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Agriculture

Southern Alberta farmers ahead of the curve for seeding
A new provincial report shows that farmers in the south region have made more progress on spring seeding than everywhere else in Alberta. As of Tuesday, May 20, 2025, it says 86.7 per cent of all crops in the area had been planted. That is compared to the provincial average of 73.1 per cent. It is also about 12 to 13 p...
May 25, 2025
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Southern Alberta MPs named to Conservative shadow cabinet
Two local Members of Parliament are set to continue playing prominent roles within the Conservative Party of Canada.Leader Pierre Poilievre has announced his leadership team and shadow cabinet, saying his party will fight for a Canada that is affordable, safe, united, and self-reliant."Now, our bigger and better t...
May 21, 2025
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Lethbridge Farmers' Market returns June 14
Local vendors are gearing up for the return of the Lethbridge Farmers' Market. The indoor market kicks off June 14, running every Saturday at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., while the outdoor downtown market is on Wednesdays, starting July 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Festival Squa...
May 19, 2025
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Strong start to seeding in southern Alberta, half of all crops already planted
A new provincial report states that farmers have had a good start to the season.As of May 6, 49.7 per cent of crops that are planned to be planted in the south region were already in the ground.That is up from the 10-year average of 34.8 per cent and the five-year average of 31.9 per cent.Southern Alberta's farmers are...
May 15, 2025
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Agriculture

City proposes splitting Lethbridge & District Exhibition into two organizations
The City of Lethbridge could soon explore different business models for Lethbridge & District Exhibition (LDE).It was proposed at a meeting of the Economic Standing Policy Committee this week that LDE be split into two separate entities - one focused on operating the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre and one to serv...
May 09, 2025
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PROVINCE
'They want Alberta': Premier Smith positions province as food and energy partner with Japan
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith returned Saturday from her visit to Asia to identify new opportunities for collaboration across Alberta's resource, agri-food and technology sectors. - READ: Premier Smith visiting Asia to grow Alberta's energy and agriculture markets - Smith said her time in South Korea and Japan made cl...
Apr 26, 2025
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PROVINCIAL
Ag societies, facing tough economy, receive $7.4M boost from Alberta government
Alberta's seven regional agricultural societies are receiving a one-time cash injection of over $7 million to face challenging economic conditions and plan ahead. Lethbridge and District Exhibition, Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede, Grande Prairie Regional Ag and Exhibition, and Red Deer's Westerner Park are among ...
Apr 24, 2025
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Research funding announced for Coaldale lettuce grower
Results Driven Agricultural Research (RDAR) has announced its latest funding recipient for agricultural research.The non-profit has announced a grant of $229,065 for Whole Leaf Ltd, an indoor, year-round producer of lettuce just east of Coaldale.The money will be used to develop water management strategies to reduce fu...
Apr 22, 2025
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Farmers in St. Mary River Irrigation District allocated 50% more water for 2025
Agricultural producers in the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region can rejoice - more water will be available to you this growing season.The St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) set its water allocation for 2025 at 12 inches, an increase of 50 per cent from last year.SMRID board chair George Lohues says the initial all...
Apr 03, 2025
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Agriculture
Host farms invited to sign up for Alberta Open Farm Days
Registration is now open for any place that wants to be a host farm for Alberta Open Farm Days. This year's edition is set for August 16 and 17. The weekend gives people a chance to visit farms and ranches, see food production first-hand and try and buy locally produced products. The theme this year is Water, The Lifeb...
Apr 01, 2025
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Ottawa increases AgriStability cap to help industry as it faces Chinese tariffs
OTTAWA - The Canadian government has announced support for the country's agriculture sector as it deals with tariffs imposed by China. The federal agriculture department says in a news release that the current payment cap under AgriStability, a program that works similarly to crop insurance, will double to $6 million f...
Mar 23, 2025
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SUPPORTS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Alberta supporting waste reduction and biogas industry with updates to agriculture act
The Government of Alberta has proposed updates to the Agricultural Operations Practices Act, intended to help reduce waste, allow farmers to supplement fertilizer with organic materials and help attract job-creating investment. This act and its regulations provide the rules and standards for all agricultural operations...
Mar 19, 2025
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AVOID ROLLOVERS AND FALLS
Agricultural Safety Week: Slow down and make a plan
This year, March 16-22 marks Agricultural Safety Week in Canada, an annual national event aimed at highlighting the importance of farm safety. "Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is a good time to remind those working on farms and ranches about the importance of farm health and safety measures to keep operations sa...
Mar 19, 2025
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Rotary Club announces $10,000 ag scholarship winners
Four young southern Albertans are getting some help on their way to their bright careers in agriculture.The Rotary Club of Lethbridge East has announced the winners of its Agricultural Scholarships, given out annually to the region's top students who are pursuing a post-secondary education in agriculture.Damon BectellB...
