Reading Time: 2 minutes The dry conditions throughout the province have resulted in some producers looking for feed options. Depending on whether producers are dealing with barley, oats or triticale, there are different feed options to consider. “The main considerations right now are to take the pressure off perennial forage crops, provide more days of grazing, and stockpile what […] Read more
Salvaging Feed From Annual Crops
Grazing And Pasture Plans For A Dry Season
Reading Time: 3 minutes Previous experience has highlighted the need for livestock producers in Western Canada to have preparedness plans in place in the event of drier-than-normal summers. “It’s important to prepare a grazing plan that matches the estimated forage production to the animal numbers, and takes into consideration rest periods to allow plant recovery between grazings and the […] Read more
Website Maps Offer Historical Comparisons
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s website contains lots of information for those in the agriculture industry, including literally thousands of maps. “These maps contain all sorts of information related to climate and current conditions,” says Ralph Wright, soil moisture specialist, Alberta Agriculture, Edmonton. “Precipitation, temperatures, snow pack, soil moisture – these are just some of […] Read more
Survey Demonstrates A Desire And Need For Training
Reading Time: 2 minutes “We are encouraged by the response we received and the strength of the interest expressed.” – Dr. Ty Faechner, Executive Director Of Areca Beginning in January, the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA) conducted a survey to determine public interest in returning to the land, and to assess what kinds of training, skills […] Read more
Swath Grazing –Seeding Earlier Is Better
Reading Time: 2 minutes When it comes to seeding for swath grazing, an Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development specialist says that barley can be seeded by the middle of June while triticale, oats, and oat/barley mixtures can be seeded as early as the first week of June. “We’ve had a nice, open spring this year and as many producers […] Read more
Crop Reports Now Available
Reading Time: < 1 minute As of May 12, 2009, Alberta’s agriculture industry has been able to access updated information related to the crop production year, including soil moisture and crop conditions. The Alberta 2009 crop report schedule includes 12 biweekly reports to be released between May and October, as well as a Crop Season in Review report in March […] Read more
Make It Safe, Make It Visible
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s farm safety program has produced an updated version of the publication ‘Make It Safe, Make It Visible.’ “During seeding, it’s often necessary for farmers to move their equipment from field to field, and that frequently entails moving slower farm machinery on public roads,” says Raelyn Peterson, farm safety co-ordinator with […] Read more
Grazing School For Women
Reading Time: < 1 minute The 7th annual Grazing School for Women is being held in Smoky Lake on June 10 and 11, 2009. Participants are asked to bring appropriate clothing as sessions will run rain or shine. Topics on the agenda include: climate change and agriculture the secret life of cows – grazing and livestock behaviour steak challenge – […] Read more
Improvements Made To Crop Risk Management Tool
Reading Time: < 1 minute CropChoice$, the popular risk management decision-making tool, has new information for the 2009 crop year. Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) has provided current crop insurance options, including updated risk coverage levels and insurance premiums. In addition, the economics unit of Alberta Agriculture has updated the 2009 cropping alternatives, which are forecasted regional crop budgets that […] Read more
Insurance Against Price Drops Is Available
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta farmers are facing a lot of uncertainty as they prepare to seed their crops in the coming weeks amid a global recession. “The game has changed completely from this time last year,” says Charlie Pearson, provincial crop analyst with Alberta Agriculture. “The collapse of world financial markets is affecting everything, including agriculture here in […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
