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.