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Trappers and producers can work together to manage coyotes BAD RAP  Negative perceptions

of trapping are out of date, as new traps and snaring devices are much more humane BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF | MORNINGSIDE

Greg McKinnon, a trapper from Blackfalds, demonstrates how to set a coyote foothold trap.

PLUS:

PHOTO: ALEXIS KIENLEN

hen coyotes get out of control, who you going to call? Greg McKinnon recommends a trapper. “Trappers are different than animal control and hunters,” said McKinnon, a trapper from Blackfalds and a member of the Alberta Trappers’ Association. “Trappers study the animal, understand the animal, and use their knowledge of the animal in order to capture it.” Animal problems in the province are increasing as acreages expand and urbanites move into rural areas, he said. “Today, there’s a need for trappers to be on the landscape and we’re dealing with the animals with the best tools and knowledge that we can use.”

Negative perceptions of trapping are out of date, he said, as new traps and snaring devices are much more humane and continually being improved, he said. Traps are so humane now that a neighbour’s dog can be trapped, and released without injury. “When you kill an animal, you should do it as quickly and as effectively as you can,” he said. Coyotes generally hunt mice, gophers and other small animals, and the best strategy is to take out the troublemakers. “You should be focused on the problem animal, not the species in general, because you will not wipe out coyotes,” said McKinnon. Coyote management on a ranch should be done continuously, and the cost part of the annual budget. A wellmaintained fence should be

SEE COYOTES  page 6

DAIRY INDUSTRY COMBATS DECLINE IN MILK CONSUMPTION  PAGE 21

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IN BRIEF Food ware fashion expands into vegetables MUMBAI/REUTERS — Indian animal rights activists asked pop star Lady Gaga to pose in a lettuce dress and embrace vegetarianism during a recent visit to India to be part of the star-studded unveiling of the country’s first Formula 1 race. Lady Gaga, who famously wore a meat dress at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, performed at an invitationonly show in a five-star hotel in New Delhi after the race on Sunday. In a letter to the singer’s publicist, PETA India said it hoped she would honour India’s reverence for animals by turning vegetarian for the duration of her visit and posing for photos in a lettuce gown to promote the importance of not eating meat. “If she agrees, we’ll make her a dress entirely of lettuce and held together by pins and threads. It will be a full length gown, and we’ll make sure it looks sexy,” said Sachin Bangera of PETA India. The dress would be constructed leaf by leaf on the singer’s body, taking some five to six hours. “Someone will be on hand to spray the lettuce with water so that it doesn’t wilt,” Bangera added. There’s no word yet on when she will incorporate the remaining food groups into her wardrobe.

DANIEL BEZTE

Canadians pressured to follow U.S. and EU example

Last year’s wet summer set the stage for infection

MORE GIFT IDEAS FOR THE WEATHER WONKS

Second annual Feedlot Challenge awards buckles for good handling FEEDLOT RODEO  The friendly competition promote learning

and rewards good practices in the feedlot industry BY SHERI MONK

AF STAFF | PINCHER CREEK

t’s not about to rival the National Finals Rodeo, but the recent second annual Pfizer Feedlot Challenge attracted eight teams — including one all the way from Ontario. The competition was divided into three events — pen checking, chute processing and a 20-question written test — with teams judged on their ability to move cattle with as little stress as possible. “They do have a very important job looking after these livestock and making sure that what they do is handling these cattle as stress-free as possible, and as humanely as possible,” said Dr. Les Byers, manager of veterinary services for beef cattle for Pfizer Animal Health. “They are administering products, they want to make sure that they’re ensuring a safe food supply. They want to administer the product so it’s not going to affect meat quality and that type of thing.” The friendly competition, held at Shooten and Sons Farms near Picture Butte, aims to promote learning and reward good practices in the feedlot industry. Once in the chute, animals were processed with vaccinations, growth implants and other typical feedlot measures.

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Highway 21 Feeders won the challenge. Posing with their buckles from left to right are Shane Broeders, Travis Klassen, Sandy Debruin and Trevor Burks. One part of the competition included separating specially marked animals from the others for additional treatment, which was judged by Nebraska-based veterinarian Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz. “He’s a cattle-handling specialist and his practice does a lot of consulting in stress-free cattle handling,” said Byers. “He came up and he judged how the cowboys could pull sick critters out of the pen.” After all was said and done, Acme’s Highway 21 Feeders came away the winners, winning buckles for their hard work.

“These guys won and they got their buckle,” said Byers. “They may not be rodeo cowboys but they’re good at what they do.” Entrants were treated to a steak supper, and some entertaining education as well. “The consultant that was doing the cattle pulling part, they were videoing them as they were doing it so then just after we had supper we played videos on the big screen and made comments on what they were doing right, what they were doing wrong and what they could do to improve,” said Byers. “So it’s a really

good learning experience, it’s a teaching moment for a lot of these people.” Th e ev ent is bec o m ing increasingly popular, and Byers said it may be expanded next year to include additional teams. Feedlots are recruited by consulting veterinarians. “These guys are professionals, they take a lot of pride in what they do and this competition just sharpens the sword as we like to say,” Byers said. “They want to keep their skills in top-notch shape and that gives them an opportunity to showcase it in a bit of a competition.”

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Historic policy change loaded with uncertainty SHIFT IN GRAIN INDUSTRY  Everyone can agree on one thing — there’s interesting times ahead amarket the best it can be,” she says. Bruch says Canadian companies prefer trading in Canadian dollars and tonnes. “One thing I like about Winnipeg is if ever there is any trade action out of the U.S, we have a Canadian contract as opposed to a U.S. contract that we might not be able to deliver Canadian (grain) against,” he says.

BY ALLAN DAWSON STAFF

ext August 1 ushers in what is arguably the most radical policy shift in Western Canada’s grain industry since the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly was created nearly 69 years ago. Western wheat, durum and barley farmers will have marketing freedom. What then? Farmers know how to price crops in an open market. But when rhetoric gives way to reality, will producer cars be economic? Will the railways decide which grain companies live or die? Will the voluntary, government-owned wheat board be privatized, sold or wound down? Can two spring wheat futures contracts survive? Short-term wheat prices might be higher, says University of Manitoba agricultural economist Derek Brewin. Grain companies, anxious to get market share early and block the voluntary board, will aggressively cut margins to get farmers’ business. That bodes well for the next five years while Ottawa is backstopping the board, Brewin says. But that will prove short lived. “Eventually if the grain companies get down to very few numbers... the price of grain will go down.” Don’t expect more wheat processing, Brewin said. “If we see increased (domestic) wheat demand I’d be quite surprised,” he said.

Railway power

Car allocations will change. The board divvies them up based a company’s grain handle. It also tries to assure farmers get equitable access. Starting Aug. 1 the railways will allocate all the cars. “The railways are going to be pretty significant players,” especially if they play favourites, says University of Manitoba agricultural economist Brian Oleson. It’s more profitable to focus on the big three grain firms, therefore they’ll get the best deals, says Richard Gray, an agricultural economist at the University of Saskatchewan. Shippers can complain about poor rail service to the Canadian Transportation Agency but be broke by the time there’s a ruling, says Adrian Measner, president and CEO of Upper Lakes Grains Group, and former CEO of wheat board. He says railway power needs to be watched closely. “If priority is given to (firms with) hundred-car spots I think the writing is on the wall for many companies.”

“If priority is given to (firms with) hundred-car spots I think the writing is on the wall for many companies.” ADRIAN MEASNER

Trade action inevitable?

David Anderson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for the Canadian Wheat Board (front row, second from left) on Oct. 25 held a media event in Lethbridge and met with the 13 Alberta farmers jailed for offences related to selling wheat outside the Canadian Wheat Board in 2002. AGRICULTURE CANADA The railways say they’re focused on service, efficiency and customer service. But Gray predicts the biggest companies will have an advantage with the railways and there will be less grain moving through the system overall. Companies say they can manage their shipping better without the wheat board. Individual firms might, but the board sees the whole picture, which is important when there’s a snafu, says Gray. A company only sees its own position, and for competitive reasons, won’t share information. Currently, demurrage (penalties for vessels not loaded on time) is pooled across all sales for the year. After next August, each company will bear the risk and cost. “If you’re a small company and you’re only filling 10 boats a year and get big demurrage on one or two, you’re in big trouble,” Gray said.

“I think it’s unlikely,” says Keith Bruch, vice-president of operations with PatersonGlobalFoods. A group of producer car shippers might make a deal with a grain company, especially one with few elevators, to deliver grain to port it would otherwise not receive, says Gray.

