Rural Roots Canada

Building a strong relationship between a producer and a veterinarian is important for your herd's health and the economical sustainability of your farm.  Dr. Tommy Ware from Veterinary Agri-Health Services says that the relationship starts with the first phone call between the producer and the veterinarian.

As technology continues to evolve in agriculture, Canadian livestock producers are embracing new ways to connect with their veterinarians—without ever setting foot in the clinic. Tele-medicine is gaining ground as a practical tool, allowing producers to consult with their vets remotely using phone calls, photos, and video. Dr. Tommy Ware of Veterinary Agri-Health Services near Crossfield, Alberta, the key to making it work starts with trust. "A lot of it starts with having a good relationship with your veterinary, because we can't just willy-nilly go about just answering phone calls and taking videos," says Ware.

“I wish I didn't have to deal with these dryland corners on my fields. They are more trouble than they are worth.” This offhand remark from a farmer has led to a full-fledged research initiative at Farming Smarter to explore how farmers manage these tricky, often-overlooked portions of irrigated fields. The new project is entitled No Cutting Corners: Realizing the Sustainable Potential of Dryland Corners. Ashley Wagenaar, Conservation Agronomist at Farming Smarter, is super excited to explore farms' different strategies for managing these areas. She believes they can provide value to anyone interested in changing their approach or seeking advice on managing these areas differently.

An upcoming event in Airdrie aims to help livestock producers build stronger relationships with their veterinarians, an important but sometimes overlooked part of a successful operation. Organized by Ashley Nicholls of REACH Agriculture Strategies, the session will explore effective communication strategies between producers and veterinarians and highlight how technology is reshaping animal health management. Nicholls says two featured speakers will offer diverse insights into the field.

Like crops weathering droughts and downpours, women in agriculture are rising through uncertainty and leading with resilience. At the recent Advancing Women in Agriculture conference, Dr. Cami Ryan, Senior Business Partner for Industry Affairs and Sustainability at Bayer Crop Science Canada, spoke with Rural Roots Canada about her talk, "The Heat is On! Resiliency and Leadership in Ag." Ryan said she never planned for a career in agriculture, but stressed that we all have to grow where we're planted. "I would have been the least likely person to end up in this space, but I did," she said. "So, really, the message is, if I can do it, anybody else can do it, too."

Canadian farmland rental rates remained relatively stable in 2024, despite another significant rise in land values, according to a report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). Nationally, the average rent-to-price ratio, which measures the return on rented land relative to its market value, dropped slightly to 2.50%, nearly unchanged from 2.52% in 2o23. This indicates that rental rates haven't kept pace with the 9.3% increase in farmland values recorded over the previous year. The report, which focuses on cash rental agreements, shows regional differences in rental markets across Canada. In Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, rental rates have adjusted more quickly to land value increases. Other provinces saw little to no change in rental prices.

An updated Canadian drought monitor has been issued, and for most of Alberta, conditions have eased. West Central Alberta, from Olds to Nordegg, is no longer in drought thanks to recent rain. Southeastern Alberta received between 85 and 200% of normal precipitation in April. But the news was not as good for Southwestern Alberta, where conditions worsened, and part of the region is now considered to be an extreme drought. That region, the Southern foothills, the snowpack there, below average, soil is dry, surface water levels are low. According to the drought monitor, the St. Mary Reservoir is only at 64% capacity, the Old Man, 57%, and Waterton, just 40%. After a dry April, parts of the Lakeland region are considered abnormally dry, but not yet in drought. Now, conditions could improve between now and the end of the month with up to 90 millimeters of rain, projected by some computer models to fall between now and the end of the month in the southwestern foothills, the area hardest hit by drought.

Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Canadian Road Safety Week is underway, and throughout rural Alberta, drivers are being urged to stay alert for farm machinery when travelling along the province's roads. “Those are large pieces of equipment on the highway, and being aware of them and driving safely around them is critical,” says Jody Wacowich, executive director of AgSafe Alberta. “Right now, all of our farmers are out there moving seeders and other big equipment, trying to get the job done in between rainstorms and whatever else happens.” Wacowich says patience goes a long way when you're stuck behind slow-moving machinery. “Yeah, they're moving slow, but they're not going to be on the road for that long. Just be patient with them and let them get to where they're going, especially if the conditions aren't allowing you to pass or get around them very easily. Take a breath, give it a minute or two.”

Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) has launched the 2025 Right by You Ag Society Grant, a community initiative that awards $10,000 each to four agricultural societies across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Cory Flett, Marketing and Communications Manager for RME, says the company is committed to giving back to the communities where employees and customers live and work. “We feel these ag societies are a large part of the fabric in these communities, and often are the social hubs with rodeos and various other events that they host,” says Flett. “We feel it's important to keep those alive.”

A new agriculture event is making its debut in southern Alberta in June. The Cypress Farm and Ranch Show will take place June 12–14 in Medicine Hat, coinciding with the World Professional Chuckwagon Races, which are being held in the city at the same time. Krissy Fiddler, part of the event's organizing team, says the region is overdue for a show that brings together both the farming and ranching communities.

In this Prairie Weather this Week report, we take a look at the forecast for NE Alberta.

In this Prairie Weather this Week report, we take a look at the forecast for Central Alberta.

In this Prairie Weather this Week report, we take a look at the forecast for Southern Alberta.

Lightning....friend or foe?   Both. Thunderstorm season has begun across the prairies, bringing with it danger, and a great benefit to growing crops. How to Stay Safe Safety is paramount, so we'll deal with the danger first.   Lightning is generated by the attraction between the negative charges at the bottom of a thundercloud and the positive charge of the surface of the Earth.   Similar to a magnet, the opposite charges are drawn to each other, and when the connection is made, a lightning flash results.  The danger is obvious.  The consequences can be deadly.   Besides holding n enormous electrical charge, A lightning bolt is hotter than the surface of the sun.  You don't want to be struck. Lightning is attracted to the tallest object in contact with the ground.   That's why tall trees or tall buildings are often struck.  When you're out working a field, you are quite possibly the tallest object - a target for a lightning stroke.   You don't want to be the tallest object.   Crouching down isn't good enough.

With the federal election in the rearview mirror, agricultural groups across the country are letting the minority Liberal Government know what they need immediately and in the coming months. Several of them issued statements in the last week.

Seeding is progressing across Alberta, and with it, a number of farmers will be participating in On-Farm Trials to assess how new products, technologies, or practices perform under real-world conditions. According to Steve Larocque of Beyond Agronomy, digital tools are transforming the future of these trials. He says platforms like DFI allow producers to carry out large-scale automated strip trials with ease.

When you hear the word lupin, you might think of those purple-pink flowers that dot landscapes and ditches across Canada. However, in this instance, lupin refers to a pulse crop that's becoming a crop to watch in Canadian agriculture. Researchers at Sarda Ag Research in the Peace Region of Alberta are exploring the potential of lupin, which is high in protein, rich in nutrients, and could have considerable potential for farmers. "Lupin is similar to how we got into industrial hemp," says Vance Yaremko, Executive Director for Sarda Ag Research. "We're always looking for alternatives here in the Peace Region, because we're mainly known for canola and wheat." While the pulse market has been growing in that part of the province, Yaremko says there have been some challenges. "We've hit a snag with Aphanomyces being quite detrimental to the product. Lupin has a resistance to this, so we feel there is potential for it to be somewhat of a replacement."

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the forecast for NE Alberta

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares a forecast for Central Alberta

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the southern Alberta forecast.

Farmers are very innovative, always coming up with new tools and practices to solve everyday problems on their farm. One such person is Jessica Carlyon, the owner of Hired Hand Hardware, who also farms in Little Smoky in northwest Alberta. Carlyon builds and sells a slick tool that cuts, pulls and wraps bale string or wrap from a hay or straw bale while feeding or putting in bedding.

A new opportunity for women looking to gain hands-on ranching experience is coming to Alberta this summer. The first-ever Female Ranch Camp will take place June 18–22 in Yellowhead County. Organized by Business Wide-View, the camp is modelled after a successful U.S. program and aims to build confidence, skills, and a stronger sense of community among women in agriculture. “We're taking up to 12 women to the camp,” says B-J Fuchs, owner of Business Wide-View and host of the event. “They'll be learning real-life ranch skills through a series of stations — from sorting cattle, operating a chute, branding, ear tagging, to administering vaccines. It's an environment designed for women to try new things, learn ranch hand activities, and not feel intimidated.” The camp has already attracted participants from across North America, including the United States, Eastern Canada, and Mexico. Interest has also come from as far away as Australia and Brazil, though visa issues have delayed some international participants until future camps.

