Reading Time: 2 minutes The provincial government should “play a role” but needs to work closely with the ag sector to develop a new research funding model, say Alberta farm groups. “Both Agriculture Minister (Devin) Dreeshen and Premier (Jason) Kenney have been vocal about the need to put research back in the hands of producers,” Alberta Wheat and Alberta […] Read more
Alberta farm groups propose new research model
A ‘white paper’ by crop and livestock groups calls for a new way of doing things
Peace River farmers host local girl — the deputy prime minister
Chrystia Freeland now lives in Toronto but agreed to meet with producers during a trip to visit family
Reading Time: 3 minutes A group of Peace Country farmers had a meeting with a special guest earlier this month — the so-called ‘minister for almost everything’ who has become Justin Trudeau’s top lieutenant in his minority government. But up in the Peace, many know Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as Don’s daughter and that sparked the idea for […] Read more
The Big Squeeze: Alberta cattle sector struggling to get ahead
In this tight-margin business, a host of smaller factors pull down profitability
Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta’s cattle industry may not be facing another near-fatal blow like BSE, but it’s hemorrhaging all the same. And this time, it’s a death by a thousand cuts, says a new study. Government regulations. Global trade wars. Rising land prices and ever-higher costs. Drought. Feed shortages. Head taxes and exclusion zones. There’s not one single […] Read more
Students get hands-on education in sustainable food production
Reading Time: 5 minutes “Words without action are meaningless.” Teacher Steven Schultz couldn’t have predicted the effect those words would have when he said them in class one day 15 years ago. But at least one student took them to heart: She decided she wanted to take École Lacombe Composite High School off the electrical grid. She gathered a […] Read more
Variable Prairie weather makes for uncertain spring ahead
If nothing else, a rainy harvest season helped replenish topsoil moisture
MarketsFarm — Late-season rains wreaked havoc on the 2019 harvest season but were helpful in restoring topsoil moisture to key growing regions in the Prairies. Since snow coverage has been variable across the Prairies so far in 2020, however, the growing season may get off to a rocky start. “If we take a look at […] Read more
We know how to make agriculture more resilient
Encouraging use of proven techniques and improving infrastructure are key to sustainable food production
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was my grandfather who said to me, “Once in your life you need a doctor, lawyer, policeman or preacher, but every day three times a day — you need a farmer.” The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations uses this in a poster promoting the importance of farming and agriculture globally. […] Read more
Are you prepared to deal with tougher times on your farm?
Know your current ratio, honestly estimate your gross revenue, and be ready to talk to your lender, says adviser
Reading Time: 3 minutes Managing your financial risk is a little like skinny-dipping — you’ve got to protect your assets, and that’s hard to do when you’re not covered. “When the tide goes out, everybody can see who’s swimming naked,” said MNP agricultural tax specialist Rob Strilchuk (quoting Warren Buffett). “We had a lot of good years, but when […] Read more
Working on the railroad — and getting grain moving
Things aren’t perfect but railways and farm groups are slowly rebuilding trust after years of conflict
Reading Time: 4 minutes They’re not besties yet — but the relationship between farm groups and the railways has undergone a sea change over the last few years. After years of vociferous complaints about poor rail service, the federal government cracked the whip in 2014, ordering CP and CN Rail to move one million tonnes of grain weekly or […] Read more
Preserving highly productive soil is critical for tomorrow
In my hometown, across the province and around the world, top-quality soil is being lost to development
Reading Time: 3 minutes My hometown is Stony Plain. It is a great town, progressive, beautiful and welcoming: A place that honours the past and has no fear of the future. I love to go back to visit with my family and friends. I can stand in one spot for hours and simply talk to folks as they pass […] Read more
The Year That Was: Fake meat takes off
Many ranchers view faux burgers as a threat, but others argue they’re a sign that opportunities abound
Reading Time: 3 minutes Faux burgers have been around for a while but in 2019, some sort of switch was flipped and all of a sudden everyone was talking about them. The pivotal moment came when the food-service industry decided to embrace Beyond Meat — which more closely mimics the look and texture of actual hamburgers, said Sylvain Charlebois, […] Read more
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