Reading Time: 2 minutes Cold, wet weather has been the norm the past several days in almost all areas of the province, halting harvest progress. In addition to the rain/snow mix, frost has been highly variable. Alberta’s harvest as a whole is down 23.4 points over last year at this time for binned crops. With the exception of North […] Read more
Rain, snow continue to mess with harvest, now well behind five-year average
Alberta crop conditions as of September 18, 2018
Animal health firm Elanco surges on trading debut
Reuters — Eli Lilly unit Elanco Animal Health’s shares jumped as much as 41 per cent on their stock market debut on Thursday, adding to investor enthusiasm for the fast-growing animal healthcare market. Elanco’s shares opened at $32.25 on the New York Stock Exchange, higher than their IPO price of $24 per share, giving the […] Read more
Tax relief offered to livestock producers short on feed
If you’re forced to sell breeding stock but planning to restock, you can defer taxes for a year
Reading Time: < 1 minute Twenty-one counties and municipal districts in Alberta are on the “initial list” of regions where livestock producers can defer taxes because of feed shortfalls. The federal government’s Livestock Tax Deferral Provision program allows producers to defer a portion of their 2018 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until 2019 to help replenish the herd. The cost […] Read more
Here’s how to take control of the soil sampling process
Much can go wrong when soil sampling — here are the key things to keep in mind when getting the dirt on nutrients levels
Reading Time: 5 minutes Soil testing has long been a recommended practice before applying nutrients, and variable-rate fertilizing has made it more essential than ever. But the difficulty with soil testing is that so much can go wrong. Everything from how a sample is handled to the choice of a lab can impact results and recommendations. However, producers have […] Read more
Rain, snow mix freezes harvest progress
Alberta crop conditions as of September 11, 2018
Reading Time: 2 minutes Favourable weather conditions at the beginning of the past week led to harvest progress of about 11 per cent in Alberta, before the cold arctic weather brought a mix of rain and snow later in the week, which halted harvest. Provincially, about 28 per cent of crops have now been harvested, up 11 per cent […] Read more
New bid to boost beef research
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council wants to establish research chairs. “Currently, a shortage of scientific experts and research capacity in some areas of beef, cattle and forage research are hindering the ability to conduct priority research that supports improvements in productivity and demand and responds to emerging issues,” the council says. It is calling for […] Read more
Prairie harvest window possible next week
CNS Canada — Cold and wet conditions on the Prairies are expected to clear up over the next week, allowing a window of opportunity for harvest, though the size of that window remains to be seen. “Western and northern parts of Alberta have some serious issues,” said Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. in Kansas […] Read more
Tories’ junior ag critic promoted in shuffle
The federal Conservatives’ associate critic for agriculture and agri-food has been shuffled into a new post in the opposition’s shadow cabinet. John Barlow, MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, was appointed Friday as lead shadow minister for employment, workforce development and labour by party leader Andrew Scheer. In a post on Facebook, Scheer […] Read more
Britain outlines post-Brexit farm policy in bill
London | Reuters –– Britain will introduce legislation on Wednesday for agricultural policy after it leaves the European Union that will link support for farmers to the provision of public benefits such as tackling climate change or preserving beautiful landscapes. The Agriculture Bill, primarily covering England, will provide the basis for policy in a sector […] Read more
Grazing hayfields is an option this fall
However, there are some factors to keep in mind and you need to introduce cows properly
Reading Time: 2 minutes Grazing hayfields this fall is an option for keeping livestock out as long as possible, says a provincial forage and beef specialist. “Most hay stands will have a significant amount of alfalfa in them,” said Karen Lindquist. “Higher-quality hay typically needs to have a legume component to provide sufficient protein and energy to meet animals’ […] Read more
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