Futures wars

Some see a battle brewing in the futures markets with ICE Futures Canada going head-to-head with Minneapolis for the spring wheat contract. ICE Futures Canada is launching spring wheat, durum and barley futures contracts providing risk protection and price discovery for the new market. Some observers say Winnipeg has the edge. “I think the farmer would see a better price if it was out of Winni-

peg,” says veteran Winnipeg trader Bill Craddock. “There will be less need to build in risk on certain factors in the basis.” ICE’s spring wheat contract is modeled after its popular canola contract, including inland delivery against the futures. Easy delivery, or the threat of it, ensures futures and cash markets converge. Bruch expects within five years only ICE’s contract will survive. Minneapolis has tradition, but Canada grows more spring wheat. There’s little doubt the Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX) wants Canada’s business. It recently changed its contract to allow for the delivery of foreign grain, but Rita Maloney, the exchange’s director of marketing and communications, won’t come right out and say it. “We’re focused on making our

Gray says a trade action is inevitable. Canada supposedly has unfettered access to the U.S. wheat market under the North American Free Trade Agreement but that hasn’t stopped U.S. farmers from successfully blocking Canadian wheat imports. “At some point in the next five years there will be times when (Canaadian) wheat will flood across the border,” says Gray. American farmers won’t like it. “I’d be really surprised if the North Dakota farmers would now assume we’re part of North Dakota just because we got rid of the wheat board.” Gray adds that the grain marketing freedom train has left the station. “It’s important not to stand in front of the train, but to decide what we want to put on it.” There won’t be a wheat board, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be grain-sector regulations. In fact, there might need to be more. Gray would like to see establishment of a Western Grain Transportation Committee, which with government funding and farmer oversight, would research ways to improve grain handling and transportation. Gray says that in the absence of the Pools and wheat board, “What’s missing is there no longer will be any producer voice in the system.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

Voluntary board

The jury is out on a voluntary board. Oleson says without the single desk, there is no board. Measner gives it a slim chance of survival as a niche player. “I think it’s better to try than not try,” he said. The board needs its own handling facilities for long-term survival. In the short term it might be able to work with smaller grain companies, including Upper Lakes Group’s Mission Terminal at Thunder Bay. Producer cars are a way for the board to procure grain. But it’s unlikely to be business as usual. That has huge implications for the farmers that have collectively invested millions of dollars in loading facilities and/or shortline railways dependent on producer car traffic. Farmers routinely load wheat and ship it to port where the board accepts delivery, bypassing the country elevator saving them $800 to $1,200 a car. Farmers have the right to load their own car, but many predict it will be uneconomic in an open market.

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t has been a couple of unusually busy months in regard to issues that affect producers and landowners in Alberta. I expect that many are somewhat relieved that some of these long-standing concerns are being resolved. But then resolution is in the eyes of those affected and it’s not always positive or sincere. The Canadian Wheat Board is devolving, or going down fighting (depending on one’s perspective), but then its demise was promised by the federal Conservative government. Considering the termination of the CWB has been Alberta government policy for the past 20 years, there was some inevitability to the process one way or another. The recent reunion in Lethbridge of the growers who went to jail for taking wheat across the border, brings back memories of how their long-ago send-off to jail was attended by former premier Ralph Klein and 600 supporters who vowed to continue the battle. But the battle continues; recent news about lawsuits would indicate that lawyers will be the first beneficiaries, and taxpayers the first losers of the proposed restructuring of the CWB. Another issue that has come back in the public eye is the demise of the long-gun registry. It has been an emotional issue in rural Alberta since the concept was first raised. The city media played the issue up as an urban/rural cultural split. That was somewhat contrived because if you didn’t own a firearm, registering or even banning them was no big deal. The real issue with owners was the insane cost and mindless paperwork. Using the provincial vehicle licensing system, a grandfathering process and financial incentives would have been the better approach — actual registration

was never the issue. Yet today we have the federal government not only killing the registry, but destroying all evidence of it ever existing. It would seem common sense was never a danger with this issue. At the provincial government level, we see our newly minted premier exercising her newly acquired power by issuing directives on diverse issues, including ones affecting landowners and the future of food production in this province.

In case the premier is contemplating such a directive here is some additional food for thought.

One directive suspended the development of two massive electricity transmission lines involving hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of acres. It would seem to be a result of the fallout from Bill 50, one of the contentious land-use acts. The development is to be subject to some sort of review before it is allowed to proceed. For affected landowners, the issue has more to do with honesty about who really benefits, who pays, and some fair and realistic compensation for expropriation. The role of power exports to the U.S. and more subsidies for the already subsidized wind power industry that are hidden in transmission line projects scream for clarification and honesty. The new premier also issued a directive to kill the proposed sale of 6,500 hectares of crown grazing land for development into irrigated cropland. Granted the previous PC administration bungled the original sale, but stopping this revised sale proposal

sends a chilling message to government range and land managers. I expect that to protect their jobs, that there will now be no further land sales for agricultural uses anywhere in the province. That’s too bad because with an increasing world population we need to develop more land for food production, particularly high-production irrigated land. I also expect that water licence and grazing lease transfers will now come under increasing scrutiny and delay. The urban-based green and wildlife lobbies won that round. One directive that hasn’t yet come from the premier but should be expected involves bringing farm workers under mandatory OHS regulations and compulsory WCB. The premier stated during her leadership campaign that she would take that action when elected. That’s actually a much-needed step as Alberta is the only remaining province not to include those workers under those regulations. Hopefully that anticipated directive will not be as arbitrary as some of the others the premier has sent out and will take a more thoughtful common-sense approach. In case the premier is contemplating such a directive, here is some additional food for thought: To ease the burden, OHS and WCB should be phased in, starting with agricultural operations that have 10 or more employees. Then the scope needs to be broadened to include owners and working-age children of small operations, where loss or injury is much more devastating and can even result in the complete loss or bankruptcy of the whole operation. Then the directive also needs to address OHS regulations for Hutterite colonies. Notwithstanding all that advice, the previous Stelmach administration agreed with the ag industry not to extend OHS to farm workers. I guess it should be an interesting directive.

What Parliament giveth, Parliament can taketh away It’s over } The wheat board directors may not like the decision, but it’s time to move on

by john morriss editorial director

here are many things wrong with the way that the Conservative government has handled the wheat board issue. The decision has been made on purely ideological grounds, without even so much as a departmental review, let alone a proper study by an independent commission. That didn’t need to be a review of whether to make the change, but rather to get the industry ready for the changes to come. Of particular concern is how the government has turned Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada into a cheerleader for Conservative Party policy, using the staff to organize partisan events and using the AAFC website to throw out an assortment of inaccurate and meaningless statistics to crit-

icize the board’s performance. In doing so it’s brought into question AAFC’s reputation as a source for unbiased analysis. But when all is said and done, the government was elected with a majority in Parliament, and under both the spirit and letter of the law in Canada, Parliament is supreme. Wheat board supporters who protest otherwise on this issue need to take a step back. There is no question that whatever the board’s merits, its operation has required a certain measure of restriction on the laws of trade and commerce in Canada. Until now, those who believed that the advantages of that restriction outweighed the disadvantages have been able to convince governments to keep the board monopoly. The other side has now won the argument, and Parliament must

be as free to remove the restrictions as it was to impose them. You can’t argue this both ways, as the CWB directors are effectively doing by suing the government to try and stop the decision. It’s also likely to give the Western Canadian Wheat Growers the satisfaction of winning another one. Why do they want to do that? It may or may not be the right decision, but it’s time to move on. It’s understandable that the directors and other board supporters don’t find that easy to do. It wasn’t so long ago that farmers, through their co-ops, owned most of the grain-handling system and a good chunk of the processing system in Western Canada. Farmer-elected directors controlled much of the marketing system through the wheat board. That’s all come to an end. It may be hard to watch the last

