Reading Time: 6 minutes Alberta’s new premier has declared the province “open for business” — and investing in food processing might just be the right place to start. “There are a ton of opportunities for us to capitalize on our ‘Alberta Advantage’ to make high-quality food products at a reasonable cost,” said Sanford Gleddie, vice-president of agriculture and business […] Read more
The time is right for small-scale local food processing
Food processing could be the real ‘Alberta Advantage’
Alberta’s new agriculture minister praised as smart, grounded, and ‘a stand-up guy’
Although just 31, Devin Dreeshen has extensive experience in politics and on the farm
Reading Time: 5 minutes Premier Jason Kenney has chosen one of his youngest MLAs to be the province’s new agriculture minister. But although he’s just 31 and has only been an MLA for 10 months, Devin Dreeshen comes to the job with a robust resumé. The Innisfail-Sylvan Lake rep is the son of veteran Tory Red Deer-Mountain View MP […] Read more
Now is the right time to brush up on your drone pilot skills
As of June 1, anyone flying a drone over 250 grams will need a pilot’s certificate — including recreational users
Reading Time: 3 minutes The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there’s soon to be a buzz in the air — no, not the sweet sound of bees pollinating your crops, but drones. And like pollinators, drones do their best work during the spring. “Your drone isn’t just for taking pictures for your Twitter feed. It gives […] Read more
All-day breakfasts lead to record-breaking year for eggs
People still outnumber layers in Alberta — but the hens are catching up fast
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada’s egg industry has cracked the code for increased sales — all-day breakfast at your favourite fast-food chains. “Egg consumption is up in Canada, and all-day breakfasts have been the main driver,” said Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the agri-food analytics lab at Dalhousie University. “Eggs are primarily consumed in the morning, and now all […] Read more
Study aims to get a grip on pricey grain drying costs
Tens of millions are spent on grain conditioning in wet years but data on how to trim that cost is lacking
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta farmers learned the hard way last fall that wet harvests go hand in hand with grain drying — and the costs that come with that. But Alberta’s main crop commissions are looking for ways to trim those costs as harvests trend later and the need to condition grain goes up. “There has been an […] Read more
Conservation program has lots of love — but not as much money
Reading Time: 3 minutes [UPDATED: April 20, 2019] An innovative ecosystem services program has grown at “lightning pace” in Alberta over the past three years — but future growth could be limited if ALUS Canada can’t attract additional funds. “We have a waiting list of new communities that would like to join the program, but right now our largest […] Read more
It’s not glamorous, but feed barley is a bright spot
Demand has shot up over the past year but there’s a caveat — China has been the big buyer
Reading Time: 4 minutes Barley growers will have a tough choice this spring: Target an oversaturated malt market or go for the red-hot one — feed barley. “It’s got to be a question a lot of farmers are asking themselves, especially if you’re in a region where feed and malt prices have been about the same,” said Geoff Backman, […] Read more
Alberta votes: The Big 3 issues for the province’s farm sector
Farm leaders say that keeping producers competitive is key, and why these issues must be addressed
Reading Time: 5 minutes Farm safety. The carbon tax. Research funding. These are the issues that are top of mind for Alberta’s farm leaders heading into the April 16 provincial election. And no matter which party Albertans elect, provincial farm leaders hope to see some movement on some critical policy decisions. “Oftentimes, agriculture gets overlooked among other sectors in […] Read more
More ag issues for Alberta’s next government
There are a host of issues that affect farm profitability — here are seven key ones
Reading Time: 2 minutes The carbon tax, research funding, and farm safety are three top-of-mind issues for Alberta’s farm leaders heading into the provincial election — but they’re not the only ones. Here’s what seven farm leaders had to say about other priorities for the next provincial government: 1. Market access “We want to make sure that, with these […] Read more
New type of school offers fresh air and fresh thinking
Reading Time: 3 minutes Every day for the past six years, Lindsey Morrison’s son has asked her, ‘Mommy, do I have to go to school today?’ “I started to think of school as a jail sentence for him,” said the Airdrie-area mother. “For him, it’s just not a good fit for how he learns. It’s not a good fit […] Read more
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