CALGARY — Unusually warm weather that lasted into early January prompted a Saskatchewan farmer to warn producers about hot spots and insects in grain bins. “I’m hearing that more and more farmers are finding bugs,” said Michael Reimer, who primarily grows durum wheat near Eston, Sask. “I mean, a year ago, we were at minus […] Read more
Doug Ferguson
Stories by Doug Ferguson
Owner raises alarm after sheepdog goes missing
Alberta RCMP treat the disappearance as a theft but caution they do not believe an organized crime ring is involved
CALGARY — The theft of a dog from a farm near Cochrane, Alta., has sparked fears by its owner that criminals may increasingly be targeting such animals in rural areas of the province. Such crimes are likely being underreported by producers, said Aynsley Foss of Foss Hollow Farms, whose dog, Dixie, was stolen Nov. 27. […] Read more
U of S hires lentil, fababean breeder
CALGARY — Unlocking the potential of lentils and fababeans to sustainably boost the bottom line for prairie farmers is the goal of a scientist who has been appointed an Agri-Food Innovation Fund Chair at the University of Saskatchewan. Pulses have been consumed by people for millennia, said Ana Vargas, who will head the university’s lentil […] Read more
Producers urged to send carbon tax message
Campaign looks for natural gas and propane receipts so that they can be used to pressure Ottawa to approve exemption
CALGARY — Producers are being urged to join a Canada-wide campaign to send federal politicians the message that carbon taxes on natural gas and propane must be lifted off the necks of farmers and ranchers. The #ShowYourReceipts initiative is encouraging producers to share their natural gas and propane expenses with the Agriculture Carbon Alliance, said […] Read more
Ag warned of artificial intelligence challenges
Technology leader says agriculture industry has been slow to adopt AI tools but also faces a crisis in public confidence
CALGARY — An expert told a conference of agricultural leaders that Canada must deal with a crisis in public confidence in artificial intelligence, likening it to the monster under the bed. Surveys have shown many Canadians don’t understand AI, and how it can provide a leg up for industries such as agriculture, said John Weigelt, […] Read more
Beef research centre wins ag technology award
Alberta’s Livestock Gentec was formed in 2010 to use genomics to help producers improve profitability and sustainability
CALGARY — An applied research centre using genomics to help beef producers sharpen their competitive edge has been honoured with a Best in Agriculture Sector Award for Alberta at the ASTech Awards. “We’re very proud that our team received that award,” said John Basarab, head of beef cattle operations at Livestock Gentec. “We’re hoping that […] Read more
Documentary reveals secret past of legendary artist
An iconic author and artist of the American West who helped preserve the cowboy way of life for future generations feared his career would be ruined if he ever revealed his true identity. The paradoxical story of a self-proclaimed orphan from Montana who was actually a French-speaking cowboy named Ernest Dufault from Quebec is the […] Read more
Alta. residents to appeal biodigester approval
CALGARY — The fight by High River, Alta., and area residents against a proposed $70 million biodigester will continue despite the Alberta government’s approval of the project. Residents opposed plan to appeal the decision to the provincial Environmental Appeals Board, said Benita Estes, whose rural home in Foothills County is about 200 metres from the […] Read more
Spraying in dry times can be tricky
Heat waves and dry weather added to the headaches faced by canola producers during spraying season. “The main concern with the heat is just the evaporation of water from the droplets, and that causes two main problems,” said Tom Wolf, owner of Agrimetrics Research and Training based in Saskatoon. Other stories in the 2023 Canola […] Read more
Hormone imbalance suspected for malformed racemes
Researchers are trying to figure out what caused some canola crops to abort flowers and pods, and develop malformed racemes or stems during the last two years. “It’s not an obvious symptomology that you would spot from the road, or that it’d be easy to pick up,” said Keith Gabert, an agronomy specialist with the […] Read more
