What did you do on your most recent vacation? Ski? Go south? Binge-watch Netflix? Not Dr. Paula Menzies. She spent her vacation writing the final chapters of a book…on udder health for dairy goats. It wasn’t especially relaxing. And it won’t end up being a best seller on Amazon or Chapters. But the book, released... Read More
Category: Western Canada
According to the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, in 2011 the global market for organic products reached a value nearing $US 63 billion. In Canada, the organic agriculture sector has been growing since the early 1980s, with now over 1.7M acres of farmed land certified organic. And though the overall number of farms in... Read More
Young Agrarians grew by a province this year, with the new Alberta chapter receiving the 2015 Community Agricultural Grant from Peavey Mart — a fifty thousand dollar award given annually to a project that helps strengthen rural communities. "Young Agrarians is an initiative that came out of British Columbia, and really it's an opportunity for…Read More
Grains started the month of March fairly hot, trying to rebound from its end of February, with more liquidity being added to the market and more bulls coming to the table on weather concerns. Nonetheless, given the size of the short position that managed money is holding on the futures board, there are some fundamentals... Read More
Paterson Grain has announced the construction of a 55,000 metric tonne grain handling facility on Highway 2 near Bowden, just south of Innisfail, Alberta. “It will be a pleasure earning the trust of producers in Red Deer County and beyond, as we have done for the past 108 years across the Canadian prairies,” said president... Read More
North American farmers got their first look at the new Massey Ferguson 5700SL Series mid-range tractors at the National Farm Machinery Show last month in Louisville, Kentucky. The 5700SL tractors include three models, ranging from 110 to 130 HP, with the 5713SL model claiming the 2016 Tractor of the Year award in the utility category... Read More
Optimal seeding rates for faba beans can vary from less than 3 bushels per acre to over 6 bushels per acre due to a wide range in seed size. With spring around the corner, Sherrilyn Phelps of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers stresses the importance of knowing the thousand kernel weight of faba bean seed. "Depending on…Read More
Jim Bottomley has managed marketing programs for breakfast cereal companies like Quaker Oats, launched new pet foods, and is now involved in consulting. He has provided advice to Future 500s, non-profit organizations, and — through his Alberta Beef Industry Conference presentation — the beef industry. Bottomley described to the crowd what he calls "better benefits"... Read More
Satellites are helping us understand and predict what happens in the field, Ontario’s ag minister is defending cuts to the province’s ag budget and farm groups pushing for better rail service aren’t very happy with what’s in the long-awaited transportation act review. It's also Canadian Agriculture Literacy Week, with Agriculture in the Classroom delivering programming... Read More
A new canola trait launched by Dow AgroSciences this week has the potential to expand the market for canola meal and change rations used for hog and poultry production. After 15 years of research, Dow has developed canola that yields canola meal with significantly higher protein content — a product more comparable to soybean meal... Read More