2019 Agriculture Section

Page 1

Agriculture 2019

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Page 2 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

WE’RE THERE WHEN YOU NEED US MOST. Rocky Mountain Equipment has over 35 locations across the Canadian prairies to serve you. With the best people, products and services, you can depend on us to get what you need. Visit us at one of our CASE IH Dealerships or online at ROCKYMTN.COM. DEPENDABLE IS WHAT WE DO.

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 3

PPAA tours BRAED communities to build ties with producers A two-day regional tour, on February 12 and 13, by the Plant Protein Alliance of Alberta (PPAA) was a big step in building opportunity and relationships between stakeholders and industry. The tour was hosted by local communities and counties: • Viking • Ryley • Beaver County • MD of Wainwright • Town of Wainwright This created the opportunity for host organizations to reach out directly into their communities and invite a wide range of stakeholders to each event. More than 100 people took part in the tour meetings and created new connections within the plant protein industry. The meetings were another key step in forming the relationships that underpin growth opportunities for product development and export in this segment of the agriculture sector. Discussions covered the work of the PPAA and how connecting producers, value-added processing, and regional economic development with broader markets can bring direct economic benefits. Key initiatives of the PPAA include: A focus on businessto-business opportunities, mainly involving smalland medium-sized enterprises. Convincing Alberta farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, economic de-

velopment offices and government officials that the time is right for Alberta, and the two other prairie provinces, to become global leaders in plant-based ingredient processing. The PPAA was represented by Alan Hall, PPAA’s chief operating officer and Allison Ammeter, board chair of the PPAA who noted, “Travelling with BRAED leadership through the Battle River region was eyeopening and encouraging, as over and over we met entrepreneurial organizations, companies, and individuals who are eager to make their region successful in all ways. “I foresee even more innovation and business expansion as Plant Protein Alliance of Alberta partner with BRAED to grow the value-added industry in the region.” BRAED was an active part of the tour, acting as a coordinator for the twoday event and bringing staff and board members to the tour to take part in discussions and provide insights to how plant protein production and processing is part of the larger BRAED economy. A working team from BRAED member municipalities were pivotal to the success of the tour: • Teresa Gratrix, Camrose County • Malcolm Boyd, City of Camrose • Kristy Jackson and Jenalee Waring, Flagstaff County

• Carol Thomson, PEPS • Carley Herbert, Town of Wainwright • James Schwindt, MD of Wainwright • Doug Lefsrud, Town of Viking

• Aimee Boese, Beaver County BRAED is a member of the PPAA and is looking forward to engaging in this emerging support system for crop farmers,

growing canola, wheat, pulses, lentils, peas, hemp, and more, and creating connections to ingredient processing. “The work of the PPAA strengthens opportunities

for crop farmers in BRAED’s region and that is something we as a board can fully get behind,” said Brian Ducherer, board chair of BRAED.

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Page 4 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

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tilizer consideration for farmers this season. Doon Pauly, agronomy research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, looks at spring fertilizer considerations. Soil tests are still the best way to determine levels at the beginning of the season, according to Pauly. “We can determine where we’re starting from as far as the nitrate that is present in the soil and what’s there for the plant at the start of the year,” Pauly said. “Phosphorus, potassium, and salinity don’t change much year to year. However, the tests show you trends over time that gives clues about your fertilizer management; if your phosphorus is gradually improving, that is a

sign you’re doing a pretty good job of matching at least what you are taking off the land.” Nitrogen “We hear lots of concern over nitrogen loss, so you need to consider your risk,” explained Pauly. “Your loss potential over winter is fairly low if you are in an area where you don’t typically have saturated conditions in the spring. If your normal practice in the spring is banding ahead of time, your loss potential is relatively low; we seldom have the conditions in a lot of the province where we have saturated soils after a spring fertilization event, and are not at a high risk for nitrogen losses every year.” He added that there is

not a lot of loss difference between a two-pass and a one-pass system. “However, the onepass system should be comparable as long as the soil is sealing behind your application equipment, and it is giving you the seed soil separation that it is designed to,” Pauly stated. “If you don’t want to handle a huge amount of dry fertilizer during the seeding operation, you can design a system where you are surface applying a little bit of nitrogen or a portion of that nitrogen early in the growing season and have it work very well. Short season crops are grown here. As long as the nitrogen is in the root zone by mid-June in See FERTILIZER Continued on PageP12 2

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It is a pleasure to serve our farming families by taking care of your farm pets. Thank you so much for your support and referrals, we greatly appreciate it! We take great pride in ensuring veterinary visits for our patients, even those that rarely leave the farm, are as stress free as possible. Our staff are all Fear Free certified practitioners and we can help you make that trip to vet clinic much easier! Some of our community events to look forward to in 2019: • Kids Camps July & August • Farm Cat Spay/Neuter Clinic Friday, Oct. 11th • Goat & Backyard Poultry Lectures date TBA

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 5

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Page 6 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

New legislation for Alberta organic industry With the rise of the “foodie” movement, farmto-fork, and supporting local, Albertans are becoming more savvy, healthconscious, educated, and selective of their food purchasing. On April 1, the Supporting Alberta’s Local Food Sector Act will come into effect. Along with the es-

tablishment of the Local Food Council, and Local Food Week, the legislation mandates that anyone who uses the term “organic”, must be certified in accordance with the very stringent federal Organic Products Regulations. Even though Albertans are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about their

food, there is still considerable confusion and mistrust about what defines organic. “In Alberta, 74 per cent of all Albertans buy organic, but one of the things that we often hear is how do I really know that it is organic, how do I trust it? Now because of the legislation, all Albertans can

50th ANNUAL

SPRING MACHINERY CONSIGNMENT AUCTION SATURDAY, APRIL 27 TH @ 9:00 A.M. LINDSTRAND AUCTION MACHINERY SALE SITE – SELLING 3 RINGS

CAMROSE, ALBERTA Accepting Consignments from Monday, April 15th - Friday, April 26th 9 am - 5pm

Listings are now being accepted to be included in our newspaper, radio, web page & extensive mailing campaign.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR YEARS IN THE AUCTION BUSINESS.

have complete confidence that all local food that says it is organic meets the stringent federal organic standards that are regulated by CFIA.” Becky Lipton, Executive Director of Organic Alberta, said, “You can trust the label, it’s the law”. Over the next few months, Organic Alberta

will be rolling out a consumer education program. The goal is to provide Albertan’s with a credible resource to Get the Facts about all things organic. “We know that Albertans are very interested to learn more about organics and I am very excited about the opportunity to share the facts. Organics

includes so much more than just no synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, such as non-GMO, animal welfare standards, etc. This education campaign will delve into those details.” To learn more about the education campaign and upcoming events, visit:organicalberta.org/ getthefacts/

Shell Oil Sale at Bruce Fuel

on now until May 15, 2019! Shell Rot T 15/40 Pail $66 Spirax S4 TXM Hyd. Pail $64 plus tax

EXPECTING 4,000 - 5,000 BIDDERS www.lindstrandauctions.com

We conduct Alberta’s Largest 1-day Farm Machinery Consignment Auction 4 times a year. Selling farm equipment, cars & trucks,lawn and garden, recreation vehicles & major farm equipment. Whether you have 1 piece or a complete line of machinery, we have the facility & the experience to bring you top dollar for your equipment. For full listings and pictures visit our website at: www.lindstrandauctions.com

LIST NOW FOR FULL ADVERTISING!

AT LINDSTRAND AUCTIONS SALE SITE, 2 MILES NORTH OF CAMROSE ON HIGHWAY 833 (47321 Sec. Hwy. 833). Jody Cell: 780-679-8101 Laurie Cell: 780-679-7363

Ph: 780-672-8478

LINDSTRAND AUCTIONS

Division of Bruce Shell (1990) Ltd.

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612 - 2 Ave, Bruce, AB T0B 0R0 Bulk Fuels • Oils • Ag Supplies brucefuels@mcsnet.ca

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Thanks to our ag industry!

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 7

Unusual piebald goose very eye-catching with white wings JOE HARTUNG PHOTO

This unusually coloured goose was very eye-catching, as the white, splotchy wings made it appear like the animal had been painted.

Certified Seed For Sale Wheat: CWRS - AAC Brandon - improved FHB resistance - excellent standability CWSWS - AC Andrew - in demand by milling a and ethanol industries Yellow Peas: CDC Meadow 6-Row Feed Barley: Trochu - Great option for grain or forage 2-Row Malt Barley: CDC Copeland - Strong demand by malting companies. Faba Beans: CDC Snowdrop - Zero tannin, smaller seed size

Pioneer Hi-Bred Canola Dealer ** Call For Prices **

KITTLE FARMS LTD. Phone: 780-336-2583 Cell: 780-385-4900

Viking Veterinary Clinic Call 24/7 780-336-4048 Follow us on Facebook. www.vikingvetclinic.com

Spring to do list: Cattle: Vaccinate cattle herd pre-breeding Semen test bulls & treat with Footrot Vaccine Vaccinate calves at branding or earlier

Horses: Deworm (fecal exams done in clinic) Vaccinate before going to shows, rodeos, and gymkhanas Dental checkups

Cats/Dogs: Deworm Make sure vaccinations are up to date Flea & tick prevention

Shop Local!

IRMA INSURANCE SERVICES FARM - AUTO - HOME - COMMERCIAL

Box 296, Viking, AB T0B 4N0

Dealer for Brett Young Forage Seed

Guenter’s Mechanical 780-336-1330 Thank you to all the farmers

Overbo Contracting Ltd.

PMD Polled Herefords

Ph: 780-754-2121 Fax: 780-754-2239 Email: irmainsurance@baughan.ca

42 years of breeding & selling Registered Polled Herefords for DOCILITY, FERTILITY & MILKING ABILITY, Bulls for sale

Thanks to all our Farmers!

