Mary MacArthur

A row of farmers sat quietly on the hard wooden chairs at the back of the room in a hotel banquet room in Camrose, Alta., silently hoping their names would be drawn from a barrel. They were waiting to win a free semi trailer load of hay. This year, when feed is expensive and almost […] Read more

Lacombe County officials have declared their central Alberta region fusarium free until the provincial government can establish an Alberta-wide fusarium policy. “The County of Lacombe has implemented an interim policy of zero tolerance for fusarium graminarium until we get further direction from the province,” said Keith Boras, a Lacombe County agricultural fieldman. The policy means […] Read more

EDMONTON – The combination of drought and strict government regulations are forcing elk and deer farmers out of business, said a group of angry farmers protesting at the Alberta legislature Aug. 1. “The government has abandoned us,” said Len Jubinville, a white-tailed deer producer from St. Albert who organized the rally dubbed Operation Survival. In […] Read more

Alberta Agriculture’s new toll-free agriculture information line has become the province’s rural crisis line by default. Instead of calling crisis lines operated by mental health counsellors, farmers frantic for help are calling the government’s call centre. “We’ve had a lot of desperate callers,” said Leona Lind, in charge of the Stettler call centre. “It’s just […] Read more

LACOMBE, Alta. – Trainloads of American corn likely infested with fusarium, which has dealt a severe blow to the Manitoba grain and livestock industry, are arriving in central and northern Alberta to feed Alberta livestock. “All farmers are looking for feed grain at the lowest possible price,” said Blair Rutter, manager of policy development with […] Read more

WAINWRIGHT, Alta. – Alberta farmers may receive cheques within the week for their share of the $324 million drought aid announced by the provincial government July 17. “This is our response to try and help producers deal with their most urgent needs,” Alberta agriculture minister Shirley McClellan said during a news conference in eastern Alberta […] Read more

VERMILION, Alta. – The bawling cows and calves in the holding pens behind the auction market at Vermilion make it sound like September when the cattle normally come to market. But it’s mid-July. Instead of big, healthy calves fresh off the pasture, the pens are filled with small, baby calves that will end up in […] Read more

ARMENA, Alta. – When Bill Harder accepted the position of pastor in a rural two-church Lutheran parish this spring he never expected to be thrown into an agricultural crisis. Fresh out of Lutheran seminary school in Saskatoon, it was during Harder’s home visits to meet each of his new parishioners that he saw a farming […] Read more

Early weaning of calves was a research project Barry Irving hadn’t planned this year for the University of Alberta’s Kinsella Ranch, but it’s happening anyway. With only two centimetres of rain since spring, ranch manager Irving has no choice but to wean the four-month-old calves from their mothers. “We’re doing it as grass relief,” said […] Read more

The hot, dry weather that has scorched the Prairies hasn’t left an industry untouched. Chickens have died in the heat, cows and calves without pasture have been sent to slaughter, chemical companies with no hope of fall sales have laid off staff, research plots are being mowed down and municipalities are wondering if farmers will […] Read more