The pruning ban for elms is now in effect. The ban is part of an effort to keep Dutch elm disease (DED) out of Alberta. Any pruned elm branches or firewood should have been burned, buried, or chipped by March 31. “If elm trees are pruned during the pruning ban period, beetles that are active […] Read more
Deadline for nominations is April 30
The Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame is now accepting nominations to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to the province’s ag sector. Up to three individuals are inducted into the hall every two years. Since 1951, 132 people have been inducted from every area of agriculture for achievements such as groundbreaking farming techniques, scientific […] Read more
The 2018 versions of Cropping Alternatives and the new Crop Budget Calculator tool are now available. They allow producers to project costs, margins, and break-even yields for potential crops. Cropping Alternatives “forecasts margins based on benchmark yields, current cost of production, expected revenues, and costs by soil zone. With this information producers can get an […] Read more
An updated version of Safe Transportation of Farm Equipment is now available for free. The booklet has information on road and transportation safety for farm equipment, including regulations and detailed instructions on signage and markings. There is also a new section on power line safety and high load moves. It takes 36 seconds for a […] Read more
It’s 600 pages of info on pesticide products, and an invaluable guide for producers across the province
This year’s edition of the ‘Blue Book’ is now available. “An important part of the annual update includes newly registered pesticide products,” said crop specialist Mark Cutts, co-editor of the book, officially known as Crop Protection 2018. “This year’s edition includes new additions to the four main pesticide types: herbicides, insecticides, seed treatments, and foliar fungicides. […] Read more
Alberta lost six per cent of farms overall, according to the latest census but some sectors see gains
While the overall number of farms in Alberta declined by the same percentage as the national average in the latest census, there were differences by sector, says a provincial research analyst. The 2016 Census of Agriculture found there were just over 193,000 farms in Canada, a six per cent drop. “Alberta had over 40,600 census […] Read more
PGR fact sheet looks at lodging and staging while crop fact sheets examine performance in Alberta
New fact sheets on plant growth regulators and crop varieties are now available. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are synthetic compounds that can modify plant growth and development by altering plant hormonal activity. While PGRs are popular in other regions of the world like Western Europe, their use in Western Canada is relatively new. “The plant […] Read more
Presentations from this winter’s Cow-Calfenomics are now available online. The presentations include a market outlook (as of November) from Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock; use of risk management tools in different market situations; business structures for new entrants; how to measure production and profit by doing an enterprise analysis; a farmer’s guide to agricultural credit […] Read more
Officials aren’t sure how Phragmites arrived in the province but are urgently trying to eradicate it
Phragmites is an invasive perennial grass that can reach heights up to four metres tall and likes to grow in low lying areas with water. When invasive Phragmites is introduced to natural areas, it spreads rapidly, via rhizomes, and can be difficult to control once established. “It has harmful effects on native species and aquatic […] Read more
Australia and New Zealand have approved the sale of foods derived from hemp for human consumption. Hemp in Australia and New Zealand is cultivated under strict licensing arrangements and prior to this approval was only permitted for use as a source of fibre for clothing and building products. “Short-term opportunities for Alberta companies exist for […] Read more
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