Reading Time: < 1 minute Initial results of a project to benchmark the sustainability of the Canadian beef industry will be presented this fall at its annual general meeting, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef has announced. The group, set up last fall, now has a website and is encouraging those in the beef value chain — from producers and processors […] Read more
Beef sustainability benchmark study to be ready by fall
McDonald’s pilot could usher in overdue reforms
The fast-food giant’s bid to use only ‘sustainable beef’ may finally force the industry to share data and work together
Reading Time: 3 minutes Did A&W’s “better beef” campaign pop into your head when you read the front-page story on McDonald’s picking Canada for its first-ever “sustainable beef” pilot? Did you think, ‘Oh goodie, more paperwork.’ And, of course, you must have noted McDonald’s is not offering premiums for this program. That’s a point made repeatedly by senior company […] Read more
‘Sold’ isn’t the last word at this charity auction
Reading Time: < 1 minute They do auctions a little different in Ponoka — at least at the annual fundraiser for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). A pair of llamas fetched $250. And then they were sold again for $200. It was only after going on the block for the third time that the donated duo were kept by the […] Read more
Finding the news that matters on your farm
A century ago, a lone journalist had a huge impact on Prairie agriculture — and she has a lesson for us today
Reading Time: 2 minutes E. Cora Hind was one of the greatest farm reporters ever, with a unique talent that earned her the gratitude of farmers across the Prairies, not to mention worldwide fame. Her appointment as agricultural editor of the Winnipeg Free Press in 1901 got everyone talking because women news reporters were almost unheard of back then. […] Read more
A loving aunt creates a special gift
Reading Time: < 1 minute Anita Wipf isn’t exactly sure how many hours it took her to create this “labour of love.” “I made this cross-stitching titled ‘Tenderness’ for my niece Janaya,” said Wipf, a member of the Viking Colony. “The reason for calling it a labour of love is because of the amount of time it takes, and that […] Read more
Rimbey auctioneer marks milestone
Reading Time: < 1 minute Allen Olson can’t even guess how many tractors and combines he’s sold over a career spanning more than half a century. “What I can tell you is that farm equipment has gotten a lot more expensive,” says the Rimbey auctioneer. “Some of these tractors go for more than $100,000. Last year, we sold a combine […] Read more
Ponoka fundraising auction making a difference
Reading Time: 2 minutes Organizers of the 13th annual Canadian Foodgrains Bank Fundraising Auction in Ponoka are expecting another banner event. “We’re hoping for 60 to 70 animals to be donated,” said Arnie Tenbrinke, one of the event’s organizers. “This year we’re also stepping things up a bit by offering a free lunch.” The lunch, Tenbrinke is quick to […] Read more
Expert warns of ‘silent killer’ sneaking up on cash-short farms
Merle Good says many farmers will find themselves in financial pain next winter, but can avoid it by acting now
Reading Time: 3 minutes The sharp fall in grain and oilseed prices has dramatically altered the farming landscape. But many farm business experts say the fallout won’t be felt until 2015. Merle Good is one of them. And he says many farmers at the greatest risk don’t know it. He spoke with editor Glenn Cheater. Q: You say if […] Read more
Alberta Farmer gets its 15 minutes of fame — and it was pretty weird
A story on critic of the Wheat Belly diet prompts online visits from anti-wheat proponents from around the world
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s a weirdly wired world How is it that a small story in a rural Alberta farm paper is suddenly being viewed by people in Panama, Sweden, Lebanon and Croatia, and inundated by commentators who believe wheat is “a pathogen.” Here’s the story On Jan. 28, soft-spoken dietitian Christine Lowry stood before a couple of […] Read more
Grass-fed farms get stamp of approval
Animal Welfare Approved label a boost for sales
Reading Time: < 1 minute Two grass-fed Alberta livestock operations have recently been given a stamp of approval by an influential U.S. organization called Animal Welfare Approved. Don and Marie Ruzicka raise Angus, Galloway and Red Poll cattle on 600 acres of pasture at Ruzicka Sunrise Farm near Killam, while John and Kelsey Beasley raise North Country Cheviot sheep at […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
