Students studying agriculture at the post-secondary level are stepping into a world of opportunities, supported by strong industry partnerships and a growing demand for people to work in the industry that feeds the world.

Byrne Cook, Chair of the School of Agriculture at Lethbridge Polytechnic, highlighted the abundance of career options available to students as they transition from education to the workforce.

“There are so many opportunities across Western Canada,” said Cook. “Students come to college, and many would like to work in Lethbridge, but some take jobs elsewhere and later move back as positions open up or their careers develop. The key is for students to get involved early, especially through summer positions,” says Cook.

The Agri-Food Innovation Expo, a unique collaboration between Lethbridge & District Exhibition and Westerner Park in Red Deer, marked a successful second year with its first event hosted in Lethbridge. With over 20 exhibitors and 200 attendees—an increase from its inaugural year in Red Deer—the expo continues to establish itself as a key event in Canada’s agrifood industry.

To read more go to ruralrootscanada.com.

Farming can be isolating, and mental health challenges can often go unnoticed, but Do More Ag is working to change that with its Ag Talk platform.

The 24/7 online peer support platform allows farmers to connect with others facing similar struggles, helping to plant the seeds of mental wellness.

Leslie Kelly, with Do More Ag, emphasizes the importance of small, daily actions for improving mental wellness.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canada has the agriculture industry on edge.

"We are certainly nervous about tariffs," says Greg Sears, Director of Region 6 for Alberta Grains, and a farmer in the Peace Region. "Approximately 7% of Alberta's wheat and 11% of Alberta's barley goes into the States. Certainly, there'll be a direct impact on those two crops, reducing our netbacks to the farm, which could be significant."

Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods unless the two countries strengthen their borders to prevent illegal migrants and drugs like fentanyl from entering the U.S.

Sears points out there are still several weeks before Trump assumes the presidency and an ongoing, productive dialogue is necessary ahead of that. "Now is the time that we have to engage with the different levels of government in Canada and our industry partners nationally to maintain engagement with our contacts in the United States, the bureaucrats, and at the state level to make sure that the message of the mutual benefits and importance of free and open trade between our two countries."

Read more about this at ruralrootscanada.com.

Winter is here, and there is protective snow on the ground across the prairies. While astronomical winter doesn't begin until December 21st, meteorologists consider December 1 as the real first day of winter, based on the weather.  It's called Meteorological Winter, and it runs from Dec 1 to the end of February. For the prairies, though, winter weather arrived even earlier this year. November was a colder than average month across most of the Canadian prairies, and there is plenty of snow on the ground already! Below is a map showing snowfall anomalies, or how much more or less snow on the ground compared to long term averages. Where it's green, snow cover is above average. And, there's a lot of green across the prairies, from western Manitoba to central Alberta:

CocoRahs is an acronym for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hale, and Snow Network. In operation since 1997, it expanded to Canada in 2012, and now there are 20,000 participants across the country.

AgSafe Alberta has launched the fourth and final stage of its Farmers Care program. In Level Four, the focus is on dealing with emergencies. Farmers and ranchers will be introduced to emergency action plans and other considerations to help improve farm safety during an emergency.

Ratting on Rats. The Alberta Invasive Species Council is stepping up efforts to make sure the province remains rat free

Alberta is the largest rat-free jurisdiction in the world a status it has enjoyed for over 70... something everyone would like to continue.

Paige Kuczmarski is an Invasive Species Technician with the Alberta Invasive Species Council.

Kuczmarski says rats are notorious carriers of diseases that can spread to humans and animals, posing serious public health risks.

The long wait is over. There is snow on the ground across the southern prairies. A storm system orginating late last week with an Idaho low, spread snow across the Canadian prairies, and the northern US plains.

The snow came at a time where it was badly needed. This soil moisture map from Windy.com shows the soil moisture deficit from the Rockies to Brandon, and from beyond the US border to Prince Albert and Edmonton.

This week – cold weather persists, with the potential for dangerously cold weather by the weekend. And, some areas will get more snow.

A report by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) finds Canadians are becoming increasingly divided in their perception of the national food system.

The CCFI 2024 Public Trust Research finds that 31% of Canadians believe the food system is on the right track, representing a three-point drop from last year. Meanwhile, 29% believe the system is moving in the wrong direction. This marks the first time in nearly a decade that public opinion is almost completely split on whether Canada’s food system is improving.

Public concern over food prices has eased slightly, with 51% saying it remains a top issue. It’s a three-point improvement over last year. However, positive perceptions of the food system are down, with only 45% holding a favourable view, a seven-point drop from 2023. Negative impressions increased sharply, up to 18%, compared to last year’s 11%.