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SHOW AND TELL

Medicine Hat farmer shows thousands where their food comes from » PG 25

PORK BAN PANNED Moscow’s food ban will hurt Russians more than producers here » PG 3

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Digital divide set to fall?

Company says all of rural Canada will have access to high speed by July 2017

BY MADELEINE BAERG AF CONTRIBUTOR

T

here finally appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for rural Canadians fed up with slow, inconsistent, or unavailable Internet service.

New Brunswick-based Xplornet Communications recently announced it will offer highspeed, 25-megabytes-per-second (mbps) Internet service to all Canadians by July 2017, a move that may finally destroy the urban-rural digital divide.

“To be able to provide that kind of service to every household in Canada, to people who have not

SEE DIGITAL  page 6

AUGUST 18, 2014

Alberta farm leader says rail system fix is on track Ordering the railways to move more grain has grabbed the spotlight, but Kent Erickson says newly enacted legislation will bring long-term gains

BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF

N

ew federal rail legislation is the first major step in building a sustainable and reliable rail transportation system, says the chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission.

But in the meantime, extending an order-in-council that penalizes the railways if they fail to move a million tonnes of grain a week is the best shortterm fix, said Kent Erickson.

“We still need it in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to clear (the backlog) out before we harvest what could probably be a bumper crop again this year in some areas,” said Erickson, who farms near Irma.

Erickson and Grain Growers of Canada president Gary Stanford, who farms at Magrath, travelled to Saskatoon earlier this month to witness — and applaud — an announcement

by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Transport Minister Lisa Raitt. The two cabinet ministers announced the order-in-council on grain movement would be extended to Nov. 29.

But they also provided details on regulations to accompany the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act, which became law earlier this year. Among the regulations are measures intended to give grain farmers better pro-

FILE PHOTO

tection by enforcing additional accountability on grain companies in contracts, and to require CN Rail and CP Rail to provide more data on grain movement and to improve service agreements.

The legislation also sped up a review of the grain transportation system by the Canadian Transportation Agency. The review was set to begin some-

time in the next two years, but has now gotten underway.

Erickson said he hopes the review will lead to the creation of reciprocal penalties. Elevators must pay a penalty if they don’t load cars within a specified time (24 hours for 100-car unit trains), but the railways face no consequences if they fail to deliver cars when promised.

“From our (the Alberta Wheat

Commission) perspective, there should be a penalty that CN and CP gets charged for not bringing them on time,” said Erickson.

“If CN promises 500 cars a week to Cargill, it needs to bring 500 cars instead of 400 cars.”

Better protection on grain contracts is also key, and that means making them more clear

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UFA.com 2014-07-18 12:38 PM

news » inside this week

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inside » WET NO MORE Tiling paying big dividends for Alberta farmers

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

livestock

crops

columNists

CHEAP FEED

PICTURE THIS

One very wacky consumer study

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Food is a poor choice of weapon

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Swath grazing cereals boosts bottom line

The dos and don’ts of digital diagnosis

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OPEN FARM DAYS 2014

Farmer Nichole knows all the cool stuff, like what’s in your cereal and farm eggs are just like the ones in the store

By Glenn Cheater af staff

T

Grown-ups too

There are lots of other simple things — from milling a bit of wheat to showing an RFID tag — that not only catch the interest of the kids, but also the grownups who come with them.

“Many adults and parents come with the tours, and while the kids are getting

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Brenda Schoepp

Door always open at Neubauer Farms his is the first year Nichole Neubauer has participated in Open Farm Days — but few producers are more experienced in explaining ag to urbanites.

‘Farmer Nichole’ has hosted more busloads of children than she can count since starting the Growing Minds Program on her and husband Mark’s mixed operation just southwest of Medicine Hat. The motivation was simple: As an educator, she saw too many kids “who learned about farming from books and videos.”

“It started slowly at first, but I got a little more serious about it in the fall of 2009 and since then we’ve hosted more than 5,000 kids from the community,” said Neubauer, a mother of two preteens.

It started with preschool and kindergarten ages, but demand from teachers (and enthusiastic kids wanting to visit again) has seen the program expanded to the Grade 1 and 2 levels.

The children not only get some memorable experiences — such as bottle feeding a baby calf from the farm’s Angus herd or collecting an egg from one of the 30 layers — but also are exposed to agriculture in innovative ways. For example, Neubauer keeps food containers, such as cereal boxes, and brings them out when showing them what different grains and oilseeds look like.

“The kids will go, ‘Oh, my cereal has wheat in it and that’s what wheat looks like. I really like eating cereal, so maybe I’ll be a wheat farmer,’” she said. “You can just see them making connections with agriculture that they’ve never had before.”

For some reason, a guaranteed showstopper is cracking open a freshly laid egg.

“It’s quite interesting — no matter the grade level, they’re all pretty certain that because the egg is from a farm, there’s a baby chicken inside. So we crack one open and show the egg is exactly the same as the one you get in a grocery store.

“I explain the reason is that all eggs come from the farm. That one always seems to leave them with a profound look on their faces.”

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Sylvain Charlebois

TWEEZER TROUBLES It takes steady hands to be a plant breeder

Laura Rance

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We live in a land of giants

Open Farm Days 2014 Northern Alberta Wooden Shoes Dairy Farm First Nature Farms Connecting in Spirit Ranch Reclaim Urban Farm Humphrey & Terry Banack Midmore Farms Nature’s Green Acres Matters Speckle Park Erdmann’s Gardens and Greenhouses Cajun Angus Crooked Lake Farm Tangle Ridge Ranch The Cheesiry Horse Hill Berry Farm EL-Shaddai Dairies Inc. Shady Lane Berry Farm Star Bright Farm Irving Farms Horse Sense Training & Petting Zoo Barr Farm Sand Springs Ranch Heritage Harvest Gardens Buckler Border Collies Breevliet Ltd. Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm Rose Ridge Land & Cattle

Central Alberta

More than 5,000 children have experienced a hands-on tour hosted by ‘Farmer Nichole’ at Neubauer Farms. Photo: Courtesy Neubauer Farms back on the bus, they will be hanging back and asking questions,” she said.

“There’s an awful lot of misunderstandings about agriculture and people choose to believe the radical point of view that is not based on science but is presented in the media all the time.

“But when they come here and hear the flip side — things such as all the efficiencies that have been made in growing crops and all the technology that is being used — they are very intrigued because they’ve only had the one side.”

Many of those people are still regularly coming to Neubauer Farms, which also produces cereals, oilseeds, and forages on an irrigated quarter section. Last year, Neubauer started a CSA (communitysupported agriculture) program and quickly had 28 families sign up. This year, it’s 44 families and there’s a waiting list — even though customers must come to the farm to pick up their produce.

“Quite a percentage of our customers first came to the farm on a school visit with their kids,” said Neubauer. “So when families come out to our CSA with their kids, they get to tour the gardens, see the farm animals, have some one-onone time with the farmer, and develop more of that connection with where their food comes from.”

She’s also hoping a few farmers come out to visit on Open Farm Days and learn about how community-supported agriculture works.

Their farm is the only CSA in the area, but Neubauer said she would be happy to encourage others to get started.

“Sometimes we’re kind of referred to as

“Many adults and parents come with the (school) tours, and while the kids are getting back on the bus, they will be hanging back and asking questions.”

Nichole Neubauer

the forgotten corner of the province. Certainly it seems in central Alberta, there is a whole lot of agri-tourism and smaller farms offering that personalized service.

Hopefully we can get in on that trend.”

Alberta Open Farms Days runs on Aug. 24 and admission is free. There are also culinary events (tickets and reservations required) on Aug. 23. For more info, see www.albertafarmdays.com. glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com

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Verburg Rose Dairy Roseberry Lane Market Garden Lacombe Blacksmith Shop Museum The Farm With the Good Food (& Holme Hus Antiques) Little Cherries on the Prairies High Country Berries Flying Cross Ranch Billyco Junction Gardens Country Thyme Farm Gone Green Farms Grass Roots Family Farm Meeting Creek Heritage Railway Station and Grain Elevator Sunrise Farm Hidden Valley Garden Ellis Bird Farm Brown Eggs and Lamb Eagle Creek Farms and Bowden Sun Maze Emjay’s Primrose Farms Aspen Ranch Ponderosa City The Jungle Farm Shady Lane Estate Inc.

Southern Alberta Cooke Livestock Fisher Farms Paradise Hill Farm Glengary Bison Solstice Berry Farm Fallentimber Meadery Heritage Acres Farm Museum Timber Ridge Conservation Site Bitter Water Rescue Ranch Neubauer Farms Arrowhead Ranch Chinook Honey Company The Blooming Fields Trail’s End Beef

For info, see www.albertafarmdays.com

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Alberta Pork optimistic despite Russia’s tit-for-tat sanctions Numerous agricultural products are being shut out of Russia, but pork is most affected

BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF

R

ussia’s ban on Canadian pork will have some impact, but the executive director of Alberta Pork says the hope is that it will be more of “a big hiccup” than a severe blow.

“We had the same problem with our ractopamine last year, where almost half of the pork that was shipped from Canada to Russia was cut off,” said Darcy Fitzgerald.

But the sector was able to find new markets for pork and recover from Russia’s decision last year to ban pork from any plant slaughtering pigs given ractopamine, a feed additive. Pork sales (which peaked at nearly one-half billion dollars in 2012) were strongly rebounding when the new ban was announced, said Fitzgerald.

“We were on the way to being where we were on the high of 2012 when this came along,” he said.

“What that really means, we’re not quite sure yet. We’re not quite sure how it’s going to affect us in the short and medium terms.”

Moscow’s one-year ban on imports of Canadian, American, and European meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, dairy and poul-

“I think the bigger hurt will be to the Russian people, and to Russian businesses that use our product.”

DARCY FITZGERALD

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

try products came in response to sanctions imposed by those countries because of President Vladimir Putin’s support for proRussian separatists in Ukraine.

For Canada, the sanction mainly affects pork, as supply-managed products aren’t exported and beef is still effectively shut out because of the ractopamine-free protocol.

And a lot of Alberta pork — roughly 15 per cent of production — goes to Russia. However, Fitzgerald said the loss of that market won’t necessarily hit Alberta producers in the pocketbook.

“We’re feeling a little bit optimistic with the way the world market is right now because there

is a shortage and there is a high demand. Hopefully that all balances out,” said Fitzgerald.

But it is likely to be a scramble in the short term.

Russia was the fourth-largest buyer of Canadian pork, with about $260 million in purchases last year, the head of the Canadian Meat Council told CBC.

And redirecting about 1,000 containers of pork en route to Russia would cost “quite a bit of money,” said Jim Laws, but he noted there are more than 120 countries that buy Canadian pork.

But because so many nations are affected by the ban (including Australia and Norway), they are all seeking new markets to buy the food that was going to be sold in Russia. It is estimated the ban will affect $17.5 billion worth of food.

Some countries are taking novel approaches. In Poland, people are being urged to eat more apples and drink more cider produced in that country in a campaign that features the cheeky slogan, “An apple a day keeps Putin away,” the Associated Press reported.

Once the ban ends or is lifted, the Canadian pork sector will — once again — be keen to win back sales.

“We’ve done a really good job of making friends there and working hard, and working with their guys in the industry,” said Fitzgerald. “I think the bigger hurt will be to the Russian people, and to Russian businesses that use our product.”

Alberta pork producers account for 11 per cent of Canadian pork production. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

EDITOR Glenn Cheater Phone: 780-919-2320 Email: glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com twitter: @glenncheater

Reporters Alexis Kienlen, Edmonton 780-668-3121 Email: akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

Out of step with the people who matter most

Jennifer Blair, Red Deer 403-613-7573 Email: jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

PRODUCTION director Shawna Gibson Email: shawna@fbcpublishing.com

A $100,000 study of consumer perceptions of agriculture speaks volumes about those asking the questions

Director of Sales & Circulation Lynda Tityk Email: lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com

CIRCULATION manager Heather Anderson Email: heather@fbcpublishing.com

By Laura Rance

national ADVERTISING SALES James Shaw Phone: 416-231-1812 Fax: 416-233-4858 Email: jamesshaw@rogers.com

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manitoba co-operator editor

T

he final report to Agriculture and AgriFood Canada from a series of consumer focus groups it commissioned last year is enlightening — but not because of what it tells us about how domestic customers view this country’s agriculture sector.

Rather it speaks volumes about the people asking the questions.

The final report “Modern agriculture and agricultural awareness focus groups” was delivered to the department in April, but never publicized. It now sits quietly tucked away in the online archives — perhaps for good reason.

It reflects a department and an industry that is remarkably out of step with what is arguably its most important constituency: the Canadian consumer and taxpayer.

The conclusion — again, not surprising given the prevailing culture in agriculture today — is that better propaganda is needed to convey the “correct” message.

AAFC awarded a contract worth just under $100,000 to “undertake a series of focus groups to gauge public perceptions of the industry in order to feed into strategies aimed at shifting current public perceptions (from views of the sector as a traditional farm enterprise to an industry with strategic priorities focused on innovation, competitiveness and market development) and the development of communications approaches and products,” the final report says.

Interestingly, the focus group participants expressed a fair bit of confusion over what the term “agri-food” actually represents. We concur. After all, is there any other kind of food?

The report concluded Canadians are clinging to “quaint” images of agriculture.

“When participants think about the sector there is a tendency to envisage farms, livestock, crops, green pastures, endless wheat fields, and Prairie landscapes. This type of imagery reinforces a view of the sector as traditional, rather than modern, progressive and innovative.”

This, apparently, is a problem.

“Recent surveys of the Canadian public have underscored a number of misperceptions about the agricultural sector and a relatively pessimistic public view with respect to its future outlook,” the report says.

It cites “alarmist documentaries and media reports” as the culprits.

The first question that comes to mind is why public perceptions of a particular industry are a $100,000 concern for government. Does it undertake perceptionchanging communications on behalf of the auto sector or shoemakers?

Some of the focus group participants raised the same question. When asked for recommendations on how best to raise awareness and understanding of agriculture’s contribution to the economy, “some participants immediately questioned what the actual goal of this type of initiative would be and questioned whether this would be a good or appropriate use of government funding,” the report said.

Secondly, what misperceptions are we talking about?

The focus groups raised concerns about genetically modified organisms, consolidation in the agricultural sector, encroachment of development on agricultural lands, declining interest among current and future generations in the sector, unsustainable farming practices, and global population growth.

The last time we checked, other than perhaps genetically modified organisms, many in agriculture shared the same concerns.

Another “misperception” the authors cite is the belief among many consumers that Canada lacks food self-sufficiency. “Unclear on the facts, there was a tendency among many to conclude that Canada must be a net importer of agricultural goods,” the report says.

