Reading Time: 4 minutes The east side of Alberta could see revolutionary change if a $1.3-billion plan to irrigate 108,000 acres in the Special Areas and Municipal District of Acadia moves ahead. “Special Areas has everything it needs to become a highly productive agricultural area – everything except a reliable supply of water,” Jordon Christianson, chair of the Special […] Read more
Alberta eyes another blockbuster irrigation project
Proposed $1.3-billion project would transform east-central Alberta
Christmas came in June this year on most farms
On most farms, taps were only turned on for a short while — but the timing was perfect
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you were to tell the story of the 2022 growing season in Alberta, it would be impossible not to mention that rainfall. “The story of the year is June rainfall,” said Stuart Chutter, senior analyst with the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation. [RELATED] Rain sprouts hope among southern Alberta farmers The growing season started out […] Read more
Irrigation districts laud provincial support of sector
Irrigation, already a driver in the province’s economy, is ramping up with a huge expansion
Reading Time: 4 minutes One thing is certain: Alberta’s irrigation sector has the ear of the provincial government. The sector, which is in the midst of an expansion worth nearly $1 billion, now gets top-line billing in the recently revamped Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation ministry. Its new deputy minister, Bassano-area crops and cattle producer Jason Hale, was chair of […] Read more
Alberta reorganizes ag portfolio for returning minister
Horner to handle agriculture and irrigation file
Both Alberta and Quebec have re-upped with their incumbent agriculture ministers in cabinet shuffles this week — but incoming Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s shuffle will also streamline that province’s ag portfolio. Chosen by Alberta’s governing United Conservatives (UCP) on Oct. 6 to replace outgoing premier Jason Kenney, Smith on Friday announced Kenney’s incumbent minister of […] Read more
China’s farmers struggle to save crops as heatwave, drought drag on
Chongqing | Reuters — As the tinder-dry countryside along China’s Yangtze river basin withers under a heatwave that has lasted more than two months, veteran farmer Chen Xiaohua recalled the last severe drought to hit his crops more than 60 years ago. “This year is drier than 1960,” said Chen, 68, from his plot of […] Read more
It’s worth trying winter-hardy crops, but success can be elusive
Reading Time: 2 minutes Profiting from winter-hardy crops can be challenging, but they’re worth planting in small test areas, says the head of research and development at Western Ag Innovations. “It’s something good to keep your eye on,” Eric Bremer said at the recent Farming Smarter field school in Lethbridge. “It’s still difficult to guarantee a good result. Winter […] Read more
Schoepp: Fresh water a gift we can’t afford to take for granted
What falls from the sky gets most of our attention but the entire water supply should be our concern
Reading Time: 3 minutes Drop by precious drop we are celebrating rain in the dry areas — and cursing it on the flood plains. The weather patterns have been rather unpredictable with monumental hail in Mexico City to extreme heat in Europe and Saharan winds that are dropping sand in the most remote of locations. Putting seed in the […] Read more
The numbers keep getting bigger for irrigation
Only one in 23 acres is irrigated but collectively they generate more than a quarter of farm sales
Reading Time: 2 minutes Only 4.4 per cent of Alberta farmland is irrigated but it accounts for more than a quarter of primary agricultural sales in the province. That’s one of the biggest numbers in an updated study done for the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association, which was released in early winter. The study uses the same methodology as an […] Read more
Bow River flows set to bounce back in time for irrigation season
A big snowpack comes to the rescue after water levels in the Bow fell to near-record lows last fall
Reading Time: 4 minutes After a winter of exceptionally low river flows, above-average mountain snowpacks are coming to the rescue of the Bow River and many of southern Alberta’s irrigation districts, says a leading water scientist. The water supply is now “assured” for the irrigation districts that take water off the Bow and Red Deer rivers, said John Pomeroy, […] Read more
Irrigation packs a big economic punch
Reading Time: < 1 minute Irrigation is an economic engine that keeps on getting bigger and contributing more to the provincial economy, according to a new study commissioned by the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association. The study concluded the economic contribution of irrigated crop and livestock production along with irrigation-related food processing and certain non-irrigation benefits added $5.4 billion annually to […] Read more
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