The immediate impact of finding a BSE-positive cow in Alberta in 2003 was swift and brutal. Overnight, Canada's export market evaporated and prices for cattle, especially older animals, tanked. As we look back on the decades that have followed, the longer-lasting impacts have been monumental, but not necessarily as clear. To dive in to what... Read More
Category: Livestock
Tucked into the Ontario Progressive Conservatives' Bill 97 is a proposed change to severance allowances of farmland that the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) says could make siting of livestock farms much more difficulty. What's more, the bill carves out increased power for Ministerial Zoning Orders in the name of housing; however, Peggy Brekveld, president... Read More
It's hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the BSE crisis struck Canada. The memories of that time still feel vivid, as if it were just yesterday. Last week's comments from a farmer in the Maritimes about the ongoing impact of the crisis reminded me of its lasting impacts. Even after two... Read More
Two weeks of dry weather conditions across Ontario has helped move a lot of manure over fields across the province. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs manure management specialist Christine Brown is reporting that custom operators have been running hard and most farmers were finishing up applications for crop land late last week.... Read More
As the growing season really gets going across North America, we're starting to see a little more hope on where the grass is growing, and there's a bit more optimism out there in the pasture — especially in southwestern Saskatchewan, which has faced multiple years of hard drought and where this week's Beef Market Update... Read More
German feeding equipment maker BvL is bringing its brand of total mixed rations to Canadian dairy farms. The Emsbüren, Germany-based manufacturer has struck an agreement with their Canadian distributor, Fergus, Ontario's Grand River Robotics to represent and sell the company's TMR mixers. BvL showcased their technology last month at the Canadian Dairy XPO at Stratford,... Read More
In what can only be described as a widespread emergency, severe wildfires are raging over huge parts of Alberta. Cooler, wetter weather earlier this week did mean evacuation orders were lifted for some areas, however huge areas of the northwest region are under extreme threat. In the fire's path are countless homes and ranches, at... Read More
Jodie Aldred loves to take pictures, and she's turning her passion for farm snap shots into a burgeoning business. After growing up on her family's beef cow-calf and cash crop farm at West Lorne, Ont., like many farm kids, Aldred headed off to the corporate world. But it wasn't long before the pictures of life... Read More
On an episode of Real Ag Radio Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson answered a listener question about the best practices for spreading manure on farmland. Johnson emphasized the importance of considering factors such as soil type, weather conditions, and current soil nutrient levels before determining how often to spread manure. The first step, according to Johnson,... Read More
Alberta has declared a state of emergency as several wildfires burn across the province. As of late Sunday night, nearly 30,000 people had been evacuated from their homes. The province says there are currently 88 active wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, 25 of which are classified as out of control. (Editor's note: this number... Read More