Ice sheeting is another threat to grass and forage stands because it provides little protection from low air temperatures
Low snow cover in parts of the Prairies could result in higher winterkill in tame hay and forage fields. Even mighty timothy, the most cold-tolerant among them, can suffer under prolonged sub-zero cold with no snow as an insulating blanket. Bill Thomas, an agronomist from Truro, N.S., said that although exposure to subfreezing temperatures is […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Alberta reserve explores bringing back bison
Members of the Blood First Nations are studying soil, foliage and water on the reserve to see if the project is feasible
Southern Alberta’s Blood Reserve is 546 sq. miles among the thousands of square miles in which bison once roamed. Now members of the Blood First Nation are exploring whether bison can return to their lands. Mike Bruised Head is among those within the Kanai Ecosystem Protection Agency who are studying soil, foliage and water on […] Read more
Cow herd continues long decline
Total inventories are down 1.9 percent compared to last year and almost 25 percent smaller than in 2005
Shrinkage of the Canadian beef breeding herd continued last year and domestic beef cow numbers are now at their lowest since 1990 at 3.56 million head. Statistics Canada released the latest livestock numbers last week showing total cattle inventories were down 1.9 percent compared to last year. That percent equates to 220,000 head, pegging the […] Read more
Two-year transition accompanies livestock rules
Working groups for the beef and dairy and veal sectors will provide the CFIA with guidance, identify issues and find solutions
Amendments to livestock transportation regulations took effect Feb. 20 and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has provided a “then vs. now” table designed to alert producers to some of the primary changes. The updated regulations are the result of years of discussion and revision by the CFIA after consultations with producers, veterinarians, transporters, livestock groups […] Read moreSolid records can help weather a food recall
An Alberta family shares what happened to them after their meat operation was linked to contaminated pork
Hardly a week passes without a food recall, somewhere in Canada, involving allergens, unlabelled ingredients, foreign material or potential bacterial contamination in food. They can affect food companies large and small. An owner of one of those small companies, Irvings Farm Fresh, recently chose to share her story about a food recall as advice to […] Read moreHog, sheep numbers down across Canada
Canadian hog numbers shrank slightly last year for the second consecutive year, Statistics Canada reported last week. There are 13.9 million hogs in Canada, the bulk of them in Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, which together hold about 80 percent of the total. On the Prairies, Manitoba has 3.3 million hogs, down slightly from the previous […] Read more
College reaches research agreement
Lethbridge College and Farming Smarter, the Lethbridge-based applied research group, formalized a long-standing relationship Feb. 25 by signing a 15-year agreement. The two entities have collaborated in the past on several levels. Farming Smarter’s headquarters is on land owned by the college, and students at the college are frequent visitors to the research group’s various […] Read more
Alta. loan to help decommission wells
The Alberta government announced March 2 a $100 million loan to the Orphan Well Association for use in reclaiming abandoned oil and gas well sites. A repayment schedule is still being developed. The move is expected to create up to 500 direct and indirect jobs in the oil services sector, according to a government news […] Read more
Federal government expands livestock tax deferral list
A final list of the designated regions eligible for livestock tax deferral was released Feb. 18 by Agriculture Canada. The deferral was prompted by extreme weather conditions in various parts of the country last year, including drought, floods and excess moisture. It allows livestock producers to defer a portion of their 2019 sales of breeding […] Read more
Unpaid taxes on oil and gas wells squeeze municipal budgets
For example, the Municipal District of Taber is owed $1.75 million in taxes, or 13 percent of the total budget
Failure of some oil and gas companies to pay their Alberta municipal taxes is putting many rural municipalities in a financial bind. As of last month, rural municipalities had approximately $173 million owing in unpaid taxes from oil and gas companies. Some haven’t paid because they’ve gone into receivership or are bankrupt, but others still […] Read more
