Reading Time: 3 minutes You might not guess Allison Ammeter is a farmer just by looking at her. And you wouldn’t be alone. One time, she introduced herself as a farmer during a meeting with a Calgary design firm in a funky little downtown office. The designer took one look at Ammeter’s red high heels and said, “You don’t […] Read more
Farm leader urges her fellow women farmers not to hold back
Alberta Pulse Growers vp Allison Ammeter has learned not being the ‘hands-on’ type isn’t a barrier for women in agriculture
Pea leaf weevil popping up in south
Pea or faba bean crops seeded in mid- to late May will likely see a reduced risk of pea leaf weevil infestation this summer
Reading Time: 2 minutes Pea leaf weevils are starting to spring up in pea and faba bean crops in southern Alberta, but the cool, damp start to spring could keep infestation levels low this summer. “The years when we have the highest risk are actually years with early, warm springs,” said Hector Carcamo, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food […] Read more
Root rot risk on the rise
Root rot symptoms are often confused with other crop problems, so early detection and accurate diagnosis is critical
Reading Time: 3 minutes Early-season root rots could be on the rise in areas of the province that had a cool, wet start to seeding. “In the past few years, we’ve seen a lot of root disease issues, and I would say they’re primarily driven by environment,” said Michael Harding, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “These […] Read more
Are you a good steward of your land? There’s an app for that
Big food companies are demanding farmers prove they are reducing their environmental impact
Reading Time: 3 minutes Hundreds and hundreds of producers” are needed to help fine tune a new environmental sustainability calculator before it’s ready to launch. The open-source calculator is the latest development in the growing trend to demonstrate to consumers that farmers are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact and being good stewards of the land. Companies such […] Read more
Ag research isn’t always pretty — but it’s always pretty interesting
Reading Time: < 1 minute The first thing we were asked when we entered the barn at the University of Alberta’s Dairy Research Technology Centre was, “No pictures, please.” But Harold Lehman, who manages the facility, had a good reason for it. “Most people will see these pictures and not have any context about what’s going on,” he told the […] Read more
Whoa — don’t rush in when buying your first horse
First-time horse buyers can be tripped up in many ways, says trainer Roy Sturgeon
Reading Time: 2 minutes Roy Sturgeon goes on Kijiji four or five times a day to find his next horse. And with the lifetime of horsemanship under his belt, he can afford to be a little less picky than the average buyer. “Most of the horses I buy, I buy thinking there’s some sort of hole in them that […] Read more
Increased disease pressure, weed competition a possibility for crops this summer
The cool, wet spring could mean increased disease pressure and weed competition later in the growing season
Reading Time: 2 minutes The cool, damp weather of early spring delayed seeding across Alberta, but “it’s still early,” says a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Last year, more than half the (canola) acres were seeded after May 20,” said Neil Whatley. “We’ve got lots of time until freeze-up in the fall. There’s no use panicking […] Read more
Screamin Brothers dishes up a double scoop of generosity
Reading Time: 2 minutes One Alberta farm family has turned a global tragedy into an opportunity to help impoverished children — with some pretty tasty results. In 2010, then 10-year-old J.R. Wikkerink was awaiting the arrival of his adopted baby brother from Haiti when a catastrophic earthquake devastated the country, leaving his new sibling living in a tent and […] Read more
Expert says productivity has trumped welfare in breeding programs
New breeding techniques could improve welfare-related traits in animals, creating a win-win for livestock industry
Reading Time: 3 minutes Animal welfare shouldn’t take a back seat to productivity, says an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist. “Health and welfare traits should take precedence over production traits,” said Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein at the recent Livestock Genomics in Alberta conference. “Successful livestock production will only be accomplished through welfare-conscious management.” But that hasn’t been the case in […] Read more
Dairy production dips as cull cow prices soar
Dairy production in Alberta has dropped to its lowest level in a year — and the high price of cull cows is to blame
Reading Time: 2 minutes The price of replacement dairy heifers in Eastern Canada is keeping cull cows on the farm longer, reducing milk production by almost three per cent in Ontario from the same time last year. But in Alberta, it’s the strong price of cull cows that’s keeping milk production down. “Cull prices are really, really high,” said […] Read more
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