Business Tools

Alberta producers have access to a virtual option for managing animals that cannot be transported, through the province’s Video Ante-Mortem Inspection (VAMI) program. The program allows a government-authorized inspector to conduct an ante-mortem inspection remotely using video, enabling humane on-site slaughter in situations where transport is not possible or would cause additional distress. How the…

Rotational grazing offers more than just dividing pastures into smaller parcels. It can extend the grazing season, reduce winter feeding days, and make better use of forage resources on the farm. For producers, this can mean lower feed costs, improved pasture productivity, and in some cases, additional hay to sell. Rotational grazing is widely adopted…

Applications for the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), delivered in Alberta through the Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), are now open. The OFCAF program provides financial support to producers to accelerate the adoption and implementation of on-farm Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) intended to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting production efficiency, sustainability and resilience on farm…

Laura Buss, who grew up on a cow-calf operation north of Westlock, Alta., has been appointed as the first youth councillor to the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). Buss was selected through a nomination process coordinated with the Canadian Cattle Youth Council and will serve in an ex-officio (non-voting) role on the CRSB Council….

Producers are reminded that the deadline to sign up for Moisture Deficiency Insurance (MDI) is February 28. Moisture Deficiency Insurance is designed to provide coverage when precipitation levels fall below historical averages during the growing season. The program can help offset feed costs and reduce financial risk in dry conditions. Producers who wish to participate…

Grazing early in the season (April and May) reduces reliance on stored feed and allows beef producers to make the most of stockpiled perennial forage resources. According to the 2025 Canadian Cow-Calf Adoption Rates and Performance Levels Report, up to 61 per cent of Canadian producers winter cattle in pastures for all or part of…

Consultations are now underway on the next five-year agricultural policy framework, targeted for implementation in 2028. Formally named the Next Policy Framework (NPF) by the Government of Canada, the NPF is a federal-provincial-territorial agreement that will shape programs and supports for Canada’s agriculture sector starting in 2028.  It will take over from the 2023-2028 Sustainable…

An Alberta-developed multi-tasking sensor technology is starting to create some buzz in the livestock world. Wandering Shepherd has generated interest in its wireless rumen bolus identification device close to home and as far away as Africa. In November, developers shared their pitch in the Ag Innovation Competition during Agri-Trade in Red Deer, where producers in…

The first 24 hours of a beef calf’s life are the most vulnerable. During the Beef Cattle Research Council’s webinar, Early Calf Life Survival, Dr. Roger Richard of Shoal Lake Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Claire Windeyer from University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine and Heidi Bennett with W.A. Ranches discussed navigating calving and the critical early life…

The Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab (AALL) continues to strengthen collaboration between producers, researchers, and partners across Alberta to test, refine, and share innovative best management practices (BMPs) that enhance resilience and profitability on crop, livestock and forage operations. Most of the core producers implementing BMPs through the AALL were in their third field season in…