Consider this data from the Hellman’s Eat Real, Eat Local campaign: • Canadians import 53 per cent of their vegetables and 78 per cent of their fruit, including basics that can be grown domestically; • Over the past four decades, red meat imports have risen 600 per cent; • Over the past 15 years, Canadian food imports rose 160 per cent while the country’s population rose 15 per cent; • For every apple Canada exports, it imports five; for every pear exported, we bring in 700.

• In the last half of the 20th century, Ontario paved over 49 per cent its prime farmland to accommodate expansion of the Toronto area.

• There is a continuing decline in the number of people who know how to grow food.

So while Canada may be a net exporter of agricultural goods measured in dollars, thanks largely to production from those quaint “crops, green pastures (and) endless wheat fields,” consumers rank the sector’s import/export balance according to the food going into their grocery carts. By that standard, it’s not measuring up very well.

The perception seems to be that this is something that can be fixed with a better PR campaign. In this case, however, it would appear it’s not the consumers who are confused. laura@fbcpublishing.com

or U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568

Playing Russian roulette with food

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The urge to teach someone a lesson seldom inspires sound policy

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By Sylvain Charlebois

V

ladimir Putin has announced that Russia is banning imports of a wide variety of agricultural products from Canada, Europe and the United States. The effects of this decision on Canada will likely be felt in the pork industry as we export to Russia well over $300 million worth of pork products each year.

Putin’s move has raised the stakes on the confrontation over the Ukraine situation which has been simmering for weeks now.

With these measures though, it seems likely that Russia’s decision to stop importing some agricultural commodities will likely impact Russian consumers more so than our own agricultural economy.

The current food inflation rate is at 7.9 per cent in Russia. Compared to Canada’s 2.9 per cent, Russia’s current rate is considered dangerously high. With less access

to affordable foods and animal protein, Russian consumers will likely see prices go even higher.

And with a sluggish economy and decreasing population, this is certainly not going to help anyone’s pocketbook.

By blocking Canadian pork, one of the cheapest animal proteins around, from entering Russia, Putin will likely negatively impact poor consumers who don’t really have many protein source options.

Time and time again, international conflicts amongst nations compel governments to use food as a weapon of sort. Some nations may be led to believe that food and agriculture constitute power, and for centuries, the human race has used the food industry to serve political and economic intentions.

But more often than not, governments using such tactics have been proven wrong. Manipulating the food industry often guarantees an untenable form of influence and authority.

These unfortunate decisions

are not only made by emerging economies or totalitarian regimes.

We have seen these tactics used in the western world as well. The Jimmy Carter administration in the U.S. during the infamous grain embargo of the 1970s is just one example. U.S. producers suffered when Carter decided to cut off grain shipments to the then Soviet Union in response to its invasion of Afghanistan. As a result, grain prices fell, penalizing U.S. farmers, while leaving the Soviet economy largely the way it was.

The American population found a way to punish Carter: his electoral defeat. However, it is unclear how Russian consumers can stop Putin from playing a perilous game of chance with their future.

In this latest round of tit-for-tat between Russia and Canada, it is very likely both economies will be affected. But Mr. Putin and his supporters have more to lose, since it is more challenging for them to find new supply sources than it is for Canada to find new markets to offset the negative effects of this latest

embargo. Some believe Russia has chosen this latest tactic to support its own hog industry. However, building domestic capacity in hog production requires more infrastructure, resources and, most importantly, time. It just cannot happen overnight.

Worse, what’s at stake for Russia is indeed the well-being and quality of life of its own people. Sanctions on food imports will likely compromise Russia’s already fragile state of food security. Playing Russian roulette with people’s lives is not a desirable option, even if most support their government’s stance against the western world.

Regrettably, Mr. Putin will likely learn, at the expense of the Russian people, that the urge to teach someone a lesson seldom inspires sound policy. Let’s hope the current situation will not last.

Sylvain Charlebois is a professor of food distribution and policy and associate dean of College of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

We live in a land of giants straight from the hip } Big seed, chemical, trading

and retailing companies dominate world commerce By brenda schoepp

W

hen Jack’s mother threw the bean seeds out the window, little did she know of their powers. Overnight, a large stalk had grown and Jack promptly climbed up the beanstalk to their future fortune.

That fairy tale now mirrors reality as we look at the massive growth in GM seeds and their place in gardens and fields.

The seed market had grown to US$47 billion last year, with GM seed leading the growth. The big six companies that control 70 per cent of the seed, led by Monsanto, expect GM seed will account for 50 per cent of all seed and an increase in revenue to US$53 billion by 2018.

Monsanto has taken the global lead, largely by acquisition as it scooped up 50-plus seed and related companies since 1996.

It, DuPont and Land O’Lakes control half of the seed market globally and have cross-licensing agreements with all the big five. Monsanto GM seed alone now accounts for more than 80

per cent of American corn acres and over 90 per cent of U.S. soybean acres. Although over one billion farmers must rely on farmer-owned seeds, the right to patent seed and own the intellectual property is changing the field — and the garden — globally. (A quarter of the vegetable seed industry is controlled by Monsanto.)

It takes more than seed to grow a plant and the story of the giants would not be complete without considering the other inputs. Again, Monsanto is the monster in the room when it comes to chemical sales. Some analysts are starting to wonder if seed development is now targeted at seeds dependent on chemical, rather than created for the environment of the plant, the betterment of the farmer and the improvement of yield. I cannot say — but the tight relationship between seed and chemical dominance is a reality. The convergence of the two industries was ignited by the U.S. BayhDole Act in 1980, which allowed for the patenting of seed.

Agrium leads the world in fertilizer sales by revenue and

Yara leads the world in fertilizer sales by volume. As Agrium has sales on all three macro ingredients, the company may be unshakable with 1,500 facilities worldwide and a 26 per cent ownership share in MOPCO in Egypt. What is interesting about fertilizer is that these companies are somehow exempt from antitrust legislation. That has led to the ownership of over half the global fertilizer market by only 10 companies that clearly have control over the nutrients in the mix.

Two-thirds of global potash production is shared between Canada and Russia, with Saskatchewan home to half of the world reserves and 35 per cent of global capacity. Potash can only be found in 12 countries, but large players such as PotashCorp are deeply interlinked.

PotashCorp has interests and significant ownership in companies in Israel, Spain, Chile, China, Arab states and the U.K. The nucleus of power is also evident in the trade of agricultural commodities. For the grain trade there is a well-known acronym: ABCD, which stands for

ADM, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus. Collectively, they control between 75 per cent and 90 per cent of all global trade in grain. Cargill has the engine when it comes to grain trade. The family-owned company based in the U.S. started in 1865 and now employs 142,000 people. The 185 million tons of agricultural commodities traded each year travels on 450 ships from 28 export points and results in revenue of US$136.7 billion (2013).

ADM has 270 processing facilities and is big in transportation, with 27,400 rail cars, 52 ships, and 2,500 barges on the go at all times. Bunge is 195 years old and operates in 40 countries while Louis Dreyfus, the French company of 163 years of age, had sales last year of US$63 billion, but is so tightly run it has the highest profits.

Trading companies are also finance companies and are heavily involved in risk mitigation. Their threats come from the growth in retail giants that want more control right from the source and the emerging stateowned agribusinesses.

Ten retailers dominate the

world. In North America, Walmart has a workforce of 1.2 million and gobbles up 47 per cent of global market share with an approximate C$1,100 billion of action. It is untouchable, controlling 69 supermarket chains in 27 different countries. Lagging behind are the next two, Carrefour and Tesco.

Both buyer and seller, the retailer of today can set a price that trickles down to trader, processor and producer. At this time in history, no more than five retailers will control 80 per cent of all food sales within most nations on earth. (China is the exception where 62 per cent of all retail food is sold in small shops.)

Jack had no idea that when he climbed the beanstalk to riches that other global giants would come from the ground up to take the biggest share of his future and his fortune.

Brenda Schoepp is a farmer from Alberta who works as an international mentor and motivational speaker. She can be contacted through her website www.brendaschoepp.com. All rights reserved. Brenda Schoepp 2014

In Senegal, a land rush is pushing local farmers to the side Africans without formal title are losing their farms to international biofuel and cash crop companies From Farm Radio Weekly, published by Farm Radio International, a Canadian organization that works with farm broadcasters in sub-Saharan Africa

D

oudou Sow is furious. For the last 10 years, smallscale farmers in his area have been steadily losing their land to an influx of private investors. The Senegalese farmer says that outsiders have been purchasing fertile land in the Senegal River Valley where he has farmed for the last two decades.

Mr. Sow is a native of the Saint Louis Region in northern Senegal. He says, “I do not understand why hundreds of hectares are being given to outsiders when the priority should be to make land available to our own farmers.”

Policies in Senegal over the last decade have favoured large-scale acquisitions of farmland by both foreign and local investors. Highprofile schemes promoted agribusiness and biofuels. But the government of current President Macky Sall has been highly critical of the agricultural policies favoured by the previous administration under Abdoulaye Wade.

President Sall’s government, elected in 2012, is keen to review

land ownership, arguing that it has not been properly reviewed since the post-independence era. The major piece of land legislation in Senegal dates back to 1964 and stresses free access to land and the importance of communal ownership under state control.

Between 2000 and 2010, more than 650,000 hectares of land were allocated to 17 private firms. This accounts for about 17 per cent of Senegal’s available cropland. According to a regional advocacy group, Pan-African Institute for Citizenship, Consumers and Development, 10 of these firms are Senegalese and the others foreign owned.

Mariam Sow is the co-ordinator of the Natural Protection program for ENDA, an international NGO. Ms. Sow says, “These initiatives have led to a glut of private operators, including religious leaders and senior state officials, moving in on land in rural areas.”

She says the loss of farmland in areas like Gandon, 230 kilometres north of Dakar, is sapping farmers’ morale. She adds, “In losing their land… farmers lose a part of their identity.”

Many farmers agree strongly.

The grassroots-based Fanaye

Small farms have been the lifeblood of Senegal but are increasingly being squeezed out. Photo: Belgian Development agency Land Defence Association, based 430 kilometres north of Dakar, has expressed strong concern about changing patterns of land ownership.

Farmers in Fanaye say they need the state to show stronger support for local farmers. They are also disappointed that new landowners are failing to “add value” to the land they are buying by producing better crops and creating more employment for local people.

It is entirely legal for private

investors to acquire land. But it conflicts with local farmers’ customary legal rights, and the majority of farmers do not have formal title deeds.

Tensions are strong in the Senegal River Valley. But JeanPhilippe Tre, an agro-economist at the World Bank, assures smallscale farmers that the growing presence of agribusiness is not land grabbing, but rather the development of commercial agriculture.

The Italian-backed company,

Senhuile/Senethanol, acquired 20,000 hectares near Fanaye in 2011 by presidential decree. It has stated its intention to grow sweet potatoes to produce ethanol, and sunflower oil for export.

Locals were promised thousands of jobs, but only 30 people have been employed so far.

Younouss Ball is a member of the Fanaye Land Defence Association. He says, “Given such conditions, young people do not have a reason to stay, and so they leave for the towns.”

6

Off the front

DIGITAL } from page 1 been able to get Internet before, it is not only a game changer for the industry, it’s life changing for the people who can now get online,” said Mark Goldberg, a telecommunications consultant in Ontario.

The company’s plan goes far beyond the federal government’s pledge, announced in February’s budget, to ensure rural Canadians have access to five-mbps service by the end of the decade.

“There is tons of skepticism in the market about our ability to deliver on the anticipated speeds, but we are confident what we’re working on is going to overdeliver,” said Chris Johnston, Xplornet’s executive vicepresident of marketing.

“We’ll be doing two key things for customers. One, we’ll be delivering to homes that currently have fixed wireless or satellite service, just at faster speed.

It’s blistering speed for applications consumers want right now.

Two, we’ll be delivering to homes and businesses that currently don’t have Internet access at all or have really clunky dial-up access. Of about 14 million total dwellings in Canada, there are at minimum 2.5 million non-served or underserved dwellings.”

Xplornet will extend its network of towers, all of which will be upgraded starting this fall to offer 4G data service, and spend up to $475 million to buy capacity on two new satellites to be launched in 2016.

These satellites will “deliver speeds that have traditionally been associated with fibre optic cable,” said Johnston.

“With satellite technology, the lower cost to deliver (than fixed line technology) allows us to give a cost to customers not dissimilar to what that level of service would cost in an urban setting,” he said.

The cost will be “between $49 and $80 per month depending on the speed you want and data,” he added.

“The fact that a private company is making this kind of a commitment to invest in rural Canada on its own is tremendous,” said Goldberg.

Ottawa’s promise, which comes with a $305-million price tag, would have extended coverage to 250,000 but still left some rural and northern homes without broadband service, he said.

“Here we have a private-sector company investing to offer even higher speed to 100 per cent of Canada’s enormous landmass,” he said.

Xplornet’s pledge is not dependent on government funding, said Johnston.

“The recent announcement of federal funding is exciting for rural Canadians,” he said. “Xplornet may be eligible for some of those funds. However, our commitment to providing 100 per cent access to all Canadians will continue notwithstanding the federal government’s announcement.”

Already, the Alberta provincial government has committed to working with Xplornet.

In January 2013, the province and Xplornet signed a deal to provide satellite Internet access to a potential 4,600 households across central Alberta in areas with population densities of less than 40 households per 100 square kilometres.

“We consulted extensively with industry on our rural Internet strategy, and Internet service providers told us it was not cost effective to build infrastructure in rural areas, so satellite technology was the recommended approach,” said Jessica Johnson, director of communications with Service Alberta. “Xplornet was chosen through an open and transparent procurement process — it is the only provider of new 4G high-speed satellite services available to these areas.”

Perhaps most surprising is that Xplornet, with about 240,000 customers, is a small player in the telecommunications market.

august 18, 2014 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

There is tons of skepticism in the market about our ability to deliver on the anticipated speeds, but we are confident what we’re working on is going to overdeliver.”

Chris Johnston

“We are punching above our weight level in terms of geographic reach,” said Johnston.

“We are the only provider in the Internet marketplace that is national in nature, from coast to coast.”

But the business case for its high-speed initiative is solid, he said.

“We’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars. We wouldn’t

Xplornet’s Chris Johnston says high-speed broadband will be available to all of rural Canada by July 2017 following tower upgrades and the launch of next-generation satellites like the ViaSat-2. Photo: Xplornet; Illustration: ViaSat Inc. make that investment without real confidence.”

The company’s advantage is its focus on rural Canada, said Goldberg.

“You could say that anyone could invest in satellite technology,” he said. “But it’s one thing to have that bird in the air; it’s another to have a network across the country, dealers, people to do the installations and provide the

service and support. That’s not easy to replicate.”

