File photo of initial symptoms that may be seen the morning after a frost in canola. Depending on the amount of frost and weather conditions, either moderate damage or severe damage may develop. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Prairies at risk of frosty harvest

MarketsFarm — Another dilemma is expected for the 2019 growing season: after a late start, western Canadian farmers could be challenged by an early end. Over the Aug. 10 weekend there were isolated reports of frost in some areas of the Peace region in northwestern Alberta. Other parts of the Prairies may be experiencing similar […] Read more



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UN flags need to reduce meat consumption to curb land use impact on global warming

London/Geneva | Reuters — Global meat consumption must fall to curb global warming, reduce growing strains on land and water and improve food security, health and biodiversity, a United Nations report on the effects of climate change concluded. Although the report stopped short of explicitly advocating going meat-free, it called for big changes to farming […] Read more

Excessive moisture causing crops to degrade in central Alberta

Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of July 29

Reading Time: 5 minutes Since the last report crops in some central regions are beginning to degrade due to excessive rainfall. The effect varies substantially depending on location, topography and soil type. Hay operations have been extremely difficult in the same areas and the chance of a second cut is greatly diminished due to the late first cut. Producers […] Read more


Photo: File

Crop reports stoke hay shortage concerns

MarketsFarm – Rainfall varied across the Prairie provinces during week ended August 2, as concerns of a hay shortage continue. Approximately 39 per cent of the hay crop in Saskatchewan is now baled or stored. While hay quality is 55 per cent good-to-excellent, yields have been well below normal across the province. According to the […] Read more

The nine-part feed series is a joint effort between Alberta Agriculture and applied research and forage associations.

Livestock feed webinar series launches on YouTube

Next live webinar on Aug. 1

Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers who aren’t able to catch a new series of webinars on feeding strategy can review them later on YouTube. The nine-part series, which take place every second Thursday at 7:30 p.m., is a joint effort of Alberta Agriculture and applied research and forage associations. The first two webinars were on grazing options for dry […] Read more


The feed situation has been grim for many producers all year long and there’s not a whole lot of relief in sight.

Rains bring some relief to hay markets, but not much

Rain and shortages make for an uneven hay market

Reading Time: 3 minutes Recent rains may result in hay prices softening a bit — but not by much, say experts “We have got rains and some of the pastures are rebounding,” said Ed Shaw, a hay exporter from Olds. “The yields are going to be lower than normal because it was a slow season and it got started […] Read more



Photo: File

Livestock producers receive tax relief for 2019

Drought in Western Canada and Quebec has prompted the federal government to release an initial list of regions eligible for livestock tax deferrals. The livestock tax deferral provision allows livestock producers in prescribed drought, flood or excess moisture regions to defer a portion of their 2019 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until 2020 to help […] Read more

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau (fifth from left) meets in Quebec City with provincial and territorial ag ministers. (CNW Group/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Ag ministers aim for AgriStability upgrades for 2020

Coming out of their meeting in Quebec City, Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial ministers for agriculture say they plan to meet again before year’s end to see about improving the AgriStability program for 2020. In a statement Friday, the ministers said they discussed “adjustments that could improve existing (business risk management) programs to address the […] Read more