Help Alberta Wildies Society says a 51 percent increase in feral horse numbers is too high and is misleading the public
A wild horse advocacy group says reports of a 51 percent increase in free-roaming horses in a key area of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes is based on misleading surveys by the provincial government. The inflated numbers in the Sundre Equine Management Zone place the population near a level where action must be taken to prevent it […] Read more
Doug Ferguson
Stories by Doug Ferguson
Robots work around the clock
SwarmFarm’s new machines eliminate a key autonomous bottleneck by resupplying themselves all on their own
An Australian company that seeks to revolutionize farming by replacing large, human-operated equipment with smaller autonomous robots has created machines that can resupply themselves with chemicals without assistance. The new ability of SwarmFarm Robotics’ equipment to “dock and refill” eliminates a key bottleneck in the technology’s development, said chief executive officer Andrew Bate. The company’s […] Read more
Coal mining fears resurface on Eastern Slopes
Company attempts to gain approval from Alberta Energy Regulator to begin drilling and exploration at Grassy Mountain
A company’s bid to start coal exploration at Grassy Mountain in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes has raised fears the initiative will renew a wider push for open-pit coal mining. It makes no sense to conduct coal mining that could potentially contaminate water used by farmers, ranchers and irrigation across southern Alberta, said High River mayor Craig […] Read more
Residents remain fearful of plans for biodigester
Concern mounts in High River, Alta., as neighbouring feedlot continues to seek approval for a facility to process manure
A proposed $70 million biodigester near High River, Alta., that has sparked opposition from town and area residents will be the largest of its kind in Canada if it gains provincial approval, said mayor Craig Snodgrass. The project’s size, and because such developments are relatively new in Alberta, has heightened fears about the biodigester, he […] Read more
Cattle producers count losses
Approximately 5.6 million acres have burned in B.C. so far this year, up from 3.3 million acres in 2018
Beef producers dealing with the most destructive wildfire season in British Columbia’s history are tallying their losses in terms of cattle and infrastructure such as fences, said an industry leader. “It’s been one of those summers,” said Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association. “Between fire and drought and water shortages, it’s been […] Read more
Wheat Country film highlights the prairie gamble
A film made six decades ago that featured farmers as the actors in a fictional but true-to-life story is being streamed online for the 100th anniversary of The Western Producer. Wheat Country focused on Lloyd and Thelma Smith and their sons Allan, Murray and Barrie as they hurried to get their crop harvested before a […] Read more
Can upland rice make it on the Prairies?
Rice needs about 20 inches of water, about the same as irrigated sugar beet and potato crops require in southern Alta.
Scientists are trying to prove that raising rice on the windswept prairies of southern Alberta is not as unlikely as it might first appear. There is a common misconception that rice can only be grown in flooded fields or paddies in Asia, said Michele Konschuh, an irrigated crop scientist at the University of Lethbridge. However, […] Read more
It’s time to scout for blackleg and verticillium stripe
Diseases that are present in fields today will determine how long the crop rotation should be, as well as which canola hybrid to use
Canola farmers need to tackle fungal diseases head on by walking through their fields and learning firsthand the extent of the problem, said an expert. The idea behind scouting isn’t to protect this year’s crop from blackleg and verticillium stripe, said Courtney Boyachek, an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. “But it does […] Read more
Six Longhorns stolen in Alta.
Six unbranded Longhorn cattle stolen from a pasture near Highway 564 and Range Road 262 in Alberta were likely loaded and hauled away using a truck and trailer, say the RCMP. The theft occurred in Wheatland County on the evening of Aug. 22 or the morning of Aug. 23, said an RCMP statement. The location […] Read more
Vet shortage complicates FMD plans
Producers worry about how country’s shortage of veterinarians will affect surveillance against foot-and-mouth disease
The shortage of veterinarians is a problem Canadian beef industry and government officials must tackle as they develop a contingency plan in case of a foot-and-mouth outbreak, said an expert. “We know that’s the reality, so we have to work with that reality,” said senior director Bob Burden of Serecon, a consulting company primarily focusing […] Read more
