VULCAN, Alta. – A Canadian Wheat Board director from Alberta toed the party line during a recent Farmer Forum meeting in Vulcan. Reading from a prepared presentation, Jeff Nielsen explained the board’s vision and his job of showing the value of the board to producers and working for a strong sustainable wheat board. However, following […] Read more
Stories by Ric Swihart
Soft wheat producers miss industry target
LETHBRIDGE – Soft wheat growers in southern Alberta fell below forecasts set by their own commodity organization. Richard Huvenaars, chair of the research and production committee for the Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission, said low prices cut back on seeded acreage, yields were down, and fusarium and mildew caused crop downgrading. He told delegates to […] Read more
Farmers want protection from foreign sugar
Southern Alberta’s sugar beet growers say their future hinges on government protection of the domestic sugar industry. Alberta Sugar Beet Growers Marketing Board president Rob Boras told growers at their annual convention earlier this month that the industry must have full federal government support to remain viable and prosperous. He said sugar entering Canada continues […] Read more
Herbicide-tolerant sugar beets sweep Alberta
LETHBRIDGE – Roundup Ready sugar beets have gained a lot of ground in southern Alberta. Only six percent of the region’s 29,995 beet acres were conventional varieties last year, said Michel Camps, chair of the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers Marketing Board’s agriculture committee. Growers are expected to come close to ordering only Roundup Ready varieties […] Read more
High sugar prices good for growers
Farmers in southern Alberta, home to Canada’s main sugar beet growing and refining industry, welcome booming world sugar prices because it could mean greater profits for processor Lantic Sugar and higher returns for growers. Andy Koster of Picture Butte, Alta., owner of Koster’s Bakery, who recently bought 7,000 pounds of granular sugar to brace for […] Read more
Trials prove early seeding reaps rewards
LETHBRIDGE – Alberta Agriculture has developed new management guidelines for irrigated wheat, barley, triticale and oilseeds. Ross McKenzie, an agronomist with the provincial department, said producers have control over many factors that can influence plants’ nutrient uptake: seed treatment variety seeding depth, rate & date fertilizer types, rates & placement seed bed moisture & temperature […] Read more
Pea leaf weevil problems loom for southern Alta.
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – A survey conducted in Alberta has highlighted insect pests that may pose problems this year. Scott Meers of Brooks, a provincial insect specialist with Alberta Agriculture, said the annual survey includes seven insects of concern. Bertha armyworms are at the low end of the problem scale, Meers told the Irrigated Crop Production […] Read more
Beet growers hope 2010 better year
LETHBRIDGE – Southern Alberta’s sugar beet farmers are expected to recover after bad weather wrecked their crop last year. Rob Boras of the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers Marketing Board said most of the 200 farmers “are ready to go at it again this year.” The sugar beet crop had been experiencing a normal year until […] Read more
Adverse weather causes losses in sugar beet crop
LETHBRIDGE – Continuing weather woes, which started Oct. 4, have caused major problems for southern Alberta sugar beet growers and processor Lantic Sugar of Taber, Alta. Andrew Llewelyn-Jones, agricultural superintendent with Lantic, said fields with about 100,000 tonnes of sugar beets will be rejected because of severe deterioration from wintery weather. That classification allows growers […] Read more
Full speed ahead for french fry manufacturer
LETHBRIDGE – Officials at McCain Foods say production at the company’s Coaldale, Alta., french fry and specialty potato processing plant will continue according to schedule despite some weather related challenges. Plant manager Jim Rideout said the facility faced some production challenges related to hail damaged potatoes and spoilage that occurred during farm storage. Rideout said […] Read more
