Mary MacArthur

Like chipping away ice from a frozen water hole, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association believes its persistent discussions with American farm groups and politicians about country-of-origin labelling are finally paying off. CCA president Dave Solverson recently met with delegates at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting and found that the message seems to be sinking […] Read more

Seed cleaning plants will have to keep extensive records if they want to stay ahead of the law once UPOV 91 comes into effect, said a seed official. Lorne Hadley, executive director of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, said seed cleaning plants will have to ensure that they don’t accidentally clean a protected seed variety […] Read more

RED DEER — A resolution to allow railways to be sued for poor performance was defeated in a tie vote during the Alberta Federation of Agriculture meeting. Round Hill farmer Bernie von Tetternborn said grain companies and farmers need a way to hold railways accountable if they don’t meet their contracts to haul grain. “Grain […] Read more

Former Alberta agriculture minister Doug Horner has announced his resignation from Alberta politics after 14 years. Horner said it was with “mixed emotions” that he will resign Jan. 31 as Progressive Conservative MLA for Spruce Grove-St. Albert. He was first elected in 2001 and served as deputy premier, minister of agriculture, minister of advanced education […] Read more

The Alberta government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the province’s municipalities to have new governance rules in place by next year. The Municipal Government Act is the framework that allows municipalities to operate. “It’s the document we live and breath under as municipalities,” Al Kemmere, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts […] Read more

The project would show the effect various moisture levels would have on farms and communities

RED DEER — Risk management specialists hope a project that would predict the risk of flooding in southern Alberta will receive financial approval. The $2 million risk analysis model will use existing water, soil and drought data to build a computer model that will predict flooding, said Rick McConnell, a director with Dymac Risk Management […] Read more

Alberta farmers want the federal government to allocate 20 percent of grain cars to producer car shippers and short-line railways

RED DEER — Alberta farmers want the federal government to order the major railways to allocate 20 percent of its cars to producer car shippers and short-line railway operators. A resolution that passed unanimously at a recent Alberta Federation of Agriculture meeting said such a move would allow small grain industry players to compete. Reg […] Read more