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Managing risk for farm direct and ag tourism ventures

Description

The purpose of this fact sheet series is to help producers and processors understand the key elements needed to manage a business. This fact sheet discusses some of the basic components of risk... More ≫

Description

The purpose of this fact sheet series is to help producers and processors understand the key elements needed to manage a business. This fact sheet discusses some of the basic components of risk management for farm direct marketing and ag tourism ventures as it relates to liability issues.

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Using 1,000 kernel weight for calculating seeding rates and harvest losses

Description

The 1,000 kernel (1,000 K) weight is a measure of seed size. It is the weight in grams of 1,000 seeds. Seed size and the 1,000 K weight can vary from one crop to another, between varieties of the... More ≫

Description

The 1,000 kernel (1,000 K) weight is a measure of seed size. It is the weight in grams of 1,000 seeds. Seed size and the 1,000 K weight can vary from one crop to another, between varieties of the same crop and even from year to year or from field to field of the same variety. Because of this variation in seed size, the number of seeds and, consequently, the number of plants in a pound or a bushel of seed is also highly variable. By using the 1,000 K weight, a producer can account for seed size variations when calculating seeding rates, calibrating seed drills and estimating shattering and combine losses.

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The history of rat control in Alberta

Description

Norway rats are one of the most destructive creatures known to man. They destroy and contaminate untold quantities of food, and through their tunneling activities, undermine the foundations of... More ≫

Description

Norway rats are one of the most destructive creatures known to man. They destroy and contaminate untold quantities of food, and through their tunneling activities, undermine the foundations of buildings, sewer and water lines, and city streets. Rats also weaken and deface buildings by gnawing holes through floors, walls, insulation and supporting structures. Norway rats carried the flea that spread plague throughout Europe and Asia. Even today, they spread organisms responsible for food poisoning, hepatitis, tularemea and other diseases. Thus, the people of Alberta are extremely fortunate not to have rats. This is not by chance but by design. For the past four decades, Alberta has had a program to keep rats out of the province. This publication describes the evolution, history and current status of the rat control program in Alberta, and discusses factors which contributed to its success.

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Biology and control of skunks

Description

People generally relate skunks to the foul-smelling, defensive spray they discharge when scared or threatened. Generally, people avoid skunks and have little tolerance for their presence. In many... More ≫

Description

People generally relate skunks to the foul-smelling, defensive spray they discharge when scared or threatened. Generally, people avoid skunks and have little tolerance for their presence. In many parts of North America, skunks are also a major carrier of rabies. Rabies has been present in the skunk population of southern Alberta, at fluctuating levels, since the late 1970s. This information sheet includes a brief look at the biology, behaviour and reproduction of skunks, and then focuses on non-lethal and lethal methods of skunk control.

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Fireblight

Description

Fireblight, a highly destructive disease of several members of the rose family, is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. This bacterial organism is native to North America and is present... More ≫

Description

Fireblight, a highly destructive disease of several members of the rose family, is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. This bacterial organism is native to North America and is present throughout the continent where susceptible rose family hosts are grown. In Alberta, this disease can affect many highly desirable hardy ornamentals and fruit-producing species in the rose family including apple, crabapple, cotoneaster, hawthorn, pear, mountain ash, raspberry, saskatoon berry, plum and cherry. It is particularly destructive to species that are not native to Canada such as crabapple, apple and pear.

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Beginning berry production

Description

Alberta's commercial berry industry centers around four crops: strawberries; raspberries; saskatoons; black currants Interest in sour cherries and haskap is increasing, and plantings of these... More ≫

Description

Alberta's commercial berry industry centers around four crops: strawberries; raspberries; saskatoons; black currants Interest in sour cherries and haskap is increasing, and plantings of these berry crops are also being established.

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Alberta range plants and their classification

Description

Plants are the primary producers on rangeland. Range plants cluster in communities. Effective range management requires that plant communities, vegetation types, pastures, and finally ranches, be... More ≫

Description

Plants are the primary producers on rangeland. Range plants cluster in communities. Effective range management requires that plant communities, vegetation types, pastures, and finally ranches, be operated as range ecosystems. A range ecosystem is a complex of living and non-living (biotic and abiotic) factors of an environment where everything is connected to everything else. It functions as a unit and anything that affects one part of the unit, such as by grazing, affects the whole complex.

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Bertha armyworm

Description

Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata) is one of the most significant insect pests of canola in Canada. The pest occurs throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the interior of British... More ≫

Description

Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata) is one of the most significant insect pests of canola in Canada. The pest occurs throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the interior of British Columbia. Severe infestations can occur throughout most of this area, but are usually (but not always) limited to the Parkland area of the Prairies and the Peace River region of British Columbia and Alberta. This document provide background, Life cycle, damage description and monitoring and control recommendations for the Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata).

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Cabbage seedpod weevil

Description

The cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) was introduced to North America from Europe about 70 years ago. The weevil was discovered in British Columbia in 1931, and from there, it... More ≫

Description

The cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) was introduced to North America from Europe about 70 years ago. The weevil was discovered in British Columbia in 1931, and from there, it dispersed south and eastward, so it now occurs throughout most of the United States. It was first found infesting canola in southern Alberta in 1995, and since then, the weevil has spread to central Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. In 2000, it was found in Québec for the first time.

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Fertilizing eroded knolls

Description

Many farmers have fields dotted with eroded knolls that are relatively unproductive. This fact sheet takes a quick look at the best ways to restore the productivity of these knolls.

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