Reading Time: 3 minutes National Beef Quality audits prove that Canadian beef is pretty darn good. But they also show that producers could be putting more money in their wallets by reducing defects that show up at the packing plant, says Mark Klassen, director of technical services with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The last audit, conducted in 2010-11, found […] Read more
There’s lots of money being left on the packing plant floor
Quality defects exceed $60 per head and reducing those losses will boost the bottom line for producers, says expert
Up and down is becoming the norm for Canadian beef producers
Demand for beef is strong and prices have been good for cow-calf producers, but the market is increasingly volatile
Reading Time: 3 minutes The markets can be a roller-coaster, but one thing is for sure — the Canadian cattle herd is not expanding. “Heifer retention numbers are not enough to drive any expansion across Canada,” Brian Perillat, manager/senior analyst with Canfax said at the recent Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Fewer cattle are being shipped south of the border […] Read more
Efforts to keep out invasive mussels working — for now
A dozen contaminated boats have been found so far this year and officials warn zebra and quagga mussels are cunning hitchhikers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Zebra and quagga mussels are not in Alberta yet, but the threat continues to grow. “This is becoming a huge issue in our world — the more we travel and carry things around — whether we know it or not,” said Janine Higgins, community engagement lead with Alberta Environment and Parks. The two invasive species, […] Read more
Is this the year that winter wheat makes a comeback?
Squeezing winter wheat seeding into a crammed harvest period is usually a big issue
Reading Time: 3 minutes Will there be an upswing in winter wheat acres this year? One of the biggest drawbacks is timing — you have to get your spring-seeded crop off the field before sowing winter wheat. But that won’t be as big an issue in a big chunk of Alberta this year. An estimated 508,000 acres were never […] Read more
Here’s the beef — marketing agency reports on its efforts here and abroad
New chief marketer for Canada Beef has a lengthy list of promotional work, and plans to do much more
Reading Time: 3 minutes The new chief marketer for Canadian beef has plenty to keep him busy. Francis Andres, Canada Beef’s new executive vice-president, had a lengthy report on the agency’s promotional work in the past year. Andres — who counts stints with Safeway, Saputo, and Kraft Foods in his lengthy resumé — was hired in May just as […] Read more
Canada ready to make ‘bold statement’ with sustainable beef program
After years of effort and unprecedented industry collaboration, a national sustainable beef program is poised for rollout
Reading Time: 3 minutes The long process to create a Canadian ‘sustainable beef’ program is nearing the finish line. “We will be launching in December a national framework — this is go time,” said Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, a Calgary-area rancher and chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. The effort to make Canada a world leader in producing cattle […] Read more
Farmers’ markets allowed to offer local beer
Craft breweries and local distilleries excited by the chance to introduce their products to a wider range of Albertans
Reading Time: 2 minutes Shoppers at provincially approved farmers’ markets can now crack open a brew or sip a bit of vodka. “We’re really excited with the news. It offers us the chance to expand our customer base and reach out to different sales channels,” said Marty Shaw, general manager of Ribstone Creek Brewery in Edgerton. The move puts […] Read more
Trump has been good for agriculture, says top U.S. cattle official
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the U.S. president is ‘getting a lot of stuff done for agriculture’
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to agriculture, President Donald Trump is doing a crackerjack job, says a senior official with the top U.S. cattle association. “If you listen to the media, it’s nothing but conversations about Russia, South Korea and the overall general hatred for people who just don’t like Donald Trump,” said Colin Woodall, senior vice-president […] Read more
New tapeworm species infecting people in Alberta
There have only been five cases so far but experts are urging dog owners to take precautions
Reading Time: 2 minutes There’s a new parasite in Alberta being spread by coyotes, but there is no reason to be overly alarmed, says an infectious diseases expert. “We’re definitely not trying to encourage wholesale panic,” said Stan Houston, a professor at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health. The parasite, introduced from Europe, is a potentially lethal […] Read more
Changing with the times: Honey producers successfully shift gears
Planning for Profits: When cheap Chinese imports sent honey prices crashing, Nixon Honey responded by diversifying its business
Reading Time: 3 minutes Working on your farm management skills is like exercising… it pays big benefits, but it’s easy to push it off for another day. Only one-third of producers use business advisors or risk management tools, and fewer still do HR, succession, or strategic planning. To help make your farm more profitable (and your life more enjoyable), […] Read more
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