NISKU, Alta. — Alberta’s largest lamb processing plant will continue to import lambs from the United States until Canadian producers can fill the demand, said the head of a processing plant. “We want Alberta lambs. We buy as many Alberta lambs as we can get our hands on and we always have,” said Dwayne Beaton, […] Read more
Stories by Mary MacArthur
Producers have market options
Finding opportunities | Sheep producers can make direct sales, but it isn’t always easy
NISKU, Alta. — Lamb producers don’t often get into business because they love marketing, but it’s one of the most important parts of their farming operation. To help lamb producers make the right marketing decisions, the Alberta Lamb Producers brought together four different marketing specialists at a Sept. 6 event in Nisku. “It may be […] Read moreCanada, U.S. dealer group names board of directors
The newly formed Western Equipment Dealers Association has an-nounced its board of directors. Cameron Bode of South Country Equipment in Emerald Park, Sask., is the new president of the group, which was formed from the amalgamation of the SouthWestern Association and the Canada West Equipment Dealers Association. Scott Eisenhauer of P&K Equipment of Enid, Oklahoma, […] Read more
Equine infectious anemia cases continue in northern Sask.
Horses in northern Saskatchewan continue to be infected with equine infectious anemia, despite efforts to control the deadly disease. Three horses tested positive for the disease in August, bringing the total to 60 positive cases of equine infectious anemia in northern Saskatchewan this year. Eighty-nine horses tested positive for the disease in the province last […] Read more
Alberta Conservatives name Prentice new leader
It will be a few weeks before Alberta farmers know where agriculture stands with Alberta’s new premier designate, Jim Prentice. Prentice beat his two contenders to become leader of the Progressive Conservative party and Alberta’s 16th premier after Alison Redford resigned as premier and later as an MLA. Prentice received 17,963 votes. Rick McIver received […] Read more
Pasture raised birds problematic for producers
Old-fashioned farming | Couple refocuses efforts on grass-fed pigs and cattle
VIKING, Alta. — The tour could have been called Confessions of a Farmer. Instead of painting a bucolic picture of contented animals happily grazing and frolicking in the fields, Shannon and Danny Ruzicka told about dead stock, poor choices and the pitfalls of raising livestock the old-fashioned way. Visitors may like to see chickens clucking […] Read more
Yak herd began with lone bull; now there’s 225
Ideal for cold climates | The family sell meat and live animals but exports to the U.S. haven’t resumed after BSE halted trade
RIMBEY, Alta. — Shane Juuti can’t give a good reason for why he now owns a herd of yaks. With nothing better to do one day in 1996, Juuti went to an auction in Alder Flats, Alta., where he noticed yaks for sale. He unsuccessfully bid on a couple cows but ended up owning a […] Read more
Dairy eager to explain how milk gets to table
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — When Amy Kelsay first suggested the family open their dairy farm to tourists, the idea wasn’t met with a lot of enthusiasm. Her father-in-law was sure they would run out of visitors the first year. Seven years later, more than 20,000 visitors have toured Kelsay Farms, played in the bale mazes, watched […] Read more
Hay prices high, for those who have some
Wet weather | High quality horse hay is hard to find in Alberta this year
Barry Thomson estimates $100,000 is missing from his pocket this year. Rain and humidity in central Alberta have turned his horse hay into cow hay and robbed him of premium prices. “It’s been raining all summer and the colour just deteriorates and you get brown hay,” said Thomson, who has listed his mixed alfalfa, timothy, […] Read moreCargill fined for tampering with waste water samples
An Alberta provincial court judge has fined Cargill $80,000 for intentionally tampering with three waste water samples from its High River beef plant. In an agreed statement of facts, a former employee admitted to tampering with three waste water treatment samples before they were sent to an outside lab for analysis. The beef plant is […] Read more