In Alberta's Peace Country, a farmer-directed research organization is helping producers improve their operations by testing new practices and technologies tailored to the region's unique needs. SARDA Ag Research, based in Falher, conducts unbiased research on a range of topics, from crop inputs to new farming methods. The goal is to help farmers make better decisions based on data from their region, without the cost or risk of trying unproven methods themselves. “SARDA Ag Research is an organization that does non-biased research to help our local farmers come up with new ways, new things that are out there, bring the truth to it,” says Simon Lavoie, a St. Isidore-area farmer and chair of SARDA. “We can see firsthand what works, what doesn't work. SARDA is the groundbreaker for the new stuff for the north.” Lavoie says one of SARDA's strengths is that it's farmer-controlled, meaning local producers determine the direction of the research based on the challenges they face, rather than relying solely on industry trends.

Farmers across North America are riding a wave of economic uncertainty, thanks in large part to the ongoing global trade war & tariffs and shifting interest rates. Christian Lawrence, head of Cross-Asset Strategy at Rabobank, says the effects of the Trump administration's trade strategy are hitting the agriculture sector hard. “We're seeing a lot of volatility right across markets, particularly in currency markets, which tend to be a bit of a relief valve for tariffs,” says Lawrence.

Soil stewardship has long been a cornerstone of Kevin Auch's approach to farming, a legacy passed down through generations. That dedication was recently recognized when the Carmangay producer received the prestigious Orville Yanke Award for soil conservation at the Farming Smarter Conference.

The 2025 edition of the Alberta Blue Book has arrived. For over 20 years, the Blue Book has been a trusted resource of farmers and agronomists, helping them make decisions during the growing season. The book, which is collaboratively produced by Alberta Canola, Alberta Grains and Alberta Pulse Growers, has over 700 pages of valuable crop protection information.

Farmland values across Canada continued their steady upward trend in 2024, with the average price of farmland increasing by 9.3 per cent, according to Farm Credit Canada's latest Farmland Values Report. While the pace of growth slowed slightly compared to the 11.5 per cent increase recorded in 2023, FCC Chief Economist J.P. Gervais says the market remains strong despite some pressures. “The increase in Canadian farmland values in 2024 reflects an enduring strength in demand for farmland amid some pressures on commodity prices,” Gervais said. “The limited supply of farmland available for sale combined with lower borrowing costs resulted in an increase in the average price of farmland across the country.”

For women in agriculture, balancing farm duties, business management, caregiving, and community leadership can leave little time to build strong bonds or rekindle family connections. At the AWC West 2025 conference, Carlamay Sheremata, speaker and author of Youth Truth: Engaging in Conversations That Can Change Lives, says small, intentional moments, or what she calls “micro-minutes,” can have a significant impact. “It's just the little things each day,” Sheremata explains. “It could be a five-minute check-in, driving home from school, or a simple good morning hug. Those little things all of a sudden build that connection with the kids.”

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is disappointed and frustrated by tariffs imposed by the American government, saying a prolonged trade war between Canada and the United States will result in major challenges for cattle producers across the country. "We've put a lot of time and effort into advocating against the tariffs," says Tyler Fulton, Vice President of the Canadian Cattle Association. "We advocated directly with our U.S. counterparts to make sure they understood the consequences to their industry and the U.S. consumer as well." "It's frustrating that we find ourselves in this position, and I can't help but think that, at some point, all of this pain could have been avoided." Fulton notes the cattle industry is deeply intertwined across North America, with cattle frequently moving between Canada and the U.S. for grazing, feeding, and processing. The sudden tariffs have left many producers scrambling. "I can't think of a more risky time to be in the cattle business than what we've got right now."

The tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Canada and Mexico are shaking up Alberta's food industry, and local processors are already feeling the pressure. Bianca Parsons, Executive Director of the Alberta Food Processors Association, says businesses are already struggling to adapt. Long-term contracts with major retailers in the United States make it difficult to absorb sudden cost increases. “They have contracts with major retailers in the United States selling their food and beverage products,” says Parsons. “Those contracts obviously don't include a 25% increase in tariff. They're now trying to renegotiate those contracts so that they can still make a viable business.”

We're just weeks away from seeding and planting. It's the time when farmers and ranchers start browsing long-range weather forecasts to try to figure out how to prepare for the spring.

