Will Gibson

ALCOMDALE, Alta. – A tentative deal on a land claim between the Alexander First Nation Reserve and the federal government has raised fears about property values among surrounding landowners. More than 120 landowners attended a Feb. 14 meeting in Alcomdale, about 55 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, to seek answers from federal, provincial and Alexander officials […] Read more

MORINVILLE, Alta. – Four years ago, Alan Champagne tried to make a friend’s milking cows feel more comfortable in their stalls. Champagne’s solution, the Cozy Cow mattress, is now sold around the world. The 33-year-old Morinville man recently took his brainchild into Europe with two tentative deals in late October. A company called Kit Speakman […] Read more

MORINVILLE, Alta. – Ranchers are celebrating an Alberta Court of Appeal decision that confirmed their right to control access on leased crown grazing land. A three-judge panel upheld an injunction against a hunter from entering crown land leased by OH Ranch without the leaseholder’s permission. Ranch secretary Ken Stiles saw the ruling as a major […] Read more

MORINVILLE, Alta. – Elementary schools in Edmonton and Calgary have banned a two-metre tall talking carrot from lecturing students about the evils of eating meat. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wanted its mascot Chris P. Carrot to talk to students about vegetarian diets in health classes Sept. 10-11. Doug Beaton, principal of Edmonton’s […] Read more

MORINVILLE, Alta. – Mother Nature turned on the taps above northwestern and north-central Alberta, causing swollen rivers to submerge thousands of acres of farmland. Hector Goudreau, an Alberta Agriculture crop specialist based in Falher, said between 110 and 130 millimetres drenched his region since June 15. After touring the Municipal District of Smoky River to […] Read more

MORINVILLE, Alta. – Low cattle prices will cause more fraud in Alberta’s cattle industry. RCMP Cpl. Emil Smetaniuk told Feeder Associations of Alberta delegates to tighten up their rules to prevent future financial disasters. Smetaniuk, who is in charge of the RCMP’s Alberta livestock division, said lower cattle prices have led to criminal activity. “As […] Read more

WESTLOCK, Alta. – The Western Grain Marketing Panel’s series of meetings on marketing reforms ended with a whimper and a lack of consensus. About 90 farmers gathered here Jan. 26, about 80 kilometres north of Edmonton, for the last of the panel’s 15 forums across the Prairies. The low attendance puzzled panelist Owen McAuley, whose […] Read more

EDMONTON – Although crews capped an out-of-control oil well near Evansburg on New Year’s Day, the sticky black marks of disaster will be evident on a nearby farm for some time. Stan and Patricia McGowan were visiting relatives in Penticton, B.C. for Christmas when the pipe ruptured at an Amoco Canada drilling rig, about 90 […] Read more

EDMONTON – Alberta cattle producers won’t divert money from domestic promotions to boost their Asian advertising. Delegates at the Dec. 4-6 Alberta Cattle Commission annual convention resoundingly rejected a proposal to siphon 10 percent, or $350,000, from the Beef Information Centre to overseas promotion. Centre chair and commission delegate Mabel Hamilton said cattle producers shouldn’t […] Read more

EDMONTON – For Calvin Klein, a picture of a woman’s unclothed back might seem a little passŽ to pitch to his cologne or jeans. But after years of using pictures of steaks with accompanying recipes or featuring well-clothed Olympic athletes, using nudity represents a major shift in advertising philosophy for the Beef Information Centre. The […] Read more