Farms.com Home   News

Pasteurizer Operator License Issuance Policy Change

Effective November 9, 2022, Agriculture and Irrigation (AGI) will no longer offer the in-person Pasteurizer Operator Licensing Course at the Food Processing Development Centre (FPDC) in Leduc, Alberta. 

Effective November 9, 2022, AGI’s Food Safety Branch (FSB) will maintain a list of on-line courses offered by third party organizations that will serve to support the legislative requirement for licensing of Alberta pasteurizer operators. Upon successful completion of a listed course and its associated exam/test, participants will be issued a pasteurizer operator license from the Meat and Dairy Inspection Section of FSB. 

The intent of this policy change is to enable flexibility from a scheduling perspective for the Alberta dairy industry to meet the legislation as well as to reduce the overall resources industry expends to license pasteurizer operators (e.g., time for current FPDC course, travel costs etc.). 

Several on-line options are included on the enclosed AGI course list. Upon completion of a listed course and exam/test, please notify AGI’s Meat and Dairy Inspection Section via e-mail at AF.FoodSafety@gov.ab.ca including confirmation of course exam/test completion for license issuance. 

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta