Rural Roots Canada

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

Drought is once again becoming a growing concern in British Columbia, and cattle producers are already starting to ring the alarm bells. In a statement, the BC Cattlemen’s Association (BCCA) says low snowpack, dry conditions and ongoing water shortages are putting pressure on ranchers heading into the summer grazing season. It's urging the province to preserve critical water-storage infrastructure and calling for a halt to any plans to remove or decommission it.

A Grade 6 class from Templeton Academy in Meadows, N.L., has been named the national winner of Mission Explorium, a Canada-wide agriculture education program that challenges students to solve real-world food and sustainability issues. More than 5,300 students in Grades 6 to 8 participated in the Agriculture in the Classroom Canada program this year. Students were tasked with designing a sustainable community on a deserted island while learning about agriculture, food systems, ecosystems and resource management.

Lethbridge Polytechnic agronomy student Paul Skretting served as this year's valedictorian for its spring 2026 convocation. Skretting, who is completing a diploma in agriculture sciences, led the graduating class and delivered the valedictory address during the afternoon ceremony on May 22.

Youth across Alberta are being invited to share their passion for agriculture through public speaking this summer. The Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture competition is returning for its 11th year in partnership with the Calgary Stampede Youth Agricultural Speaking Championships and Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies. Preliminary competitions will take place in Athabasca, Olds and Calgary ahead of the finals during Stampede. The competition is open to youth between the ages of 11 and 24, with competitors vying for a share of $15,000 in prizes and the chance to advance to the national championships in Toronto. More information can be found at https://ag.calgarystampede.com/events/youth-speaking

A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition says a single week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season could cost the grain sector up to $540 million. The report found most of those losses come from export sales that can’t be recovered once shipments are delayed. It also says that just the threat of a disruption could trigger up to $112 million in missed sales before a work stoppage even begins. The findings were released as part of the new “Too Much on the Line” campaign, which is calling on the federal government to reform Canada’s labour relations framework.

Collaboration, innovation and agriculture research will take centre stage next month in Brooks as the CDC Newell Ag Summit brings producers, researchers, industry and community members together for two days of networking and discussion. The event is scheduled for June 18 and 19 and will showcase the work being done at CDC South while creating opportunities for new partnerships and ideas across the agriculture sector.

Drought is once again becoming a growing concern in B.C., and cattle producers are already ringing the alarm bells. The BC Cattlemen's Association says low snowpack, dry conditions, and ongoing water shortages are putting pressure on ranchers heading into the summer grazing season. In a release, the group says producers are already keeping a close eye on feed supplies and preparing for the possibility of reduced pasture growth and water availability.

In this episode of the Rural Roots Canada podcast, hosts Tim Parent and Craig Lester discuss mental health supports for farmers. Counselling Alberta's Farm-informed counselling focuses on the long days, unpredictability, and isolation that farming can bring. The program offers mental health support with counsellors who understand life on the farm. We speak to Sarah Rosenfeld, Associate Director of Counselling Alberta.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

The Cypress Farm & Ranch Show is returning to Medicine Hat this June, with organizers promising more exhibitors, a revamped format and an expanded shopping experience for attendees. The show will take place June 11 and 12, 2026, at the Cypress Centre on the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Grounds, alongside the WPCA World Chuckwagon Races.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence explains why several Alberta rivers are experiencing low water flows and what to expect as temperatures warm. Learn how water management practices help rivers prepare for incoming snowmelt from the Rockies, and why current conditions are unlikely to mirror the severe flooding of 2013.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

On this episode of the Rural Roots Canada podcast, the Cypress Farm & Ranch Show is gearing up to kick off in Medicine Hat, Alberta, on June 11 & 12. Host Craig Lester speaks with Dave Fiddler, founder of the show, about why it'll be a spectacular event to get a closer look at agriculture in Alberta.  With the Calgary Stampede on the way, one of the main events will be the Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture competition. This year, some changes have been made to make it easier for more young speakers to share their passion for agriculture. Eric Dalke, the founder of the competition, joins the podcast to talk about the annual event.

The House of Commons agriculture committee is urging the federal government to reverse planned closures of several agricultural research centres, warning the move could weaken Canada's food security, scientific capacity, and long-term agricultural competitiveness.

On this episode of the Rural Roots Canada podcast, hosts Tim Parent and Craig Lester talk about the upcoming CDC Newell Ag Summit, in Brooks, Alberta, on June 18, where connection, collaboration, and research will take center stage. It's Emergency Preparedness Week, and Craig has a conversation with Jody Wacowich at AgSafe Alberta about the importance of having a plan to deal with any emergency that might arise on your farm. Finally, Pioneer celebrates a huge milestone as the seed brand turns 100 this year. We take a look at the history of Pioneer and a legacy built on innovation and generational partnerships.

The ag and innovation sectors need startups, producers and women at the table to get ideas from the lab to the field to solve practical farming challenges.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

Alberta-based Chatsworth Farm has earned international recognition and a national event nomination for its agritourism work.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

After years of planning, work has begun on a new high school in southeast Alberta designed entirely around agriculture education. The Yuill School of Agriculture, a program being developed by Prairie Rose Public Schools, will be built on 76 acres between Medicine Hat and Dunmore. The land was donated by the Yuill Family Foundation and sits just minutes from Eagle Butte High School, the division’s main feeder school. When complete, the school will operate as a full agriculture collegiate where students earn a high school diploma alongside safety certifications, a professional portfolio, and hands-on industry experience. Dual credit courses will be available for those pursuing post-secondary education.

On this episode of the Rural Roots Canada podcast, powered by Kubota Canada, hosts Tim Parent and Craig Lester briefly discuss the slow Spring start for farmers due to up-and-down weather. They also take a quick look at some ag headlines from this week. Then, RRC reporter Olivia Taylor sits down with Charlotte Wasilyk of Chatsworth Farm as the pair chats about the farm's international recognition for its agri-tourism initiatives, as part of the World Agri-Tourism Day, through the Global Agritourism Network. It's a celebration of the spirit of togetherness and rural development on this episode of the RRC podcast!

A new private member's bill is proposing to speed up the approval of agricultural products in Canada by relying more heavily on decisions made in other countries. Bill C-273, the Facilitating Agricultural Regulatory Modernization Act, would amend several federal laws, including the Feeds Act, Fertilizers Act, Seeds Act and Pest Control Products Act. It proposes a system allow products already approved in at least two "trusted jurisdictions" to receive provisional approval in Canada within 90 days of a complete application. The bill, introduced by Conservative MP for Bow River, Alberta, David Bexte, defines "trust jurisdictions" as foreign governments or regions designated through regulation. That could include jurisdictions like the EU, the U.K., the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.

RRC Meteorologist David Spence shares insight on this week's weather forecasts across Alberta, the B.C. Peace region, and the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan area.