Lethbridge District Office

Technical Services

AAFC-PFRA works with producers, farm groups, industry and other levels of government, to help protect Prairie soils and to develop and conserve water resources. The Lethbridge PFRA District Office supports its clients through a wide range of technical services including water development, land/soil conservation and planning, and geographic information systems. We help clients analyze opportunities, develop ideas and concepts, and make initial assessments of feasibility. We also ensure that projects are implemented in an environmentally sustainable manner.

District Highlights

The Lethbridge District is very diverse, covering the extremes of landscape and climate, from the Rocky Mountains and foothills to the dry, mixed-grass prairie in the Palliser Triangle. Dryland and irrigation farming dominate the plains east of the foothills. Over half of Alberta's irrigated land is here. Irrigation provides crop diversification, and drives a large food processing industry, intensive livestock operations, and manufacturing and service businesses. The foothills and mountain areas have ranching, lumber, oil and gas, tourism and recreation industries.

Diversification and value-added processing are becoming important in the Lethbridge District. Irrigation provides opportunities to grow many alternative crops such as small fruits, herbs, spices, essential oils, and a wide variety of vegetables. New livestock include aquaculture, ostrich, bison and meat goats. Value-added industries include organic grain and flour packaging, pancake mix, grain and sunflower snack foods, beef jerky, sausages, cheval, and ostrich meat and leather.