Suits and countersuits are just wasting farmers’ money, delaying the inevitable and continuing the misery of this debate. remnants of this system go without a fight, but the directors need to admit that this battle is lost. Suits and countersuits are just wasting farmers’ money, delaying the inevitable and continuing the misery of this debate. The challenge now is for farmers to work together of re-establishing some measure of influence in the handling, marketing and transportation systems.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Century-old book on the meatpacking industry still holds lessons for today VIEWPOINT } Corporate concentration, lax regulation and public apathy

begat a corrupt industry and, ultimately, a scandal by sheri monk pincher creek

inding a new passion for something is a lot like falling in love — in the beginning, you cannot get enough of it, and you wonder what you ever thought about before. And so it was for me when I began reporting on the cattle business — I was insatiable. I discovered the discount shelves at bookstores were full of information on food production. While it was a boon for me, I mourned that agriculture was an unpopular topic right alongside the discounted books on politics and history. The books I read chronicled the loss of the family farm, corporate agriculture, the disappearance of the honeybee, GMOs, BSE, and the history of branding. I was so taken with the latter, I actually got a tattoo of my favourite one. Unfortunately, that brand doesn’t even exist in Alberta, which means I have a tattoo that only makes sense in Saskatchewan. Despite that first year of potent infatuation, it wasn’t until just last week that I finally read Upton Sinclair’s classic book, The Jungle. Written in 1906 after the author worked and lived in Chicago’s infamous “Packingtown,” the book had a profound impact on the American meat-packing industry. Sinclair used the industrial climate of Packingtown to detail the

tribulations of immigrants. He wrote about how they were often swindled by predatory lenders and taken advantage of by corrupt supervisors; about how their children worked in sweatshops; and that women were abused sexually at work. Many would suffer the rest of their days striving to escape a poverty worse than they had left behind in the old country. Sinclair was hoping to demonstrate how selfishness and greed were promoting behaviours opposite to that of the American ideal. However, when the controversial book was released, the American people paid little mind to the horror experienced by the immigrants — they were concerned only with the allegations of widespread and systematic food safety failures. Poor Sinclair was devastated. While the book was well read and people were outraged, it failed to achieve the effect he desired. He is quoted as saying, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.” Still, The Jungle irrevocably changed and influenced the beef industry, not only in the U.S. but also in Canada. It included stories of rats and fecal matter being ground into sausage, spoiled meats being soaked in chemicals to remove the smell, tubercular beef exiting packer doors as though the disease were just a special spice, and of the occasional sorry worker who fell into the rendering tanks and was cremated into lard.

“I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.” upton sinclair

Teddy Roosevelt was president at the time, and although he considered Sinclair a left-wing lunatic, public outcry prompted him to send two men to investigate the situation. Packingtown was tipped off and cleaned the plants day and night for three weeks straight. Despite their efforts, the only claim that couldn’t be substantiated was that men occasionally disappeared into vats to spend their afterlife as lard. Public pressure resulted in the formation of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906, as well as the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1930 (out of which today’s Food and Drug Administration was born). Interestingly, Sinclair didn’t endorse the legislation because American taxpayers, not the packers, would bear the substantive inspection fees under the act. In Canada, packers pay for inspection, and this difference has long been cause for complaint. There’s no doubt this book was in part written as socialist propa-

ganda. Near the end, there’s a rant nearly as academic as John Galt’s in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. However, Sinclair tells the immigrants’ story beautifully, and it’s fascinating to see how the packing industry has evolved over the years. The book pits capitalism against socialism, and is written with the absolute black-and-white view that only rabid political partisanship can create. Sinclair saw the book as a story about immigrants and the lack of compassion and resources for the lower class. America saw the book as a lesson in food safety. I see it as a harbinger of the danger posed when an apathetic public and a complicit media beget a government wooed and ultimately corrupted by concentrated power and wealth in the private sector…

sort of similar to what we’ve seen happen to America in the last decade. Years after The Jungle was published, a report revealed widespread collusion between the big five packers, resulting in the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921. Near the end of the book, Sinclair’s characters imagine a much more equitable world 100 years in the future — precisely the time the housing bubble was poised to pop in the U.S., after deregulation allowed the “too big to fail” banks to destabilize the global economy. After reading the book’s very last page, I remembered the vast selection of history and political books on the discount shelves, and I realized The Jungle would never, ever truly be history.

Board guilty of ‘ideological bullying’ T

oday, (Oct. 26), I made the very difficult decision to resign effective immediately as the director of District 1 of the Canadian Wheat Board. In a letter to CWB Chairman Allen Oberg, I expressed my deep regret in coming to the realization that I can no longer serve my constituents and western Canadian grain farmers in general from within the organization. Driven by a lifetime of commitment and passion for agriculture, I sought a directorship with the CWB because I wanted to bring about change for the benefit of farmers. I fully

understood the CWB’s mandate and tried to improve its programs and services to farmers under that mandate. I saw many opportunities to provide farmers more freedom, flexibility and transparency, however, was in many cases treated as though my ideas would cause the destruction of the organization. During my terms as director, I saw the decisions of many directors driven by hard-line ideology rather than business acumen. When those directors continually used pool account money to justify and support their views for a single desk, I

found this “ideological bullying” unacceptable. The CWB’s decision this week to launch a legal challenge against the federal government over the proposed changes to the CWB Act, when it is clear to everyone that it will not change the outcome and would not change the timing of the government action, is simply wrong. A previous decision to suspend a director for simply expressing his opinion about the August “information meeting” is simply wrong. And the decision to allow a motion on the table to change the bylaw requiring a two-thirds majority to remove

a director is simply wrong. Such decisions and other discussions that have taken place around the CWB table are not about doing what is best for commercial farmers — they are the decisions taken by “ideological bullies.” What is happening at the CWB today is, in a word, wrong. To continue to work within the existing dysfunctional CWB board would be a disservice to those who voted me for me as their director. It would also be a disservice to all the farmers who want change and an option of using a voluntary CWB. Furthermore, at this time protecting the single desk “at all

costs,” is in my view, destroying future opportunities, harming the reputation of the farmers, demoralizing staff and creating uncertainty with customers and the industry, all of which will cost farmers money. I believe the government’s efforts to change the CWB are in the best interests of western Canadian grain producers and I will support their efforts and the efforts of other organizations and individuals committed to bring about positive change for western Canadian farmers. Henry Vos Fairview, Alta

OFF THE FRONT

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

COYOTES  From page 1

NEWS La Niña to keep U.S. north cold and the south dry

Coyotes like this one are learning how to push their boundries. viewed as a defendable perimeter. “You need to let them know that they’re not allowed in and do everything to keep them out,” said McKinnon. Prompt carcass removal, guard animals, changing routines, and shooting deter coyotes, said McKinnon, adding the best strategy is to cut coyote numbers in the fall, and then deal with problem animals during calving or lambing season. Fall is also the best time to trap, as coyotes have dispersed from their dens and are looking for food. Trapping season runs from October to the end of March, when the animal’s fur is prime. Modern foothold traps are designed so that they will not break an animal’s foot and blood can still circulate through the leg. This prevents an animal from chewing off its own foot,

PHOTO: KEVIN LINK

which can only happens when the foot is frozen or the bone is broken. Traps should be set for three or four days, and then moved to another spot. Trappers are required to check traps at least every 24 hours on farmland, or every 48 hours on crown land. Good spots are near fence lines or water sources. When set properly, a trap is free of a human’s scent and well hidden. Snares are also used to trap. They are rings of unbreakable wire that lock around an animal’s neck. When a snare is triggered, a spring inside the mechanism causes it to tighten quickly around an animal’s neck and chokes it to death. It’s harder to kill an animal using a neck snare. Snares are usually set along paths where animals regularly travel, but they can trap other animals accidentally,

“You should be focused on the problem animal, not the species in general, because you will not wipe out coyotes.” GREG MCKINNON

including neighbourhood dogs and deer. “This is a very effective tool, but it’s not for everyone,” said McKinnon. To learn more about trapping courses or to find a trapper in your area, contact the Alberta Trappers’ Association.

southwestern United States, already mired in the worst drought in a century. It has helped spawn massive dust storms, drawing comparisons to the great Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Already 91 per cent of Texas, 87 per cent of Oklahoma and 63 per cent of New Mexico are in extreme or exceptional drought, and forecasters said La Niña will exacerbate warm and dry conditions in these states, and spread similar weather to surrounding areas, particularly in the central Gulf Coast and parts of Florida.

