Reading Time: < 1 minute New clubroot strains and ways to reduce fusarium damage are two of the topics featured at Agronomy Update 2016 in Red Deer on Jan. 19-20. The annual conference will also feature presentations on phosphorus and potassium decline; new wheat classes; marketing peas and fababeans; plant growth regulators; adding diversity to crop rotations; updates on wireworms […] Read more
Lots of knowledge on tap at Agronomy Update 2016
Conference in Red Deer runs Jan. 19-20
Bob Lowe new chair of Alberta Beef Producers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Bob Lowe is the new chair of Alberta Beef Producers. The Nanton producer was elected at the organization’s meeting earlier this month. The other executive board members are vice-chair Roland Cailliau (Valleyview), finance chair Charlie Christie (Trochu), and past chair Greg Bowie (Ponoka). The other members on the 2016 board of directors are Howard Bekkering […] Read more
ABP and government partner on new research initiative
The five-year agreement has a series of specific goals to reduce costs and boost productivity
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Beef Producers and the provincial and federal governments have agreed to a five-year partnership to advance research and extension activities related to the forage and beef sectors in the province. The agreement has specific, measurable, long-term strategic goals: Build and maintain research and extension capacity; Reduce winter feeding costs by 50 per cent; Reduce […] Read more
Funding awarded for forage research projects
Reading Time: < 1 minute Seven projects were awarded funding through Alberta Beef Producers’ $1-million forage research call. They include breeding projects focused on forage wheat, hybrid brome with improved neutral detergent fibre digestibility, and production of oil in the vegetative tissues of legumes. Other projects are quantification of varietal and species differences (variety evaluation trials in multiple soil zones; […] Read more
New national beef conference
Canadian Beef Industry Conference to be held Aug. 9-11 in Calgary
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canada’s beef cattle industry has joined forces to create the Canadian Beef Industry Conference. “The recently established National Beef Strategy has four pillars, one of which is connectivity,” said Rob Smith, a beef producer and CEO of the Canadian Angus Association. “This conference will allow everyone from industry leaders to smaller-scale producers to come together […] Read more
Farm leaders aren’t happy, but willing to try again
The last round of farm safety ‘consultations’ wasn’t meaningful, but farm reps say they’re cautiously hopeful the next round will be
Reading Time: 3 minutes As far as Alberta farm leaders are concerned, “all bets are off” on whether producer groups will be consulted on farm safety regulations following the passing of the controversial Bill 6. “We were told right from the get-go with the new NDP government that they wanted to consult with us, and I guess that means […] Read more
VIDEO: Resettling refugee families in rural Manitoba
Reading Time: < 1 minute Rural communities in many parts of the Prairies have joined the effort to alleviate the plight of refugees escaping war-torn Syria. Small Manitoba towns such as Altona, Winkler and Morden are doing their part to make room by welcoming seven Syrian families – a total of 45 people – into their communities. The area has a […] Read more
Living large — and eating only local — in a land of bounty
It’s a huge shift to eat only foods produced in Alberta, but the members of the Ruzicka family consider themselves ‘so lucky’
Reading Time: 3 minutes In a season where most people spend more, the Ruzicka family is learning to live with less. Shannon and Danny Ruzicka and children Madalynne, Joshua and Molly have been living on local foods since August. “Our experiment is to live off the Albertan land for a year — we live off what we grow, raise […] Read more
Mamma mia! They don’t make gelato like this in Italy
A pulse-based version of the Italian ice-cream treat takes top prize at Mission ImPULSEible
Reading Time: 3 minutes If someone were to tell you that one day you could sample dairy-free gelato made from fermented beans — and actually enjoy it — you might think that was impossible. Well, when you’re at Mission ImPULSEible, nothing is impossible. “I never cease to be amazed at the unique ways that pulses can be processed into […] Read more
International Year of Soils ends with a bang in Alberta
Attendees at sold-out conference say it was a thrill to gather with people who ‘get’ soil health
Reading Time: 3 minutes If the International Year of Soils didn’t seem like a big deal — then you weren’t at the Western Canada Conference On Soil Health earlier this month. That is, if you could get in. “We originally planned for 250 people, and we had room for 300,” said conference co-chair Tom Fromme. “The facility was able […] Read more