The federal agriculture minister has launched online consultations on what Growing Forward 3 — or whatever name the Liberals give the next agricultural policy framework — should look like. Growing Forward 2, which encompasses most federal and provincial programs for agricultural research, market development and business risk management, expires on April 1st, 2018. Lawrence MacAulay,... Read More
Category: Western Canada
To some growers, it's an old idea; to others, it's completely new. The concept of peola — intercropping peas and canola — has been around in Western Canada for decades, but with new varieties and weed control options, the practice seems to be gaining momentum again. In 2009, the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization found an…Read More
There's no doubt concerns around antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are growing. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the States sees at least "2 million people become infected with bacteria resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these infections." In response to these concerns, the federal... Read More
Team success hinges on all members adhering to a credo embedded deep in their psyche. You know some of them: There’s no “I” in team; one dream, one team; we are family, and so on. Pork producer Vincent Breton is a believer in that team mentality. He’s the third generation of a very successful pork…Read More
I said last month that I should start giving credit to more companies that do the right thing. I’m happy to say I can already do that. Thank you Earls. If you’ve been under a rock for the last few weeks (or at least not run into a Canadian beef farmer steaming with an opinion... Read More
The number of herbicide-resistant weed cases is growing while the list of modes of action available for controlling these weeds is not, so farmers in Western Canada have shifted back to soil-applied herbicides, including some old chemistries, like Edge and Avadex. "We're going full-circle here. These are older chemistries, but they're coming back in and... Read More
United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) has seen many changes since its 1909 start, with the amalgamation of the Canadian Society for Equity and the Alberta Farmers Association. Today, the co-operative includes more than 100 bulk fuel and petroleum cardlock locations, 35 farm and ranch stores, and 1200 employees. One thing hasn't changed though. UFA is... Read More
Grain markets rode the roller coaster this week as a myriad of factors played into movements across the complex. Currencies, oil prices, weather forecasts, and money flow played a part in helping the market maintain or increase elevated levels. The oilseed market had a strong finish into the close of trading for the week, as... Read More
Retailers are enjoying this part of the beef cycle. Producers? Not so much. Cattle futures put in some new lows last week, as Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock joins us for another Beef Market Update. With slaughter levels in the U.S. up around 10 percent for the last two weeks of April, there's been a... Read More
For the majority of us on the sidelines of the Fort McMurray fire, it is impossible to understand what evacuees are going through. Many have no idea what — if anything — remains of the homes they were asked to leave immediately on Tuesday, when the entire city was put under a mandatory evacuation order.... Read More