Reading Time: 4 minutes When commercial fertilizers no longer meet the needs of the world’s farmers, the value of manure will grow, says Alberta Farmer columnist Brenda Schoepp.
More precious than gold
Manure could boom when industry outgrows commercial fertilizer
The door is always open
What you do matters more than you may realize
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta Farmer columnist Brenda Schoepp reminds readers that what they do matters, who they are matters and it is important to remember that to manage their mental health.
Agriculture provides solutions, not issues
Responsible agriculture is the answer for single use plastics, other global issues
Reading Time: 3 minutes Agriculture seems to take the blame for many of the world’s pressing issues, but when done responsibly, agriculture can be the answer to many of those problems.
Price fixing our daily bread
Lack of competition is pushing the price of groceries out of Canadians’ price range
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canadians were subjected to a price fixing scheme on bread, and a handful of companies faced big fines for their role in the scandal. But a lack of competition in the industry means prices keep going up.
Understanding ESG in Canadian Agriculture
Environmental, social and governance issues in ag too inconsistent
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to ESG in agriculture, farmers are doing what they are able with the resources at hand. But like carbon credits, it is the wild west in terms of establishing value, and there are strong societal expectations that may not always be realistic.
Schoepp: For sale signs of the times
Should farms consider ecological diversity as a risk management tool?
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s spring and the time of year that farmland often changes hands. The “for sale” sign signals an end to trial and triumph and always invites curious conversations. This spring, there is an increase of sales in certain sectors. Sales driven by land stress and owners’ inability to financially weather another storm. Tree fruits and […] Read more
Schoepp: Wider conversation needed on climate cause
Agriculture has a role to play, but so does society at large
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s tough being a farmer today and it is easy to be fixed on sky watching, that proverbial hope of rain or snow and even perhaps a wee bit of wind. Even as the farmer watches, there are political and social expectations that we, the keepers of the land, do something to change the course […] Read more
Schoepp: Telling the farm story
The tourism sector can offer agriculture some lessons on connections
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was thrilled to attend a premier tourism conference in January and I certainly felt at home because tourism loves Canadian agriculture; so much so that the conference theme of regeneration was based on the agricultural model. Regenerative tourism digs deep into the concept of leaving a community better than before you visited – not […] Read more
Schoepp: From beyond meat to the return of meat
Climate-based policies frequently ignore consumer preference and economic reality
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I walk by a storefront that once housed the city’s largest ‘plant-based butcher’, the irony hits me. The new sign announces that this will soon open again – as a beef burger cafe. It brings to light the complexity of understanding Canadian consumers and their varying wants and needs. Protein in all sources is […] Read more
Schoepp: Forced farming
Autocratic regimes seem hell-bent on returning to the scary past by implementing planned agriculture
Reading Time: 3 minutes A troubling trend is creeping up on global farmers as governments control food production and eliminate crop diversity. In China, “non-grain” farming has become the target of the Rural Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Brigade, or nongguan, which exercises agricultural administrative penalties and related inspections for the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries. The areas that farmers […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
