Reading Time: < 1 minute All major dealers of equipment parts, such as John Deere, Cervus, UFA and Rocky Mountain Equipment, are reporting very few issues with delivery times or stock with acquiring machine parts, other than a few weeks of delay in regular lead time. However, after-market and ‘no-name’ suppliers of parts (such as parts for tracks on gators) […] Read more
Farm equipment supply chains functioning well
Summer jobs program to pay entire wage
Reading Time: < 1 minute The federal government has made changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program for businesses with fewer than 50 employees delivering essential services. Businesses will have 100 per cent of their employees’ salaries covered by the federal government (up from the previous 50 per cent), and employees can be covered until February 2021. As well, the […] Read more
The price of farmland likely to be unaffected by pandemic
The formerly red-hot market has cooled considerably, but the price of land isn’t getting cheaper
Reading Time: 2 minutes The pandemic seems to be impacting almost everything, but not the price of farmland. “I would expect that impacts are going to be minimal,” said J.P. Gervais, vice-president and chief agricultural economist for FCC. “We still have a very limited supply of available land for sale. That was the case in 2019. It was the […] Read more
Pandemic pushes rural internet speeds to the breaking point
Notoriously slow already, rural internet has struggled with increased demand during the pandemic — and that isn’t likely to change any time soon
Reading Time: 6 minutes The internet on Monika Benoit’s northern Alberta farm was bad enough before the pandemic. Now it’s almost “non-existent.” “We sigh a lot,” said Benoit, who farms with husband Mike near High Prairie. “Even when there’s not a pandemic, we have internet issues. But with the isolation and social distancing protocols we’re supposed to be following, […] Read more
Rationing internet a pandemic side-effect
Streaming a dream in rural Alberta as download speeds slow to a trickle
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pandemic has created an unwelcome blast from the past for rural Albertans dealing with internet speeds not seen since the days of dial-up. “I can see downtown Calgary from my window right now, and I feel like I’m in the sticks,” said Shelagh Blatz, who lives near Priddis. “I’m so close to Calgary, but […] Read more
Our animals give us such a precious gift
We have something very special when we share our lives with companion and food animals
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was visiting with a friend who has had a rough life. His mother and dad worked hard to provide, but they did not know how to love each other or their children. Babies were not rocked or held, and little ones were on their own. There was never a goodnight kiss, a story, a […] Read more
Bayer scholarships now accepting applications
Application deadlines are April 30 and June 10
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications for Bayer scholarships are now being accepted. There are two programs, and more than $125,000 in scholarships available to Canadian students. The Bayer Crop Science Scholarship for Future Leaders is designed for students enrolled in an agriculture bachelor’s degree program at one of six eligible Canadian agriculture universities (including the universities of Alberta, Lethbridge […] Read more
Ag hall of fame seeks nominations of outstanding leaders
Reading Time: < 1 minute Nominations for the Agriculture Hall of Fame are now open. The award honours those who have significantly contributed to agriculture, the agri-food industry and rural life in Alberta. “Every two years, Alberta’s Agriculture Hall of Fame recognizes up to three individuals whose outstanding leadership, innovation and business practices have advanced Alberta’s agriculture and food industry […] Read more
Alberta farmland values likely to be unaffected by COVID-19
FCC farmland report doesn’t account for the pandemic, but impact on land values should be ‘minimal’
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s farmland values have been rising at a slower pace for nearly a decade, and the pandemic isn’t likely to change that. “I would expect that impacts are going to be minimal,” said J.P. Gervais, chief agricultural economist for Farm Credit Canada (FCC). “We still have a very limited supply of available land for sale. […] Read more
Don’t try to ‘play the odds’ this growing season
Many farmers still taking unnecessary risks, says Alberta Vehicle Extrication Association chair
Reading Time: 2 minutes Spring is a time of hope and Randy Schmitz’s hope is that Alberta farmers will slow down a little as they begin a new growing season. Rollovers, run-overs, and being pinned or struck by a machine component are the leading causes of agriculture-related injuries and fatalities, said Schmitz, chairman of the Alberta Vehicle Extrication Association. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
