Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s not an easy sell, but the chair of the Alberta Barley Commission’s market development group says a recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea was a solid step forward. Glenn Logan was part of a delegation of Canadians on the two-week-long trade mission, and said the Asian nations are important target markets for […] Read more
Commission touts benefits of Alberta barley in South Korea and Japan
CLA — it may be good for you, but you won’t get it from steak
Reading Time: 3 minutes The health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and other beneficial natural fats still look promising, but grass-fed beef may not be the way to get an extra dose. The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has stopped funding studies into whether diet can increase CLA content in beef, said science director Reynold Bergen. “We are […] Read more
A DONE DEAL: Mandatory $1 cattle checkoff will continue thanks to memorandum of understanding
Reading Time: 2 minutes An agreement has been reached to keep the $1 non-refundable cattle checkoff mandatory in Alberta. “Basically the crux of the understanding that we reached was the piece of legislation or the piece of regulation that allows the ABP (Alberta Beef Producers) to collect a $1 non-refundable federal levy will continue until June 30 of 2015,” […] Read more
Alberta Egg Farmers look to alternative housing systems
Reading Time: 2 minutes Egg farmers in Alberta will likely start to move away from conventional cages thanks to a resolution passed during the Egg Farmers of Alberta (EFA) annual general meeting held recently in Red Deer. “It was giving our board the mandate to look towards enacting a policy that would begin the process of transitioning our industry […] Read more
MLA renews efforts to get farm worker safety legislation
David Swann contrasts Alberta’s animal care legislation with lack of similar legislation for farm workers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Calgary MLA and Liberal Agriculture Critic David Swann used the occasion of the annual Agriculture Safety Week to repeat his calls for health and safety regulations for farm workers. During a private members’ address to the legislature on March 11, Swann reminded the MLAs that Premier Alison Redford promised during her leadership campaign to address […] Read moreSupply management groups plan PR campaign to combat “misinformation and misperceptions”
Research conducted for the province’s five supply-managed commodities has found many consumers have a negative view of the system
Reading Time: 2 minutes Provincial groups representing the five supply-managed commodities are teaming up to get their story out “We’ve done some consumer research and really shown that a lot of negative feedback about the system is all based on misinformation and misperceptions, mostly,” said David Webb, marketing and communications manager for the Egg Farmers of Alberta. His organization, […] Read moreBull sale pulls in buyers from all over North America
Reading Time: < 1 minute Bidders were ready for action at the 113th Calgary Bull Sale. Angus bulls were the first on the block March 7 at the pavilion on the Calgary Stampede Grounds. Grant Hirsche, of Hirsche Here-fords & Angus Ltd., said in general prices on Angus bulls had dropped over previous years. “Prices are down a little bit […] Read more
New study says pollination by wild bees boosts crop yields
BEE BUZZ Experts say building up natural habitats for wild insects near fields would have beneficial results
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wild bees and other pollinating insects can make quite a difference when it comes to crop yields, according to a new study. “Our message is not that honeybees are bad — it’s that we could do better if, in addition, we were encouraging more activity by wild insects,” said Lawrence Harder, a professor of biological […] Read moreProfessor decries local-food movement and praises the ‘10,000-mile diet’
GLOBAL GOOD Academic says there are many good reasons why local food was replaced by global food chains — including better variety and price, improved food security, and energy efficiency
Reading Time: 2 minutes Local food is mostly a fad that won’t last because it’s inferior to the “10,000-mile diet.” That was the message University of Toronto geography professor, Pierre Desrochers, delivered at the recent Alberta Beef Industry Conference in Banff. “It really has become a way to protest against ‘the man,’” Desrochers said. “Backwards is the new forward.” […] Read moreOnline marketing offers opportunity to connect directly with consumers
TARGETING SUCCESS Social media expert says there are a host of ways to connect with consumers who want the goods or services you are selling
Reading Time: 2 minutes You don’t need a horde of Twitter followers or Facebook friends to attract consumers to your farm business — as long as you have a strong story to tell. “We no longer have to cast a big fishing net, hoping to catch something,” Laura Bodell of Bella Spur Innovative Media said at the recent Ranching […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
