Cattle producers leasing Crown land for grazing in Saskatchewan won’t see a rate hike this year and may be eligible for a significant rate cut. The provincial government announced Wednesday it has frozen the rates charged to producers who lease Crown grazing land in 2023 at their 2022 level. The freeze will apply to all […] Read more
Saskatchewan holds Crown grazing rents at last year’s levels
Also, leaseholders on drought-downgraded land eligible for rate cut
Iconic Alberta tree needs some help from cattle producers
Endangered limber pines are besieged on many fronts, including by grazing cattle
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cattle producers in foothill country in southwestern Alberta are being asked to look out for — and help protect — the iconic but endangered limber pine. “The rugged, twisted trees usually grow on dry, rocky ridges and are thought to be some of the oldest trees in Canada,” the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation of Canada […] Read more
Take time to learn the ins and outs of grazing brassicas
Toxicity can be an issue, and so can fussy eating, but brassicas can benefit the soil and extend the grazing season
Reading Time: 4 minutes With their ability to suppress weeds and break up compacted soil, brassica plants have become widely known as a good cover crop option. Many producers graze their cover crops, but brassicas can also serve as a grazing crop. “The brassicas are super watery and highly digestible,” said Jillian Bainard, a forage research scientist at Ag […] Read more
Test plot measures the benefits of grazing in crop rotation
Researchers studying impact of including pasture in a cash crop rotation at Ontario farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – They’ve been dubbed “crazy strips,” but there’s a method to Mike Groot’s patchwork of perennial pasture stands within a larger plot trial. The Ontario farmer is a participant in a project being conducted under the Living Labs initiative, a federal program that tests innovative practices and technologies on farms. Groot is hoping the […] Read more
Regenerative agriculture is all the rage, but what is it exactly?
There’s no simple answer, but experts say soil health is at the heart of this approach
Reading Time: 4 minutes It seems as though everyone is talking about regenerative agriculture these days. But nailing down exactly what it is can be a challenge. “I completely agree that there are a lot of issues with being able to define what regenerative agriculture is,” said Kris Nichols, a Calgary soil microbiologist and well-known expert on soil health. […] Read more
Environmental award winners combine faith and hard work
Ribbon Creek Ranch finds benefits from a combined grain and cow-calf operation
Reading Time: 2 minutes The rolling hills around Linden, separated by wild-grassed coulees, tidy farmyards and fence lines running to the horizon, provide the setting for Ribbon Creek Ranch, this year’s winner of the Alberta Beef Producers 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award. It’s the home of Jerry Baerg, his wife, Dawn, and six children. They raise cattle on land purchased […] Read more
Massive soil carbon mapping could change views about cattle
Five-year, $3.2-million study will determine how much carbon is stored in pastures thanks to grazing
Reading Time: 3 minutes What is the real value of soil carbon? And how much carbon do cattle producers store in the soil? These are two questions that will be answered in a carbon soil mapping project conducted by researchers from the universities of Alberta and Saskatchewan. “The reason for the project is that carbon in the atmosphere is […] Read more
Give cover crops a shot and have some fun, says soil health expert
Despite challenges in our climate, there are ways to profit from this much- discussed practice
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cover crops aren’t a magic bullet but they’re worth a try. That was the message an American expert delivered to a group of Alberta producers who considered whether the much-hyped soil health practice can work during the short growing season. “Cover crops don’t solve everything,” said soil scientist Abbey Wick. “It’s not all puppies and […] Read more
Appeal to grazing leaseholders
Reading Time: < 1 minute The bid to reform the rental rate formula for grazing leases has hit a snag — not enough producers filled in a grazing lease cost survey. The Alberta Grazing Leaseholders Association and other groups have been lobbying the province for years for changes to the rental rate formula “so that it would reflect the true […] Read more
Ribbon Creek Ranch garners top award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ribbon Creek Ranch is the 2022 winner of Alberta Beef Producers’ Environmental Stewardship Award, which shines a spotlight on producers “whose natural resource stewardship practices contribute to the environment and enhance productivity and profitability.” The mixed cow-calf and grain farm with a backgrounding operation is located near Linden, on land purchased by Jerry Baerg’s grandfather […] Read more
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