industry and nature

The groupthink on CO2 levels ignores some basic science

Views will change as atmospheric CO2 continues to rise with little or no significant change in global temperatures

Reading Time: 3 minutes As an agricultural producer, a former science teacher, and someone who is involved in the delivery of agricultural extension, I would like to submit some comments in relation to Daniel Bezte’s article in the Feb. 13 edition, “Articles on climate change provoke some readers“. The article’s title is entirely fitting because articles on climate change […] Read more

This graphic shows the daily low (blue) and high (red) temperature during the last 12 months with the area between them shaded grey. It is superimposed over the corresponding averages (thick lines), and with percentile bands (inner band from 25th to 75th percentile, outer band from 10th to 90th percentile). The bar at the top of the graph is red where both the daily high and low are above average, blue where they are both below average, and white otherwise.

Doubt about global warming isn’t coming from scientists

It’s not hard to create doubt about sound science — 
the tobacco industry proved that years ago

Reading Time: 3 minutes Several years ago, Weather Underground’s co-founder Jeff Masters wrote a blog about the manufactured doubt industry, how and when it was created, and how it now plays into the current global warming or climate change controversy. At the time I emailed Masters asking permission to use some of the information from his blog in an […] Read more


‘Change’ is the watchword in a warming world, says researcher

‘Change’ is the watchword in a warming world, says researcher

Longer summers and milder winters sound nice, but even the pluses come with some negatives

Reading Time: 3 minutes How will the Canadian cattle industry fare if global temperatures continue to rise? Count a reduced feed demand, a longer grazing season, and higher forage production among the benefits — but also expect more extreme weather, pests, and transport headaches, according to University of Manitoba research scientist Kim Ominski. “We know the future of our […] Read more

This map shows the total amount of precipitation that fell across the Prairies during January. You can see it was a fairly dry month for most regions, with a large portion of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and western Manitoba seeing less than 60 per cent of average.

Articles on climate change provoke some readers

Like politics and religion, global warming is a polarizing topic —
but it’s one that we should discuss

Reading Time: 3 minutes Over the years, some of my weather articles have provoked or inspired various amounts of comments. What surprised me recently was the number of emails I received about the top weather events from around the world in 2016 — in particular, several from readers who accused me of leaning too heavily towards climate change or […] Read more


This map shows the total amount of precipitation that has fallen so far this winter (Nov. 1 to Jan. 15) compared to the long-term average. So far it has been a fairly dry winter across pretty much all regions of Alberta, with western areas being the wettest and northern and eastern regions the driest. Only a few locations west and northwest of Edmonton are above average, with much of the northern and Peace River regions reporting low to extremely low amounts.


The top global weather stories of 2016 had a common theme

Whether you look at temperatures, ice at the poles, air quality, or the 
Fort Mac fires, the evidence of a warming planet is clear


Reading Time: 3 minutes It seems that a new list of the top global weather stories of 2016 comes out every day. So I thought I would go through some of these lists and pick the top stories that are shared by all of the lists. Of course, I might have a slight bias towards Canadian stories. I don’t think […] Read more

Combines harvesting crop at sunset

Province needs to soften the carbon tax blow

‘Team Alberta’ is pitching enhanced carbon credits

Reading Time: 4 minutes The carbon tax has kicked in, but producers are still trying to figure out its impact — and what can be done to ease the hit on the bottom line. “Everything we buy — whether it is in inputs, fertilizers, freights, parts, machinery — all of those service providers to us are all impacted. Their […] Read more


Dealing with climate change a priority for BCRC

Dealing with climate change a priority for BCRC

Reading Time: < 1 minute Coping with hotter, drier, and less predictable weather is one of the priorities of the new Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy 2018 – 2023. The strategy, created by the Beef Cattle Research Council and Beef Value Chain Roundtable, is meant to guide research through to 2023 while avoiding duplication. Developing and adopting of […] Read more

A carbon tax will be applied to gas, diesel, and natural gas, but large emitters will face additional measures.

Here’s a primer on carbon taxes and cap and trade in Canada

Alberta is emulating B.C. with a carbon tax, Ontario and Quebec favour 
cap and trade, and Saskatchewan opposes carbon pricing

Reading Time: 3 minutes With the federal government’s announcement in October of a national carbon pricing policy, many farmer conversations have turned to what a carbon tax is and how it differs from a cap-and-trade system. The government’s plan requires all provinces and territories to have a price on carbon by 2018. In Western Canada, two provinces — B.C. […] Read more


Last five years were hottest on record

Morocco/Reuters – The past five years were the hottest on record with mounting evidence that heat waves, floods and rising sea levels are stoked by man-made climate change, the United Nations weather agency said on Tuesday. Some freak weather events would have happened naturally but the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said greenhouse gas emissions had […] Read more