Reading Time: 3 minutes So what’s it going to be on your wheat acres? Canadian Prairie Spring or Canadian Western Red Spring? “For us, it all comes down to what we can grow well and how it pencils out in terms of profitability,” said Hannah Konschuh, who farms near Cluny. “Usually, it’s dictated by the markets. At this point […] Read more
Wheat class is now in session — which one will you grow?
Hard red spring dominates wheat acres in Alberta, but you have to do the math for your farm
Dodging the taxman may be costing you
Paying some tax makes sense, but cash deferrals and pre-buying inputs don’t always, says accountant
Reading Time: 3 minutes Some of the farmers Rob Strilchuk works with seem to think that $1 is too much tax to pay. “I have clients who spend $100 to save $15 in tax,” said the MNP accountant. “I get it. I don’t want cash to go to Revenue Canada for any of my clients, either. But there is […] Read more
Training program growing the next generation of farm leaders
Program helps younger farmers become leaders in agriculture and their community
Reading Time: 4 minutes Jeremie Turcotte isn’t so sure he knows enough about agriculture to be considered a ‘young leader’ in the industry. “I never spent a day of my life on a farm until four years ago,” said Turcotte, who now operates a 2,000-acre grain farm with extended family near Peace River. “It’s so new to me, and […] Read more
A new dawn? Sustainable beef puts money in producers’ pockets
It’s only $10 a cow, but pilot marks the first time producers have been paid for their stewardship efforts
Reading Time: 4 minutes The first rubber-meets-the-road test of the years-long effort to make sustainable beef a paying proposition has been a success. After three months of testing, the Canadian Beef Sustainability Acceleration pilot project has shown that tracing certified sustainable cattle and beef through the supply chain is possible at current volumes. “It’s one of the first times […] Read more
Cattle prices are expected to be good this year — but not 2017 good
There will be more beef on the market but a robust economy should keep demand strong
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cattle producers hit it out of the park in 2017 — but this year is going to be a completely different ball game. “Last year, we saw some pretty big home runs, and I don’t really anticipate that for this year,” said Brian Perillat, manager and senior analyst at Canfax. “Small wins might be all […] Read more
Canola acres set to jump, but so will the risk of disease
Canola plantings are expected to increase by about one million acres, and that means more disease risk
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canola could top out at over 24 million acres in Canada this year — one million more acres than growers planted in 2017. “With the relative return right now, canola is looking better than wheat,” said Murray Hartman, oilseed specialist for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “If these kinds of price signals continue or strengthen in […] Read more
Organic record-keeping made easier
It’s important for organic producers to understand the standards — and how certifiers interpret those rules
Reading Time: 3 minutes Organic production comes with its own headaches — but that’s nothing compared to organic record-keeping. “It’s a crush of paperwork,” said Ward Middleton, an organic grain producer from Morinville. “It seems thoroughly intimidating, and we need to make it as easy as possible. Otherwise, we’ll never entice larger farms to go organic.” Organic certifying bodies […] Read more
The stereotypical organic consumer doesn’t exist anymore
Alberta has the highest proportion of organic consumers of any province in the country
Reading Time: 3 minutes If newspaper headlines are to be believed, millennials have already killed the paper napkin industry, department stores, and beer (somehow). Could conventional agriculture be next? Nah. All the generations are working on that one, says an organic industry official. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a millennial, Gen X, or baby boomer — across the board, […] Read more
Ottawa’s big cheque will pay even bigger dividends, says pulse group
But critics decry federal grants to next-gen industries
Reading Time: 4 minutes Critics are calling it “corporate welfare,” but the supporters of a protein supercluster say $150 million-plus in federal funding will turn pulses into the next canola. There’s never complete buy-in for this sort of government action, but projects like this typically aren’t possible without government funding, said Ron Styles, acting president of Protein Industries Canada. […] Read more
Kirriemuir producers named top young farmers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s newest Outstanding Young Farmers don’t really see themselves as special. They see themselves as lucky. “We’re not extraordinary by any means,” said Craig Ference of Double F Farms near Kirriemuir. “We’re just doing what we love. We’re very fortunate to be Alberta farmers.” But luck had nothing to do with the Ferences’ recent win […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
