Albertans told pollsters they wanted change, but in the end they voted for the government they’ve known for the past 36 years. Ed Stelmach led the Progressive Conservative government to a historic 11th consecutive government, winning 73 of the 83 seats, thrashing the opposition parties. The Conservatives won 53 percent of the popular vote, compared […] Read more
Stories by Mary MacArthur
Dairy byproduct put to use
A pilot project to turn excess dairy products into a variety of pet and livestock food recently got a boost from the federal government. The pilot project, led by Vitalus Nutrition of Abbotsford, B.C., will use roller dryer technology to transform excess liquid created during dairy production into ingredients that can be used for livestock […] Read more
Land agent appeal lost
An Alberta man who helped landowners negotiate with oil and gas companies even though he wasn’t a licensed land agent has lost his appeal. Court of Queen’s Bench judge L.D. Acton ruled the lower court judge did not err when finding Ray Strom guilty of breaking the law by accepting a fee on behalf of […] Read more
Feed wasted unless fed in bunks
Cattle trample one-quarter of their feed into the snow if it’s not fed in a bunk. Barry Yaremcio, a beef and forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture who has measured the amount of feed waste in fields, says it doesn’t matter if the feed is unrolled on the snow, spread using a bale processor or fed […] Read more
Canada’s BSE total now 12 animals
A six-year-old dairy cow from the Edmonton area has tested positive for BSE, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Feb. 26. It’s Canada’s 12th case since 2003 when BSE was discovered in a cow in northern Alberta. CFIA senior veterinarian George Luterbach said BSE cases would likely continue to appear because of Canada’s extensive testing […] Read more
Teen gets medal for saving father
A British Columbia teen who saved her father from a 2,300 pound raging bull will be awarded the Governor General’s Award for Bravery Feb. 29 in Ottawa. In 2005, Danielle Walker of Vanderhoof continually punched the bull until her father, Carroll, was able to escape to safety in some nearby trees. Local MLA John Rustad […] Read more
Debate mum on agriculture
Alberta pork producer Jurgen Preugschas doesn’t believe the debate between Alberta’s four party leaders will be studied by future political science students. “In terms of a debate, I don’t think it was a classic,” said Preugschas. But the 90 minute televised event before Alberta’s March 3 election did solidify the Mayerthorpe farmer’s vote. “It made […] Read more
Alta. election sparks little excitement
KILLAM, Alta. – Dwayne Wideman is surprised he doesn’t hear more chatter about the upcoming provincial election when drivers fill up with fuel or stop in at the service station for their morning coffee. He believes there’s plenty of fodder for a good political discussion: campaign promises to eliminate health-care premiums; an oil patch that’s […] Read more
Swine flu strategy needed
A recent report recommends that workers on hog farms be monitored for swine flu to prevent a possible pandemic. The report, which appeared in the December issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, follows a case in 2006 in which a seven-month-old child on an Alberta communal farm was diagnosed with swine flu. It’s the […] Read more
Farmer-chef connection must be nurtured
NISKU, Alta. – Chef Wade Sirois knows how to cook, so he doesn’t like it when producers selling food to his kitchen try to tell him how. “If you tell me how to cook a short roast, you’ve offended me,” Sirois told producers learning how to get their local food into Alberta restaurants. “I’ve had […] Read more
