Alberta Farmer Staff

Reading Time: < 1 minute The amicable divorce between Italian automaker Fiat and its combined ag and industrial businesses, including Case IH, New Holland and Steyr, has been made official. Fiat Industrial, which officially “demerged” from Fiat on Jan. 1 and began trading on Italy’s MTA stock exchange, has named the new executive body that will oversee the company’s operations. […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture’s annual Greenfeed and Silage Production Survey reports growing conditions in 2010 were mainly favourable, despite the lack of precipitation in the Peace Region and excessive moisture in some other areas of the province. Statistics Canada estimates tame hay production but not greenfeed and silage, so ARD and AFSC staff do annual surveys by […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Viterra is in talks with the Montreal Port Authority to become the operator of the St. Lawrence Seaway port’s grain terminal. The Regina firm emphasized in a release that “no transaction has been finalized” with the port authority and discussions are ongoing. Viterra’s proposal calls for it to lease the terminal from the port authority […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Nearly half a million dollars in federal funding has been budgeted to help finalize a national ID and traceability plan for Canada’s sheep and goat sectors. The government on Jan. 31 announced over $487,000 for the Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF) and the Canadian National Goat Federation (CNGF) to set up “various communications products” and educate […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Cargill has announced plans to build a new crop-input facility on 40 acres about 20 km outside the town of Falher, to start operations this spring. “Our customers in the area are currently being serviced out of Cargill’s neighbouring Rycroft facility” about 100 km west of Falher, said Mike Witkowicz, Cargill AgHorizons’ farm service group […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Where’s the beef? Not in the taco, according to a class action launched by an Alabama law firm. WSFA News in Montgomery reports that the firm has alleged that fast-food giant Taco Bell uses false advertising when referring to the filling in their tacos as “beef.” “Rather than beef, these food items are actually made […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian Western Agribition’s CEO and general manager Jason Pollock plans to head back to ranching at the end of March and start a consulting career. Pollock plans to return to his family’s ranch at Maple Creek in southwestern Saskatchewan. An executive search will begin “immediately” for Pollock’s replacement, Agribition president Marilyn Charlton of Weyburn, Sask. […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes The forecast from the Canadian Wheat Board: up to 50 per cent greater accuracy from the online weather information system it offers to Prairie farmers. A new modelling system in place on WeatherFarm is expected to reduce error in short-term forecasts (that is, up to 12 hours) by up to 50 per cent, the CWB […] Read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute A nurse and former Lethbridge city councillor turned MLA will be the new critic on the agriculture and rural development file for Alberta’s provincial Liberals. Party leader David Swann on Jan. 20 shuffled the shadow cabinet in his eight-member caucus and named Bridget Pastoor to handle the agriculture, rural development, municipal affairs, seniors and community […] Read more