Johnston said the timing of its high-speed rollout through Alberta is not yet certain, but should be announced within a year. The transition from 3G to 4G capacity (necessary to increase Internet speed to 25 mbps) on the fixed wireless towers will start this year and be complete by the end of 2015.

RAIL FIX } from page 1 and putting them in writing, he said.

“Right now, it’s mostly verbal,” said Erickson. “If you had it a (written) agreement, there would be more teeth in trying to get reciprocal payments and trying to get more accountability. What we’re looking for is more accountability and transparency in those agreements between grain handlers and the rail.”

Although the railways have decried Ottawa’s order to move more grain, it has had a positive effect on wheat basis in this province, he said.

“In Alberta, basis has gone down, which shows we still have end-users wanting our grain and we still have market for our grain.”

While he expects substantial improvements from the new

“If you had it a (written) agreement, there would be more teeth in trying to get reciprocal payments and trying to get more accountability.”

Kent Erickson

Irma farmer and Alberta Wheat Commission chair Kent Erickson predicts new rail legislation will produce real change. photo: alexis kienlen

rail legislation, Erickson said he understands why some farmers might be skeptical.

“History would say we’ve been here before. Bureaucracy and government hasn’t always been the most efficient in the past. We do have a number of initiatives that came through, like bringing the review up a year faster.”

And his and other organizations supporting Ottawa’s actions expect to see more progress, he said.

“The reciprocal penalties and the next step in this review really will tell whether the organizations that are supportive right now will continue to support the initiative. These two things are really important to get right.” akienlen@fbpcpublishing.com

7

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

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8

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Volunteer canola impact on soybean yield calculated A University of Manitoba student has come up with an economic threshold

By Allan Dawson staff

V

olunteer Roundup Ready canola in soybeans is unsightly, but what’s the yield impact?

University of Manitoba master’s degree student Paul Gregoire has an answer. On average soybean yields are cut by two per cent for each volunteer canola plant per square metre in fields where soybeans are planted in 10-inch rows.

Losses vary in 30-inch rows by one to three per cent per canola plant per square metre.

Gregoire, who is finalizing his

research, said on average the economic threshold to spray volunteer canola is 2.4 and 4.4 plants per square metre in soybean fields with row spacings of 10 and 30 inches, respectively.

However, the impact is more variable on fields with wider rows, Gregoire said. In some cases it pays to spray with as few as 1.5 plants per square metre, he said.

After counting volunteer canola plants in several soybean fields, Gregoire concluded it wouldn’t often pay to spray an entire field to remove the volunteer canola, which usually shows up in patches. However, some of those patches have 10 to 15 canola plants per square metre.

“So it might be important to look at those patches and deal with that,” he said. “But as a whole I didn’t find much for a whole field being a problem.”

However, besides the localized yield impact farmers might want to control them to prevent the harbouring of disease and insects, Gregoire said.

Each canola plant can drop 3,000 to 15,000 seeds per square metre, adding to the volunteer problem, he said.

Authority, Authority Charge and Focus are three herbicides newly registered in soybeans that suppress volunteer Roundup Ready canola before and soon after emergence.

Authority (sulfentrazone) can be tank mixed with glyphosate and applied pre-plant surface or pre-emergent surface to control kochia, lamb’s quarters, red root pigweed and wild buckwheat.

Authority Charge (cafentrazone and sulfentrazone) should be tank mixed with glyphosate.

Focus (carfentrazone and pyroxasulfone) can be applied before seeding and up to three days after. (Check label for complete details.)

Monsanto’s website says the best way to control volunteer canola in soybeans is starting with a clean field by applying Authority or Author-

Young egg producers offered a deal Egg Farmers of Alberta release

E

gg Farmers of Alberta has launched a youth development program to help attract young farmers into the industry.

The program will accept a maximum of 20 unregistered young egg farmers on a first-come, first-serve basis, for a maximum of 10 years. The program will ensure eggs from participating farms are produced in accordance with industry standards for on-farm food safety and animal care. Compliance will earn participants a 50 per cent levy rebate.

The program is intended to complement the newentrant program, said Susan Gal, general manager of the Egg Farmers of Alberta.

“Adding new farmers is always an exciting time for our industry, in terms of growth and gaining new perspectives, but the youth development program adds an entirely new twist of being able to cultivate those who could become part of the next generation of Alberta egg farmers,” said Gal. In Alberta, quota is not required until you have more than 300 laying hens. Ungraded eggs can be sold to people who will be consuming them themselves. But eggs must be graded, and a marketing levy paid, if they’re to be sold to restaurants and stores.

Buy and Sell

anything you need through the

BayerCropScience.ca/InVigor or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. InVigor® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group.

Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

1-800-665-1362 FS:8.35” F:8.7”

“So it might be important to look at those patches and deal with that.”

Paul Gregoire

ity Charge, Heat or Valtera before seeding. If an in-crop application is required, Odyssey at the low rate or Viper ADV herbicide can be used, the site says. allan@fbcpublishing.com

T:17.4”

9

Albertafarmexpress.ca • august 18, 2014

Preventing well problems easier than fixing them Guarding against surface contamination and periodic testing are key to maintaining a high-quality water supply AARD release

R

T:17.4”

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

ural Albertans can benefit by understanding how water gets to their wells, says a provincial water expert.

“There’s a myth out there that Alberta’s groundwater flows in underground rivers,” says Steve Wallace with the Water Policy Branch of Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.

“For the most part, groundwater moves very slowly through pore spaces, fractures or fissures in rock and soil — more like a complex filtration system than a river.”

Understanding the slowmoving nature of groundwater is important because it has implications when it comes to how aquifers become contaminated and how difficult they are to clean up.

It typically takes a long time

for contaminants to move within an aquifer or from one aquifer to another. Most often contamination comes from the surface and not from adjacent aquifers. The slow-moving nature of these waterbodies also makes them difficult to clean up once contaminated.

“A contaminated well can be a real challenge to correct,” says Ken Williamson, a rural water specialist with the Working Well program. “It’s much easier to prevent a problem than to fix one.”

The unique way groundwater passes through soil and gravel also affects the chemical and mineral content of the water and its drinkability.

Since each aquifer is unique, it is important that periodic water testing be performed to determine the natural chemical and mineral content of the water. This testing can help a well owner determine if a filtration system should be used for household drinking water. Some natural minerals can be harmful to humans and need to be removed by filtration prior to consumption of the water. For example, fluoride is naturally present in most Alberta water and in small amounts it is considered beneficial. But high fluoride levels found in some aquifers may cause dental staining in small children, as well as other issues.

T:11.428”

Well owners have a responsibility to protect their water wells and keep groundwater resources healthy and clean for future generations.

O-66-07/14-10238268-E

F:8.7”

Baseline testing prior to nearby development can be important when changes in water quality are noticed and a landowner suspects it was caused by the negligent actions of a third party. If regular testing has been done, the results can be used to help determine if the water quality was good prior to a particular event or date in time.

If baseline testing has never been done, there is no empirical evidence that the water quality has declined.

Well owners have a responsibility to protect their water wells and keep groundwater resources healthy and clean for future generations. Understanding the basics of where groundwater comes from is the first step in meeting that obligation.

Online resources and community-based workshops offered by the Working Well program provide well owners with the information and tools they need to properly care for their wells.

For more information, see www. workingwell.alberta.ca.

NEWS » Markets

10

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Rain hurts Ukraine harvest

U.S. land prices jump again

Ukraine is set to produce more wheat for animal feed and less higher-grade bread-making grain this year because of rain damage. New-crop wheat futures in Paris hit a four-year low as traders priced in the prospect of a glut of cheaper animal-feed wheat after several European countries saw repeated rain. More supplies of cheap wheat of low quality could dent foreign currency earnings to the country, already hit by conflict with pro-Russian rebels. It will also likely ease competition with Russia, where the quality of wheat is high this year. — Reuters

The value of U.S. farmland rose about eight per cent in the past year, with the biggest increase in the northern Plains while Corn Belt prices remain the highest.

Farm real estate values, which include land and buildings, averaged $2,950 per acre in 2014, according to a USDA survey. The northern Plains, where farmers have expanded corn plantings at the expense of wheat, saw the biggest jump in overall real estate values at 16.3 per cent. Corn Belt farmland averaged $7,000 an acre, with Iowa prices hitting $8,750 an acre, up 9.4 per cent since 2013. — Reuters

U.S. soy futures should set canola’s path for now The Prairie crop’s size will be tough to call

By Terryn Shiells

I

CE Futures Canada’s canola futures were slightly higher during the week ended Aug. 8, but remained in their recent trading range as the market makes time until Canadian crop prospects are clearer.

Statistics Canada releases its first production estimates for 2014-15 on Aug. 21, but its guesses won’t be given much attention as the survey was done before farmers were able to get out into the fields to get a good feeling on yields. True production prospects won’t be fully known until farmers start getting into their fields and harvesting, especially with the variability of crop conditions seen across Western Canada this year.

In the interim, Canadian canola futures will likely continue to follow the Chicago soybean market, with the potential to break lower if beneficial weather continues in the U.S. Midwest until harvest.

Traders were also anxiously awaiting the release of the Aug. 12 monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture supply-anddemand report during the week, as it will feature the first surveyed production estimates for U.S. crops of the year.

Soybean futures will react depending on USDA’s projections for 2014-15 U.S. production and demand, with canola futures likely to go along for the ride.

Corn and wheat futures will also be watching the USDA report, with traders expected to mostly focus on U.S. supply and demand.

If bearish news comes out of the report, U.S. wheat, corn and soybean futures could all start to tumble again after making gains during the week ended Aug. 8.

Weather premium

Soybeans were up with chart-based buying after recent losses were thought to be overdone. The need to keep some weather premium built into prices, as the U.S. bean crop isn’t fully made yet, was also supportive, as was steady demand.

But the U.S. crop looks good and forecasts were calling for favourable weather conditions. If beneficial rain and cooler weather are seen in August, prices could start to drift lower again.

Most Chicago corn futures finished the week with slight advances, also lifted by technical buying as the market was oversold. Record-large U.S. crop prospects continued to overhang the futures. Some industry members have said that due to good weather so far this growing season, the U.S. corn crop is “pretty much made.”

U.S. wheat futures saw some upward price movement during the week; Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) futures finished with the largest gains. Minneapo-

file photo lis futures were up slightly, while Kansas futures finished mixed.

Worries about excess moisture disrupting harvest and causing quality problems in parts of the euro zone helped to lift prices, as did signs of improving demand for U.S. wheat.

On the other side, continued good prospects for U.S. spring wheat and expectations of large global supplies remained bearish.

News that Russia has banned certain agricultural imports from countries that have placed sanctions against it, including Canada and the U.S., has the potential to impact North American grain and oilseed markets. But it didn’t have much influence on the markets during the week, other than a little initial nervousness that Russia may add to its list of banned products, which doesn’t yet include grains. In

Canada and the U.S., the ban will have its biggest impact on the pork and beef industries.

For wheat, there was some talk that the political problems in Russia and Ukraine may slow wheat exports out of the region,

but that has become a non-issue for the time being.

Terryn Shiells writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

For three-times-daily market reports from Resource News International, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates” at www.albertafarmexpress.ca.

11

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Head and shoulders top signals soy sell-off market outlook } After a top is completed, a minimum price objective can be

forecasted by measuring the vertical distance from the head to the neckline By david drozd

T

he November 2014 soybean futures contract has lost over $2 per bushel in the past two months. Once prices dropped below $12, a classic chart formation referred to as a head and shoulders top was completed and prices quickly plunged to the pattern’s minimum price objective of $11.31.

Head and shoulders top

The head and shoulders top is considered the most reliable chart formation for indicating a reversal of the trend and for having the greatest forecasting value.

The head and shoulders top is composed of three successive price advances, with the second rally reaching a higher level than either of the other two.

The left shoulder (Point A) in the accompanying chart, marks the end of a substantial price rise, followed by a downward reaction. In the price rise forming the left shoulder, the trading volume should be higher than in any other phase of the pattern.

Another rally follows which exceeds the left shoulder and forms the head (Point B). Trading activity is high, but not usually as great as the formation of the left shoulder.

A second pullback should culminate at approximately the same price level as the first reaction.

A third rally forms the right shoulder (Point C), but it fails to get as high as the head. The volume during the formation of the right shoulder must be less than that of either the left shoulder or head or the pattern may be false.

This pullback is seen as another chance to get long, so prices begin to move up for the third and final time.

During the third price advance, it will appear to the longs who are suffering losses that the market is going to bail them out. However, right shoulder highs tend to fall short of expectations, as the buying power has been virtually exhausted.

Never seeing their positions move into the plus column on the third and final advance of the head and shoulders top formation is unsettling to the longs. As prices complete the right shoulder and begin to decline, these longs become willing sellers in order to limit their losses.

When the price drops below the reaction lows, all new long positions are losing money, so the market is poised for the start of a

new downward move caused by long liquidation.

The head and shoulders pattern is completed when the price penetrates the neckline (Point D), which is a line drawn from left to right, connecting the bottoms of the two reactions.

After a top is completed, a minimum price objective can be forecasted by measuring the vertical distance from the head to the neckline and then projecting this distance down from the point of the neckline penetration. This price objective is a minimum forecast. The longer the time period required for the head and shoulders top formation to form, the greater will be the ensuing move.

Chart formations such as the head and shoulders top are reliable tools that farmers are adopting to determine future price direction.a

Send your questions or comments about this article and chart to info@ag-chieve.ca.

David Drozd is president and senior market analyst for Winnipegbased Ag-Chieve Corporation.

The opinions expressed are those of the writer and are solely

intended to assist readers with a better understanding of technical analysis. Visit Ag-Chieve online at www.ag-chieve.ca for information about our grainmarketing advisory service and to see our latest grain market analysis. You can call us toll free at 1-888-274-3138 for a free consultation.

Market psychology

The behaviour of speculative participants during the development of this classic formation is quite predictable. On the advance forming the left shoulder, the shorts are on the run covering their positions, while longs who have been enjoying the ride begin selling to take profits, so trading activity is very heavy.

As the buying and selling subsides, the market undergoes a normal correction which attracts buyers and prices begin moving up again.

When prices on this upward leg surpass the left shoulder, buyers are attracted to the market who not only missed the preceding bull move, but also the opportunity to buy during the decline.

This advance forms the head and as prices reach a new high many traders will interpret the move as an indication another substantial price advance has begun. However, the surge of buying climaxes at the head and a second decline begins.

