Wildfire smoke has slowed the bees while the fires have forced animals such as bears into areas where hives are located
Prairie beekeepers facing dry conditions and wildfire smoke are welcoming recent rain as they deal with warmer weather that initially helped them after a cold start this spring. “It was getting extremely dry in certain areas,” said executive director Rod Scarlett of the Canadian Honey Council. “This is, just as I say, it’s kind of […] Read more
Doug Ferguson
Stories by Doug Ferguson
Young producers tap into mentorship
The Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program pairs 16 people ages 18 to 35 with an industry leader in their area of interest
James Kinley was a participant in the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Spring Forum, which was recently held in the Calgary area. The three-day event included tours ranging from cow-calf farms and ranches to feedlots and a processing facility, along with networking events and learning sessions.
New members bolster national network of smart farms
Lethbridge College and Innovation Farms Powered by AgExpert have joined an initiative to promote smart farming
The initiative aims to improve productivity and sustainability of farmers and ranchers by encouraging greater technology use. The network was partly launched in 2021 by the Olds College Smart Farm and the Lakeland College Student-Managed Farm in Vermilion, Alta.
Smart Farm stacks crop analytics
Data is stored in a standardized georeferenced format and used to find difficult-to-detect patterns in fields
Some of the most analyzed acres of farmland in the world are providing data that researchers in Alberta hope will advance the next generation of digital technologies for producers. “The main reason why it’s so unique, it’s not because it’s something completely new or something impossible,” said Alex Melnitchouk, chief technology officer of digital agriculture […] Read more
Yes, you can make cattle your career
Beef focus group findings suggest policy measures and other incentives are needed to attract young people to the industry
A University of Calgary focus group said younger people, essential to the future of Canada’s beef industry, need help to overcome barriers preventing them from entering the sector. “I think the overall takeaway is that there’s certainly some concerns around the longevity and the ability to keep the cattle industry viable in the long term,” […] Read more
Olymel scales back production
Olymel is reducing its hog production in Western Canada by closing five of its sow units or farms in Alberta, and one in Saskatchewan. It will cause a net reduction of about 200,000 market hogs per year at the company’s slaughter plant in Red Deer.
Rivers face increased demand and dwindling water supply
First Nations and sensitive delta environment at highest risk as users scramble for an increasingly limited resource
First Nations in areas such as the Saskatchewan River Delta in northern Saskatchewan near the Manitoba border could face environmental degradation due to lower flows, said Lucas Vonderbank of the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering.
Varroa mite resistance to Apivar is increasing
Replacement products must be able to kill varroa mites without harming honeybees or affecting food safety for humans
Rod Scarlett, executive director of the Canadian Honey Council. “It is quite possible that the life expectancy of this particular chemical might only be a couple more years.”
Soil erosion causes problems on irrigated land
Five-year research project will test practices that improve crop production systems in areas such as southern Alberta
Soil erosion is affecting some of the most expensive land in the province, with farmers permanently losing soil in a day that took hundreds, if not thousands, of years to build up, said Ken Coles, executive director of Farming Smarter.
Alta. introduces rangeland initiative
Rangeland Grazing Framework encourages leaseholders to invest in long-term infrastructure that supports stewardship
The framework is a significant step toward recognizing the importance of ranchers who manage crown rangeland, agriculture and irrigation minister Nate Horner said in a statement.
