Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re ever looking for a completely different harvest experience, Quebec is the place to go. Cranberries are a big deal in La belle province and getting a close-up look at the harvest was a highlight for a group of ag journalists during a recent Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation tour. Yes, a tractor is involved […] Read more
A cranberry harvest is unlike any other
Farming cranberries is big business in Quebec, but it’s unlike anything you see on the Prairies
No kidding around – goat expert offers breeding advice
Have some very good fencing, a pregnant-looking animal often isn’t, and have a chat with your vet
Reading Time: 3 minutes Everyone wants their goats to kid, but there are a few things they can do to ensure that breeding is done well, says a leading North American goat expert. “A female goat likes a choice,” Mary Smith said at the recent Alberta Goat Breeders Association conference. “Does do have preferences in which bucks they will […] Read more
Long-running cattle checkoff battle may be coming to an end
An agreement on an industry development fund is key to a tentative deal between Alberta Beef Producers and cattle feeders
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s not finalized yet, but the organizations representing cattle producers and feeders say they’re close to creating a fund to advance the province’s beef sector — and ending a nearly decade-long checkoff. “The Alberta Beef Industry Development Fund is a concept that would be able to be implemented with a non-refundable service charge,” said Rich […] Read more
Dishing the dirt on soil health a big draw
It will be a packed conference hall when soil health experts gather in Edmonton in December
Reading Time: 3 minutes Soil health continues to be a hot draw — at least for a portion of Alberta’s farm community. This year’s edition of the Western Canadian Soil Health and Grazing Conference looks certain to sell out all 500 attendee spots — repeating the feat accomplished when the inaugural edition was held two years ago. “Soil health […] Read more
Big or small, data makes all the difference, says veteran cattleman
Doug Wray is a well-known intensive grazing expert but he’s also an advocate of using genomics to push herd performance
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you want to make more money on your ranch, get more data. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” Irricana cattleman Doug Wray said at the recent Livestock Gentec conference. “We measure a lot of things. To have a successful ranching operation, you have to manage the resources you have. Every ranch is different.” […] Read more
Genomics testing now available for commercial herds
Knowing more about your cattle’s DNA can help you make better decisions, says non-profit developer of test
Reading Time: 3 minutes Delta Genomics has released a new genomics tool that will help commercial cattle producers determine breed composition and fertility of their cattle. EnVigour HX, which was released in February, allows producers of crossbred cattle to tap into the power of genomics, said Michelle Miller, chief executive officer of the not-for-profit genomics service division of Livestock Gentec. […] Read more
Don’t write NAFTA’s obituary just yet
‘Absurd’ demands have heightened fears that President Trump aims to kill the trade pact, but experts say that’s premature
Reading Time: 4 minutes Stay calm and keep negotiating’ seems to be the mantra of Canadian farm groups even as a growing number of experts warn NAFTA may be doomed. U.S. negotiators dropped a series of bombshells in the fourth round of talks on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement — demands that Canada and Mexico had said […] Read more
New technology brings new risks to the farm, say experts
Advances — from needleless injectors to auto steer — make farming easier, but also have safety implications
Reading Time: 3 minutes New technology brings many advantages to the farm, but can also result in unintended hazards, both for farmers and animals. This was stressed numerous times during presentations on technology at this year’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Association annual general meeting. Read more: AgSafe Alberta offering free safety programs for farmers “There’s a lot of routine work on […] Read more
AgSafe Alberta offering free safety programs for farmers
New producer-run organization has free advisers who can make visits to help you improve farm safety
Reading Time: 2 minutes Newly formed AgSafe Alberta now has boots on the ground, says extension co-ordinator Donna Trottier. “There are a couple of things that we want farmers out there to know,” she said at the recent Canadian Agricultural Safety Association conference. “We have three advisers who are available to come out to your farm and help introduce […] Read more
Harvest better than expected in most — but not all — areas
Expectations were low in many areas of the province, but yield and quality have generally been decent
Reading Time: 3 minutes This year’s crop quality and yields are better than expected, which comes as a major surprise to both farmers and agronomists across the province. “Even as late as seeding was done, the yield seems to be average or better than expected, which is surprising, when some canola was planted on the 7th or 8th of […] Read more
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