It looks like Alberta and part of Saskatchewan will miss out on the bounty of moisture this week, until you look at rainfall. The map below shows expected rainfall over the same time period:

Building a successful leadership and team-building workshop is about putting the right blocks in place to build a base. There is no better example of this than Shanyn Silinski's workshop, Foundations of Team Work, Brick by Brick, one of the many workshops to be held at the upcoming Advancing Women in Agriculture West Conference, March 16 - 18 at the Hyatt Downtown in Calgary. The unique session will utilize Lego as the building blocks for the lessons.  Silinski, a Senior Strategic Partner at Olds College, says she has seen firsthand the power of Lego in team-building workshops after holding similar workshops for companies like Brandt and John Deere. "It's amazing how much you can learn about a team when you strip everything down to something as simple as Lego. People relax, have fun, and suddenly, they work together in ways you wouldn't expect." For more on this story go to ruralrootscanada.com.

Ashley Nicholls, founder of Reach Agricultural Strategies, is set to debut a new initiative aimed at making agricultural education more accessible to local communities. The seminar series, Reach Ranch Talks, will kick off on February 20th at High River Brewing at 6:00 PM, offering farmers and ranchers a chance to engage in discussions about communication at the farm and ranch level.

Warmer weather's on the way. But….not much snow. Every day forward is a day closer to when we break out of the Arctic air mass that has kept the prairies cold since the beginning of February. And the wait is getting shorter. By the end of this week, each of the three prairie provinces will see temperatures climb above the melting point. And, the further west you are, the sooner the warm air arrives.

What can we learn from the world's oldest farming market traditions? The executive director of Farmers' Markets of Nova Scotia and recent Nuffield Scholar Justin Cantafio, travelled across Mexico, Europe, and Turkey to find the answer. His biggest takeaway? Local food systems aren't just about food, they're about culture, community, and accessibility. “I purposely sought out regions of the world or countries that have market traditions going back hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of years, because I really wanted to see what that means,” said Cantafio. “Whether it was in urban or rural Mexico, or Malta, or throughout continental Europe into Turkey, the same thing kept happening over and over and over again, and that was how important the embedded nature of local food systems are and how incredibly good farmers markets and public markets are at embedding food and culinary traditions and access to traditional foodways into the everyday life of the populace.”

Getting a first-hand look at the daily lives of farmers is an excellent way to help the public understand where their food comes from. Last year, during my travels across the U.K. and Europe, I had the chance to spend time with Pete and Paula Hynes, dairy farmers in Cork, Ireland. Not only are they experts in their field, but they also excel at sharing their experiences through mainstream media and social platforms. Paula explains that showcasing their farm helps highlight the family-oriented nature of Irish dairy farming. "We're passionate about our cows and our people," she says. "We share everything—the good, the bad, the ugly. There's no point in only showing the pretty side. Cows die, calves die. It's important to show it all."

In the critical moments of a medical emergency, the ability to act quickly can make all the difference between life and death. Yet, when faced with a situation requiring the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), many people hesitate because they don't know how to use the device or when to deploy it. Kim Ruether knows all too well the importance of this knowledge after the tragic loss of her 16-year-old son, Brock, who died suddenly from a heart attack in 2012. Kim's experience has inspired a mission to teach others about how to recognize cardiac arrest and how to use an AED to potentially save a life. Her story highlights the urgent need for AED education, especially in rural communities where medical help may take longer to arrive.

A new documentary delves into the complex debate surrounding livestock production and the potential impact of a world without cows. The film examines the various sides of the conversation, aiming to spark dialogue about the future of animal agriculture. Stuart McGregor, Vice President Commercial Business of Alltech Canada, acknowledges that there's no simple answer to the question. "The issue is not black and white," he states. "This initiative allows us to start meaningful conversations. It provides a platform for educating people, particularly those who may have been distanced from farm life—whether second, third, or fourth-generation farmers—or those who have moved away from agriculture altogether. It helps them understand the critical role of animal farming, not just in Canada but globally."

A change in the weather pattern will bring a lot more moisture into western North America over the next seven to ten days. Unfortunately for Canadian prairie farmers and ranchers, the vast majority of that wet weather is expected to occur south of the border. from the northwestern US straight across to the northeastern US, bypassing us to the south. It doesn't mean we won't get any snow at all, but it does shut us out of the main moisture flow.

