One newcomer on RDAR board

One newcomer on RDAR board

Reading Time: < 1 minute David Chalack has been re-elected to the board of RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research) and will continue as chair. Bentley producer Jason Lenz was also re-elected earlier this month to a three-year term. New to the board is Josie Van Lent, dean of agriculture technology and applied research at Lakeland College. Directors are elected by […] Read more

CCA looks back on 90 years

CCA looks back on 90 years

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattle Association is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a series of videos. The initial video looks at how marketing at a new level has paid off. “We’ve become the second-largest high-quality, grain-fed beef producer in the world,” CCA executive vice-president Dennis Laycraft says in the video. “We went from producing bone-in product … […] Read more


Many farmers say they fear a false or easy-to-fix error code could shut them down at harvest or seeding while they wait for an authorized technician to come to their farm. But a U.S. farm group says its deal with Deere will address the ‘right to repair’ issue.

Deere strikes right to repair deal with American Farm Bureau

Agreement pledges ‘fair and reasonable access’ to codes, data, manuals and diagnostic tools

Reading Time: 2 minutes A deal between the American Farm Bureau Federation and Deere and Co. will ensure farmers have the right to repair their own equipment or go to an independent technician, says the farm group. “This will enable you and your independent mechanics to identify and fix problems,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the farm bureau, which […] Read more

File photo of potatoes in storage. (Kativ/E+/Getty Images)

Potato storage research to get boost

A federal-provincial investment goes to improve an existing storage facility at the University of Manitoba

Manitoba’s potato research landscape is getting a funding injection to improve infrastructure. The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing $98,970 through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to upgrade the University of Manitoba’s horticulture storage facility so it can conduct potato research. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and provincial Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson made the announcement […] Read more


A range of farm safety topics will be presented beginning on Jan. 31.

Webinars offer expert advice on making your farm safer

Reading Time: < 1 minute AgSafe Alberta is putting on a series of webinars to promote farm safety.  On Jan. 31, an expert from the University of Iowa will discuss safety training for young adults and teens. Younger people are at an increased risk of injury because of developmental differences (both physical and cognitive), inexperience, fatigue and distracted behaviours.  On […] Read more

Today most fescue grasslands are gone — the Nature Conservancy of Canada calls them the most endangered ecosystem in the world. But there are still healthy pockets in Alberta.

PHOTOS: The rough fescue grasses of Alberta

Reading Time: < 1 minute Rough fescue is a densely tufted bunchgrass. Three varieties grow in Canada: Plains rough fescue, foothills rough fescue and northern rough fescue. What makes these grasses unique, owner of Mount Sentinel Ranch Sarah Green says, is that unlike other grasses, they cure on long stems above ground, keeping palatable high-quality nutrients available even in deep […] Read more


Round 2 of climate funding set to start

Round 2 of climate funding set to start

Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers will again be able to apply for grants from the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. More than 700 applications were received from Alberta producers during the first round of funding last year by RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research), which is administering most of Alberta’s share of the $200 million federal program. Farms can get up […] Read more

“Feedlot margins are expected to increase and, in combination with an improved demand for replacement cattle, feeder cattle prices are expected to strengthen over the summer 2023.” – Ann Boyda.

Backlog of fed cattle should soon be cleared, says analyst

There are still challenges, but the coming year is shaping up well so far

Reading Time: 2 minutes A backlog of fed cattle that has adversely affected feedlots should start to clear soon, says a livestock economist with Alberta’s agriculture department. Feedlots in Alberta and Saskatchewan had plenty of fed cattle supply at the end of 2022 and fed cattle basis levels were wide, said Ann Boyda. “Any further backlog is expected to […] Read more


Andrashewski elected to canola board

Reading Time: < 1 minute Jeanette Andrashewski has been elected to the Alberta Canola Producers Commission board following an election that featured four candidates. The grower from Two Hills was the “clear winner” after the mail-in ballots for Region 4 were counted, the organization said. The commission has 12 regions, with Region 4 covering five counties (Beaver, Strathcona, Two Hills, […] Read more

Assessing lameness in livestock for transport

Assessing lameness in livestock for transport

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has created a simple one-page infographic that can be used to assess the fitness of an animal for transport. The ‘Assessing lameness for transport’ poster outlines the yes/no questions to be answered when rating an animal, which is either placed in a ‘Go,’ ‘Unfit’ or ‘Compromised’ category. Depending on the […] Read more