When Larry Helland realized just over a third of his money was deducted from his grain cheque to pay for freight, it reaffirmed his family’s decision to be more self sufficient on the farm. The Lomond, Alta.-area rancher embarked on a plan four years ago to keep calves at home, feed them farm grown rations […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
B.C. agriculture in the classroom on firm ground
POWELL RIVER, B.C. – Cuts to the agriculture ministry, staff layoffs and a depressed farm economy have not dampened the enthusiasm for British Columbia’s agriculture in the classroom program. It’s a shooting star for the province where the agricultural community is solidly behind efforts to educate the public about the value of B.C. farmers. “It […] Read more
Group gathers activity grab bags to help kids in troubled times
NANTON, Alta. – It seemed like such a good idea that a group of Alberta Oddfellows can’t believe no one thought of it before. The Timelick Encampment at High River took on a gargantuan job this year to provide grab bags of activities for children in hospitals and women’s shelters. The service project has snowballed […] Read more
Alberta districts to toughen livestock rules
Alberta municipalities are taking a hard look at their bylaws before allowing more intensive livestock operations on their turf. “The rules and every restriction should be in place before they apply for a building permit so that they know what’s going to happen,” said Gawney Hinkely, reeve of the County of Ponoka in central Alberta. […] Read more
Alberta to study ag expansion
Alberta’s dream of massive agricultural expansion could be held back by environmental costs. The government is releasing a study later this fall that examines which areas of the industry have the most potential to expand and where markets may be found for the products. In addition, the study will analyze the impact of such expansion […] Read more
Cattle options program revised
The Cattle Options Pilot Program ends Oct. 23. The program was offered to producers to protect cattle prices. An advisory committee of cattle producers and government agreed the program should wind down because of low participation and delays in listing on the product on a commodity exchange. New COPP options will be available up to […] Read more
Beef sales dodge food safety bullet
Food safety alarms in Pacific Rim nations have had little effect on Canada’s beef export program. Overall exports of beef, veal and offal products continue to climb in most targeted markets. In late September there was a hiccup when South Korean officials detected traces of E. coli bacteria in a container of American beef. Since […] Read more
Tallow ban up to negotiators
It is up to trade negotiators to press for an end to Europe’s ban on North American beef tallow exports. The ban, which starts in January, was approved this summer because the European Union said it doesn’t want to import bovine spongiform encephalopathy in beef tallow products. That is an overreaction to BSE, said Chuck […] Read more
2,200 Lethbridge citizens sign anti-hog petition
Hog plant dissidents have gathered 2,200 signatures on a petition demanding a full environmental impact assessment of a proposed pork processing facility in Lethbridge, Alta. However attempts by local protesters may have run into a bureaucratic wall. The petition submitted to the provincial environment department calls for an assessment of the plant to be built […] Read more
City slickers get a feel for harvest
AIRDRIE, Alta. – Fifty years ago if a Grade 6 teacher told her students they were going to visit a farm and pitch bales, feed pigs or check a field for weeds, the entire class would have played hookey. But that’s not the case today, with the majority of Canadian schoolchildren three generations removed from […] Read more
