Once again Alberta proved to be the heart of Conservative country, doing its part to give prime minister Stephen Harper the majority government he has craved for five years. And even though many of its prominent Tory incumbents were campaigning in vote-rich regions of Eastern Canada and rarely set foot in their ridings, Alberta rewarded […] Read more
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PM promises government for ‘all Canadians’
Pretty not always popular if plants propagate profusely
RED DEER – An alien plant species landing in a farmer’s field can be beautiful but deadly. “If it is growing and green, people assume it is a good thing,” said Sarah Nevill of the society that oversees the Weaselhead Special Protection Area in southwestern Calgary. She told a recent meeting of the Alberta Invasive […] Read more
CWB, quota sectors remain WTO targets
The chair of World Trade Organization agriculture talks is reporting little progress but his latest negotiating text continues to be bad news for two Canadian agricultural players. Supporters of supply management and the Canadian Wheat Board say the negotiating text as written would jeopardize their institutions. On April 21, New Zealander David Walker issued a […] Read more
Manitoba Conservatives caught off guard over majority win
After listening to polls and more polls predicting a minority Conservative government, the final election result surprised many Tory supporters in Brandon including Jim McCrae, campaign manager for Merv Tweed, MP for Brandon-Souris. “I read polls too much. Polls have been saying Tory minority, Tory minority,” said McCrae, former provincial cabinet minister in Manitoba and […] Read more
Natural herbicides require careful handling
RED DEER – More municipalities are calling for a ban on pesticides to control weeds and insects, but some of the non-chemical solutions may not be as benign as they hoped. Herbicides can cause problems if used improperly, but many alternative products are equally dangerous, said Darren Dillenbeck of Dow Agro- Sciences Canada. He compared […] Read more
Sheep producers eye community pastures
Alberta sheep producers are seeking access to the province’s community pastures to provide additional grazing for their flocks. Members of the Alberta Lamb Association are being encouraged to approach local community pasture boards and request that sheep be accepted. “There’s a big demand for it,” said association president Phil Kolodychuk, who has a 250 ewe […] Read more
Sask. sees lone Liberal among Tory blue
Canadians may have been in the mood for change May 2, but Saskatchewan voters were not. The status quo prevailed in all 14 ridings – 13 Conservatives and one Liberal. There were some close races, however, suggesting the NDP wave that took hold in Eastern Canada did have some traction elsewhere. Three ridings in particular […] Read more
Qu’Appelle Valley market operators mop up
Wayne Gienow paddled a canoe across his farmland April 27, looking for an empty fuel tank that had floated away in the flood water. “It’s stuck in the trees,” he said by cellphone after he reached dry land. The operator of Lincoln Gardens in the Qu’Appelle River Valley between Lumsden and Craven, Sask., said the […] Read more
Jersey producers win big
Showing cattle is expensive advertising, but many producers consider it to be a necessary part of doing business. Joanne Edwards is one of them. “You breed high genetics as much as you possibly can to get these really good cows and no one can see them if they just stay at home,” she said. Edwards […] Read more
Ag group leaders say win good for farmers
Grain Growers of Canada president and Alberta farmer Stephen Vandervalk was getting off a seeder late May 2 when he absorbed the results of the federal election. Conservatives with a strong base in rural Canada had won a majority government. “I think this will be good for farmers,” he said. “The Conservatives believe in science- […] Read more
