MarketsFarm — A state of agricultural emergency has been declared in 12 municipalities, mostly in Manitoba’s Interlake region, due to chronically low hay yields. Drought and grasshoppers have hindered crops to the point that hay production is about 25 to 30 per cent of average. “We’ve moved cows out of pastures because the grasshoppers ate […] Read more
Hay shortage in Manitoba Interlake reaches tipping point
Debunking the myths about beef with the facts and truth
Reading Time: 4 minutes Jordan Vos, 21, of Burdett was the senior winner in the Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture competition at the Calgary Stampede. She chose the topic: ‘Bust a myth in Canadian agriculture.’ Take a deep breath, smell the juicy burger with all the fixin’s… featuring an all-Canadian beef burger! Mmmm Mmmm! One of the biggest myths […] Read more
Producers can reduce carbon hoofprint while boosting profitability
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you want to raise more environmentally friendly cows, there are several things you can do, say experts. And make money from doing them. Over the last 30 years, the beef sector has improved efficiency by 15 per cent, but it can still do more to reduce methane emissions, said John Basarab, senior research scientist […] Read more
As Amazon burns, Bolsonaro tells rest of world not to interfere
Brasilia/Sao Paulo | Reuters — Amid growing international criticism over wildfires raging through the Amazon, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday admitted farmers could be illegally setting the rainforest alight but told foreign powers not to interfere. French President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres both took to Twitter to express their […] Read more
Alberta’s Peace Region gets a touch of frost, crop conditions see slight decline overall
Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of August 13
Reading Time: 6 minutes Frequent rain since July accompanied with cool temperature increased excessive soil moisture particularly in the North East and North West Regions. Hailstorms damaged some mature crops in southern parts of the province and destroyed some field crops in other areas. Additionally, a light frost occurred in the western to central parts of the Peace Region, […] Read more
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
Beef sector sees place in UN report’s lower-emission vision
While a new United Nations report on climate change and land calls for “rebalancing diets,” the policy paths it seeks are a good fit for beef cattle ranching as Canadians know it, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says. Responding Thursday to the report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the CCA said Canada’s […] Read more
Protect grasslands — and buy range-fed beef — says bird report
Two-thirds of birds that breed and winter in grasslands have been lost, says State of Canada’s Birds report
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new State of Canada’s Birds report shows the beef sector plays a critical role in protecting the country’s highly threatened grassland bird species, says the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “The CCA has long advocated for enhanced protection of the Great Northern Plains, an endangered grasslands ecosystem, from further encroachment,” the cattle organization said in its […] 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
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