Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta’s ag societies are in the same sinking ship they’ve been in since the pandemic started — but they’re doing whatever they can to stay afloat. “The situation is not a whole lot better, but our ag societies are beginning to adapt to be able to provide some programming and events for the public to […] Read more
Alberta’s agriculture societies still struggling to stay afloat
Some are hosting smaller events but ones that bring in big crowds and dollars are off the table
Farm writers recognized for outstanding work
Reading Time: < 1 minute Frequent Alberta Farmer contributor Jeff Melchior and staff writer Alexis Kienlen were among the winners of Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation awards. Melchior won gold in the weekly press reporting category for his story, Farmers lose when energy companies walk away. The story looked at the growing problem of abandoned wells on farm properties and how […] Read more
4-H Alberta registration now open
Reading Time: < 1 minute Registration is now open for 4-H Alberta’s 2020-21 club year. “We understand this year will be different than previous ones and empathize with the difficulties in finding a location to accommodate members for meetings and project events,” the organization says on its website at 4hab.com. The website has registration forms for youth, adults and clubs. […] Read more
Britain to protect pork pies, whisky with new scheme after EU exit
London | Reuters — New rules to guarantee the authenticity and origin of traditional British foods, such as Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies, after the end of the UK’s Brexit transition period, were set out by the government on Thursday. Britain left the European Union at the end of January and an 11-month […] Read more
Wearing green isn’t just for St. Patrick’s Day
Reading Time: < 1 minute For many years, 4-H clubs have urged members and supporters to wear green in November to show their support for the organization. The Show Your 4-H Colours promotion has also been a way to fundraise by selling green 4-H T-shirts. But this year, “young people need us now more than ever, as they navigate the […] Read more
Agency mixed up about tank-mix labelling, say grain groups
Proposed change would prohibit mixes if a product label contains no guidance on tank mixing
Reading Time: 3 minutes A proposed change to tank-mix labelling requirements makes little sense and would unnecessarily hurt farmers, say grain groups. “Our biggest concern with this regulatory proposal is that it would take immediate effect… and could make some current tank mixes that are being used illegal, for all intents and purposes,” said Shannon Sereda, government relations and […] Read more
Railways say they’re more prepared than ever
Increased capital spending and better technology will improve performance, CN and CP both say
Reading Time: 3 minutes When the federal government passed the Transportation Modernization Act in 2018, the headline news was the requirement for railways to negotiate level-of-service agreements with grain companies — and face penalties for poor service. But the act also requires the railways to produce ‘winter plans’ to show how they’ll keep grain moving when the weather turns […] Read more
Alberta gives oil and gas drillers municipal tax break
Reuters — Struggling oil and gas companies in Alberta will get a three-year break on municipal property taxes for land where they are drilling wells or building pipelines, the provincial government said on Monday. The Alberta government said it would also lower property tax assessments on less-productive wells and eliminate a provincial tax on drills. […] Read more
South African white farmers, Black protesters face off over farm murder
Two suspected killers of farmer attend court hearing
Senekal | Reuters –– White South African farmers and Black protesters hurled abuse and threats at each other on Friday during a court hearing in a murder case that has exposed still simmering racial tensions 26 years after the end of apartheid. The killing of Brendan Horner, a white man whose body was found tied […] Read more
Opinion: There’s a big difference between ‘right to repair’ and ‘right to modify’
Farmers should absolutely be able to repair their equipment but modifying programming leads to a host of problems
Reading Time: 3 minutes The relationship between equipment dealers, manufacturers and farmers is close knit. Equipment manufacturers and dealers have a vested interest for our customers to be prosperous. We know that when farmers are successful, dealers and our communities are successful. That is why at this time it would be unwise for a provincial government to disrupt the […] Read more
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