Time is of the essence for farmers who must finish harvesting the 2016 crop before fertilizing and seeding this year’s acreage. Applying fertilizer and seed in one pass speeds up the process, and for those without equipment for side or mid-row banding, this might be the ideal year for a controlled release fertilizer applied with […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Alta.’s conservative parties to try a merger
Alberta’s Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties have inked plans to form one party, at this point called the United Conservative Party with the goal of defeating the NDP government in the next provincial election. At a news conference yesterday, Wildrose leader Brian Jean and Progressive Conservative leader Jason Kenney signed an agreement in principal to […] Read more
Alta. farmers want fast action
Alberta farmers are asking for expedited assessment of their unharvested 2016 crops so they can deal with them and start on 2017 crops when weather permits. In a conference call April 26, commodity groups under the banner of Team Alberta asked Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier and senior officials with Agriculture Financial Services Corp. to […] Read more
New AFSC board named
Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corp., the provincial body that administers crop insurance and disaster assistance funding, has a new board of directors that has already started work. Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier announced the new board April 27. Jennifer Wood, a professional agrologist and cattle rancher in the Edmonton region, was appointed chair. Joining her […] Read more
Focus on feed-efficient cattle will increase profit, reduce methane
If 30 percent of Alberta cattle producers achieved a five percent improvement in their animals’ feed efficiency, it would save about $100 million per year. Those are figures from Erasmus Okine, beef research scientist and vice-president of research at the University of Lethbridge. Those numbers are achievable, Okine told an April 20 meeting of the […] Read more
Feedlot head tax ruled legal
A per-animal-unit tax imposed primarily on cattle feedlots by Lethbridge County has been deemed legal in Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench and has opened the door to similar tax levies across the province. It has also raised questions among feedlot owners about the future of their operations and the cattle feeding industry in the county, […] Read more
Building starts on ag learning centres
Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alta., turned the sod April 26 on two new agricultural learning centres. The $9.5 million Dairy Learning Centre and the $7.1 million Animal Health Clinic are expected to provide greater opportunities for hands-on learning by students. The 47,000 sq. foot dairy facility is expected to be completed this fall and will […] Read more
Farmers seek insurance promise
Commissions for Alberta’s major crops are pressing the provincial agriculture department and the Agriculture Financial Services Corp. to ensure farmers are covered for the many acres of unharvested 2016 crop. The Alberta Wheat Commission, Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola Producers Commission and Alberta Pulse Growers Commission scheduled a meeting with the agriculture minister and AFSC April […] Read more
Spring snow plagues farmers in northern Alta.
April showers bring May flowers but April snow brought doldrums to farmers in northern Alberta and the Alberta-British Columbia Peace region. Many fields were saturated last autumn so the snow and cold this spring have not been conducive to harvesting the remainder of the 2016 crop or the start of seeding. “It’s as wet as […] Read more
Irrigator plans to run pivots with solar
GRASSY LAKE, Alta. — Alberta’s first solar-operated irrigation pivot will start making its rounds this spring as soon as water starts flowing in canals. The 136.4 kilowatt solar array was installed at Merlinds Farms Ltd., operated by brothers Cory and Lindsay Nelson, in November, so they have yet to see how it functions in terms […] Read more