Paul & Marilyn Dinisyk 780-336-2675 780-385-5157

WE SALUTE OUR FARMERS!!

Food with Flair

Kelly, Fay and staff

Donna, Jack and Staff

780-336-2282

Viking 780-336-2476

Thanks to our farmers!

We Salute You Farmers!

LEFSRUD SEEDS HAS CERTIFIED SEED FOR SALE CANOLA:

UA AlfaGold Canola (O.P. conventional) UA BountyGold Canola (O.P. conventional) FLAX: CDC Plava BARLEY: AC Metcalfe PEAS yellows: CDC Saffron CDC INCA OATS: CS Camden WHEAT: AAC Cameron VB Coleman Zealand

90’ Truck Scale, Custom Cleaning & Treating

Lefsrud Seed & Processors Ltd. Kevin & Ed Lefsrud RR #1, Viking, AB

Kevin: 780-336-2500 or 780-336-5700 Ed: 780-336-2588 or 780-336-6700 Email: lefsrud@telusplanet.net

Farmers, thank you for all that you do! ~ Irma Mayor, council, staff and residents

Located: Hwy #36, 12 mi. N of Viking or 11 mi. S of Hwy #16, 3/4 mi. W Member of Canterra & SeCan and Farm Pure Seeds

Page 8 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Oat and barley stocks down from previous years Moush John Tofield Mercury

There has been a sharp decline in the oat and barley stocks, according to a Statistics Canada report. There is a clear shortage in the availability of oats, said a local stockist out of Holden. “Poor germination, good oat prices for next fall, and no carry over feed has led to more cattlemen seeding greenfeed and silage,” explained Tyler Suchy of Beaver Seed Cleaning. “With the severe cold winter, more feed has been used up as well, so cattlemen are also seeding greenfeed and silage.” Speaking to the fact that a lot of the farmers have already run out of seeds, Suchy said that some of the surrounding areas have worse germination compared to Beaver County, so they would have had to buy them this year from farmers, leading to none available at this time, even though it’s quite early in the season. According to a market report, Canadian stocks of both oats and barley were down sharply as of Dec. 31, 2018 compared to a year earlier.

A Statistics Canada stocks report estimated nationwide total barley supplies as of the end of last year at 4.93 million tonnes, down 1.1 million or 18.2 per cent from the previous year, while oat stocks, at 2.31 million tonnes, were down more than 500,000 tonnes or 19.7 per cent. As for oats, production in 2018 declined about 300,000 tonnes from a year earlier to 3.43 million tonnes, with Dec. 31 stocks falling to their lowest since 2.076 million tonnes in Dec. 2012.

On-farm oat stocks were pegged at 2.09 million tonnes as of Dec. 31, down from 2.693 million a year earlier, while commercial stocks climbed 30,000 tonnes to 220,000. Alberta on-farm barley stocks were down 700,000 tonnes from a year earlier to 2.3 million tonnes as of Dec. 31. Agriculture Canada is currently projecting 2018-19 oat and barley ending stocks at 650,000 and 1 million tonnes, respectively, down from 784,000 and 1.25 million in 2017-18.

Wishing our farmers the best in the 2019 growing season!

If you’re not

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Economy Concrete Thank You for your Patronage & Have a Happy New Year

Thank you to the hard Jerry Coombes working RR #2 Kingman, AB farmers! T0B 2M0

780-662-2600 662-2600 780-662-4842 5020-52 Ave. Tofield

Thank you farmers for all your hard work!

John Daoust Shingle Co. 780-662-4901

Blacktof Angus • Canadian Foundation Genetics. • Bulls for Sale, Contact for price. Find us on Facebook & You Tube @ Blacktof Angus

Thank you to our local Farmers for your business and support! Good Luck to the 4-H members in 2019!

Consigning to Lacombe Bull Sale April 9th. Direct Livestock Marketing Systems www.dlms.ca for biding online.

From the Management & Staff of

Glenn & Roberta Ceretzke 780-662-2024

TOFIELD PACKERS

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 9

Canola Council of Canada urging Feds to come up with China trade solution Leslie Cholowsky Editor

In January, the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) was applauding news that two canola traits developed using biotechnology were approved in China. By early March, Chinese customs authorities had revoked the canola export licence for Richardson International, then, just last week, did the same for Viterra. The CCC also announced that orders from other sellers to China had dried up as well. China is claiming that Canadian canola has harmful pests in it, but many see the issue as an act of retribution for Canada's December arrest of a highly placed executive of China's Telecom giant Huawei. Reports are that China has not offered concrete proof behind their claims.

The CCC said earlier this month, “Demand for high quality oil and protein remains strong in China, and Canada remains a reliable and sustainable supplier of food for China. China is an important market for Canada’s canola industry, as approximately 40 per cent of our exports of canola and canola products go to China. News about blocked exports hurts the whole value chain.” The CCC met with Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister MarieClaude Bibeau and with Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland to stress the importance and urgency of responding to China’s decision to restrict imports of Canadian canola from one company amid concerns about certain pests. “The canola value chain is concerned about how

Chinese restrictions impact our growers and the entire industry,” said Jim Everson, President of the Canola Council on March 7. “It’s important to resolve the issue quickly so we can resume stable trade that benefits both countries. “We have full confidence in the quality of Canadian canola exports and our quality assurance systems.” On March 21, the CCC provided an update on the situation, saying, “While there was some initial optimism that Chinese concerns with canola trade could be resolved quickly, technical discussions to date have not indicated an immediate resolution is possible. Canola seed exporters report that Chinese importers are unwilling to purchase Canadian canola seed at this time. See CANOLA P15

Thank You to our Loyal Customers!

From Stefan Cloutier, Manager, and the Staff

Join us in thanking our local producers for their contributions to our rural communities! 1-800-668-3594 4909 50 Street, Forestburg, AB

www.forestburgagencies.ca

Big City Savings, Small Town Service.

What’s different about PowerRich Fertilizer When you compare the PowerRich fertilizer program with traditional fertilizer you’ll notice 3 big differences and they are:

1

PowerRich, along with your present nitrogen program, provides a total fertilizer. In addition to phosphorus and potassium PowerRich also provides all of the other nutrients that are either absent from your soil or in a form unavailable to your crops.

PowerRich fertilizer uses nutrients that are all compatible with one another. PowerRich uses primary, secondary and micronutrients which are compatible and are readily available to your crop.

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Page 10 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Thank you to our farmers! B& M

PLUMBING AND HEATING INC

Thanks to our farmers for all their hard work. (780) 662-2454 We would like to thank the farming communities and their families for all their hard work and dedication throughout the year!

Thank You! www.ryley.ca

D & D Septic Services

Announcing JAMES BUILT SADDLERY

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YOU TO OUR LOCAL FARMERS !

Ryley 780-663-2147 Camrose 780-679-9219

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We would like to say thank you to our local farmers!

Ryley

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• Ph. 780-662-4881 • Cell. 780-884-5698 5204 - 50 Street Tofield

Family Dining & Pizza

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God Bless 780-662-4325 or 780-662-4116

Thank you farmers for all that you do. It is greatly appreciated!

Tofield Agricultural Society We would like to wish our local farmers the best in the upcoming season!

780-662-0085

HWY 14 at the Beaverhill Auction

Thank you to all the farmers for all their hard work!

• Tofield 780-662-0165 • Holden 780-688-3865 • Mundare 780-764-2238

Wishing our Farmers a bountiful year ahead!

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 11

Friendly neighbours come home

Campbell McLennan

CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM

Killam, AB

Things are HEATING UP with our amazing Pre-Owned Vehicles!

JOE HARTUNG PHOTO

Two of the most common but striking birds in East Central Alberta are the Canada Goose and the Mallard Duck. Above, neither look particularly impressed with the solid surface of the pond. As more and more puddles are created, the evenings are filled with the honks and splashes from these feathered neighbours.

Thank you, Farmers It can ttake k years off effort ff t and d planning l i tto b build ild a productive farm. Many exist today only because they have been passed from one caring generation to the next. It is our pleasure to pay tribute to the stability of our farming community and to those who have worked so hard to make it successful.

DAYSLAND PHARMACY Daysland, AB (780) 374-3900

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Page 12 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Vote Kevin Smook April 16, 2019 We know that agriculture is everybody’s business! Call: 780-995-9339 Kevin.Smook@albertaparty.ca Approved by the Kevin Smook Campaign

Fertilizer considerations

Continued from Page 41

most of the province, you can do a lot of different application strategies.” Phosphorus How the phosphorus is placed in your field depends on what has been previously done to the land. “You will tend to see a larger effect from seedplaced phosphorus if your land is more deficient or if your phosphorus use has been less that

what you have been pulling off in crops,” he added. “You can get away with having phosphorus a little farther away from the seed if your soil tests higher, or if you have been applying a reasonable amount of phosphorus over time.” Potassium Pauly said that the soil test for potassium is fairly reliable. “If you are above 300 lb. of potassium based on zero to six-inch sample, the chances of you seeing

a benefit from fertilizing with potash are pretty slim. But, if you are below 200 lb., then the chances of you seeing a response to your potassium on your cereal crops is actually pretty good.” Pauly explained that potassium can be a benefit to land that has been silaged or had a lot of hay production. “Where you are taking a lot of biomass off, potassium levels can be drawn down to the point that a chance of seeing a

benefit from potassium fertilization is pretty good.” Sulphur Gauging sulphur levels in soil test samples can be difficult to determine as it is mobile and can accumulate in so-called hot spots. “That’s why typically I suspect most producers who are growing canola are putting down about 15 lb. of sulphur per acre regardless what is found in the soil test,” he said.

