Alberta OYF nominees, Natasha Pospisil and Dallas Vert with their three children: Reese, seven; Tegan, four; and Ryker, six months.

Canada’s OYF 2019: Alberta nominees

No rest, no worries for these OYF winners from east-central Alberta

What could be harder than balancing a business and family? How about three businesses? Managing three kids and three companies might sound daunting to some, but for Dallas Vert and Natasha Pospisil, it’s all in a day’s work. Armed with diplomas from Olds College, Dallas and Natasha purchased his parents’ grain farm in Kirriemuir, in […] Read more

Photo: File

Klassen: Feeder cattle market consolidation continues

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were unchanged from week-ago levels. Larger pre-sort calf sales were held across the prairies. Buying interest was barely sufficient to support the market at the current levels.  The risk tolerance shifted from medium to low this past week. Discounts appeared to be more severe on unweaned and unvaccinated calves. Colder […] Read more


Blaine Pedersen, shown here in 2016, is Manitoba’s new minister for agriculture and resource development. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Lorraine Stevenson)

Manitoba agriculture merged into new provincial ministry

Manitoba’s provincial agriculture ministry is being merged with its resource development arm under the oversight of the minister responsible for the latter. Premier Brian Pallister on Wednesday announced a reorganization of his government’s ministries along with a shuffle of his cabinet in the wake of his Progressive Conservative government’s re-election last month. The realignment sees […] Read more

An excavator works on Parliament Hill on the morning of Oct. 22, 2019, the day after the federal election. (Photo: Reuters/Patrick Doyle)

Industry reacts to divided vote, minority government

Ottawa — A regionally divided federal election resulting in a minority Liberal government leaves a clear challenge for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his caucus colleagues on how to handle the future of agriculture. Trudeau said clearly in his victory speech Monday night that Alberta and Saskatchewan are part of the country and will be […] Read more



There’s a new phos in town

There’s a new phos in town

TIMAC Agro is bringing a new type of phosphorus to Western Canada

When TIMAC Agro International’s Top Phos product was listed as a finalist in Ag in Motion’s Innovation Program, in the plant and soil science category, many western Canadian farmers were not familiar with the company. TIMAC Agro may be new to Canada, but it’s not a new company. “We are in 131 countries,” said TIMAC […] Read more


(CalgaryCoop.com)

Calgary to step out of Federated Co-op grocery system

Calgary Co-op’s grocery business plans to get all its goods from suppliers other than Federated Co-operatives (FCL) starting in April next year. Saskatoon-based FCL said Thursday it had received notice from Calgary Co-operative Association that it would “discontinue the procurement of all products for their grocery stores from FCL” at that time. The Saskatoon StarPhoenix […] Read more



Terry Aberhart discusses variable-rate fertilizer application in comparison to flat-rate application in a hard red spring wheat crop in a 2012 video. (AberhartFarms.com via YouTube)

Variable rate application good for soil, farmers’ bottom lines

MarketsFarm — For Saskatchewan farmer Terry Aberhart and research scientist Alan Moulin, variable rate (VR) application is a no-brainer. In representing Sure Growth Solutions Inc. at the Global Cash Crop Conference in Winnipeg on Wednesday, Aberhart explained the cost savings farmers can achieve by applying different amounts of fertilizer. “The mentality is, if you want […] Read more