OLDS, Alta. – Last year, Justin Turner was able to study Spanish through distance learning, an opportunity he might not have had otherwise as a student in a small town high school. This year, the Grade 12 student at Olds could have studied calculus with others in the Chinook’s Edge School Division through a unique […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Program urges age verification to open markets
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. – Alberta livestock producers will receive a second government payment early next year, but only if they age verify this year’s calf crop and register their farms by Dec. 31. Assistant deputy agriculture minister John Knapp said the payment is included in the producer’s income for the year but not in […] Read more
Livestock producers to track COOL’s impact
Beef and pork producers who have been hurt by the United States’ country-of-origin labelling law need to provide documentation to their provincial organizations. Industry leaders say launching a trade challenge could be difficult without proof of lower prices or refusal by U.S. packers to accept Canadian livestock. “We’re monitoring the effects and asking producers to […] Read more
Canadian beef industry could fill gap in Russia
Canada may be able to fill the gap in Russia’s undeveloped beef sector. “There is comparatively no money going into beef production,” said Richard Brown of the British food consulting firm Gira. “The money is going into chicken production so Russia will rely on imports for a goodly long time.” The Canada Beef Export Federation […] Read more
Deadline looms over BSE suit
Canadian cattle producers have until Dec. 12 to opt out of a national BSE class action suit against the federal government. If they do not contact Crawford Class Action Services, a claims management firm based in Waterloo, Ont., they will continue as part of the suit, which alleges the government was responsible for allowing BSE […] Read more
Food safety key to verified beef program
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. – Fewer than 400 Canadian farms have been accredited under the Verified Beef Production program, but an Alberta co-ordinator says a few changes could make it more palatable. The program, which is administered by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, is designed to promote food safety by outlining safe production practices. Alberta co-ordinator […] Read more
Harper vows to work with opposition parties
During his victory speech following a second straight Conservative minority government win, Stephen Harper promised to set aside the rancour that sometimes dominates the House of Commons. “This is a time for us to put aside partisan considerations and work for the benefit of all Canadians,” he said, indicating a willingness to work with the […] Read more
Farmers gang up on charity field
STRATHMORE, Alta. – Farmers set aside their own harvest work on a recent cool, cloudy fall day to help a worthy cause. Travelling in a convoy, 43 combines and six super B trains arrived at a field east of Strathmore, Alta., Oct. 4 to harvest 149 acres of canola for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. In […] Read more
COOL’s arrival brings uncertainty
The U.S. country-of-origin-labelling law has arrived after a 12 year process, creating market disruptions and confusion for the meat industry. The law went into effect Sept. 30 and the only consensus among Canadian and American producers and packers is that no one likes the final version released July 31. “It’s extremely confusing and the one […] Read more
Exporters not familiar with COOL details
Cattle exports to the United States are expected to be down until producers figure out the finer points of its country-of-origin-labelling law. “I suspect the volumes will be back, but I think there will be a permanent price impact, and we don’t know to what extent that will be,” said John Masswohl of the Canadian […] Read more
