Flora, fauna and wetlands are monitored in the grassland and parkland region to determine the health and biodiversity of the landscape
PINCHER CREEK, Alta. — About 63 percent of land in Alberta’s prairie region, which is most of the area south of the North Saskatchewan River, has a human footprint. That means it has been affected by human activity that permanently changed the landscape. It’s a big number, said Kurt Illerbrun, communications adviser with the Alberta […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Consumers’ craving for butterfat leaves glut of skim milk
The breadth of the yogurt selections in grocery stores is one indication of Canadians’ increasing appetite for butterfat. So is a change in the type of milk that shoppers now prefer. Dairy quota has been expanded to meet those appetites with seven percent growth since Aug. 1 of this dairy year. “We attribute it to […] Read more
Alberta county asks farmers to keep GM alfalfa out
A county in Alberta’s Peace River region is asking farmers not to plant genetically modified alfalfa. The matter is moot right now because Roundup Ready alfalfa is not available to growers in Western Canada. However, HarvXtra, a GM variety with stacked Roundup Ready and low lignin traits, was offered on a limited basis in Eastern […] Read more
Inspections begin under Alberta’s farm safety act
When Alberta farmers held tractor rallies and demonstrations in 2015 to protest Bill 6, the NDP government’s farm safety legislation, Mike Rappel attended most of them. He saw the anger and confusion that arose from the plan, which passed with minor amendments to become Alberta’s Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. Now Rappel, […] Read more
Private member’s bill seeks to end squatters’ rights in Alta.
Bill 204 would also amend the stewardship act, restoring landowners’ rights to compensation for decisions affecting their land
Squatters’ rights, more formally known as adverse possession, may be stricken from Alberta property law if a private member’s bill passes in the provincial legislature. Adverse possession allows a person to claim ownership of land if he or she has been in open possession of it for10 years or more without having a valid agreement […] Read more
Alta. encourages hiring local first
The Alberta government wants employers to hire provincial residents first before using temporary foreign workers or other options. Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray today announced the Employer Liaison Service, a federal-provincial pilot project she said is designed to ensure Albertans are “first in line” when employees are needed. The 24-month pilot program will connect employers […] Read more
Welfare standards already exceed certification requirements: CFA
Chicken Farmers of Canada says its standards that ensure welfare for broiler chickens are higher than those in a certification program that Tim Hortons and Burger King have announced they will use. The two chains, part of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), recently announced that by 2024 they would buy chicken only from farmers certified by […] Read more
App provides plant, animal ID to public
People curious about the name or nature of plants, animals and insects they encounter in Alberta may soon have a quick way of getting and giving information. The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) expects to launch a smartphone app and website called NatureLynx in early summer. Joelle Chille Cale, citizen science co-ordinator with ABMI, told […] Read more
Dairy strives to improve cow health while reducing antibiotic use
RED DEER — Four years ago, the Rosy-Lane Holsteins dairy near Watertown, Wisconsin, stopped using antibiotics to treat its 870 milking females. Last year, it had no cases of either ketosis or milk fever, and the farm’s veterinary bills have dropped by two-thirds. Lloyd Holterman, who owns the dairy with his wife, Daphne, and partners […] Read more
Conservation projects to receive $9 million
Three large ranches and three other conservation projects were partially funded last week through $9 million provided by the Alberta government. The Southern Alberta Land Trust Society (SALTS) will use $3.2 million of that total for three projects, including protection of the historic D Ranch, owned by Wendy and Gordon Cartwright. The SALTS arrangement comprises […] Read more
