Sheri Monk

HUNGER GAMES Food security is becoming increasingly important 
as world hunger increases with its population

Reading Time: 3 minutes A seasoned trade negotiator says trade agreements will do a lot to open markets for Canadian beef, but once they’re open, a second ingredient is needed — customer demand. “Despite all the constraints and problems there may be, the future for Canadian agriculture and for Canadian meat production and beef production, I think is really very […] Read more

GO FIGURE Alberta’s lone gopher species is actually beneficial, with each individual turning more than 16 tons of soil yearly without disturbing the surface

Reading Time: 3 minutes Although we call them gophers, they are actually ground squirrels and five species call Alberta home. Pocket gophers do exist in Alberta, but they have much smaller eyes, larger teeth and aren’t as “cute” looking as the vermin people refer to as gophers. Richardson’s ground squirrel — Spermophilus richardsonii The most common and widespread ground […] Read more

REALITY BITES Consumers today want their Big Mac, but they want hormone- and antibiotic-free meat too

Reading Time: 3 minutes McDonald’s is an iconic brand which has transcended its all-American heritage to become the world’s most renowned fast-food brand leader. Yet to stay at the top, McDonald’s must change some of the same practices that got it there, says a senior company official. “As the face of Canada truly changes, so does its eating habits,” […] Read more

BUILDING BRIDGES Since 1992, Cows and Fish has worked 
to promote riparian health for the benefit of everyone

Reading Time: 2 minutes At first blush, cows and fish may not seem to share a lot of common ground, but a special film premiere this Friday (Mar. 28) will be about building bridges between the two. Cows and Fish is the common name for the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society, a non-profit, grassroots society established in 1992 to […] Read more

Preference While it won’t say so directly, Cargill prefers one brand of beta-agonist over the other

Reading Time: 3 minutes One of North America’s largest beef buyers is telling feeders that it wants a little more fat and a little less lean, and is delivering a not-so-subtle hint on their choice of growth promotants to achieve it. “Maximizing performance and efficiencies pre-harvest at the expense of beef taste and tenderness concerns us — it’s not […] Read more

TWO TESTS There are two free tests available — 
one to test for bacteria and the other for minerals

Reading Time: 2 minutes Testing well water can be a chore that folks tend to put off, but it’s easy, fast and best of all, it’s free to do. Alberta Health Services offers the testing, and all landowners have to do is drop by a community health centre or health unit to pick up a test kit. There are […] Read more

DESPERATE MEASURES Using poison to control gopher populations puts their natural predators at risk

Reading Time: 3 minutes Putting out poison bait for gophers should only be done in extreme situations and as a last resort. Raptors, coyotes, weasels, badgers and foxes are often killed by scavenging on poisoned gophers, and reducing the number of natural gopher predators only prolongs the pest problem in the long term. However, if poison is the only […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes It may not be the world’s oldest profession, but cattle rustling may be a close second — and producers say it’s on the rise. So much so, the Western Stock Growers’ Association (WSGA) is now offering a $50,000 reward for tips leading to the capture of cattle thieves. “We’ve always had up to a $1,000 […] Read more