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12

news » livestock

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

New egg farmers chosen

Design your own dugout

There were seven successful applicants to the Egg Farmers of Alberta’s new entrant program, which helps would-be egg producers get started by providing quota for up to 1,500 birds at no cost. Since it was set up in 2012, 10 per cent of all new quota for the province is set aside for new entrants. There were 40 applicants and the successful ones are: Esther Weisse (Lethbridge), Silver Valley Colony (Bonanza), Vanessen Enterprises Ltd. (Coaldale), Lougheed Colony (Lougheed), Richard and Mandy Molenaar (Grande Prairie), Tara Warkentin (Fort Vermilion), and Leslie Sax (Neerlandia). — Egg Farmers of Alberta release

The Peace Country Beef and Forage Association is holding a dam and dugout design workshop with Jesse Lemieux of Pacific Permaculture on Aug. 19 at Brownstone and on Aug. 21 at Fourth Creek. The workshops will help participants use their landscape to fill their dugouts every year; maximize water and infrastructure efficiency through site selection; and learn the survey techniques to help design and implement their own projects. The cost is $20 for members ($35 for farm pair) or $25 for non-members ($40 for farm pair).

To register, call Monika at 780-523-4033. — AARD release

“At 100 cows for 100 days, that saves you about $7,000 if you’re using barley…”

Swath grazing cereals saves half of overwintering costs in beef cattle With new higher-yielding, higher-quality forage cereals in the works, there has never been a better time for beef cattle producers to try swath grazing cereals

By Jennifer Blair af staff / lacombe

S

wath grazing cereals could save producers almost half the cost of overwintering cattle, says a federal forage researcher.

“Extended grazing practices like swath grazing, bale grazing, and grazing second-cut grasses in the fall are one of the most effective ways to reduce your overwintering costs of beef cows,” Vern Baron said at the Lacombe Field Day in late July.

“By swath grazing barley, which is the most popular, you can save about 42 per cent of what you would be spending on keeping cows over winter in a feedlot or feeding site.”

“If you’re using triticale, which yields more and costs about the same, you could save as much as $12,000 compared to traditional methods.”

Vern Baron

For every dollar producers spend feeding grain and hay mixtures over the winter, he said, they save around 58 cents. If it costs close to $2 a day to overwinter a cow, producers stand to save around $1.20 per cow per day — savings that really add up in larger herds.

“At 100 cows for 100 days, that saves you about $7,000 if you’re using barley,” said Baron, adding that barley costs around $90 an acre to grow to swath-grazing stage.

“We made really big improvements in the cost of overwintering cattle by using barley, because with barley, our savings are coming from not having to harvest and bale or make silage, haul it, process it, feed it, and take manure out.”

And the savings are even higher when swath grazing triticale.

“Triticale is cheaper,” he said, adding that growing triticale costs around $130 an acre.

“When it’s planted at a time that it can be swathed in September for swath grazing, it yields twice as much. Something that costs about the same and yields twice as much is going to cost

Beef cattle producers can save thousands of dollars by swath grazing cereals over the winter, says Vern Baron. Photo: Jennifer Blair you about half on a per-cow per-day basis.

“If you’re using triticale, which yields more and costs about the same, you could save as much as $12,000 compared to traditional methods.”

Cereal breeders in Lacombe and across the Prairies have been working to improve yield and quality in both triticale and barley to make them more appealing for swath grazing, said Pat Juskiw, a barley breeder with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

“One of the things we’ve been able to

identify is that fibre digestibility does differ between different genotypes,” she said. “We have selections with improved fibre digestibility, especially in the barley.”

Gadsby — a general-purpose barley — has been popular among grazers for its improved digestibility, but Falcon is a “hot variety” because of its increased biomass yields. And new ones are coming down the line.

An as-yet unnamed variety (FB 439) has high yield and high quality, making it a superior “silage or forage type,” she said, while a new triticale variety (94L) also

has high biomass yields and better forage quality.

“Another thing you might want in a forage triticale is the reduced awn trait, and Taza has that reduced awn trait,” said Juskiw.

With these improved varieties and the economics of overwintering cattle, swath grazing cereals will become a more attractive option for producers, said Baron.

“There never has been a time when you have as many choices for using cereals for forage as there is now.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

13

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Lead poisoning an ever-increasing cattle problem beff 911 } There have already been a couple

of cases this year, both caused by batteries

By Roy Lewis DVM

E

ven with ever-increasing education on the matter, lead poisoning is still the No. 1 toxic cause of death we see as veterinarians in cattleproducing areas, especially for calves.

This article will review the disease, the common sources of lead for cattle, and the circumstances where they occur.

Hopefully, this will result in fewer deaths from lead exposure, which in most cases are highly preventable.

Years ago, lead-based paints were commonly used and of course we had leaded gas, where a lot of that lead would end up in the used oil. These two sources have pretty much been eliminated. But the burning of old buildings will still concentrate the lead in the ashes, so proper disposal of the ashes and debris from the site is critical.

Acute lead poisoning is almost always the result of the accidental consumption of high concentrations of lead. The No. 1 source is consumption of the lead plates in broken-down vehicle batteries.

The lead pieces and fragments congregate in the reticulum (first stomach). From here the lead is absorbed into the bloodstream and causes the very dramatic symptoms we see as veterinarians: convulsive fits, head pressing, hyperactivity or manic behaviour, and blindness (which has always been permanent in the cases I have treated) followed by death in most cases. Veterinarians must rule out other nervous causes of disease. In the case of batteries most times there is more than one animal involved and commonly it is younger ones, as they are inquisitive.

If found alive and down in a convulsive fit, they are often

euthanized and a post-mortem done. The key here is to confirm the diagnosis, and find the source of lead so further cases don’t develop and treat those animals that are treatable. Safeguards need to be put in place so further exposures don’t occur.

To confirm the diagnosis, your veterinarian may do several things. An autopsy may reveal lead pieces in the reticulum and a kidney can be sent away to confirm a high lead level.

Blood can also be checked on live animals.

Finding the source of lead and removing it so more cattle are not affected may mean walking and scouring pastures for discarded batteries or other sources of lead. For live animals, veterinarians may use such things as sedatives for hyper animals and giving calcium EDTA to tie up the lead. In my experience, some do make it, but often you are left with a blind animal.

Then the issue of slaughter withdrawal comes into question. Because of some recent heavy losses from lead poisoning in Alberta feedlots, this was studied extensively by government toxicologists. There are known acceptable levels in meat and the half-life of lead has been calculated to be right around two months.

This means it takes two months to excrete half the lead, two months the next half and so on. Depending on the amount consumed, the safe time for consumption can be determined. The lead goes into liver, kidneys and bone, so depending on intake, euthanasia may be considered. Big pieces of lead stay in the rumen and are absorbed continually, which is another cause for euthanasia.

Prevention of lead poisoning is the absolute key.

We ideally don’t want to ever have to treat poisoning in the first place. It is not a pretty death. Even if found alive, our

When replacing batteries, ensure the old one is kept out of reach of livestock. PHOTo: THINKSTOCK success will be poor. Add to this the fact that saved cattle are often blind and we need to keep them a long time before they are fit for consumption.

So in order to minimize encounters between cattle and lead batteries, try and keep the following points in mind: • H ave a recycling policy and temporary storage area for old batteries. In other words, don’t have a huge pile of batteries sitting where cattle can gain access.

• If you use electric battery fencers, remove the batteries in the fall or have them enclosed where grazing cattle can’t reach.

• C heck new pastures thoroughly for old yard sites, junk piles, or deserted vehicles where batteries may be found.

• W hen changing batteries in vehicles immediately remove the old one to your storage site.

There have been a few catastrophic incidences of lead poisoning. Many cases of lead poisoning and death occurred at a

Livestock industry lobbying, American style Pork council spokesman says incoming president might have been talking turkey Staff

T

he incoming president of the National Pork Producers Council in the U.S. was arrested July 23 when officers at a congressional office building found a loaded 9mm Ruger handgun in his bag, the Washington Post reports.

Ronald William Prestage, 59, who lives in Camden, S.C., was charged with carrying a handgun outside a home or office. He is president of Prestage Farms in South Carolina, which produces hogs and turkey at several locations in the U.S. Prestage is scheduled to take over as president of the NPPC next March. An NPPC spokesman said the meeting that Prestage was attending at the building did not involve the pork group, but

Two people in one week were arrested for packing heat at a Washington congressional building. added that he also does lobbying work for the National Turkey Federation.

It was the second time in five days that police said they caught someone with a loaded gun at

the building. On July 18, the press secretary for a Pennsylvania Republican was charged with a gun offence. His attorney said he forgot he had the weapon in a bag.

feedlot where evidence suggests a large implement battery was mistakenly ground up through a feed-mixer and fed to the cattle.

It is alarming how many cattle can be killed by one vehicle battery. What started as a very innocent mistake had disastrous consequences for the feedlot.

Any changing of batteries should occur in a shop or the old battery stored away safe immediately. Lead was also used in older vehicles as filler for the body work so it is another source of lead.

The battery though has a huge amount of lead in it and with the chemical reaction in the battery, the plates are salty-like so taste good to cattle. Old batteries crack and break from the freezing/thawing process over time so the internal plates are exposed.

Other oddball cases of lead poisoning were oilpatch-based stuff left in a junk pile. Overshooting of animals for butchering with lead bullets has resulted in meat contamination.

The precisely placed head shot with the proper-calibre bullet by skilled marksmen is the proper way to butcher to avoid this issue. Studies done on hunting submissions have at times found high lead levels.

Pass the word about the danger of lead in batteries. Be on the lookout for discarded batteries in and around yard sites. You may inadvertently find other sources of poisons such as bags of urea, soil sterilants sprays all of which could have toxic effects to all animals including wildlife.

Let’s keep the environment cleaner, recycle those used batteries and try and minimize any chance of lead poisoning in our cattle. If you see other yard sites where batteries are in the open, suggest the producers recycle them. I have heard of a couple of cases already this summer and both were batteries.

Roy Lewis was a practising largeanimal veterinarian in Westlock for more than 30 years. He is a parttime technical services vet for Merck Animal Health.

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

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14

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Study on dark cutters aimed at boosting the bottom line The goal is to figure out which animals are most prone to this costly condition and how to better manage them

By Dianne Finstad af contributor

I

n the quest for ever-improving beef quality, scientists are taking a new look at an age-old challenge: dark cutters.

Those are the animals that get the B4 grade and discount, and exhibit the unsightly darker-red colour and associated toughness in the meat, along with reduced shelf life.

Dark cutting shows up more often during the hottest months, and has been on the rise overall recently. It’s no secret that it’s a stress-related condition, but there are some mysteries about the cause and effect. That prompted the Beef Cattle Research Council to fund a study by Heather Bruce at the University of Alberta. The project, which is nearing the halfway point, is a followup to one done under the first Beef Science Cluster, widening the scope of the work back from the processors to include feedlots. It marks the first research focus on dark cutters in at least a decade.

“We’ve had three really great feedlots to work with,” said Bruce, associate professor of carcass and meat science. “Fortunately, feedlots tend to keep records on grading, so we’ve been gathering data from them, as well as from Alberta Agriculture.”

Some physical characteristics may be useful in determining which animals are most at risk, she said.

A bright-red colour is key to grading high and avoiding a steep discount. Photo: courtesy Canada Beef Inc. “For instance, any animal that has eight to 10 millimetres of fat, and is most likely to grade AAA, they are least likely to dark cut.

The AA are more at risk of dark cutting, but we’re still in the process of describing those animals more completely.”

The story behind what’s considered ‘classic dark cutters’ is fairly straightforward. The figures show they tend to happen in large numbers, and can often be traced back to circumstantial reasons, such as when a processing line goes down and the cattle are trucked away

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to be fed and then shipped back again.

“That’s usually a recipe for dark cutters,” said Bruce. “And it’s nobody’s fault. Cattle just don’t do well with loading and unloading.”

Hot weather is another common trigger as animals need to keep eating and drinking to keep energy flowing to the muscles.

“Heat reduces the cattle’s appetite. They’re in an energy deficit because they’re not eating, and drawing on their muscle stores.”

Wet days are also rough.

“You’ll get 30 to 70 per cent dark cutting on the day, if animals get wet and shiver,” said Bruce, adding days with big temperature swings are also harder on cattle.

Both Beef Cattle Research Council studies have focused on three categories of cattle — regular AA, classic dark cutters, and what Bruce refers to as ‘atypical dark’ cutters. They’re ones with muscle pH levels under 6.0, and at times their colour returns to normal.

“We see them every day (at processors), and we don’t understand why they’re occurring. The classic dark cutters, with the pH over 6.0, we understand completely what’s happening there. The animals have experienced too many stressful situations, and you’ve just whittled down their reserves.”

The atypical group holds the biggest potential for improvement, she said.

“I definitely think some on-farm management could be tweaked in order to minimize the atypical population.”

Bruce and her team are also looking at feedlot data to see if there’s more susceptibility in heifers compared to steers. That’s being compared to figures from a large Alberta abattoir as well.

Other aspects being studied include management tools, such as growth promotants and betaagonists. The genetic factor is also being examined through DNA samples.

“We’ll look at the genetics of animals we consider to be extremes,

to see if there are any particular genes that are going to stand out, particularly in the atypical group.”

Dark-cutting animals typically represent about two per cent of the total beef population in a year.

So why the focus?

When Bruce first pitched her research idea, the industry cost was in the neighbourhood of $1.5 million annually.

“It adds up every year, and also, to the producers who are affected, it’s devastating.”

Heather Bruce

“But it adds up every year, and also, to the producers who are affected, it’s devastating, because the animal’s worth goes from an A grade, to a cow grade’s worth, which is a pretty substantial drop in value.”

The hope is to find a way to identify animals most likely to cut dark, so they could be separated for some extra attention.

Once animals more susceptible to dark cutting can be better described, along with potential contributing behaviours, it will be up to feedlot operators and abattoirs to weigh the economic risks versus rewards of any actions.

But the increasing attention on animal welfare is likely to play a role in the discussion.

“The industry is really focused on this, and has been very supportive of our research,” said Bruce. “We’ve learned a lot about dark cutters. Our work is trying to help every stage of the beef value chain to minimize the problem as much as possible, because it hurts everybody.”

15

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Alberta Chicken Producers welcomes update to poultry care code Group’s chair says province’s broiler producers are already adhering to expected changes and process ‘will validate what we’re doing’

BY GLENN CHEATER AF STAFF

A

n initiative to update the animal care code of practice for poultry is being welcomed by the chair of Alberta Chicken Producers.

“We already have an animal care program in the province that is mandatory for our producers,” said Erna Ference. “All of our farmers are certified and on that program.

From what I understand, they will be updating the best practices for the care of their poultry.

“We’re already up to that level with our animal care program and so this will validate what we’re doing as farmers. So that’s a good-news story.”

There are about 230 broiler pro-

BRIEFS Input sought on watershed report The Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance is looking for input on its draft ‘state of the watershed’ document.

