EDMONTON — There are more than 226,000 kilometres of public roads in Alberta, and many of them fall under municipal jurisdiction. That means the upkeep of roads and other infrastructure such as bridges falls on municipalities, but money is getting tight within a shrinking rural population. “We only have access to less than 10 percent […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Olds College receives $16 million donation
Olds College has received a record $16 million donation to create the Werklund Agriculture Institute to specialize in smart and sustainable agriculture and business solutions. Calgary oilman and philanthropist David Werklund and his partner, Susan Norman, have provided a tiered donation with a total cumulative impact of $32 million when all leverage opportunities are realized. […] Read more
Preventing farmland from development comes with a price
COCHRANE, Alta. — Farmland is still being paved over as urban development continues between Edmonton and Calgary. The result is fragmentation and soaring land values as more people want to be close to a highway and the amenities of a large city, said Brent Swallow of the University of Alberta. His research found 3,127 sq. […] Read more
Cost management is key predictor for ranch success
PONOKA, Alta. — The ability to manage costs and spend prudently is often the difference between top performing farms and those with lower profits. A six-year benchmarking study of bison ranches in Alberta and Saskatchewan allows producers to compare themselves to similar operations. Most recently, a team of University of Alberta agriculture economic students segregated […] Read more
Looking for an environmentally friendly way to combat tough weeds? Get goats
If a park, ranch or oil well lease is infested with nasty weeds, Jeannette Hall has a solution. The owner of Baah’d Plant Management and Reclamation has been taking her goats around the province to clean up areas and put nutrients back in the soil in an environmentally friendly way. She studied environmental technology at […] Read more
Bison prices on the rise
PONOKA, Alta. — With bison selling for $6.50 a pound on the rail, it is a good time to be in the business. The price of bison tenderloin has increased 19 percent in the last 10 years, while ground bison has increased 350 percent in the same time period. More bison is appearing on restaurant […] Read more
Chicken slaughter must be handled in ‘respectful’ way
RED DEER — The public generally accepts killing of chickens to produce food as long as it is humanely carried out, said a director of an Ontario hatchery. “The public for the most part is OK with it as long as we are fair,” said Mike Petrik, director of technical services at McKinley Hatchery in […] Read more
Livestock transport rules questioned
OTTAWA — Proposed changes to Canada’s livestock transportation regulations have hit a sour note with some beef producers. The new animal transport regulations under the Health of Animals Act require shorter travel times and rest periods for cattle. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association questioned whether some of the new rules are practical. Ontario feedlot owner Tom […] Read more
Canadian beef herd population stable: Canfax
OTTAWA — The Canadian beef herd has maintained the status quo for another year with little or no growth across the country since 2011. “We are basically flat. We were up .3 percent last year in 2016 and this year we are up .2 percent,” said Brenna Grant of Canfax. “It is basically saying we […] Read more
Take measures to keep markets: poultry chair
RED DEER, Alta. — It is a good time to be in the chicken business in Alberta. The supply managed commodity was allowed to grow through a new national allocation agreement several years ago and expansion has been happening ever since, said Erna Ference, chair of Alberta Chicken Producers. “Our allocation has grown at rates […] Read more
