A conflict brewing between Alberta’s livestock inspection service and a group of feedlot operators could end up in court. Eight feedlots have refused to pay brand inspection fees, claiming they have already paid for inspection elsewhere. “Most of them are refusing to pay for the brand inspection services we provide on Montana and Manitoba cattle,” […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Wood chips help cover sewage smell
INNISFAIL, Alta. – Malodorous piles of municipal wastewater sludge have some rural communities holding their noses. “Odors are a political thing, so we’re looking at alternatives,” said Innisfail town engineer Clayton Ross. Composting the sludge with wood chips to reduce the smell and potential contamination from human sewage is one avenue under investigation. Everything flushed […] Read more
Beef checkoff chills processors
A national beef levy of $1 could shore up the industry’s flagging promotion and research budgets, but not all participants are willing to contribute. Beef processing companies say the proposed mandatory checkoff on animal sales is a tax grab that strikes an industry already struggling with thin margins. “It is a further tax on raw […] Read more
Alta. refines intensive livestock law
Farming 20 minutes from downtown Edmonton is a balancing act for broiler chicken producer Aaron Falkenberg. Country estate homes are gradually surrounding his intensive poultry farm outside of suburban Sherwood Park, but so far, his relationship with the neighbors has been good. “We already live in a fishbowl. We chose to do everything perfect as […] Read more
Organic egg producer appeals
An Alberta organic egg producer fighting against the supply management system plans to appeal to the Alberta Marketing Council. Rosemary Giberson of Strathmore, is in a dispute with the Alberta Egg Producers Marketing Board because it says she is producing more than her allotment of eggs without a quota. A court date of June 15 […] Read more
Who’s in the driver’s seat at the meat counter?
When shoppers see sirloin steak at $6.71 per pound in the meat case, they assume the farmer who produced the steer must be getting rich. Not necessarily so. “If you see a huge increase in beef prices, a major percentage of it is not going back to the producer,” says cattle producer Kevin Boon, who […] Read more
Endectocides keep flies out of the pie
Cow pies from cattle treated with parasite control products make unattractive homes for dung-breeding insects like hornflies. It has already been established that residues of some types of pour-on endectocides are excreted in the dung of treated animals. These residues can reduce the numbers of dung-breeding insects. Now, Kevin Floate and Doug Colwell from Agriculture […] Read more
Agreement ends Alberta health walkout
A two-day illegal walkout last week among Alberta employees at hospitals and long-term care facilities ended with a two-year agreement providing eight percent wage increases for the 10,000 workers involved. Alberta Union of Public Employees accepted a government mediator’s recommendation on May 26 that provides raises for licensed practical nurses, nursing attendants and other hospital […] Read more
Farm group ponders future
One of Alberta’s oldest farm women’s organizations decides its fate June 14. Women of Unifarm will decide whether to disband the 85-year-old organization after this year’s meeting in Wainwright. The group began as the United Farm Women of Alberta, then changed its name to Farm Women’s Union of Alberta in 1949. Women of Unifarm evolved […] Read more
Cattle brands abound on charity cow
COCHRANE, Alta. – Jill Richards’s husband Doug nearly had a stroke when she told him she had just paid $5,000 for a fibreglass cow. “Do you realize you just spent $60 a pound for a plastic cow?” he said. Well, yes, she replied, but this is a special cow. Jill and her sister Judy MacKenzie […] Read more