“The group held meetings in communities throughout the watershed in 2012-13 and commissioned scientific reports on issues and conditions in the watershed,” said Adam Norris, watershed co-ordinator.

“Since then, we have been busy building a document called the state of the watershed that paints a picture of the Peace and Slave watersheds,” said Norris.

The alliance will be hosting community meetings and webinars in fall 2014 to review the document.

The draft document can be found at www.mightypeacewatershedalliance. org.

ducers in the province, and all are audited annually to ensure they are meeting the animal care standards, said Ference.

The two biggest changes in her sector in recent years, she said, have been an increase in the space provided to broilers and a ban on adding Category 1 antibiotics (ones that are important in human medicine) to poultry feed. That change went into effect in May. Thefederalgovernmentannounced in late July that it will provide $2.3 million to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition to update poultry codes and further advance best practices for poultry care.

The key is that the work will be conducted by scientists and veterinarians, and will be scientifically based — and that’s exactly what producers want, said Ference, who

operates Foothills Poultry south of Black Diamond with her husband, Reg Ference.

“It’s amazing the research that has been coming out and how things have changed,” she said. “As new technology becomes available, we would like to adopt it.”

Broiler producers have also learned that improving poultry welfare standards doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition, she said.

For example, the change in density — the amount of space allotted to each chicken — was “a huge one” for her sector because it meant producers had to alter or expand their barns, or build new ones.

Density is measured in kilograms per square metre (kg/m2) and under the former guidelines, producers could have a density as high as 44 kg/m2. That meant they could have

Erna Ference 20 market-ready birds (weighing 2.2 kilograms each) per square metre.

The new mandatory standard reduces that to a range of between 31 kg/m2 (about 14 market-ready birds) and a maximum of 38 kg/m2 (just over 17 birds), providing they meet specific standards in regard to

mortality, air quality, and other factors depending on conditions and equipment in the barn.

The density change was phased in over three years and all Alberta producers are now compliant. Many are finding an unexpected upside, said Ference.

“I think one thing farmers have found is there has been an unintended consequence, which is that by giving them more space, they are happier and they are growing bigger.”

The Chicken Farmers of Canada has also welcomed a review of the current code and pledged to update its animal care program to incorporate any changes. Revisions to the code are expected to be completed by early 2015. glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com

Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture Competition

Join the young Canadians who are speaking up for agriculture.

Williamson new CEO of Ag for Life

Are you passionate about agriculture? Do you enjoy sharing your views with others?

Join the upcoming Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition.

Luree Williamson is replacing David Sprague as CEO of Ag for Life, who is retiring at the end of the month.

Since joining Ag for Life in 2011, Sprague’s accomplishments include the launch of Ag for Life and the investment of over $3 million in agricultural education and rural and farm safety programming reaching close to 50,000 children, youth and adults throughout Alberta. Williamson is currently director of development and communications for the organization, which promotes public understanding around the agricultural industry. It is supported by various sectors including agri-services, energy, financial and notfor-profit organizations, along with farmers, ranchers and community leaders.

— Ag for Life release

As part of this unique competition, contestants prepare a five-to seven-minute speech on one of five agriculture-related topics and present it in public.

Cash prizes are available for two age groups: Junior (11 to 15) and Senior (16 to 24).

The 30th annual Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition takes place on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario.

For competition rules, a list of speaking topics and accommodation assistance please visit www.cysa-joca.ca.

The application deadline is Sept. 30, 2014.

Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture.

It’s your time to shine.

16

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

El Niño forecast scaled back

Farms blamed for ‘dead zone’

A U.S. weather forecaster scaled down its estimate for the chances of the El Niño weather phenomenon occurring during autumn and early winter in the Northern Hemisphere to 65 per cent, from July’s estimate of 80 per cent.

“The consensus of forecasters expects El Niño to emerge during August-October and to peak at weak strength during the late fall and early winter,” the Climate Prediction Center said in its latest monthly update.

The agency downplayed the possibility of a strong El Niño, saying there was a higher chance of a weak to moderate event. — Reuters

Scientists say a man-made “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is as big as the state of Connecticut. The zone, about 13,000 square kilometres, is the second largest in the world, but still smaller than in previous years. It is so named because it contains no oxygen, or too little, at the Gulf floor to support bottom-dwelling fish and shrimp.

Nutrient run-off from farms along the Mississippi River is being blamed as the main cause.

“It’s a poster child for how we are using and abusing our natural resources,” said Gene Turner, a researcher at Louisiana State University’s Coastal Ecology Institute. — Reuters

Myth or Fact? Test your weather knowledge Are we closer to the sun in summer? Does El Niño bring warm winters?

And what about red skies and lightning bolts out of the blue?

A

By Daniel Bezte

s we just passed the middle of summer and some of us are starting to think about fall and back to school, I thought maybe we could take a look at a few weather facts and myths that I’ve heard over the years.

The first weather fact or myth is probably the one that drives me the craziest, so much so that I spend a little extra time when I teach Grade 9 astronomy to try and clear this one up.

Fact or Myth? We are warmer in the summer because Earth is closer to the sun. This is a myth. It is true that the orbit of the Earth is not circular, so at different times of the year we are closer or farther away from the sun. The average distance to the sun is about 150 million kilometres. In the summer we are actually farther away from the sun at about 153 million kilometres and in the winter we are closest at about 147 million. It is the increased day length along with the higher sun angle in the summer that gives us the warmer temperatures.

Fact or Myth? El Niño brings warm winters to our part of the world. This is neither. El Niño can set up a general atmospheric circulation pattern that favours milder winter weather in our region, but this is not a guarantee. Looking back at the last dozen or so El Niño winters, we find just less than half of them had milder-than-average temperatures. The remaining years were almost split between being around average or colder than average. So I guess if you were to say that El Niño years favour near- to warmer-than-average temperatures, then most of the time you would be right.

Fact or Myth? Red sky at morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, sailors’ delight.

This quote is found in the Bible and in Shakespeare’s work. This is another one that is not quite fact, but it is not a myth, either.

Weather patterns in our part of the world, for the most part, move from west to east. Sunrises and sunsets tend to be red if there are particles in the atmosphere that help to scatter

the light coming in from the sun.

These particles usually remain airborne due to the atmosphere being stable (high pressure). So if we see a red sky in the evening it can often mean that stable air is located to our west and should be moving in. In the morning, stable air is to our east and is moving away. I have to add a little bit to the morning part. Often, in the morning, if clouds are moving in from the west as the sun is rising this will create a red sky and I think this is probably a better explanation for the second part of the quote.

Fact or Myth? Low pressure inside of a tornado causes buildings to explode. Definitely a myth. While the pressure is lower inside a tornado it is not that sudden drop in pressure that destroys buildings, it is the incredibly fast-moving winds that do all the damage. So don’t worry about opening your windows to try and equalize the pressure. Just find the safest place in your home if you see a tornado approaching.

Fact or Myth? The sky above you is clear so you can’t get hit by lightning. This is a myth.

Ever hear the term “out of the blue” as in “a bolt out of the blue?” That term originated from lightning that seems to come out of a clear blue sky. While it is a myth that lightning can come out of a clear blue sky, lightning can occasionally travel upwards of 30 kilometres sideways from an existing thunderstorm. This means that while it might be clear where you are, it doesn’t mean you can’t get hit by lightning from nearby storms.

Fact or Myth? Animals can sense a change in the weather before we can. This is a tough one. If you have ever owned animals, you will probably say this is fact. I know I have seen it, usually with thunderstorms. Some research shows animals can hear thunder from farther away or they can sense a change in air pressure that may be associated with bad weather moving in, and this can give them the ability to sense bad weather a few minutes earlier than us. Other research has shown very little correlation between animal behaviour and

weather. I think I will leave this one up to you.

Fact or Myth? If a tornado is approaching take shelter in the southwest corner of your basement. Another myth. Tornadoes can move in any direction and often change direction very quickly. Also, tornado winds are swirling around the tornado and therefore it is almost impossible to sit there and watch

a tornado approach, figure out which part of the tornado will hit you, decide the wind direction, and then seek the appropriate location for shelter — by then it is too late and you probably guessed wrong anyways. Find shelter in the sturdiest location of your home. This location will differ depending on the design of your house. In our part of the world, if you have a basement

with a space under the stairs, this is often a good choice — unless it is where you store all your glass jars!

Daniel Bezte is a teacher by profession with a BA (Hon.) in geography, specializing in climatology, from the U of W. He operates a computerized weather station near Birds Hill Park.

Contact him with your questions and comments at daniel@bezte.ca.

This issue’s map shows the total precipitation across agricultural Alberta during the 30-day period ending Aug. 5. East-central regions were the wettest, with moderately high to high amounts of rain falling roughly from Edmonton down towards Medicine Hat. Farther west conditions were much drier with low to extremely low amounts of rain falling in the region that runs roughly north-south from Lethbridge through Calgary, west of Edmonton, and then up into the central Peace River region.

T:10.25”

17

Blackleg video released The Canola Council of Canada wants growers to bone up on blackleg management.

“After 15 to 20 years of good control from resistant varieties alone, growers may have to implement other practices to protect canola yields and preserve the efficacy of genetic resistance on some fields,” says agronomy specialist Clint Jurke.

“Growers and agronomists who may have forgotten what the disease looks like and how to manage it will have to rebuild their knowledge and experience base.”

The council has released a new video (available at www.youtube.com/canolacouncil) on identifying the disease and how genetic resistance works. — CCC release

A picture is worth 1,000 words — if it’s done right Your best bet is an ‘idiot-proof camera,’ not a smartphone, when it comes to digital diagnosis

By Jennifer Blair af staff / olds

M

“If you have poor photography coupled with little or no background information, it’s going to make my job very, very difficult.”

Kelly Turkington

But there’s a problem — most of the smartphone pics sent to Turkington are “so-so.”

“If you have poor photography

More is better

Turkington usually takes between five to 10 pictures of the same plant tissue and then chooses the images that most clearly show the issue.

“I also take several pictures of both mature symptoms and symptoms that are just starting to develop,” he said, adding different disease stages can provide better context for the issue.

Near and far

“Often I will… be sent pictures, a lovely picture of a leaf, but nothing else in that field and certainly not the root system,” Turkington said.

“It’s very difficult to tell issues when you’re not zooming in and providing some context in terms of what you’re looking at.”

In some cases, he takes samples to his office and scans them.

“It can be very hard to take a nice clear, in-focus picture that’s not blurry out in the field,” he said.

“So I use the scanner to do the job for me.”

But for those in-field shots, Turkington recommends “an idiotproof camera” over a smartphone or an expensive DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera.

“I just set it to auto everything — auto focus, auto exposure, auto-

This high-resolution picture clearly shows septoria leaf spot. Kelly Turkington takes several shots of the same issue to ensure he gets a clear shot of the problem. Photo: Kelly Turkington shutter speed — and it’s very easy to take pictures,” he said.

“A more expensive camera doesn’t necessarily mean better pictures.”

Context

Before slipping into detective mode, “double-check the obvious.”

“I’ve seen a lot of misdiagnosis of leaf diseases in a variety of different crops based on plants simply being under drought stress or heat stress.”

Next, stand back and survey the field. Are the symptoms random or uniform?

“If you have uniform, regular, or very distinct patterns… that would suggest something related to equipment being used or product being put on,” he said.

In scientific crop talk, these are known as abiotic factors.

If it’s Mother Nature at work, you’ll see something quite different.

“If they seem to be developing and slowly increasing over time, that would tend to indicate a biotic issue where the pathogen or insect issue is building up in population,” he said.

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“If it all of a sudden shows up overnight, that’s often associated with some field activity that’s been done, like pesticide application, fertility application, foliar fertilizers… or particular weather events.”

Other factors

Growth stage is another key indicator of what’s going on in the field.

“If you’re going out and looking at the seedling stage, obviously it’s seedling disease issues. If it’s toward the end of the season, it may be mature crop disease issues.”

That’s why it’s “helpful to get background information,” especially on the field history, topography, and chemical use in the field, said Turkington.

While all of this may sound complicated, taking pictures in order to get a diagnosis is actually pretty simple, he said.

“Start with the big picture and narrow down, provide some useful background information, and usually the person you’ve sent the images to can come up with a fairly accurate diagnosis.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

T:15.58”

ost people use their smartphone cameras to share pictures of their kids, pets, or lunch.

But those aren’t what is filling up Kelly Turkington’s inbox.

“People are going out into the field with a smartphone, taking a picture, and emailing to ask for a diagnosis,” the federal research scientist said at a recent workshop in Olds.

“We’re seeing more and more images floating our way.”

It’s a quick and easy way to get a diagnosis of a pest or disease problem, which can then be widely shared with other producers via Facebook or Twitter.

coupled with little or no background information, it’s going to make my job very, very difficult for getting you a timely diagnosis of what you may be looking at.”

So if you want Turkington’s advice on crop problems, you might want to first follow his advice on taking pictures of them.

Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company.

Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents.

The DuPont Oval Logo is a registered trademark of DuPont. ®, TM, SM Trademarks and service marks licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. © 2014 PHL.

} research

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

18

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Pricey tile worth the money, producers say Costs of up to $1.20 a foot means tiling makes the most sense in areas with ‘substantial rainfall’

By Jennifer Blair af staff / bentley

H

idden in the hills west of Bentley, an eight-mile system of black plastic tubing snakes its way underground through the low areas, silently sucking excess moisture out of the saturated valleys that have made working the land a struggle for area farmers like Jason Lenz.

But since installing his tile drainage system nearly 30 years ago, Lenz has regained between five to 10 per cent of productive farmland — and easily earned back his investment.

“It’s pretty easy to gain back 10 acres on a quarter that needs tile drainage,” said Lenz, who operates a mixed farm near Bentley.

“And the more acres you gain, the quicker the payback is.”

Still a relatively novel practice in Alberta, tile drainage was one of the only options Lenz had in the 1980s when he installed his first 37,000 feet of tile.

“I was tired of going around sloughs,” he said.

Between the contractor and the supplies, it cost Lenz nearly $50,000 to install the system — a price tag that has only climbed in the years since.

“It’s a lot of money to put in, but the payback is pretty quick on it,” said Lenz. “If you start growing crops on areas you didn’t have crops before, there’s obviously a pretty quick return on your investment.”

The water captured by tiling needs somewhere to go — and the ditch isn’t the right place for it, say the farmers who’ve installed a tile drainage system.

And every field that’s been tiled has seen some benefit, he said.

One half-section that lies at the bottom of a long hill was “one of the wettest halves in the area.”

“Since we’ve put the tile drainage in, we’ve pretty much farmed it corner to corner.”

