
Tag Archives Environment

Schoepp: The origin of all things
Straight from the hip with Brenda Schoepp
Early adopters in technology are keen to implement all they can afford for the precision of farming and the rearing of food animals. Producers can and will use every available platform at their disposal, be that a drone, robot, artificial intelligence, ultra-high frequency, autonomous machines, cloud-based sensors or a host of others. These are needed […] Read more

CCA Report: Making a place for those new calves
From the May 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Calving time is always a busy and rewarding time of the year. Producers are checking heifers and cows several times a day watching for signs of difficult births, like a breech calf that may require assistance or, in the event of twins, ensuring a mother cow is suckling both calves. These weeks are tiring and […] Read more

Gaining farmland advantage payments for ecoservices
Ecosystems meet economics for sustainability in B.C.
Returning from college to the family ranch was something of a reality check for Dave Zehnder. The open spaces, wildlife and other farm families that he had taken for granted as part of everyday life were being lost to recreational and urban developments in the scenic valley surrounding his hometown of Invermere, B.C. Lessons from […] Read more

Water fight brewing
Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen
Imagine a scene from an old spaghetti western, where two ranches are battling for control over the only waterhole around. The hired guns squint at each other from behind the sagebrush, waiting for the chance to unleash a hail of bullets at their foe, until the Texas Rangers ride in to restore peace. Just replace […] Read more

Drilling down on carbon sequestration
New 10-year study looks for a more accurate formula to calculate the carbon-swallowing value of native grass
Ranchers in all three Prairie provinces are taking part in a decade-long study to assess the cumulative effect of different grazing systems on carbon sequestration and other ecological benefits from a working ranch. In each province, 10 pastures managed under adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing systems for at least 10 years will be paired with neighbouring […] Read more

Pacific trade pact countries seek ‘progressive’ way forward
Vina Del Mar, Chile | Reuters — The remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) are seeking a way forward on the trade pact, they said on Wednesday, as some emphasized the need for deals to address concerns about workers’ rights and other issues. The TPP, which originally covered some 40 per cent of global […] Read more

‘Change’ is the watchword in a warming world, says researcher
Longer summers and milder winters sound nice, but even the pluses come with some negatives
How will the Canadian cattle industry fare if global temperatures continue to rise? Count a reduced feed demand, a longer grazing season, and higher forage production among the benefits — but also expect more extreme weather, pests, and transport headaches, according to University of Manitoba research scientist Kim Ominski. “We know the future of our […] Read more

CCA Report: Preparing for change
From the January 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
As the January 20 inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump approaches, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is also preparing for the transition. We have worked hard over the years to build strong relationships with American industry and government officials and we will continue to do so. One of the early questions is obviously related to the […] Read more

National EFP being considered
News Roundup from the December 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Is a National Environmental Farm Plan achievable? Representatives from all provincial EFP programs and major commodity groups attending the National Environmental Farm Plan Summit to discuss the possibilities believe that where there is a will there is a way. The November summit in Ottawa closed with strong willingness to move ahead and the Canadian Federation […] Read more

The case for carbon storage
Alberta grasslands study to help develop policies
Good-news stories for beef producers are beginning to flow out from a massive dataset collected during a three-year carbon benchmarking study done to evaluate the effects of long-term grazing on native grasslands of Alberta. Some of the findings won’t surprise beef producers who see the positive effects first hand, but this is the first time […] Read more