Southeast Agri-News - December 14, 2012

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Issue No. 157

December 14, 2012

A Supplement to the Southeast Trader Express

Tops In Show

A Simmental bull owned and shown by the LaFrentz family, operators of the Wheatlandt Cattle Company of Bienfait was just one of several award winning entries that the company produced for this years Canadian Western Agribition. The LaFrentz’s are pictured here with Agribition officials shortly after the conclusion of the Simmental competition. (Photo provided by Grant Rolston Photography)

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SOUTHEAST AGRI NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012

Wheatland family team sold on Agribition By Norm Park for Agri-news Agribition is magic time for the Lafrentz family of Bienfait, owners and operators of Wheatland Cattle Co. Vern, Denise and sons Riley and Cody certainly thrive on the operation of their Simmental dominated ranch and when they make their annual foray into Regina to attend the Canadian Western Agribition, they just know something good is going to happen. They might like to extend their exhibit and travel plans to include other shows in Western Canada or parts of the American Midwest, but they don’t because this is a simple four-member family operation so extended travel options aren’t available. “We have great neighbours who are willing to help us out with the chores when we have those few days in Regina, we wouldn’t want to abuse that friendship. It’s just great that they’re willing to do it every year as it is,� said Denise Lafrentz. This year the Lafrentz team scored major victories on the competition side of Agribition by once again claiming the Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder Award in their class, the seventh time they have claimed that title. They might be called the New York Yankees of the cattle owners in terms of con-

sistently winning major awards. Wheatland 232Z, their prized bull, gained championship status while their black Wheatland Bull 202Z was reserve champion. Wheatland Lady 193X with calf at side (212Z) captured the grand champion Simmental female award and their bred heifer female was reserve champion in the First Lady Classic competition (Wheatland Lady 145Y). The Lafrentz clan completed the scoop with champion and reserve champion status in the Junior Beef Extreme competition with Wheatland Lady 214Z and 145Y which were shown by Riley and Cody. For Vern, the Wheatland Cattle Co. has become a full-time commitment. He used to split time between a career in the nearby coal mine operations and the ranch, but for the past couple of years, the demands of the ranch life have turned him into a full time Wheatland operator. Eldest son Riley will soon be off to explore new challenges after he completes his senior year at Estevan Comprehensive School. He was just recently featured on a CBC National television production that focused on Agribition, but the exposure to the video cameras and bright lights of media production haven’t turned him into any attention starved actor. In

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fact the two boys are pretty reluctant when it comes to attention seeking. Their mother noted that 4-H training in things like public presentations and speaking served both of them very well, helping to bring them out of their shyness. “It will serve them well in the future, I’m sure, because there is a certain amount of promotion and marketing that goes on in this business and they seem to be pretty good at it.� Riley will probably explore a post-secondary education at a junior college in Kansas that he has his eye on because it will allow him to pursue a dream of joining a judging team while taking a two-year course in animal science. He has also been offered scholarship opportunities at three American universities if he cares to pick up a full degree. His ultimate ambition is to maybe try his hand at auctioneering. Cody is now in Grade 11 at ECS and his parents state that he too, loves the ranch life. “Maybe even more than Riley, if that’s possible,� said Denise, who admitted that the ranching chores will have to be shared among the three of them once Riley leaves to advance his education, so it’s good that everyone has bought into the master plan. “If we’re going to have a succession plan here, it has to make sense. This is home for both of the boys, but we also want them to explore other opportunities, look at options, gain some experience outside

of the immediate area,� she added. “It’s only healthy.� The Wheatland company has experimented with some Simmental-Angus cross breeding to gain a true half-blood bull which they see is a good fit for their overall program. They classify their breeding program as moderate, with about 125 to 130 calves coming into the mix this spring. A recent opportunity to add to their land base was welcomed, but as they said,

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at home near Bienfait. Now they have another generation that is avidly interested in the lifestyle. “What levels they’ll get to, I don’t know. We’ll let the boys be what they want to be and as a family, when it comes to showing and promotions and such, like Agribition. We took 12 head of cattle there this year. It’s the best show going for marketing, sales and a look at the future,� Denise said in conclusion.

The LaFrentz family with their Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder banners. Riley(2nd from left), Denise, Cody and Vern(right).

The Lafrentz Family and Judge with Reserve Grand Champion bull.

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it’s not a lot about quantity, more about the quality, so any expansion will be carefully crafted so as to not compromise what has been a successful breeding and marketing program to date. “We’re moving forward and we’ll be there for some time yet,� said Denise who said she met her husband at a cattle sale. They both grew up in a farm/ranch environment, Denise on a mixed farm near Colgate and Vern right

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SOUTHEAST AGRI NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012

