FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — When the residents of Fort McMurray fled the ravages of a wildfire last spring, they didn’t know that re-entering their burned city would be even more difficult. Jordan Redshaw, communications manager for the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo, found that to be true. He was on the emergency response team and […] Read more
News
Study shows pronghorn like barbed wire fence changes
The friendliness of wildlife-friendly fencing is under study on southeastern Alberta ranchlands. The focus is on pronghorn, also known as antelope, which crawl under fences rather than jump over as they move around this northern part of their native range. The Alberta Fish and Game Association has spearheaded fence modification efforts for about six years, […] Read more
Crop report – June 15, 2017
Alberta SOUTH Seeding is complete. Emergence reported at 96 percent with cereals in tillering stages. Precipitation varied from 10 to 25 millimetres. Surface soil moisture is rated 83 percent good or excellent. CENTRAL Seeding is near completion. Cereals 74 percent emerged, averaging in the five- to six-leaf stage. Rainfall ranged from 10 to 20 mm […] Read more
Is Canada’s national animal a boon or a pest?
Beavers: love them, hate them or ambivalent? A recently launched survey seeks to learn Alberta landowners’ attitudes about one of Canada’s national symbols. Alberta’s Cows and Fish society has partnered with the Miistakis Institute, a non-profit research group associated with Mount Royal University, on a survey to assess landowners’ knowledge and perception about beavers, their […] Read more
Unease growing in EU over CETA cheese clause
Canada’s dairy farmers say they have no comment on reports of a spat brewing over cheese allocations under the incoming trade agreement with the European Union. Most measures under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement are expected to take effect July 1. The agreement will allow an additional 16,000 tonnes of high-quality cheese and 1,700 […] Read more
U.S. wheat imports dwarfed by Canadian wheat exports
Volume of wheat trade across the American border is predominantly north to south, according to USDA report
The amount of American wheat that’s delivered to Canadian grain elevators is a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of Canadian wheat that’s sold south of the border each year. That’s according to a report prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s Report to Congress on Policy Barriers to U.S. Grain […] Read more
Come to see what’s new, stay to see the glimpses into farms of old
They come to see the shiny new technology, but Canada’s Farm Progress Show visitors are also drawn to the sometimes-shiny old equipment that came before. Stan Bowes of Regina says he never gets to tour the show grounds to see the new machinery because he’s so busy in the antiques area answering questions. Young and […] Read more
Going indoors to grow local
SHERWOOD PARK, Alta. — Providing fresh local produce to Canadians year round could be achieved with a new farming concept that combines horticulture with aquaculture. NutraPonics, which opened in 2015 near Sherwood Park, is dedicated to supplying the local produce market and supporting local suppliers. Since last December, it has been selling fresh romaine lettuce, […] Read more
Canola, wheat rally Thursday on policy and weather
Crop futures were mostly higher on Thursday with oilseeds supported by U.S. biofuel policy and strong monthly crush statistics and wheat by weather concerns. Crops were mostly lower in early trade but turned higher later. Canola finished higher even as moisture conditions improved across the Prairies. The Canadian dollar dipped and that helped to support […] Read more
Pea weevil recovery requires early detection
Pea leaf weevil is munching its way through pea crops to the point where at least one farmer near Fort Macleod, Alta., is considering plowing up the stand. Hector Carcamo, an entomologist and senior researcher at Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge, advises against that. “Never plow your field (of peas) even if it looks this bad,” […] Read more
