RED DEER, Alta. – Living on a shoestring is a fact of life for Alberta’s Wild Rose Agriculture Producers. President Alan Holt of Bashaw said the general farm policy group has respect, and its membership is stable at about 1,000 members, but money is always tight. It’s only incomes comes from membership fees of $100 […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
U.S. to investigate cattle dumping charges
An American investigation into the possibility of anti-dumping charges and whether unfair subsidies support Canadian cattle producers is moving ahead full speed. The investigation was approved by the United States Department of Commerce after a petition from the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Foundation gathered enough support from producers complaining of unfair trade practices by Canada. The […] Read more
Centre provides haven for threatened animals
COCHRANE, Alta. – There aren’t too many places where people can have a close and friendly encounter with a moose. But at the ecological institute here visitors may feel the nuzzle of a moose or a curious poke in the leg from a mule deer when they walk into the animal enclosures. The institute, located […] Read more
Small brewers more keen on new barley varieties
RED DEER, Alta. – If a farmer wants to know what it takes to make good beer, a trip to the local brew pub might be a good place to start. Beer is a popular drink and for maltsters, the world is at their doorstep. They have customers who want 50-kilogram bags of malt and […] Read more
Cattle I.D. program faces backlash
A backlash against the national cattle identification program remains a concern among some producers. Some say they are worried about an invasion of privacy if they accept the program so more information is needed to explain what the system does for them, said Phil Fazikos, an Alberta Cattle Commission delegate. “Producers in my area are […] Read more
Beef centre pleads for funds to fight chicken
The beef industry has declared chicken public enemy number one with a vow to use advertising that puts the bird on the run. The Beef Information Centre celebrates 25 years of operation but the industry has not changed where it counts – getting people to eat more steaks. In fact, beef consumption has dropped to […] Read more
Barley tested as paper product
RED DEER, Alta. – Paper from barley, wheat or hemp always draws interest but so far the process is less than perfect. The Alberta Research Council is looking for a range of agricultural fibres that may be blended with wood fibres to make paper. Part of that research was paid for by the Alberta Barley […] Read more
Hulless barley makes good chicken feed
RED DEER, Alta. – Ongoing work into the benefits of feeding barley to laying hens has shown it performs as well, if not better than feed wheat. Lloyd Campbell of the University of Manitoba is working with hulless barley for laying-hen diets and found in some cases, the same egg production was noted with less […] Read more
Attention to minerals can boost crop yields
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – When Ieuan Evans tells farmers their crops need better nutrition, he backs up his theories with evidence. He is convinced proper soil tests and judicious applications of trace minerals could give farmers the yields they hear friends brag about. In the last 15 years the crop specialist has earned the nickname […] Read more
Beef trade prepared
THE freefall of farm commodity prices in 1998 felt like a collision of the planets in some sectors. At least the beef trade saw it coming. The cattle cycle is now in its second year of reduction. Cow inventory numbers peaked in 1996 and started sliding downward after that. The cycle runs on a 10-13 […] Read more
