Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Beef Producers is urging its members to write their MLA and ask that they strongly push for additional assistance for the cattle sector following the temporary shutdown of Cargill’s High River beef plant. A form letter prepared by the organization states that “with time, this closure will also impact Canadian’s access to beef and […] Read more
Cattle ranchers urged to lobby their MLAs for quick action
Reduced slaughter means cattle sector needs immediate changes to support programs, says ABP
Province announces new ag research agency
The new Results Driven Agriculture Research will fund both pure and applied research for the crop and livestock sectors in Alberta
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s back to the future for ag research in Alberta. After holding a series of consultations across the province as well as an online survey, the provincial government has created a new organization that “takes the best parts of previous research models.” That’s a reference to two former agencies — the Alberta Livestock and Meat […] Read more
Make food supply chain an essential service, says Alberta’s ag minister
Things are working well and there is no need for hoarding or panic buying, says Devin Dreeshen
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s food supply chain is stable and is functioning — but it’s essential to keep goods flowing across the U.S. border, says the province’s agriculture minister. “We have put in an official request to the federal government to deem the entire food supply chain as an essential service to ensure a safe and stable food […] Read more
Staff laid off at the Ag-Info Centre
Livestock and crop specialists have lost their jobs but province says farmers will be able to get the info they need
Reading Time: 3 minutes Eight specialists at the Ag-Info Centre in Stettler have been laid off in the latest round of staff cuts at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. But the provincial government says farmers won’t be affected. There was no public announcement of the layoffs, but the province did send letters to crop and livestock associations as well as […] Read more
What does the new farm safety law mean on your farm?
There are more options under Farm Freedom and Safety Act but farm employers have the same basic obligations
Reading Time: 4 minutes The Farm Freedom and Safety Act doesn’t give producers freedom from making sure their employees make it home safe and sound at the end of every work day. That’s the gist of a new campaign by AgSafe Alberta, which is trying to correct a misconception that Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws don’t apply to […] 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
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
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
Trade deal hailed by Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association is hailing the completion of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and encouraging its swift ratification. “The experience of the North American beef cattle industries under NAFTA is testament to the value of trade agreements,” it said. “Access to global markets, including the North American market, means that on average that each animal […] Read more
The Year That Was: China punishes Prairie farmers
For crop growers, China’s canola seed ban was the big news story of 2019
Reading Time: 2 minutes China’s near-total ban on Canadian canola seed dominated the news cycle in the past year. “The biggest challenge we faced through 2019 was the blockage of canola seed shipments to China,” said Jim Everson, president of Canola Council of Canada. “China is, of course, a very significant market for canola seed, oil, and meal, but […] Read more
Manitoba gathering data to press case for exempting grain drying from federal carbon tax
The Manitoba government is gathering data to make the case for exempting grain drying fuels from the federal government’s carbon tax. “So we’ll get the numbers together and then to (federal agriculture) Minister (Marie-Claude) Bibeau and we’ll continue to lobby on behalf of our ag producers,” Manitoba’s Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pederson said […] Read more
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