Mary MacArthur

EDMONTON – New research has found that calves that were weaned and vaccinated at least two weeks before being transported long distances had higher shrink and lower average daily gain than calves that had never been handled. Karen Schwarztkopf-Genswein, a beef animal welfare and behaviour specialist at Alberta Agriculture’s research centre in Lethbridge, Alta., said […] Read more

EDMONTON – Alberta’s municipal affairs minister assured rural government officials their areas won’t be treated differently than large cities when the government hands out money for roads and infrastructure. “The same principles that apply to urban municipalities are the same principles we are going to apply to every rural municipality in the province,” Guy Boutilier […] Read more

Farmers are expected to double the number of acres seeded this spring to Roundup Ready corn for fall grazing, said a Monsanto spokesperson. “The amount of acres is up significantly across the West,” said Trish Jordan of Winnipeg. In most areas, farmers plan to double the amount of Roundup Ready corn planted over last year. […] Read more

The Canadian Wheat Board has lowered its price outlook for the coming crop year due to good growing prospects in the European Union, Ukraine and Australia. Its outlook for the current crop year was little changed. But Duane Lee, a board market analyst, said competition for wheat sales could increase in the new crop year. […] Read more

EDBERG, Alta. – The tiny metal shed on the edge of the village is not as impressive as the wooden grain elevators that once stood here, but for local farmers, the weigh scale beside the shed is almost as useful. Farmers were tired of driving to the local dump down the road or the concrete […] Read more

Canadian combine parts long relegated to the junk yard will get a new life on Malaysian farms. Gratton Coulee, an Alberta used parts company, shipped a container load of used New Holland combine axles, straw walker cranks and radiators to Malaysia in March. “We’re keeping another country, not as well off, going with our parts,” […] Read more

EDMONTON – The head of the Alberta SPCA enforcement branch has pleaded with cattle producers to stop shipping weak animals and stem the increasing number of animals collapsing in trucks on the way to slaughter. A few years ago, sick or weak animals that couldn’t walk were brought to an auction market and were killed […] Read more

Albertans got a taste of what it must feel like to live in other provinces after the March 19 budget’s tax increases and deep spending cuts. Money from oil and gas revenues, a large source of Alberta’s income, is expected to be $3.7 billion compared to last year’s record $10.5 billion. Along with the lower […] Read more

Kevin Komarnisky is growing an identity preserved canola this year for only one reason. Money. “It’s because of the premium,” said the Holden, Alta., farmer. This spring Komarnisky locked in a $2 bushel premium for growing a Nexera variety of canola booked through his local Agricore United sales staff. He originally planned to grow IP […] Read more

NISKU, Alta. – Despite falling incomes and greater distances to schools and services, 98 percent of rural residents in the four western provinces think they have a good life, a survey of people in rural communities shows. Philippe Ricard, with Socio-Graphic Studies in Quebec, said he has never seen such an overwhelming show of support […] Read more