Alberta’s agricultural research organization will have a new chief executive officer as of March 1. Dr. Mark Redmond will replace Dr. Gerald Hauer, who has been interim CEO since April 1, 2020, when Results Driven Agriculture Research was first established. Redmond is a former associate dean at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and has […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Ontario firm plans to raise crickets for food
Company expects to produce 10,000 tonnes of insects annually and an equal amount of excrement for use as fertilizer
All is considered quiet when only crickets can be heard, but billions of crickets will be raising their voices when a production facility in London, Ont., starts production early next year. The Aspire Food Group has started construction on a $72 million plant that will produce protein powder for pet food, human food, soil and […] Read more
Red Deer hog plant starts reopening today
The Olymel pork processing plant in Red Deer is resuming slaughter operations today after temporarily closing for 14 days due to a COVID-19 outbreak among workers. Olymel said it has received the green light from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to reopen the plant, which it will do gradually by starting slaughter today and cutting room […] Read more
Cattle herd size continues to shrink
The one percent drop in the national cattle herd is part of a general decline that has been happening since 2005
The number of Canadian cattle and sheep shrank in 2020, but there were more hogs compared to the previous year. Statistics Canada released its livestock 2020 livestock inventory March 1, showing a one percent decline in the national cattle herd, totalling 11.2 million animals, and a two percent decline in sheep numbers, totalling 800,000. Total […] Read more
Quintuplet birth produces surge in flock size
This is the second time the farm has seen such bounty in its sheep, which are considered a hobby for the dairy operation
Dairy and beef farmer Heinrich Stamm has only 22 sheep, which he refers to as “a hobby.” So when one of his ewes gave birth to five lambs Feb. 17, it added a considerable boost to the size of his flock. Stamm, who operates Stamm Dairy Ltd. near Ponoka, Alta., had to assist the ewe […] Read more
Heterosis an overlooked way to improve less heritable traits
Many cow-calf operations don’t use heterosis to full advantage in their herds, according to two producers who recently discussed breeding goals. “I was always told that commercial breeders should have better cattle than any purebred breeder because they’ve been able to capitalize on heterosis,” said Lance Leachman, a cattle producer from Maidstone, Sask. However, many […] Read more
Perseverance makes direct marketing work
Ten months into the pandemic, more people are buying food directly from farmers. Studies out of Dalhousie University indicate 4.7 percent of Canadians have done so since early last year and the trend is expected to continue. That is good news for Lorin Doerksen of Gemstone Grass-Fed Beef of Gem, Alta. He and his brother, […] Read more
Beef sector saw winners and losers during COVID
Consumers paid more for beef, processors and retailers increased their profits and feedlot owners lost millions in 2020 because of COVID-19. A paper published through the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, written by project co-ordinator Karen Spencer, indicates feedlots lost an estimated $379 million in gross revenues for 2020 compared to the previous […] Read more
Prairie processors get federal cash for COVID-related safety measures
Twenty-four meat processing operations across the Prairies used up to $7.8 million in federal funds to support their safety measures and investments related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim Carr, special representative for the Prairies, said March 2 that the Emergency Processing Fund was designed to help protect meat plant employees from COVID-19 through various safety […] Read more
B.C. sticks with Site C despite ballooning costs
Construction costs on the Site C dam on the Peace River in northeastern British Columbia continue to balloon, now reaching an estimated $16 billion. That is nearly double the original estimate of $8.77 billion when the project was approved in 2014. Despite the cost, Premier John Horgan announced last week that the project will proceed […] Read more
