Brad Dubeau takes the helm at the organization after working for 3 1/2 years as its marketing and education manager
Given a choice, a newly appointed general manager wouldn’t likely want to take over during a crisis. Brad Dubeau, who begins the top administrative role at Alberta Beef Producers July 2, doesn’t have that choice. COVID-19 has caused major issues in the cattle business and he’ll be in the thick of managing through it. However, […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Milk River irrigators brace for worst
The Milk River runs the risk of running dry later this summer, which would eliminate irrigation for 40 southern Alberta water licence holders, change cattle pasture rotation for ranchers, force municipal water restrictions and damage the river’s aquatic ecosystem. No water will be transferred from the St. Mary Basin into the Milk River Basin this […] Read more
Farm plastic collector increases its recovery rate
Prairie farmers returned more than 3.6 million plastic pesticide and fertilizer containers last year for the recycling program operated by CleanFarms. Saskatchewan farmers provided 1.8 million of those and Alberta another 1.3 million in 2019, the 30th year in which containers sized 23 litres and smaller have been collected. The grain bag recycling program in […] Read more
Ground beetles on canola fields no cause for alarm
The beneficial insects are attracted to shelled-out canola seeds; their larvae prey on soft-bodied pests such as cutworms
Northern Alberta canola growers who found large numbers of beetles while harvesting last year’s crops this spring have no reason to worry. The ground beetles are a beneficial species merely taking advantage of shelled-out canola seed, said Agriculture Canada senior research scientist and entomologist Kevin Floate. A photograph he received this spring taken north of […] Read more
Only in Canada — report lists endemic species
Canada has 308 plant and animal species that are found nowhere else in the world — 121 of them are on the Prairies
The Bert’s predaceous diving beetle, large-headed woolly yarrow, false northwestern moonwort and Queen Charlotte hairy woodpecker have one thing in common. They are only found in Canada. This country has 308 endemic plant and animal species, those that are found nowhere else in the world. Of those, the Prairies are home to 121 of them […] Read more
Packers regain pace after slowdown
Plans are in place in Alberta for a fed cattle set-aside program, but there are concerns other sectors will need assistance
Alberta’s two major packing plants are approaching full capacity, which is welcome news for the cattle industry facing a fed cattle backlog of about 130,000 head. Kelly Smith-Fraser, chair of Alberta Beef Producers, said the JBS plant in Brooks, Alta., and the Harmony Beef plant in Balzac, Alta., were operating near full capacity and the […] Read more
New app links meat producers to consumers
Potential buyers will indicate what they’re looking for and the app will show them producers who can meet their needs
There’s an app for that. It’s become a common expression in this world rife with smartphones, and one of the latest apps is Meatocracy, a way for livestock producers to sell larger quantities of product direct to consumers. The Regina-based company’s chief executive officer, Lyndon Lisitza, said the app is expected to be available in […] Read moreB.C. offers more funds for food e-commerce
The vital part of the Buy B.C. campaign in British Columbia is the ability of sellers to reach consumers and e-commerce is one way to do that. The provincial government on June 5 put more money into a program to help farmers and food companies establish e-commerce and facilitate sales of B.C. products. Demand upon […] Read more
Two new PED cases confirmed in Manitoba
Manitoba has confirmed two new cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea, its first this year. The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network reported the discovery June 9 in one hog operation in the northeastern buffer area and one in the high-risk area where PED cases appeared last year, primarily in an area southeast of Winnipeg. Both […] Read more
Pork producers float pricing change
Western Canadian pork producer organizations want to meet with major packers to discuss pricing improvements. In a letter addressed to Maple Leaf Foods, Olymel and Donald’s Fine Foods, the producer organizations in each of the four western provinces said they wanted to explore a pricing model that incorporates cut-out value, rather than the current mechanism […] Read more