Page 3

Pasture plans being Hay sale dilemmas sought for PFRA land Patron programs might be the way to go when formulating plans for former PFRA community pastures in Saskatchewan that are being turned over to provincial governments and agencies for future use. At least that is what Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart feels should be done. But there has been some push-back from the beef industry in a few corners. Stewart said it was obvious the provincial government was not going to operate the pastures now that the federal government had relieved themselves of the situation. The province wants to sell or lease them to groups of pasture patrons. Concerns have been raised by the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM). Stewart, in the meantime, has conducted consultations with patron groups across the province but more specifically with groups of pasture users who are involved with the first 10 pastures that have been chosen to be turned over from the federal government to the provincial government in time for the 2014 grazing season. Stewart said there are about 17 million acres of native grassland in Saskatchewan and it has been the cattle producers, for the most part, who have been capably managing it over the years. The first 10 pastures would represent approximately 1.6 million acres. The agriculture minister pointed out that the industry has been effectively

managing private pasture lands for decades so there was no reason to believe that the former PFRA pastures couldn’t be handled just as efficiently. A proposal from the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations sought an avenue to include the pastures as possible inclusions in the Treaty Land Entitlement, giving them the opportunity to acquire and manage the land. Stewart was quoted in the Regina Leader-Post as saying “We’ve had all kinds of proposals come through my office — the FSIN, individuals, corporations that want to buy individual pastures or all of them. And they’ve all been turned down.� He said the deal will involve the current patrons since it was felt this would be the best way to act in their best interest. If there is no consensus, then the provincial government would look

at alternatives. That means the patrons of the pastures are going to get first dibs on an ownership/management opportunity and Stewart pointed out that now was the time for them to come to the conference tables to get something done. Another 50 pastures will still be on the PFRA’s inventory list after the first 10 have been disposed of by the provincial body. NDP agriculture critic Cathy Sproule said she found it incredible that the government ignored the motion coming from SARM that expressed concerns over possible purchases of the pasture lands in question and that option could possibly be the costliest. Sproule said her party felt the pastures should stay under public ownership, with leasing arrangements in place, echoing the current model administered by federal authorities.

In the face of heavy demand for hay in Eastern Canada and the Midwestern United States this fall and winter the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association has issued some words of advice in their November newsletter. The message is the old one. Buyers and sellers beware, and it is being sent out due to the surge in demand for hay products, said the CFGA. There have already been some less than successful outcomes from transactions this fall. “This increase in demand, combined with a shortage of forage products due to drought conditions, appears to be bringing out some less than ethical operators,� said a recent CFGA report. “We have been advised of several situations whereby large deposits had been paid, but the hay was not delivered, and a couple of situations where the delivered hay was not of the quality that was agreed upon.� The association went on

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to urge buyers and sellers to take steps to ensure that the buying and selling of their quality forage products is done in a fair and equitable manner that benefits both parties. Those who are purchasing or selling hay were reminded of a number of factors that should be taken into consideration such as whether a producer has purchased from or sold hay to this person before. If not, are you able to obtain at least two independent references for the company/individual to ensure that you are dealing with someone who is reputable? Remember the old adage: If it appears to be too good to be true – it probably is. Another factor to consider has to do with having the hay analyzed and is the analysis information readily available. Is the hay free of mould and do you know the moisture content? Is there some way to visually inspect the hay? And finally, is the person or company you are purchas-

ing from a CFGA member who has agreed to their code of ethics? A list of CFGA members is available at www.canadianfga.ca/about/ members The CFGA said they actively promote and encourage the highest level of integrity within the forage and grasslands industry, so if there are concerns regarding purchasing or selling Canadian hay products, they may be contacted through their website. In the event there is a need to lodge a fraud complaint regarding a transaction, the two avenues to pursue are the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, an arm’s-length organization to the RCMP or the RCMP’s commercial fraud unit in Calgary and its representative Corporal Sue Brazeau 403-699-2790. This unit is generally restricted to southernAlberta, but they have indicated that if a complaint does not fall within their jurisdiction, they will refer people to the appropriate unit.

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SOUTHEAST AGRI NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012

Bar set higher at 2012 Agribition

Shades Of The Past

This abandoned building located just south of Estevan depicts what was an earlier agricultural lifestyle

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A couple of days after the conclusion of activities that swirled around the Canadian Western Agribition, organizers of the event have termed it one of the best ever in respect to attendance and sales. It was another year of higher that expected growth and “year over year, we are continuing to make enhancements to the show which are paying off in strong attendance and in a whole host of other ways,” said Marty Seymour, Agribition’s chief executive officer. Among the records set was the indoor trade show, which Seymour described as having the biggest footprint in the show’s history with nearly 500 exhibitors. As well, purebred beef sales were up more than $250,000 in gross sales to total over $1.3 million. Beef entries were up roughly 10 per cent over last year. The agriculture show’s world-class

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reputation drew over 750 international guests from over 60 countries. The Canadian Cowboys’ Association Finals Rodeo drew over 19,500 fans as well with two nights (Friday and Saturday) being sellouts. That spoke to the popularity of the event and about the rodeo becoming the place to be for family-friendly entertainment in Regina, Seymour said. A new aspect to the show was the Grain Expo and it exceeded organizers’ expectations by drawing about 500 registered participants per day. “We put a lot of work into launching this event,” said Seymour. “We were all delighted to see our speaker lineup draw crowds almost double our expectation.” Seymour then went on to thank the many volunteers as well as staff members for their contributions. “Agribition continues to be the people’s show. No other event in the province can lay claim to a $27 million economic impact driven by the help of 400 volunteers who are the heartbeat of the show,” Seymour said in conclusion. Next year ’s Canadian Western Agribition is scheduled from November 11 to 16.

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