Two types H type and L type were discovered as a result of better science and testing methods
Reading Time: 3 minutes The USDA announced on April 24 it had discovered its fourth case of BSE in a California dairy cow — the first animal to test positive in the U.S. since 2006. Trade disruptions are not expected as a result of the latest American case. Within 12 hours of the announcement, some South Korean retailers were […] Read moreFourth case of BSE discovered in the U.S.
CAP bringing the farmto the urban classroom
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED CAP’s volunteer force is 200 strong, but more are always welcome
Reading Time: 2 minutes For more than 25 years, many Grade 4 students in Alberta have had the opportunity to learn where their food comes from, thanks to the Classroom Agriculture Program (CAP). The organization was created by Vickie King, a member of the Alberta Women in Support of Agriculture. In 1985, she received some initial funding from the […] Read moreBugging out at Lethbridge College
PEST POWER New course, which is open to producers, examines how to identify and scout problem insects and determine the economic threshold for spraying
Reading Time: 2 minutes Love them or hate them, insects are an inescapable part of life on the farm. But in the battle of the bugs, knowledge is power — and that’s why Lethbridge College is offering a new course in agricultural entomology. “It is one of the courses for our students but that being said, it is open […] Read moreAlberta high schools going green
COW-CALF MOST POPULAR The most popular program is the cow-calf sector, followed closely by the equine program, launched in 1999
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Green Certificate Program is available in 206 high schools in Alberta to offer students in agriculture a practical, valuable head start on career training. The program has been in existence since 1975, and in 1999 it was brought into the program of studies through Alberta Education and it was brought in as part of […] Read moreMuzzled media spells bad news for democracy
Fiscal conservatism It doesn’t seem to apply when hiring communications staff to screen questions
Reading Time: 2 minutes This is supposed to be the era of instant communications but you wouldn’t know it when dealing with the federal government these days. Accessing even the most mundane information has become tedious and time consuming. In the past, communications staff facilitated information gathering by answering media requests with an expert or source who could best […] Read moreEvery family needs an emergency plan
BUG-OUT BAG Households should have a kit ready to go with them that includes everything they need to survive for five days
Reading Time: 3 minutes No one likes to think about losing their home or their loved ones in a tragedy like a fire, but it happens to people every year. However, the risk can be lowered with sound planning and good communication among family members, neighbours and communities. John Muir, spokesman for the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, says every […] Read morePink slime a learning opportunity for Canada
Trust issues The furor over the beef additive comes at a time when consumers are leery of industry and government
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pink slime controversy is poised to become an infamous part of our cultural food lexicon — it’s gone viral and unfortunately, it’s given the beef industry another black eye. Pink slime refers to lean finely textured beef, or LFTB, an additive used as filler in ground beef. In fact, it really is still beef. […] Read moreBetter safe than sorry
Reading Time: < 1 minute Living in a rural area puts you in danger of being exposed to hantavirus, but you can reduce the risk: Take steps to reduce the rodent population, but don’t kill their natural predators. Keep pet food and horse feed in plastic rodent-proof containers. Reduce potential nesting sites by keeping your property clean and woodpiles 100 […] Read more
Hantavirus: Rare, but often deadly
SAFETY FIRST When cleaning out areas that could have housed mice, take precautions such as goggles, a mask and gloves
Reading Time: 2 minutes In the giddy delight of longer days and warmer temperatures, many landowners will take to cleaning outbuildings and machinery without realizing it could expose them to a rare but often fatal disease. Hantavirus is contracted by inhaling infected droplets from rodent urine, saliva and feces. There are many hantaviruses, but the one found in Canada […] Read moreCalgary woman contracts hantavirus, lives to tell tale
DEADLY DUST Cathy was infected after sweeping the floor near some firewood contaminated with mouse feces and urine
Reading Time: 3 minutes One week, Cathy was a vibrant and healthy wife, mother and music teacher. The next, she was fighting for her life in a Calgary hospital, wondering whether she’d see her son’s next birthday. Cathy K. (her last name withheld by request) was exposed to hantavirus around Halloween of 2002, when she was 44 years old. […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