Another field just across the road had a low-lying area that couldn’t produce a crop until it was tiled in 1999.

“The guys who farmed it before us never could grow anything in this low area,” said Lenz. “Since we put the tile in, we’ve farmed it every year.”

Many benefits

Reclaimed acreage is one of the greatest benefits of tiling, said Kent Rodelius, sales manager at Prinsco, which produces tile drainage systems.

“It’s a much cheaper way to increase your production rather than increasing your acreage,” he said. “It’s probably the fastest payback of anything you can do on your ground.”

Tiling also allows “more timely access to your fields” both in the spring and at harvest, making it easier to seed in one pass and to get a crop off during a wet fall.

“It’s a much more uniform way of farming, and the economic return is absolutely what drives farmers to manage the water on their fields,” said Rodelius.

Lenz agrees.

“It makes a big difference when you can farm on a square. You can just go back and forth. You don’t have all those corners around sloughs.”

That’s exactly what Craig Shaw was looking for when he tiled last year.

“The tile has allowed us to square up our fields and allowed us to seed from one end to the other,” said Shaw, a mixed grain farmer near Lacombe. “That’s huge in terms of time and logistics and overlaps.”

In the last five years, Shaw has seen an increase in waterlogged areas in his fields — and his stress level. But 30 inches of rain during the 2011 growing season was the real wake-up call.

“We started to realize that all our best land was producing nothing,” he said. “You get in a wet year, you work twice as hard to get half as much.

“It’s been a godsend for us.”

Where it goes

At Lenz’s farm, the tiling system is running at a trickle now, thanks to a dry — or at least drier — summer.

But earlier this spring, the water was running at full speed.

“This thing runs three months a year,” said Lenz. “As soon as it thaws — so May, June, and half of July — it will run three-quarters to right full of water.”

Shaw was surprised by “how much water is flowing, how quickly, and how long” on his own farm. And all that water has to go somewhere, he said.

“You need to be aware of where your water goes when it leaves your property. The key is don’t impact your neighbours,” said Shaw.

Alberta Environment doesn’t require permits for tile drainage, but in provinces like Manitoba, where tiling is widespread, producers must go through a lengthy approval process for drainage projects, in part to limit the impact to neighbouring farms.

Rural municipalities have the same concerns, Lenz said.

“Check with your county or your municipality and make sure wherever you’re going to place your water outlet is OK,” said Lenz, who drains one outlet into a dugout and the other into a ditch on his own land.

“Lots of times, putting it in the roadside ditch isn’t the best because it wrecks the road eventually.”

However, if done properly, “you could do your neighbours a benefit” by tiling, said Shaw.

“A lot of times, your moisture issues are your neighbour’s moisture issues. If you can clean your issues up, it’s less of an issue for them.”

Golden rule

By tiling, producers are “lowering the water table,” said Shaw. “But the tile will only flow when there’s excess moisture over the holding capacity of the soil. When it’s dry, nothing happens.”

The “golden rule” of drainage is to remove only as much water as needed and no more, said Rodelius.

“The tile does not dry out the land so it’s not useful. It just reduces it down to a manageable level so it’s the best possible scenario for the crop.”

Because of that, tile drainage is best in areas that receive “substantial rainfall.”

Jason Lenz installed tile drainage on his Bentley-area farm nearly 30 years ago and now uses the run-off it collects as a fresh water source for his cattle. Photos: Jennifer Blair

Work on tile drainage installation has been underway on Craig Shaw’s Lacombe-area farm since last year.

“Where they grow row crops and high-value crops is generally where there is most of the water table management systems put in,” said Rodelius.

“Not all areas are suitable, but a high percentage of farmland is adaptable to tile drainage.”

But whether producers will be willing to spend the high upfront costs remains to be seen.

Shaw spent between 50 cents to $1.20 a foot for his tile. The equipment needed to install the system — a plow, GPS monitors and controls, and (ideally) an RTK system — will run another $100,000 or more. Some farmers are sharing the cost of the machinery with their neighbours, while others are flipping the equipment as soon as the tiling is installed.

“With the new renewed interest, there’s a ready market,” said Shaw.

The installation doesn’t need to be done all at once either, said Lenz, who will be installing another branch line soon.

“You can do it based on your budget or your field needs,” he said. “It’s really easy, especially now with GPS, to add branch lines to your original system. The key is to put in a big enough main line that has capacity to add to it in the future.”

For Shaw, the returns he’s seen so far have been worth the high price tag.

“We’re farming our good ground — ground we wouldn’t get before,” he said. “The tile is a higher cost up front, but it’s there every year.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

A better way to beat your bug troubles Integrated pest management allows beneficial bugs to prosper

By Jennifer Blair af staff / olds

P

revention — not eradication — is the trick to managing pest outbreaks in crops, says a B.C. government entomologist.

“In integrated pest management, pest suppression is truly the goal,” Tracey Hueppelsheuser said at a workshop in late July.

“The end goal is to limit pest outbreaks and impacts — not completely remove them, but limit them. You’re expecting that if you can keep them down to a dull roar, then you’ve had success.”

In any ecosystem, good and bad bugs alike play an important role, she said.

“Insects do a lot of good for us. It’s not all bad,” said Hueppelsheuser.

“You’ve got to know the good bugs from the bad bugs — know who’s out there to help you and who’s causing you trouble. If you kill all the good guys, you’ll inherit their job.”

But like any organism, insects need a suitable environment to thrive, one that often conflicts with the goals of growers.

“The goal in our agriculture systems is to optimize and maximize the ecosystem resource to produce the greatest amount of harvestable product,” she said.

“And with any organism that takes this yield potential away and is competing with us, we consider it undesirable.”

Complex ecosystems tend to be

more balanced, and manage pests so “no organism gets out of control or takes more than it should,” she said.

Simpler systems, such as those seen in annual agriculture crops, are less balanced, creating the perfect environment for insect pests and diseases.

“There’s an abundance of certain resources, and that results in pest problems.”

Integrated pest management encourages a preventive approach to pest control, with the focus on suppression rather than elimination, she added.

Action plan

Reducing numbers of harmful bugs starts with planning, said Hueppelsheuser.

“Crop rotation, planting tolerant

or resistant varieties, preparing the ground in a certain way — those sorts of things will influence and prevent pest infestations,” she said.

Monitoring is also important for “preventing pest surprises.”

“Monitoring is all about regular checks, and it’s all about numbers,” she said, adding the number of pests and beneficial insects, crop development, and weather patterns all influence pest risk in the field.

Once a problem is identified, deciding when and how to control the outbreak is based on a “combination of factors.” The value of the crop, pest risk, expected damage, availability of control measures, costs, and risks associated with control will all factor in to which, if any, control measures are employed.

“If you have a very expensive product or a very low crop value, you may never get enough pests to justify control,” she said.

Depending on the crop and the pest, producers can use behavioural, biological, chemical, cultural, and mechanical control methods.

“There’s reams and reams of management options depending on what you’re trying to control.”

But the real key to any integrated pest management program is flexibility, she said.

“The best plans will need to be adjusted based on changes in pest population, weather, and harvest strategies.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

19

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Grain commission ceases effort to replace ‘bonding’ with insurance protection plan Insurance industry rules make it difficult to protect farmer payments for delivered grain

BY ALLAN DAWSON STAFF

A

fter a year of negotiations to develop an insurancebased producer payment protection plan, the Canadian Grain Commission has called it quits, surprising and disappointing some farm groups.

The commission has been attempting to replace the current bonding system to protect farmers against payment defaults for grain delivered to merchandisers. It had been negotiating with Atradius Credit Insurance N.V. to develop an insurance-based option.

Chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson said insurance industry rules made it difficult to accommodate the grain industry requirements.

“When we got quite a ways down the road we began to see we may not be able to marry some of our requirements and their requirements and by June it became obvious that we were going to be too far apart,” said Hermanson.

The commission will look at other options while the current bonding scheme to cover the money farmers are owed when delivering crops to

a licensed grain company remains in place.

“We still have security on behalf of producers from all our licensees and we’re pretty diligent in maintaining that program so we’re not scrambling or anything like that,” Hermanson said. “We’re going to take a step back and try to determine which way we go from here.”

Lower cost

The commission said that although its insurance plan would shorten the protection period after a farmer delivered and include a five per cent deductible on claims, it promised a lower cost to farmers, grain companies and the commission. The thinking was aggregating the risk of defaults over all the Prairie grain purchased by licensed grain companies would keep costs down, Hermanson said.

The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association had supported the plan.

“While we respect the commission’s decision, we had hoped an insurance-based system would have provided farmers with better coverage at a reduced cost,” association president Levi Wood said in a press release.

He noted private companies

already sell insurance to cover payment defaults, but Hermanson said each sale is a separate transaction. The commission wants comprehensive coverage for all western Canadian grain companies and all the grain they buy.

Cost was not the issue, Hermanson said. Both parties signed confidentiality agreements preventing them from disclosing what the barriers were, he added.

Back to the drawing board

While Hermanson didn’t rule out the possibility of developing an insurance-based program, he said “it’s unlikely we’d try to follow the same proposal.”

In the meantime it’s back to the drawing board. Other options will be explored, including the farmer-funded contingency fund in Ontario.

“And if there is nothing else we may have to stay with the status quo, but we certainly are open to new options,” Hermanson said.

Before pursuing another option the commission needs the federal government’s approval and will consult with the industry, he added.

The process of revamping producer payment protection began

in December 2007, not long after Gerry Ritz was appointed minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Ritz introduced amendments to the Canada Grain Act, which included scrapping producer protection. Ritz argued the current program was ineffective, costly to farmers and a barrier to new grain companies.

The legislation died, farmers fought back and the government moved to reform the program instead of axing it.

Current program sufficient?

Questions have been raised about how flawed and costly the existing program is.

Between 2002 and 2008 farmers received 77 per cent of their money through the commission program after a buyer failed to pay them.

Out of nine cases, farmers were 100 per cent compensated in six and in one they received 99.8 per cent.

In two cases, farmers were not fully covered receiving just 28 and 51 cents on the dollar.

In a 2009 report, Scott Wolfe Management put the cost of the commission’s security at $9 million — $1.4 million for commission administration, $1 million for grain buyer administration and

Chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson says the CGC and Atradius Credit Insurance couldn’t develop an insurancebased protection plan. The CGC will consider options, but in the meantime the current plan remains in place. PHOTO: ALLAN DAWSON $6.6 million for companies to post security. The report said based on 40 million tonnes of grain being covered annually, the average cost was 23 cents a tonne.

While that may be a reasonable cost, one criticism is that it’s hidden because farmers pay it indirectly to offset the grain company costs (19 cents a tonne) through lower prices. allan@fbcpublishing.com

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20

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Don’t be fooled by imitations, Mountainview sainfoin not for sale yet Forage producers are eager to get their hands on AC Mountainview, but it won’t be for sale until 2016 AARD RELEASE

A

new variety of sainfoin holds great promise in Alberta forage systems, says a provincial beef and forage specialist.

“The development and release of the new AC Mountainview sainfoin has caused a bit of a stir in the forage world,” said Linda Hunt, who works in the Stettler branch of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

“The renewed interest in sainfoin coupled with an apparent increase in forage establishment has led to higher-than-expected sainfoin sales. But while some retailers have even begun to import sainfoin seed from the U.S., not all sainfoin has been created equal and it’s important to make sure that you know what you are buying.”

Sainfoin is a plant that was heavily researched in the 1960s and ’70s as a non-bloat alternative to alfalfa

that could be grown in the drier, alkaline areas of the North American Prairies. The earliest plants were imported from Russia and other parts of Europe, and used to develop local varieties.

“Melrose and Nova were the two varieties developed and registered in Canada,” said Hunt. “Most of the Canadian-grown seed in the market today is assumed to come from these varieties.”

Soon after their introduction into the marketplace, sainfoin quickly fell into the background and out of favour.

“Up to this point sainfoin had been selected for biomass production and winter hardiness,” said Hunt. “This resulted in the development of varieties that had excellent production when grown in a pure stand for hay or once over fall grazing, but weren’t suitable for multicut hay or grazing systems.

“Forage growers found that although sainfoin was palatable, it

After years of work by Agriculture Canada forage breeder Surya Acharya is nearly ready to hit the market.

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just did not persist more than one or two growing seasons in mixed stands and so was not worth the high cost of seed.”

Research on sainfoin declined in North America, market demand dwindled, and gradually Canadian growers stopped producing pedigreed seed.

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“There are a few seed growers in the U.S. who are producing pedigreed seed,” said Hunt. “However, as none of their varieties are registered with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, none of their pedigreed seed is being sold in Canada. As a result, only common sainfoin seed is available in Canada, which means that any sainfoin currently being purchased has a low requirement for weed cleanliness and germination, and may not be suitable for the Canadian climate.”

However, that is about to change.

“AC Mountainview is a different kind of sainfoin and unique in North America,” said Hunt. “This new variety was selected from populations being grown with alfalfa under a multi-cut system. The resulting variety has excellent regrowth and the potential to persist in stands of alfalfa. The idea is that the tannins in the sainfoin, when seeded in the right proportion with the alfalfa, will buffer the bloat risk of the alfalfa and allow producers to safely graze a high-quality, highly productive forage stand. Early research in this intensive grazing system is showing promise.”

Currently Northstar Seeds owns the rights to market the AC Mountainview sainfoin, and will begin multiplying the seed as soon as it can produce certified seed.

“It was hoped to have product to market for the 2014 growing season,” said Hunt. “However, hail damage to the breeder seed fields has slowed down production considerably. The new outlook is for pedigreed seed to be available in 2016.”

21

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Greenhouse media can be reused several times under certain conditions In Europe, greenhouse operators are reusing growing media five or six times without raising disease levels AARD release

W

hile reusing greenhouse media makes economic sense, disease and changes to physical properties are just two of the issues that need to be considered.

“Greenhouse vegetable culture in Alberta has changed substantially over the last 30 years,” said Dustin Morton, a commercial horticulture specialist with the Alberta Ag-Info Centre in Stettler.

“Currently, it is not uncommon for growers to use the same media once, twice or even three times but there are potential risks.”

However, it is possible to overcome those risks.

“Much research has been done on this topic, as reuse is much

more prevalent in Europe, with media sometimes being used for five or six different crops,” said Morton. “Contrary to prevailing wisdom, many of these studies have shown little incidence of increased disease or a negative effect on yield.”

Numerous papers and anecdotal evidence use the concept of biodiversity to explain this and the ability of different media to support it, he said.

“For example, in one paper, rockwool was found to be more conducive to Pythium because of decreased microbial activity and increased water-holding capacity. Conversely, some compostaltered mediums were found to foster beneficial bacteria and fungi which suppressed pathogenic microbes. The plant bene-

Funding to replace trees killed by mountain pine beetles

“Currently, it is not uncommon for growers to use the same media once, twice or even three times but there are potential risks.”

multiple uses and perlite has been shown to be quite easy to restore nearly to its original condition.