My name is Lissa Jutras, I have lived and worked in the Tofield area for over 20 years. I am a certified yoga and meditation instructor offering yoga classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings at the Tofield United Church. Gentle yoga at 5:00 on Mondays, Hatha on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:00. All levels welcome. Price is $85.00 for 6 sessions, Monthly unlimited (does not include workshops) $120, or drop-in for $20.00. Private & small group sessions available. Call: 780.918.9484 or email: corporesanoyoga@yahoo.com to book your spot.

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 13

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Page 14 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Lamont County plans Living with Water workshop

BY JOHN MATHER As spring gets closer and farmers get ready to get back on their fields to start planting, the County of Lamont will be offering a free workshop dealing with water issues. “Living with Water in Lamont County� will be a daylong program dealing with riparian areas of the County, (riparian is defined as living along a water course or river bank), the management of those areas and living with beavers in the County. The program will be held at Moscow Hall, April 16 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Moscow Hall is south of Mundare at the junction of Range Road 163 and Township Road 520. Topics for the courses, presented by the Lamont Agriculture Department and the Government of Canada include Riparian 101, which will define a riparian area and get into why it is so important and what they can provide for the producer, said Heather Atkinson, communications coordinator for the County. “It’s a full day workshop,� she said. “If anybody has water on their

property, this is a must go to conference. They won’t be disappointed in what they learn.� She added climate change will be discussed and the program will discuss the many tools and initiatives that can be put in place to help offset the effects of climate change and help create a more balanced environment. The afternoon sessions, said Atkinson in a press release, will be spent discussing beavers in the landscape and will include beaver history, issues, management options and alternatives. She wasn’t sure if altering watercourses would be talked about during the day. “That’s actually one of the big problems we have in Lamont County,� she said. “Over the years a lot of producers have altered watercourses, which they would to get the yield off their land. Of course we now know that backs water up downstream causing problems for neighbours.� She said that was why the county was developing a new master drainage plan. The workshop will

A “Living with Water in Lamont County� workshop planned for later this month will address issues such as changes to watercourses, which can lead to spring flooding downstream from where the watercourse had been altered. The daylong program will be held at Moscow Hall, April 16.(File photo) also provide valuable opportunities for producers on farms through the partnership of Cows and Fish, Lamont County and the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance. Specific to Lamont, the partnership is looking for producers, primarily cropping producers, with watersheds running through the cropped land. During the next two years, these producers

will be selected to work with the collaborative group creating projects to protect the watershed, practice climate changes adaptability methods, and reduce herbicide and fertilizer loads in the watershed. People wanting to attend the conference are asked to contact Bonnie at 780895-2585 or email bonniec@lamontcounty.ca to register.

Appreciation for our Agricultural Community, all the best with spring seeding.

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 15 JOE HARTUNG PHOTO - VITERRA ELEVATOR AT KILLAM

China has revoked Viterra’s canola export permit, the second company to have had permits revoked, and news is that no canola exports from anyone are being allowed.

Canola Continued from Page 9 “We’re disappointed that differing viewpoints cannot be resolved quickly,” says Everson. “Under the circumstances, Canadian canola seed exporters who normally ship to China have no alternative but to supply customers in other countries who value high quality Canadian canola.” Canola seed exports to China were worth $2.7 billion in 2018. Demand has been very strong until recent disruptions. “Canadian ministers and government officials have responded quickly to Chinese concerns, however, technical discussions are unlikely to lead to an immediate resolution,” says Everson. “We urge the Government of Canada to continue to intensify efforts to resolve the situation. “Canadian canola is of the highest quality because of our world-class quality assurance systems,” says

Everson. “We have a longstanding history of delivering on quality and reliability. We will continue to provide our customers with high quality canola and promote stable trade based on science.” In the latest news, Thursday, March 28, the CCC brought together representatives of the canola value chain to discuss what will be required to resolve the challenges facing canola seed exports to China. “During the discussion, the Canola Council affirmed that Canada’s canola is of the highest quality, and that trade with China must continue to be based on science. Given the importance of the Chinese seed market, the Canola Council affirmed that resuming seed trade to China is the first priority of the industry. “Growing opportunities to export canola to other countries, diversifying away from China, was also discussed,” the CCC says.

Kevin Sorenson, MP for Battle River-Crowfoot, was in Hardisty on Friday at a town hall meeting there, and said his office has received a number of calls. “We've had farmers asking, 'What do I do? My canola price has dropped through the floor.' “People are asking us, what should I be planting.” CBC News reported Friday, March 30, that Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr said the government is considering subsidizing farmers hit by China's ban on Canadian canola imports. Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit met with the federal ministers on Friday, and was said to be putting forward a plan for some financial aid to canola producers. Last week Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier tweeted, “Ottawa must stand up for our farmers and stop China's action.”

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Page 16 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 17

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Page 18 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Fieldmen’s Association promotes additional carbon credits for non-croplands BY JOHN MATHER The Alberta Association of Agricultural Fieldmen want to see farmers getting in the carbon tax movement by getting paid for carbon sinks on their property. At the AAAF annual meeting in January they passed a resolution asking the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to “develop a process to allow farmers and landowners to access carbon credits for land used for permanent pasture, perennial forage, or land that is left forested.” Prior to making the motion they presented evidence that these lands can sequester as much as nine tonnes of carbon per acre. If landowners were paid the going rate of $30 per tonne for their sequestration efforts, that would be $270 per acre. On a 1,000-acre ranch, that would amount to $270,000. “Those plants on that land sequester carbon from the air,” said AAAF president Elden Kozak, of Two Hills. “Right now when the provincial or federal government came out with the carbon credit program all they

allowed for was perennial crop lands … wheat, barley, canola, crops like that. “When farmers left the stubble, as long as there was no tillage they could sell some of their carbon credits.” He said the ask in the resolution was that farmers with forested area or along streambeds with brush areas could sell carbon credits in those lands. “Areas like the eastern slopes or areas that are permanent grasslands … well they do absorb carbon into the ground, so why shouldn’t they qualify for carbon credits.” He said in Lamont County there are riparian areas that are good for the fish and habitat, “but they don’t bring in a lot of money.” “The thought is that

they would promote some of these areas to be left in a natural state if landowners could sell the carbon sequestration credits.” Kozak said the AAAF resolution has been forwarded to the proper government departments for follow up and comment. “The government is the one to follow up and determine if this could be an option.” He adds he’s not heard back from them and with the election going on provincially, he expects it will be some time before the association hears back. He explained that under the program, as envisioned by the AAAF, farmers would be able to sell their carbon credits on their land to some of the larger pollution emit-

ters, that need to meet emission standards. “Some of these large industries need to apply for carbon credits to meet their standards,” he said. In Lamont, he feels farmers could work

hand in hand with the Alberta Industrial Heartland to help them meet the standards. “In that area, there are forested areas, and you can’t stop the landowner from wanting to make

some money,” said Kozak. “It would be a win-win situation.” “It’s better off for the land if it’s left in its natural state,” he added.

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 19

Battle River Railway co-operative continues to flourish Leslie Cholowsky Editor

In 2010, a group of farmers and residents formed the Battle River Rail (BRR) New Generation Cooperative and purchased a former CN short line running from Alliance, 52 miles northwest through Galahad, Forestburg, Heisler, Rosalind, and Kelsey. The line connects to the CN main line east of Camrose. In the intervening years, the BRR group has purchased two locomotives, and grain and oilseed producer's deliveries can be made at Forestburg, or loaded at six different sidings. In Heisler, Rosalind, and Alliance, groups of shareholders have built grain handling facilities. BRR also markets grain and specialty crops. Getting grain cars to fill has been a headache for the group over the years, but in a recent move, BRR was able to rent 125 Alberta hopper cars from the province. The cars, pur-

chased by the province in 1981 with the Alberta Heritage Fund, are a distinctive blue and yellow, with some bearing the names of various Alberta towns, and were sitting in storage in Manitoba before BRR was able to work out a rental plan with the province. BRR has worked hard to build capacity, and has excelled at moving specialty crops to market. The group has partnered with PureWest Commodities to create Battle River Foods and the brand Purely Canada Foods. PureWest Commodities is a management and producer owned company that markets Western Canadian Grain, Oilseeds, Pulses/Beans, and Fertilizer commodities both domestically and internationally. They are based in Port Lajord, Sask. Besides successfully moving, marketing, and storing commodities along their line, BRR partners with Friends of the Battle River Rail to promote

tourism along the railway. The group purchased a passenger car in 2013, followed by a box car with a generator and most recently an open air car. They offer multiple themed excursions throughout the year, growing from five runs to 11 last year. These include Valentine's Day, Easter, murder-mysteries, train robberies, and Oktoberfest, to name a few, and have become very successful in their own right, recently being recognized at the Growing Rural Tourism Conference in Camrose with the Wynn McLean Rural Tourism Champion award. The Friends of the Battle Rail excursions have participated in all major celebrations along the short line, in the summer of 2018 the group helped Alliance celebrate its Centennial, and will also play a huge role in the

Village of Forestburg's upcoming Centennial this August. The group is entirely made up of extremely hard-working volunteers, whose members not only plan and run each excursion, but travel the rails in costumes, also made expressly for the group by Cynthia Sibley, another volunteer with an amazing talent that contributes to the success of each run. Volunteers also attend tourism events throughout the province promoting their excursions. T h e Friends of Battle

River Rail also purchased a building adjacent to the track in Forestburg to operate as a train station, and recently renovated that building to turn it into a true receiving area and meeting place for passengers and for other events, hosting a 'Haunted Train Station' and recently a show featuring local artists. BRR and

Friends of BRR are truly a remarkable story of what individuals can do when they come together in a common purpose, and have revitalized the short line railway that was threatened with closure almost a decade ago as well as increased and promoted tourism in the area.

