The Canadian Wheat Board is expanding a market development project to prove to pasta connoisseurs that Canadian durum can make luxury spaghetti that is “molto buono.” And to ensure it has enough durum to meet the demand raised by last year’s efforts, the board will offer an identity-preserved delivery program for AC Melita durum this […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Education better than rules: Stelmach
Waving a big stick is not the way to clean up rural water, says the Alberta minister of agriculture. Big fines and strict penalties don’t work if people don’t understand their farm practices affect the quality of the water or the soil, said Ed Stelmach in an interview following the release of a provincial water […] Read more
Retirement beckons Canadian Wheat Board chief
HUSSAR, Alta. – After seven years and two months as a Canadian Wheat Board commissioner, Lorne Hehn is looking forward to retirement. When he finishes his tour of duty as chief commissioner, he says he’d love to go back to the farm. But at age 62, he is looking at retiring in Saskatchewan to make […] Read more
Agriculture Notes
Stewardship award Stuart and Mary-Lou Briese of Neepawa, Man., have won the 1997 environmental stewardship award, given annually by the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association in conjunction with Manitoba credit unions. The Brieses “have made several efforts to improve the environmental sustainability of their land,” said an MCPA news release. They received a gate sign recognizing […] Read more
Grey days loom over grain markets
HUSSAR, Alta. – Lower grain prices are forecast this year unless there is a significant weather problem among Canada’s competitors. Record wheat production of more than 600 million tonnes around the world has driven down prices, said Canadian Wheat Board analyst Peter Watts during the board’s Grain Days seminar in this central Alberta town. “There’s […] Read more
Committee gridlocked, says member
HUSSAR, Alta. – Proposed legislative changes to the Canadian Wheat Board structure have left its farmer advisory committee in a morass of inefficiency and political infighting. There is a split among wheat board advisory committee members and a new board is necessary to resolve the differences, said Dan Cutforth, the southern Alberta representative. The divisiveness […] Read more
Sulfur plant opening delayed by explosion
A weekend explosion and fire at a sulfur plant near Irricana, Alta., is under investigation. The explosion occurred Jan. 25 as the Sulfer Works staff were getting the plant ready to start production this spring. Sulfer Works takes sulfur from natural gas plants and converts it to fertilizer. Officials from the company were not available […] Read more
Study finds agriculture polluting Alberta water
Agriculture is shedding chemical and bacterial contaminants into the water supply, according to a $5 million, five-year Alberta study. Released Jan. 23 in Calgary, industry leaders called the study a good start rather than a condemnation of how they are doing on their operations. “This report is a report card for farmers,” said hog farmer […] Read more
Farm groups probe water quality in Alta.
A multi-million dollar investment into environmental research is one step taken by farm groups to clean up the Alberta water supply. A study on the impact of agriculture on water showed definite links between the industry and the purity of the water. The public often blames the concentration of livestock operations in southern Alberta for […] Read more
Pig producers could seek refuge in language
BANFF, Alta. – Learning politically correct lingo could help prevent hog producers from making a stink with the public. The hog industry has had its name smeared in the muck recently because people object not only to the smell, but the concepts of confinement housing, said a University of Minnesota agricultural engineer. Refining the language […] Read more
