THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014
VISIT AN ORGANIC CHEESE PLANT
P69
SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923
Choose toys that emphasize creativity and co-operation | P. 19
Saskatchewan farmland attracts outside interest
Neonicotinoid crackdown
New players | Researchers say nearly 800,000 acres are owned by out-of-province investors SASKATOON NEWSROOM
A former Manitoba businessperson who now resides in Alberta has taken a major interest in Saskatchewan. Robert Andjelic said his portfolio of Saskatchewan farmland has grown to 180,000 acres over the past four years. “I’ve been studying the market for a lot longer,” said Andjelic, who previously owned industrialwarehousing. “I got bored with retirement and looked at other opportunities, and
farmland presented itself as one of the best.” Andjelic is emblematic of a new breed of landowner in the province: out-of-province investors, companies and pension funds who have made major investments in the province. The province has recently seen significant year-over-year gains in farmland values, but prices remain among the lowest in the country. “I find Saskatchewan farmland to be very diverse in production and really about the best buy in the country,” said Andjelic.
WWW.PRODUCER.COM
Gift giving tips
LAND PRICES | OUT-OF-PROVINCE OWNERSHIP
BY DAN YATES
|
Researchers surveying Saskatchewan land titles believe close to 800,000 acres are owned by out-ofprovince investors. Their tally puts Andjelic’s holdings at more than 160,000 acres, although Andjelic said it’s actually more. They also count large portfolios of more than 100,000 acres owned by the Canada Pension Plan and HCI Ventures, as well as smaller holdings owned by host of other firms and familiar names, including Nilsson Bros. and Brett Wilson’s Prairie Merchant Corp. Andre Magnan, a researcher
from the University of Regina and one of the authors of the upcoming study, said their total doesn’t count larger family owned operations and Hutterite colonies. “Family ownership is by far the dominant model of ownership that we’ve still got in Saskatchewan, as it is all across Canada, but things are changing” said Magnan. “These new entities, they’re changing the fabric of how we think about farmland and how it’s owned and controlled.” SEE SASK. FARMLAND, PAGE 2
»
Ontario tightens rules; is the West next? | P. 73
Where to find Agribition stories: P.4-5 Agribition show wrap. P. 76 A Black Angus wows crowds at Agribition’s Power and Perfection sale. P. 77 The Moellenbeck clan makes showing Shorthorns a family affair. P. 78 A pioneering Simmental couple enters the hall of fame. P. 79 Goat show, team chore competition (yes, it’s a real event), careers in agriculture. P. 82 Bison sale prices soar. P. 83 Junior Beef Extreme.
u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv%:^ DECEMBER 4, 2014 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240
SAY CHEESE |
VOL. 92 | NO. 49 | $4.25