Mar 15, 2025
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Lethbridge pea protein plant gets $2.3 million to improve innovation
A multi-million dollar grant will help an agri-food processor in Lethbridge to continue to innovate in plant-based protein markets.Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) has announced $2.3 million in funding for PIP Lethbridge Inc. PIP opened in the city in 2022 and both produces and researches yellow pea-based pro...
Mar 12, 2025
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Agriculture
Agriculture ministers say Team Canada approach to tariffs will continue as GGC expresses concern about trade war
Federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers says they will continue with a Team Canada approach in dealing with US tariffs. The ministers met in Ottawa on Thursday as part of what a release from the federal agriculture department calls "ongoing discussions related to the impacts and potential respons...
Mar 11, 2025
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Funding announced for Lethbridge-area agriculture projects
Local projects will aim to improve agriculture in a variety of different ways.Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), part of the federal government, has announced over $1.8 million for four non-profit organizations to support Alberta's value-added agriculture industry.Terry Duguid, Minister for PrairiesCan...
Mar 06, 2025
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Southern Alberta reservoirs doing better than 2024, but still below norms
With spring on the horizon, the City of Lethbridge has resumed weekly reporting of water levels in the area's reservoirs.As of Friday, February 28, 2025, the City says two of three local reservoirs are more full than they were at this time last year, but are still below historic averages:Oldman ReservoirCurrent storage...
Feb 28, 2025
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Innovations & big machines on display at Lethbridge Ag Expo
Among the 300+ vendors at Ag Expo in Lethbridge are several that are pushing the boundaries of technology.The event, running February 26-28, 2025 at the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre, brings together farmers, equipment manufacturers, salespeople, marketers, researchers and much more.LNN spoke with a few of the vendors...
Feb 27, 2025
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Lethbridge-area biofuels plant to receive $1.7 million tax credit for expansion
The Government of Alberta says its tax-friendly business environment is encouraging businesses to grow.The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit was launched in spring 2023, which provides a 12 per cent tax credit when companies invest at least $10 million in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing f...
Feb 26, 2025
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Lethbridge Ag Expo features over 300 vendors
The largest farm technology show in southern Alberta is now underway.Ag Expo kicked off Wednesday morning at the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre in Lethbridge, running daily until Friday.READ MORE: Innovations & big machines on display at Lethbridge Ag ExpoPaul Kingsmith, Director of Community Engagement for Lethbri...
Feb 26, 2025
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Agriculture
Nine beef research projects to share $6 million in funding
Results Driver Agriculture Research, Alberta Beef Producers and the Beef Cattle Research Council say that $6 million will go into beef research projects in Alberta. Nine projects will get funding. The list includes $2.1 million to expand disease surveillance work done in feedlots, $1.1 million to study how trace minera...
Feb 21, 2025
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Website highlights Product of Canada goods
A recent push to buy domestic products has one website in the spotlight.Marnie Scott is the President of CanadianCoolFoods.com, a non-profit, non-commercial listing of Canadian foods.She started the website nearly a decade ago when doing economic development work for the Government of Canada, realizing that there did n...
Feb 21, 2025
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$19 million worth of irrigation projects underway in southern Alberta
The Government of Alberta says several initiatives are underway to improve the region's irrigation systems.The 2024 provincial budget included $19 million in funding for the Irrigation Rehabilitation Program, which helps irrigation districts to modernize infrastructure.The goal is to allow water to efficiently and reli...
Feb 07, 2025
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Website showcases Made in Alberta foods as tariffs push Canadians to buy local
Anybody who is looking to avoid supporting American companies in the wake of U.S. tariffs can easily find local alternatives.MadeInAlberta.co launched in 2023 as the Alberta Food Processors Association (AFPA) and the provincial government sought to promote local items.It features hundreds of foods and beverages includi...
Feb 03, 2025
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Blair Roth reflects on hall of fame worthy career in agriculture
A Lethbridge man is looking back on decades of hard work as he is inducted into the province's Agriculture Hall of Fame. Blair Roth was celebrated at the induction ceremony on Wednesday, January 29 at the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin. He says it was "surprising and humbling" to receive such an honour, and th...
Feb 02, 2025
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Agriculture
2024 edition of Alberta Open Farm Days breaks attendance record
Organizers with Alberta Open Farm Days say attendance broke a record in 2024. They say Open Farm Days attracted 52,000 visitors in 2024 compared to 36,000 in 2023. "We were very excited about Alberta Open Farm Days 2024. We saw a notable increase in the number of participating farms, with more than 150 farms openi...
Jan 31, 2025
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Crop Development Centre receives funding for continued wheat research
The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition will continue its commitment to improving wheat varieties.CWRC is committing $11.8 million over the next five years to a core breeding agreement (CBA) with the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC) which extends the CBA that concluded at the end of 2024.CWRC ch...
Jan 30, 2025
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