WASHINGTON/REUTERS A strengthening La Niña will grip the United States this winter, causing colder and wetter weather in the most northern states, and drier and warmer conditions throughout the drought-ravaged South. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it expects the weather phenomenon that results in cooler ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, to become the most dominant factor influencing weather across the country ... for now. “The evolving La Niña will shape this winter,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of the agency’s Climate Prediction Center. But the weather agency said ”there is a wild card” — a change in pressure called the Arctic Oscillation. Difficult for forecasters to predict more than a week or two in advance, the volatile condition could produce dramatic short-term swings in temperatures. Still, weather forecasters said for the second winter in a row La Niña, Spanish for “little girl,” would affect U.S. weather. This could spell further trouble for the

New seed lab opens Nisku-based seed laboratory 20/20 Seed Labs says it is opening a new seedtesting facility on Highway 3 between Lethbridge and Coaldale. The facility will offer same-day priority accredited services for physical purity, green seed and 1,000 kernel weight. Additional informational services, such as controlled deterioration, herbicide screening, blackleg and moisture, will continue to be directed to the Nisku laboratory. The lab officially opened and began accepting samples on October 11.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE SEE: FLOCK SAFETY » PAGE 43

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Super-sizing stewardship pays dividends for potato industry Customer demands } Alberta potato growers used and built on EFP to meet rising stewardship expectations

by meristem media

couple of years back when McDonald’s Corporation shareholders raised the issue of environmental stewardship standards for suppliers, Potato Growers of Alberta (PGA) were among the groups that recognized this major paradigm shift as an opportunity to strengthen their connection with customers. “McCain drove the industry response and asked us and their other suppliers to get on board,” says Edzo Kok, PGA executive director. “The response of our growers was very proactive. The attitude was, ‘It’s good business. Let’s be part of the solution.’” What followed was a joint effort by growers, McCain Foods, Lamb Weston and McDonald’s to provide a response that included thorough benchmark information on current industry practices, along with clear targets for progress. Information was gathered through an indepth grower survey. This not only met shareholder expectations but helped McDonald’s boost its public image as an environmentally responsible company. “The shareholders were very happy and the company was very happy,” says Kok. “The growers showed leadership and they solidified the relationship with their top customer.” Part of what helped PGA adopt its progressive stance was the fact all PGA producers had developed Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) for their SEC-STETT12-T_AFE.qxd

10/14/11

operations. As a result, they had a head start on documenting environmental stewardship practices and identifying opportunities for improvement.

EFP helps fill the ‘G.A.P.’

Fast forward to the present and potato growers are at it again. This time using the Environmental Farm Plan tool as part of an approach to meet new environmental stewardship expectations under “Global G.A.P.” — an emerging international certification system for “good agricultural practices.” “Most of the potatoes grown in southern Alberta are grown for the processing industry, specifically the french fry industry,” says Kok. “Because we export a lot of the production, we’re dealing with international customers, a lot of them multinational companies such as the large chain restaurants. Those companies are pretty explicit in what they want their suppliers to comply with, and today we’re finding they commonly refer to Global G.A.P.” In fact, Global G.A.P. is fastbecoming the primary international standard dealing with agricultural practices. It includes two components — a food safety component and an environmental component. “We’ve had on-farm food safety plans in place for a long time,” says Kok. “However, to become Global G.A.P.-compliant, we realized we needed to supplement what we were doing to more completely comply with the environmental component.” 1:35 PM

“Those companies are pretty explicit in what they want their suppliers to comply with…” Edzo Kok

To address this need, PGA worked with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the Alberta EFP initiative to develop an adapted version of the EFP. It was designed to complement the on-farm food safety program by “filling the gaps” in the environmental components required by Global G.A.P. Those changes are now part of the general EFP tool.

Social responsibility agenda

The on-farm food safety program used by potato growers and others involved in the Canadian Horticultural Council was updated and rebranded as Canada G.A.P. The PGA is having success using this program combined with its enhanced EFP approach to assure international customers of its Global G.A.P compliance. Kok, like the leaders of other agricultural sectors in Alberta, is involved in discussions on the current role and opportu-

French fry manufacturers want to know their potatoes were produced under good environmental stewardship. ©thinkstock nities for EFP in the province. He says the main difference between the standard EFP tool and process and the way PGA has used the tool, is that while the original EFP version is primarily a self-assessment tool, today’s version has a greater emphasis on initiating change. He says the way PGA has used the tool in its branding process could be a model for a revised or next-generation EFP approach in Alberta. “There are different ways the program can go,” he says. “From our perspective, it

has provided a lot of value to what we are doing. Clearly it has helped to fill an emerging need that is continuing to grow as farm assurance schemes such as Global G.A.P. become more entrenched. It is helping to address the ‘social responsibility’ needs we see becoming more commonplace in the language of the global food business.” More information on EFPs in Alberta at www.albertaefp.com Meristem Media articles at www.meristem.com

Page 1

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NEWS » Markets

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

} forecasts

Record U.S. edible oil imports expected U.S. vegetable oil imports are likely to touch a new record as demand, especially for biofuels outstrips supplies, according to Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World. American edible oil imports will rise to 3.90 million tonnes from 3.80 million tonnes in 2010-11, it forecasts. Palm oil will be the main beneficiary, with U.S. imports likely to rise to 1.02 million tonnes from 0.96 million in the previous season, it estimates. Biodiesel production and this year’s poorer soybrean crop are the main reasons, it said.

Putin warns grain traders Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned grain traders that tariffs will be re-imposed if exports threaten domestic supplies. “Russia will approximately export 24 to 25 million tonnes of grain... after that we will introduce certain limits in order not to leave the country with no bread,” said Putin. “This means that those who are dealing with exports should hear us now and not sign excessive export contracts and then come to us and say: ‘We have contracts signed so allow us to export some more.’” Russia, whose harvest has recovered to average levels after a catastrophic drought last year, has been setting monthly records since a ban on grain exports ended in July.

Markets toss and turn on economic uncertainty ICE barley } Will the end of the CWB mean more liquidity?

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

CE Futures Canada canola contracts bounced around within a relatively narrow range during the week ended Oct. 28, posting declines in most months, aside from the nearby November. The gains in the front month were tied to position-evening ahead of deliveries against the contract, as traders exited their positions in November and the spread narrowed in. The move back above parity in the Canadian dollar accounted for some of the relative weakness in canola compared to soybeans, which moved up on the week. January is now the most active contract, and it finds itself stuck in a range between $525 and $550 per tonne. Seasonally, prices could be due for some strength heading into the new year, as the harvest pressure is now a distant memory and export demand typically picks up around this time of year. However, the big wrench in the system these days is global economic uncertainty. Outside financial markets have bounced around a great deal in recent weeks on rumours out of Europe one day to the next, and canola is a small ship in that big sea. One day investors are all optimistic that politicians will come up with a plan to save the day — driving prices across the board higher. However, the next day, the cup is once again half empty, and the talk in the trade inevitably turns to how any plans in place won’t be enough to protect the economy. That volatility shows no signs of letting up and will continue to be the wild card in the canola trade. However, many analysts don’t see much downside potential in canola either, with solid exporter and domestic crusher demand coming forward on any moves lower. The best basis levels are currently available in Manitoba, as tight supplies in the province have caused bids to surpass the futures in some cases. Western barley futures were higher during the week, with ICE arbitrarily bumping prices up despite there not being any actual trade.

New relationships

The current lack of liquidity in the feed barley contract doesn’t bode well for the implementation of the new wheat, durum and barley futures recently proposed by ICE Futures Canada. However, there is definitely an argument to be made that the looming end of the

Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk will bring interest back to the futures market. The current feed barley futures don’t really need to be traded, according to some industry participants, as the domestic feedlots in the market for barley only make purchases on a month-to-month basis and don’t need to price that far out. However, under an open market, larger exporters and malt companies looking to buy grain outside of the CWB will need a hedging mechanism and the opportunity to forward-contract. It remains to be seen if that theory will hold true, but many traders are at least cautiously optimistic the Winnipeg market will see some more activity. From a logistics standpoint, there is some uncertainty that the change to a new system will cause some disruptions, especially with a number of legal challenges currently up in the air. With no viable forward-pricing opportunities currently available for barley, both commercial buyers and farmers are waiting on the final implementation of the federal government’s Bill C-18 before looking ahead to new-crop ideas. However, industry participants say the grain handlers are in a reasonably good position to move forward when the time comes, as they are already moving the grain on the CWB’s behalf. For an outsider looking in, such as an international buyer, the changes to Canada’s grain marketing structure will lead to some new relationships, but won’t lead to substantial outward changes on the supply/demand front from Canada. In U.S. futures markets, soybeans, corn and wheat all moved higher during the week, after chopping around within narrow ranges of their own. Outside economic influences were also a major factor in U.S. grains and oilseeds, with a softer U.S. currency providing some support. Talk of increased export demand from China could underpin both soybeans and corn going forward, but wheat continues to be the slow one on the export front as the U.S. continues to miss out on sales opportunities due to increased competition from the Black Sea region. The U.S. corn and soybean harvests are in their final stages, and attention in the market is turning to export expectations and crop developments in South America. Phil Franz-Warkentin 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

