Reading Time: 4 minutes Puppies, plants, and backyard chickens became hot trends when the pandemic took hold — but are they still popular almost two years in? Pandemic pets “At the beginning of the pandemic, we were swamped with people,” said Sharla Willis, who has operated a dog-breeding business for 16 years with her mother Dorrie Nelson. “We did […] Read more
Are puppies, plants and backyard chickens still popular?
Nearly two years on, how are newbie pet owners, gardeners, and poultry enthusiasts making out?
Cattle producers have the beef but aren’t getting the bucks
Producers are used to the cattle cycle but this one is extreme — and extremely painful
Reading Time: 4 minutes Beef prices are sky high, but that money is not trickling down into the hands of cattle producers. “I’ve been getting lots of calls from producers on why there’s such a difference on the price at the packer level and at the retail level,” said Melanie Wowk, chair of Alberta Beef Producers. “Our prices at […] Read more
Fall didn’t deliver — now we need a very snowy winter
Hope for wet, but plan for dry, say experts as drought conditions remain widespread in province
Reading Time: 5 minutes Much of Alberta will need as much as three times the usual amount of snow this winter to get out of drought conditions before spring, says an AgCanada agro-climate specialist. “We’re looking at 250 per cent to 300 per cent of normal snow accumulation or large snow accumulation added to early rainfall,” said Trevor Hadwen. […] Read more
A tale of two trade agreements
The TPP deal soars, the EU deal stalls
Asian and Pacific nations are snapping up our beef while EU roadblocks persist
Reading Time: 5 minutes When it comes to Canada’s two big foreign trade deals, the difference for beef producers is night and day — one is putting money in their pockets and the other has mostly been an exercise in frustration. In just the first two years of the three-year-old Trans-Pacific trade deal, member nations upped their buys of […] Read more
Alberta EFP links up with global sustainability program
You’ve likely never heard of the SAI Platform but its members are global food and beverage giants
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan has a new component that enables producers to qualify for a sustainability standard recognized by the food sector’s biggest players. “Producers can use this tool to receive credit for the global standard called Farm Sustainability Assessment,” said Lisa Nadeau of the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta, which operates […] Read more
Rotational grazing set to get a boost from climate action plan
Advocates say the system boosts profits and makes ranches more resilient to drought
Reading Time: 4 minutes Many farmers fear the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is going to cost them money. But a new federal program may assist livestock producers in upgrading to a grazing system that advocates say is more profitable and makes ranches more resilient. The federal government wants more cattle producers to adopt rotational grazing and is […] Read more
Intimate film portrait celebrates everyday life on a small Alberta farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes Returning to her family’s bison farm inspired Anna Kuelken to make a film. And that 17-minute documentary, “Father Like Son,” won her a national art prize and a cheque for $15,000. But more importantly, it gave the young filmmaker a chance to celebrate both her family and the way of life that they, and so […] Read more
Small but mighty student group bridging gap between food banks and farms
Reading Time: 3 minutes When the pandemic struck, Cindy Zhang, a grad student from Calgary, wanted to do something to help those less fortunate. “I thought it would be great to connect farms to food banks, and also to communities in need and to churches as well,” she said. “We started reaching out to greenhouses when we noticed a […] Read more
Alberta looks for feed, Ottawa promises cash for B.C.
Alberta to help with veterinary testing after B.C.'s lab flooded, Alberta ag minister says
Even though supplies are low because of drought, Alberta is looking for feed to send to B.C. livestock producers, while Ottawa will provide emergency financial assistance to farmers dealing with flooding and closed roads in the hard-hit province. “We’ve been working with the B.C. department of agriculture,” Alberta Agriculture Minister Nate Horner said during a […] Read more
Alberta ag minister resigns among allegations of heavy drinking
Admitting he has a problem with alcohol, Devin Dreeshen resigned as Alberta’s minister of agriculture and forestry this morning. He has been replaced by Drumheller-Stettler MLA Nate Horner. “This morning, I offered Premier Jason Kenney my resignation as minister of agriculture and forestry and he has accepted,” Dreeshen said on Twitter on Nov. 5. “I […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
