Reading Time: 3 minutes Spring — the time when so may things return — warm weather, birds, flowers, thoughts of love, and of course, road bans. That’s the common term for restricting heavy vehicles from damaging roads as the frost comes out of the ground, but there isn’t a common system of applying the bans across the province. Both […] Read more
Road ban season is upon us
Calgary Co-op weighs stall-free pork
Calgary Co-op is the latest food company casting a critical eye on the use of gestation stalls in the pork sector — but the company is working with Alberta Pork before taking action. Co-op members passed a non-binding resolution last month that would see the company stop selling pork from farms using the stalls within […] Read more
Alberta’s spring runoff not likely to cause flooding woes, but rain always a danger
Reading Time: 2 minutes The risk of flooding in Alberta this spring due to run-off is minimal, but there is still a risk from heavy rains, say Alberta government officials. Renee Hackney, a public affairs officer with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, said a recent forecast shows there’s no specific flooding concerns due to run-off from the snowpack […] Read more
Alberta Hatching Egg Producers nearly ready to rejoin national group
After withdrawing in 2004, AHEP is about to get back on board with the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers
Reading Time: < 1 minute After nearly a decade on its own, Alberta Hatching Egg Producers is close to rejoining the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers national board. “We’re just waiting for the national end to go through all the protocol,” said Kevin Tiemstra, Alberta representative to the national board. Alberta withdrew from the national quota agreement in 2004, partly over […] Read moreCattlemen’s Young Leaders program helping to develop future beef industry leaders
Reading Time: 3 minutes Mindful of its aging demographics, the beef sector is using an innovative mentorship program to foster the development of its next generation of leaders. “The program was designed to develop youths into the leaders we need them to be in the future,” said Jolene Noble, co-ordinator of the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program. The program matches […] Read more
Adopt-a-hen scheme helps fund university’s heritage chicken flocks
Professor says heritage breeds may not match commercial lines when it comes to efficiency and productivity but may have valuable traits, such as more robust immune systems
Reading Time: 2 minutes The University of Alberta has gotten into the egg business in a bid to maintain its flocks of heritage chickens. “We’ll raise the chicken for you and you get eggs every two weeks,” said Agnes Kulinski, business director of the university’s Poultry Research Centre. The centre, which has about 1,500 heritage-breed chickens, has an “adopt […] Read moreJBS boosting animal welfare practices at former XL Foods plant in Brooks
In addition to in-person ‘audits’ in the plant, JBS also uses video cameras to monitor workers and watch for signs of animals in distress
Reading Time: 2 minutes Food safety put the former XL Foods beef plant in the news, but new owners JBS USA will also be bolstering animal welfare oversight at the Brooks facility. “Animal welfare is a school zone — you don’t speed through school zones,” Lily Edwards-Callaway, who oversees the company’s animal welfare systems for pork and beef, told […] Read moreInnovative grain producers chosen as Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Family is a competitive advantage in the business of farming, says Alberta’s newest Outstanding Young Farmer. “(Family’s) been at the centre of our farm life for my entire life. It’s important for us to make this a family venture, something that everyone can derive some benefit from,” said Michael Kalisvaart, who along with wife Karen […] Read more
Farmers’ Advocate takes on lobbying role
Peter Dobbie outlines efforts on right-of-entry fees and clarifying regulations at Alberta Surface Rights Federation meeting
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farmers’ Advocate Office is taking a more proactive role and is lobbying the Alberta government to change some of its policies, says the head of the provincial agency. “We’re trying to influence government policy to take your interests and concerns into account,” Peter Dobbie told attendees at the recent Alberta Surface Rights Federation annual general […] Read moreIndustry representatives give go-ahead to keep developing a strategy for Canadian beef
Trio of leaders in beef sector gives first look at skeletal framework, gets input from summit attendees
Reading Time: 2 minutes The broad outlines of a plan to revitalize the Canadian beef industry received a welcome reception at a recent industry summit in Calgary. After stinging critique of their sector by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute last fall, Kim McConnell, Dave Andrews and John Kolk were asked in November to consult with industry players and create […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
