Alberta farmers and their family members now have the option to apply for a farm-restricted class one driver’s licence. It would allow them to drive almost any form of motor vehicle to and from the farm. These licenses with be issued with condition code “P” meaning the driver must comply with farmer restrictions. Applicants must […] Read more
Alberta gets farm family class one driver’s license
Seventeen U.S. states restrict cattle imports from avian flu-infected areas
Several U.S. states have restricted cattle imports from states that have seen infections of avian influenza Type A H5N1 in dairy herds.
Flu outbreak sees buyers balk at beef futures
Cash prices fairly level; beef producers should look into risk management tools, analysts say
Markets have seen cattle futures (mainly live and fed) decline in recent weeks as the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain made its way into dairy herds in six states to date. The good news, said a cattle auction leader and market expert, is that cash prices have remained more-or-less steady amid the chaos.
A ‘miracle’ in calving season
Rare act of science plus expert cattle handling save a calf and its mother in central Alberta
Reading Time: 4 minutes Calving season can be a stressful and dramatic time on the ranch. There’s a lot of new life but there is often death as well. Every once in a while, however, something happens that seems like a miracle. Just ask Chris Paulencu with Green Acres Cattle Company, a seedstock operation in central Alberta’s Lamont County. […] Read more
USDA sheds new light on bird flu dairy herd infections
Virus may have been spread through milking equipment, dairy workers
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated stakeholders on how a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) strain may have spread to dairy cattle in several states yesterday.
Humalite a made-in-Alberta success story
Research backs claims of increased yield when used with fertilizer
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s been proven to increase grain yield, seed protein content and nitrogen use efficiency by up to 19, 30 and 60 per cent respectively, and researchers are still finding more uses for it. It’s called humalite, an organic soil amendment found exclusively in large deposits near Sheerness, about 25 kilometres from Hanna. It’s shaping up […] Read more
Can high water use affect consumer food choices?
Not yet, but ag should be prepared if it someday does, says Alberta agricultural economist
Reading Time: 4 minutes The agriculture industry in Alberta uses a lot of water. According to provincial licence data interpreted by CBC, Albertans can expect 68 per cent of all water allocations in 2024 to be dedicated to agriculture; far ahead of industrial (22 per cent) and municipal (seven per cent) categories. For the time being, Alberta consumers seem […] Read more
Dairy bird flu cases creep closer to Canada
Michigan and Idaho become fourth and fifth state to confirm virus in dairy cattle
Idaho has become the newest U.S. states to identify highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy cattle operation, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (IDSA) confirmed March 30.
Dairy farms urged to take precautions against bird flu
Migrating birds like ducks and geese a likely vector for the disease
Alberta Milk is urging Canadian dairy producers to take precautions against migrating birds after avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle in three U.S. states.
Plot2Farm wraps up another (dry) year
Although short on big news, it offered insight on how crop products work in dry conditions, says agronomist
Reading Time: 5 minutes When it comes to on-farm testing, part of the equation is seeing how products function in the real world. So, while dry conditions are not ideal circumstances, the agronomist lead of Alberta Grains’ Plot2Farm program says testing enhanced efficiency fertilizers, PGRs and nitrogen rates has value. “I’d say overall (2023) was a relatively successful year,” […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
