There's a new owner of the the Crop Diversification Centre - South (CDC) near Brooks, Alberta.

The County of Newell is the new leaseholder for the research facility and fields after securing a ten-year lease from Alberta Infrastructure and they have wasted no time in hitting the ground running.

This is one unique example of the evolving agriculture research landscape in Alberta, after the province decided to divest itself of many agriculture research projects in 2020.

County of Newell Director of Agricultural Services Todd Green speaks on the potential for success this project has for the region.   

"We saw a relatively underutilized facility, and an economic development opportunity, and we think there's value in having management of this facility be local. We're able to be very nimble in our decision-making abilities and our use of the facility," says Green. 

Green says they are now busy upgrading facilities with an arbitrary deadline of September 1st, when they will welcome in tenants.   

“We have some wonderful partners already on board, people utilizing the Ag research lands. We have people that are interested in utilizing other facilities. We just need to inject a little capital funding into them to bring them up to 2025 standards.”

“The arena is pretty much the hub for the winter. If you want to see someone in the winter, you go to the rink.”

Brad Dundas, President of the Hussar Agricultural Society, beams with pride as he speaks of his hometown of Hussar and its arena, situated in Wheatland County in southern Alberta.

The tight-knit agricultural community has been selected as the Alberta winner of BASF's Growing Home program. The award recognizes rural organizations that strengthen the fabric of their communities, something Hussar residents take seriously. As a result, the Hussar Agricultural Society has secured $25,000 to support repairs for the community's arena, including the Zamboni room.

For this small village of around 180 people, agriculture is more than a livelihood; it’s the foundation of the community. With young families returning to the farm and raising their children, Dundas says the arena has become a focal point for activities like hockey, skating, 4-H, and curling.

The Growing Home program, now in its third year, has seen substantial growth across Canada. Leta LaRush, Vice President of BASF Agricultural Solutions Canada, says it’s designed to support the very organizations that make rural life vibrant.

Youth from across the province put agriculture front and centre at the Youth Agriculture Speaking Championships, put on by the Calgary Stampede in partnership with the Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture.

The youth were competing for $15,000 in prizes as well as money to travel to Toronto to compete in the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture Finals at the Royal Winter Fair in November.

The competitors delivered speeches on one of five agri-tech and agri-food related topics that were five to seven minutes in length.

The preliminary competition was held at Olds College and Stampede Park on July 11. The top five from the Junior and Senior divisions were selected to participate in the final on July 12th at the Calgary Stampede.

We kick off our first podcast, wrapping up our coverage of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, including our coverage of the vintage tractor pull.

David Spence weighs in on the drought situation and provides a bit of insight into the recent hailstorms we have seen across the prairies. (7:00)

How much water do you think it takes to produce a Stampede breakfast (5 Pancakes, Beef Sausage and a cup of coffee)? It's more than you think! We have insights from an interesting study from the Simpson Centre at the University of Calgary. (11:25)

We wrap up the program by talking to BASF VP Leta LaRush about BASF’s Growing Home Program and this year’s Alberta winner – Hussar Agricultural Society. Brad Dundas from the Hussar Ag Society shares a bit about the community. We also talk about the 2nd and 3rd place finishers, Buffalo Coulee Community Hall and Eaglesham & District Agricultural Society.(14:50)

Rural Roots Canada informs and celebrates the agriculture community by sharing real stories and information about rural life across the Prairies and the country.

Amidst the pancake breakfasts and rodeo fun at the Calgary Stampede, canola farmers were looking for updates on tariffs with China.

Andre Harpe, Chair of Alberta Canola and the Canadian Canola Growers Association, met with Prime Minister Mark Carney face-to-face, and trade with China was top of mind.

"It was a great opportunity to have," says Harpe. "It's not every day you get the chance to chat with the prime minister. All we did was share our concerns about what's going on right now with China and the tariffs, so it was a good conversation."

Earlier this year, China slapped retaliatory tariffs on canola and other ag products in response to trade restrictions imposed by Canada on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum products. It has created considerable concern among canola growers.

Farm families across southern Alberta have been recognized for their hard work and dedication to the agricultural community at this year's Calgary Stampede.

The 2025 BMO Farm Family Awards honour farm families who exemplify the values of the family farm and the spirit of rural life. This year, 19 families were recognized for their leadership in agriculture, community roots, and commitment to preserving and promoting Western heritage.

Leona Watson is helping redefine what agriculture looks like in Canada’s North.

The Yukon-based farmer and former Nuffield Scholar is welcoming past Nuffield Scholars to the Canadian territory for Nuffield Canada’s 75th-anniversary celebration, a region that, for many of them, is uncharted territory, which is kind of the point.

“It’s the first time in the Yukon for a lot of these folks,” Watson says. “We’re just excited to feature what the Yukon has to offer. It’s a growing population, and we offer a lot of diverse things up here, including a small but growing agricultural sector.”

Watson, who earned her scholarship in 2011, brings more than just her planning skills to the event. She’s an example of what can happen when opportunity and dedication collide. A decade ago, she and her husband moved north to literally and figuratively break ground in a place where agriculture is not foremost on people’s minds.

75 Years of producing travelling scholars and leaders in the agriculture community.

Nuffield Canada celebrates the milestone by touring farms and agriculture businesses in the Yukon.

Chair Steve Larocque says it's an amazing accomplishment—and it was a great place to celebrate it.

“What better place than the Yukon on the solstice. It was fantastic,” says Larocque

Twelve applied research associations across Alberta will share $3.2 million in provincial funding aimed at strengthening agricultural research and improving producer competitiveness.

The one-time grant from the provincial government will be used for equipment upgrades, facility improvements, and infrastructure enhancements. RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation for Alberta, says the investment reflects the province's ongoing support for practical, science-based innovations in farming.

"Applied research associations play a vital role in supporting farmers and ranchers with top-notch research that helps improve and advance agriculture," says Sigurdson. "This funding helps ensure associations can concentrate on providing research and extension to help our producers adopt new technologies and practices and improve their competitiveness by addressing their most pressing capital equipment issues.”

The application deadline for the 2026 Nuffield Scholarships is looming- June 30th.

The Nuffield Canada Scholarship is a prestigious, rural, thought-leadership program available to Canadian citizens who are involved in any aspect of agriculture.

Its goal is to attract mid-career men and women who are ready to challenge themselves by doing 10 weeks of self-directed international travel study to examine and research an agricultural topic they are passionate about.

Once travel is completed, Scholars sum up their findings in a written report (approx. 10,000 words) and presentation to Nuffield Canada at their annual general meeting.   

This $20,000 scholarship allows its recipients to travel the world. This helps them to cultivate bonds with peers involved in similar fields internationally, bring valued information back to their hometowns to positively benefit themselves, their communities, and their respective agricultural industry as a whole. It's considered the opportunity of a lifetime for those with a passion for agriculture.