Reading Time: 3 minutes Arecent visit to the Fraser Valley brought a sensory highlight clearly to mind. Valley farmers were in the midst of spreading manure onto recently harvested fields. To those of us in agriculture this would just be part of the annual production process and of no particular consequence. However to non-agriculture folk living nearby this practice […] Read more
Bio-Power Needs A Great Leap Of Faith From Governments – for Oct. 25, 2010
Editor – for Oct. 11, 2010
Reading Time: 2 minutes Phone: 403-697-4703 Email: [email protected] PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Shawna Gibson Email: [email protected] ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER Farrah Wilson Email: [email protected] DIRECTOR OF SALES &CIRCULATION Lynda Tityk Email: [email protected] CIRCULATION MANAGER Heather Anderson Email: [email protected] NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES James Shaw Phone: 416-231-1812 Fax: 416-233-4858 Email: [email protected] CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SALES Maureen Heon Phone: 1-888-413-3325 Fax: 403-341-0615 Email: [email protected] ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR […] Read more
Critical CWB Activity May Be Its Most Important – for Oct. 11, 2010
Reading Time: 3 minutes Another Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) director election is upon us and it seems a bit quiet so far. Considering the acrimonious position of the Conservative government on the CWB and its past meddling in its affairs, one almost expects some more political mischief from them sooner or later. On the other hand if they do […] Read more
Producer Groups Reach Deal On Non-Refundable Checkoff – for Sep. 13, 2010
Reading Time: 3 minutes A compromise appears to have been reached between the Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) and the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association over the fate of the national cattle checkoff. After meetings between their boards over the summer, the two groups have agreed to recommend to Minister of Agriculture Jack Hayden that the $1-per-head national portion of the […] Read more
Traceability Just Another Annoyance In ID Saga – for Sep. 13, 2010
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s getting to be more than 10 years since the cattle and livestock identification (ID) issue has dragged on its long weary course. I say this because even last month at a Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) committee meeting, attendees were grappling with the latest chapter, that being the rush to traceability, instigated by the federal […] Read more
Historic OH Ranch Operation Up For Sale – for Sep. 13, 2010
Reading Time: 2 minutes The iconic OH ranch in Longview has been put up for sale by the estate of the late Doc Seaman. The asking price of $49 million is for the total operation which includes additional OH ranch properties located at Pekisko, Dorothy and Bassano, involving about 20,000 hectares of deeded and leasehold land. It is expected […] Read more
The Alberta Way For Farm Worker Safety – for Aug. 16, 2010
Reading Time: 3 minutes If there is one issue that seems to drag on forever it is the Alberta government’s reluctance to address farm worker health and workplace rules. We have written on the topic before, suggesting that Alberta get in step with the rest of the country and perhaps even take a great leap forward by implementing the […] Read more
U. S. Livestock ID Program Starting Over With New Proposal – for Aug. 2, 2010
Reading Time: 2 minutes When it comes to a national livestock identification system, the United States is now the odd man out among the major meat exporters. Australia, New Zealand, the European Union (EU) and others have had national ID programs for many years. Canada has had a national program for cattle and bison in place for 10 years. […] Read more
Livestock ID: Consumers May Not Care, But Buyers Do – for Aug. 2, 2010
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s sometimes rather intriguing where one learns the most fascinating bits of information on vexatious topics. Recently Livestock Inspection Services (LIS) hosted the annual meeting of the International Livestock Identification Association (ILIA) in Calgary. Basically, this group is composed of brand inspectors and regulatory officials from the western provinces and western U. S. states. This […] Read more
ID And Traceability Cost Money, But Who Benefits And Who Should Pay? – for Aug. 2, 2010
Reading Time: 2 minutes The U. S. has decided to not to proceed with the first version of its National Animal Identification System (NAIS), but if it implements another, it will have a good idea of the cost. Ted Schroeder, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, described a detailed cost study to delegates at the International […] Read more
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