Page 20 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Importance of water preservation on Prairie landscape

Patricia Harcourt Editor

As the snow pack melts the need for water preservation on the Prairie landscape has made a resurgence of late thanks to an emerging issue regarding landowners who may be diverting water without proper permits. Concern is being expressed that agricultural producers and other landowners are draining and diverting water off their properties for the sake of convenience without understanding how such diversions can affect the waterway system in the long term. Since 2015, a Waterways Act is in effect under Alberta Environmental legislation that lays out how and when to get a permit. Failure to do so could result in an inspector deeming the water diversion illegal which has consequences, too. The driving force in getting the message out in Beaver County was Division 5 Councillor Dale Pederson, who represents the county's east end. "This could potentially be one of the most important things we do," he said, after the county recently agreed to develop a wetland strategy. There are other counties

who have already taken up the clarion call of trying to create awareness of the new regulations. Beaver County wants to further the initiative by conducting public forums and advertising about the facts surrounding water as a public domain resource. The issue came to a head for Pederson noticing that several landowners were draining their fields onto municipal rights of way, making the shoulders of the roads soft. He provided council with pictures of drainage projects from agricultural lands that he saw as affecting county roadways or other property owners. Pederson wanted the county to inform its ratepayers of issues that concern drainage enforcement, as was done by the Municipal District of Fairview No. 136. That M.D.'s Agricultural Service Board gave out information concerning the landowner's responsibility "to ensure all regulatory requirements are met, prior to commencing work in or near a wetland," by contacting Alberta Environment and Parks. The information asked: "Thinking of draining your land trying to dry up those wet spots? Please be aware of the Alberta Wetland Policy:

www.waterforlife. alberta.ca/03356.html. In this policy, wetland is defined as "land saturated with water long enough to promote wetland or aquatic processes as indicated by poorly drained soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and various kinds of biological activity that are adapted to a wet environment." A new Wetland Policy was initiated by the

province in 2013 to conserve, restore, protect, and manage Alberta's wetlands to sustain the benefits they provide to the environment, society and the economy. Under the Water Act, all water in Alberta is property of the Crown even if it is located on private property. This means that a landowner wishing to make any alterations to the water flow should contact AEP

to obtain approval prior to beginning the activity. This includes any changes to drainage or changes to the purpose of a diversion, the installation of tile drainage, infilling, and the creation of dugouts, ditches, berms and water crossings. It is considered a significant shift in wetland management taking into account the value a physical wetland area provides based on

abundance on the landscape, supported biodiversity, ability to improve water quality, importance to flood mitigation and human uses. A new Wetlands Policy was initiated due to the continued loss of wetlands in the province, with up to 70 per cent lost since the prairies were settled in the early 1900s. Alberta continues to lose 0.3 to 0.5 per cent of its See WETLANDS P25

From seeding g to shipping, pp g,

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2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 21

Creating a safe environment at our farms Moush John Tofield Mercury

Although Alberta Open Farm Days is not until August, local farms might look into providing their visitors with the best possible experience by following some guidelines. “While many farm operations are accustomed to regular visitors, it is in a farm’s best interest to provide these visitors with a basic orientation when they first enter the property,” said Robert Gobeil, agricultural health and safety specialist, Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. “Regardless of whether the people visiting are suppliers and contractors, or friends and family members, producers are responsible for their safety, and the good news is that developing a visitor orientation does not

have to be a difficult task.” “You can start by assessing and documenting any safety risks before visitors come to your farm: are there areas that are off limits – such as bins, crop protection storage areas, lagoons, etc.; are there areas of your farm that are fine for adults to visit, but not for children; are there areas on the farm that are accessible to contractors and suppliers but not friends and family, are some of the questions to think about before visitors set foot on the property,” Gobeil explained. “Take into consideration a visitor’s limitations. Walking through grassy areas with ant mounds or gopher holes might not seem too risky, however, falls – especially for older adults – can lead to serious injuries and other complications.” Other limitations might

include lack of training or awareness on the operation of farm machinery or

“

entation. If you have taken the proactive step of asking visitors to bring

Even though creating and implementing a visitor orientation takes a bit of work, it is well worth the effort to protect the well-being of every person who visits.

equipment, which is always important to keep in mind before allowing any visitor to perform farming tasks, according to Gobeil. “Personal protective equipment is also a consideration,” Gobeil added. “Depending on the safety risks you have identified, any necessary personal protective equipment should be provided during the ori-

their own equipment, then you are already ahead of the game.” It is also a good idea to lead a walkthrough of certain areas so that visitors get a visual understanding of where they can and cannot go, as well as an awareness of the safety risks. “Remember to lead by example during the orientation, and wear the appropriate personal pro-

Wine & Ch eese

tective equipment,” Gobeil stated. “While some of these farm hazards may seem obvious to those who are around them every day, it’s important not to assume that other people will already be aware of the associated risks.” Even if signage is in place on the property to identify any hazards, it is necessary to explain risks during the orientation. “Farm owners and operators must take time also to highlight the key points of their property’s Emergency Response Plan, like where the des-

ignated meeting/muster point is, and who to call in the event of an emergency,” Gobeil emphasized. “Once the orientation is complete, make sure it is documented and signed off by both the visitor and person providing the training. Even though creating and implementing a visitor orientation takes a bit of work, it is well worth the effort to protect the wellbeing of every person who visits, and an important priority for all Canadian producers.” See SAFETY P24 6 Continued on Page

Wishing the farmers a great growing season! Greg Litwin, REALTOR®

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Please RSVP for this FREE event! Call: 780-278-1073

Page 22 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Hard work by Lamont County officials leads to hemp growth BY JOHN MATHER Is hemp going to become the new cash crop for Lamont County farmers? Economic Development Officer, Jim Newman certainly hopes so. “It’s a great cash crop for processors here in the County. It’s a strong alternative for canola and the market has lots of potential upside,” Newman said. Speaking to Lamont Council last year, Newman gave an update on the idea. He added there is an existing decortation facility at the Vegreville Research Facility and there is opportunity to look at a regional value added hemp industry. Decortation is the removal of the outside husk of the plant or its stem. “Many municipalities including Bruderheim have put in for funding from the province for decortation facilities,” he said. “We’re waiting to see if there are investment opportunities for others to build these facilities around the area.” And it came to pass. Canadian Rockies Hemp has purchased a

75-acres agricultural property in the town to develop a hemp processing facility. The new hemp plant to be built in Bruderheim will employ up to 15 people in it first phase according to Mayor Karl Hauch. This was followed by a very successful hemp workshop in St. Michael in February. “It was awesome,” enthused Newman. “We planned for about 70 people and we had 185.” He went on to say about 70 people were from Lamont County and “that’s huge.” “Our main objective,” he said. “Was to give some give some good information on the opportunity to grow hemp. It wasn’t just about what type of what type of seed to grow or grow to hemp … it was also about having the producer understand the whys of getting into the hemp industry and I think we did that.” He felt all the speakers were well versed in their subject and knew the industry well. “A lot of them have been in it anywhere from five to 20 years,” he said. “We wanted to show them there was an

opportunity for a value added hemp industry in this area and I think we did that.” He said if there had been a weak point it was the farmers wanted to hear more about contracts and how much the costs were and what profit could be made. Aaron Barr, CEO of Canadian Rockies Hemp, that will be building the Bruderheim decortation plant, was totally impressed with the conference. “We were swamped with people wanting more information from us,” he said. “I’d say we’ve signed up about 20 farmers so far and our goal is to try get 100 farmers this year, so we’re off to a good start.” He said his team is “swamped” with meetings, going out to meet with farmers to talk about how it would work into their crop rotation and farm management practiced.” Barr’s firm will pay $110 per tonne for single purpose fibre. “You have to be contracted to us, and we will help with the harvest and will pay a tonnage,” he said. “We expect our farmers to get about six tonnes per acre on aver-

age.” It’s about explaining to farmers the whole process of what it is to grow for us.

He said it’s an education process to eliminate some of the misconceptions about hemp and let farmers know it’s a lot

like a silage process. “It a lot like growing hay.” Continued on Page See HEMP P30

Start the season stronger than ever with squeaky clean fields. • Powerful pre-seed control:

• Just GO:

• SoilActive™ technology:

• GoDRI™:

For more information call our Solutions Center at 1-888-667-3852 or visit .

Visit us at corteva.ca We are a family operated registered purebred Charolais operation. We have been in the Charolais business for 25 yeaars. Have expanded the herd to 100+ females through selective breeding and dispersals. Have acquired top line sires, while being sensitive to low birth weights and top pound gainers. Full French sires have been introduced into our breeding system, resulting in more muscular calves. Much of the herd have the TT Leptin gene

Registered pure bred and full French bulls for sale Great grain fed beef for sale, no added hormones

Chomiak Charolais, John & Cathie Chomiak & Family 163016 Twp Rd 520, R.R. 1, Mundare, AB T0B 3H0 Phone: 780-632-7108, Cell: 780-945-1504 johnwchomiak@gmail.com www.chomiakcharolais.net

Operating as NBI Feedyards NBI Feedyards Inc. located in St. Michael, AB is currently looking for Full-time yard workers to start employment as soon as possible. Responsibilities of this position include the following:

Lamont Value Drug Mart 5030 50 Ave Lamont, AB 780~895~2411

Aches & Pains from the physical work of seeding and spring clean up? We carry products for that! Stop in and see us! We support our local farmers and agricultural community

Working directly with livestock Processing cattle Feeding cattle Receiving and loading cattle Operating equipment including loaders and feedtrucks Repairs and maintenance(equipment) Facility maintenance and cleaning Heavy Lifting required Other duties as required

Wage will be dependent on experience, benefits include health and dental. Candidates with 1+ years of experience working with cattle or farming will be considered an asset. Candidates with a Class 1 license is preferred or experience working with a feed truck and equipment. This position is physically demanding and candidates must be physically fit. If you are interested in this opportunity and meet the above requirements, please forward your resume to: Human Resources #100, 101 Riel Drive St. Albert, AB T8N 3X4 Fax: (780) 479-8469 Email: hr@nbinc.com

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 23

New Viking P&H grain terminal nears completion, first delivery mid-April Patricia Harcourt Editor

A new grain terminal and crop input centre is nearing completion at Viking. Parrish and Heimbecker (P&H) began construction on the facility, located just northwest of Viking in the fall of 2017 and expects to open for business soon. Brad Meiklejohn, General Manager for the new facility, says he expects the first delivery of grain will be received in mid-April. Also, P&H will start shipping fertilizer to farmers on March 8. "The P&H terminal Viking is meant to support four north central Alberta crop input locations," he said, which will be "full service crop input retail facilities." These recently acquired crop input locations at Sedgewick (P&H Ltd. Dekoda), Wainwright, St. Paul, and Marwayne will handle seed, chemical, and fertilizer delivery to local farmers in their area.

