GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — Prices for Canadian bison remain strong, in part because there are fewer animals available than in past years. The Canadian dollar value relative to the American greenback doesn’t hurt either, bison producers were told Oct. 22 at the Peace Region conference here. Bison Producers of Alberta president Roger Van Haren said […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Beware of offers for farm safety certification
GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — The phone rings at the farm and someone on the line offers to do a safety assessment to prepare that farm for compliance with Alberta’s new Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, formerly known as Bill 6. The offer comes with a price tag, of course. Should Alberta farmers […] Read more
Municipal group proposes ag exemption for carbon levy
A number of agriculture related resolutions are to be debated at the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties’ fall convention in Edmonton Nov. 15-17. Most, if not all, of the organization’s activities affect agriculture, but three of this year’s resolutions may be of particular interest to farmers. The County of St. Paul has put […] Read more
TB takes terrible toll
‘I was sick for the industry:’ Alberta ranchers worry about what happens next after one cow was diagnosed with tuberculosis
BROOKS, Alta. — Sleepless nights and worry: that’s what about 50 ranchers in southeastern Alberta are experiencing as their cattle herds remain in quarantine. One cow that grazed in a community pasture near Jenner and Suffield was diagnosed with tuberculosis in mid-September after being shipped to the United States. The cow belonged to Brad Osadczuk, […] Read more
Greenhouse owner in spotlight
HIGH PRAIRIE, Alta. — Christie Pollack’s enthusiasm for her business and her community is infectious. It has “infected” three other businesses in this northwestern Alberta town to the point where they plan to launch the Discover Our Spaces website Nov. 1. It will feature products from Christie’s Gardens and Greenhouses, Magpie Bait (fashion accessories), Kitchen […] Read more
Bison code of conduct ready for public review
GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — The draft code of practice for the care and handling of bison is scheduled to be released for public comment Nov. 21 and will be open until Jan. 17. Dr. Jayson Galbraith, a veterinarian with Alberta Agriculture who serves on the code development committee, said work on the updated code began […] Read more
Peace region’s ‘harvest from hell’
HIGH PRAIRIE, Alta. — Fields are far from bare in Alberta’s Peace River region, and hopes are low that crops that remain in the fields, both in swath and standing, will be harvested this year. Rainfall amounts vary, but much of the region saw up to and even exceeded 70 millimetres of rain in September […] Read more
Alberta producers provide local ‘take away’ food
HIGH PRAIRIE, Alta. — Food trucks seem to proliferate in cities, but there’s only one rolling around in this area of northern Alberta. The Farm Truck carries food prepared from locally produced ingredients and is an offshoot of a family farm operation. Morgan Nesom is the management and marketing arm of the four-person operation, which […] Read more
Alta. growers see near record-setting sugar beet harvest
TABER, Alta. — The 28,000-acre southern Alberta sugar beet harvest is nearing completion with the possibility of record-breaking yields. Arnie Bergen-Henengouwen, president of Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, said growing conditions favoured sugar beets this year. “There was a little bit of hail in the area that affected some of the acres, but overall they’re expecting […] Read more
Alta. producers get help with green investment
CORRECTION – The original version of this story stated the funding cap for the On-Farm Energy Management Program had increased to $75,000. The funding cap for the On-Farm Energy Management Program has increased to $750,000 from $50,000. The Alberta government is investing $10 million to expand programs that could help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions […] Read more
