Memories of a great Albertan

Practical Research: Fifteen years after his passing, Joseph Gurba's long reach through the province’s farming history remains

I was offered the position of provincial plant pathologist for Alberta Agriculture by Joe Gurba, head of the crop protection branch, in August 1974. I was at the time an assistant professor at the University of Guelph, more interested in rugby coaching than in basic plant disease research. Joe told me the provincewide position would […] Read more

AFAC spearheaded the deployment of emergency trailers across the province for use in emergencies such as barn fires or livestock transport rollovers.

Who will carry on AFAC’s work in Alberta?

The organization provided valuable services, including emergency livestock trailers

It is with sadness I heard about Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) closing its doors in Alberta after 30 years, which I would say is after 30 years of extreme good. The great thing was that it was animal welfare-based through and through and had all the production animal groups on its board. They all […] Read more


RJ Sigurdson, MLA for Highwood, is sworn in on June 9, 2023 as Alberta’s minister of agriculture and irrigation. (Government of Alberta video screengrab via YouTube)

Calgary-area MLA named Alberta’s new ag minister

RJ Sigurdson to handle ag file, Horner moves to finance

The Alberta government’s caucus lead on emergency medical services (EMS) reform has been promoted to handle the agriculture file in a post-election cabinet shuffle. RJ Sigurdson, MLA for the constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary, was sworn in Friday by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani as Alberta’s new minister of agriculture and irrigation, replacing Nate Horner. […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

Alberta harvest nearing completion

CNS Canada – Alberta farmers made significant harvest progress in late-October, with nearly 95 per cent of crops off the field as of Oct. 30, according to the final crop report of the season from Alberta Agriculture. On a crop-by-crop basis, spring wheat was 96.1 per cent harvested, durum 95.4 per cent, barley 95.6 per […] Read more



Oneil Carlier, shown here in an NDP video posted May 5 on YouTube, is Alberta’s new minister for agriculture, forestry and rural development. (YouTube.com)

Alberta NDP taps ex-AAFC staffer as ag minister

A former technician with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has been named as the Alberta New Democrats’ first minister of agriculture, forestry and rural development. Premier Rachel Notley on Sunday named Whitecourt-Ste. Anne MLA Oneil Carlier to the now-expanded portfolio, which takes over responsibility for forestry from the department of environment and sustainable resource development. Including Notley […] Read more


Verlyn Olson. (Olson.myPCmla.ca)

Alberta ag minister named acting justice minister

Alberta’s agriculture minister is now also its justice minister. Premier Jim Prentice on Saturday appointed Verlyn Olson, MLA for Wetaskiwin-Camrose since 2008 and the province’s ag and rural development minister since 2012, as both acting justice minister and solicitor general. Prentice said his move follows having “asked for and received the resignation” of Calgary-Acadia MLA […] Read more