Business Tools

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is offering a new Backgrounding Calculator to cow-calf producers deciding whether they should sell or background calves. The new tool is a downloadable XLS file that incorporates variables like current calf prices, cost of gain, and projected feeder prices, in order to identify economic opportunities and risks from backgrounding…

If you are looking to hire youth for agricultural jobs, you may be eligible to apply for support. But you’ll need to hurry. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has opened its Youth Employment and Skills Program to applicants. The program offers subsidies for 50% of wages to a maximum of $14,000, with additional funding available…

The Alberta Land Access Guide is a toolkit built by a team of experts and experienced farmers to help new farmers navigate their land search. Young Agrarians (YA), a farmer-to-farmer educational resource network for new and young regenerative farmers, announced the release of the first edition of the Alberta Land Access Guide this week. The…

Beef Cattle Research Council Forage U-Pick tool, currently applicable to Western Canadian producers with a national version expected to launch by 2023, is a tool designed to provide users with information for forage selection, forage seeding rates, and weed management.  The Forage U-Pick tool allows you to select specific criteria to narrow down the options of…

by Mary MacArthurphoto credit: Prairie Song Photography The bitter cold that blanketed the prairies has eased. The sun is shining, the winds have calmed, the days are longer, and the Andrew family is reminded why they live and ranch in the Special Areas. It’s things such as the snowy owl that lives at the end…

As a producer, you depend on the land as your sole source of income and livelihood. It is no surprise that a landowner’s decision to grant access takes some consideration. The Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) is looking for landowners who are willing to participate in a short survey on hunter access. Whether you’re a producer…

As a result of industry feedback, producers will now have additional time to make policy purchases and claim settlements on all Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) programs. Going forward, purchase hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays are available from 2-11 p.m. MT. Settlement hours on Mondays are now offered from 2-11 p.m. MT. Producers can visit…

Site aligns with industry vision for sustainable agriculture Farmers looking for practical solutions to make their operations more sustainable have a new resource to turn to with Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) – ag.ducks.ca – a new website that builds on DUC’s long-time relationship with the agricultural industry. The new website is easy to navigate and…

The March 1 deadline is approaching to complete the necessary testing for the Class 1 Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) equivalency under the Alberta Transportation farmer and farm worker extension program. Agriculture producers and farm workers who want to take MELT Class 1 training can access funding through the Canada-Alberta Job Grant as of February…

Country Guide by Lorraine Stevenson The sun is barely up but VRP Farms Ltd., a half hour north of Lethbridge, is already humming. Pen riders saddle their horses and barn labourers are shipping, sorting and processing. Feed drivers put their trucks in gear, operators of high hoes and manure trucks shuttle about the site, and…