File photo of a storm cloud from the southwestern end of Lake Winnipeg at Matlock, Man. (IanChrisGraham/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

More than half of world’s large lakes drying up, study finds

Gains in Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg come from runoff, rainfall

London | Reuters — More than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s, chiefly because of climate change, intensifying concerns about water for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study published on Thursday found. A team of international researchers reported that some of the world’s most important freshwater […] Read more

Low fusarium levels detected in seed

Low fusarium levels detected in seed

Reading Time: < 1 minute Testing conducted last year for fusarium-infected seed found only low levels in the province, according to an interim report from Alberta Seed Processors. Three labs tested samples collected from Sept.1 until the end of the year, the organization said on its website. “Even though wheat samples tested had the presence of fusarium, infection levels were […] Read more


As this rendering of GoodLeaf Farms’ new Montreal facility shows, there’s little to distinguish an indoor farm from its industrial park neighbours. The one is southeast Calgary will be similar. But GoodLeaf says the operation will produce nearly two millions pounds of microgreens and baby greens annually.

Indoor ‘mega-farm’ in Calgary getting even bigger

While the facility is the same size, the growing area is being increased by a third and production doubled

Reading Time: 3 minutes An indoor mega-farm set to produce microgreens and baby greens just got even more mega. The facility that will house the “vertical farm” now under construction in southeast Calgary isn’t getting bigger but the growing space inside is jumping to 100,000 square feet from 74,000 previously. “We found, through further engineering, ways of further squeezing […] Read more

With a $3.5-billion price tag, there are a lot of programs covered by the new federal-provincial funding agreement for agriculture. That includes a new program for farm tech (such as sensors and precision sprayers) as well as more funding for improving grain dryer efficiency. Both are expected to be popular items.

A new name, some familiar programs and a bunch of new money

Federal-provincial ag funding deal has new initiatives, old favourites and sizeable grants

Reading Time: 3 minutes Have you been itching to buy temperature and moisture measuring cables for your grain bin? Or maybe an imaging drone or some fancy soil sensors? If so, there may be up to $150,000 available to you. Through its new five-year Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Ottawa and the province will split the cost of a number […] Read more


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Carbon price exemption for farm gas clears Commons

Bill C-234 next headed to Senate

Legislative amendments that would exempt farmers’ eligible purchases of natural gas and propane from federal carbon pricing are now en route to Canada’s Senate. Bill C-234, a private member’s bill sponsored by Ben Lobb, the Conservative MP for the southern Ontario riding of Huron-Bruce, passed third reading for adoption in the House of Commons on […] Read more

Forecast probability of temperature above, below and near normal (calibrated) for the period of March, April and May 2023. (Map by Environment and Climate Change Canada)

‘Normal’ spring ahead for most of the Prairies

Below-normal rains expected for southern Alberta, western Saskatchewan

MarketsFarm — Canada’s Prairies are looking at normal temperatures over the next month to three months, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The federal department on Tuesday issued its temperature and precipitation probabilistic forecasts, which also called for normal precipitation for most of the region. “The forecast is really neutral for the Prairies, […] Read more


After three decades of riparian stewardship, the Hall’s Timber Ridge ranch is a showcase for what can be accomplished. The operation frequently plays host to workshops for producers.

Foothills ranchers share rules for water resiliency

Keep it simple: Riparian areas play an outsized role in vital watersheds, and caring for them isn’t complicated

Reading Time: 5 minutes The Eastern Slopes are what many people picture when they think of Alberta — a sweeping landscape of grass and rolling hills giving way to forests and ridges framed by the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. But all that beauty masks serious issues, including the considerable strain on riparian areas. Key to the effort to […] Read more

Nitrification inhibitors, legumes in rotations and variable rate are all effective, although for the latter you’ll need to invest in soil testing as well as yield and soil maps, says Mario Tenuta, one of the country’s top experts in 4R practices.

Reduce NO2 emissions 30 per cent? No problem, says expert

Nitrification inhibitors and legumes are clear winners but split application not effective in much of Alberta

Reading Time: 3 minutes Achieving a 30 per cent reduction in nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertilizer shouldn’t be a tall order for a crop sector or even individual farms, says a leader in 4R nutrient management research. “Research across the Prairies has shown that it is possible to reduce emissions quite significantly without the need to drop the […] Read more


The blocks of green squares in this Google Earth satellite overlay represent the irrigation areas identified in the preliminary feasibility study. Although it could be scaled back, these four outlined blocks cover 108,000 acres of already cultivated land.

The bid to irrigate east-central Alberta

BIG DREAMS: Many hurdles lie ahead, but proponents say massive $1.3-billion project is a lifesaver for struggling region

Reading Time: 6 minutes It’s the best thing that ever happened out here.” That’s how farmer Daryl Peers describes a proposal to spend as much as $1.3 billion to irrigate up to 108,000 acres in the Special Areas and Municipal District of Acadia. And while the project is far from a done deal, it’s desperately needed to rejuvenate the […] Read more

You certainly don’t see rice in Alberta every day, but these fellows proved it can be done. But first researchers will have to find varieties that set seed earlier in the growing season.

Rice could grow nice in southern Alberta

The harvest was a bust, but with more suitable varieties the Asian staple could be grown, trial determines

Reading Time: 3 minutes While it wasn’t the success hoped for, researchers have proven that rice can be grown under irrigation in southern Alberta. The plants failed to reach harvest, but project lead Michelle Konschuh said they did surprisingly well for a crop rarely grown in Canada. “We didn’t quite get to the finish line,” said the irrigated crop […] Read more