Canadian hundred dollar bills

Cash flow really is king when growing your farm

Tighter margins have upped the danger level for farms that have expanded 
or just getting started

Reading Time: 2 minutes Cash is the lifeblood of a business, but with so much emphasis on profitability, this can be easily overlooked, says Rick Dehod, farm financial specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Of course, the bottom line is important, but poor cash flow management can drive a growing and/or profitable company out of business,” said Dehod. […] Read more

hemp

Opportunities for organic hemp growers

Manitoba Harvest and Hemp Oil Canada are still looking for organic producers

Reading Time: 2 minutes An Alberta Agriculture crop specialist says there are opportunities for growing hemp in the province, particularly organic hemp. “Many people may now be aware that the majority of the hemp grown in Alberta is for seed purposes,” said Harry Brook, crop specialist with the Alberta Ag-Info Centre in Stettler. “The market is strong for hemp […] Read more


Employers wanted for Lethbridge job fair

Reading Time: < 1 minute If you’re looking to hire, employers are wanted for the job fair in Lethbridge on Feb. 26. “We had 18 companies at last year’s fair in Lethbridge and we’re hoping for even more this time,” said Al Dooley, labour recruitment specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Employers that participated at past job fairs include: […] Read more

Getting on the menu

Reading Time: < 1 minute Getting Into Local Restaurants takes place Feb. 9 at the Agri-Food Business Centre in Leduc. “You will meet two chefs and the local producers who supply them, discover what chefs look for in a local food product, explore techniques for getting in the restaurant door and establishing a strong business relationship, and learn about plate […] Read more


Alberta Farm Fresh School 2015

Alberta Farm Fresh School 2015

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Farm Fresh School 2015 takes place Feb. 26-27 at the Pomeroy Inn and Suites on the Olds College campus. “This annual school is the perfect place to learn more about direct- market production and marketing of fruit, vegetables and livestock, as well as connect with producer peers and experts,” said Rob Spencer, provincial […] Read more

red and green leaf cabbage

Food hubs a hot new trend

Reading Time: < 1 minute Food hubs are growing in popularity as an alternative marketing option for Alberta’s smaller producers and processors, says new-venture specialist Christine Anderson. Most food hubs serve as a drop-off point for several farms in a region and a pickup point for customers. Along with marketing, they may “also offer a number of additional services including […] Read more


Rat peeking out of hole in a tree

New hotline for reporting rats

Province says even calls left after hours 
or on weekends will 
be responded to 
within 24 hours


Reading Time: < 1 minute Albertans now have a new way to report rat sightings. “Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has a new easily remembered phone number, 310-RATS (7287), for all Albertans to report possible rat sightings,” said rat inspector Bruce Hamblin. “It’s not a replacement for the current system of reporting rats, but it is an addition to it.” […] Read more

Pain mitigation in livestock conference

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Antimicrobial Stewardship & Pain Mitigation in Livestock: Current Developments Conference will take place Jan. 27, 2015 in Olds at the Pomeroy Inn & Suites. The conference, which is free, will feature presentations on pain mitigation from a welfare standpoint, the management perspective, respiratory pathogens, pain mitigation for livestock, swine, and horses, antimicrobial resistance and poultry, […] Read more


Avoid a cash crunch

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has an online cash flow analyzer. The analyzer is a spreadsheet that allocates an operation’s cash requirements throughout the year, allowing the user to create a cash flow budget, and identify those months with the largest draws. It can also be used to calculate demands on operating loan and the resulting […] Read more

cattle grazing corn in winter

New forage resources available

Reading Time: < 1 minute Foragebeef.ca has added new fact sheets and a research paper. The fact sheets are: Oats, Triticale and Corn Winter Grazing Comparison — an update on winter grazing; Triticale Swath Grazing Demonstration Project; and a financial analysis entitled Will a hay shed pay? by Alberta Agriculture economist Dale Kaliel. Also available is a paper titled: Effect […] Read more