Rural Roots Canada

Sheep shearing is an ancient tradition dating back to the earliest days of agriculture and in the 21st century, Reba Fajnor is keeping the tradition alive. Fajnor, from Saskatchewan, recently showcased her sheep shearing skills at Chatsworth Farm in Vermilion, Alberta, for Open Farm Days, giving a few sheep a much-needed haircut.

A powerful storm near Brooks, Alberta brought golf ball-sized hail and fierce winds, leaving crops devastated and farmers facing tough losses. Brad Niznik shares what it was like to ride out the storm and the impact it’s having on his farm and neighbours.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe met with federal government officials on Thursday to discuss the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and China over canola. Standing alongside Kody Blois, the parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney, Moe said he wants the PM to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve the dispute that has led to hefty tariffs on Canadian canola products. Earli...

Do More Agriculture's AgTalk - Canada's online space in the agriculture sector for mental health connection has been renewed thanks to the support of BASF Agricultural Solutions Canada, the RBC Foundation and the McCain Foundation.  Executive Director Merle Massey says AgTalk is an agricultural community within the online site Togetherall, where anyone over 16 can anonymously and safely connect, s...

RRC talks with AgSafe Alberta's Jody Wacowich about safety during harvest season.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the weather forecast for Northeast Alberta for the week of August 18th.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the weather forecast for Northeast B.C. - Northwest Alberta for the week of August 18th.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the weather forecast for Central Alberta for the week of August 18th.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the weather forecast for Southern Alberta for the week of August 18th.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares the weather forecast for northeast Alberta and northwest Saskatchewan for the week of August 18th.

What happens when you put an agronomist and a meteorologist in the same conversation? That's what we find out in this podcast as Beyond Agronomy's Steve Larocque joins Meteorologist David Spence and Craig Lester for a chat about the 2025 growing season in Alberta. They chat about the 'feast or famine' precipitation situation that different regions of the province have experienced during the growin...

Canadian canola farmers are bracing for fresh economic pressure after China announced new duties on Canadian canola, a move industry leaders say underscores the need for more diversification, both at home and abroad.  On Tuesday, China announced a preliminary anti-dumping duty of almost 76% on Canadian canola imports as part of an ongoing trade dispute following Canada's decision to impose tariffs...

Vermilion’s Chatsworth Farm is preparing to welcome visitors for Alberta Open Farm Days on August 16, offering a full lineup of tours, demonstrations, and family-friendly activities. Alberta Open Farm Days, now in its twelfth year, is a chance for producers, agri-food operators and many others province-wide to open their doors and welcome the public in to show what they do day in and day out. Char...

For nearly a decade, Farming Smarter has been one of southern Alberta’s strongest ambassadors of Alberta Open Farm Days, the province-wide initiative that brings the farm to consumers to help them understand the origins of their food. Held every August, Alberta Open Farm Days is a chance for producers, ag organizations, and food processors to give the public a behind-the-scenes tour to learn, ask...

On this week's podcast, Rural Roots Canada travels to Stavely, Alberta, to take in the Cudlobe Cattle Field Day, hosted by Cudlobe Angus and Cudlobe Angus West. From community to cattle science to cow patties, we round up the sights, sounds, and stories from the pasture.

As we head into harvest season, the Do More Ag Foundation, which champions the mental well-being of people in Canadian agriculture, is reminding farmers to make sure they keep their mental health top of mind when bringing in the crop. 

Amid ongoing discussions on bringing down provincial trade barriers, some direct-to-market cattle producers are calling for changes to slaughter regulations. Barry Doerksen, co-owner of Gemstone Grass-Fed Beef in Gem, Alberta, says they can only sell within the province unless they switch from provincially to federally inspected facilities.

Alberta is marking a milestone that few jurisdictions on the planet can claim: 75 consecutive years without a breeding population of rats.  Alberta's Rat Control Program launched in 1950 after the province first declared the Norway rat a pest when the rodents crossed the Saskatchewan border. The program was a way to keep the rats from spreading disease and damaging infrastructure and agriculture....

The Alberta government is calling for the reversal of a federal ban on strychnine as the Richardson's ground squirrel population booms.  In an open letter posted on X, RJ Sigurdson, Alberta's Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, says farmers and ranchers are in crisis as the rodent, also called gophers, tears up crops, jeopardizes animal health, and destroys native grasslands. 

This week on the podcast, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, RJ Sigurdson, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation on some of the province’s most pressing ag issues. From celebrating 75 years of being rat-free to the ongoing fight against Richardson Ground Squirrels and the call to bring back strychnine, Sigurdson shares his thoughts on pest management. He chats about pressing the...

In this week's chat, Tim and Craig delve into Canada's Food System a new national, sector wide initiative led by Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), which aims at elevating the conversation about what goes into producing food in our country. Executive Director Lisa Bishop-Spencer provides insight into the initiative. We journey out to Brooks, Alberta to see the evolution of the Crop Diversi...

Canada's Food System believes it's time to rethink what it really takes to get food on our plates, and recognize the people and the work that goes into every bite.  That's the goal of a new national campaign, positioning our food system as a critical part of our country's identity, economy, and future. 

How much water do you think it takes to produce a Stampede breakfast, consisting of 5 pancakes, a sausage and a cup of coffee - from farm to fork? According to a new study from the Simpson Centre for Food and Agriculture Policy  at the University of Calgary.. it's a whopping 652 litres of water.  Research Associate Juhi Huda says it varies depending on where it is produced and what is included in...

Summer storms are taking their toll on Prairie crops. According to the Canadian Crop Hail Association, farmers across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have filed well over 1,600 crop damage claims since the start of summer. But is it a particularly unusual hail season so far? RRC's Tim Parent talks to Meteorologist David Spence about the storms we have seen.

In our latest podcast, we discuss our recent ag learning journey in the Yukon, where Nuffield Canada marked its 75th Anniversary in Canada's North. We chat with Leona Watson, a Nuffield Scholar and one of a small but determined group of farmers looking to redefine what farming looks like in the Yukon's stunning, rugged landscape. We also hear from Hanna Fish, Executive Director of the Yukon Agricu...