EDMONTON –Shae-Lynn Hipkin wants a ranch full of horses when she grows up. If she gets over her “horse thing,” her next dream is to have cattle on this ranch. “I am really into cows,” said Hipkin of Sherwood Park, Alta., one of the many young cattle producers showing cattle at Farmfair International, held Nov. […] Read more
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Cattle teach patience, life skills, says youth
Rail service panel urged not to delay new rules
The federal rail freight service review panel shouldn’t wait until 2013 to decide whether to impose new rules on rail service, says the Canadian Wheat Board. “It is our view that the legislation and regulations be ready for implementation by November 2011 at the latest,” the board said in a submission to the panel last […] Read more
Farmers’ representation
Farmers are getting shafted. The Saskatchewan farmer continues to struggle without an effective voice in regard to agriculture policy. The individual commodity organizations are somewhat effective representing their individual commodities. The left and the right organizations have limited representation with individual membership. The only general farmer organization completely lacks credibility, with a president that no […] Read more
Delegates call for economic stimulus
Delegates to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities midterm convention passed a resolution calling for massive stimulus to the agriculture sector. The resolution called for SARM to lobby the federal government for a $250 per acre payment for farmers, in addition to whatever they would receive under crop insurance and AgriStability programs. It said the […] Read more
Headliner Sale attracts more breeds, interest
EDMONTON – The first ever multi-breed Headliner Sale at Farmfair International kicked off with a bang. A Limousin heifer calf owned by Ivy Livestock of Duchess, Alta., sold for $37,000 to Y2K Land and Cattle Co. of Ontario with a bid over the telephone. “We’re ecstatic. No, dumbfounded,” said Mary Hertz, who had hoped the […] Read more
BHP Billiton formally withdraws bid to take over Potash Corp.
BHP Billiton has withdrawn its bid for the Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan. The Australian company had 30 days to revamp its bid after federal industry minister Tony Clement denied its hostile takeover attempt Nov. 3, but the company issued a news release Nov. 14 saying it would not pursue the purchase. It said the offer […] Read more
More gun polls
In your Nov. 4 issue of Open Forum, Roy Nelson of Regina states that John Hamon of Gravelbourg made inaccurate statements regarding the long gun registry poll. I would guess that Mr. Hamon may have been quoting results from two polls conducted at that time. The first poll was from CBC Canada and the second […] Read more
More information wanted on EU deal
A resolution opposing a free trade deal that Canada is negotiating with the European Union has been tabled. The resolution said the trade deal would prevent farmers from saving, reusing or selling their seed. Concerns were also raised that the treaty would interfere with local governments’ authority by forcing them to accept competition from outside […] Read more
Future of Alta. rail line in question
Central Alberta farmers, investors and local governments continue their efforts to save an area rail line. Badlands Railway Company Ltd. began more than a year ago to buy the 286 kilometre Canadian National Railway line from Lyalta, east of Calgary, to Oyen in east-central Alberta. Last year, CN gave notice of its intention to abandon […] Read more
Raw milk co-op closes down
An Edmonton-area farm has had to stop shipping raw milk to its customers following a visit from the head of Cow Share Canada, which promotes unpasteurized milk. Michael Schmidt visited the Beulah Novelty Food Co-op and found that the operation wasn’t adequately testing animals for disease. “One of the core standards for Cow Share Canada […] Read more