©thinkstock

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Siting and managing wintering sites SETBACK  Wintering sites must be located at least 30 metres away from a common body of water AGRI-NEWS

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD) would like to remind operators that wintering sites must be sited and managed to protect surface water and are regulated under the Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA). “With the warmer temperatures we’ve had this fall, it’s hard to imagine that winter is just around the corner and livestock operators will soon be thinking about feeding and bedding their livestock for the winter,” says Deanne Madsen, confined feeding operation (CFO) extension specialist, AARD, Morinville. “Site selection and manage-

ment of wintering sites, otherwise known as seasonal feeding and bedding sites or overwintering areas, are very important to a livestock operation. Understandably no two wintering sites are the same, but the end goal should be to provide an economical, comfortable and healthy wintering site for livestock without compromising surface water and groundwater quality.” According to the AOPA, wintering sites must be located at least 30 metres away from a common body of water. If this cannot be achieved, the operator must either design the site to divert runoff away from the common body of water or move the accumulated manure and bedding to an appropriate

location away from the common body of water prior to a runoff event. “Just as livestock operators should take into consideration the proximity of surface water when deciding to locate their wintering sites, they might also think of other factors to help minimize the risk of water contamination,” says Madsen. “Such factors could include selecting a site that is sloped away from a water course or water body and diverting upslope surface water around the site to reduce the amount of runoff. Other site selection factors include avoiding high water tables, flood-prone areas, and porous soils (such as gravel and sand). “Management also plays a key

Site selection and management of wintering sites, otherwise known as seasonal feeding and bedding sites or overwintering areas, are very important to a livestock operation.

role in reducing environmental risk from wintering sites. Operators might want to evaluate last winter’s methods for feeding, bedding and watering the livestock to reduce manure accumulations thereby minimizing nutrient build up in surface runoff this upcoming season.” For more information on the regulatory requirements for

wintering sites, and manure management in general, contact the nearest confined feeding operation extension specialist by calling 310-FARM (3276). Information is also available by searching the term “AOPA legislation” on Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s webpage at www.agriculture. alberta.ca.

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Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: will.verboven@fbcpublishing.com November 5: Alberta Lamb Producers Zone 2, Sandman Hotel 12 p.m., Lethbridge. Call: ALP 403-948-1522 November 5: Equine Biosecurity Workshop, Northlands Park 12:30 p.m., Edmonton. Call: Monique 780-986-1007 November 5: Alberta Lamb Producers Zone 3, Three Hills Rural School 11 a.m., Three Hills. Call: ALP 403-948-1522 November 5/13: FarmFair 2011, Expo Centre/Northlands Park, Edmonton. Call: Tyler 780-4717210 November 6: Winter Series Cattle Sorting, AG Society 7 p.m., Cold Lake. Call: Trina 780594-0667 November 7/9: Alberta Beekeepers 2011 AGM, Fantasyland Hotel WEM, Edmonton. Call: Nabi 780-4224054 November 9: AB Soft Wheat Producers Region 3, RD Lodge 1 p.m., Red Deer. Call: Elizabeth 403-345-6550 November 9/12: Agritrade 2011, Westerner Park, Red Deer. Call: Pat 403-347-4491 November 10: AB Winter Wheat Producers Northern, RD Lodge 8 a.m., Red Deer. Call: Elizabeth 403-345-6550 November 15: Battle River Watershed Workshop, Legion Hall 1 p.m., Hardisty. Call: Sarah 780-672-0276 November 15: Battle River Watershed Workshop, Seniors Centre 7 p.m., Killam. Call: Sarah 780-672-0276 November 17: Battle River Watershed Workshop, Agriplex 1 p.m., Stettler.Call: Sarah 780672-0276 November 17/18: 34th Farm Women’s Conference, GP Inn, Grande Prairie, Call: Pat 780567-4308 November 17/18: Green Industry Show & Conference, Northlands Park, Edmonton. Call: Valerie 800-378-3198

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Second CWB director resigns

WELL, THE MEMORIES ARE STILL GOOD

LAWSUIT  Nielsen

says CWB’s own lawyers believe suing Ottawa “fruitless”

This old clunker has seen better days.

PHOTO: HERMINA JANZ

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DP2094 Retailer_MC_F_E.indd 1

10/28/11 4:37 PM

STAFF The second of the Canadian Wheat Board’s two farmer-elected pro-deregulation directors resigned from the board last week. Jeff Nielsen, who farms at Olds, and has represented the CWB’s District 2 in southwestern Alberta since 2008, announced his resignation last Monday in a letter to board chairman Allen Oberg. Nielsen follows northwestern Alberta producer Henry Vos, who quit last week as the CWB’s District 1 director, citing among other reasons the decision last week of a majority of directors to take the federal government’s Bill C-18 to court. Nielsen also publicly claimed Monday that the directors’ decision to take legal action ran counter to advice from the board’s own lawyers and external counsel. The directors, Nielsen said, had been told by the lawyers that “such a challenge would be fruitless and would have little to no effect on the government moving ahead” with C-18, the Conservatives’ bill to end the CWB’s single marketing desk for Prairie wheat and barley. Nielsen, like Vos, alleged a “lack of understanding and respect (to farmers)... apparent at what should have been informative, forwardmoving producer meetings this past summer.” Rather, Nielsen said in his letter to Oberg, “your and other directors’ personal fight to maintain the status quo has prevailed. You personally have said you recognize the need for proactive change, and that view is reflected by producers in the CWB’s annual surveys. This, however, has not been reflected in your ongoing leadership or public actions or comments. “As someone who has worked for years to see wheat and barley continue to be successful crops in Western Canada my decision to resign is regretful,” said Nielsen, a past-president of the Western Barley Growers Association and former board member with the Grain Growers of Canada. “Being 100 per cent committed to representing the interests and views of producers, I had little option but to resign from the CWB.” Nielsen was elected to the CWB’s board to replace its original pro-deregulation District 1 director, Jim Chatenay, after the Penhold, Alta. grower’s term limit ended. Nielsen also previously served as a farmer-director with UGG and Agricore United, before the latter’s merger with Saskatchewan Wheat Pool into Viterra.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Topping action in soybean meal alerts livestock producers not to panic Psychology } Don’t just follow the crowd in the markets By david drozd

ivestock producers were left scratching their heads when the December 2011 soybean meal futures contract posted a new high in late August. The news was incredibly bullish, as concerns of an early frost were on producers’ minds. The big question was, “Should I be locking in the price of meal before it gets any higher?” As always, I turn to the charts in search of an answer. The first observation I made, was that prices had been trading in a sideways range for an extended period of time. This is referred to as a rectangular pattern with the price of meal contained between an area of resistance at $370 and an area of support at $330. The second observation was that prices broke out above $370 on August 23, 2011, which led me to question whether this was a false breakout above the line of resistance.

False breakouts

Back in the 1980s, one could rely on prices to have followthrough strength after a break-

out from a rectangular pattern, as seen in the accompanying chart. During that time, you could expect prices to advance the height of the area defining the rectangle. If the range was $40 per ton, as seen in the chart, you could count on a $40 rally following the breakout — but not so in this day and age. This is because things have changed with the advent of the large speculative funds. They build massive positions and have to be careful not to pressure the markets too hard when they are liquidating their long positions. What better opportunity to offload their huge long position, than by selling when there is a flurry of buying activity, such as when prices break out of a well-established sideways trading range?

Market psychology

On the breakout, the shorts were buying back their losing positions, longs were adding to their already profitable positions, and other traders were initiating new long positions. Buy stops were triggered above $370, which magnified the buying frenzy.

