‘Farm boy’ says earning the country’s highest civilian honour is ‘a win for agriculture’
Reading Time: 3 minutes If Kim McConnell had his way, he’d take all of the agricultural industry with him when he receives his Order of Canada at Rideau Hall. It’s an honour for him, but also an honour for all of agriculture. “About a month ago, I got a call and they told me this was going to happen […] Read more
Passion for agriculture earns Kim McConnell the Order of Canada
Sheep industry struggles to match supply with demand
Reading Time: 3 minutes The law of supply and demand may usually prevail, but it’s having a bit of trouble working in the Canadian sheep industry. “The No. 1 challenge we face is a shortage of supply,” said Miles Kliner, general manager of Sungold Specialty Meats in Innisfail. “That has been going on for 15 to 16 years. We […] Read more
Microbiome research an important step in beef cattle research
Cattle’s internal microbiome another place where diseases develop
Reading Time: 3 minutes Microbiome research could help answer a lot of questions about respiratory and liver abscess disease. The microbiome, a collection of bacteria, could be another place where diseases develop. “When we’re talking about respiratory diseases, a lot of the bugs that cause respiratory disease are there all the time,” Beef Cattle Research Council science director Reynold […] Read more
Look for beef producers at big-city events this year
Alberta Beef has already signed deals with the Eskimos and the Stampeders
Reading Time: 3 minutes Get ready, beef producers, you’ll soon see yourself on a Jumbotron near you. Alberta Beef Producers unveiled a new marketing campaign and new marketing and education manager Brad Dubeau at its semi-annual meeting. “The problem for marketing to solve is how to ensure consumer and producer confidence for beef production in Alberta to 2020 and […] Read more
Young Albertan brings cattle perspective to global conference
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cameron Olson is a young beef scientist who is going places. The 24-year-old from Rocky View, is one of four Canadian agricultural leaders participating in Bayer’s Youth Ag Summit in Brussels in October. “My intent for being part of this conference is to make sure animal agriculture is represented as well as crop,” said Olson, […] Read more
South African ranchers are ‘game’ for raising wildlife
The country’s 12,000 wildlife ranches cover 20 million hectares and the sector is growing by leaps and bounds
Reading Time: 3 minutes You may think it is strange to go to an auction to pick up a wildebeest or a zebra, but ranching wildlife is just an innovative way of making money for South African farmers. It’s similar to Canadian bison, deer, or elk ranching and can add a lot of value for producers. “In South Africa, […] Read more
Analysts see breaks in the clouds for Alberta producers this year
A global grain glut has been weighing on prices, but wheat, barley, and pulses could go higher — and canola will continue to shine
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s a global grain glut, but it shouldn’t have a negative effect on Alberta crop producers come fall, say two market analysts. Although it’s early days yet, both were quick to add. “We’re at the stage of the year when there are more questions than answers,” said Chuck Penner of LeftField Commodity Research in Winnipeg. […] Read more
Raise a glass of banana beer — this popular fruit will endure
U of A’s Stan Blade says the world’s most popular fruit will survive — in some form or another
Reading Time: 2 minutes Don’t worry, be happy — the banana is not going extinct. And an Alberta plant scientist is helping to ensure that. “I think we will always have bananas,” said Stan Blade. But, he added, they might be quite a bit different — such as much smaller and red or purple in colour. “My view of […] Read more
African farms are vastly different but share common bonds
Subsistence farming is still the norm in Africa, but agriculture is the key to changing its economic fortunes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Africa is a world apart but as in Canada, farming is increasingly being recognized as a key driver of economic growth. “There’s no other way to fight poverty than to create wealth,” South African farmer Theo de Jager told an international gathering of farm journalists here last month. “And there’s no other sector in this […] Read more
There’s a lot to love about Sussex cattle — but try finding any
Sussex cattle thrive in countries as diverse as England, South Africa, and Australia, but haven’t made it to Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes I recently toured a South African farm that is home to the country’s most highly valued Sussex bull — a beautiful stud that recently appeared on the cover of one of the nation’s leading agricultural publications. South Africa is in the worst drought in 100 years, so bad that cattle farmers in other provinces have […] Read more
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