Glen Tully will remain president of Federated Co-operatives Limited following an election at the organization’s annual meeting in Saskatoon last week. Clint (Dusty) MacDonald of Carlyle, Sask., will join Tully as vice-chair of FCL’s board of directors. The FCL board of directors consists of members elected to represent 15 districts across Western Canada. Those directors […] Read more
News — page 3312
Co-operative elects officials
Ottawa accused of muzzling scientists
A researcher with Agriculture Canada agrees with a recent editorial in the prominent journal Nature, which accuses the Canadian government of muzzling its scientists. “We (Agriculture Canada) are a publicly funded institution and what we do should be communicated to the public freely, without restrictions,” said the scientist, who noted that department researchers must jump […] Read more
CFIA establishes complaints, appeals office
New code of conduct rules | The inspection agency has been criticized for irregular service and poor communications
When agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced a strengthened code of conduct for how the Canadian Food Inspection Agency deals with its clients, British Columbia cattle producers took some quiet credit. In a Winnipeg speech last week, Ritz announced a CFIA “statement of rights and service for producers, consumers and other stakeholders” as well as a […] Read moreAlberta rancher faces fraud, theft charges
An Alberta rancher is facing multiple charges of fraud and cattle theft. Howard Schneider of Ardrossan, owner of Northline Angus, was charged after a two-year RCMP investigation. The charges arose following an investigation after a rancher who was boarding cattle at the Schneider property was concerned his cows were not there, according to a news […] Read more
Ag education students hot commodity
Global trade increasing | Students with an agricultural degree will be in demand worldwide
Agricultural MBAs (Master of Business Administration) are hot right now, with a surge in interest from overseas students and North American corporations working in the global market. The increased interest has inspired the University of Guelph to revive an old MBA program that it had abandoned and add a new one. “Our industry is globalizing,” […] Read morePromising flax lines head to registration trials
Progress is being made on developing flax lines suitable for the northern Prairies, but the 2011 breeding trials weren’t as eye-popping as the previous year. Average days to maturity for the 132 flax lines tested in the Northern Adapted Flax Variety Development Project in 2010 were 7.8 days earlier than CDC Bethune, which was beyond […] Read more
Researcher making glue from hens
RED DEER — The sticky problem of finding a use for old laying hens may have a practical solution. A researcher at the University of Alberta said spent hens, which are seen as waste in the industry, can be used to produce glue. The project has been running about 18 months and will continue as […] Read more
Supply management system outdated, say chicken farmers
Inadequate formula | Producers in Alberta want increased quota to reflect population growth
RED DEER — Alberta chicken farmers want to expand production, but they feel stymied by the national board that sets quota allotments. The province imports about nine pounds of chicken meat per person to fill added demand. Producers say they could fill that gap if their quota was increased. Processors move fresh and frozen chicken […] Read moreGame seeks low surface lease
Pat Walker doesn’t know how many entries to expect for a contest to find the lowest surface lease annual payment. However, she thinks it will be a fun way to raise awareness of the need to review surface lease payments. My Landman Group Inc. will accept entries until the end of the year to win […] Read more
Dual market best fit for barley: study
Two year study | Mandatory price reporting also recommended by barley growers’ report
A dual market may be the best option for prairie barley growers, a recent study indicates. A two-year study on the optimal marketing structure for the Canadian barley sector analyzed why more people are not growing it and where new opportunities may present themselves. Conducted by market consultants John DePape, Brian McKenzie and Russ Crawford, […] Read more
