When farmers are able to get into their fields and check the winter wheat crop this spring, they may find damage from snow mould. Alberta Agriculture plant pathologist Michael Harding said he won’t be surprised to get reports of such damage, and although no one has noted it yet, the fungus has affected crops in […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Graziers advised to resist urge to start grazing early
The winter was long. Hay is in short supply. It will be tempting for producers to put the cows out on grass as soon as green appears in pastures. Resist that urge, says range management extension specialist Nadia Mori. Grazing too soon weakens both tame and native pasture and will shorten the grazing season. “We’re […] Read more
Pork recall expands in Alta.
One person has died and another 37 confirmed with illnesses from food-borne bacteria in connection with a pork recall from an Alberta meat shop near Wetaskiwin. Alberta Health Services has connected the cases, 11 of which required hospitalization, with pork from the Meat Shop at Pine Haven operated by the Pine Haven Hutterite colony. The […] Read more
Rash of calf thefts hits southern Alberta
Twenty-six calves have been stolen from four different farming operations in southern Alberta in recent months, and the RCMP are seeking help to find the culprits. The calves were stolen between Feb. 19 and April 22, according to the Southern Alberta RCMP Livestock section. All were young animals still nursing, which makes it an unusual […] Read more
Rash of calf thefts hits southern Alta.
Twenty-six calves have been stolen from four different farming operations in southern Alberta in recent months, and the RCMP are seeking help to find the culprits. The calves were stolen between Feb. 19 and April 22, according to the Southern Alberta RCMP Livestock section. All were young animals still nursing, which makes it an unusual […] Read more
E. coli outbreak in Alta. pork triggers lawsuit
A pork recall connected to The Meat Shop at Pine Haven, a Wetaskiwin, Alta., Hutterite colony business, continues to expand and a lawsuit has been initiated by an Edmonton law firm after one person died and more than 30 others made ill from consuming pork contaminated with E. coli. Through an investigation, Alberta Health Services […] Read more
Excess water soaks Alberta
ENCHANT, Alta. — The worst of the overland flooding in southern Alberta might be over for most farmers in the Lethbridge and Taber areas, but work has barely begun for the county and municipal district as they assess damage to rural roads, many of which are closed to traffic. A local state of emergency remained […] Read more
Alta. sugar beet growers extend contract with processor
Alberta Sugar Beet Growers have signed a two-year contract extension with their processor, Lantic Sugar Inc., which they expect will provide stability through to the 2020 growing season. The current contract allows for 28,000 acres of sugar beets to be planted in 2018 and a minimum of 21,000 acres for 2019 and 2020. In a […] Read more
Field pea designation a first for North America
The humble field pea has recently gained some international credibility through an Environment Product Declaration, and it is the first North American food product to do so. The designation recognizes Alberta field peas as a product grown in environmentally responsible ways as determined by the International EPD System. “It basically is a full cradle to […] Read more
Canola pencils out best this year in Alta.
More canola, more cereals and fewer pulse crops are likely to be planted in Alberta this year, the provincial agriculture department predicts. Mark Cutts, crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture, said reports indicate barley acres will increase by seven percent, durum by five percent, spring wheat by four and oats by about two percent. “Cereal crops, […] Read more
