Manitoba hog producers are making steady progress toward eliminating porcine epidemic diarrhea virus from 80 infected premises. Dr. Glen Duizer of the province’s chief veterinary office said 24 of those 80 are now presumed to have eliminated the virus and another 24 are in the transitional phase and should be deemed free of the virus […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Southern Alta. ranchers told to use Mother Nature’s ‘unfair advantages’
FORT MACLEOD, Alta. — Country singer Corb Lund, who grew up in Alberta, knows the difficulties associated with raising cattle in the chinook country of the south. He sings about it in Long Gone to Saskatchewan, a song about moving east to avoid some of the costs and consequences. Of Alberta, he sings: Well it’s […] Read more
Cutworms can be difficult to identify: look for ‘fake legs’
There are two things for Alberta farmers to remember about cutworms, says Agriculture Canada entomologist Kevin Floate. One is that Alberta Agriculture has an online cutworm reporting tool that farmers can use to enter data and see whether cutworms are a problem in a specific area. Find it by visiting www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app68/listings/cutworm/cutworm_map.jsp. The other is that […] Read more
Farm safety group restructures in Alberta
An organization formed to equip Alberta farmers and ranchers with farm safety information and guidance is now in transition. AgSafe Alberta is an agricultural industry-led group formed after the provincial government enacted the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, previously known as Bill 6, amid much controversy. Using $500,000 from the federal-provincial Growing […] Read more
Alta. veterinarians upset over legislative changes
A bill that angered Alberta veterinarians was passed last week in the legislature. Bill 31, A Better Deal for Consumers and Businesses Act, changed rules for ticket scalpers and automotive repair businesses, and also made changes affecting how veterinarians advertise and provide information on rates. The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) took issue with the […] Read more
Seneca Valley Virus growing problem in U.S.
Seneca Valley Virus, an illness in pigs, is on the rise in parts of the United States, and that should put Canadian hog producers on alert. Dr. Julia Keenliside, veterinary epidemiologist with Alberta Agriculture, said the U.S. reported 200 cases of SVV in 2015, but in 2017 there were 300 cases reported in Wisconsin alone. […] Read more
Study looks at why rural workers on disability longer
Rural workers who get hurt on the job in Alberta are slower than urban workers to return to work after injury. They are also more likely to get reinjured once back at work compared to urban workers. These are among the findings from University of Alberta research using Workers Compensation Board injury claim data from […] Read more
Alta. veterinarians in uproar over legislative changes
Alberta veterinarians have taken issue with proposed provincial government legislative changes that they say were made without consultation and that they fear will negatively affect animal care and welfare. The changes include the option for veterinary practices to advertise their fees, a requirement that they disclose all fees before treating pets and that they acquire […] Read more
Energy no longer Alberta’s engine, says economist
Southern Alberta’s focus on agriculture has cushioned it against the recession that devastated parts of the province where the energy sector was the economic engine. Todd Hirsch, chief economist with ATB Financial, told those at the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association water conference Nov. 21 that agriculture has created a more consistent economic base in the […] Read more
Oldman Watershed Council focuses on public relations
Southern Alberta’s Oldman Watershed Council is hoping to conscript farmers and ranchers in an ongoing quest to tell consumers about water, food production and good management. OWC executive director Shannon Frank told those at the recent Alberta Irrigation Projects Association meeting that “a global implosion of trust” has affected the public view of agriculture, and […] Read more
