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In the face of wildfires, the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies (AAAS) has stepped up to provide critical assistance to evacuees and their livestock. As flames continue to threaten communities across the province, AAAS has mobilized its network of agricultural facilities to offer refuge and support. AAAS is recognizing the urgency of the situation and…

In the wake of 2023’s unprecedented wildfires, Alberta’s government is investing in improved wildfire preparedness. Central to this investment is the allocation of funds for two additional airtanker groups and two new helicopters equipped with night-vision technology. “I am encouraged by the increased interest in both the FireSmart and Fireguard Programs this year,” says Todd…

This article was originally posted on the Beef Cattle Research Council’s website on April 4, 2022. Does it feel like grazing management information is shrouded in acronyms and terms that boggle the mind on first glance? Do you struggle to decipher terms like animal unit equivalents? And how does one go about calculating AUMs and then…

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) has undergone some significant changes in its water program. The Sustainable CAP Water Program supports primary producers in securing, protecting, and managing sustainable water sources. Whether through new or expanded dugouts, farmers can enhance water security at the farm level. Changes to the grant were brought forward from…

Do you own a pre-2002 confined feeding operation? Help protect its future with a formal grandfathering determination from the NRCB Did your operation exist, or was it permitted by the county, before the Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA) came into effect on January 1, 2002? If so, now is the time to request a formal…

This article was originally posted on the Beef Cattle Research Council’s website on March 30, 2023. Whether you use a computer software system or track herd records by hand, there are four record keeping GOLD standards that can be determined for your cow-calf operation and compared to beef industry benchmarks for the same indicators. By…

The NRCB recognizes that many areas of the province are dealing with drought conditions. If these conditions continue into the 2024 growing season, they could cause poor grass pastures, lack of water for livestock, lack of harvestable forage crops, and the summer confined feeding of cow-calf herds may be necessary. Under normal conditions, confined feeding…

The Canadian Angus Association will receive $3.8M to increase Canadian cattle producers’ ability to make data-driven decisions based on genomics to economically benefit their commercial livestock operations. The investment will be used to develop a genetic selection tool to equip producers with breeding data to select the best replacement heifers to improve their herds. Using…

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced that the interest-free limit of the Advance Payments Program has been set at $250,000 for the 2024 program year. This is the portion of advances on which the Government of Canada pays the interest on behalf of producers. Under the program, producers would normally receive the first $100,000 interest-free,…

Sellers and buyers alike look forward to bull sale season as it’s the culmination of years of hard work meeting the excitement of anticipating the next generation of calves. Picture it: multiple beef producers visiting different farms, auction markets and ag societies while looking for the next addition to their herd, all in the context…