A surge in volume and open interest was a telltale sign of the increased buying interest. This is when the news was incredibly bullish to substantiate the higher prices. Fears of frost and escalating prices were enough to cause even the most disciplined livestock producer to entertain the idea of locking in meal before the price went even higher. By recognizing the fact that rectangular chart patterns are often associated with false breakouts, you can avoid getting caught up in a buying frenzy. Armed with this powerful information, wise market watchers search for reasons to look away from the crowd. Looking at our soybean meal futures chart you can see that on August 31, 2011, a reversal pattern called a harami (sell signal) materialized on the candlestick chart, at the peak of the market. Prices then turned down below $370, confirming the false breakout. From there, prices collapsed. The free fall didn’t let up until meal lost $90 per ton; dropping from $391 on August 31, 2011 to $301 on October 7, 2011. Every livestock producer I know can certainly benefit from

chart soybean meal December 2011 (Chart as of Oct. 26, 2011)

a $90 drop in the price of meal. Oh, and the frost. It did occur, but this turned out to be a case of “Buy the rumour — sell the fact.” This simply means that the frost had already been factored into the market by way of higher prices, so once the frost materialized, prices collapsed. By understanding chart patterns, and the psychology of the marketplace, one is less likely to get caught buying at the highs. The fund managers understand this concept and this is why you often see them selling at the top and buying at the

bottom — when the masses are looking the other way. Send your questions or comments about this article and chart to info@ag-chieve.ca. David Drozd is president and senior market analyst for Winnipeg based 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 grain marketing advisory services, or call us toll free at 1-888-274-3138 for a free consultation.

YOUR CROP, YOUR CHOICE The Government of Canada is delivering on its promise to give marketing freedom to Western Canadian wheat and barley farmers.* An open grain market means more investment, more innovation, more value-added jobs as well as a stronger economy.

For further information, please visit

www.agr.gc.ca/freedom or call 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232) TTY: 1-800-926-9105

*Subject to parliamentary approval.

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Survey claims Canadians think dairy products too expensive Website battle } Dairy Farmers of Canada is monitoring

group’s lobby efforts, social media campaign by daniel winters staff

Over half of Canadians think dairy products are too expensive, according to a recent survey by a restaurant and food services association. “The current system is making Canadian milk and cheese less attractive — and less affordable — for everyone,” said Garth Whyte, president and CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). The survey conducted for the 30,000-member association found that 58 per cent of Canadians would support a reduction in the price of milk, cheese and other dairy products. The only surprise is that the number wasn’t higher, retorted

“If somebody asks me if I want to pay less for gas, I’ll say yes. Would I be happy if my taxes were lower, yeah.” Therese Beaulieu DFC

Therese Beaulieu, a spokesperson for Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). “If somebody asks me if I want to pay less for gas, I’ll say yes. Would I be happy if my taxes were lower, yeah,” said Beaulieu.

Wide-ranging campaign

The survey is part of a more wide-ranging campaign, one with a heavy social media component. The CRFA has created a website, freeyourmilk.ca, and says it will use Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness among consumers of the “complicated and difficult” supply management system, and hopefully gain some clout ahead of the upcoming annual dairy price peg in mid-November. It cites Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development numbers that show prices in Canada are roughly double the world average, and 63 per cent higher than those paid by Americans. However, the association says it is “not targeting the farmer.” “CRFA is interested in working with federal and provincial governments and the dairy industry to see a fair and transparent system that benefits everyone,” said Whyte. Quoting StatsCan figures that show Canadians consume 18 per cent less milk today compared

to two decades ago, Whyte said changes to the system could help increase overall consumption of dairy products. In light of the federal Conservatives’ push to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board, is the DFC worried an influential lobby group is taking aim at supply management? No, said Beaulieu, noting that whenever criticism of the quota system arises, the Tories are quick to reassure dairy farmers that they will preserve supply management.

Mature market

She added that dairy products are a “mature” market, and consumption of fluid milk has fallen on both sides of the border due to the demographics of an aging population. On the other hand, consumption of cheese, cream and yogurt is rising. Criticism from the CRFA about dairy prices is “nothing new,” said Beaulieu. “Well, guess what? In the late 1990s and 2000, it was actually cheaper in Canada than in the U.S. At that time, the CFRA was still attacking the price of milk,” she said. However, she said DFC will be monitoring the attempt at generating a consumer-driven campaign, as well as upcoming lobbying efforts. daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

Sclerotinia the hard way. Sclerotinia is a costly disease for canola growers. Provincial disease surveys* indicate that 82% of prairie acres are affected by it. Losses can easily top $30 per acre... almost $5000 per quarter section. Spraying to control sclerotinia is expensive and uncertain because it depends on critical timing.

PR2045_PRscl_AFMC_H_E.indd 1

NEWS Former CWB chair Ken Ritter passes Ken Ritter, the first farmerelected chair of the CWB’s board of directors, died Oct. 23 after a battle with brain cancer. Ritter, who farmed in the Major-Superb area of west central Saskatchewan, was also a lawyer and a teacher lawyer and teacher. He served as CWB chair between 1999 and 2008. His career achievements included co-designing and implementing Saskatchewan’s Farm Security Act legislation, serving as Commissioner with the National Transportation Agency of Canada and chairing the Saskatchewan Surface Rights Arbitration Board. “I was saddened to hear of Ken’s untimely death and extend my sympathies and the thoughts and well wishes of all CWB board members to Ken’s family and closest friends,” said current CWB chair Allen Oberg in a release. “He brought his considerable knowledge, insight and diplomatic skills to the board table, serving as a consensusbuilder and a champion for farmers.”

Speed is key in making optimum silage One of the presenters at the upcoming Capturing Feed Grain and Forage Opportunities Conference says that the

key to making good silage is to make it oxygen-free as quickly as it is taken off the field. “As soon as the forage is cut, the process of deterioration begins,” says ruminant nutritionist Dr. Robert Westra. “You have a window of opportunity for getting the silage into safekeeping before a lot of deterioration takes place.” Westra says the same day the forage is harvested it should be sealed in order to preserve the product in optimum condition. At the upcoming conference, Westra will be doing a presentation on producing barley, corn and bale silage. “When the crop is harvested, it is at its highest level of energy,” says Westra. “The producer’s role is to ensure as much of this energy is preserved as possible by acting as quickly as possible.” The Capturing Feed Grain and Forage Opportunities Conference is the premier event for livestock producers, industry leaders and key stakeholders in Western Canada. It takes place in Strathmore on Nov. 22 and 23, 2011. Conference information and registration forms are available on the ARECA website at www.areca. ab.ca and on the Alberta Agriculture website at www. agriculture.alberta.ca. To register, contact the Chinook Applied Research Association at 403-664-3777.

Albertafarmexpress.ca • November 7, 2011

Communicating safety responsibilities to farm visitors third year } The theme will be a focus on

implementation, documentation and training by Theresa Whalen

Canadian Federation of Agriculture farm

safety consultant

As a farm owner/operator, you are responsible for the health and safety of everyone who sets foot on your farm — whether they are workers, suppliers, contractors, your children’s friends or a stranger asking for directions. Fulfil that responsibility with a written farm safety plan that everyone understands and follows. To walk the talk, check out a new farm management tool called the Canada FarmSafe Plan developed by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).

It is particularly important to make sure non-farming visitors are aware of the safety rules and practices in place on your farm…

The Canada FarmSafe Plan supports the theme Plan•Farm•Safety, a threeyear focus for the Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign. In 2010 the campaign promoted “Plan” with safety walkabouts and planning for safety. This year, the focus is on “Farm” including implementation, documentation and training. And in 2012, emphasis will be on “Safety” including assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems. A download of Canada FarmSafe is available at www. planfarmsafety.ca. “Producers have many responsibilities that require many skill sets, and not everyone is comfortable with writing up a farm safety plan,” said Marcel Hacault, CASA’s executive director. “We wanted to make developing a written farm safety plan as easy as possible, so we developed the Canada FarmSafe Plan in a way that can be easily adapted to each unique operation. Writing the plan however, is just part of the equation — you also have to put that plan into practice every day.” It is particularly important to make sure non-farming visitors are aware of the safety rules and practices in place on your farm, Hacault said. Here are a few things you can do:

Children on farm visits need to be supervised at all times. • Establish clear visitation rules and post the rules in writing in a visible location. • Upon arrival, explain to visitors the boundaries as to where they can and can’t go and any hazards they need to watch out for, particularly with regard to children and pets. • Ensure children are supervised at all times. • Clearly establish safe on-farm attire such as shoes instead of sandals, long pants (depending on activity), no loose strings, frays, sleeves, etc. Provide water, insect repellent and sunscreen, if necessary. • Show visitors where you keep the fire extinguishers, first aid kit, eye wash station, and other emergency supplies. • Show visitors where the telephones are and post your farm’s address and

directions near each phone along with important emergency phone numbers. • Inform guests of the location of all restrooms and hand-washing stations on the farm. • Place signs with short safety messages in and around areas where hazards are present. • Post the names of any gases stored on the farm and signs prohibiting smoking in any storage area for portable compressed gas cylinders. • Set up a safety bulletin board in a central area with seasonal safety reminders. “A little thoughtful planning can prevent big mishaps,” Hacault says. “By following these simple steps, you can make your farm a safer place to work, live and play.”

