Reading Time: 6 minutes Glyphosate changed farming across the globe — but if farmers don’t want to lose the ‘chemical of the century’ entirely, they’d better use it less often. That’s the view of a seed grower from New Zealand who made farming without glyphosate the focus of his Nuffield research. It’s hard to overstate the impact of this […] Read more
A world without Roundup is a ‘real threat’
But reduced use is an option and can thwart both proposed bans and resistance
Drought may have set up weeds nicely for 2022
And while disease levels dropped last year, they could easily come roaring back in 2022
Reading Time: 4 minutes This summer’s hot, dry conditions made weeds harder to manage this year — and that’s not good news for next year. “This year, precipitation was one of the biggest driving factors for what we saw showing up in fields,” said federal research scientist Charles Geddes. “We ended up seeing a lot more flushes of weeds […] Read more
Alberta cereal commissions ‘halfway there’ on merger vote
If wheat growers vote in favour next month, a plebiscite will be held on sealing the deal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta Barley is one step closer to amalgamating with Alberta Wheat following a vote in favour of the proposal at the barley growers’ annual general meeting early this month. “At our AGM last week, the Alberta Barley delegates voted highly in favour of moving forward,” said chair Tara Sawyer. “Now the next step is the […] Read more
Ambulance shortage leaves Alberta’s rural residents at risk
Increasingly, the closest ambulance is ‘an hour away,’ say both paramedic association and union
Reading Time: 5 minutes The paramedic service is stretched to the breaking point and increasingly, there are no ambulances available when a rural resident suffers a medical emergency, say officials representing those first responders. “There’s 60 per cent more calls for 911 today than we were seeing about 10 years ago,” said Mike Parker, president of the Health Sciences […] Read more
Opportunity awaits: Will Alberta seize the day in pulse processing?
The province’s pulse sector saw setbacks and successes in 2021, but what happens next will be key
Reading Time: 6 minutes Pulse processing on the Prairies has come a long way, but there’s still a long way to go — especially here in Alberta. “If you’d asked me 10 years ago, I would have said, ‘Ten years from now, we shouldn’t be shipping yellow peas away.’ And here we are, still fractionating far too large a […] Read more
University of Alberta’s heritage chickens dodge the budget axe once again
Egg-loving supporters and backyard chicken enthusiasts preserving this invaluable genetic resource
Reading Time: 5 minutes They’re a living piece of Canada’s history and a potentially invaluable genetic resource — but the University of Alberta’s heritage chickens are also proving adept at dodging the budget axe. “They’re living museums,” said Dawn Hage, co-ordinator of the university’s heritage chicken program. “It’s like a snapshot of the kinds of chickens that you would […] Read more
Don’t panic yet: Normal grain movement should be restored
Barring more torrential rains, railways should be able to catch up on grain deliveries by spring
Reading Time: 4 minutes Grain has once again started moving to the Port of Vancouver after last month’s flooding — but very slowly. “For the next couple of months, I think it’s going to be a very light program out of Vancouver,” Quorum Corp. president Mark Hemmes said on Dec. 3. “They’ve got track back, but a lot of […] Read more
Late enrolment in AgriStability not much help, says Alberta Wheat
An uncertain AgriStability payout a year from now won’t help grain farmers facing cash flow issues
Reading Time: 3 minutes Allowing for late participation in AgriStability is unlikely to help Alberta producers facing a cash flow crunch. “We’re going to be going into a period of significant cash flow shortages for farmers — maybe not all, but many,” said Tom Steve, general manager of Alberta Wheat and Barley. “Late enrolment would be fine, but is […] Read more
Taking the path of least resistance opens door to clubroot ‘disaster’
Only use resistant cultivars, says canola council, and back it up with scouting and longer rotations
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canola growers should keep one simple message in mind when choosing their varieties for next year’s growing season: Every acre needs to be clubroot resistant. “What we’re trying to do is really focus on using clubroot resistance as part of a proactive, integrated prevention or management plan for every canola acre,” said Autumn Barnes, agronomy […] Read more
Vote nears on long-discussed merger of cereal groups
Feedback has been positive but how checkoff dollars would be spent after a union is an issue
Reading Time: 3 minutes A proposed merger between Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley isn’t a done deal yet — but the process is gathering steam with producer voting just weeks away. “We’ve had pretty resounding positive feedback to continue moving forward with this process, but we’re still looking for feedback from producers,” said Todd Hames, chair of Alberta Wheat. […] Read more
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