Mary MacArthur

By Sept. 1 it will be illegal to load, transport or move cattle to a Canadian farmer, feedlot, cattle dealer, auction market or packer without an approved ear tag, says a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency official. While recognized CCIA ear tags have been required by law for a year, the rules have not been enforced […] Read more

KELSEY, Alta. -The discovery of a single cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy has created havoc with cattle markets across Canada, but increased sales for an Alberta farm couple with Irish cattle. On their central Alberta farm, Don and Joan Gregorwich raise and sell Dexter cattle, the smallest purebred breed of cattle in the world. The […] Read more

NEW SAREPTA, Alta. – With the price of natural gas steadily rising, many farmers and home owners are looking at ways to reduce home and farm shop heating bills. “A whole lot of people are looking at alternatives,” said Dennis Sherbanuk, of Camrose, Alta., who organized a June 30 alternate heating tour of farms that […] Read more

PONOKA, Alta. – In his 46 years working as an auctioneer at the Vold, Jones and Vold Auction in Ponoka, Ed Karlo has never seen cattle prices so low. A week earlier, he sold a Holstein cow for seven cents a pound and Holstein calves for $5 to $150 apiece. “When I was a kid […] Read more

RYLEY, Alta. – Seventeen hopper cars of rendered bone meal from Cargill’s High River, Alta., slaughter plant were shipped to Ryley July 3 to be buried at the garbage dump. Officials with the Beaver Regional Waste Management Services Commission, which operates the landfill, expected two cars to unload on a trial basis. Instead, 17 cars […] Read more

KILLAM, Alta. – The canola, oats and barley in the Battle River Research Group’s Killam plots are tall, lush and green. “It looks like it’s off to a great start,” said research group manager Alvin Eyolfson, surveying the rows of research plots that will eventually help farmers choose a suitable variety for their farms. What […] Read more

Alberta farmers who raise bison, elk, deer, caribou, musk ox and sheep were expecting to hear details this week of a program designed to provide compensation for market damage caused by BSE. Government officials from Ottawa and the province were expected to finalize program details this week. A case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in an […] Read more

EDMONTON – A $460 million federal and provincial aid announcement for cattle feeders, who are losing millions of dollars a day, has been received like a lifeline thrown to a drowning man. “The intent wasn’t to ensure everyone recoups all their losses, but to ensure the industry’s survival and this program goes a long way […] Read more

EDMONTON – Last week Todd McKinnon put 250 head of cattle up for bid to the packers. When the bid came back at 50 cents a pound, with an additional 15 cent discount if any were overweight, he couldn’t believe it. The price was 72 cents a lb. the day before, and the Airdrie, Alta., […] Read more

EDMONTON – The United States was set to open the border to low risk Canadian meat July 1, but that plan was halted by Japan’s insistence that any Canadian beef in the U.S. must be identifiable, says an American agriculture consultant. “From what I understand, that just slammed the brakes on anything that might have […] Read more