Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications are open for farms and ranches to host visitors during this year’s Open Farm Days, Aug. 17-18. Last year, a record number of participating farms, ranches and visitors set a new high for on-farm sales. “We hope even more farms and ranches get involved in this year’s Open Farm Days. The event helps farmers […] Read more
Applications open for Open Farm Days
Grant to reduce ag societies’ energy costs
Reading Time: < 1 minute The government of Alberta has announced a $10-million grant program to reduce energy use in facilities operated by agricultural societies, which operate more than 700 facilities including hockey rinks, curling rinks, community halls and facilities that serve rodeos and fairs. The new program will support technologies that help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions and facility […] Read more
Farmers’ markets webinar
Reading Time: < 1 minute Learn the ins and outs of food regulations as they apply to Alberta-approved farmers’ markets during a free webinar on March 13, 2019. Alberta Health Services will share the requirements vendors need to meet to sell food products at these farmers’ markets. Participants will also learn the difference between Alberta-approved farmers’ markets and other public […] Read more
Producers value farm data, but fear how it’s being used
An FCC survey found that one in four farmers has become less comfortable sharing data
Reading Time: 4 minutes The topic of data management tends to draw a lot of yawns from farmers. But in an increasingly digitized world, it shouldn’t. “This is one of the hottest topics in agriculture,” said Fred Wall, Farm Credit Canada’s vice-president of marketing. “It’s something that I think the industry needs to take very seriously.” And that shift […] Read more
East-central Alberta couple named Outstanding Young Farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes This year’s Outstanding Young Farmers weren’t expecting a win when they were nominated alongside three other Alberta farm families at the Outstanding Young Farmers’ regional event in early February. “In the beginning, we didn’t think we were anything too special. We just do what we do,” said Natasha Pospisil, who owns and operates three agricultural […] Read more
Infrastructure is the foundation of food security
Without functioning ports, economies can be crippled — as the British may soon learn to their sorrow
Reading Time: 3 minutes Grain farmers have experienced it: The worry about grain car accessibility and the multiplying losses when grain cannot be shipped or sits at port. Cattlemen know the importance of an open border. Almost everything we grow in Canada is exported in some form and this relies on rail, trucks, air transport but more importantly, transport […] Read more
Railway pace ahead of last year
Both major rail companies were on track for good performance coming into 2019, but poor weather has derailed their progress
Reading Time: 5 minutes Grain shipments by rail are leaps and bounds ahead of last year — but there’s still a long way to go. “I think both railways have really stepped up the volume, but we haven’t been without our issues,” said Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum Corporation, the agency tasked with monitoring grain movement by rail. “If […] Read more
New blockchain beer tells the farm-to-glass story
Reading Time: 3 minutes The road from field to glass is a long one for the malt barley that goes in your beer. And now you can join it on its journey, thanks to a new blockchain beer made, malted, and brewed in Alberta. “The whole idea was to track the farm-to-glass story,” said Natasha Peiskar, head brewer at […] Read more
Win a $2,500 grant for a local charity
Reading Time: < 1 minute The 2019 edition of a program that allows farmers to nominate their favourite community charity or not-for-profit group for a $2,500 grant is now accepting applications. Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities Program gives out two grants in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions each year — for a total of $165,000. Nine of those regions […] Read more
Pilot program to search for solutions for mountain of plastic waste
Thousands of tonnes of old grain bags and twine are burned or put in landfills each year in Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta Beef Producers has been given a $750,000 grant to co-ordinate a three-year recycling pilot program and look for a permanent solution for dealing with the tonnes of plastic waste generated by farms and ranches every year. The pilot will examine the logistics and costs of recycling grain bags and twine. It will also look […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
