Mary MacArthur

EDMONTON – Alberta’s canola producers have voted to support a controversial report that recommends the federal government sell its grain hopper cars to rail companies for $100 million. “I’m still not sure whether this is the way to go. The cost will end up being transferred back to the farmer,” said Greg Porozni, of the […] Read more

SMOKY LAKE, Alta. – Residents of this northern Alberta community hope to raise $1 million in the next week to try and save the town’s dairy. People living in the town and county around Smoky Lake are trying to keep Horizon Dairy in their community after it went into receivership around Christmas time. Horizon Dairy, […] Read more

SASKATOON (Staff) – A group of women in Saskatoon has cleared the first hurdle on the road to setting up a centre to study rural women’s health. Psychologist Nikki Gerrard said the group heard from Health Canada in early January that its proposal is one of 12 in the running. Ottawa will pick three to […] Read more

CAMROSE, Alta. – How many women look in their closets and declare: “Oh look at the selection,” Carrol Burkard asked a rural women’s conference. The women at the meeting reacted as would many women saying they had a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. But according to Burkard, the secret is not how […] Read more

CAMROSE, Alta. (Staff) – Carrol Burkard likes wearing nice clothes, but she doesn’t want to break the bank getting them. So she buys most of her clothes at consignment clothing shops. “In times of fiscal responsibility it’s a good idea to try to get the most for your dollar,” Burkard told women at Fall Focus, […] Read more

CAMROSE, Alta. – The Alberta government may not think there are questions for home economists, but it doesn’t stop people from phoning Ruby Curran for answers. It’s been almost two years since Curran was among 27 full-time equivalent home economists across the province who lost their jobs in the government department reshuffle. The former Coronation […] Read more

VERMILION, Alta. – Some young farmers are worried their attempts to change Canada’s grain marketing system will be thwarted by older farmers wielding their influence over a federal grain marketing panel. “Are we changing the market specifically for those who will be the future of farming?” asked Michael Bury after the federal grain marketing panel […] Read more

EDMONTON – Expect canola acres to drop and prices to stay high for the next year, a market analyst told the Alberta Canola Producers Commission meeting. “I don’t see us dropping off the edge of the cliff,” Larry Ruud told the annual convention here last week. Ruud said he expects canola acres on the Prairies […] Read more

EDMONTON (Staff) – Farmers should develop a strategy for selling canola and avoid the ‘I’ll-sell-it-when-it-gets-to-$9’ marketing scheme, said a marketing manager. Errol Anderson said farmers often plan to sell their canola when it reaches $9 a bushel, but when it hits that price, they hold out for more and can end up selling when prices […] Read more

EDMONTON (Staff) – Canola oil processors are gearing up for a tough battle over farmers’ canola, as analysts predict fewer acres will be planted this year, said the head of a northern Alberta crushing plant. “Competition is going to be tough,” said Petros Loutas, president of CIC Canola Canada which owns Northern Lite Canola, a […] Read more