The Port of Thunder Bay hopes to ship seven million tonnes of grain this year, the most in 15 years. Ice problems delayed the port opening by a month but in May more than 1.3 million tonnes were shipped, the largest one-month tally since 1998. The port continues to ship about a million tonnes of […] Read more
Stories by Mary MacArthur
Grain shipments surging at Thunder Bay
The Port of Thunder Bay is cautiously optimistic that it will ship seven million tonnes of grain this year, the largest amount in 15 years. More than 1.3 million tonnes were shipped in May despite difficult ice conditions that delayed the port opening by one month. It was the largest one-month tally since 1998. The […] Read more
Ranchers ready to move out of fire’s path on moment’s notice
Some northern British Columbia ranchers are ready to evacuate livestock from their ranches if the fire threat grows. Pam Gunderson, of the Beryl Prairie area northwest of Hudson’s Hope said they have pushed their cattle into a smaller area, but are holding off moving the 350 cattle and calves, hoping fires don’t reach their ranch. […] Read more
Study examines honeybee health
Survey will look at hive samples from different regions to determine problem pests
BEAVERLODGE, Alta. —Bees may be tiny, but they can suffer from a lot of health problems. A four-year national health survey plans to take a snapshot of the health of Canada’s honeybees “We hope to have a base line of disease, pests and parasites that are common in Canada,” said Carlos Castillo, manager of the […] Read moreTile drainage saves crop in wet years
Worth the investment | Alberta farmer not sold on vacuum planters and controlled traffic farming
LACOMBE, Alta. — Craig Shaw isn’t afraid to try new things, whether it is experimenting with controlled traffic farming or seeding canola with a vacuum planter. However, he says the most important new technology for his farm near Lacombe, Alta., is tile drainage. “It’s the difference between a crop and no crop,” he said during […] Read moreHog producers urged to halt plasma feed
Despite the clear link between feed and early cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea in Ontario, some producers are still feeding porcine plasma to young piglets. Of the roughly 80 producers on a June 26 Alberta Pork PED conference call, 10 said they were still feeding some form of porcine protein plasma to their young animals. […] Read more
Sector faces challenge of cheap honey imports
BEAVERLODGE, Alta. — A long, cool spring has slowed honey production, but it hasn’t dampened enthusiasm for the honey business. “Bees, like the field crops, started off a trifle slow, but it looks pretty good now and the moisture conditions are excellent,” said Grant Hicks, president of the Alberta Beekeepers Association. Moisture to keep crops […] Read more
Chickens beat out cows in expansion plan
WAINWRIGHT, Alta. — Farm diversification doesn’t necessarily mean adding a few chickens to the yard. Sometimes it can mean 120,000 chickens. When Greenbelt Farms diversified, it choose broiler chickens over more milk cows and quota. “There seemed to be more opportunity in chickens than in the dairy business,” said Paul Rajotte, one of five family […] Read more
Organic oats popular for northern Alta. growers
Ideal growing conditions | Producers in Mackenzie County cite economic benefits in switching from conventional methods
FORT VERMILION, Alta. — Alberta’s organic farmers are scattered across the province, but a surprisingly large number of them are in Mackenzie County. Twenty percent of the Alberta Organic Producers Association members are in the northern county. “There is a huge growth rate in the area,” said Becky Lipton, executive director of Organic Alberta. Long-time […] Read moreNorthern Alta. eager to retain local ag research
FORT VERMILION, Alta. — It was with little fanfare that Alberta’s largest county took ownership last year of one of Canada’s oldest research stations. Mackenzie County paid the federal government $555,000 in November for the 450 acre Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm in Fort Vermilion. The farm was a valuable resource for local farmers hundreds of […] Read more
