Reading Time: 2 minutes Three organizations with a history of conservation on the Prairies have launched an initiative to protect native grassland. The Grasslands Conservation Initiative is the product of joint discussions between the Canadian Cattle Association, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “It’s the scale of the issue that is hard to overcome,” said CCA […] Read more
Initiative aims to protect grasslands
Project designed to sweeten the financial case for keeping grassland acres unbroken
Turning back the clock with grazing
Cattle can help fill the biodiversity void left from the loss of bison
Reading Time: 5 minutes Cattle are often maligned for their contributions to greenhouse gas levels, but Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Tim McAllister says that’s wrongheaded. “We hear about people advocating for the need to eliminate livestock from agriculture production, basically without really understanding the negative connotations that would have,” the researcher said during a recent webinar. “We really need […] Read more
Agrivoltaics are Alberta’s energy silver bullet
It is possible to both foster solar power infrastructure and preserve farmland
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Alberta government recently announced a much-maligned seven-month pause on renewable energy development in the province. While the exact reasons are up for debate, one specific factor has been the desire to investigate ways to make renewable energy, particularly solar, more integrated within the province over the long term. Specifically, there is a real concern […] Read more
Yearlings get schooled in rotational grazing
Ryan Canart trains a new group of animals every year and says they take to it well
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ryan Canart’s approach to pasture management reflects a lot of the principles that have become old hat during grazing tours across the Prairies. He is among the proponents of rotational grazing. His 907 animals are mostly moved daily through relatively small paddocks, with a goal to grow soil health and productivity. His land features an […] Read more
How to manage a pasture after a fire
What to do after a fire burns through? Treat it like it’s been heavily grazed, experts say
Reading Time: 3 minutes Many pastures have been damaged by this year’s fires. But how long does it take a pasture to recover? What can be done for a burned pasture? “Fire is not new to most grasses and other pasture forage species,” said Barry Irving, former manager of the Roy G. Berg Kinsella ranch. In that role, Irving […] Read more
Prairie cover crop survey kicks up some surprising findings
Many cover crops aren’t being grazed and despite challenges, no one yearns for the old ways
Reading Time: 3 minutes The expectations were low but a grad student who surveyed western Canadian farmers who cover cropping hit a home run. “When I started this project, I told (grad student) Callum (Morrison ) if we heard from 50 farmers I would be happy,” said Yvonne Lawley a University of Manitoba assistant professor and expert in cropping […] Read more
Federal ‘climate action’ grants are a huge hit with Alberta producers
More than 1,000 applications have flooded in, prompting program administrator to push the pause button
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta farmers love Ottawa’s “climate action” program so much that applications have been paused until late summer. “It’s a pretty lucrative program and people were actually aware of it this year,” said Johanna Murray, extension coordinator with Peace Country Beef and Forage Association. “There were people who didn’t get around to applying last year because […] Read more
Unique year-round grazing method pays major dividends
Constant searching for new grazing ideas has led Dave Sammons to a strategy that works
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cow-calf producer Dave Sammons has come up with a unique and varied grazing strategy that has cut his workload and feed bills while boosting organic matter. His system on his mixed farm near Gleichen includes stubble grazing into early winter, then moving the herd onto cover crops, and then onto corn. “The grazing has helped […] Read more
Grazing management website truly is a ‘one-stop shop’
Finding info relevant for Alberta used to be challenging, but Pasture 101 changed that
Reading Time: 3 minutes There was a time when students of a pasture school came home with a large binder of pasture management information. It wasn’t something easily carried around, especially not on horseback. These days there’s an easier way and it’s called Pasture 101. “It’s designed to provide basic and advanced components of pasture and grazing management,” said […] Read more
Matador, Voliam insecticides back in ‘limited’ release
Revised labels prohibit feeding, foraging of treated crops
Syngenta Canada no longer plans to keep its lambda-cyhalothrin insecticide products off the market in Western Canada this year — but it’s planning to have a smaller supply. The crop chem and seed company announced Friday it will have a “limited amount” of its lambda-cy-based products Matador 120EC and Voliam Xpress available in the West […] Read more
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