Reading Time: 2 minutes AF contributor Earning the respect of urban Canada is becoming the most important role for farmers and their organizations, says Lynn Jacobson of Enchant, president of the Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission. Jacobson old delegates to the group’s annual meeting farmers account for only two per cent of the Canadian population. Only one in every […] Read more
Farmers Need To Get In Front Of Their Own Issues
Soft Wheat Growers Issue Ultimatum To Industry
Reading Time: 2 minutes ”We can’t, we won’t continue to produce soft white spring wheat at these costs and these returns.” AF contributor Southern Alberta soft wheat growers are on the warpath for a new grain marketing program with millers and end users that will assure a reasonable return for the irrigated crop. Lynn Jacobson of Enchant, president of […] Read more
Breeder Brought Red Angus To Canada
Reading Time: 4 minutes Though Don Mackenzie can’t remember a time without cattle, he has dispersed his purebred Red Angus herd. But he won’t have to go far to stay involved with daughter Jade taking a run at a third generation on the ranch nestled on the flat prairie in full view of Chief Mountain and the majestic Rockies […] Read more
It’s The Number And Dose That Counts
Reading Time: 3 minutes “Conclusion, if you are hungry, thirsty, unkempt and bored you’ll likely have a long life.” Joe Schwarcz says there’s so much conflicting information on food out there these days that it’s enough to drive you to drink. That might be okay as long as it’s red wine to clean out the arteries. Until you learn […] Read more
Prion-Destroying Plant Planned For Lacombe
Reading Time: 2 minutes Years of research and testing in Scotland to confirm a new Canadian technology to destroy BSE prions and other infectious proteins and disease agents has Biosphere Technologies on the verge of building a commercial-scale demonstration plant in Lacombe. Biosphere president and CEO Erick Schmidt is the mastermind behind a process that uses high-temperature saturated steam […] Read more
Need To Hire More Farm Workers? Flexibility Is Key
Reading Time: 2 minutes At a time when it’s increasingly hard for agricultural businesses to attract and retain employees, employers need to be flexible and open to new sources of talent, says a specialist with an agricultural recruitment firm. Steve Peddie of AgCall in Calgary says there are key management tactics that can encourage a farm worker to stay […] Read more
Managing Compliance With Mandatory Carbon Emission Cuts
Reading Time: 2 minutes Climate Change Central (CCC) cont inues to find ways to fight global warming by connecting carbon emitters with carbon trappers to benefit both sectors of industry to help the environment. Tanya Maynes of Calgary, who works as a carbon offset manager for CCC, mainly in agriculture and forestry, said the movement is gaining steam. It […] Read more
It Was Not A Sweet Year For The Sugar Beet Harvest
Reading Time: 2 minutes This fall’s sugar harvest was a battle between Mother Nature and southern Alberta farmers. Mother Nature won. Andrew Llewelyn-Jones of Taber, agricultural superintendent at the Lantic Sugar plant in Taber, said the latest blast of winter forced the company and officials of Alberta Sugar Beet Growers Marketing Board to call a halt to field operations. […] Read more
Balancing The Water Demands Of Agriculture And Cities
Reading Time: 3 minutes “You could double the demand from all other users and it would not be a huge amount of water.” Water licence reallocation is not likely to be a major issue in irrigation-rich southern Alberta, says the head of the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association (AIPA). Richard Phillips of Vauxhall, general manager of the Bow River Irrigation […] Read more
Old Alberta And Montana Water War May End
Reading Time: 3 minutes Water has been a thorn between Alberta and Montana for years, but thanks to a citizen-based Joint Initiative Team (JIT) a new understanding on the sharing of the waters in the St. Mary and Milk rivers has never been closer. About 20 southern Alberta irrigation district officials met recently with the Alberta JIT for a […] Read more
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