RED DEER, Alta. – An ambitious plan to boost agricultural exports may be deleterious to the prairie landscape. Canada wants to increase its agricultural exports from three to four percent of the world market. To meet that target, livestock and cropland expansion is necessary but it could put pressure on a limited land base. Prairie […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Alberta sets aside land for protection
More than 70,000 acres of land have been set aside for protection in southwestern Alberta. The Whaleback region in the Rocky Mountain natural area has been declared a special place, a provincial designation that protects natural areas within the six regions of the province. Considered an important wildlife habitat and unique landscape, the Whaleback is […] Read more
Canada defends use of cattle hormone
As the eleventh hour closes in on the European Union to accept North American beef, attempts have stepped up to keep it off the continent. The Europeans have long claimed the growth promoting hormones used in North America are unsafe for human health and a recent report links one as a cancer causing agent. The […] Read more
Seeding under way
Soggy patches in Manitoba and tinder dry pastures in southern Alberta have made farmers anxious to get into the fields. Until last week conditions in the southwestern corner of Alberta were bone dry, with no precipitation since June 1998. But a spring snowstorm and rains last week left southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan with up […] Read more
Processor takes hit, bounces back
BANFF, Alta. – In 1987 beef processor Richard Cracknell thought he had achieved nirvana. “I thought I’d cracked it. I had been in the meat industry for 30 years and thought I found the solution,” said the president of Anglo Beef Processors. His company is in partnership with J. Sainsbury’s, one of the leading retailers […] Read more
Aussie food safety changes work
BANFF, Alta. -Ten years ago a national food safety strategy did not exist in Australia. The discovery of bacterial contamination in meats and subsequent food safety scares moved this exporting nation into action in the late 1980s. “The meat inspection system had not changed for 100 years,” said Phil Corrigan of the meat safety enhancement […] Read more
Calf cage keeps moms away
ROLLING HILLS, Alta. – After getting knocked around by angry mother cows a few times, Reinhart Stojke decided there had to be a better way to check newborn calves. The better way was to design and build a special calf cage that he can attach to his tractor and set down around a calf so […] Read more
Food safety updated
A modernized food safety act that takes the country a step closer to a national standard for food inspection was tabled in the House of Commons April 22. The Canada Food Safety and Inspection Act consolidates existing pieces of legislation dealing with meat and fish inspection, food and drugs, seeds, fertilizer, feed, consumer packaging and […] Read more
Towns find ways to save elevators
When Harold Gulbraa’s family homesteaded near Irma, Alta., 90 years ago, there was no railroad or grain elevator. As grain companies consolidate and move to bigger centres, the 500 people living at Irma probably will lose their two elevators. “The circle is slowly being completed,” said Gulbraa. At one time Irma had four grain elevators […] Read more
Beef sales up in Asia, Mexico
A taste for Canadian beef continues to grow in Asia and Mexico. Final export figures showed sales increased by four percent to Asia in spite of economic problems, reports the Canada Beef Export Federation. Beef sales increased by 15 percent in Mexico. That means 1998 tonnage was up to 38,417 tonnes compared to 36,165 tonnes […] Read more
