Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s a matter of degrees and every one matters. Temperatures around St. Paul hit -10 C on Sept. 11, and that’s very unusual, said provincial crop specialist Neil Whatley. “That’s a pretty heavy frost, but there’s humidity in the air. The dew will protect a lot, especially those that are -2 or -3,” he said. […] Read more
Running the cold-weather numbers
How much frost can your crop bear?
Southern-area farmers hit hard by heavy September snow
The early blast of winter will be ‘devastating’ for many producers in the south, with crops such as wheat being hit especially hard
Reading Time: 3 minutes It looked like a winter wonderland, but no one in southern Alberta was in the holiday spirit when snow arrived in early September. Forecasts called for less than an inch, but Mother Nature delivered six to eight in many areas. At Brandon Gibb’s place near Hillspring, the white stuff started falling around 7:30 a.m. and […] Read more
Police seeking information about tractor filled with canola seed
Reading Time: < 1 minute Whether it was a twisted prank or the work of someone with a grudge, it’s an unusual crime. Sometime on Sept. 11 or 12, a person or persons siphoned off the gas in a tractor in the Willingdon area, and then filled it with canola seed. Other parts of the John Deere 9320 were also […] Read more
Be safe when moving equipment
There are many pitfalls — from not wearing a seatbelt to free-wheeling in higher gears — that increase the chances of being in a serious accident
Reading Time: 3 minutes According to the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) program, 13 per cent of farm-related fatalities across Canada are traffic related, and most involved tractors. During the busy fall harvest season, farmers often travel long distances between fields, and this requires transporting equipment on public roads throughout rural Alberta. Farm equipment is oversized and slow compared […] Read more
A big bet on Alberta’s lamb sector
The Alberta processor has spent $8.5 million on a new feedlot and plant expansion
Reading Time: 4 minutes Is Alberta’s sheep industry ready for expansion? That’s the debate circulating in livestock circles this fall. On the one hand, there is the bold development of Sungold Meats. On the other is a somewhat cautious group of producers. The Alberta processor is betting two major projects along with pricing incentives will boost production in the […] Read more
Good times gone, farm aid back on the agenda
Alberta farm leaders have been cool to seeking additional aid, but wicked weather and plunging prices may be changing that view
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta farm leaders have stayed on the sidelines while their Prairie counterparts have been lobbying for improved farm support programs — but that may soon change. This month’s snowstorm and early frost coupled with the massive American harvest that has “hammered” the futures markets has dramatically changed the outlook in Alberta, said Greg Porozni, president […] Read more
Alberta Canola Producers Commission seeking directors
Nominations sought for Regions 2, 5, 8 and 11
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC) is seeking canola producers willing to serve as a director. Anyone who has paid the ACPC a service charge on canola sold since Aug. 1, 2012 is an eligible producer and can stand for election. An eligible producer can be an individual, corporation, partnership, or organization. Eligible producers must […] Read more
Boost the bottom line with grain grading
The Canada Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program gives you an edge when marketing your harvest
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to marketing, it’s important to know the product. And this is never more important than when selling crops. “Some crops are more complex than others to grade,” said Neil Blue, market specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in Vermilion. “For example, canola is typically graded based on appearance, smell, moisture content, […] Read more
A chance to see how beef is raised down south
The Grey Wooded Forage Association is planning its first trip to Argentina
Reading Time: 2 minutes Members of the Grey Wooded Forage Association are planning a trip to a new continent, and they’re looking for people to join them. The group will be hosting its inaugural tour abroad to Argentina in February 2015. The tour is focused on Argentina’s beef industry, and participants will get to visit farms, research centres, and […] Read more
Better animal welfare is also better for your bottom line
Consumers are beginning to demand higher animal welfare standards for livestock — but improving welfare isn’t ‘rocket science’
Reading Time: 2 minutes Animal welfare and beef cattle productivity are “inseparable,” says a federal research scientist. “Sick animals are not productive animals,” said Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein. “Incidences of sickness and lost performance are really heavily linked to welfare.” Stressors like castration, transportation, weaning, and handling have been linked to things like slower rate of gain, greater chance of […] Read more