Editorial: Farming is part of the future

Long before Edmonton became an oilpatch city, it was a farming community. And while other sectors now receive more attention, agriculture remains a key economic driver in a region blessed with rich soil and favourable climate.
But the era of agriculture in and around Edmonton is at risk of drawing to a close, owing in part to urban sprawl, the spread of acreages and suburban neighbours hostile to the dust and smells of farming operations. Farmers and ranchers are fleeing the area and other agri-