RED DEER – Legal wrangling to halt the movement of older Canadian cattle and beef into the United States continues in a South Dakota courtroom Feb. 29. Judge Lawrence Piersol requested further briefs and legal advice at a preliminary injunction hearing held Feb. 19 in a U.S. district court in Sioux Falls. “He is trying […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Diverting grain from food questioned
It is madness to use grain to fuel the energy industry, a British maltster says. “Burning food to make fuel is not acceptable,” Tim Stonehouse, group malt sales director of Muntons Malt in Stowmarket, England, told the Western Barley Growers Association convention in Calgary Feb. 14. He said a moral dilemma is created when half […] Read more
Barley breeding worries growers
Alberta barley growers are dismayed to see the province moving away from malting variety development and regional research trials to focus on grain for biofuel. “As of 2008 regional variety trials, which are province wide research plots of every variety of grain and oilseeds in Alberta, will lose their funding from the province,” said Doug […] Read more
More farmers want on list for CWB vote
news The Western Barley Growers Association doesn’t want voting in future Canadian Wheat Board directors elections to be limited to CWB permit book holders. A resolution passed at the association’s recent annual meeting proposed that ballots should be available to farmers who have produced 40 tonnes of grains, oilseeds or pulses in the past two […] Read more
Obesity link outweighs red meat-cancer risk
RENO, Nev. – An international review that linked red meat consumption to higher levels of colon cancer cited obesity as an even greater threat. “Obesity may be the most important of all nutrient risk factors for cancer,” said Tim Byers, a researcher at the University of Colorado’s cancer centre and a member of the World […] Read more
Stampede city centre site to get major upgrade
The Calgary Stampede is rebuilding its agriculture facilities to the tune of $65 million. “This is the largest investment in agriculture ever made by our organization,” said Stampede chief executive officer Vern Kimball at a Feb. 25 announcement. The development covers a 50 acre site in the southeastern corner of Stampede Park that includes a […] Read more
Producer profit focus of beef program
RED DEER – An ambitious plan called Canada Gold Beef is designed to hoist the cattle industry out of its post BSE slump. The strategy was formed after a special meeting with Alberta agriculture minister George Groeneveld last October that discussed how to salvage the faltering beef industry without special government payments. It is an […] Read more
Survey builds picture of cattle hauling
RED DEER – A study of Alberta-based livestock truckers hopes to provide guidance to federal officials as they revise transportation rules under the animal health act. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is consulting the livestock hauling and related industries to revise its 30-year-old regulations. Groups including the Alberta Beef Producers asked for a Canadian-based study […] Read more
Monitor detects health problems early
RENO, Nev. – As Camiel Huisma scans his computer that is connected to an Arizona feedlot, a change in the onscreen bar graphs catches his attention. “Now this is intriguing, right here,” he says as he jabs a finger at the screen. In a pen of 340 Holstein steers, one weighs 900 pounds and another […] Read more
Tight malting barley supply sends prices up
The world’s thirst for beer is forcing up the demand for malting barley at a time when global production is flat, says a British maltster. “There is declining barley across the world, which is serious,” said Tim Stonehouse, group malt sales director for Muntons Malt in Stowmarket, England. He told the Western Barley Growers Association […] Read more
