Up against several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian flu in commercial poultry flocks, Ontario is temporarily banning birds from appearing at shows and other such events. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson on Friday announced a ministerial order taking effect just after midnight Saturday (April 9), in which “the movement to and participation of birds in […] Read more
Ontario bans birds at events as avian flu spreads
Infected snow goose found in western Saskatchewan; two backyard flocks in Montana also confirmed infected
Bigger equipment can spell big trouble with power lines
Fortis says sprayers and air seeders came into contact with power lines 20 times last year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farm equipment is getting bigger and it’s no longer uncommon to see air seeders in the 75-foot-wide range that fold up to considerable height in transport mode as well. But when is big too big? Or more precisely, when is ag equipment too large to safely clear power lines? Last year, Fortis Alberta responded to […] Read more
BeGrainSafe has a busy year despite pandemic
Reading Time: < 1 minute More than 450 firefighters took training this year on how to respond to grain entrapment. The 19 training sessions are part of the BeGrainSafe initiative run by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, which is supported by a host of farm groups and ag companies and associations, including Alberta Canola Producers and Alberta Wheat. “Even with […] Read more
Opinion: Taking some small steps can make your farm much safer
Lowering the risk of an accident doesn’t have to be a complicated and time-consuming process
Reading Time: 3 minutes Now is the time to start thinking about small steps you can take to prevent major regrets. Ben was 16 years old and proud to be given a job that was usually assigned to someone older and more experienced. The job was to bring the tractor and small hay baler back home from a nearby […] Read more
B.C. calls emergency, expects more deaths from 500-year flood
Some livestock die, more are expected to be euthanized
Abbotsford | Reuters — The death toll in Canada from massive floods and landslides that devastated parts of British Columbia is set to rise, with the province declaring a state of emergency on Wednesday. Authorities have so far confirmed one death after torrential rains and mudslides destroyed roads and left several mountain towns isolated. At […] Read more
Small navy of farmers rescues cattle in flood-hit B.C.
Abbotsford | Reuters — A flotilla of motorboats, canoes, dinghies and jet-skis helmed by farmers raced to move dozens of trapped cows from frigid waters as floods hit British Columbia. After a month’s worth of rain in two days, the downpours triggered widespread flooding. Mudslides hit cities and towns across the province. Among the worst-affected […] Read more
Some safety days to start this fall
Reading Time: < 1 minute A nationwide event that has helped hundreds of thousands of kids learn how to say safe while working and playing on the farm won’t be fully back in action until next year. Most Farm Safety Days — there are usually 75 to 90 in a normal year — have been cancelled this year, said Robin […] Read more
New B.C. youth work rules: Heavy lifting, ag chem handling out
New standards also lift province's 'general working age' to 16
“Light farm and yard work” are deemed appropriate for workers at ages 14 and 15 under new employment standards taking effect in British Columbia this fall. The province on Wednesday announced changes to its Employment Standards Act, which have been through the development and consultation stages since 2019, have now been finalized and will take […] Read more
Farm safety kits aim to teach important lessons early
Reading Time: < 1 minute There’s a pair of new activity kits for farm kids and youth, both aimed at keeping them healthy but in different ways. The BASF Safety Scouts program is billed as “a fun and interactive way to support family farm safety.” The ag company has partnered with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) on the kits, […] Read more
Barn fires underreported — and far too common, says humane society
Most provinces, including Alberta, lack accurate stats, and that’s part of the problem, says official
Reading Time: 3 minutes Even animal death in a barn fire is one too many. But at first glance, it would seem Alberta has a reasonably good handle on them. A recent study found that during a five-year period (2015-19), Quebec had 141 barn fires and Ontario 121 — but there were just eight barn fires in Alberta. The […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
