According to farm financial experts, the escalation of land value is shifting the farm-financial paradigm and may change the firmly rooted impulse to build farm operations primarily upon owned acres.

While discussions about value creation in the form of alternative variety research funding models have been ongoing for a decade in Canada, wheat and barley acres continue to decline. For many in the industry, this trend gives the issue increasing urgency. Though there may be widespread agreement that a problem exists, opinions are mixed as to the best solution.

For 40 years or more, Alberta has sought to unleash its agri-food sector. We have amazing people, great companies, decent infrastructure, significant markets and an extraordinarily enviable land base.

If you’re driving north from Calgary on Highway 2, as you approach the Highway 42 intersection just north of Innisfail, you’ll spot a big, red shed out to the west. This blushing building is well-known among Alberta craft brewers as the namesake of the highly regarded Red Shed Malting.

“The need and desire for farmers to brand their farm has definitely picked up quite a bit over the last several years,” said Christensen. “When I started, this was really niche, but now, yes, there’s more and more interest.” 

Markets are dynamic. In theory, prices are determined where supply and demand intersect—where the value that someone is willing to sell a commodity and the price that someone is willing to pay for it match.

Operational software in farm equipment provides many benefits but can also limit a farmer’s freedom to independently
diagnose and repair problems.While manufacturers claim intellectual property rights over this software, farmers are forced to seek the services of an authorized repair provider (ARP) to manage equipment software and diagnose operational issues.

As the recent debut of a new American pale ale called South Side smash revealed, getting to the launch stage with new malt varieties involves critical choices. This beer by Edmonton’s Town Square Brewing Co. is brewed using malt produced by Red Shed Malting and is
the first commercially available beer to feature SeCan’s CDC Bow malting barley.

Most people love bread and happily make it a part of their daily diet. A new research project aims to help those who may have difficulty digesting wheat by determining whether the process used to produce sourdough bread can allow them to more fully enjoy it.