Reading Time: < 1 minute Several cases of spoiling crops showed up in February, says provincial crops market analyst Neil Blue. “Perhaps the mostly warm temperatures this winter and the January period of record cold temperatures have been a factor,” said Blue. After being placed into storage, crops respire for a month or more, and this can release moisture. Dense […] Read more
Check your grain bins for spoilage
CowBytes is back
Software tailors feed rations with available supplies
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council says CowBytes is once again available. The ration-balancing software allows cattle producers to formulate their own feed rations while considering various combinations of feed and byproducts at different prices, and in doing so, can find a way to reduce feed costs while still meeting production targets. Ensuring that cattle are […] Read more
Video inspection an option for humane slaughter
Program available for animals that can't be transported to an abattoir
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Video Ante-Mortem (VAMI) program “allows for an ante-mortem inspection by video for animals that cannot be transported to an abattoir so that they may be humanely slaughtered on site,” says Kelly Sawka, operations manager north with Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development. “The program has already assisted several producers who had animals that […] Read more
Pork exports could see decline
Reading Time: < 1 minute Global pork exports are expected to fall this year because of reduced demand by China and the Philippines and “ample supply,” notes provincial livestock market analyst Ann Boyda, but there are also opportunities for exporters. “There are growing appetites around the globe and the largest increase in consumption may take place in developing countries,” Boyda […] Read more
Making N here doesn’t lower price
Reading Time: < 1 minute Don’t bet on fertilizer prices falling before seeding, says a market analyst with Alberta Agriculture. “The most likely scenario for fertilizers is that the current high prices will continue throughout the winter and spring months of 2022,” said Ryan Furtas. Nitrogen production and products, namely ammonia and urea, are mainly produced at Alberta locations but […] Read more
Alberta feeder cattle imports continue to increase
Western Canada plants are currently operating near capacity to satisfy strong consumer demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cattle imports have been increasing annually since 2015 when only 32,172 head were imported to Canada and a mere 399 head were received in Alberta, says Jason Wood, provincial livestock market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Year to date (January to August), total Canadian live cattle imports are 277,290 head, already 1.9 per cent […] Read more
Farmers’ markets webinar
Reading Time: < 1 minute Learn the ins and outs of food regulations as they apply to Alberta-approved farmers’ markets during a free webinar on March 13, 2019. Alberta Health Services will share the requirements vendors need to meet to sell food products at these farmers’ markets. Participants will also learn the difference between Alberta-approved farmers’ markets and other public […] Read more
Keen on learning how to farm hemp?
New online course aims to show you how
Reading Time: < 1 minute Norquest College is offering an online hemp-farming course created with input from experienced farmers and industry experts and designed for conventional or organic farmers considering the crop. “We talk about everything, from seeding it to managing the crop as it grows, pest control, weather conditions, and harvesting is a huge component,” says Norquest’s Andrea Eriksson. […] Read more
Protein premiums drop from historic high in 2018
Shopping around can reveal how buyers are grading your wheat and how they pay for protein premiums
Reading Time: 2 minutes The 2018 crop year featured a strong protein premium for wheat, in particular hard red spring wheat. Neil Blue, provincial crop market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, looks at the situation with protein premiums on wheat in 2019. Blue says that wheat protein premiums this crop year have dropped back to below-average levels due […] Read more
Fed steer prices seen improving towards spring
The average Canadian beef cut-out value has strengthened about 10 per cent since the start of the year
Reading Time: 2 minutes A number of factors have been affecting recent fed steer and hay markets. Jason Wood, provincial livestock market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, has an update. Wood says that the Canfax reported price for Alberta fed, or slaughter, steers averaged just over $151 per cwt for the week ending February 8, 2019. That price […] Read more
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