Changes to penalties for impaired driving in Alberta take effect Sept. 1. Legislation passed last year to administer a three-day licence suspension to any driver with a blood alcohol content between .05 and .08. As well, the driver’s vehicle will be seized for three days. Previous laws involved a 24-hour licence suspension for drivers with […] Read more
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New impaired driving laws in Alta. effective Sept. 1
Legumex Walker continues buying spree
Continuing its run of acquisitions in 2012, Legumex Walker announced today it has purchased Keystone Grain – the largest sunflower seed processor in Canada. Legumex Walker, a Winnipeg company that processes pulses, special crops and canola, has signed a letter of intent to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Keystone Grain, which is located […] Read more
Ukraine reopens border to live Canadian cattle
Market access to Ukraine for live Canadian cattle has reopened. Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz made the announcement Aug. 27 in a news release, noting renewed access for purebred live cattle may be worth up to $12 million over the next three years. According to the news release, the government negotiated “a new certificate that […] Read more
Cranberries: much more than simply sauce
BALA, Ont. — The full potential of one of Canada’s oldest cranberry farms has been realized only in the past 20 years. Wendy Hogarth, who runs Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh with her husband, Murray Johnston, said adding value has been a matter of necessity. Their 27 acres produce 300,000 to 500,000 pounds of cranberries annually. Bulk […] Read more
U of S reaps record research revenue
The office that helps commercialize research at the University of Saskatchewan has set a new record for revenue, buoyed by the agriculture and animal production sectors. The university’s Industry Liaison Office works to patent and market research from the university’s ex-perts, forming long-term relationships with companies along the way, said Glen Schuler of the ILO. […] Read more
Stelmach home represents pioneer life
ELK ISLAND, Alta. — Former Alberta premier and agriculture minister Ed Stelmach said it was a “good feeling of remembrance” as he watched his grandparents’ home move from his Andrew farm to its new location at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. Stelmach’s grandparents came to Canada with 12 other families from the same village in […] Read more
Weed hunters now have an app
A new application for smart phones will allow people in British Columbia to easily report invasive weeds so that they can be identified, tracked and controlled. The Report-a-Weed app is a free download to iPhone and Android phones that allows users to submit reports of invasive plant sightings, upload photos and browse a list of […] Read more
Get the facts, gardener tells peat opponents
Peat moss doesn’t provoke heated discussions in most circles, but a Winnipeg gardening expert says a small number of avid gardeners have extremely strong feelings about the subject. “You get certain garden purists who passionately feel that peat moss is not a sustainable resource. They’ll say that they will absolutely not use it,” said Colleen […] Read more
Peat moss harvesting under fire
Environmental groups and cottagers have spent the last year trying to block the development of four peat moss mines 200 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Opponents of the projects claim the mines will destroy vital boreal bogs, damage a critical moose habitat, release immense amounts of greenhouse gases and increase sediment loading into Lake Winnipeg. However, […] Read more
U.S. drought threatens ‘critical injury’
The drought that is devastating much of the United States this summer was interrupted for three days in early August. Rain came heavily, sneaking over the sunburned rangeland after the day’s end and scuttling away by the time dawn arrived. “It’s cut down on the dust,” said rancher Adrian Gonzales, whose pastures are part of […] Read more
