Reading Time: < 1 minute A series of upcoming workshops will provide fresh market potato growers with information on current and up-and-coming diseases and pests in the province. “Participants will receive information on the importance, impact and management of a number of disease/pest issues in Alberta, including late blight, potato psyllid/zebra chip, fusarium dry rot and blackleg and several skin […] Read more
Get the lowdown on spud pests
Workshops run March 1 to March 3
GM alfalfa may already be in Alberta
Accidental contamination of foundation seed heightens fears that forage and hay markets worth hundreds of millions are in peril
Reading Time: 7 minutes Genetically modified alfalfa has somehow made its way into Alberta — raising fears that western Canadian forage seed growers and hay exporters could be shut out of markets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Alberta Farmer recently learned that a batch of foundation seed contaminated with Roundup Ready alfalfa was sent to a forage seed […] Read more
Morocco loves Canadian durum
Reading Time: < 1 minute If you grow durum, some of it probably ends up in Morocco, which is why provincial agriculture officials recently visited the North Africa country for the first time. The mission’s primary goal was to assess potential for grains and pulse sales, said Aarij Bashir, a trade and relations officer. The country subsidizes flour for lower-income […] Read more
Just what are functional foods, anyway?
Here’s a brief primer on the health benefits that functional foods are supposed to deliver
Reading Time: 2 minutes The term ‘functional foods’ has been around for decades, but what does it mean? “While there is no legal definition for functional foods, a common definition is that a functional food provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition,” said Ava Duering, an analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. This is because they contain bioactive food compounds […] Read more
New project supports rural Alberta women entrepreneurs
Online survey open until Feb. 29
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new initiative aims to identify barriers faced by rural Alberta women entrepreneurs in the regional food economy and then develop a pilot project to help overcome them. “Participating in regional food systems not only creates economic growth for a region, but also provides entrepreneurs an opportunity to create value-added food adding to the long-term […] Read more
Environmental farm plans to cover species at risk
A new online tool will include technical tips and best management practices for protecting species at risk and habitat
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) is adding a species-at-risk component. A $200,000 federal grant will be used to create an online tool to help producers learn about opportunities to conserve species at risk on their farms and find out whether they meet sustainable sourcing standards. Last summer, the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of […] Read more
Interested in growing hemp?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian hemp acres are up 25 per cent in the last five years, with nearly a third of that grown in Alberta — about 24,500 acres in 2015. Last year’s bumper crop has reduced demand for conventional hemp acres this year but buyers are “exceedingly interested in contracting organic hemp acres,” said Lori-Jo Graham, a […] Read more
Bill 6 controversy flares again
The province plans to hand-pick who it will consult with
Reading Time: 2 minutes A coalition of Alberta farm groups wants the provincial government to put the brakes on its proposed Bill 6 consultation model. In mid-February, the province held a two-week nomination process to gather names for six separate working groups to consult on Bill 6, the controversial Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. The problem […] Read more
Good workplaces attract good workers
FarmTech: Farms can’t afford oilfield wages — but they can offer lots of ‘intangible’ benefits that really matter to people
Reading Time: 3 minutes Kevin Serfas had to change his way of thinking when he decided to expand his farm near Lethbridge. “One thing we’ve learned along the way is that we can’t run the farm by ourselves anymore,” said Serfas, who runs a 56,000-acre grain operation and 6,000-head feedlot with his father and brother. “We had to realize […] Read more
Make your farm an international destination
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ever heard of the International Experience Canada program? It’s been a winner for Serfas Farms. The program grants visas — typically for one year — for students aged 18 to 29 who want to work, study, and travel in Canada. Kevin Serfas doesn’t use the Temporary Foreign Worker program but has had about 40 international […] Read more