RED DEER — One hundred young people gather every year for the Western Canadian Classic to learn all they can about the dairy business in a week’s time. This is the 31st year for the event, which is open to participants 12-21 years old. This year it was held Aug. 18-22 in Red Deer. Mike […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Dairy producers wrestle with changing trends
When new products show up in the grocery store dairy case, it takes time and money to convince consumers to try them. “The dairy industry has been very uninteresting for a very long time,” said Jim Smith, director of marketing for the Australian company A2 during a special dairy processing webinar sponsored by Food Navigator. […] Read more
Saskatoon growers move from bushes to pies
DOG POUND, Alta. — The first things visitors see when they approach Solstice Berry Farm are long parallel rows of saskatoon bushes climbing up a hill toward Rick and Marsha Gelowitz’s home. The family’s quarter section of hayland between Crossfield and Dog Pound was converted to a saskatoon orchard in 2003. “We had done our […] Read more
Canada hopes to export younger cattle to U.S.
WINNIPEG — Canada wants the age restriction lifted on mature cows exported to the United States. Cows shipped to the U.S. must be born after March 1999, according to a rule released in 2007 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However as time passes there are fewer of these older animals left, said John Masswohl […] Read more
Fababeans put through the paces in test plot
Agriculture Canada and enthusiastic fababean grower work together to test fungicides, seed treatments and assess yields
BENTLEY, Alta. — Harvey Brink’s love of fababeans has led him into the world of research. Over the past five years the central Alberta farmer has seen the highs and lows of this crop, from plants growing shoulder high to this year barely reaching his knees. Alberta farmers grew nearly 80,000 acres of fababeans last […] Read moreCCA leaders look to future with optimism
WINNIPEG — Being a farm leader is about having a vision for the future. As president and vice-president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Dave Solverson and Dan Darling believe their job is to keep the vision strong and family farms prosperous. “A lot of what the CCA does is for the future. As an organization […] Read more
Cattle herd continues to shrink
The Canadian cattle herd has declined by more than two percent, according to the most recent Statistics Canada report released Aug. 20. Statistics Canada said there were 13 million cattle on 82,050 farms as on July 1, down 2.1 percent from July 1, 2014, continuing a decline in the size of the national herd. The […] Read more
Canada hopes to upgrade beef grading system
WINNIPEG — The Canadian Beef Grading Agency is looking for public comment by Aug. 31 on proposed changes to the yield and grade classifications for beef, veal and bison. The agency wants a five-yield classification rather than the three yield grades now in use in Canada. This would hopefully bring Canada more in line with […] Read more
Hot prices at early cattle sale bode well for fall run
CHAIN LAKES, Alta. — Boom times continue for the Canadian cattle business and recent yearling sales indicate a hot fall market. It’s so hot that market analysts no longer make predictions. “I did say prices could go a little higher in 2015 but we really shot through the moon again,” said Brian Perillat of Canfax, […] Read more
Ranch builds customers by building Wagyu brand
BRANT, Alta. — Brandon Ball polished off two Wagyu burgers before heading off to tour the pens where the family raises cattle for their branded beef program. “I’m spoiled by Wagyu,” he said. His grandfather, Simmental breeder Jack Ball, became involved with bringing the Japanese cattle to Canada via the United States in 1991. The […] Read more
