Reading Time: 4 minutes You might think you know your land inside and out, but getting back to basics can improve pasture productivity. “It’s important to look at this basic stuff because it helps tune the eye,” said Ross Adams, range management specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks. “It’s easier to integrate livestock into the system if you understand […] Read more
Taking a fresh look at your land, cattle and grazing system
Range management principles are ‘fairly simple’ but applying them depends on local conditions
Railways ‘blowing the doors off’ with grain movement
It could be a record year for movement but bottlenecks remain despite heavy investment
Reading Time: 4 minutes Grain is flying off the Prairies now that it’s not competing with other sectors for space on the rail network. “We’ve always said that the terminals, the grain companies, and the processors feel that they can move more,” said Steve Pratte, manager of policy development at the Canadian Canola Growers Association. “This year, we’ve had […] Read more
Farm aid is raining down south of the border, but not in Canada
Alberta farmers say they don’t want bailouts – but effective risk management programs are needed
Reading Time: 7 minutes American farmers will receive record-high amounts of farm aid this year, but Canadian producers say they don’t want a handout — just a business risk management program that works. The current programs, such as AgriStability, don’t function well, said Sexsmith-area farmer Greg Sears. “It’s not predictable, it’s not timely, and it rarely pays out — […] Read more
Farewell, fairs: Alberta’s ag societies struggling during pandemic
Reading Time: 4 minutes The buildings are empty. The crowds are gone. Alberta’s ag societies are facing a summer like no other — and some may not survive it. “Our groups are based on gathering people, and they’re not able to do any of that, which is a big concern,” said Tim Carson, chief executive officer of the Alberta […] Read more
Soil health is a whole meal deal, says researcher
The properties of healthy soils are interlinked and good management addresses all of them, says Gurbir Dhillon
Reading Time: 2 minutes Your soil is a little like a supply chain — an interconnected series of chemical, physical, and biological interactions that help make your lands productive and your crops profitable. But just one weak link in that chain can cause problems on your farm. “Soil is irreplaceable, so it has to be sustainable,” said Gurbir Dhillon, […] Read more
Pick the right forage for productivity and profitability
Productivity in many Alberta pastures is so low it ‘doesn’t pay a lot of bills,’ says forage specialist
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s an elephant in your pasture. “The elephant is disappointment,” said Grant Lastiwka, forage specialist with Union Forage. “When you start to look at the average, Alberta hay yields are around 1.3 tonnes per acre across the province. That’s a low number. “When we look at pasture, all we’re getting in grazing days across many […] Read more
Out-of-this-world rural internet speeds still a long way off
Famed entrepreneur Elon Musk plans to bring affordable, high-speed internet to rural Canada, but experts are wary
Reading Time: 4 minutes SpaceX is shooting for the moon with the promise of reliable high-speed internet for rural Canadians — but farmers might want to keep their expectations a little more grounded, at least for now. Last month, the space exploration company owned by Elon Musk (of PayPal and Tesla fame applied for several Basic International Telecommunications Service […] Read more
It’s the people who make Alberta’s cattle sector great, says industry veteran
Reading Time: 4 minutes Rich Smith still remembers the day that the bottom fell out of the cattle market. It was the fall of 2008, and Smith was presenting at an annual Alberta Beef Producers meeting at a local auction mart. Behind him was a sign displaying the dismally low price of the afternoon’s last sale. “I’m standing there […] Read more
Organic sector sees strong demand even as pandemic batters consumers
COVID has challenged province’s organic growers but their customers have remained loyal
Reading Time: 4 minutes Demand for organic food hasn’t been slowed by the pandemic even though many consumers have struggled with job losses and reduced income. “The thing that’s been most surprising is seeing that the demand for organic continues, despite the income level people are at,” said Tia Loftsgard, executive director of the Canada Organic Trade Association. “Organic […] Read more
Pork is profitable, but pigs are a money-loser in Alberta
Summer is when hog producers make their money — but this year, they’re losing big time, say officials
Reading Time: 6 minutes It’s an everyday act — but one that shows why hog producers in this province are getting near the end of their rope. An Alberta producer recently delivered 200 pigs to a packing plant and got paid $4,000 less than it cost to raise those animals. And then he had to disinfect his truck at […] Read more
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