CALGARY – A nationwide audit of the Canadian beef sector has revealed costly production oversights that need attention if the industry wants to be profitable. The Canadian Beef Quality Assurance and Product safety program led by a committee of nine industry organizations is examining quality concerns in Canadian slaughter cattle. Audits in four major packing […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
U.S. continues search for top quality steak
CALGARY (Staff) – “There has to be some sizzle in the steak to make it worth eating,” says the president of the world’s largest beef company. One meat study after another shows IBP’s president Bob Peterson is right. People are telling consumer surveys they want tender, juicy meat and if there isn’t enough fat in […] Read more
Farm diversification: Not for the faint of heart
It seems like simple common sense. If you are planning to start a new business, you should know your product, know its market potential, know your customers and know your banker. Perhaps most importantly, know yourself. Do you really have the will, stamina, resources and stubborn streak needed to stick with the project through the […] Read more
Value-added venture needs cash, stamina and support
WANTED: ambitious, self-sacrificing entrepreneurs to set up value-added enterprise. Must have financial track record. Marketing, production and strong communication skills definite assets. Must be willing to work 12-18 hours per day. No vacations. CALGARY – If that sounds like a farmer you know, it may be that he or she is a candidate to jump […] Read more
Business plan key to financing, says bank official
One of the most frequent mistakes people make when starting a small business is neglecting to write a proper business plan, according to lenders. Without a detailed projection of expenses and sales, loan officers may snub the budding entrepreneur. Vern Warkentin of the Royal Bank in Lethbridge, Alta., said many people redirect money from their […] Read more
Unique slant is key ingredient in beating out the competition
It seemed like an absurd idea but the more Rod Bradshaw thought about it, the better he liked it. Saskatoon berries could be sold like caviar as a fancy gourmet product. A visiting Dutch consultant recently told a group of prairie vegetable and fruit growers they often overlook the uniqueness of a product that grows […] Read more
Canada-Mexico student exchange compares diet, income, agriculture
CALGARY – Tortillas are a rare treat for Canadian children but for many Mexicans, they are a food staple. That was one of the many things Edmonton students learned last fall from a Mexican visitor named Javier. The visit was part of a seven-month agricultural exchange where young adults from Mexico visited Alberta for three […] Read more
High schools get teaching kit on agricultural biotechnology
CALGARY (Staff) – An innovative education kit explaining agricultural biotechnology is planned for unveiling April 1. Prepared by the Western Agricultural Awareness Council, the multi-media kit will be presented at the council’s annual meeting in Edmonton. The kit contains material suitable for biology students in Grades 9 and higher and will be distributed to high […] Read more
Manitoba task force slams VLTs; reduction in number recommended
WINNIPEG (Staff) – An independent gaming commission will look at whether the number of video lottery terminals in Manitoba should be limited, or even reduced. A government-appointed task force spent nine months looking at the costs and benefits of gambling and delivered its recommendations last month. Finance minister Eric Stefanson was quick to accept the […] Read more
Small meat packer grows to industry giant
CALGARY – With a philosophy that has no patience for inefficiency, Iowa Beef Processors has grown from a small company operating on a $300,000 loan to the largest meat packer in the world. Established 35 years ago, IBP expanded to Canada in 1994 through purchase of Lakeside Industries in Brooks, Alta. It also has plans […] Read more
