Reading Time: 3 minutes The European Union has the potential to be a big marketplace for Canadian beef producers, but it’s going to take some effort to get them here. “We are concerned that to date very few producers are enrolling their cattle in the EU program,” the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association said in a recent edition of its e-newsletter. […] Read more
The door to Europe isn’t quite open yet
The EU trade deal is now a go, but ‘very few producers’ have signed up for a program that makes their cattle eligible
Controlled traffic farming can have a positive impact on soils
The practice of always running equipment on the same ‘tramlines’ is rare in Alberta, but study says it pays major dividends
Reading Time: 2 minutes Controlled traffic farming does improve soil, says a University of Alberta soil researcher who did his master’s thesis on the practice. “In our area of the North American Great Plains, we have areas that are experiencing soil degradation and it is being propagated further as production systems are intensifying,” said Kris Guenette at the recent […] Read more
It pays to have a plan before turning your cattle out on pasture
Bountiful, nutritious forage doesn’t happen by accident — here’s how to plan for success on your ranch
Reading Time: 3 minutes A grazing plan might save you more than you think. Whether it’s a simple or detailed plan, a few key components will not only save your grass, but maybe save you a few dollars in the long run. Adjusting your stocking rate will allow you to get good-quality forage and vigorous regrowth. “Managing the amount […] Read more
Keeping land in grass has a side benefit
Young beef producers need affordable access to grassland if the industry is going to grow
Reading Time: 2 minutes The beef industry has been struggling to retain and attract new producers while the average age of farmers, at 54, keeps creeping up. The next generation of cattle producers might be looking for something different. The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) released the National Beef Sustainability Assessment and Strategy this fall. The industry garnered […] Read more
Historic research ranches won’t be riding off into the sunset
The future of Onefour and Stavely ranches has been secured by the province and the University of Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Decades of grassland research in southern Alberta will be preserved thanks to a deal between the province and the University of Alberta. The agreement will ensure rangeland studies continue at the historic research ranches of Stavely and Onefour. In 2013, the future of both sites was thrown up in the air when the federal government […] Read more
Plants’ secret chemistry could change the way you farm
Science is discovering plants produce their own pesticides and warn each other of threats — but tillage, spraying, and even breeding can disrupt these defences
Reading Time: 5 minutes A war is being waged in your fields. Every day, your crops are fighting for their lives against insects, diseases, weeds, and weather. And their best line of defence isn’t the chemicals we spray or the traits we breed into them. It’s their sense of smell. “Anything that anybody has ever done to any plant […] Read more
When it comes to healthy soil, you want to lump it
Soil aggregation is critical — in several different ways — to growing healthy crops
Reading Time: 4 minutes Think water is your biggest limiting factor when growing a crop? Think again. “Soil aggregation is the most important constraint that we have,” said Yamily Zavala, crop and soil health management specialist at Chinook Applied Research Association. “In order for a soil to function properly, we have to have all the soil processes — physical, […] Read more
Working with producers top priority for irrigation research chair
Willemijn Appels wants to focus on research projects ‘that will really benefit local producers'
Reading Time: 2 minutes Calling all Alberta irrigators — Lethbridge College’s new irrigation science chair wants to know about your experiences and challenges with agricultural water management. In March, Willemijn Appels took up her new posting, which was created with a $3.1-million gift from the estate of Lloyd and Dorothy Mueller two years ago. “My job over the last […] Read more
Irrigation not forgotten in Bow River flood mitigation agreement
Keeping water levels lower behind the Ghost Dam provides capacity for capturing flood waters, but can mean less water is available later on
Reading Time: 2 minutes While irrigation districts are thankful that drought was considered in a recent flood mitigation agreement between the province and TransAlta, there is concern that more might be needed in order to ensure adequate water is available during dry spells. The five-year agreement will see TransAlta paid $5.5 million annually for keeping water levels at the […] Read more
Want to know how you stack up?
The latest edition of AgriProfit$ offers performance benchmarks for both crops and livestock
Reading Time: 2 minutes The latest version of AgriProfit$ crop and forages benchmarks is now available. “These averages are calculated from the individual producer’s data collected for the 2015 growing season through the AgriProfit$ program,” said crops economist Rawlin Thangaraj. This benchmark gives a good handle on the producers’ actual costs, revenues, and margins by soil zones for different […] Read more
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