KANSAS CITY, Mo. – When 11 Japanese children died of a bacterial infection last year, the American beef industry moved into high gear to assure people their food was safe to eat. By the end of summer, another 46 Japanese fell ill from a mysterious E. coli infection. North American exports to Pacific Rim countries […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Pork producer tells competitors of industry turnaround
The Alberta Cattle Feeders Association let a stranger into its midst. Ken Doyle, an Illinois pork producer, explained how his industry made a turnaround from growing fat pigs to long, lean protein-producing machines. A new attitude in the American industry has transformed the United States from a pork importer to a net exporter in less […] Read more
Vitamin E gives beef rosier cheeks and better sales
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – American retailers throw away more than $1 billion each year because of discolored beef. An American study that tracks beef on the hoof to the retail case showed that feeding cattle at least 500 international units of vitamin E makes a substantial difference in the appearance of beef in the store. […] Read more
Alberta Craft Council gets grant
A $723,000 grant to the Alberta Craft Council could give a cottage industry a boost into the big time. The money comes from the federal Western Economic Diversification program and will be used for specific promotions of made-in-Alberta arts and crafts, said Susan Abells, executive director of the craft council in Edmonton. A wholesale marketing […] Read more
Maple Leaf boosts bounty on Alberta hogs
Maple Leaf Foods upped the pork ante Jan. 27 by raising its premium for Alberta hogs from $11 each to $20 a head. The Ontario-based firm created a stir in the province last week by offering premiums to capture as many of Alberta’s available hogs as possible. Last week the premium reached $11 for hogs […] Read more
Cold winter may yield warm spring
It was a record breaking -38 C with a wind chill of -45 when Nebraska climatologist Art Douglas gave his long range weather forecast at the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association. Douglas confessed he has never experienced such cold. The Creighton University weather forcaster didn’t like the cold any better than the cattle feeders but at […] Read more
Alberta ponders safety net program
RED DEER, Alta. – Alberta is re-examining how it will distribute farm safety net money since the federal government said it will pick up the province’s share of the Net Income Stabilization Account. Ottawa plans to redirect money from Alberta’s share of a safety net fund to cover farmers who choose to stay in the […] Read more
Particle board maker picks through business minefield
RED DEER, Alta. – Spinning straw into gold takes more than a few magic words. A group called Agrafibre Industries Inc. wants to process fescue straw into particle board suitable for making shelving, drawers or furniture. The technology is ready, but selling the idea to investors and finding somebody to buy the boards are major […] Read more
Innovative methods keep hog industry growing
BANFF, Alta. – Western Canadian agriculture is heading into a golden age because of demand for food in emerging nations. Economic forecasts say Asia’s growth should reach six to 12 percent a year increasing its ability to buy higher priced food items. North America is positioned to supply Asian markets, especially with pork, the world’s […] Read more
Montana grain official doubts feasibility of dual market
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – If Canadian farmers were able to choose whether to offer grain to a selling agency or on the open market, an official with a Montana grain organization says it would mean the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board. However, Jim Christianson, executive vice-president of the Montana Wheat and Barley Commission, said he […] Read more