"Being that it's large in size, and that we can import things such as bulk fertilizer, and store large quantities of chemical, it becomes a bit of a service model for providing extra services to those retail locations," said Lloyd Heimbecker, President Grain Division and Executive Vice President, P&H. Heimbecker has visited Beaver County several times to keep the county up to date on the progress of the project. These newly acquired facilities are expected to expand P&H's grain marketing services to customers throughout north central Alberta. The plant lies within Beaver County just northwest of Viking and is the first to be built between Viking going east into Saskatchewan. "The new Viking crop input centre and grain terminal puts P&H on the map to serve farmers and communities in the north central Alberta area," said Heimbecker. Local county officials definitely agreed

with him. Arnold Hanson, former Beaver County Councillor for Division 5 (where the facility is located), called it a "huge boon to the region." Last year, current Reeve Jim Kallal toured the site and called it "very impressive." The new facility will include a 46,000 tonne grain storage elevator, 25,000 tonne dry bulk fertilizer facility and chemical storage warehouse, all attached with a 150-car loop track to CN Rail. A chemical storage facility is also scheduled for construction at the new facility. Grain marketing services to customers in all four new locations will be increased. The capacity to deliver grain for export will increase the ability of local farmers to ship their grain. P&H is building a new export facility in Surrey, BC, called the Fraser Terminal, which will provide 4-million tonnes of what P&H calls "desperately needed western Canada export capacity by 2020." The Fraser Terminal

will feature three state of the art ship loaders, dust reducing technology and a fully enclosed above ground conveyance system to help increase the speed of grain delivery. The new grain terminal in Viking "will bring global grain marketing opportunities to the doorstep of producers," said P&H, by expanding options for growers to market canola,

hard red wheat, CPS wheat, feed barley, oats, yellow peas, and flax." The company's grain team stated its commitment to "work with growers to find the grain merchandising plan that works best for each farm operation, with options for GPOs, fixed price contracts, basis contracts and forward pricing." Area producers will be

provided "access to worldwide fertilizer markets and complete crop input solutions through a full lineup of seed, crop nutrients, and crop protection products." The official opening is expected later in the summer or early fall, said Meiklejohn. And in the meantime he said, "all producers are welcome to stop by" the facility located at 48020 Range Road 132.

The Ash family was given a guided tour of the almost completed Parrish and Heimbecker grain facility, due to accept its first grain delivery in mid-April. The land on which the new facility is built sits on the Ash family homestead site. Members of the extended family and P&H employees are, from left: Patti Chern, Nick Danderfer (P & H Facility Assistant), Justin Riglin (P & H Operations Manager), Robert Ash, Lilla Ash, Ruth Zelinski, Ellen Myren, Marilyn Ash, Ralph Danderfer (P & H Crop Inputs Manager), Blake Myren, Brad Fandrick, and Lionel Colbert. UNRESERVED

BRIEF LISTINGS

AUCTIONS

WED., APR 17 - ESTATE OF WARREN SELESKY - THORHILD, AB - PH: 780-398-2127 (Wes) TH

TRACTORS CASE IH STX 375; 2874 hrs; P.SHIFT ; 'XDOV 6WDU )LUH *36 Æ” JD 3020 GAS Æ” -' c/w Loader AIR DRILL & TILLAGE &DVH ,+ &RPS $LU 7DQN F Z ¶ &XOW ´ 6SDFLQJ Æ” 32’ EZZE-ON 3800 DISC Æ” JD 610 - 32’ C. Plow HARVEST EQUIP & SPRAYER NH TX68 COMBINE 7KUHVK +UV Æ” ¶ 1+

6WUDLJKW CUT HEADER Æ” 1994 WESTWARD 9000 SWATHER 7XUER KUV Æ” ROCK-O-MATIC 372 +': Rock Picker c/w Rakes TRUCKS, BOAT & SKIDOO 2000 KENWORTH; %XQN )LIWK :KO :HW .LW &DW KS Æ” 2007 DOEPKER 7ULGHP ¶ *UDYHO 7UDLOHU Æ” MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE Æ” ¶ INVADER BOAT c/w KS PLUS GRAIN BINS & NEW FANS - VERY LITTLE MISCELLANEOUS APR 23 - HERB & FRANCES PROTSCH (780-853-2611) & ERWIN PROTSCH (853-1045) - CLANDONALD TRACTORS & SPRAYER 2012 VERSATILE +UV 6SG +\GV 3OXPEHG IRU $LU 'ULOO 5 'XDOV Æ” FORD 7710 II MFWD Tractor; CAHR; 2394 HRS SW +\GV 2QH 2ZQHU Æ” 2004 JD 7520 MFWD; 3400 Hrs; 3ZU 4XDG /RDGHU *UDSSOH +\GV 5 V 2QH 2ZQHU Æ” 2007 SPRAYE COUPE 4655 SPRAYER; 80’; *DO 86 3RO\ 7DQN +UV TILLAGE 2012 FLEXICOIL 5000 ¶ 'EO 6KRRW AIR DRILL ´ 6SDFLQJ FLEXICOIL 4350 - 3 COMP TANK Æ” )OH[LFRLO ¶ DEEP TILLAGE Æ” .HOORELOW ¶ OFFSET BREAKING DISC Æ” 'HJHOPDQ STRAWMASTER 7000 ¶ +Y\ HARROWS Æ” )OH[LFRLO ¶ PACKERS Æ” DEGELMAN SUPER 6800 ROCK PICKER HARVEST JD 670 COMBINE; 702 hrs Æ” NH H8040 WINDROWER; $LU 5LGH +UV CHOICE OF HEADERS ¶ HAYBINE TRUCKS & TRAILERS 2007 STERLING NPV 330 hp; AUTO ¶ [ ´ 6:6 %R[ Æ” 1999 STERLING 6KRZLQJ NPV &DW KS AUTO; AC; Cancade ¶ %R[ 5ROO 7DUS Æ” 2012 FORD F250 CREW CAB ; NPV Æ” 1995 FORD F350XL ; 7RQ 'XDOO\ F Z +\GUDGHFN Æ” 2006 NORBERT 20’ * 1 STOCK TRAILER GRAIN HANDLING VECTEC VT 5500 - 5 TEIR PTO DRYER HAYING EQUIP NH 664 BALER Æ” KUHN GA 3200 GT HAY TETHERER Æ” MORRIS 881 - 8 BALE HAY HIKER CATTLE EQUIP HAYBUSTER 2620 Æ” +L +RJ 6 $OOH\ F Z 6TXHH]H Æ” PLUS LARGE AMT OF CATTLE EQUIP & MUCH MORE - VERY CLEAN SALE

WED., APR 24TH - DOUG FREY - JOSEPHBERG, AB - PH: 780-998-2749

They touch the lives of people in our community, our country and around the world by producing the best foods and fibers. They take chances; brave harsh weather; and work long, hard hours to bring us the finest quality products. They're our area farmers, and we're happy to salute and support them!

TRACTORS, WHEEL LOADER & SKID STEER FORD VERS 846 DESIGNATION 6 Æ” CASE 2096 2WD Tractor Æ” EZEE-ON 2100 FEL Æ” CASE 2090 - 2WD Æ” MF 283 Æ” DRESSER 510C Whl Loader Æ” -' 6NLG 6WHHU +UV TRUCKS ,+& 9300 T/A GRAIN TRUCK Æ” CHEV C65 S/A GRAIN TRUCK TILLAGE & SEEDING CONCORD 28’ DBL SHOOT AIR DRILL ´ F Z )OH[L &RLO 2320 AIR TANK Æ” (]HH 2Q ¶ 6QJO :LQJ DISC Æ” Case IH 4700 - 36’ VIBRA TILLER HARVEST, HAYING & FEED EQUIP JD 9610 MAXIMIZER COMBINE +UV Æ” -' ) )OH[ +HDGHU Æ” JD 2360 - 21’ SWATHER Æ” VERTEC VT3630 - 6 Tier PROPANE GRAIN DRYER Æ” 1+ 63 ¶ HAYBINE Æ” 1+ µ HYDRO SWING HAYBINE Æ” JD 566 RND BALER Æ” -' 6T %DOHU & MUCH MORE

MON., APR 29TH - TED BOYKIW - WASKATENAU, AB - PH: 780-383-2204 JD 9300; 360 hp 61 6 +UV 6SG +\GV STARFIRE 3000 GPS Æ” VERSATILE 835 Æ” CASE 2290; &$+5 +UV Æ” MORRIS 34’DBL SHOOT AIR DRILL F Z 957 3 COMP TANK ´ 6SDFLQJ Æ” EZEE-ON 4490 27’ DISC Æ” BOURGAULT 9200 ¶ ' 7LOODJH Æ” ROCKOMATIC 546 PTO R.Picker Æ” 2009 NH CR 9070 COMBINE; 1069 THRESH Hrs Æ” NH HW325 - 25 SWATHER +UV Æ” 1975 FORD 750 TAG $[OH 1HZHU ¶ [ ´ Æ” BRANDT 5200EX 1000 PTO GRAIN VAC Æ” +L +RJ 0DWHUQLW\ 3HQ PLUS GRAIN BINS, AUGERS, TRUCKS, ETC. MAY 4TH - CONSIGNMENT - REDWATER Æ” MAY 5TH - ANTIQUE TRACTORS & VEHICLES - REDWATER

