Today in the world…snow storm of the century is barreling across the U.S. and into eastern Canada; waterlogged Australia is bracing for a typhoon of biblical proportions; some guy in B.C. thought it made sense to shoot and cut the throats of a 100 dogs because his boss told him to; Twitter continues to work […] Read more
Just another happy day
New Program Aims To Hike Marketing Savvy
Even though George Jackson has been farming in Alberta for many years and has a pretty good handle on crop marketing, he figures it doesn’t hurt to kick his skills up a notch. Jackson, who crops about 8,500 acres east of Calgary, will be among the first group of farmers in Western Canada to participate […] Read more
Disease Rife In Prairie Seeds
DISEASE MANAGEMENT It’s not uncommon for a seed-testing lab to recommend having seed quality evaluated, but after an exceptionally wet growing season in 2010, the Alberta-based 20/20 Seed Labs warns both farmers and seed growers not to take anything for granted. A dramatic increase in sclerotinia in lentils is just one example of the disease […] Read more
New Marketing Structure Proposed For Canadian Beef
Whether it’s been on their radar or not, cow-calf producers should note there is a re-organization taking place in the marketing effort of the Canadian beef industry. And while it doesn’t affect the day-to-day operation of farms and ranches per se, the success of this marketing effort ultimately influences the consumption of Canadian beef at […] Read more
Ag leaders lost
I know I haven’t the resources or connections to be aware of everyone involved in the agriculture industry who passes away, but I have recently been sorry to read about the deaths of three who I have had some contact with over the years. A few weeks ago I was sorry to learn Rob Stenson […] Read more
News you can’t live without
Alberta’s Bill 36 explained The Western Stock Growers Association is sponsoring a series of seminars in Alberta in January to explain to landowners, what it sees is the potential impact of three new pieces of legislation including Bill 36, the proposed Alberta Land Stewardship Act. In a news release: “WSGA President, Bill Hanson describes the […] Read more
Market your buns off
(Editor’s note: If you read on long enough you’ll find there are courses coming up.) I don’t know why the world doesn’t leave the poor farmer alone to grow his crops, and forget all this nonsense about marketing. How important is that? But there seems to be this ongoing persistence to “learn about marketing”. I […] Read more
On the 15th day of Christmas, 13 red bulls and pickles
I spent part of my Christmas break buying bulls. A guy tries to get a rest from the demands of being “all knowing” about the livestock industry, but when your brother-in-law asks you for help in buying bulls and you’re staying at his place, you go. We went to Big Rock Simmentals at Creston, B.C. […] Read more
A sane voice of science, or moanings of a dinosaur
It wouldn’t totally surprise me one day, to see a news report that the body of a certain Alberta Agriculture soil specialist was found dead, under mysterious circumstances, in a grain field. (Don’t get me wrong I am not wishing any ill will what so ever on long-time soil scientist Ross McKenzie – I like […] Read more
Polish Canola Update
For anyone wondering how Bob Mastin of Sundre, Alta., made out with harvest of his new higher-yielding Polish canola seed varieties, Mastin says the yield was “very good.” The owner of Mastin Seeds says he is fielding calls daily from growers across Western Canada looking to line up a portion of their canola acres in […] Read more