(AOHVA.com)

Alberta lifts off-roading ban

Citing an outbreak of “wet and cool weather” across parts of the province, reducing the overall fire hazard, the Alberta government has lifted most of its restrictions on off-highway vehicle (OHV) use. The province lifted its OHV ban for “much of the province” except for its forest areas around Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray,

Editorial: What’s in a name?

Editorial: What’s in a name?

The newly elected Pallister government wasted little time putting its stamp on government in this province. Almost as fast as you can say Ralph Eichler, the provincial department responsible for agriculture got a new name this month: Manitoba Department of Agriculture (MDA). It has a nice simple ring to it. But it also reflects a


Forecast: An unsettled long weekend en route

After a pretty chilly weekend it looks like summer is going to try and move back in during this forecast period, with plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures expected. This forecast period will begin with an area of high pressure building to our southeast and an area of low pressure over far Western Canada. Together,

(Bayer.com)

Bayer offers to buy Monsanto in global ag chem shakeout

Reuters — German drugs and chemicals group Bayer AG made an unsolicited takeover offer for U.S. seeds company Monsanto, aiming to create the world’s biggest agricultural supplier and integrate pesticides and seeds markets. Monsanto disclosed the approach on Wednesday before Bayer confirmed its move, though neither gave the proposed terms. Sources said Bayer would pay


Dawson: MAFRD is now MDA

Dawson: MAFRD is now MDA

When Premier Brian Pallister and his 12 cabinet ministers were sworn into office May 3 most of their ministries got a new name, including Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD). Once again it is the Manitoba Department of Agriculture (MDA). Rural development is now part of Indigenous and Municipal Relations under Minister Eileen Clarke.

(Darden.com)

Activists press Olive Garden on antibiotics, worker pay

Los Angeles | Reuters — Dozens of activist groups, emboldened by recent policy shifts at major U.S. restaurants, are demanding Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants change its food and labour practices. Their sweeping agenda, part of a campaign called “Good Food Now,” includes calls for the nation’s largest full-service restaurant operator to strengthen its antibiotics



A member of Wildfire Management Alberta’s Wild Mountain Unit pulls hose through smouldering forest in the Parsons Creek area of Fort McMurray on May 5. (Chris Schwarz photo courtesy Government of Alberta via Flickr)

Glacier pledges support for wildfire disaster relief

Farm Business Communications’ parent company, Glacier Media, is donating $50,000 toward the Canadian Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts in the Fort McMurray area. The Vancouver company said its donation is also on behalf of individual Glacier business units, which will undertake their own awareness and fundraising efforts to help the city and its residents rebuild


(MyAllegro.ca)

Agropur halts its diafiltered milk imports

Updated, May 11, 2016 — Canadian dairy processing co-operative Agropur says a three-month national program to subsidize use of Canadian dairy ingredients will allow it to “immediately” end its own imports of diafiltered milk. “We had pledged to stop importing diafiltered milk as soon as conditions allowed,” co-op president Serge Riendeau said Tuesday in a

Sandra Schillo, a management specialist from the University of Ottawa, says it’s time to listen to more viewpoints in agriculture research.

More collaborative research model urged

Input from more stakeholders would mean greater and faster innovation for the agriculture sector

It’s time for agriculture research to break out of its pipeline approach and look for new ideas wherever it can find them. That means upending the old model where ‘good’ scientific research basically saw data go in, lab work happen, and eventually a new product come out. Now it’s time for that same research to