Ag Solu ons Viking, AB. 780.336.3180 www.nutrienagsolutions.ca

RARE TRACTOR AUCTION

SAT., MAY 18TH - BILL GRAHAM - LEDUC, AB - PH: 780-446-4151 (BILL)

ALL WORK ELECTRIC :KHHO &R 61 Æ” CASE 20-40 61 Æ” ,+& TITAN KS Æ” +DSS\ )DUPHU Æ” *UD\ 'UXP 'ULYH &GQ 6SHF Æ” NICHOLS & SHEPERD 0GO 6 KS 61 Æ” &DWHUSLOODU 7RQ Æ” $& ( Æ” $GY RUMELY ; Æ” GIBSON , KS Æ” -6 ' Æ” 00 * ):$ 7UDFWRU KUV Æ” 0) ):$ 7UDFWRU Æ” SNOW PLANE KS Æ” )RUG MODEL T Æ” 9HUVDWLOH * 2SHQ 6WDWLRQ Æ” ,+ 7RQ 7UXFN Æ” CASE EAGLE Æ” 6LJQV Æ” $QWLTXHV Æ” CONSIGNMENTS BEING ACCEPTED - PH: 780-222-9394 BRIEF LISTINGS

PRODANIUK AUCTIONS www.prodaniukauctions.com Phone:

780-446-9555

BROCHURE IS OUT EARLY APRIL

Page 24 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Farm Safety Continued Continuedfrom fromPage Page21 4 Farm safety while tending to livestock Many Alberta farms are particularly busy working with livestock at this time of year. Through the stress of calving, lambing, sorting, processing, and relocating – often during inclement weather – farmers and ranchers need to consider their safety and that of others while tending to their animals. “The biggest factor in livestock handling safety is understanding animal behaviour,” explained Jennifer Woods, livestock handling specialist at the Alberta Farm Safety Program. “Workers need to be trained in this aspect before they are tasked with handling livestock. It is important to know that animals don’t necessarily react to their environment the way we would expect.” Many times, the cause

of injury to handlers is overconfidence in their ability to predict or read animal behaviour. Workers can get too complacent and not pay attention to the situation. “What makes animal behaviour so different from humans is that animals truly live in the moment and react accordingly to the things they hear, smell, see and feel. People usually do not perceive the same things animals perceive,” said Woods. In general, calm animals are safer animals, and the best way to keep them calm while handling them is to reduce fear and anxiety. As a prey species, cattle have an inherent fear of unfamiliar objects, situations, smells, sudden movements and noises. Animals that are singled out of a herd, injured or sick, are also more fearful. Woods pointed out the

indicators when animals tend to be more unpredictable, and handlers must be particularly cautious. They are: • during breeding season • during calving/lambing/foaling • when animals are alone • when animals have been harassed by a predator • when animals are injured or sick • when animals are in an unfamiliar environment or around unfamiliar handlers Woods further added that other contributors to worker safety are the condition of the handling equipment and facilities, proximity of the handler to the livestock, and the physical size of the worker handling the livestock. “For example, small children are at a considerable size disadvantage for many tasks; in particular, workers need to be aware when they are in

the kick zone of cattle,” Woods said. For long-term worker safety, Woods advised handlers to cull dangerous cows. “If there is a risk of them hurting a worker or family member, it is not worth it to keep them around,” Woods suggested. “Even if that cow is a good producer, she will pass her bad behaviour onto her calves, and you don’t want that perpetuating in your herd.” As for sheep, Woods said that the smaller animals, generally speaking, tend to be more likely to get hurt during processing than a worker, but workers still need to pay attention to avoid getting butted or knocked over. Extra caution needs to be taken with rams as they can be quite dangerous. She cautioned that sheep can take a child out in a minute.

Wishing the farmers a successful growing season! OK Tire Tofield 5031-53 Ave, Tofield 780-662-3003

Tofield Bottle Depot wishes our farmers a great year ahead!

Regular Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm We are located at 5304 - 56 St. We sort your bottles!

780-662-3936

BLR Services Inc. Licensed Heavy Duty Mechanic Mobile & Shop Services Agriculture – Construction – Tractor/Trailer

I am available to help you keep all of your machinery running smoothly.

Call Bryan @ 780-686-9734

We would like to thank our farmers for

Residential New Home Construction

David & Lesley McQuaid Phone: 780-990-4658 Email: westgencontr@gmail.com

their business, support and all the hard work they do! Ryley AB. 780-663-3583

THANKS TO OUR FARMERS! MARCELSʼS REPAIR  SERVICE Certified Diesel Mechanic

We Salute the Farmers of our community!

Wishing our farmers a prosperous season!

It takes years of back-breaking work to develop a productive agricultural business. Knowledge gained is passed on from one generation to the next and shared in the agricultural community. The contributions of farm families add immensely to Alberta’s economic growth.

Thank you farmers!

780-662-2997 780-913-5032

Tofield Car, RV, & Truck Wash RV Storage available 780-913-5318

Wishing our farmers a great year!

Tofield Autobody

780-662-0307

“Collision Repair Specialists”

#101 5116 46 Ave., Parkstone Plaza, Tofield

780-662-3432

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 25

Grain car loading in Daysland JOE HARTUNG PHOTO

A circle of trains made its way through the Paterson Grain Terminal in Daysland last week, making for an impressive scene.

Saluting our farmers!

Livestock enjoying the mild spring weather so far

Your Independent Insurance Broker.

Viking Insurance Viking Registries 780-336-4711

Last week saw the familiar sight of cattle in prairie fields as the mild spring so far has made for happy livestock. PATRICIA HARCOURT PHOTOS

Wetlands Continued from Page 20

wetlands every year. Part of that is attributed to agricultural drainage and water management practices and policies. The following is some of the information provided to the public by the Government of Alberta on the subject of water use and diversion: As of June 2015, under the Alberta Wetland Policy, proponents must submit wetland related Water Act applications in accordance with new requirements. Drainage (including tile drainage) of a wetland is considered an activity within a water body and requires approval under the Water Act. Other activities in or near a wetland may be subject to the Alberta Wetland Policy including: surface ditches, buried tile, buried slotted pipes, infilling, modifications, alterations, and drainage. "It is the landowner's responsibility to ensure all regulatory requirements are met prior to

commencing work in or near a wetland," states the policy. Once a regional approval office has been contacted, approval officers will work with landowners "to ensure all applicable regulatory requirements are considered." And, "under the Water Act and Public Lands Act compliance action can be taken for unauthorized wetland drainage." Water bodies that are there for short time periods, called "ephemeral" in satire, are also subject to the Water Act and require approval for drainage. Avoidance and minimization of im-

pacts to ephemeral water bodies is still expected, even if crops are often tilled around these areas. The Crown owns wetlands that are permanent in nature and naturally occurring. Municipalities can have their own drainage bylaws, but are considered valuable in reporting drainage violations to Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. Altering, draining, filling, or occupying the bed or shore of a Crown owned body of water would require authorization under the Public Lands Act.

Farmers... We just want to say, we give you thanks three times a day!

We salute farmers of today and tomorrow because they keep us fed. Without farmers and farming industries we would not be provided with the great variety of food we enjoy today.

THANK YOU! Staff, Management, & Board of

Dwayne Andrashewski

the Irma Co-operative Association 780-754-3654

780-208-4808

Viking Meats

780-336-3193

• Groceries • Fresh Produce • Dairy • Meat Counter • Custom Sausages • Fireworks •

Farmers continue to provide inexpensive and abundant food for Albertans through their modern production technology. We celebrate with pride in the accomplishments of our local farmers.

We salute the dedicated men and women of our agricultural industry. Their commitment to produce a thriving variety of crops and livestock requires long hours, risk and hard work. Our hats go off to you! ~ Staff and Management

Page 26 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Purple Scissor Salon 780-582-3539 5009 - 49 Ave. Forestburg

Daysland Dayslan D Da ays ysla sland Open Tues 9 am - 8 pm Wed- Fri 9 am - 5 pm

780-374-3623

Make Daysland Your Home!

MAXIM KILLAM AUTOMOTIVE LTD.

PLUMBING & HEATING

Killam, Alberta

Vaughn Prichard

780-385-3644 780-385-3562 VILLAGE OF FORESTBURG

SEDGEWICK

GROW WITH US SINCE 1906

Murray Prichard 708-384-3504 www.Daysland.com

www.sedgewick.ca

Mayor, Councillors, and Staff

780-582-2220 780-582-3668

Village of Heisler

Village of Alliance

Village of Lougheed www.villageoflougheed.com

780-385-3977 780-879-3911 780-889-3774 780-386-3970

Budding Ideas

FORESTBURG VET CLINIC

Providence Place

We salute our Agricultural Producers!

Daysland, AB

Dr. Jeff Serfas

Thanks to all those whose work brings food to our table We salute you, farmers!

“For all your floral needs.”

Main Street, Killam 780-384-4100

Aging in Place

flagstaff.ab.ca 780-385-3014 780-582-3970

780-374-2527

T h a n k yo u Fa r m e r s fo r G ROW I N G o u r l o c a l c o m m u n i t i e s ! WILD ROSE

Flagstaff Family & Community Services

CHRIS’S WATER WELL SERVICING LTD. CHRIS CULSHAW

KILLAM

Killam

“We appreciate our farmers!”

