Reading Time: 15 minutes We always wanted to milk cows, but we never thought it would ever happen,” Kevin Conroy remembers. “The land prices in Ontario just went up and up and up.” Then, one day a decade ago, Kevin and wife Diana, who worked 103 acres in Ontario, were out for a Sunday drive and they saw a […] Read more
Farms from away!
They’re an eclectic bunch, these farmers rushing to Atlantic Canada for its affordable farmland. They’re dreamers, yet they’re realists too, and they’ve all got success in mind
Does your farm plan position you for a summer payoff?
In today’s agriculture, summer is becoming the essential business season of the year. Now, with these five strategies, you can get even more out of it
Reading Time: 9 minutes At Hebert Grain Ventures in Saskatchewan, they actually have a word for it. They call it the “harvest hangover.” It’s those three weeks after the last of the crop has come out of the field when, somehow, nothing much seems ever to get accomplished. “Once the fall season hits, things go out the window,” says […] Read more
Make the best of a bad year with astute grain marketing
Soaring wheat prices could go higher still, but get advice and be nimble, say market watchers
Reading Time: 5 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Drought conditions across Western Canada and elsewhere have driven wheat yields down — and wheat prices up. “I’m having trouble remembering any time in history where we have seen prices for fall delivery ahead of harvest this high,” said Mike Jubinville, senior market analyst with MarketsFarm. “It’s not the all-time record high for […] Read more
Renowned U of A wheat-breeding program hanging on — for now
It’s now releasing new varieties but government cuts threaten program’s revival, says top breeder
Reading Time: 3 minutes Further cuts to post-secondary institutions could lead to the “canola-ization” of wheat breeding. And that’s not a good thing, says one of the country’s top wheat breeders. “I think farmers would say the canola experience is a mistake — letting private enterprise take it over,” said University of Alberta professor, Dean Spaner. “Effectively, they’re breeding […] Read more
Demand for on-farm slaughter licences soars after rule change
Consumers, and the pandemic, have been key factors with more than 170 licences issued
Reading Time: 5 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Demand for on-farm slaughter licences in Alberta has exploded since last summer when a rule change allowed consumers to buy individual animals and have them processed on the farm. “The day that the regulation changed, my phone just blew up, and it was largely our customers calling because they were so thrilled,” […] Read more
Strong wheat yields possible in ultra-early seeding system
Study finds producers in some parts of the province may be able to seed their wheat as early as mid-February
Reading Time: 6 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Graham Collier’s grandfather used to time his seeding by the frogs. Once the frogs started singing in the spring, he knew the ground was thawed and it was time to get out into the field. Now, Collier is working on a less esoteric but still uncommon way to time wheat seeding — […] Read more
Ag industry a potential ‘bright spot,’ post-pandemic
Agriculture could lead economic rebuild, ATB official says
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta’s ag sector will be key in rebuilding the province’s economy once the pandemic is over, says the director of research for economics at ATB Financial. “Overall, I think one of the bright spots in a really dark economic situation in the province is our agriculture and agri-food sector,” Rob Roach said. “It’s still producing. […] Read more
Safety protocols in place for farmers’ grain deliveries
Grain moving as normal, but farmers need to practice social distancing when delivering to elevators
Reading Time: 3 minutes Grain deliveries to country elevators should continue without any disruptions, the executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association says. “All of the members of the Western Grain Elevator Association are doing everything in their power to keep the grain supply chain functioning” during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Wade Sobkowich said Tuesday. “That means we’ll […] Read more
No delays expected in fertilizer distribution
National fertilizer association doesn't expect any disruptions to deliveries
Reading Time: 2 minutes Should farmers expect delays to fertilizer deliveries heading into spring seeding? “Not if we can help it,” Fertilizer Canada CEO Garth Whyte said Thursday.”We’ve weathered all the rail system disruptions that we had over the last six months, and now, with COVID-19, we’re doing OK. “We’ve put contingency plans in at our manufacturing plants, at […] Read more
No Prairie farm fuel shortages expected in pandemic
Continuity plans in place to keep fuel moving
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prairie farmers shouldn’t see a disruption to their farm fuel distribution as a result of COVID-19 safety measures. “Our members are committed to minimizing disruptions to the Canadian fuel supply as a result of the pandemic response,” Canadian Fuels Association spokesperson Jason Vaillant said in an email. “Our members are working tirelessly to maintain operations […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
