Reading Time: 2 minutes It seems almost every year a cattle breed holds a world show in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada. These are usually promotional events much enjoyed by the breed faithful. The World Angus Forum is another matter. It doesn’t come to Canada often but when it does it is indeed “the” world-class event. The last time […] Read more
World Angus Forum A True World-Class Event
Food Movie Perfect For The Gullible
Reading Time: 4 minutes Most folks involved in food production and food processing would probably not have heard of a movie called “Food, Inc.” It’s one of those fearmongering films filled with conjecture and innuendo about agriculture and food processing that our public network is all too enthusiastic to broadcast. The problem for agriculture is that this film raises […] Read more
New Angus Beef Logo And Program Announced
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Angus Association (CAA) launched its new “Canadian Angus – Rancher Endorsed” branded beef program at the recent World Angus Forum in Calgary. The program is being offered to producers based on the Green Angus cattle tag program which guarantees at least 50 per cent Red or Black Angus genetics. This program is aimed […] Read more
Oilpatch And Premier Fight Political War
Reading Time: 3 minutes The people and businesses that got the axe first were those hard-working folks in rural Alberta – the supposed bedrock support of the PC party. There are two pillars that hold up the economy in much of rural Alberta – agriculture and energy. Agriculture may be both steady and a way of life, but it […] Read more
Time For Sober Second Thought On Bill 43
Reading Time: 4 minutes Checkoff refunds will just become part of the marketing process. We have all heard those sayings – “You reap what you sow,” “Be careful what you wish for you may get it,” and my favourite old Dutch saying – “If you burn your butt you have to sit on the blisters.” All of those witticisms […] Read more
ABP Delegates Face Grim Reality
Reading Time: 2 minutes “I never thought I would be facing legislation making the checkoff refundable.” The beef industry is facing unprecedented challenges, and so were delegates to the semiannual meeting of Alberta Beef Producers earlier this month. “We did not expect to celebrate our 40th anniversary in this way,” said ABP general manager Rich Smith. Agriculture Minister George […] Read more
EU -U.S. Beef Battle Seems Over — Sort Of
Reading Time: 3 minutes “But in the murky world of trade politics and negotiations things are never what they seem” The long-festering trade war over beef exports between the European Union and the U.S. seems to be coming to a faltering end – at least for the U.S. An agreement on the issue was recently announced by the two […] Read more
XL Foods Says Lakeside Acquisition Going Smoothly
Reading Time: 4 minutes We were lucky to have gotten into the deal before the economic crisis began. XL Foods bought the Lakeside beef packing plant from Tyson Foods last spring. To find out how the transition has been going, Alberta Farmer put some questionns to Brian and Lee Nilsson, the owners of XL Foods. Alberta Farmer In the […] Read more
New Direction Promises New Hope For Ag Trade
Reading Time: 3 minutes Amazingly, the Canadian government said there would be no trade agreement unless the Koreans allowed unfettered access to their market for Canadian beef. Over the years I have written many times about the pitiful approach Canada has taken in international agricultural trade negotiations such as the World Trade Organization(WTO). That perspective seems to be shared […] Read more
Disease Reporting — Are We Cutting Our Own Throats?
Reading Time: 3 minutes As it turns out there is no consistent provincial, state, national or international policy on reporting the incidence of influenza in livestock of any kind. The recent outbreak of so-called swine flu – further referred to as H1N1 flu – causes one to wonder why we may be digging our own grave. Why is it […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
