Reading Time: 2 minutes Higher cattle prices have some producers and landowners revisiting their pasture leases. “Pasture rental rates can be difficult to figure out because there are many factors to consider such as local availability of land and pasture, localized demand, quality of the pasture, condition of the existing fences and water, and bargaining,” said Dean Dyck, a […] Read more
What’s a fair rent for a pasture? ‘It depends’
Higher cattle prices and a decline in available pastures putting upward pressure on rental rates
Cover crops come with a long list of benefits
Restoring tired soils isn’t a quick process, but cover crop proponents say it’s well worth the effort
Reading Time: 4 minutes Are you looking to improve soil nitrogen? Prevent soil erosion? Reduce soil compaction, improve water infiltration, and even suppress weeds? Cover crops have got you covered. And as understanding of their benefits spreads, interest is growing. “I think producers are realizing the cost of inputs is getting very, very high and the soil has become […] Read more
Study finds riparian areas can restore themselves
A study in Oregon wildlife refuge finds ‘passive restoration’ can have a dramatic impact after cattle removed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Simply removing cattle may be all that is required to restore many degraded riverside areas. An Oregon State University study found removal of cattle from Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in eastern Oregon helped to rehabilitate the natural environment. Riparian, or riverside, vegetation is particularly susceptible to the effects of grazing because cattle tend to […] Read more
Farmer-driven research in Alberta
Reading Time: < 1 minute When it comes to activities, the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA) runs the gamut. “We do everything from annual crop research, to variety, fertility and silage trials,” said Janette McDonald, executive director of ARECA. “We then go into perennial crops and special crops. At least 50 to 60 per cent of our […] Read more
Conservation deal protects Mattheis Ranch
Deal will see 12,000-acre ranch near Duchess permanently protected and $3.8 million used to fund ongoing research
Reading Time: 2 minutes The University of Alberta and Western Sky Land Trust have signed one of the largest-ever conservation easement agreements in the province. The deal not only guarantees the university’s 12,000-acre Rangeland Research Institute-Mattheis Ranch will be conserved forever, but also creates a $3.8-million research fund. Western Sky Land Trust is providing the money, but the agreement […] Read more
Ducks Unlimited offers forage incentive plan
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ducks Unlimited Canada and Crop Production Services Canada is offering an incentive to producers willing to commit to keeping land in perennial cover for 10 years and not to drain wetlands. The forage incentive program underwrites seed costs of $100 per 50-pound bag, which is estimated to cover approximately 40 to 50 per cent of […] Read more
American soil health guru plants seeds in Alberta
In-demand speaker barnstorms province to talk about building better soil with ‘cocktail’ cover crops and integrated crops/livestock system
Reading Time: 3 minutes Gabe Brown found some fertile Alberta soil for his message that diversity builds soil health and boosts profitability. The North Dakota farmer and soil health guru did a barnstorm tour of the province in the last week of October, starting in the Peace Country community of Grimshaw, swinging through Legal and Vermilion, and then zigging […] Read more
Are you a good steward of your land? There’s an app for that
Big food companies are demanding farmers prove they are reducing their environmental impact
Reading Time: 3 minutes Hundreds and hundreds of producers” are needed to help fine tune a new environmental sustainability calculator before it’s ready to launch. The open-source calculator is the latest development in the growing trend to demonstrate to consumers that farmers are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact and being good stewards of the land. Companies such […] Read more
Land rent realities for 2014
Rental rates started an upward trend in early 2008, and peaked in 2013
Reading Time: 3 minutes The year 2014 could prove to be a tumultuous one for cropland rental rates. The fact that rental rates will likely soften should not be a surprise. Cropland rents are a function of productivity and price for the most part. Other factors that play a minor role include proximity to the tenant’s existing operation, field […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