Or the easy way. There’s a simple, certain and effective way to limit these losses. Plant canola seed with the Pioneer Protector® sclerotinia trait. It puts your first line of defense against this costly disease right into the seed, to help protect your yield potential through to harvest. Control sclerotinia the easy way: Pioneer Protector.

www.pioneer.com *Average number based on 88% affected in Manitoba, 91% in Saskatchewan and 64% in Alberta. Results from the Provincial Disease Surveys, 2010. Field results show that Pioneer Protector ® Sclerotinia resistance can reduce the incidence of sclerotinia in a canola crop by over 50%. Individual results may vary. Depending on environmental and agronomic conditions, growers planting Pioneer Protector Sclerotinia resistant hybrids may still require a fungicide application to manage sclerotinia in their crop. All purchases are subject to the terms of labelling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM Trademarks and service marks licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. © 2011 PHL. PR2045_PRscl_AFMC_H_E

31/10/11 4:00 PM

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

track puts family’s harvest off track

Cassie Bolinger has fun atop her dad’s (Allen) shoulders while waiting for a load of barley to be augered across a set of tracks into a second truck for transport to a bin. The track was built across Robert Bolinger’s (right) land near Gleichen, Alberta, after last years harvest, to service the newly built Paterson Grain terminal. The Bolingers had to improvise to move barley from the field after the realized access built across the track was too steep for their truck. photo by kevin link.

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ACTS II

ALBERTA CONSERVATION TILLAGE SOCIETY II

French foie gras prices could swell this year due to a surge in maize prices but the increase should have little impact on sales and exports which continued to rise last year, producers said. Foie gras makers association CIFOG said half of French households had bought foie gras in 2010 and that sales had risen by 3.3 per cent while exports had gained 11 per cent versus 2009. But the association said a 20 per cent increase in production costs in 2010, linked to a 54 per cent rise in duck feed prices due to soaring grain prices, needed to be passed on in sale prices. Makers already negotiated a rise of four to five per cent with retailers earlier this year. “This is not enough. Grain prices remain high so we will likely have to ask for another increase of around eight to nine per cent at the latest on July 1,” CIFOG member Thierry Blandinieres said. “It’s not over. Spring will be hot but it is necessary.” Other sectors such as meat, cooking oil or pasta, which also use large amounts of grains and oilseeds, prices of which surged to at least two-year highs last year, faced similar problems. But foie gras producers played down the impact of the price rise on their consumers. French households spend an average of 28 euros (C$39) per year on the luxury dish, mainly during the year-end festive season. “A rise of 10 per cent would only make two or three euros. I think that’s acceptable for consumers,” said Jean Schwebel, head of the European foie gras federation.

INTERIM PAYMENTS DUE THIS WEEK Canadian Wheat Board interim payments of between $2.80 and $55.20 a tonne for the 2010-11 crop year will be issued by direct deposit on Nov. 8 or by cheque via regular mail by about Nov. 18. On average, the interim payments for milling wheat and durum, which will vary widely by grade, class and protein percentage, will be $25.50 and $23.30 per tonne, respectively. Malting barley will yield an interim payment of $6 per tonne and Pool B feed barley, $7. Interim payments, issued after a crop year ends, are an earlier partial payment of proceeds farmers would otherwise see in a final payment.

Dry summer reduced some — but not all — crop disease NASTY EFFECTS  There is low tolerence for ergot because it contains alkaloids

that cause severe problems, including gastrointestinal distress and gangrene

AF CONTRIBUTOR | LETHBRIDGE

ast summer’s dry weather stopped a lot of crop diseases, but not all of them. The cold, late spring with many saturated soils was followed by dry weather in most of the province (save in the Peace where the end of a long drought was followed by almost constant rains). The dry weather meant fusarium head blight was just about a non-issue in Alberta and much of the Prairies this year. Only 5.4 per cent of durum and 3.5 per cent of hard red spring wheat samples his group has assessed have fusarium damage this year, said Tom Graefenhan of the Canadian Grain Commission. But it’s a different story for ergot, with 19.5 per cent of hard red spring wheat samples testing positive. “Ergot is sporadic,” said Graefenhan. “But it’s serious for farmers because tolerance for ergot is very low, 0.01 per cent for No. 1 and only 0.04 in No. 4 HRS. We’ve had bad years for ergot before, 12.7 per cent in ’99 and 13.5 per cent in ’08. But it doesn’t usually persist into the following year.” Tolerance for ergot has to be strict because it contains alkaloids that cause nasty problems, including gastrointestinal effects, hallucinations and gangrene that can result in the loss of fingers and toes.

“Really, you need two years between cereal crops to lower disease risk.” KELLY TURKINGTON

A wet year, such as Alberta had in 2010 favours ergot in grain or in grasses in ditches and headlands, and they produce abundant inoculum. The following year, the ergot bodies on the wet soil surface germinate and two to four weeks later produce infective spores. Open-pollinated species, such as rye, triticale and ryegrasses, are relatively easily infected because their flowers open to accept pollen. Usually, flowers of selfpollinators, such as wheat and barley, are not open to pollen from other flowers or infective spores. The problem, says Agriculture Canada plant pathologist Kelly Turkington, is that an environmental stress just before or during flowering can cause male sterility in self-pollinating species, with the anthers producing no pollen or nonviable pollen. This leads to flowers opening in order to access pollen, and that can result in ergot infection, in which spores infect the flower and replace the seed with an ergot body.

www.pioneer.com

BY HELEN MCMENAMIN

Environmental triggers

The environmental stress that triggers male sterility may be a cold snap or a hotter-than-normal spell, a late herbicide application, or a deficiency of copper or boron in the soil. “Copper deficiency or boron deficiency can trigger male sterility, especially on sandy soils,” says Turkington. “But applying copper or boron doesn’t always prevent wheat and barley developing male sterility. If these nutrients are at deficient levels then there is a greater ergot risk, but only if ergot spores and wet conditions occur during the flowering stage of the crop.” Researchers in Britain have tested a wide range of fungicide strategies, but none were very effective. “Rotations are key to ergot control,” says Turkington. “Really, you need two years between cereal crops to lower disease risk. Mowing grasses in ditches and headlands before they head out can lower your risk of ergot in the crop.” Once you have ergot in the crop, Turkington

 DEPOSITS

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Last year’s wet weather contributed the buildup of ergot inoculum affecting this year’s crop. AAFC suggests leaving the ripe grain standing so the wind can shake the loose ergot bodies out of the grain heads. Given the low tolerances for ergot in grain it may be worthwhile to have grain cleaned before shipping.

Advice well-grounded. PR2088 v5 CAB_CPS.indd 1

28/09/11 6:03 PM

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Premier cancels “potatogate” sale INPUT WANTED  New premier wants to further review and public input on possible

development of 16,000 acres of native rangeland in Cypress County BY HELEN MCMENAMIN

“We don’t know where the premier is going with this, but the business of government will go on while planning is underway.”

AF CONTRIBUTOR | LETHBRIDGE

The Alberta government has cancelled the request for proposals that would have seen 16,000 acres of native rangeland sold for irrigation development. The cancellation fulfilled a promise Premier Alison Redford made during her campaign for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party. According to a press release from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), “People raised concerns that there was no public input… and that there might be an impact on water and on the ranching community.” The cancellation was welcomed by Alberta Wilderness Association, a vocal critic of the proposed development of native range into irrigated farmland. The group

Land west of Medicine Hat in Cypress County is now home to several species at risk. issued an open letter to Premier Redford, congratulating her on the decision to cancel the proposed “potatogate” land sale. It also called for a rethink of “the fundamentally flawed process which came so close to allowing this important environmental land, endangered species habitat and leased grazing land to be sold off and plowed up.” The land is part of the grazing

lease of the Bow Island Grazing Association, west of Medicine Hat in Cypress County. A bid to irrigate the land in the 1920s came to nothing, leading to farms being abandoned and the area returning to something close to native rangeland. It is now home to several species at risk, including burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks and Sprague’s pipits, and is a calving

ground for antelope. During the intervening years, it has been surveyed at least once for its irrigation potential. In 2010, the grazing lease was part of a proposed land swap that would have seen public rangeland owned by SLM Spuds used for grazing and the grazing lease lands irrigated for potato production. Local cattle producers rejected the swap, say-

