From rocks to docks, steel boats to plastic floats, zebra and quagga muscles pose a threat to Alberta's waterways and can cause considerable damage, ecologically and financially. The problem with these invasive muscles is threefold. One, their ability to reproduce is astounding, says Paige Kuczmarski with the Alberta Invasive Species Council.

One female muscle can produce up to a million eggs.

Two, they filter out suspended matter and food particles, which means native fish species aren't getting enough to eat. And three, their The ability to latch on to hard surfaces means muscles can and will clog irrigation and water infrastructure, which can devastate crops.

Snow!  The long spell of endless days of dry weather come to an end across much of the agricultural prairies this week, as a series of systems will bring rain and snow to the parched plain.   And. not a moment too soon, as, according to the latest Canadian Drought Monitor,  drought or dry conditions have returned to parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, due to a lack of rainfall, higher than average temperatures, and drying wind.

Alberta-based mental health organization AgKnow will be relaunching its free mental health support sessions for farmers, farm families, farm employees, and veterinarians across the province.

Recent funding from the Alberta Treasury Branch has allowed AgKnow to resume the free sessions, which had been paused as it awaited provincial grant funding.

AgKnow Director Linda Hunt explains why these free sessions are vital for the ag community.

"Farmers have higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide risk," she says. "To combat that and to work with getting some services out into the industry as fast as possible, we decided to build a network where we have engaged with councillors in rural Alberta, that have that lived farm experience and are ready to offer services to farmers. That has been a main focus of our initiative from the beginning."

New research from the University of Guelph is revealing how different grazing strategies can transform pasture productivity and livestock health.

Kayleigh DeCoste is a master’s student in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph.

Her master's research is looking at the effects of different grazing strategies on pasture performance and cow-calf performance on Ontario pastures.

For more on this story go to ruralrootscanada.com.

How do low-quality forages affect animal efficiency and enteric methane emissions?  That's the question a student at the University of Guelph has some answers to.

Madeline McLennan is studying at the University of Guelph in the Department of Animal Biosciences, focusing on beef nutrition and physiology.

Her primary focus right now is on the impact of low-quality forages.

For more on this story go to RuralRootsCanada.com

Dennis Blackburn survived a terrifying tractor rollover that could’ve left him paralyzed or worse.

Despite extensive injuries to his neck and back, he made a remarkable recovery.

His story is a reminder that no matter how familiar you are with farm equipment, safety always comes first.

Family. Passion. Power. 

Three generations of the Elliott family share a love of vintage tractor pulling.

Darcy, Michael and Allan Elliott from Blackie, Alberta, shared the stage at the Calgary Stampede for the first time this past summer.

This passion, which has driven three generations of the family, all started when Darcy had a fateful encounter with a vintage tractor.

For more on this story go to Rural Roots Canada.com

Crop research organization Western Crop Innovations is increasing its ability to test the quality of malts with the recent addition of a micro-malt plant, including a germinator and kiln.

Lori Oatway is the research scientist for crop quality for WCI.

She says they are excited to have a custom-built micro-malt unit. 

Read the full story at ruralrootscanada.com.

The Porch Light Mental Wellness Society is hosting a gala to raise awareness and funds for mental health support within Alberta's rural farming communities.

The Night Out in November: The 1st Annual Porch Light Mental Wellness Society Gala will be an evening of dance, entertainment, a live auction, and education. Proceeds from the night will go to AgKnow, the Alberta Farm Mental Health Network.

AgKnow director Linda Hunt said the gala promises to be a great night.

"It'll be cowboy black tie, so not totally formal," she chuckled. "There will be dancing, a great live auction, and a keynote address from Brett Gardiner, the award-winning rodeo announcer and mental health advocate."

The money raised at the gala will be used, in part, for an important AgKnow initiative. "We have a farming-formed mental health therapist network that we've been working on," said Hunt. "We have identified mental health counsellors who live in rural areas, or lived experience with farming or extensive experience working or counselling farmers."

For the full feature go to ruralrootscanada.com.

The Canadian Cattle Youth Council (CCYC) is undergoing a changing of the guard as outgoing president Scott Gerbrandt passes the torch to incoming president Emily Bromley.

Gerbrandt, who served as CCYC president for the past year, leaves a legacy of strategic advancements, particularly in youth succession planning and governance.

“When I took on the role, we started by finishing up a working group looking at succession issues and how it affects youth in the industry,” said Gerbrandt. “Most of our ideas focused on information sharing and we were able to share those ideas among our members.”

Under his leadership, the CCYC also conducted a governance review and developed a youth strategy. “We developed five key pillars, just released, which we’re moving forward with at the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA). From that, the national beef advisors will use those pillars and develop a strategy for the next five years, so we’re pleased to have helped with that.”

Looking forward, Bromley steps in as the new president, bringing her enthusiasm and her vision for the council.

“We’re going to take the work Scott and the council did on the governance review and dive deeper into it, particularly around term lengths since there have been some changes on that front,” Bromley said. One of her primary goals is to refine the succession plan. “We’ll continue to look at the succession plan for the youth council and how to make it flow better with the new changes,” she said. “I’m excited to dive deep into it. We have a lot of great council members and new ones coming on, and I’m excited to get their input.”

For the full story, go to ruralrootscanada.com.