Reading Time: < 1 minute Managed grazing in riparian areas pays dividends, says Cows and Fish, which has released results of an assessment of ranches along two headwater streams of the Bow and Oldman rivers. The sites had already been assessed twice over the last two decades. Not only had the riparian health improved but is now above the provincial […] Read more

Grazing benefits riparian health

4-H’ers urged to put on that lab coat
Reading Time: < 1 minute Entries for the 4-H Canada Science Fair are now being accepted. 4-H’ers in Grades 7 to 12 can pick any topic they like for their science fair project. Resources are available at the 4-H Canada website along with descriptions of past winners. For example, last year the bronze medal in the national Canada Science Fair […] Read more
Olds College, USask working together on ag-tech research
Reading Time: < 1 minute Olds College is partnering up with the University of Saskatchewan on agricultural technology research. The two schools recently signed a five-year memorandum of understanding “to collaborate in joint activities related to automation and increased incorporation of digital data in agriculture.” That will include a working relationship between Olds College’s Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production […] Read more

Irrigation packs a big economic punch
Reading Time: < 1 minute Irrigation is an economic engine that keeps on getting bigger and contributing more to the provincial economy, according to a new study commissioned by the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association. The study concluded the economic contribution of irrigated crop and livestock production along with irrigation-related food processing and certain non-irrigation benefits added $5.4 billion annually to […] Read more

Fertilizer prices to stay high
Reading Time: < 1 minute Farmers, at least those south of the border, won’t see any easing of fertilizer prices until after they’ve got a crop in the ground, according to a new report from CoBank, a major U.S. ag lender. “Fertilizer prices are expected to remain elevated for at least the next six months and throughout the 2022 spring […] Read more
Food aid volunteer group in the Peace gets a boost
Reading Time: < 1 minute Peace Country Gleaners, a non-profit in La Crete that helps feed hungry people around the world, has been awarded the $25,000 grand prize in the BASF Community Challenge. The nine-year-old organization processes locally grown vegetables, which are then dehydrated, used in soup mixes made by a sister group in B.C. and distributed by food aid […] Read more

2021 was a bad crop year, but not 2002 bad
Reading Time: < 1 minute It was the worst year in a generation but production in Alberta was still considerably better than 2002. For example, spring wheat production this year fell to 5.71 million tonnes (according to the latest StatCan estimates). But that’s more than double the 2.59 million tonnes in 2002. On a per-seeded-acre basis, it was 35.9 bushels per […] Read more
Covid precaution sees one event cancelled, another go virtual
Reading Time: < 1 minute Citing “the risk of a fifth wave,” organizers have cancelled FarmTech for a second year. “With the recent announcement made by the Alberta government’s ongoing work to protect Albertans from COVID-19 and the possibility of increased cases and transmissions this winter, we made the difficult decision to postpone FarmTech 2022,” said Janine Paly, chair of […] Read more

PHOTOS: Wild pigs a growing threat
Reading Time: < 1 minute Feral pigs are spreading across Alberta. What are the signs of their presence? What should you do if you spot tracks or if you suspect they’re in your area? Find out here.

Plot2Farm heading into third season
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley are now taking Plot2Farm applications for next year. The initiative was launched in 2020 to better understand “how particular management practices impact crop quality and yield” on individual farms. The program seeks to replicate promising small-plot trial research results on farms, with producers being assisted by an agronomist. This allows […] Read more