FAX: 385-3166

Forster Feeder Town of Hardisty Manufacturing Ltd. & Forster Hydrovac Service

D

iscover HARDISTY

MORE THAN Killam YOU CAN IMAGINE Box 724,

LIQUOR 780-385-3771 780-385-3976 780-385-3165 780-888-3623 780-385-2283 KILLAM

780-385-3050

Killam General Insurance Alberta Registries Agent Box 369, Forestburg

780-582-3560

Liquor Daysland, Alberta

Drive-In Restaurant An Independent Business Serving Independent Agri-Business STORE HOURS:

Mon. - Fri. 8 am - 6 pm Sat. 9 am - 4 pm Sun. Noon - 4 pm

Killam, Alberta Killam

www.briltd.com

780-385-3949

Shelcraft Dagwood’s Woodwork Auto & Diesel (1997) Ltd. Repair Killam, Alberta Hardisty, Alberta

780-374-3939 780-385-3598 780-888-2349 780-385-2344

Killam, Alberta 780-385-3652

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 27

Alberta RCMP launches ‘House Hunters’ RCMP edition Spring is the time of year for house hunting and Alberta RCMP wants citizens to remember Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles while shopping or planning renovation projects. CPTED is based on the principle that certain design choices or alterations to existing structures can deter or prevent criminal activity. Consider your budget when going to open houses; Does the house already have CPTED qualities or does it need some work? The Alberta RCMP launched a new monthlong #HouseHuntersRCMPEdition social media campaign. Houses will be posted on a weekly basis and followers will have to determine what’s wrong with each property from a CPTED perspective. Here are some things to consider when purchasing a new house or planning spring projects: • Install outdoor lighting. This can include solar lights and motioncensored lights. • Keep yard well-maintained so it’s obvious if something is out of place. • Build a fence. • Install gates – especially on rural driveways. • Plant natural barriers under windows or as a natural fence. Thorny plants such as raspberries and roses are good choices. • Trim trees so you have clear sightlines across the yard. • Install a security system or cameras. • Use signage to let potential thieves know the premise is being monitored by video surveillance and/or citizen led watch groups. • Remove signs that identify you by your last name. • Create clear definition between the driveway

and the grass. This makes it obvious if a car is parked where it shouldn’t be. The public has a vital part to play in keeping our communities safe. By taking CPTED principles into account, we can all enjoy safer neighbourhoods and the RCMP can focus resources on more urgent calls for service. Remember, if you see

something suspicious or something that looks out of place, report it to your local detachment’s nonemergency line. If you see a crime in progress, dial 911. For more CPTED tips, follow our social media accounts on Twitter @RCMPAlberta, Facebook @RCMPinAlberta, and YouTube @RCMPGRC Alberta.

There’s very little cuter than sweet, pink piglets. The pig is one of the most prolific large mammals of the entire world, with an estimated one billion alive at any time. These five are part of a litter and are definitely adorable.

LAWRENCE SARAFIN SARAF SARAFINCHAN FIN

Wishing all the farmers a safe and bountiful season. ~Viking Fire and Rescue

780-385-2004 Pilot Truck Service Available!

Agriculture Heavy Equipment Hauling IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO SERVE ALL AREA FARM FAMILIES.

WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND WISH YOU A SUCCESSFUL GROWING SEASON!

Box 35 Viking, AB T0B 4N0

Viking Auction Market Ltd. Corner of Hwy 26 & 36 780-336-2209

Viking, AB 780-336-4944

We would like to take this time to thank all the farmers in our region, and wish them all a wonderful year.

ES L A S E L T R CAT A L U G E 9am R t a y a d s e every Tu Thank you for yo ur continued support over the last 13 years! We look forward to serving you for many years t o come. Cliff Grinde 780-336-6333 Darcy Sheets 780-336-6485 Robert Kunnick 780-336-6301 Mel Pydde 780-933-0048 Ed McCormack 780-787-0083

www.vikingauctionmarket.ca

Page 28 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Moose Crossing

We support our local farmers! Located 1 km west of Tofield on HWY 14

Call For Appointments or More Information countrylanepetboarding.com Grooming Boarding Appointments: Services:

780-243-3206

A moose strolls through the intersection of Rge. Rd. 205 and Twp. Rd. 510 in Beaver County. LISA KUFLAY PHOTO

Thank you to the farmers!

• Farm • Residential • Commercial

24 hour service

Wishing the best for the farming community in their upcoming growing season!

Open May 5th

Maple Park Farm Greenhouses and Garden Centre 10 am - 6 pm Monday to Saturday Open til 8 pm Thursday & Friday 10 am - 5 pm Sunday

Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs, Containers and Hanging Baskets Phone: 780-662-3820 email: info@mapleparkfarm.com www.mapleparkfarm.com 18311 Township Road 502 Directions: Hwy 14 to RR 184 south 2 km to Twp Rd 502 1 km east, watch for signs.

780-243-0206

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 29

Thank you to our farmers.

dŚĞ ƉŽǁĞƌ ŽĨ ŽŶĞ ŵĞŵďĞƌ͕ ŽŶĞ ǀŽƚĞ tŚĂƚ ŝĨ ZƵƌĂů ůĞĐƚƌŝĮĐĂƟŽŶ ƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ ;Z Ϳ ĐŽ-ŽƉ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ͞ŽǁŶĞĚ͟ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉŽǁĞƌ͍

One of the advantages we gain through our ǁŽƌŬ ĂƐ Ă &ĞĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ͕ ŝƐ Ă ďŝƌĚ͛s eye view of the whole electricity landscape and how it is ĐŚĂŶŐŝŶŐ ŝŶ ůďĞƌƚĂ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŶŽǁ͘ tĞ ŐĞƚ ƚŽ evaluate what͛Ɛ ŐŽŝŶŐ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĂĚǀŽĐĂƚĞ ƐƚƌŽŶŐůLJ ĨŽƌ ŵĞŵďĞƌ Z Ɛ͘ tĞ ĐŽƵůĚ ŶŽƚ ĚŽ ƚŚŝƐ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ŽƵƌ ďŽĂƌĚ͕ ĂŶĚ ŽƵƌ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͕ ǁŚŽ ƐƚĞƉ ƵƉ ƌĞŐƵůĂƌůLJ ƚŽͲ ŐĞƚŚĞƌ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ ƐƚĞĞƌ Z ĐŽ-ŽƉƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ĚŝƌĞĐƟŽŶ͘ /ŵĂŐŝŶĞ ƚŚĞ ŬŝŶĚ ŽĨ ŵŽŵĞŶƚƵŵ ǁĞ ŵŝŐŚƚ ĂĐŚŝĞǀĞ ŝĨ Ă ďƌŽĂĚ ƐǁĂƚŚ ŽĨ Z ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ĂůƐŽ ƐƚĞƉƉĞĚ ƵƉ ĂŶĚ ƚƌƵůLJ ŽǁŶĞĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉŽǁĞƌ ƚŽ ƐƉĞĂŬ͕ ƚŽ ĂĐƚ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ǀŽƚĞ ĨŽƌ ǁŚĂƚ ƚŚĞLJ ƚŚŝŶŬ ŝƐ ďĞƐƚ ĨŽƌ ƌƵƌĂů ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ͍ &ĞǁĞƌ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŽĚĂLJ ƐĞĞŵ ƚŽ ďĞ ĐŽŶǀŝŶĐĞĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ ŝŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐŽ-op can change the course of ĞǀĞŶƚƐ͘ ŶĚ ƐŽ͕ ƚŽ ƐƚĂƌƚ Žī ϮϬϭϴ͕ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ƌĞǀŝƐŝƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ďĂƐŝĐ ŝĚĞĂ ŽĨ ĚĞŵŽĐƌĂƟĐ ŽǁŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ͘ ,Žǁ ĚŽ ǁĞ ůŝǀĞ ƵƉ ƚŽ ƚŚĂƚ ŬĞLJ ĐŽŽƉĞƌĂƟǀĞ ƉƌŝŶĐŝƉůĞ͕ ĞŵŽĐƌĂƟĐ DĞŵďĞƌ ŽŶƚƌŽů͍ ƚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ďĂƐŝĐ ůĞǀĞů͕ Ă ĐŽ-ŽƉ ŝƐ Ă ĚĞŵŽĐƌĂƟĐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ zĞƐ͕ Ă ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ – ďƵƚ Ă ĚĞŵŽĐƌĂƟĐ ŽŶĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŽƉĞƌĂƚĞƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůůĞĐƟǀĞ ŐŽŽĚ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͘ Ž-ŽƉƐ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ ĂƌĞ ďĂƐĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝŶĐŝƉůĞ ŽĨ ĚĞŵŽͲ ĐƌĂƟĐ ŽǁŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ͘

Thank you to our rural power co-ops for lighting the way.

