Although Alberta seed producers have done an excellent job of managing the risks associated with diseases, several of our Lethbridge clients have been concerned about Fusarium graminearum in their cereals this season and have been requesting more disease testing. One-third of the cereal samples tested this fall have tested positive for the fungus, with infection... Read More
Category: Western Canada
FNA is looking for farmer commitment and seed money for a new western Canadian fertilizer plant it has dubbed "ProjectN." The organization is not looking to be an owner of this plant; FNA is acting only as facilitator to round up interest and fund the FNA Fertilizer Limited Partnership. “It needs to be clear that... Read More
With the XL Foods beef recall getting some major attention nightly on the news some producer issues are coming to the surface. AFSC has temporarily decided to suspend the fed cattle CPIP program. In the short term, feedyards will be unable to participate in the government-run risk management program. Jennifer Wood, Livestock Price Insurance Coordinator,... Read More
It's the beef recall nightmare that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. The XL Foods voluntary re-call regarding possible E. coli-contaminated ground beef began last week; the list of possibly contaminated products has been expanded seven times. To date, there have been no confirmed cases of human E. coli infections linked to this... Read More
It was the great Kenny Rogers that said "There'll be time enough for countin, when the dealin's done". Well, Kenny Rogers never grew corn....at least not to my knowledge. The truth is, there is a benefit of having an idea where your crop will yield before it's off the field. The trick comes in estimating... Read More
Dairy is a big deal at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show. Not only is the show home to two robotic milkers and 70 cows on display, but there are several other equipment providers, feed dealers, genetic companies and more all showcasing the latest and greatest for the dairy farmer. SEE MORE COFS12 COVERAGE. We caught up... Read More
Once again, there is talk of a cosmetic pesticide ban for Manitoba. This isn't the first time this has been discussed; Manitoba is also not the first province to entertain such a ban -- one exists in whole or in part in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and PEI. Ontario introduced its ban even while expanding... Read More
Livestock handling demonstrations always gather a crowd at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show. Brussels Agri-Services, a Gallagher distributor, was a popular site, as they demonstrated the Auto Drafter – a state-of-the-art, incredibly quick sheep sorter. Capable of sorting several hundred sheep per hour, the Auto Drafter used RFID tag information to sort sheep in up to... Read More
If you were in the Airdrie area on the morning of the 20th and you thought you saw a farmer driving around a canola field with the Grey Cup, good news, you don't have to worry if your health care covers psychiatric assistance, it actually happened! In fact this stop was part of a joint... Read More
The recent meat recall at XL Foods is just another issue to provide adversity to the Canadian cattle industry. With one of two Western Canadian packers being forced to deal with a meat recall the lift lines have pushed an already wide basis wider. Additionally, the topic of a struggling pork industry has left many... Read More