Category: Western Canada

The rising protectionist agenda across the world has made agricultural trade difficult between once-friendly trading partners. Farmers in Canada and the U.S. have felt the impacts of strained exports, but how their governments have recognized these challenges is different. Although both countries have faced financial challenges on the farm, U.S. producers across a broad spectrum... Read More

Alberta's northern agricultural regions are asking people not to snowmobile in areas where crops still remain unharvested. "It's a disaster...in many parts of the Peace River region," says Canterra Seeds' Jesse Meyer. "We've got areas that are well under half done – so over half of the crop is still in the field." Meyer says... Read More

Pulse crops like a warm, dry bias — something that has eluded much of the pulse growing region of Western Canada this year. Peas especially don't like wet feet, preferring instead well drained, lighter soil, along with that drier weather. For the 2019 growing season, many pulse growers saw plenty of pea crops with lots... Read More

In the season of elections, Alberta Canola has announced who will be taking the director positions in the upcoming term and which regions still have an election. Dan Doll of Fairview (region 1), and Cale Staden of Vermilion, (region 10), will both be serving a second term as directors. An election will be held between... Read More

The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) has announced the results for director nominations. For region 1, Jason Saunders of Taber, Alta., was acclaimed, where he will be entering his second, three-year term on AWC's board. Greg Sears of Sexsmith, Alta., and David Barlett of Fairview, Alta., were also acclaimed, with both of them being new AWC... Read More

You've worked hard and expanded the farm's land base from about 1,200 acres to 2,400. Where's your money better spent — a second combine or a grain dryer? Scott Keller, who farms at New Norway, Alta., says the economics are cut-and-dried on that topic. According to Keller —hands down — you're better off setting up... Read More

Have you got your soil tests done for the year? If not, that's just fine, as late fall is actually a great time to test soil nutrient levels, says Ross McKenzie, now-retired soil scientist (from Alberta Agriculture). Without a soil test to guide the decision, farmers are choosing fertilizer rates "by guess and by golly,"... Read More

Gabriel Ribeiro has been named as the new Saskatchewan Beef Industry Chair at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). Ribeiro steps in to the role following John McKinnon's retirement. Prior to becoming the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Chair, Ribeiro was an assistant professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. Originally from Brazil,... Read More

The Teamsters union that represents roughly 3,000 members of the Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) at Canadian National Railway Company (CN) says workers may be going on strike as soon as November. In September, conductors, train- and yard-workers voted 99.2 per cent in favour of strike action over its collective agreement that expired near the end... Read More

If dogs can detect trace amounts of drugs in luggage, could they be trained to sniff out plant disease, too? The short answer is yes — and a research scientist headed up a project to prove it in a one-year, proof of concept study out of Alberta. Mike Harding, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture &... Read More