vintage newspaper photo

History: Frank White’s Diary: A diary history of the early Cochrane Ranche

Reprinted from the December 1946 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The Cochrane Ranche Company Ltd. was founded by Senator Matthew Henry Cochrane in 1881. The ranch was originally located on a 109,000 acre land lease at Big Hill (now Cochrane, Alberta). The ranch was stocked with cattle from Montana, USA, brought in two large drives in 1881 and 1882. The second drive was plagued with […] Read more



three cattle grazing pasture

Ontario looks north for more cows

News Roundup from the April 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Coming out of the Beef Farmers of Ontario’s annual general meeting this spring, president Bob Gordanier was reminded of the saying, “Opportunity never arrives. It’s here!” BFO’s northern cow herd expansion project presents an opportunity for beef farmers unlike any since the settlement years with the prospect of opening up provincial Crown land in the […] Read more

(Alberta Farmer Express photo by Jennifer Blair)

Clubroots beating all resistant canolas across Alta.

A study of 27 canola fields across Alberta has found 16 infected with clubroot pathotypes able to cause “high levels” of the disease — in canola plants with clubroot-resistant genetics. What’s more, the clubroot pathogen isolated from “many” of the infected fields in the study was virulent on all clubroot-resistant canola cultivars, the Canola Council of Canada […] Read more


Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Benigno Aquino, president of the Philippines, leave Parliament Hill at the end of Aquino’s visit to Ottawa. (Deb Ransom photo courtesy PMO)

Canada, Philippines to talk about free trade talks

Canada and the Philippines have launched “exploratory discussions” toward a possible free trade agreement, from which Canadian livestock and grain producers could expect to gain. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Philippines’ President Benigno Aquino announced the discussions Friday in Ottawa during Aquino’s state visit, which ends Saturday. A Canada-Philippines free trade agreement “would strengthen […] Read more



(Valmar.com)

Salford to buy applicator maker Valmar

Prairie manufacturing firm Valmar Airflo, known for its farm-, commercial- and research-grade granular applicator systems, is under new ownership. Valmar, set up in 1977 at Elie, Man. by farm mechanic, crop duster and inventor Charlie Balmer, has been sold to Ontario seeding and tillage equipment firm Salford Group for an undisclosed sum. Valmar will continue […] Read more

(Assembly.ab.ca)

NDP wave pulls down Alta. Tories, ag minister

Alberta’s incumbent agriculture and rural development minister is among the casualties of the provincial New Democrats’ unprecedented majority in Tuesday’s election. Verlyn Olson, the MLA for Wetaskiwin-Camrose since 2008, the province’s ag and rural development minister since 2012, and its acting justice minister for about a week and a half, was downed by NDP candidate […] Read more


cow eating feed pellets

NCFA three-pronged strategy sees cattle feeders looking forward

News Roundup from the April 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The National Cattle Feeders’ Association (NCFA) has adopted a three-pronged strategy that zeros in on research, growth and sustainability for cattle feeding in Canada to improve the competitiveness of the industry. One step in this plan is a study by Noblepath Strategic Consulting scheduled for completion late this year that will outline the potential for […] Read more

P.E.I.’s Province House. (Assembly.pe.ca)

P.E.I. Liberals in need of ag minister after win

Wade MacLauchlan’s Liberals scored another majority in the Prince Edward Island legislature in Monday’s election, but will need to find a new agriculture minister. George Webster — who’d held the post from 2009 until Monday, stepping down temporarily in 2009 to recover from a mild heart attack — opted not to run again in his riding […] Read more