskatchewan, CFIA announced that Cereal leaf beetle, a pest of cereal crops, was found in 2008.
Learn more by downloading the Map overview 2017
Ratepayer’s Supper April 4, 2017
I’m BACK!
After a few months of webpage trouble, that resulted in this great new look – I am finally able to log in and keep you all updated on the happenings in the RM world.
This is just in time to announce that tomorrow is our Annual Ratepayer’s Supper. We will hear from Cal Knowles, Emergency Measures Officer and Chris Paradis from Prairie Coop. Tickets are $12 – so find your Councillor if they haven’t found you yet!
Nikki
Snow Plow Safety
Reminder – we have adopted a new blue and amber light combination for snow removal equipment.
The blue lights will make snow removal equipment more visible while clearing snow. This will allow motorists to distinguish between snowplows, graders, and snow blowers and other flashing lights on our highways. This will ultimately add to the safety of our operators and those on the road. Previously, our equipment used only amber lights.
We encourage everyone to spread the word to their friends and family about this new blue and amber combination, as well as how to safely navigate when there is snow removal equipment on the road. Stay back and stay safe. It is illegal to pass a snow plow in operation at a speed greater than 60 km/h. If you come up behind a snow plow and want to pass, remember that it will pull over every 10 km or when it is safe to do so.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE – HOW HUNTERS CAN HELP
To maintain the health of Saskatchewan’s wildlife population, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) is encouraging hunters to submit heads for Saskatchewan’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing this hunting season.
CWD is a disease that affects the nervous system of deer, elk and moose, and while infected animals may appear healthy for more than a year before signs appear, it is a fatal disease for these animals.
Although there is no evidence of CWD impacts on humans at this time, the potential is uncertain. The World Health Organization, Health Canada and Ministry of Health recommend hunters not eat any animals known to be infected with CWD, and as such the need for testing is imperative. Hunters should also take precautions when field dressing and processing animals.
“This disease isn’t something that hunters can easily detect in an animal themselves,” says SWF Executive Director Darrell Crabbe. “They need to submit the heads for testing, and we can’t stress enough the importance of this, as this disease will have permanent and devastating effects on our wildlife.”
To help encourage hunters to participate in CWD testing, the SWF will offer a draw for six pairs of binoculars. Simply turn in heads to any Ministry of Environment field office and your name will be entered into the draw.
Hunters can help slow the spread of CWD by not introducing the disease to new areas of the province by leaving gut piles on site and properly dispose of carcasses and meat from CWD-infected animals.
This disease has the potential to change herd structure across the province. By helping to monitor for CWD, hunters will help maintain the health of Saskatchewan’s wildlife population for generations to come.
For a listing of field offices,
visit http://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/directory?tab=browse&ou=%7bCEFCDC1B-D7CA-4E50-ABA3-1EE557C5F2D7%7d,
and for more information on CWD,
visit www.swf.sk.ca/resources/for-hunters/chronic-wasting-disease-cwd.
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For more information, contact:
Darrell Crabbe, SWF Executive Director
(306) 692-8812 or cell (306) 630-8780
Election Results
With a great turn out of 313 voters yesterday at the Municipal election, we are pleased to welcome our new and returning Council members to the boardroom table:
Reeve – Ray Orb
Councillor Division #1 – David Mills
Councillor Division #3 – Daryl Frank
Councillor Division #5 – Greg Ermel
The RM of Cupar would like to thank all the candidates who took an interest in running for Municipal government.
RE: Carbon Pricing
SARM Upate on Carbon Pricing:
Carbon Pricing
Yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that all provinces must have a carbon pricing in place by 2018. Provinces can choose between two options: a direct price on carbon or implement a cap-and-trade system.
In a September 26 media release, SARM stated we are apprehensive of an approach to reducing greenhouse gases that does not consider the unique situation of various industries in each province and that we are opposed a federally imposed price on carbon that is not created through consultation or meaningful discussion with stakeholders.
President Orb also spoke about this issue on BNN. Watch President Orb discuss the negative consequences of carbon pricing on the ag sector and economy overall.
Friday Funny kind of
Taken from a the blog “Lost Girls Guide”
According to Andrew’s experiences, here are just 10 things (of many!) that are different from Eastern Canada.
1. Taking the Grids
We’ve a lot of land, and not too many people to fill it. That’s why you’ll find roads of varying construction around Saskatchewan. With 26,000 kilometres of paved road, but 134,000 kilometres of grid roads you often need to ‘take the grids’ to get to your destination. What we simply mean is that you need to drive on graveled, unpaved or unsealed roads designed in grids to get to where you’re going.
2. Bleeding Green
This isn’t so much a term as a way of life. In Saskatchewan we both wear and bleed green in the form of the Saskatchewan Roughriders gear and pride. If, for some odd reason you aren’t familiar, the Riders are our local CFL football team that we’re pretty passionate about. So passionate in fact, we like to carve out watermelons and wear them on our heads at games in support of the team.
3. Sloughs
Spelling slough is almost as tricky as figuring out what one is. In Saskatchewan, they’re the equivalent of a small wetland, swamp or pond. Considering the province has over 100,000 lakes and rivers, you’ll find quite a few sloughs, especially on farmland.
4. The R.M.
Saskatchewan is known for some strange town names: Moose Jaw, Elbow and Eyebrow to list a few. That’s why it wasn’t surprising when Andrew was uncertain where “the arm” was located in Saskatchewan. What he was really hearing were people talking about the RM – or rural municipality – our version of counties or townships.
5. Heading to the Cabin
Most families in Saskatchewan own a cabin on one of the thousands of lakes I mentioned earlier. In our short summer season, you’ll often hear people comment they’re heading to the cabin for the weekend. Out east, people refer to cabins as cottages, and understand cabins to be a basic shed, often without indoor plumbing. If you’ve seen the cabins-that-are-essentially-homes on our lake shores, you’ll understand why Andrew was a bit confused by this terminology.
6. Bush League
A bush league call by a ref in a hockey or football game will leave fans upset and fired-up. Since we’re pretty passionate about sports, it’s no surprise we have a variety of terms dedicated to voicing our opinions when we disagree with what’s happening on the field or on the ice.
7. “In the rhubarb”
Most people are familiar with rhubarb in the form of a plant used in crumbles, crisps, and pies. But in Saskatchewan, it also means hitting the ditch. Keeping it out of the rhubarb isn’t always easy in our icy winter driving conditions.
8. Gotch
I couldn’t help but giggle when he told me, but Andrew wasn’t quite sure what people meant when they were talking about gotch. Out east, men’s underwear are simply referred to as boxers or briefs and not ‘gotch’ or ‘gitch’.
9. Ordering a Pil
No, it’s not a shady drug deal going down in your local bar, it’s actually someone ordering one of Saskatchewan’s favourite beers: a pilsner. Molson is one of the most popular and also happens to be the beer brand of choice that sponsors the Saskatchewan Roughriders. We also love the Great Western Brewing Company pilsners brewed right here in Saskatoon and popular across western Canada.
10. Politeness of the Prairies: The Small Town Wave
Once you leave the city behind, you enter a different world of friendly people and country charm. When you pass another vehicle on the grids, you automatically give them a hand wave or a nod as you go by. We’re also guilty of smiling and saying ‘hi’ to strangers, something that might be deemed as peculiar in a big city.