Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s incumbent agriculture minister was among the casualties as Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party defeated Rachel Notley’s New Democrats in Tuesday night’s provincial election. Oneil Carlier, the provincial NDP government’s minister of agriculture and forestry since May 2015 and deputy government house leader since February 2016, was unseated in his riding of Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland […] Read more
Alberta ag minister Carlier downed in UCP win
Alberta rancher, advocate James Hargrave, 34
Reading Time: 3 minutes A leader in southern Alberta’s cattle ranching community died in a vehicle crash while helping fight wildfires along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border on Tuesday night. Cypress County officials have identified the firefighter as James Hargrave, 34, a volunteer with the fire station at Walsh, Alta., about 50 km east of Medicine Hat. Alberta’s Agriculture Minister Oneil […] Read more
Western Feedlots closure seen hurting prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — The closure of one of Canada’s biggest cattle feedlots is likely to depress prices of young cattle and the grains used to fatten them, and may increase sales to the U.S., industry officials say. Alberta-based Western Feedlots said Wednesday it will shut feeding operations early in 2017, citing poor market conditions […] Read more
The national cost of Alberta’s Bill 6
Farm outrage at the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act may have already backfired
Reading Time: 5 minutes As 2015 came to a close, Canadians watched Alberta farmers hold massive rallies against legislation intended to improve farm safety. They listened to farmers raging against the costs Bill 6 would impose on their operations, with farmers saying the legislation will destroy family farms. They heard farmers complain they hadn’t been consulted in the drafting […] Read more
Alberta NDP taps ex-AAFC staffer as ag minister
Reading Time: 2 minutes 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
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
