One of Western Canada’s oldest agricultural co-operatives is not only giving its front-line employees a bonus for helping it weather the COVID-19 pandemic, it has donated more than $140,000 to help rural residents during the crisis. “We want to give back to the communities in which our members live and which we serve,” said president […] Read more
Tag Archives COVID-19 virus
Navigating our uncertain path through the pandemic
Each year, we produce one special edition of your Western Producer. Our editorial staff starts planning for this project months in advance. Like the agriculture we are a part of, we expect it will be innovative, necessary and inspiring. This year, I wasn’t so sure it would be the case. This year, we decided to […] Read more
We make our own fun here
There’s a good chance that if you grew up in the rural prairies, you have fond memories of skating under the sky and stars with your friends and neighbours. Times like that leave a lasting impression, and not just because of the frostbite. When this pandemic-mangled winter finally takes its place in the history books, […] Read more
Learning from COVID-19
With governments around the world rolling out several COVID-19 vaccines, are Canadian development efforts being left behind? “I think it’s too early for us to say, ‘OK, we can sit back and the problem is solved,’” said Dr. Volker Gerdts. “We first have to see how well these vaccines actually do.” Gerdts is director and […] Read more
Lack of students stalls research
Agriculture Canada employs hundreds of highly skilled professionals, who have PhDs and specialized knowledge of plant science, soil nutrients and livestock husbandry. But those experts need summer students to carry out the basic tasks of agricultural research — like seeding, tending to bee hives, harvesting crops and collecting data. This year, students couldn’t work at […] Read more
Supply-side worries send sales sky high
Food shortages at the outset of the pandemic sent consumers scrambling to fill their freezers and larders with local food
Consumers facing the growing uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis are seeking the security that comes from having a freezer full of locally-produced food, said an Alberta rancher. “Our sales have been just sky high,” said Ben Campbell, who sells directly to local customers from his Grazed Right business on the Tullichewan Ranch near Black Diamond, […] Read more
Slow recovery for ethanol industry
COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the ethanol sector and the grains that provide the feedstock for the industry. The United States supplies slightly more than half of the world’s ethanol. The U.S. Department of Energy is forecasting that the country will produce 13.8 billion gallons of the fuel in 2020, down from 15.8 […] Read more
Dark days for farm shows
Restrictions on the number of people that can gather in one place have made farm shows and producer meetings difficult, if not impossible, since the pandemic swept through Canada. Some event organizers cancelled them outright, others held virtual meetings; something they hadn’t previously attempted. In many respects, online events fall short of in-person meetings, but […] Read more
Early stockpiling may soon lead to weak demand for grains and oilseeds: report
Rabobank worries that the current wave of demand for grains and oilseeds will subside once importing countries reach a comfortable level of stocks. “There is a little bit of concern,” said Stephen Nicholson, senior grains and oilseeds researcher at RaboResearch. That is one of seven long-term challenges the company has identified in its report, The […] Read more
A radical change
COVID-19 has changed how people eat and shop for food, and there could be more change to come. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, said food has been a complicated and complex issue during the pandemic. People hoarded some foods, turned to buying others online and decided to grow […] Read more