A common theme amongst all these media is the possibility of

T:8.125”

changes to electrical conductivity and pH. Months of irrigation and fertilization can significantly change these properties, making them less hospitable for subsequent crops. Furthermore, chemicals released by decaying root and microbial material may have detrimental allelopathic effects on the plants in production.

“As always, monitoring your crop, leachate and medium is vital to ensuring a healthy crop,” said Morton. “Always ensure that you’ve weighed and are comfortable with the risks associated with reusing your media, regardless of the economic benefits. Talking to other growers, research and trialling it in your operation will ensure that you make an educated choice that helps your operation’s bottom line.”

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Deadline extended for tree replacement program

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AARD release / Tree Canada has extended the deadline for the 2014 Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle ReLeaf program until Aug. 31.

This program subsidizes the cost of replacing trees lost to the advance of this invasive insect which destroys native pine trees. This is the second year of the program to help residents, landowners and municipalities.

The mountain pine beetle arrived in west-central Alberta for the first time in July 2006, when strong winds carried insects to the region from central B.C., a distance of 400 kilometres. The beetle attacks all pine species, most notably lodgepole pine, the provincial tree. It will also attack Jack pine and the endangered whitebark and limber pines.

Residents who had individual trees killed by mountain pine beetle may apply for a rebate of $80 off the cost of a landscape tree. The online application and one or two photos of mountain pine beetle damage can be sent to the Tree Canada community adviser for review and approval.

Private landowners who have shelterbelt trees or landscape trees around their yard killed by mountain pine beetle will be able to apply for tree seedlings or potted trees up to a five-gallon-pot size, for a maximum amount of $3,000. Municipalities that have had trees killed by mountain pine beetle can receive up to $5,000.

For more info, go to www.treecanada.ca and click on Programs and then Alberta Mountain Pine Beetle ReLeaf.

fited indirectly from the microbial community that had built up over subsequent croppings.”

Another concern is the mechanical properties of the substrate.

“Over numerous cropping cycles, organic-based media such as sawdust and coco coir begin to break down. This decomposition often means decreased aeration, as small particles wash through the profile and the medium compacts. Ultimately, this compaction means decreased oxygen in the root zone, resulting in unhealthy, stressed plants.”

While not immune to compaction, inert media such as rockwool and perlite have a tendency to retain their original characteristics through multiple croppings. Certain brands of rockwool slabs and bricks are now being designed for

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22

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

New crop year brings CGC grain grading and other changes Producer cars must now be ordered online

By Allan Dawson staff

A

number of grain grading and variety classification changes took effect Aug. 1, the first day of the new 201415 crop year, the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) said in a news release.

Producer cars also must now be ordered online, although farmers still have the option of ordering via fax.

The new online ordering system was launched July 14.

Here’s a list of the changes:

• A tolerance of 0.5 per cent for fusarium damage in barley, Canadian Western (CW) Food.

• Updated tolerances of 0.04 per cent ergot and 0.04 per cent sclerotinia for all grades except feed in the following classes of wheat, CW: Red Spring, Hard White Spring, Red Winter, Soft White Spring, Extra Strong, Prairie Spring Red, Prairie Spring White.

• Updated tolerances of 0.02 per cent ergot and 0.02 per cent sclerotinia for No. 1 and No. 2 wheat, CW Amber durum.

• Revised grade schedule for oats, CE to bring CE and CW grade schedules closer together.

• CDC Falcon moves to the Canada West-

ern General Purpose class from the Canada Western Red Winter class.

• New moisture meter conversion tables for use with Model 919/3.5 and Model 393/3.5 moisture meters for small red beans and otebo beans.

• Revised moisture meter conversion tables for soybeans, canola and peas.

The CGC has also given notice that several flaxseed varieties will be deregistered in the future. When it happens they will only be eligible for the grade flaxseed, 3 Canada Western — the lowest grade in the class.

The registration for CDC Valour flax will be cancelled August 1, 2015.

Registration for the following varieties will be cancelled August 1, 2017: CDC Arras, Flanders and Somme.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency registers grain varieties and is also responsible for cancelling registrations. The CGC designates which registered varieties are eligible for delivery into specific classes of grain.

Producer car procedures as well as eligible variety lists and official grain-grading guides are available on the CGC website www.grainscanada.gc.ca. allan@fbcpublishing.com

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23

Albertafarmexpress.ca • august 18, 2014

Port of Churchill opens The M.V. Ikan Suji took on 32,500 tonnes of No. 2 Canada Western Red Spring earlier this month to open the Port of Churchill shipping season. Officials are aiming to ship a record 800,000 tonnes this season, thanks in part to a $9-a-tonne subsidy that runs to 2016.

The subsidy, which will be available for another two years, is “all about proving to our customers that we can deliver,” said Merv Tweed, president of OmniTrax Canada, which owns the port and railway that serves it.

“As we continue to do that hopefully the opportunity to increase the market will grow with it.”

The port is also hoping to convince shippers and insurers its three-month shipping season can safely be extended by another month. photo: tracey shelton, richardson international

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24

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Study shows no downside to preharvest glyphosate on malt barley Pre-harvest glyphosate applied at the right time and the right rate has no negative impact on malt barley germination — a key concern for maltsters

By Jennifer Blair af staff / lacombe

M

alt barley producers battling secondary growth in the fall may soon be able to add glyphosate to their arsenal, thanks to a federal research study underway across the Prairies.

These preliminary findings are part of a larger study looking at agronomic practices to improve malt barley quality and yield, said federal research scientist John O’Donovan.

“Farmers grow malting varieties in the hope of getting malting quality, but that doesn’t happen a lot of the time,” said O’Donovan

at the Lacombe Field Day in late July.

“Twenty-five per cent or less annually is accepted for malting.

The rest goes for feed at a lower premium.”

During the course of the study, O’Donovan’s team has developed recommendations for everything from seeding rate to rotational benefits of malt barley following pea. But “there are a number of outstanding issues,” said O’Donovan, and secondary growth in the fall is a key one.

“A way of overcoming that problem is to apply a pre-harvest glyphosate application as a drydown,” he said.

“But the maltsters are not gung-ho about that, and most

Research scientist John O’Donovan is looking at the risks and rewards of pre-harvest glyphosate application in malting barley. Photo: Jennifer Blair

of the time, they will not accept barley that has been treated with a pre-harvest glyphosate application.”

There are valid reasons for that, he said. The first is maximum residue limits, which can impact international malt barley trade.

“The threshold, I believe, is around 20 parts per million. If barley exceeds that threshold, it can be rejected.”

Pre-harvest glyphosate may also affect germination, another consideration for maltsters.

“Germination is crucial during the malting process.”

Using two popular varieties — AC Metcalfe and CDC Meredith — O’Donovan tested two glyphosate rates at three stages of application: the soft-dough stage (where moisture levels are between 30 to 40 per cent), the hard-dough, or recommended, stage (where moisture levels are between 25 to 30 per cent), and at maturity (where moisture levels are under 20 per cent).

“If the glyphosate was applied at the right stage and the right rate, there was no effect at all on germination, and the residue levels were quite a bit below the threshold level.”

John O’Donovan

Last year’s results, he said, “were quite interesting.”

“If the glyphosate was applied at the right stage and the right rate, there was no effect at all on germination, and the residue levels were quite a bit below the threshold level,” he said.

At several locations, including Lacombe and Lethbridge, O’Donovan saw around a 10 per cent increase in yield when glyphosate was applied at the right stage and right rate.

When glyphosate was applied at the soft-dough stage, germination was affected, but “not to the extent that I thought it might be,” he said, adding that in some locations, residue levels rose above threshold levels and yields were reduced.

The preliminary results are promising, said O’Donovan, but the Canadian Grain Commission will be looking at the effects of glyphosate on other malt barley quality factors.

“We’re hoping at the end of the three or four years to have the risks and benefits worked out,” he said.

“Then it’s up to the maltsters and the industry to make a decision as to whether it will allow the glyphosate to be applied preharvest.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

25

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

Community news and events from across the province

Photogenic Alberta trio irresistible Four Albertans win Deere 4-H scholarships

R

ebecca Marie Carlson of Blackie, Casey Morey of Rochester, Heidi Trenson of Rimbey and Lisa Krista Jakobsen of Calgary are among 15 winners of John Deere 4-H scholarships for 2014.

The scholarships of $1,000 each go toward a post-secondary education related to agricultural/ mechanical trades, engineering, science, business, or health.

Applications were reviewed by a panel of 4-H youth representatives and 4-H Canada staff.

“Our long-standing relationship with John Deere Canada enables 4-H Canada to strengthen its reputation as a leading positive youth development organization in Canada,” Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada said in a release.

“We are very thankful for John Deere Canada’s commitment to 4-H’ers and their post-secondary education. — 4-H release

I

t’s not hard to see why this cute trio captured the hearts of the judges for a national photo contest put on by the Farm & Food Care Foundation.

The picture of three of Chris Grab’s Nigerian Dwarf goats won first place, and a $600 prize, in the All About Animals category of the contest.

“They’re standing on a wooden (cable) spool,” said Grab, who with husband Rudi, has an acreage south of Leduc.

“I have a few of those around for them.

They love to play on them, jump on them and push each other off. I have a picnic table and other things in a goaty playground for them.”

Grab has bred goats for more than two decades and has 30 does on their 80-acre operation, Country Magic farm. Some are Nubians, but the Nigerians are her favourites.

“They’re a miniature dairy goat and (the does) don’t get any taller than 21 inches high — so they’re also called ‘knee-high’ goats,” she said. “They produce amazing milk for their size, but they’re also very personable and make excellent pets.”

The goats in the picture, taken last year by Grab’s daughter-in-law, Ashley Erin Grab, have arresting tricolour markings, but “you never know what you’re going to get” with the pint-size breed, she said.

“You can get just about any colour, a lot of solid colours. Getting patterns takes a bit

what’s

Aug 19: Dam & Dugout Design, Rick & Trudy Keillor’s, Brownvale.

(Also Aug. 21, Ed & Betty Yuha’s, Fourth Creek.) Contact: Monika Benoit 780-523-4033 Aug. 23-24: Alberta Open Farm Days, province-wide (www. albertafarmdays.com). Contact: Brenda 780-638-4302 Aug. 23-24: Success with Heritage Poultry seminars, Calnash Ag Event Centre, Ponoka.

Contact: Kathy Stevenson 403-788-2546 Sept. 7: Annual Threshing Day Show and Shine, Round Hill Community Hall and Recreation Hall and Grounds, Round Hill.

Contact: Joan Burnstad 780-672-8184.

Sept 10: Leading the Way: Innovators in Farm Direct Marketing, Edmonton. Contact: Delores Serafin 780-427-4611 or Dustin Morton 403-742-7571.

Sept. 11: Range Health Assessment Training — 1st Course, Elkwater. (Second course on Sept. 16 at Stavely.) Contact Donna Watt 403-563-8925.

Sept. 15: Beavers in Our Landscape. Hosted by NAIT & Lac Ste. Anne County. Onoway.

Contact Laurie Hunt, 780-378-2856.

egories, with one category winner — Sheri Mangin of Manitoba — selected as overall contest winner. All of the winning entries can be viewed at www.farmfoodcare.org and many more will be featured in the 2014 edition of The Real Dirt on Farming, a publication that answers common questions asked by the public about food and farming practices in Canada.

Reporter’s Notebook

up

Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com

of doing. In fact, I tried the same breeding this year to get more like that — not a hope, I got buckskin (black on the head, neck, and shoulders and a solid, lighter colour on the body).”

It was the first year for the photo contest put on by the Guelph-based Farm & Food Care Foundation, but it attracted more than 650 entries. There were six cat-

A lesson in (barley) emasculation

BY JENNIFER BLAIR AF STAFF / LACOMBE

T

he more I learn about plant breeding, the more I feel I missed my true calling in life.

And a recent attempt at crossing two barley plants at the Lacombe Field Day only fuelled my secret ambition.

I worked with Laura Hoge, a germplasm technician at Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, in a machine shed with plants pulled from the field.

Breeders normally work with live female plants and pulled male plants, sitting on a stool with sharp tweezers and tiny scissors for hours, snipping and tweezing and pollinating the females with the males.

Tweezers in one hand and scissors in the other, I set to work on my female plant, stripping away the flag leaf carefully so as not to break the spike from the stem.

Once the spike was free of the boot, I tweezed off the infertile lateral florets from the female plant, leaving two seeds on either side of the spike.

Next, the awns were trimmed off each floret just above the little bump (my term), creating a small opening that would allow me to tweeze three delicate anthers

from each floret on both sides of the spike. The anthers should be small and green, Hoge said, and all must be removed to prevent self-fertilization, which renders the whole spike useless.

The entire process takes around 10 minutes per plant, and an experienced breeder can do 40 in a day.

In a normal crossing, we would put a bag called a diaper (their term) on the plant and wait three days. We didn’t have that kind of time, so I simply removed the anthers from each floret on the male plant in much the same way I did the female plant. But this time, I dusted the male anthers along the head of the female plant to pollinate the emasculated female.

After each floret is pollinated, Hoge explained, a straw plugged with a bit of wax is taped to the side of the female spike. The male spike is placed in the straw, and given water so it won’t dry out as it releases pollen over the next several days.

At that point, the diaper goes back on the female plant, and within seven to 10 days, new seeds start to develop. Once the seeds are fully mature, the emasculated plants are harvested by hand and then sorted one by one in the lab.

Germplasm technician Laura Hoge shows how it’s done during a hands-on plant-breeding demonstration at the recent Lacombe Field Day. PHOTO: JENNIFER BLAIR

With just high school biology, I may not have the makings of a true plant breeder. But after my first foray into honest-togoodness hands-on plant cross-

ing, my dream is alive and well.

I think I’ll name my first variety AC Express. jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

26

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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27

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • AUGUST 18, 2014

ANTIQUES ANTIQUES Antique Equipment 1939 JD “BR” TRACTOR to restore; 1955 IHC R100 PU, started to restore. Offers. Phone (780)682-2279

AUCTION SALES AUCTION SALES Alberta Auctions – North AGCO FINANCE CANADA LLC will offer the following equipment for sale to the highest bidder above our reserved price, for cash, plus applicable sales tax. Equipment: Challenger RB56C Baler, S/N: CRB56CCHR11135. Date of sale: Thurs., 21st August 2014. Time of Sale: 2:00pm. Place of sale: Agriterra Equipment. 779-28007 Hwy16, Stony Plain, AB. Equipment can be inspected at place of sale. The equipment will be sold AS IS, without warranty. For further information please contact Kent Torgalson (780)993-1140 Cell, Reference Number 1360600.

