(Image Credit: File photo/farmnewsNOW Staff)

By Pattison Media

Ag Roundup for Thursday, Jan. 29

Jan 29, 2026 | 12:02 PM

There was significant spraying of canola for bertha armyworm in central and northern regions of Saskatchewan last year, and there may be issues again in 2026. 

Some of the hot spots were places like Nokomis and Jansen, along with areas west of Saskatoon like Herschel, Landis, and Sonningdale.  

Provincial insect specialist James Tansey said bertha armyworm outbreaks are not usually one-year events, but the naturally occurring nuclear polyhedrosis virus does kill them. 

He said they are unsure whether that will limit the populations this year, but they will continue to monitor the situation. 

Moderate bertha armyworm moth numbers were found east of Prince Albert and in the Tisdale area. 

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The SaskTip case of the month comes from central Saskatchewan. 

It’s a story we featured on northeastNOW. 

SaskTip Communications Coordinator and Conservation Officer, Cody Osborne said Humboldt conservation officers saw four coyotes had been run over by the same group of snowmobiles. 

Two were killed instantly, while two others lived but were put down due to their injuries. 

Anyone with information can call the toll-free TIP line at 1-800-667-7561. 

The line is monitored 24-7, and anyone who has information that leads to an arrest or conviction could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000. 

You can check the SaskTip social media pages for continued updates on their latest cases. 

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There is more concern about the future job cuts and closures at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 

The provincial NDP said they are deeply concerned about the decision to close the research farms in Scott and Indian Head. 

They said the cuts and closures will impact more than 70 research positions in the province, which will affect the future and potential of Saskatchewan’s agriculture, along with eliminating skilled jobs and research. 

Meanwhile, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan is calling it “eating the goose that lays the golden eggs.” 

APAS is urging the federal government and the Minister of Agriculture to release an immediate impact assessment. 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada stated last week that there are no imminent site closures.  

Any wind-down of scientific operations would follow a careful decision process that could take up to 12 months. 

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