Biochar study to target methane in cattle
The University of Lethbridge will use $1.1 million in federal funds to see if biochar in beef cattle diets will reduce the amount of methane gas expelled.
Biochar is charcoal produced from plant matter. The bulk of recent research on the material has focused on use in soil as a way to sequester carbon, but there are also studies on its benefits in cattle and poultry feed.
The federal agriculture department announced the funding July 11 as part of $27 million spent Canada-wide on 20 new research projects involving agricultural greenhouse gases.
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Farming Smarter receives financial boost from Alberta government for potato research
Farming Smarter near Lethbridge got a boost to its research equipment, thanks to the Alberta government’s increase in funding for research associations.
According to a government news release, “the program supports research into greenhouse gas mitigation practices and technologies that can be adopted on the farm.”
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said the investments are part of the government’s efforts to address climate change.
Erasmus Okine, vice-president of research at the U of L, welcomed the funds.
“Reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced by the cattle sector is important both environmentally, economically and helps build public trust. Producers want to operate in a sustainable fashion and our study results will help them do that,” he said in the release.
Young producers make sales at Saskatoon event
A cattle sale average of $2.76 per pound was registered earlier this month at the Prairieland Junior Ag Showcase held at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon.
Riley Bohrson of the Hanley 4-H Beef Club won the grand champion title with a steer that sold for $3.75 per lb. to Bohrson Livestock Marketing.
Jenna Schmidt of the Carlton Trail 4-H Beef Club got $4.50 per lb. for her reserve grand champion steer, purchased by Blair’s Group of Companies.
In the sheep sale that was also part of the event, Caybri Letkeman of the Crown Hill 4-H Club sold the champion market animal for $1,075 to R & F Livestock of Warman, Sask.
The reserve champion market animal, shown by Zayne Letkeman, also of the Crown Hill club, sold for $700 to Saskatoon Agri Auto Parts.
More than 250 participants took part in the showcase, which is designed to be interactive and educational for 4-H members while strengthening their social skills and displaying their achievements.
Light horse, dairy and arts clubs were also part of the event, along with the beef and sheep events that culminated in a sale July 10.
Food companies get federal funding
Five Calgary food and beverage companies have received almost $2 million through Growing Forward 2 to expand their capacity.
Village Brewing Co., a five-year-old craft brewer, received $104,000 to add a canning line and centrifuge equipment. Until now the company offered draft and bottled beer.
Other companies to receive grants include:
- CadCan Marketing and Sales, a snack food company, to buy equipment to develop gluten free snacks.
- H. Hein Foods to add new equipment to further processits beef, pork and chicken products.
- Just BioFibre Structural Solutions to expand its plant to convert hemp stalks into building materials.
- Basha International Foods Inc., which supplies Asian and Middle Eastern food, received two grants to increase its processing capacity.