Jeff Frost, a farmer from the Olds area, is nearing the end of his first year as the Region 8 director on the Alberta Canola board. Frost joined the board in January of 2024 following the organization's Annual General Meeting (AGM) and says the experience has been both eye-opening and rewarding.

It was an issue many thought had been settled, but the debate over open-pit mining in Alberta's Eastern Slopes has been reignited. In 2020, public outcry forced the province to put a moratorium on nearly all new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes. However, Alberta's energy minister, Brian Jean, lifted the moratorium last month to help reduce regulatory confusion around coal mining. Rancher Kelly Hall, owner of the Timber Ridge conservation site west of Nanton, worries about the potential contamination of the water supply if mining proceeds. "We're extremely concerned because of the health risks that are involved," says Hall. "Selenium and other heavy metals like arsenic could be present in our water system."

Steve Larocque, a progressive farmer from Three Hills, Alberta, is passionate about finding smarter solutions to tackle one of agriculture's biggest challenges: herbicide-resistant weeds. For Larocque, the future lies in combining cultural practices with advanced technologies to create a more sustainable and economically viable approach to weed control.

Ashley Nicholls from Reach Agricultural Strategies will lead a compelling workshop at the 2025 Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference (AWC). The workshop will focus on Low-Stress People Handling and the importance of effective communication on the farm.

Alberta Canola growers have voted to increase the service charge from a dollar to a dollar-75. This is the first increase to the service charge, which helps fund research, grower extension and public engagement amongst other programs, to happen since 2003.

The latest findings from the Alltech 2024 Canadian Harvest Analysis reveal a mixed outlook for mycotoxin contamination in silage and grains across the country. While overall mycotoxin levels are down compared to previous years, regional variability remains a key concern, particularly for corn silage. Stuart McGregor, Vice President of Commercial Business for Alltech Canada, emphasized the importance of understanding the specific risks despite the overall decline in mycotoxins.

Welcome, La Nina La Nina is here, and cold weather will continue across the prairies this week, and there will be snow.   The snowfall pattern will be similar to what we've had all season. Areas that have had snow will get more.  And, dry areas, such as southern Alberta, will remain starved for moisture, as snow amounts over the next seven days will total only 10 cm at most. Here's an update on where we stand in terms of soil moisture as February begins.    This first map shows where soil moisture levels stand relative to normal.   Areas shaded in blue show higher or much higher than average soil moisture levels.  This includes southern Alberta east of highway 2, a portion of north-central Alberta, and in the Souris/Assiniboine/Red watersheds of southern Manitoba.   Areas in green show soil moisture levels near normal.  Yellow, orange and red regions are those where there is a moisture deficit.

Canadian ag groups are weighing in on the tariff crisis. Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on his tariff threat, slapping Canada with a 25% tariff on just about all goods effective Tuesday, February 4. Canada retaliated with 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods.

With the threat of U.S. tariffs hanging over Canada like the sword of Damocles, Alberta's commodity groups including Alberta Canola are coordinating efforts to advocate against, and prepare for, tariffs. Roger Chevraux, Alberta Canola Region 11 director, says they're working behind the scenes, contacting U.S. governors, senators, and representatives to emphasize the importance of the two countries' relationship regarding food. "We a big customer of their production, and they're a big customer of our production," Chevraux noted. "Food is important. If you put a tariff on it, it's going to cost your consumers a whole lot of money and you're going to have explain to them why the cost of food is going up."

Warm and dry across the agricultural south.....then the pattern flips! For some, snow and cold is on the way. And by next weekend...yikes!

Farmers and ranchers know it's hard enough to get a good snowpack in southern Alberta. With our frequent chinooks, keepng what little snow we get on the ground is even harder. And the January thaw doesn't help. The "January thaw", or the bonspiel thaw, is a weather phenomenon that happens in mid to late January as mild Pacific air stretches across North America. It's like nature hits the pause button on winter, bringing a brief stretch of warmer weather. Snow starts melting, ice turns to slush, and people start to wonder if spring is showing up early (spoiler: it's not). There's still a lot of mystery as to why it happens, but it's believed to be tied to natural variations in the jet stream, which can allow mild Pacific air to cross the country from west to east. The January thaw isn't all good. It can be damaging to crops and vegetation... as it can briefly disrupt the dormant winter cycle.