The Western Producer will have a new publisher as of June 1.Larry Hertz, the weekly newspaper’s advertising director, will replace Ken Zacharias, who will become director of finance for a branch within Glacier Media Inc.The announcement was madeMay 20 by Jonathan Kennedy, president and chief executive officer of Glacier Media Inc., which owns The Western […] Read more
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New Producer publisher has prairie roots
Buyers take home pieces of the past
COOKING LAKE, Alta. – It was billed as an auction sale, but it could have been advertised as a Canadian history lesson.Up for sale at Al Oeming’s 22nd annual spring auction was an elegant Barouche carriage built for William Cornelius Van Horne, president and builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway.Also for sale was an undertaker’s […] Read more
CWB director in hot seat
A veteran Canadian Wheat Board director has come under criticism for revealing the results of a vote by CWB directors.Bill Toews of Kane, Man., who has represented district 10 since 2004, told the Winnipeg Free Press the board passed by a one-vote margin a resolution supporting federal legislation changing eligibility rules for voters in CWB […] Read more
Money for food sector misses mark
Governments pursue misguided and often harmful policy when they give food companies millions of dollars and call it an investment in jobs and competitiveness, says a food industry analyst.George Morris Centre analyst Kevin Grier argues in a recent paper that grant or loan recipients are chosen arbitrarily, often to the detriment of their unsubsidized competitors […] Read more
Community project to be auctioned off
It started as a promising agricultural economic diversification project in northern Alberta 10 years ago but will be put to rest May 28.Farm Credit Canada is holding an unreserved auction for Mackenzie Pork’s mothballed 600 sow farrow to finish hog barn in La Crete.“The hog industry has been very brutal to a lot of people,” […] Read more
Device gets to the bottom of crop spraying
Spraying a dense crop canopy often results in most of the product landing on the tops of plants, allowing the diseases and insects that live below to escape.A device developed by Haken Pettersson of Sweden and tested at two American locations has proven effective at applying the product all the way to ground level if […] Read more
Small scale farming
Recent rains and warm weather helped ensure good crop establishment and improved hay and pasture conditions. Producers are busy spraying, applying fertilizer, seeding and hauling cattle to pasture. Crops emerging Farmers made good seeding progress. Fields are fairly wet with sloughs visible. Crops are emerging well and hay and pastures look good. Good moisture Good […] Read more
How do you know when you get a good deal?
One thing you should not see is a customer talking to the mechanic without the service manager present.Let’s suppose a mechanic is working on your tractor in the shop. Another farmer stops and asks a question.Even if the answer was simple and could be answered in minute or two, studies have shown that it takes […] Read more
CGC lowers tolerance for fusarium
Future outbreaks of fusarium could cost farmers more money because of stricter grading rules going into effect next crop year.The Canadian Grain Commission announced last week that tolerances for fusarium will be tightened Aug. 1, 2010, for all but two Western Canada wheat classes.Tolerances for those two classes – CW red winter and CW general […] Read more
Delays in federal biodiesel subsidy worry manufacturer
One of the few operating biodiesel plants in Western Canada thinks the federal government is developing cold feet about its decision to support the sector.”If they are backpedalling because of the economy or pressure from the petroleum industry, they better let us know,” said Zenneth Faye, executive manager of Milligan Bio-Tech Inc.The delayed implementation of […] Read more