AUTO & TRANSPORT AUTO & TRANSPORT Trucks

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

RETIRING! Case 2090 ($14,500), Chev 6000 grain truck ($6,500), Vers. 18-ft swather ($950), Alteen 14-ft double disc ($1,000), 4 twister, 5 ring 14-ft diameter bins, ($1,000/each). Phone:(403)932-2343 or (403)519-7815.

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile Wire Spooler & Water Hose Roller

Advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express Classifieds, it’s a Sure Thing!

03’ CHEV 1500 PICKUP, 5.3L V8, AT, air, cruise, tilt. Nice topper, excellent tires, 2WD, etc. $4500.

Phone:(403)886-4285.

1-800-665-1362

BUILDINGS

BUILDINGS

40’ X 60’ X 16’ RIGID FRAME STEEL BUILDING

$28,418 When you go with steel you get the right deals!

Pioneer One Steel Buildings

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS We also specialize in: Crop Insurance appeals; Chemical drift; Residual herbicide; Custom operator issues; Equipment malfunction; Yield comparisons, Plus Private Investigations of any nature. With our assistance the majority of our clients have received compensation previously denied. Back-Track Investigations investigates, documents your loss and assists in settling your claim.

Licensed Agrologist on Staff.

For more information Please call 1-866-882-4779

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

NEW WOBBLE BOXES for JD, IH, MacDon headers. Made in Europe, factory quality. Get it direct from Western Canada’s sole distributor starting at $1,095. 1-800-667-4515. www.combineworld.com

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous 1999 CAT 460 1,400 sep. hrs, rake up, $62,000; Road King ground loadstock trailer, 8 x 42.5-ft, will haul 25 cows, $5,500. Call:(403)665-2341, Craigmyle, AB.

- Wire Roller can now be converted to roll up & unroll flat plastic water hose up to 6” diameter (11” flat) - Hydraulic Drive (roll or unroll) - Mounts to tractor draw bar, skidsteer front end loader, post driver, 3pt. hitch or deck truck (with receiver hitch & rear hydraulics) - Spool splits in half to remove full roll - Shut off/ Flow control valve determines speed - Works great for pulling out old wire (approx. 3--5 minutes to roll up 80 rod or 1/4 mile) - Also works great for swath grazing or rotational grazing The Level-Winder II Wire Roller rolls wire evenly across the full width of the spool automatically as the wire is pulled in Ken Lendvay (403) 550-3313 Red Deer, AB email: kflendvay@hotmail.com Web: www.levelwind.com

ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: CULTIVATORS, DISCS, Plows, Blades, Post pounders, Haying Equipment, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, Ab. DOWNSIZING: 2001 JD 7410 FWA 740 loader 6,870-hrs; MF 860 6 cyl 2,201-hrs, PU, $5,000; 20ft. straight cut PU reel; JD 2420 DSL 25-ft. UII reel; 21-ft. Hart Carter PU reel; New Quonset future steel 52x35x18 in crate; GMC 1981 7000 series 17-ft. factory grain box & hoist, A1; 1980 Chev 6500 tandem gravel box & hoist, propane, $3,800; 18-ft. Vac tank & pump, off Ford 750 truck, A1; MF 410 combine PU, runs good, $1,200; PWR parachute Rotex SR7, as is $3,000; Steel mounted skid mount cummins w/trans $2,200; 1999 Cat loader IT28G, A1; 2003 Hitachi ZX200LC, A1. (306)236-8023 INTL 4000 SWATHER 19.5-FT. & 14-ft. draper headers, cab, A/C, $5,500; 1989 150 Ford good topper & tires, parts only. Phone (403)722-2409 or (403)845-0414.

We know that farming is enough of a gamble so if you want to sell it fast place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. It’s a Sure Thing. Call our toll-free number today. We have friendly staff ready to help. 1-800-665-1362.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted

RON SAUER

WANTED: NH BALE WAGONS & retrievers, any condition. Farm Equipment Finding Service, P.O. Box 1363, Polson, MT 59860. (406)883-2118

MACHINERY LTD.

HAYING & HARVESTING

(403) 540-7691 ronsauer@shaw.ca

HAYING & HARVESTING Baling Equipment

846 Ford Versatile Designation 6, 4WD Tractor 1990, newer 18.4 x 38 dualled tires,12 speed manual, 4 hyds., 6036 hrs., looks & runs good .............................. $27,500 555 JD Crawler Loader, 250 hrs. on rebuilt engine, good condition ................................................... $17,500 8070 AC Tractor, FWA, wheel base extended, with duals........................................................... $22,500 275 MF Tractor, diesel, multi power, 3 pth, new 18.4 x 30, front weights, loader available, looks and runs great .. $12,500 51’ Degelman Landroller, only done 3,000 acres, as new.... .......................................................... $40,000 Degelman Dozer Frame MF 4000 Series 4WD .$1,000 41’ Flexicoil B Chisel Plow, 3 bar harrows, excellent condition .............................................. $12,500 Flexicoil 6 Run Seed Treater .............................. $1,000 134’ Flexicoil S68XL Sprayer, 2007, suspended boom, auto rate, joystick, rinse tank, triple quick jets, auto boom height, electric end nozzle & foam marker............. $32,500 100’ 65XL Flexicoil Sprayer, complete with windguards,elec. end nozzles single tips, auto rate, excellent condition .............................................. $12,500 30’ 8230 CIH PT Swather, PU reel, nice shape, . $10,000 25’ 8225 CIH PT Swather, PU reel, nice shape .... $9,500 25’ 1200 Hesston PT Swather, bat reel, good .... $5,500 10 Wheel MATR (Italy) Trailer Type V-Hayrake, hyd. fold, as new.................................................. $5,000 14 Wheel Enorossi V-Hayrake extra contour wheels, as new .............................................................. $11,500 NEW 12-39 Sakundiak Grain Auger, 44 HP Generac engine, E-Kay HD mover, power steering, belt tightener, slim fit, lights, scissor lift, remote throttle, new tires ............ $23,500 NEW TL 10-39 Sakundiak Grain Auger, 35HP Vanguard Motor, Hawes mover, clutch & lights, new tires ......... $14,500 8 x 1000 Sakundiak Auger, new 30 HP Koehler engine, Hawes mover, gear box clutch, spout ....... CNT $9,000 8 x 1200 Sakundiak Auger, 25 HP Koehler engine, Hawes mover, clutch, runs good ............................... $8,500 7 x 1200 Sakundiak Auger, 18 HP Koehler engine, looks and runs good, ......................................... CNT $3,500 8 x 1400 Sakundiak Auger, 25 HP Robin engine, Hawes mover, clutch, spout, excellent condition, ...........CNT $10,000 New E-Kay 7” Bin Sweep .............**In Stock** $1,785 New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps available.........Call 8” Wheat Heart Transfer Auger, hydraulic drive.. $1,500 18.4 x 30, tractor tire & tube .....................................$350 New Outback MAX & STX guidance & mapping ...In Stock New Outback E-Drive, TC’s .................................In Stock New Outback E-Drive X, c/w free E turns ............In Stock New Outback S-Lite guidance ............ **In Stock** $900 New Outback VSI Swather Steering Kit...........In Stock New Outback E-Drive Hyd. kit, JD 40 series ........ $1,000 Used Outback E-Drive Hyd. kits..............................$500

WANTED: JD 7810 c/w FEL & 3-PTH; sp or PTO bale wagon; JD or IHC end wheel drills. Small square baler. (403)394-4401

**NuVision (Spray Air) & Meridian-Sakundiak Augers, Outback GPS Systems, EK Auger Movers, Belt Tighteners, Bin Sweeps & Crop Dividers, Kohler, Robin Subaru & Generac Engines, Headsight Harvesting Solutions, Greentronics Sprayer Auto Boom Height, Kello-Bilt Discs**

Spraying EquipmEnt

SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Sprayers

SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Sprayers

JD 9400, 9420, 9520, 8970 JD 9860, 9760, 9750, 9650, 9600 JD 9430, 9530, 9630 Case STX 375, 425, 430, 450, 480, 500, 530 CIH 8010-2388, 2188 combine CIH 435Q, 535Q, 450Q, 550Q, 600Q pto avail.

JD 4710, 4720, 4730, 4830, 4920, 4930 SP sprayers JD 9770 & 9870 w/CM & duals CIH 3185, 3230, 3330, 4430, 4420 sprayers

4955 JD low hrs, 3 pth, very clean S680 JD Combine low hrs 2011 4730 JD Sprayer, 100 ft.

4050 JD, fwa loader with complete front end NH T8050 with fwa 4920 Macdon, 21 ft. D.S.A.

TracTors TRACTORS Various WANTED TO BUY: STEIGER PTA tractor, any year or condition, please call (403)550-4004 with details.

Big Tractor Parts, Inc. Geared For The Future

STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

RED OR GREEN 1. 10-25% savings on new replacement parts for your Steiger drive train.

2. We rebuild axles, transmissions and dropboxes with ONE YEAR WARRANTY. 3. 50% savings on used parts.

1-800-982-1769 www.bigtractorparts.com

JD 2955 c/w ldr., 3 pth hitch JD 326D Skid Steer 2011 Model JD 7800 complete with 740 ldr.

JD 4020 c/w ldr. & new motor JD 7700, 740 ldr.

ST 250 Steiger, tires new 20.8 x 38 Clamp on Duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 148, 265, 725, 740, 280, JD ldr.

Farming is enough of a gamble, advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express classified section. It’s a sure thing. 1-800-665-1362.

FINANCE, TRADES WELCOME 780-696-3527, BRETON, AB

Round up the cash! Advertise your unwanted equipment in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds.

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

HAYING & HARVESTING Various MF 8460 CONVENTIONAL 2418 E-hrs, Sunnybrook concave, new rub bars, Melroe PU, $27,500; Hesston 6450 18-ft, 1980 E-hrs, cab, air, P/U reel, $9,700. Both excellent (403)782-2545.

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Combines COMBINES Ford/New Holland RETIRED FROM FARMING: 2012 NH CR 9080 twin rotor combine, 240 eng hrs, 620 metric duals, fully loaded; 2012 94C 36-ft. straight cut honey bee header, full width top auger, fore & aft; 2012 NH 16ft. PU header. (403)318-0172.

COMBINES Combines - Various

www.penta.ca

1-800-587-4711

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus REGISTERED RED ANGUS BULLS Quiet, Easy Calving, Low to Moderate Birth Weights, Good Growth, E.P.D’s available Guaranteed Breeders (Vet Checked & Semen Tested). Excellent Bulls for Heifers or Cows.

Cleveley Cattle Company (780)689-2754.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Charolais

anything you need through the

1-800-665-1362

COMBINE WORLD located 20 min. E of Saskatoon, SK on Hwy. #16. 1 year warranty on all new, used, and rebuilt parts. Canada’s largest inventory of late model combines & swathers.

1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

COMBINES Accessories RECONDITIONED COMBINE HEADERS. RIGID & flex, most makes & sizes; also header transports. Ed Lorenz, (306)344-4811 or Website: www.straightcutheaders.com Paradise Hill, SK.

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Grain Wanted

BUYING:

HEATED & GREEN CANOLA • Competitive Prices • Prompt Movement • Spring Thrashed “ON FARM PICK UP”

1-877-250-5252

BUYING HEATED/DAMAGED PEAS, FLAX & GRAIN “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252 BUYING SPRING THRASHED CANOLA & GRAIN “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN Wheat, Barley, Oats, Peas, etc.

Green or Heated Canola/Flax

1-877-641-2798

Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds.

Place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifed section. 1-800-665-1362.

CANOLA WANTED Buying Tough, Heated, Green, Canola, Freight Options, Prompt Payment Bonded and Insured

CALL 1-866-388-6284 www.milliganbiofuels.com TIRES

• Sprayed foam insulation • Ideal for shops, barns or homes • Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient®

PUREBRED CHAROLAIS HERD for sale. Selling small herd due to retirement. 20 plus cows w/calves & 7 bred heifers. Excellent young herd sire available as well. Good young healthy herd. Would be a good start up for any operation or if you would like to add a few nice quiet cows to your existing herd. Contact Rob & Alma Ross at White Heather Charolais. (403)946-5936 rlross@telusplanet.net

Buy and Sell

GOOD SELECTION OF JD & CASE SP SPRAYERS AND 4WD TRACTORS

“LIKE MANY BEFORE, WE’LL HAVE YOU SAYING THERE’S NO DEAL LIKE A KEN DEAL” • Phone: (403)526-9644 • Cell: (403)504-4929 • Email: kendeal@shaw.ca

Call toll free 1 (877) 525-2004 or see us online at www.pioneeronesteel.com STEEL STORAGE CONTAINERS, 20-ft & 40-ft. Wind, water & rodent proof.

1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722 magnate@telus.net

Spraying EquipmEnt

SEED / FEED / GRAIN SEED/FEED/GRAIN Feed Grain BUYING ALL TYPES OF feed grain. Also have market for light offgrade or heated, picked up on thefarm.

Eisses Grain Marketing 1-888-882-7803, La-combe.

FEED GRAIN WANTED! ALSO buying; Light, tough, or offgrade grains. “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252 If you want to sell it fast, call 1-800-665-1362.

New 30.5L-32 16 ply, $1,995; 20.8-38 12 ply $795; 24.5-32 14 ply, $1,495; 14.9-24 12 ply, $486; 16.9-28 12 ply $558; 23.1-30 12 ply, $1,495; 18.4-26 10 ply, $890; 11R22.5 16 ply, $299.

Factory direct. More sizes available new and used.

1-800-667-4515. www.combineworld.com

TRAVEL

AGRICULTURAL TOURS Mid-west USA/Branson ~ October 2014 Dubai to Cape Town Cruise ~ Nov 2014 Panama Canal Cruise ~ Dec 2014 Australia/New Zealand ~ Jan 2015 South America ~ Jan 2015 Costa Rica ~ Feb 2015 India ~ Feb 2015 Kenya/Tanzania ~ Feb 2015 South Africa/Zambia ~ Feb 2015 *Portion of tours may be Tax Deductible

Select Holidays 1-800-661-4326

www.selectholidays.com CAREERS CAREERS Management We are looking for a senior plant manager to manage day to day production activities within the new Buffalo Creek Mills Plant so as to maintain efficient and profitable operation of this oat cleaning facility in a safe environment. rhpenner@me.com PH(204)770-9591, FX:(204)324-8020

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FO R NO TH W E BO 20 O 15 KI ED NG IT IO N

AUGUST 18, 2014 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

ADVERTISE YOUR AG BUSINESS WHERE IT COUNTS.

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