The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has agreed to grandfather all bar code tags for cattle older than 30 months after concerns from across the country about the cost of adding an electronic tag. Some cattle are now double tagged because it is illegal to remove ear tags. Bar code tags will be recognized until Dec. […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Oil sector sparks water scare
RIMBEY, Alta. – When Butch Smith noticed one of his two wells had gone dry at his 1,500 head bison feedlot, he could not understand what went wrong. He thought the pump was faulty and he was able to reroute the water system to 600 animals before any were harmed. The well eventually recharged. He […] Read more
Oil company says fresh water use unavoidable
Injecting fresh water down an oil well is the least favoured alternative to retrieve the petroleum, but it appears to be the most feasible for a pool in west-central Alberta. “We would prefer not to obviously, but in that particular area there are no viable sources of saline or non-potable water available,” said Kirby Wanner, […] Read more
Rancher rides the ups and downs
GOULDTOWN, Sask. – Nature painted the perfect picture of the West one day as Neil Jahnke escorted a group of Japanese beef buyers on horseback to see the heat waves rise over the hills and coulees on his family’s ranch in southwestern Saskatchewan. The guests were awed by the beautiful peacefulness, prompting the Japanese tour […] Read more
Farm boy guides Alberta Pork
Life has a way of taking unexpected turns and for Ed Schultz, that unpredictability made for a colourful career in the pork business. After 35 years and retirement looming, the quiet farm boy from Saskatchewan looks back on market upheavals, lengthy trade battles, whiffs of corruption and a parade of strong-minded farmers who crossed his […] Read more
Provincial slaughter plants urged to improve standards
If meat comes from an approved provincial plant, some producers argue the products should be safe for all Canadians. A resolution from the Alberta Beef Producers annual meeting wants the federal government to allow all plants to trade nationally that meet the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points specifications. Canadian Food Inspection Agency staff handle interprovincial […] Read more
Canadian pork losing edge in world markets
Canada is losing its competitive advantage as a world-leading pork producing nation. It had strong, healthy genetics, an outward looking focus, cheap feed grain brought about by the demise of the Crow freight rate subsidy and a low Canadian dollar. Those advantages are shrinking, with the greatest threat coming from the United States. Overall, the […] Read more
New rules may hinder farms
Environmental issues could curtail some intensive livestock operations. Canadian concern about the environment grew from 29 percent worried to 47 percent in three years, said communications consultant Lee Funke. Fewer Albertans from small urban communities feel hog farming is environmentally friendly. “Rural and large urban communities have an increasingly negative view of our industry,” said […] Read more
Livestock feeders worry about biofuel
The noisy ethanol bandwagon is drawing near, but western livestock feeders are not anxious to join the parade. Many cattle feeders are raising questions about how biofuel plants, which they view as a subsidized competitor for feed grains, might affect the livestock industry’s bottom line, and whether the government is sincere about environmental concerns. “It’s […] Read more
Beef industry must listen to buyers
Whoever gives consumers what they want will win the protein competition among beef, pork and poultry, said agricultural economist Ted Schroeder at the Alberta Beef Producers annual meeting Dec. 5. A major international study shows there is a continuing consumer perception of food safety problems in meat. Schroeder of Kansas State University presented the results […] Read more
