Reading Time: 3 minutes Beleaguered hog farmers are finally getting paid more but the extra cash — and then some — is blowing out the door as costs soar. A year ago, it cost about $140 per month to house and feed a pig, said Mark Wipf, hog and feed manager for Lakeside Colony Farming Company, located east of […] Read more
Slammed by a huge jump in costs, pork producers are ‘just hanging on’
It’s not just sky-high feed costs — rising bills for heat, freight, and medication have eaten up a hike in prices
Despite challenges, Alberta hemp plant nears completion
Canadian Rockies Hemp Corporation says its markets are rapidly expanding
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s been one thing after another, but production is nearly ready to start at the largest hemp plant in North America. “We’re finally there at the end of the tunnel,” said Aaron Barr, CEO of Canadian Rockies Hemp Corporation. “We are now getting equipment inside and hope to get our first decortication production line ready […] Read more
Watch out for grasshoppers and wheat stem sawfly this year
Some pests do just fine when it’s hot and dry while others suffer, and all try to adapt
Reading Time: 3 minutes Last summer’s drought and brutal heat was a game changer for insect pests across the Prairies. Some got knocked back, others managed just fine and many acted in new ways as they tried to adapt. “Every pest species we deal with could be responding to these hot and dry conditions differently,” said Meghan Vankosky, a […] Read more
Producer finds his way into farming through backyards in the big city
Reading Time: 4 minutes Reclaim Organics is a farm with an unusual trajectory — it’s moved several times and has existed in both the city and the country. Owner Ryan Mason grew up on a broiler breeder and grain farm near Pigeon Lake, but farming wasn’t his career goal when he headed to university. “I had no intention of […] Read more
Floods didn’t hit exports but transport woes are mounting
Exports are way down but grain movement is still slow two months after lines reopened
Reading Time: 3 minutes Although it’s been one crisis after another since last summer, the grain sector is seeing some small positives on the export front. One is that rail disruptions caused by flooding in B.C. in November didn’t have a big impact on servicing our wheat customers, attendees at a recent webinar on new-crop sales were told. The […] Read more
Peace Country group moves a mountain of vegetables to feed the hungry
Reading Time: 3 minutes They’re a small but mighty group based up in the Peace. Last year, the Peace Country Gleaners grew, harvested and dehydrated about 700,000 pounds of vegetables, which were made into a soup mix distributed to organizations feeding the poor both in Canada and abroad. “We had 11 acres of carrots and 11 acres of beets […] Read more
When a predator attacks, wildlife officers need to solve the whodunit
Compensation is available for livestock producers but first some detective work needs to be done
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s always stressful when a predator injures or kills livestock, and the process for getting compensation can be stressful, too. But attendees at a recent webinar by a provincial wildlife officer got a look at the process from the investigator’s point of view. One of the key points made by Alex Bolland is that the […] Read more
Initiative aims to turn beef genetic data into cash at the ranch level
The keys are getting data into a useful form and then creating easy-to-use tools for ranchers, say advocates
Reading Time: 3 minutes How can the cattle industry make better use of genetic data? It’s a question that the Canadian Beef Improvement Network is trying to solve. “It’s really about translating the genetic information within the industry so we can replicate the positive and start to remove the inefficiencies that we have,” said Sandy Russell, CEO of the […] Read more
Put away the snacks and pay attention when it’s soil sampling time
High fertilizer prices mean soil sampling is especially critical this year — and that means doing it right
Reading Time: 3 minutes With fertilizer prices through the roof, everyone and their dog is advising farmers to soil test like never before. But assessing your soil isn’t a simple business. “Soil potential is going to be determined by organic matter, cation exchange process, pH and the soil nutrients that are available, electrical conductivity and base saturation,” said Rachelle […] Read more
When it’s this pricey, handle fertilizer with care
Do a soil test, and realize what has happened to your nutrients after the drought, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes Between drought and the soaring price of fertilizer, you might want to manage your grain farm a little differently this year. “In a dry year, there will be reduced crop growth and reduced nutrient uptake,” soil scientist Rigas Karamanos said at Agronomy Update earlier this month. “We had plenty of heat, but not moisture. Consequently, […] Read more
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