Alberta is preparing for possible water shortages in southern rivers that feed its irrigation network and is asking for proposals to help deal with the situation. “A key element of this is the development of water sharing agreements, whereby holders of large water licences work together to agree on how much less water each will […] Read more
Alex McCuaig
Stories by Alex McCuaig
Alberta fire departments plan for a tough fire season
A silver lining from persistent drought is that there is little vegetation left to burn as dry, windy conditions persist
Persistent dry conditions are posing different fire threat levels for Alberta’s rural firefighters, from an extreme threat in the north, to diminished in southern parts because of lack of material to burn. “Looking out my window, we have no snow,” said fire chief Wayne Brown of the Municipal District of Greenview in early December. The […] Read more
Irrigators plan for a dry year if conditions hold
Crop types that require less water can reduce growers’ exposure to below normal precipitation and runoff
Soil moisture and precipitation in Alberta are far from ideal for field crops and even irrigated land had challenges in the last growing season — a situation that had many producers talking options during the Ag Connections conference in Medicine Hat in November. “This is the first year that we’ve ever talked about water shutoffs […] Read more
Alberta, Sask. regions prepare for continued drought
The smaller St. Mary Reservoir has seen its levels rise to four percent of capacity from a low of two percent
The continuing drought across Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan are prompting warnings from the two provincial governments as precipitation remains elusive and moisture deficits extend into winter. “We need to make sure we have a plan in place to address these water shortages,” said Alberta’s Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, warning of El Nino, which weather […] Read more
Below-average precipitation forecast
November brought little relief for producers living through dry conditions across Alberta. Precipitation remains rare and many mountain snowpack stations are reporting below average levels, as 51 water shortage advisories stretch across the province, north to south. Seasonal forecasts predict little reprieve in the next three months as an El Nino weather system moves in. […] Read more
Parts of cattle country in ‘emergency situation’ for moisture
Federal and provincial governments are trying to reduce sell-offs of cattle breeding stock due to widespread drought
Cattle producers are adapting to dry conditions persisting across the Prairies but the drought is pushing their ingenuity to the limit. “We haven’t grown any grass — virtually zero native pasture grew in 2023,” said Brad Osadczuk of Jenner, Alta. “We are pretty good at carrying over from the previous year but we’re down to […] Read more
Nanoparticle-based foliar fertilizer
Vantage Ag president Paul Sinkevich is the first to acknowledge that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. However, when it comes to the use of nanoparticles in foliar fertilizer applications, he said the proof of the pudding is in the eating. “We’re adding a process that gets the particle size […] Read more
Report cites animal ag’s importance
A new study explores the close connection between animal agriculture in Canada and the day-to-day life of its residents
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — A new report for the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute seeks to educate policymakers about the impact that animal agriculture has at the economic, social and environmental levels. The report, called Forces Impacting Animal Agriculture In Canada: A Synthesis, delves into the issues surrounding beef, dairy and poultry production in the country […] Read more
Bird flu makes return to southern B.C.
It’s shaping up as another November of pain for commercial poultry operators in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley as avian influenza is again wreaking havoc with 41 operations hit with outbreaks in November. The outbreaks follow four outbreaks at commercial operations in October after a relatively calm spring that saw only one B.C. farm hit in […] Read more
Harvest sample program deadline looms
The deadline to submit to the Harvest Sample Program is fast approaching. For producers not already subscribed, it’s a good time to register for the initiative which provides free, unofficial grade and quality results for the 2024 crop. Kerri Pleskach, program manager at the Canadian Grain Commission, said registered producers must get their samples in […] Read more
