Reading Time: < 1 minute Hopefully, visitors won’t have to stay “two llamas apart” when Alberta Open Farm Days rolls around in August. The nine-year-old event stayed calm and carried on last summer, with 77 host farms (and two dozen culinary events) welcoming socially distanced visitors. That was only about half the usual number, and activities that put people in […] Read more
Farms can still sign up for Alberta Open Farm Days
Registration deadline is May 31
UCVM takes on poultry diagnostics
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine (UCVM) and Alberta’s four poultry producer boards are partnering on a poultry diagnostic system. Formerly provided by Poultry Health Services, the program can test for diseases such as avian flu, E. coli, and other pathogens and microbes. Poultry Health Services of Airdrie, which serves the commercial poultry […] Read more
W.A. Grain & Pulse Solutions has licences suspended
Company says it was in ‘constant contact’ with the Canadian Grain Commission over financial situation
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – W.A. Grain & Pulse Solutions has had its licences temporarily suspended by the Canadian Grain Commission and the company’s owner says the firm is facing “a worst-case scenario.” The Innisfail company, which has two elevators in Alberta and three in Saskatchewan, had its licences suspended by the grain commission on April 20 […] Read more
Alberta’s Blue Book is the same, but better
Reading Time: < 1 minute While the latest edition of the Blue Book is basically the same, it has a few “refinements.” When the province announced last year it would no longer publish the crop protection guide on fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and seed treatments, the big four crop commissions stepped in. That includes a rewrite (by AgSafe Alberta) of the […] Read more
Livestock watering system wins innovation award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Consort-area rancher Lee Smith has won the Award of Distinction for Innovation from Alberta Farm Animal Care. The Water Box (thewaterboxltd.com) can be inserted through the ice at shallow depths of water that is flowing. Cattle can access water by lifting a lever with their nose and there’s also a mineral tub insert so it […] Read more
More irrigation being contemplated
Reading Time: < 1 minute More irrigation could be coming to Alberta. A study will be undertaken to see if expanding irrigation in the Special Areas and the MD of Acadia is doable, the province says. The Special Areas board and municipality are working with the province and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (which put up most of the money for […] Read more
Ag lender pledges new approach to Indigenous people
Reading Time: < 1 minute The country’s top ag lender says that in order to serve Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs, it needs to “better understand” them. “Diversification of Canada’s agriculture and food industry is one of our top priorities,” said Michael Hoffort, president and CEO of Farm Credit Canada. “It begins with developing a deeper understanding of Indigenous agriculture — […] Read more
Swine fever containment plan agreed to
Reading Time: < 1 minute If African swine fever ever found its way into wild pigs in Canada, exports of pigs and pork would come to a screeching halt — even if commercial hog farms were totally free of infection. But food inspection agencies in Ottawa and Washington have come up with a plan to “minimize trade impacts while protecting […] Read more
Cereal groups launch joint website
Reading Time: < 1 minute They haven’t reached the altar yet, but Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley have taken another step down the aisle by launching a joint website at albertawheatbarley.com. The two cereal commissions moved to a combined management structure in 2018 and are in the midst of considering a full merger. A committee is currently putting together a […] Read more
Farmers asked to back gene editing
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers are being asked to urge Health Canada to adopt “fair and reasonable rules” for gene editing. The department is conducting a public consultation on “novel food” guidelines, which could impact use of gene editing by plant breeders. Canada has not kept pace with other countries, says an alliance of national farm groups and industry […] Read more
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