Reading Time: 2 minutes Ten months after dismissing the board of directors of the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation, Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier has finally named its replacements. And the board’s first action will be to find a new chief executive officer to replace one who was suspended with pay last June after the provincial auditor found a host of […] Read more
New board put in charge of province’s scandal-plagued crop insurer
Many well-known faces in the ag community are on the new board of the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation
It’s easier than ever to apply for a Century Farm and Ranch Award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applying for a Century Farm and Ranch Award has got easier. “We can now, in most cases, find the supporting documentation on people’s behalf, so they don’t need to find their own homestead record or current land title,” said Colin Gosselin, senior project co-ordinator with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “All we need the applicant to […] Read more
Church ‘built on Alberta beef’ seeks public’s help
Reading Time: < 1 minute Airdrie United Church is seeking help to uncover the mystery of a decades-old cattle brand registered to the church. Rev. Karen Holmes, the church’s minister, came across the brand certificate when going through old church records for a 115th anniversary event being held this month. “Some folks say we were the first church in Canada […] Read more
Pacific trade pact nations meet to discuss future without U.S.
Ottawa | Reuters — Negotiators from the remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) gathered in Canada on Tuesday seeking ways to boost free trade in the region after the U.S. pulled out of the 12-nation pact. The withdrawal killed off years of negotiations and left the region looking for ways to deepen economic ties […] Read more
Province has a library of free books and cds
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s 2017-18 Agriculture Information Catalogue is now available. The catalogue has more than 600 free and priced books, DVDs, and CD-ROMs on a wide range of agricultural subjects, ranging from crop and livestock production to new ventures and agri-tourism. The catalogue also lists web-based materials, including decision-making tools, online videos, maps, and […] Read more
The threat of invasive mussels draws ever closer to Alberta
Water officials on high alert after positive samples for larval mussels were found in two nearby Montana reservoirs last year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Lakes closed to watercraft; shores fouled with sharp shells and a rotting mollusk smell; millions of tax dollars going to clean up irrigation and hydro-electric infrastructure — that’s the future if quagga or zebra mussels find their way into the province. For decades, Alberta has been protected by a buffer of mussel-free provinces and states […] Read more
Opinion: ‘Rich’ farmers aren’t a bad thing
People may not appreciate how tough it is to build a farm business, but we should still celebrate those successes
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was just one line in a 25-page report, but it stood out: “It is a popular misconception that farmers are making a lot of money in agricultural enterprises.” As a journalist, I’ve never had to worry that people will think I’m wealthy. But, according to the report, the notion of “rich farmers” is widely held. And […] Read more
Olds College to create ‘smart agriculture’ centre
Reading Time: < 1 minute Olds College has been given a $16-million donation it will use to create an institute specializing in ‘smart agriculture.’ The Werklund Agriculture Institute will use big data, technology, and enhanced Internet connectivity to increase the quality and quantity of agricultural production. The funding is a gift from David Werklund, an entrepreneur best known for his […] Read more
Tyson Foods beefs up prepared foods with AdvancePierre buy
Reuters – Tyson Foods Inc, the No. 1 U.S. meat processor, said on Tuesday it would buy packaged sandwich supplier AdvancePierre Foods Holdings Inc for about $3.2 billion in cash, to expand its fast-growing portfolio of prepared food brands. Demand for meat-based snacks has been growing as Americans shun candy and overly processed foods. This […] Read more
OPR threatened, organic industry officials say
The organic industry is mounting a protest against pending changes for its Organic Products Regulation (OPR) that it says has potential to “undo the entire Canadian organic supply chain.” In 2012, the passage of the Safe Foods for Canadians Act resulted in a number of regulations, including the OPR, being combined into a single document […] Read more
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