Reading Time: 3 minutes More focus on the environment, more plant-based meat alternatives and more scrutiny of food production. That’s what lies in the crystal ball of David Hughes, an international speaker on global food industry trends. At a recent event hosted by the Plant Protein Alliance of Alberta, Hughes laid out a number of points that could be […] Read more
Expect to hear a lot more about fake meat, eco-foods, and urban consumers
It’s a fast-changing world but Prairie farmers are in a good spot, says food trend guru
Attempted grain theft thwarted by vigilant neighbour
Such incidents are rare but can happen, say RCMP, adding it pays to let neighbours know when you’re away
Reading Time: 2 minutes Getting to know your neighbours and keeping them informed about your plans can help keep your farm safe. A “keen-eyed citizen” was immediately suspicious after seeing grain being loaded from bins on a neighbour’s farm near Josephburg, northeast of Edmonton, in early December. The neighbour knew the farmer was away and so called the Strathcona […] Read more
Peace River farmers host local girl — the deputy prime minister
Chrystia Freeland now lives in Toronto but agreed to meet with producers during a trip to visit family
Reading Time: 3 minutes A group of Peace Country farmers had a meeting with a special guest earlier this month — the so-called ‘minister for almost everything’ who has become Justin Trudeau’s top lieutenant in his minority government. But up in the Peace, many know Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as Don’s daughter and that sparked the idea for […] Read more
Cooking up a successful recipe for improved soil health
Brendon Rockey’s farm is far different than most, but his winning formula has lessons for other growers
Reading Time: 4 minutes In some ways, soil health conferences are like recipe swaps — with attendees always on the lookout for a mix of ingredients that will produce better results. One of those recipes presented at the sold-out Western Canada Conference on Soil Health & Grazing last month came from a Colorado potato grower who farms in high-elevation, near-desert conditions and no […] Read more
Making environmental stewardship pay in many different ways
Environmental stewardship award honours southern Alberta ranchers who pride themselves on conservation
Reading Time: 3 minutes Deer Creek Livestock Co.’s land has changed a lot in the past nine years as the grassland has improved, the wildlife has increased, and the stocking rates have gone up. It’s the combination of improving both productivity and the environment in tandem that earned the operation the 2020 Environmental Stewardship award from the Alberta Beef […] Read more
Working on the railroad — and getting grain moving
Things aren’t perfect but railways and farm groups are slowly rebuilding trust after years of conflict
Reading Time: 4 minutes They’re not besties yet — but the relationship between farm groups and the railways has undergone a sea change over the last few years. After years of vociferous complaints about poor rail service, the federal government cracked the whip in 2014, ordering CP and CN Rail to move one million tonnes of grain weekly or […] Read more
‘A humble guy’ chosen as Canada’s first ‘flagship farmer’
Reading Time: 3 minutes In many ways, Stephen Hughes has become the face of the sustainable beef movement in Canada. He’s spoken at conferences, given numerous interviews, and appeared in videos and commercials for McDonald’s sustainable beef initiative. Now the fast-food giant has named the Longview rancher the first “flagship farmer” in Canada. But while he’s willing to stand […] Read more
A normal crop year went out the window in 2019
It seems pretty much everyone had severe weather challenges this year, but they came in many forms
Reading Time: 5 minutes Weather always gets talked about, but usually there are other issues that mark the year gone by. But this was a year when the rain gauge and thermometer were front and central from spring to harvest. Or rather, what passed for harvest. With about 1.6 million acres of crops still in the field, the story […] Read more
The Year That Was: Fake meat takes off
Many ranchers view faux burgers as a threat, but others argue they’re a sign that opportunities abound
Reading Time: 3 minutes Faux burgers have been around for a while but in 2019, some sort of switch was flipped and all of a sudden everyone was talking about them. The pivotal moment came when the food-service industry decided to embrace Beyond Meat — which more closely mimics the look and texture of actual hamburgers, said Sylvain Charlebois, […] Read more
Fifty provincial agriculture ministry staff get layoff notices
Many of those losing their jobs are scientists and their work greatly benefited farmers, says a retired researcher
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the second week of December, about 50 staff at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry got a pre-Christmas delivery no one would want — they were laid off. Details have not been released but among those affected are engineers, agrologists, and managers. “This is just another example of where they have taken some significant steps backwards,” […] Read more