At the recent Environmental Farm Plan Technicians Day, Jennifer Otani from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada shared updates from the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network — a prairie-wide effort that tracks major crop pests and provides free resources to help producers make informed, sustainable pest management decisions.

Put your farm smarts to the test in this fast-paced, hands-on challenge. Teams will rotate through skill-testing stations in plant ID, seed ID, pest ID, and more — with a few surprises along the way. Learn, laugh, and compete for the honor of being crowned Gathering Ground Gauntlet Champions!

Technology meets teamwork in this interactive session with Marissa Lemay of Merck Animal Health. Explore how the SenseHub® Cow Calf system delivers real-time insights into herd health, reproduction, and performance — helping producers make smarter, more timely management decisions.

With decades of experience in both ranching and finance, Ryan Copithorne of Cows in Control helps producers turn uncertainty into strategy. In this interactive session, he’ll share practical tools for managing market volatility and protecting your operation when prices — and risks — run high.

Registration is now open for Gathering Ground – A Producer Development Day! Join us on November 15, 2025 near Whitecourt for a full day of hands-on learning, producer panels, demonstrations, networking, and good food. 🎟️ Save $25 with Early Bird Registration until October 25 or the first 50 tickets.

Forage prices are in! See how mixed hay, alfalfa, greenfeed, and straw stacked up across the Edmonton North region in our latest Q3 survey results.

After a full day of learning and connection at Gathering Ground – A Producer Development Day, we’ll close the evening with live music from Mayerthorpe’s own Dusty Golden — a professional bull rider and rising country singer-songwriter whose songs reflect the grit and stories of rural life. Get a taste of his sound with his single “Against the Grain.”

We’re excited to announce our first keynote speaker for Gathering Ground – A Producer Development Day! Annessa Good-Hassard of Peak Heritage Consulting Ltd. will open the day with “Boots on the Ground: Succession at the Ground Level,” sharing real-world strategies to help farm families navigate succession with clarity and courage. Registration opens October 7, 2025 — plan to join us with your partner, family, or friends for this one-of-a-kind day.

Ask the Expert: The 5S of Soil Sampling
Collecting consistent, quality soil data can make all the difference in understanding your soil carbon and fertility trends. Graham Gilchrist, PAg, shares a simple “5S” approach for taking samples the same time, place, depth, and way each year.

Recycling ag plastics doesn’t have to be complicated. Through Cleanfarms’ Alberta programs, farmers can recycle grain bags, baler twine, and more — turning farm waste into useful products instead of burn piles. Inspired by our What a Waste seminar, this article shares where to find your nearest collection site, easy first steps from APRG’s Assar Grinde, and tips to make plastic recycling part of your operation.

On September 17, Farming Forward hosted What a Waste in Blue Ridge and online, bringing producers and ag partners together to tackle on-farm waste challenges. From recycling ag plastics to carcass disposal and predator conflict, speakers shared practical solutions and regulatory insights. Assar Grinde (APRG) highlighted Alberta’s plastics recycling pilot, Jason Moodie (Alberta Agriculture) outlined carcass disposal rules, and rancher Louise Liebenberg (Grazerie) showed how poor carcass management can attract predators.

Fresh forage in the middle of winter? Fodder systems make it possible. From a basement setup at Titan Ranch to a larger cattle-feeding system at Warrior Rizen Ranch, Alberta producers are experimenting with sprouted grain as a supplement to winter rations. Learn how fodder works, and see examples you can scale to your own operation.

Welcome Jessica back into her new role as Assistant Manager at Farming Forward.

Carcass composting is gaining ground in Alberta as a practical, year-round way to handle livestock losses. By combining carbon materials with time and microbes, producers can turn mortalities into safe, stable compost that deters scavengers, protects water, and recycles nutrients back into the soil. Learn more about composting and other carcass management options at our What a Waste seminar and webinar on September 17.

This week’s Accelerate Weekly highlights farm plastic recycling efforts, a recap of our Brazeau County plot tour on soil health and drought resilience, upcoming events like the What a Waste seminar, plus community news, recipes, and grazing resources for Alberta producers.

This week’s Accelerate Weekly features soil sampling tips, a new DNA test for blue-green algae, highlights from our Story of the Weeds tour, upcoming events in Brazeau County and Woodlands, plus community updates and innovations for Alberta producers.

Producers gathered in Lac Ste. Anne County for the Story of the Weeds Breakfast Plot Tour, combining breakfast, expert talks, and field demonstrations. Highlights included presentations on weed biology and biological controls, updates on Farming Forward’s thistle rust fungus project, a virtual demo of the Weed Zapper, and a look at our weed suppression research plots and new soil sampling truck.

Good soil tests start with good sampling. In this article and video, we show how to take and prepare a soil sample using a Dutch auger, from clearing plant residue and pulling cores to mixing and preparing the final sample for the lab. Farming Forward members can rent a Dutch auger for free, get help submitting samples, and receive discounted soil test rates — plus, our new soil sampling truck will be ready soon.

Blue-green algae can quickly turn dugout water toxic, but what if you could detect it before a bloom appears? A student-led team is developing a fast, in-field DNA test to spot cyanobacteria up to a week early. They’re looking for producer feedback to make sure this tool works on the ground. If you rely on dugouts or surface water, share your perspective in their short survey.