Reading Time: 3 minutes The migration of rural persons to cities hit a historical milestone in 2008 when urban residents outnumbered those in rural areas. The result has been congestion in cities that were ill prepared for this growth and an intense pressure on rural areas to produce more food with less people. The United Nations claims six out […] Read more
Feeding the planet is challenging, dealing with its waste is even harder
Earth is becoming an urban planet and that raises a host of issues we’ve never had to deal with before
Soggy forecast worries Prairie farmers in race to seed crops
Winnipeg | Reuters — Heavy rain forecast for the soggiest parts of the Prairies this week is likely to further delay seeding in the world’s biggest canola-exporting country, meteorologists say. The rain, forecast to hit Alberta and Saskatchewan on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, would be the latest blow to farmers who could not harvest all […] Read more
U.S. farm groups oppose Trump’s cuts to ag spending
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farm groups on Tuesday pushed back against President Donald Trump’s proposal to slash agriculture spending, viewing it as a fresh threat to a struggling farm economy. The White House on Monday proposed $46.54 billion in cuts to federal government funding for the agriculture sector over the next 10 years, including […] Read more
CHS replaces CEO after earnings decline, Brazil exposure
Chicago | Reuters — CHS Inc., the biggest U.S. agricultural co-operative, named a new chief executive on Monday, after suffering a sharp decline in income and confirming it was a creditor of a failing Brazilian commodities trader. Minnesota-based CHS picked Jay Debertin to take over immediately for Carl Casale, who had been CEO for six […] Read more
‘Doomsday’ seed vault entrance repaired after thaw of Arctic ice
Oslo | Reuters — Norway is repairing the entrance of a “doomsday” seed vault on an Arctic island after an unexpected thaw of permafrost let water into a building meant as a deep freeze to safeguard the world’s food supplies. The water, limited to the 15-metre entrance hall in the melt late last year, had […] Read more
Ag census shows fewer total farmers, but more young ones
The typical farmer has already missed the Freedom 55 boat, but the sector is attracting more young people and women
Reading Time: 3 minutes There are fewer Canadian farmers, and those over 55 still outnumber their younger peers. But the number of operators under age 35 years has increased for the first time since 1991. But the number of young farmers remains modest, according to the 2016 Census of Agriculture. According to the census, there were 271,935 farmers in […] Read more
Hit the road — there’s summer fun in every direction in Alberta
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you’re planning to head out on the highway this summer for adventure, consider trying some new routes. The events you can experience may be closer than you think — or take you to a corner you’ve never seen before. But two things are clear. The definition of fun is as vast as the Alberta […] Read more
Alberta 4-H leader stands out in a very big crowd
Reading Time: < 1 minute There are nearly 7,400 volunteers working to support 4-H clubs across the country — and so standing out isn’t easy. But that’s just what Caroline Boddy of the Golden Prairie 4-H Club has managed to do. The Forestburg resident was recently chosen as the 2016 National Volunteer Leader of the Year. The award recognizes the […] Read more
Rain hinders seeding progress, slows harvest of over-wintered crops
Alberta crop conditions as of May 16
Reading Time: 2 minutes Over the last week, another major weather system swept across the province, bringing more rain (10-50 mm) to the Regions. Affected areas that are currently too wet are experiencing delays in seeding progress, as well as in the harvesting of overwintered crops. However, in the Southern and Central Regions, the weather has cooperated, allowing for […] Read more
Production outlook keeps canary seed under pressure
CNS Canada — Excess soil moisture is holding up planting of canary seed in Saskatchewan, though according to one market watcher, the overall production outlook for 2017 is good, leaving prices struggling to rise. “Prices are soft,” said Kevin Hursh, executive director of the Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan. Prices remain locked in the 19- […] Read more
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