Canadians likely won’t receive email requests from Nigeria asking for permission to continue sending messages, but over the past few weeks, legitimate companies are asking for consent to do so. Canada’s new anti-spam legislation requires groups and companies to receive consent by July 1 to continue sending commercial electronic messages such as texts and emails. […] Read more
Stories by Mary MacArthur
Tent caterpillars recurring problem in Peace River
They have been spotted hiding in the trees and the neighbours have started to talk. No one wants these visitors on their farmyard again this year. Last year, everyone was afraid to leave the house. The first signs of tent caterpillars have been spotted in Alberta’s Peace River region. The tiny worm-like caterpillars arrive in […] Read more
Ask BirdGenie app who sings that song
Help for novice bird watchers | App records bird’s song and gives three likely answers
When birder Charlotte Wasylik walks out of her house near Vermilion, Alta., she can identify almost all of the birds singing, squawking and tweeting around the farm. However, non-birders can only wish for Wasylik’s trained ear when they’re sitting in the backyard or walking through the bushes listening to the birds. There is help for […] Read morePoor rail service cost farmers big, says CCGA
The Canadian Canola Growers Association has filed a level of service complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency over how the railways moved grain and oilseeds this winter. “We think we have some compelling evidence that shows the railways didn’t perform up to snuff. We definitely hope we can get better service in the future,” said […] Read more
Crop damaging hoppers hatching attack plan
Won’t debut until June | The early hatching varieties are not harmful to crops
Farmers need to give grasshoppers a lot more love. Of the more than 100 species of grasshoppers in Canada, only about four cause serious damage to crops, says John Gavloski, an entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture. “A lot of people think of grasshoppers as being crop pests. They lump all grasshoppers into that category. In reality, […] Read moreThree level of service complaints filed since August
The Canadian Transportation Agency has received three levels of service complaints since August 2013. Louis Dreyfus Commodities filed a level of service complaint again Canadian National Railway. No details of the complaint were released by the CTA because of the “confidential contract they have with CN,” wrote the CTA in an email about the complaints. […] Read more
Alberta introduces river app
Albertans can get the latest information on lakes, rivers and flood advisories on a new smartphone app. The app is designed to increase the flow of information on water flow to Albertans. The app includes a map of the province, broken into the major river basins, flood specific advisories that are in effect, flood notifications […] Read more
What goes in, what goes out closely monitored
Special delivery | Milking cows at University of Alberta are carefully monitored for research
EDMONTON — The barn milks dairy cows, but that’s where the similarity with other dairy barns ends at the University of Alberta’s Dairy Research Technology Centre. Research is the key focus of the barn and its 146 milking cows. Feed is carefully weighed and measured in a special tub that is placed in front of […] Read moreUrea coating machine may buy farmers time
The late start to spring and the expected mad rush to apply fertilizer has prompted Matt Gosling to experiment with a new urea fertilizer coating machine. He hopes the new machine may extend the fertilizer application season. Gosling of Premium Ag Services tweeted recently that he was “ready to treat some fertilizer and maybe some […] Read more
Province blamed for farmland loss in Alta.
qProvince blamed for farmland loss in Alta.
EDMONTON — The discussion about farmland fragmentation by municipalities is a moot point because the provincial government controls most major land decisions, says a county councillor. Richard Harpe of Grande Prairie County said the county has more than 5,000 oil and gas wells, plus batteries, gas plants and the roads that lead to the industrial […] Read more
