Farmers are all in the same boat, just different parts of it. Grain producers may not think they have a close relationship with a dairy farm, a poultry operation, hog or cow-calf business or a feedlot, but there is a tie that binds them all.
A few weeks ago, producers from all agricultural sectors across Saskatchewan got together for a group chat about issues they face. High feed costs and short supplies of regional feedgrain have hurt livestock producers’ margins for several consecutive years, and those margins weren’t too good to begin with.
Cattle producers at that recent Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan summit reminded grain growers that without a thriving animal agriculture sector, about 35 percent of grain production would have to find a home in other markets. Byproducts from canola and soy crushing are important parts of crop value. Exporting them to U.S. markets isn’t particularly lucrative due to shipping costs and the relative strength of that country’s feed industry.
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