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
Category: Western Canada
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
Near the end of November and into December, Manitoba Agriculture will have its auction for Crown land leases. “The former Department of Agriculture conducted extensive consultations with stakeholders on the allocation of agricultural Crown lands,” says Blaine Pedersen, minister of agriculture and resource development. “The auction system is a fair and transparent approach that will... Read More
Alberta's Minister of Finance, Travis Toews, donned a pair of old cowboy boots before unveiling Alberta's latest budget, saying that to him, the boots represent a part of Alberta's heritage, and "speak to the practical and resilient character of Albertans." The budget, intended to "end overspending and live within our means," saw changes to many... Read More
As if this harvest wasn't already frustrating enough, some farmers are left shaking their head as they leave the elevator. Recently, RealAgriculture's inbox has been flooded with concerns about elevators checking wheat's falling number on top of visual inspections for grading. General manager of the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, Tom Steve, says the organization... Read More
While parts of Canada may have been looking for change, the move to a Liberal minority likely won't change dairy producer priorities. "I would say it's fairly status quo for us," says Murray Sherk, Dairy Farmers of Ontario. "We work with whatever party (is) in power. We have good relationships with the Liberal Party...and they... Read More
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister shuffled his cabinet while adding two brand new positions after being re-elected for a second term. “I am humbled to serve Manitobans for a second term,” Pallister says. “We have made historic progress in putting more money back on the kitchen tables of Manitobans by reducing the PST and introducing other... Read More
Jubilant wouldn’t be the word I’d use the describe the majority of Canadians on this post-election day. That’s even truer in rural Canada. Although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed a clear mandate in his victory speech, the strength of his government looks like one with its knees cut out from under it. Of course, it... Read More
Leon Kochian, faculty member of the plant and soil science departments of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan, has won the 2019 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award for global excellence in food innovation. The award from the Arrell Food Institute, housed at the University of Guelph, recognizes global research leaders... Read More
More than success, failure is a great teacher. Still, most people don't want to openly talk about their mistakes and instead focus on what worked well. When it comes to cover crop use in Western Canada, only talking about what worked well won't get us to wide-spread adoption. At the same time, a "that will... Read More