Rural Roots Canada

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...

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...

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 w...

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 prese...

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 sa...

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...

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 exam...

Rural Crime: Wire Theft From Irrigation Pivots On The Rise by RRC soundbites

Canada is beefing up its defence against foot-and-mouth disease, one of the most dangerous livestock diseases in the world. 

AgKnow, the Alberta Farm Mental Health network, is looking to the agriculture industry to provide feedback on their latest assessment of the mental health environment for farmers and the ag industry in the province. Director Linda Hunt says this white paper assesses the needs in the community as well as the ability of the mental health and health care providers to connect with farmers. "Looking fo...

Fires on farm equipment are a known risk, especially during the busy harvest season, however, a Canadian agtech start-up believes they have developed a solution to help farmers spot problems before they spark. Chariot Command, co-founded by CEO Andrew John Leaman, uses camera-based technology to monitor the mechanical health of farm equipment, with a sharp focus on combines, where fire risk is oft...

Building a strong relationship between a producer and a veterinarian is important for your herd's health and the economical sustainability of your farm.  Dr. Tommy Ware from Veterinary Agri-Health Services says that the relationship starts with the first phone call between the producer and the veterinarian.

As technology continues to evolve in agriculture, Canadian livestock producers are embracing new ways to connect with their veterinarians—without ever setting foot in the clinic. Tele-medicine is gaining ground as a practical tool, allowing producers to consult with their vets remotely using phone calls, photos, and video. Dr. Tommy Ware of Veterinary Agri-Health Services near Crossfield, Alberta,...

“I wish I didn't have to deal with these dryland corners on my fields. They are more trouble than they are worth.” This offhand remark from a farmer has led to a full-fledged research initiative at Farming Smarter to explore how farmers manage these tricky, often-overlooked portions of irrigated fields. The new project is entitled No Cutting Corners: Realizing the Sustainable Potential of Dryland...

An upcoming event in Airdrie aims to help livestock producers build stronger relationships with their veterinarians, an important but sometimes overlooked part of a successful operation. Organized by Ashley Nicholls of REACH Agriculture Strategies, the session will explore effective communication strategies between producers and veterinarians and highlight how technology is reshaping animal health...

Like crops weathering droughts and downpours, women in agriculture are rising through uncertainty and leading with resilience. At the recent Advancing Women in Agriculture conference, Dr. Cami Ryan, Senior Business Partner for Industry Affairs and Sustainability at Bayer Crop Science Canada, spoke with Rural Roots Canada about her talk, "The Heat is On! Resiliency and Leadership in Ag." Ryan said...

Canadian farmland rental rates remained relatively stable in 2024, despite another significant rise in land values, according to a report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). Nationally, the average rent-to-price ratio, which measures the return on rented land relative to its market value, dropped slightly to 2.50%, nearly unchanged from 2.52% in 2o23. This indicates that rental rates haven't kept pace...

An updated Canadian drought monitor has been issued, and for most of Alberta, conditions have eased. West Central Alberta, from Olds to Nordegg, is no longer in drought thanks to recent rain. Southeastern Alberta received between 85 and 200% of normal precipitation in April. But the news was not as good for Southwestern Alberta, where conditions worsened, and part of the region is now considered t...

Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Canadian Road Safety Week is underway, and throughout rural Alberta, drivers are being urged to stay alert for farm machinery when travelling along the province’s roads. “Those are large pieces of equipment on the highway, and being aware of them and driving safely around them is critical,” says Jody Wacowich, executive director of AgSafe Alberta. “Right now, all of...

Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) has launched the 2025 Right by You Ag Society Grant, a community initiative that awards $10,000 each to four agricultural societies across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Cory Flett, Marketing and Communications Manager for RME, says the company is committed to giving back to the communities where employees and customers live and w...

A new agriculture event is making its debut in southern Alberta in June. The Cypress Farm and Ranch Show will take place June 12–14 in Medicine Hat, coinciding with the World Professional Chuckwagon Races, which are being held in the city at the same time. Krissy Fiddler, part of the event’s organizing team, says the region is overdue for a show that brings together both the farming and ranching c...

In this Prairie Weather this Week report, we take a look at the forecast for NE Alberta.

In this Prairie Weather this Week report, we take a look at the forecast for Central Alberta.

In this Prairie Weather this Week report, we take a look at the forecast for Southern Alberta.