A pilot project on ranch research paved the way for a three-year larger scale project among ranchers in Alberta, which is now set to begin. Twenty ranching operations, two from each of 10 applied research organizations in the province, will explore the use and effectiveness of various innovations, ranging from drone technology to monitor and […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Check-off protest erupts over fusarium
Some producers in Alberta’s northern rural municipalities are requesting refunds of wheat and barley check-off payments as a way to protest the removal of fusarium from the Alberta Pests Act. The crop disease has been slowly spreading westward for decades and until a change in May to the Pest Nuisance Control Regulation, Alberta had a […] Read more
AFSC waives hail insurance premiums in flood-hit areas
Farmers in northern Alberta facing crop losses because of excess rain can file for full refunds on hail insurance premiums booked through Agriculture Financial Services Corp. The agency announced Aug. 19 that producers with non-viable crops in the northeast, northwest and Peace regions and who also had hail endorsement or straight hail insurance can apply […] Read more
NCC buys native grassland in southern Sask.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada says the 2,140 acres on Buffalo Pound Lake would continue to be used for grazing
A 2,140-acre expanse of grassland along Buffalo Pound Lake in southern Saskatchewan has been purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada with financial assistance from various partners. Total cost of the transaction is estimated at $3.38 million. The names of the former owners of the property were not released. Cameron Wood, director of conservation for […] Read more
Ranchers ponder land rental vs. ownership
Cattle producers tell a conference that it’s always preferable to own land, but renting is sometimes the only way to go
Owning land is better than renting when it comes to cattle ranching, even though it’s not always possible. That was the general consensus among three cattle ranchers who offered their views during an online panel discussion as part of the recent Canadian Beef Industry Conference. “I’m a farmer at heart and we all want to […] Read more
Hog herd grows slightly while sheep numbers decline
Canadian hog inventories rose slightly from one year ago to 14 million animals, according to Statistics Canada’s July livestock inventory report. Exports were down 1.9 percent in the first half of 2020, totalling 2.5 million, which StatsCan attributed to oversupply issues in the United States because of COVID-19 plant closures. Hog exports were down 49.7 […] Read more
China’s hog herd recovery forecast questioned
Inventory levels aren’t expected to reach pre-ASF levels this year, and sow herd quality is likely to be lower than before
Claims out of China that hog production in that country will recover by next year to pre-2018 levels do not pass the smell test, says economic analyst Brett Stuart of Global AgriTrends. African swine fever forced the culling of an estimated 60 percent of the Chinese herd after an outbreak began there in August 2018. […] Read more
Visitors welcome – photo essay
Photo Essay | Alberta farms put out the welcome mat Aug. 15-16 during Alberta Open Farm Days. The event gives urban residents a close-up look at agriculture in the province. | Barb Glen photos
Alberta farms put out the welcome mat Aug. 15-16 during Alberta Open Farm Days. The event gives urban residents a close-up look at agriculture in the province.
Project to convert oil, gas wells to solar goes ahead
A pilot project in an Alberta municipality has received funding, which could pave the way for cheaper rural electricity
A pilot project to convert orphaned oil and gas well sites into solar energy production sites will proceed this year in the Municipal District of Taber. The municipality was officially approved Aug. 17 to receive a $2.1 million grant through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre and Alberta Innovates. That money plus $1.5 million from […] Read more
River crossing – photo essay
Photo Essay | A trip in the badlands surrounding Drumheller, Alta., is almost incomplete without a ride across the Red Deer River on the Bleriot Ferry, which has been moving passengers across the river since 1913. | Barb Glen photos
A trip in the badlands surrounding Drumheller, Alta., is almost incomplete without a ride across the Red Deer River on the Bleriot Ferry, which has been moving passengers across the river since 1913.
