Producers launch a class action lawsuit against unpaid oil leases and ask for a judicial review of ASRB decisions
Alberta’s farmers are fighting to regain compensation they say they are owed for the disruption caused by oil and gas wells on their land, says a surface rights advocate. “It’s a huge issue,” says Daryl Bennett, director of the Action Surface Rights Association. “There are thousands of farmers that are either not being paid by […] Read moreNews
Alta. responds to federal firearm restrictions
Committee struck to advise government on the issue has recommended province appoint a provincial firearms officer
Alberta farmers concerned about federal firearm restrictions are reaching out to a provincial committee, says its chair. They fear they won’t be able to use guns to protect livestock and other animals from things such as predators, says MLA Michaela Glasgo, who heads the Alberta Firearms Advisory Committee. There are more than 300,000 licensed firearm […] Read more
Gerry Ritz elected reeve in Sask. RM
Former federal agriculture minister makes a return to the political arena — this time at the local level
Gerry Ritz is back in political office. The former Saskatchewan MP for Battlefords-Lloydminster and federal agriculture minister was elected reeve in the Rural Municipality of Mervin during the Nov. 9 municipal election. Ritz defeated Evelyn Bloom 517 votes to 480, according to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities election results website. Incumbent Tom Brown did […] Read more
No change seen in U.S. trade policy
Canadian ag sector reps do think president-elect Biden’s international approach will be different
U.S. president-elect Joe Biden is not expected to drastically change American trade policy, but his approach to other nations, particularly China, will likely differ. “The spirit of American trade policy is actually quite consistent between the Democrats and the Republicans,” said Canola Council of Canada’s Brian Innes. “That spirit is being aggressive with the world […] Read more
Stockade Round-up – photo essay
Photo essay | Organizers say the Stockade Round-up, held earlier this month in Lloydminster, Sask., was the only cattle show to be held in Canada this year. | William DeKay photos
Organizers say the Stockade Round-up, held earlier this month in Lloydminster, Sask., was the only cattle show to be held in Canada this year. Photos by William DeKay.
New wheat varieties could target organic production
Research results have also determined soybean varieties bred under organic management will perform better under such farming methods
Efforts by Canadian scientists to breed wheat specifically for use in organic farming could potentially benefit conventional agriculture by leading to varieties that require fewer chemicals, said an expert. Similar research could also improve conventional farming of crops such as soybeans, said Andrew Hammermeister, director of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada at Dalhousie University […] Read more
Organic farming called blend of old and new
Conference is told farmers can boost crop productivity without chemicals by using the power of the life within their soil
Freeing yourself from the mindset of farming with chemicals doesn’t mean going back to the days of the horse and plow, a Montana farmer told a western Canadian conference on organic agriculture. Farmers need to question their basic assumptions so they can fulfill their true purpose, said Bob Quinn at the recent Organic Connections event. […] Read more
Another dire season pummels apple growers
Labour shortages and an early snowfall leave Okanagan orchard floors covered under a blanket of millions of rotting apples
Apple growers are a dying breed in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and this season is shaping up to be another nail in the coffin. After three years of low yields and declining prices, producers this year had to contend with the labour shortage from COVID-19 and then an early October snowfall that snapped decades, even […] Read more
Northern transportation strategy encouraged
University professor says proposed Alaska to Alberta railway shows that the country must do more for northern Canada
The proposed Alaska to Alberta railway is a warning sign that Canada needs a national infrastructure strategy to open up the northern half of the country, something that could benefit farmers, says a researcher. Alberta’s frustration over stalled pipelines for its oil and gas industry is likely providing much of the provincial enthusiasm for the […] Read more
Northern railway could benefit ag
A company proposes building a 2,570-kilometre rail network that would connect Alberta with ocean ports in Alaska
A proposed railway linking Alberta to deep water ports in Alaska will be “massive for farmers in Western Canada,” says the chair of a provincial task force studying such projects. “This literally is a game changer for the nation for the next hundred years,” says Alberta MLA Shane Getson. Potential benefits for farmers range from […] Read more