ůďĞƌƚĂ ŚĂƐ Ă ƌŝĐŚ ŚŝƐƚŽƌLJ ŽĨ ƐĞƫŶŐ ƵƉ ĐŽ-ŽƉƐ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ƌƵƌĂů ůďĞƌƚĂŶƐ ĐŽƵůĚ ǁŽƌŬ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ĚĞŵŽĐƌĂƟĐĂůůLJ ƚŽ ŵĞĞƚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ŶĞĞĚƐ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ĐƵƐͲ ƚŽŵŝnjĞĚ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĞĮƚ ŽĨ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ĐĂƉŝƚĂů ŇŽǁ ďĂĐŬ ŝŶƚŽ their co-ŽƉ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ͘ Ž-ops ƐƚĂƌƚ when people see that a need is not ďĞŝŶŐ ŵĞƚ͕ Žƌ Ă ƉƌŽďůĞŵ ƐŽůǀĞĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƉƌŝǀĂƚĞ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ Žƌ ƉƵďůŝĐ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ĂůŽŶĞ͘ dŚĂƚ ǀĂĐƵƵŵ ĐĂƵƐĞƐ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŽ ũŽŝŶ ĨŽƌĐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƉŽŽů ƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ;ƚĂůĞŶƚ͕ ƟŵĞ͕ ŵŽŶĞLJͿ ƚŽ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͘ tĞ ĂƌĞ ĨĂŵŝůŝĂƌ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐ ĐŽ -ŽƉ ƐƚŽƌLJ ŽĨ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ũŽŝŶŝŶŐ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ƚŚĞ ƉŽǁĞƌ ŽŶ ŝŶ ƌƵƌĂů ůďĞƌƚĂ͘ ;ĐŚĞĐŬ ŽƵƚ ŽƵŶƚƌLJ WŽǁĞƌ – dŚĞ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů ZĞǀŽůƵƟŽŶ ŝŶ ZƵƌĂů ůďĞƌƚĂ) ŽŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶ ŶĞĞĚƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ŽŶŐŽŝŶŐ͕ ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌ͘ >ŝŬĞ ĂŶ ŽůĚ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĂƚ ƐůŽǁůLJ ĐƌƵŵďůĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ ŶŽ ŵĂŝŶƚĞŶĂŶĐĞ͕ Ă ĐŽ-ŽƉ ǁŝůů ƐƵīĞƌ ŝĨ ďLJůĂǁƐ ŐƌŽǁ ŝƌƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚ͕ ĮŶĂŶĐĞƐ ŐŽ ƵŶŵĂŶĂŐĞĚ͕ ůĂǁƐ ƉĂƐƐ ƵŶŶŽƟĐĞĚ͕ ĐŽŵƉĞƟƚŽƌƐ ŵŽǀĞ ŝŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ŵĞŵͲ ďĞƌƐ ůŽƐĞ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ͘ ǀĂůƵĂďůĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂƐƐĞƚ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƐŽůĚ Žī ĂŶĚ ĐůŽƐĞĚ͕ ŝƚƐ ǀĂůƵĞ ƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚůLJ ůŽƐƚ͘ ĐŽ-ŽƉ ĚŽĞƐ ŶŽƚ ƚŚƌŝǀĞ ŝŶĚĞĮŶŝƚĞůLJ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ŵŽƌĞ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ƐƚĞƉƉŝŶŐ ƵƉ ƚŽ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ ĂƐ ƌŝŐŚƞƵů ŽǁŶĞƌƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ ƚ ƚŚĞ ŚĞĂƌƚ ŽĨ ŝƚ͕ ŝƚ͛Ɛ Ă ŵĂƩĞƌ ŽĨ ŵĞŵďĞƌ-ŽǁŶĞƌƐ ďĞůŝĞǀŝŶŐ ƚŚĞLJ ĞĂĐŚ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ƉŽǁĞƌ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ Ă ĚŝīĞƌĞŶĐĞ͘ tŚĞŶ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂĐƚ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ŽŶ ƚŚŝƐ ďĞůŝĞĨ͕ ŚŝƐƚŽƌLJ ŚĂƐ ƐŚŽǁŶ ƚŚĞ ĞīĞĐƚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ͙ ǁĞůů͕ ĚLJŶĂŵŝƚĞ͘ tŚĂƚ ŝĨ ŵŽƌĞ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ďĞůŝĞǀĞĚ͕ ŵŽƌĞ ŽŌĞŶ͕ ǁŚĂƚ ǁĞůů-ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƵƚŚŽƌ͕ ƌ͘ ^ĞƵƐƐ͕ ĂĚǀŝƐĞƐ ĞǀĞŶ ŽƵƌ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͍ ͞hŶůĞƐƐ ƐŽŵĞŽŶĞ ůŝŬĞ LJŽƵ ĐĂƌĞƐ Ă ǁŚŽůĞ ĂǁĨƵů ůŽƚ͕ ŶŽƚŚŝŶŐ ŝƐ ŐŽŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ďĞƩĞƌ͘ /ƚΖƐ ŶŽƚ͘͟ Ɛ ŚĂƌĚ ĂƐ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŶŽǁ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ĂƐ Ă &ĞĚĞƌĂͲ ƟŽŶ͕ ǁŚĂƚ ǁŽƵůĚ ŚĂƉƉĞŶ ŝĨ ĞǀĞƌLJ Z ĐŽ-ŽƉ ŵĞŵďĞƌ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ ŽǁŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉŽǁĞƌ͍ Sponsored by the Alberta Federation of REAs www.afrea.ab.ca

Representation ~ Engagement ~ Advocacy

There are many ways to answer the question, why do co-ops matter? But the most basic is this: ~ Democratic Ownership ~ You are a member AND an owner.

Page 30 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

Hemp growth Continued fromPage 22 Continued from He said the farmers signing up are from Westlock, St. Paul, Smoky Lake and Tofield and all around the region. In a later conference in Lamont, Canadian Rockies Hemp employees gave more information on what the company would provide for farmers wanting to try out the crop. Spencer Tighe told the dozen farmers at the meeting Canadian Rockies Hemp would help them grow the crop from start to finish. “Initially we would do a farm consultation so you know you’re putting it on the right land with no herbicide residuals,” said the Canadian Rockies Hemp chief operating officer. “We make sure you select

your variety properly. We work with Manitoba Harvest for our seed, but you can purchase seed from other suppliers.” He added Manitoba Harvest would be opening a distribution centre south of Fort Saskatchewan sometime this year. “We want to set up a contract for your acres,” he said. Tighe added there is no spot market for hemp. The entire crop is contracted out to firms like Canadian Rockies prior to being planted. He says hemp is a good tool for cleaning up some land, which had lain fallow. Tighe said company representatives would come out at harvest time to ensure the crop was ready. “This is a new crop here, but not new around the world. We will get harvesting equipment from other sources and modify it to work in our conditions,” he said. “”In terms of hauling you get paid by weight.” Under fibre contracts

Lamont to discuss new Agriculture Master Plan at open houses BY JOHN MATHER Lamont County is planning a series of public meetings in April to receive feedback on the preliminary draft of the County’s Agricultural Master Plan. “We’ve invited focus groups to come out and discuss the master plan,” said County communications co-ordinator, Heather Atkinson. “After that the public is welcome to come out and have their say on the proposed plans.” The Ag Master Plan will be discussed from 1 to 4 p.m. and the Agriculture Master Plan, the Area Municipal Plan and Land Use By-law will be discussed in a joint session. This will be the third in a series of public meetings the County has put on to get input and feedback on these plans that will shape the direction the County takes as it moves forward. There were open houses held in December and some individual meetings with stakeholders before that, added Atkinson. “The plan has been being developed since 2017 and we hope to see

something finalized by the end of this year,” she said. The vision being used to create the Agriculture Master Plan states, ”Lamont County’s resilient and sustainable agriculture and food industry is a leader in providing a diverse range of agri-food products and services founded on a strong entrepreneurial spirit, a proud agriculture heritage and lifestyle, and the preservation of its agriculture lands and resources upon which our economy, environment and community depend.” The focus groups and open houses will be held in Andrew, Mundare and Lamont. Council is hoping got get stakeholder and public comment on the plans and provide residents with an opportunity to learn about development in the Land Use Bylaw, and Municipal Development Plan. April 2, will see the meeting held in Andrew at the Community Centre. Sessions move to Mundare at the Recreation Centre on April 3, and in Lamont at the Recreation Centre, April 4.

Canadian Rockies would pay $100 per tonne.

Straw contracts would be $79-80 per tonne.

The Town of Lamont wishes to recognize the dedication and hard work of our agricultural community.

To w n o f L a m o n t M a y o r, C o u n c i l & S t a f f

Canadian Rockies Hemp has marked their land near Bruderheim. The company plans to start building a hemp decortation facility on the 75-acres parcel this spring.

Your commitments and spring preparations ensure the h a r ve st s t h at b en e f it a l l , thank y ou Ag r ic u lture C ommunity Hrehorets Bus Service Ltd. 780-918-7406

We Salute Our Farmers! This week and every week

http://www.braedalberta.ca

Please Apply by Fax or Email or in person at:

The Staff and Community Board of the Mary Immaculate Care Centre (Mundare)

Support Our Farmers

2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019 - Page 31

Pronghorns, not antelope

Pronghorn “antelope” are a fairly common sight in the southern regions of Flagstaff, especially near Alliance and Galahad, but many would be surprised to find out they are not antelopes at all, and in fact no relation to deer, either. Their scientific name translates to “American antelope goat” even though the pronghorns are more deer-like than goat-like, and are the only animals having branched horns (not antlers). The name “Pronghorn” comes from the odd shape of their horns – forward facing prongs. Female horns are smaller than males. In the late fall or the beginning of winter, the horns will break off to make room for the new ones already starting to grow in. With large protruding eyes located further back on their head, they have a wide range of vision so they can see when a predator is coming (up to six km away). Pronghorns are actually the second-fastest land mammal, second only to the cheetah. With long, skinny legs that let them take larger strides, and a large heart and lungs that allow them more oxygen, the pronghorns can last longer while running distances, too. Pronghorns have a distinctive white patch on their rump that they bare to the herd if there is danger. An interesting fact is that a breeding pronghorn’s first litter will be a fawn and then other litters will be twins. Pronghorns generally form large herds in the winter, the animals pictured here were part of a very large herd. As a member of the superfamily Giraffoidea, the pronghorn's closest living relatives are the giraffes and okapi. The Giraffoidea are in turn members of the infraorder Pecora, making pronghorns more distant relatives of the Cervidae (deer) and Bovidae (cattle, goats, sheep, antelopes, and gazelles), among others.

JOE HARTUNG PHOTOS

To those who work in hectares, not hours We thank you! From Flagstaff County Council and Staff

Page 32 - 2019 Agriculture Section (The Community Press, Weekly Review, Tofield Mercury, Lamont Leader), April 3, 2019

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