Wild boars are an integral part of Deb and Earl Hagman’s northern Alberta farm. For 17 years the couple has sold its meat through barbecues, white tablecloth restaurants, American hunt farms and their hunting operation. “It’s an integral part of our farm. It provides better cash flow than our cattle,” said Earl, who operates Hog […] Read more
Stories by Mary MacArthur
Marked fuel illegal, U.S. reminds farmers
Prairie farmers shouldn’t drive into the United States if they’re using marked fuel. Officials with Montana’s transportation department recently called Alberta Agriculture to report they were finding Alberta vehicles in their state with marked fuel. “They wanted to remind farmers that is not acceptable in Montana,” said Dale Dowswell, a program policy specialist with Alberta […] Read more
Talks may OK spuds
American and Canadian agriculture officials meet in Ottawa this week to discuss the possibility of reopening the border to Alberta seed potato growers. Terry Petrow with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said he’s looking for movement between the two sides. The border closed after a potato pest was discovered in two Alberta fields in October. […] Read more
WRAP needs more gov’t respect: Dobson
EDMONTON – The past-president of Alberta’s general farm organization says the province’s agriculture minister has told him the government will allow the group to have a checkoff only if it conforms to the provincial position on the Canadian Wheat Board. Bill Dobson said he’s frustrated with the Alberta government’s fixation with the wheat board’s marketing […] Read more
Wild Rose elects new leader
EDMONTON – A mixed grain and cattle producer has been elected president of Alberta’s general farm organization. Humphrey Banack of Round Hill, Alta., was elected president of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers during the organization’s annual meeting in Edmonton Jan. 9. The former second vice-president said one of his first goals is to raise the profile […] Read more
Alberta firm finds international market for hog genetics
An Alberta export company has shipped two plane loads of hogs to China and Chile to help diversify its hog operation. Albert Eringfeld of Polar Genetics Group in Edmonton said selling breeding hogs to international markets is an important marketing tool during tough times for Canadian hog producers. “It’s one way to diversify the hog […] Read more
Prairie hog numbers to drop
Alberta producers estimate there will be at least 15 percent fewer sows on Alberta farms next year, according to a survey of producers. Preliminary results of the survey estimate there will be almost 14,000 fewer sows in Alberta barns by July, said Murray Roeske, field services specialist with Alberta Pork. The real picture could be […] Read more
Seed potato markets in flux
Alberta seed potato producers have given officials until Jan. 11 to tell them if there is a chance the American border will reopen and they can sell their crop. The border was closed to Alberta seed potato exports in October after the discovery of cyst nematodes. Larry Buba of Lewis Farms said producers need to […] Read more
Curling rink liner hits mark
REDWATER, Alta. – After spending hours painting, repainting, flooding and reflooding the sheets of ice at his local curling club, Kevin Grumetza thought there had to be a better way to make a curling rink. It was during the middle of the night after a late night painting session that the part-time farmer came up […] Read more
Canada confirms 11th BSE case
A 13-year-old cow born and raised on a farm east of Red Deer has become Canada’s 11th case of BSE, Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials announced Dec. 18. The cow, which was born in March 1994, had been losing body condition, but the problem was believed to be abdominal and not BSE, said CFIA senior […] Read more
