An ancient Ethiopian grass turned modern forage, teff delivers high yields and strong water‑use efficiency, making it a practical warm‑season option for Western producers.

Custom forage harvesting helps producers avoid major equipment costs but only works when roles, liability and payment terms are clearly spelled out. Written agreements keep the arrangement a custom work contract – not an accidental partnership.

Soil testing helps producers tailor nutrient and pH management across mixed forage systems for healthier stands and stronger yields.

Several serious livestock diseases are caused by a group of bacteria called clostridia that can produce deadly toxins. Many cattlemen are familiar with blackleg, tetanus and enterotoxemia, but some may not be familiar with redwater.

Sediment and nutrient losses decrease when forage systems keep soil covered, and NRCS supports this with targeted conservation planning and practice design.

Hamer Farms grows about 1,500 acres of potatoes, along with alfalfa, corn, wheat and mustard. The farm and packing operation together employ almost 60 people.

Located an hour north of the U.S. border near Coaldale, Alberta, U2 Quality Seedstock is a second-generation operation raising Angus and Red Angus cattle with a focus on traits that keep commercial cattlemen in business.

Heavy rains exposed how vulnerable these flat, watershed‑fed fields had become after decades of conventional grain farming. Transitioning to organic row crops revealed how little organic matter remained to absorb extreme weather.

Before planting a cover crop, Hines urges producers to ask one key question: What’s your objective? A clear goal can turn a good idea into real on‑farm benefits.

John Smith and his wife, Laura Laing, recipients of Alberta’s 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award, are the third generation on their 450-head cow-calf operation west of Nanton, Alberta. John’s maternal grandparents, John and Shirley Hay, started the ranch in 1959.