Opening Their Eyes to Insects
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Six year old Dawson Parsons gets a good look at one of 30 painted lady butterflies before it takes off into the Participark. The St. Thomas Aquinas Kindergarten class had been learning about the insects that were released after being raised through a chrysalis stage. Others from Grade 1 at Provost Public School recently had a similar experience watching the magical change from caterpillars to colourful butterflies. This variety is likely the world’s most widely distributed butterfly. ©Provost News Photo.
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Government ‘May be Getting a Little Too Involved’ In Cattle Industry
Although the province of Alberta has announced a long-term strategy for livestock industry, some in the industry are concerned about the possible loss of producer control over business decisions.
The Alberta government is putting up $356 million designed “to stabilize and strengthen Alberta’s livestock industry.”
Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) communication manager Lori Creech was contacted by The Provost News as she was on her way to Edmonton on Monday, June 9 for a Tuesday meeting with George Groeneveld, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and approximately 100 others including ABP board members.
Creech says that they are happy that producers will be getting some money, particularly with costs rising so “a little extra money won’t be rejected by us.”
But she adds cattlemen are big believers in letting producers run their own businesses and says the government is ‘maybe getting a little too involved in that end.” She says a general framework would be preferential instead of the government “doing the business for us.” Although there may be a bit too much government control at this time “we will work with them on it and look for a happy medium.”
She and others will look at an 80 page document on June 10 and “dissect it and really delve into it” and then have a discussion.
Provost, she points out is “big ranching country” and suggests this new initiative will have a big impact in this area. “You really depend on agriculture for your economy at Provost.”
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To assist in stabilizing the industry during the first phase of this transformation, producers will receive $150 million in immediate funding. An additional $150 million will be available in January 2009 once certain conditions have been met. This second payment will be issued only after age verification and premise identification practices have been adopted and verified for each individual producer.
Groeneveld says that “Alberta’s livestock industry is facing significant challenges and needs a major and fundamental change.”
Mandatory traceability and the development of a new Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, are key to implementing this new strategy. The government will invest $56 million this year to create the agency, which will report directly to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Included in that amount is $40 million that will be redirected from the ministry’s existing budget. The Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency will support the livestock industry with a focus on directing funds, resources and programs towards strategic priorities.
Complete story and photos in June 11 edition of The Provost News.
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Wyatt Johnson Has Provost District 4-H Achievement Day Champion Animal
The Czar/Metiskow Beef Club hosted the annual district beef achievement day at the Czar Lake Rodeo Grounds under the big top on June 4 and 5. The female show took place on Wednesday as well as the Market Steer judging competition. The steer show and other classes took place on Thursday.
Judges for the two day show included: Females Stan Lock with Susan Lock as his ring lady.
Club Steer Shows: Dave Viske with the help of Junior judge Kyla Heibert.
Interclub Steer Show: Richard Nydokus with Jonathan Lock as ring man.
Rest of story in June 11 edition of The Provost News.
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Courtyard at PPS Named After Lois Johnson
Full story in June 11 edition of The Provost News.
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Street Spokesman
This week we ask: We ask "When You Hear the Word “Alberta” What Do You Think of?"
. . . and we heard opinions from Joseph Volpe (New York, N.Y.), Lara Villanueva (Toronto, Ontario), Dan Dalton (Redlands, California), Raschanda Hall (Chicago, Illinois), and Bill Bowman (North Carolina).
Check out the June 11 edition of The Provost News for their answers.
Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here. |
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This, along with many other stories and pictures can be found in this week's edition of The Provost News.
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