Eating habits bode well for specialty canola

EDMONTON – Farmers may sometimes wonder if growing specialty canola is worth the time and hassle, but as more consumers make conscious decisions to choose healthier food, the demand for specialty canola oil will increase, says the national sales manager for Cargill’s specialty canola oil. Willie Loh of Minneapolis, Minnesota, told farmers at the FarmTech […] Read more

Alta. plans CWD hunt

More than 300 wild deer and elk will be shot around two Alberta farms where a single elk and deer were confirmed to have chronic wasting disease. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development wants to increase its search for the disease in wild game in the Gibbons and Bon Accord area and the Fort Assiniboine area where […] Read more

Canadian economy crawls ahead of U.S.

EDMONTON – The Canadian economy will continue to grow at a slow but steady pace, says the chief economist with BMO Financial Group. A low Canadian dollar to maintain exports and low interest rates to boost the domestic economy will help keep the Canadian economy stable, Tim O’Neill told farmers at the FarmTech 2003 conference. […] Read more


Spraying effective with half the water

EDMONTON – Farm herbicides work just as well with five gallons of water per acre as the recommended 10 gallons per acre, according to a five-year study of sprayer technology. “In 95 percent of the cases, we found the five gallons per acre at the full chemical rate was doing just as good a job […] Read more

Alberta launches crop insurance program changes

LACOMBE, Alta. – The government has made sweeping changes to the Alberta crop insurance program to give protection from sharp drops in market prices, set floor prices for crops and expand pasture insurance. The few farmers who’ve seen the program say they don’t know if the changes will mean a better program, more confusion or […] Read more


Albertans soured by feed aid

Janice Wistra says her lifelong involvement in 4-H and belief in the program have been shattered after she was told by a 4-H official that he didn’t have to tell her how almost $1 million in feed assistance has been distributed. The Elk Point farmer said she was told by Bruce Banks, head of the […] Read more

Alberta canola checkoff doubles

EDMONTON – Alberta canola producers have voted to double their checkoff to $1 a tonne from 50 cents. The increase will double the Alberta Canola Producers Commission budget to $1.6 million from $800,000. “The funds have been used very prudently,” said Doug Elliot of Vermilion, who made the motion to increase the refundable checkoff during […] Read more

Herbicide residue threatens crops: expert

EDMONTON – Farmers across the Prairies are in danger of serious crop damage this year from herbicide residue left in the soil from last year’s dry weather, says a weed specialist. “It’s very serious,” said Denise Maurice, manager of agronomy products with Westco. “That’s why I’m telling people now they must plan ahead,” she told […] Read more


Farmer leaves $1.25 million to charity

After catering to thousands of funeral lunches, hosting hundreds of chicken suppers, visiting the sick and raising money for charity, the ladies of the Marwayne Royal Purple must now decide how to spend their share of a $1.25 million donation from a local farmer in his will. Marwayne, Alta., bachelor Gordon Leslie left the money […] Read more

B.C. agriculture minister forced to resign

British Columbia’s agriculture minister has stepped down because of a police investigation regarding his handling of an aquaculture file in the fall of 2001. In a News release news and a later news conference, John van Dongen said the investigation relates to his actions as a “minister in performance of my official duties” but refused […] Read more