Mary MacArthur

Alberta cattle producers hope a $500,000 contribution toward the creation of a beef chair at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine will increase the number of students wanting to practice large animal medicine. For five years, cattle producers have passed resolutions at the Alberta Cattle Commission annual meeting to find ways of encouraging veterinarians to […] Read more

Farmers who lost money when an Alberta grain company declared bankruptcy hope the federal justice minister will find a political solution to their problem. Anne McLellan met with Mundare farmer Gary Broenner during a constituency tour in Vegreville recently. Broenner was given some hope after McLellan said all the documents about All Grain bankruptcy would […] Read more

The confirmation of West Nile virus in eight southern Ontario birds last week will have little effect on prairie livestock, said the co-director of the organization established to detect the virus in Canada. Ted Leighton with the Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre said the closest positive confirmed case to the Canadian Prairies is in Indiana. […] Read more

MANNVILLE, Alta. – Mary Koshowski looks closely at the hemp plant, picks off a seed, eats it and smiles, remembering her youth. When Koshowski, 92, was young she always had a pocket full of roasted hemp seeds to chew on as she did her chores. “We always carried them in our pocket and chewed it […] Read more

Bison producers are waiting for an improved test to detect anaplasmosis after more than 18 bison were destroyed after testing positive for the disease, says the executive director of the Canadian Bison Association. “We’ve asked that imported animals be tested with a more accurate test,” said Gavin Conacher. A positive anaplasmosis test does not necessarily […] Read more

BASHAW, Alta. – During the summer, the tent under the trees at the edge of the Bashaw Agriculture Fair grounds is the Fox family’s second home. Unlike other cattle shows the family attends, in this central Alberta community parents Cindy and Wayne Fox can relax. At the junior cattle shows in Bashaw there is a […] Read more

EDMONTON – Drought and the sad state of agriculture were prominent topics at the federal Liberal party’s national caucus meetings, said several Liberal Members of Parliament. “It has been discussed at great length,” said Murray Calder, chair of the rural caucus, who made a presentation to the national caucus during their western Canadian tour and […] Read more

Norman Maze felt strongly enough about his gopher-killing invention that he stopped his combine and flew to Ottawa to meet with bureaucrats during three ideal pea harvesting days. “I wouldn’t have missed this. This has been two years to get them to meet us,” said Maze. He flew from his home in Unity, Sask., to […] Read more

EDMONTON – A group of Albertans is convinced it has the solution to create energy-producing, odor-free hog barns. Many people want the cutting edge technology, but few are willing to be the first to dig into their wallets, said Robert Coulter, a board member with Trillium Agriprojects Corp. “A lot of people are very interested, […] Read more

PELLY CROSSING, Yukon – Directions to the Pelly River Ranch are simple. Drive north of Whitehorse for four hours until you reach Pelly Crossing. Turn left and drive 50 kilometres “into the bush,” said Wenda Bradley over the radio phone. It takes more than an hour to drive that last 50 kilometres over a rough […] Read more