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DUNCAN MACDONNELL ALBERTA SRD SPOKESPERSON

ing they were being offered poorer land, with no compensation for their improvements or legal work. SLM Spuds walked away from the proposal last fall because of the opposition of the grazing association and a widespread outcry from environmentalists and others. The RFP (request for proposals), which included a requirement for an irrigation plan as well as a bid for the land, was issued just before the Labour Day holiday and had a closing date of October 31. The Alberta Wilderness Association opposed the proposal and put in a Freedom of Information Request for correspondence related to the proposed sale. “Much of the information was withheld,” said Nigel Douglas, conservation specialist with the association. “But the documents showed SRD staff in the Fish and Wildlife and Lands Divisions did not support the sale of this land. They said it was high-quality habitat for wildlife and had too many other values to be sold for irrigated farming. SRD’s own experts said the parcel ‘should not be sold.’ But, SRD seems to regard wildlife as a nuisance.” Douglas said his group would like to see a change in the legislation that currently allows the minister to sell off public land without public input. Premier Redford committed to “suspend the sale of ecologically sensitive Crown land near Bow Island and wait for the South Saskatchewan Basin Regional Advisory Council to present its final report on the best use of that parcel.” That’s quite a change from the position of former minister of sustainable resource development, Mel Knight, who focused on the jobs and investment irrigation farming would create and stated, “Development can’t be held in abeyance while regional plans are developed.” The issue is now under review. “We are back in the situation we had before the RFP,” said Alberta SRD spokesperson Duncan MacDonnell. “There is no sale pending and no discussions on the Bow Island grazing lease. Premier Redford has made public consultation a priority issue.” He noted that the department is in transition with a new minister and, at present, no public body is doing regional planning. But there is a period for public comment on the report of the South Saskatchewan Regional Advisory Council that is open until the latter part of December. “We don’t know where the premier is going with this, but the business of government will go on while planning is underway,” said MacDonnell.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Grain bags to store high-moisture grain before drying are in high demand in the Peace this year.

Tough weather conditions delay Peace harvest HIGH MOISTURE  Growers will need to do a lot of drying to get the crop safely into the bin REBECCA DIKA

AF CONTRIBUTOR | GRANDE PRAIRIE

Slow and steady will win the race for Peace Region producers this crop season. Heavy precipitation and cool temperatures for the majority of the growing season have put harvest operations about a month behind. “We’re just picking away at it,” says Alberta Agriculture market specialist David Wong. “Cool conditions, shorter days and sporadic showers are giving us trouble.” Many producers are forced to harvest their crops in tough and damp condition requiring drying. Though the north Peace, producers wrapped up harvest by the beginning of October, but they are the exception. “The rest of the Peace is only about 70

per cent done,” reported Wong on Oct. 30. “Lots of guys aren’t getting out there until three o’clock in the afternoon these days, if at all.” Powerful winds blew into the area Oct. 26 instead of the forecasted freezing rain and snow flurries, which helped harvest, Wong said. Thanks to the cooperation of Mother Nature, combines went hard right through the last weekend of October. He expects producers will complete harvest by the end of the first week of November. He said producers are busy just taking it off and not waiting for crops to dry down. As a result, grain bag sales are brisk. “They allow you to take the grain off at a higher moisture content, and not have to truck it back to the yard right away,” said Wong. Custom combining is more

frequent here this year, and it’s not unusual to see six or seven combines in one field. “Some guys who are already finished will go across the fence and help out their neighbour,” said Wong. “We’re seeing lots of No. 1 and No. 2 wheat and canola and some exceptional cereal crops.” Fescue yields are about average, and that’s from a significantly decreased acreage in northwestern Alberta. Many producers seeded wheat and canola instead to benefit from high market prices.

Good yields and quality

Yields have been solid, especially for wheat. According to the Oct. 20 Alberta Crop Report, Peace spring wheat is sitting at 96.2 per cent in the top three grades, the highest in the prov-

ince. The provincial average was 88.9 per cent. The same holds true for barley at 96.9 per cent either select or 1 CW, compared to the provincial average of 87 per cent. Quality estimates for Peace region canola is 86.3 per cent No. 1, again higher than the provincial average of 79.7 per cent. Only field pea quality (at 57.6 per cent) were lower than the provincial average, by more than 10 per cent. It’s been one of the more difficult harvest seasons, even for the Peace area. Harvesting completion rates were spotty, even from one field to the next. “It’s the little rainfall every other day that was just enough to stop harvest operations,” Wong said. “We are at well-below-normal precipitation levels for this time of year.” Still, Peace soils are still

“It’s the little rainfall every other day that was just enough to stop harvest operations.” DAVID WONG

well above average for rainfall received since April 1, and the subsurface moisture is generally good, he said. According to Alberta Agriculture, 57 per cent of Peace subsoil moisture ratings are rated as excellent, with another 37 per cent rated as good.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Wheat growers to consider all-class agency Replacement } For winter wheat and soft white wheat growers,

the new levy would replace their current checkoff staff Alberta’s wheat growers will be asked to consider the idea of a new checkoff-funded commission backing variety and market development across all wheats grown in the province. A steering committee, for what would tentatively be called the Alberta Wheat Commission, was formed in December and plans to consult growers this winter on their views. The proposal stems from an Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission (AWWPC) resolution in 2008 to gauge interest in a commission in support of all wheats, including spring and winter wheats and durum. “One of the main purposes of the proposed commission would be to ensure wheat production is competitive, preferred and profitable,” Vauxhall farmer and Alberta Soft White Wheat Producers Commission chairman Lynn Jacobson, the steering committee’s co-chair, said SEC_CAR11_T_MC.qxd 8/26/11 in a release.

wheat the eight classes

AWWPC chairman Kent Erickson, a grower at Irma and the committee’s other co-chair, said the proposal is in response to “a gap in Alberta’s crop sector and the need for greater investment in research for plant breeding and agronomics in wheat.” The committee, Jacobson said, has drafted 4:23already PM Page 1 “strong and viable strategic business and startup

plans that pave the way to having an all-wheat commission up and running on Aug. 1, 2012.”

Refundable checkoff

Such a commission isn’t meant to take over duties or activities from the Western Grains Research Foundation or Canadian Wheat Board, the committee stressed in its release.

The proposal is closely modelled after other provincial commissions, the committee said. Producers would elect a board and delegates for the organization, which would be funded through a refundable checkoff. For winter wheat and soft white wheat growers, the new levy would replace their current checkoff. The committee’s initial proposal

calls for a checkoff of 70 cents per tonne, toward a conservative revenue forecast of about $3.5 million per year within three years of the commission’s launch, Jacobson said. Of that, he estimated, about $3 million a year would be “directly invested in strategic priorities.” A CEO and staff would also be hired to carry out the commission’s plans. Producer feedback will be sought in the coming months before the committee goes to seek approval from the province’s minister of agriculture, food and rural development, Erickson said. Market research in 2009 found 58 per cent support for an all-wheat commission among a sample group of over 300 growers of various wheats, the committee said. The steering committee plans to release a schedule next month for producer meetings this winter. Meanwhile, the committee said, it’s also seeking funding from various sources for the consultation phase.

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Two wheat varieties aresistant to the deadly Ug99 strain of stem rust are set for release in Kenya, says a report from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (IRIN). The two varieties, dubbed Eagle10 and Robin, were developed by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). Ug99 is named after its discovery in Uganda in 1999 and it is currently spreading across Africa, Asia and most recently into Middle East. The strain is seen as a major threat to world food security, as few if any of the current wheat varieties are immune to the strain, which reportedly cuts yields by 50 to 70 per cent. Kenyan farmers have been abandoning wheat due to losses caused by Ug99. The IRIN report says production costs went up by 40 per cent between 2001 and 2011 with farmers this year having to spray wheat three times a season at a cost of Sh9,000 (US$90) per acre.

“That disease (Ug99) was a disaster to wheat farming; it turned out that I would not make any profit having spent too much on fungicides,” former wheat farmer Peter Thiongo said in the report. “I planted corn on my five-acre farm, where I had for many years been growing wheat, but I am optimistic that the new varieties will save me money which I spent on fungicides, and I am ready to plant when seeds are available,” he said. Since 2005, KARI has screened over 200,000 wheat germplasms, of which only 10 per cent were found to have some resistance to Ug99. Of the 10 per cent, only a handful could adapt to the Kenyan environment, said KARI plant breeder Peter Njau. He said both new varieties have very good baking and bread-making qualities. KARI is working with the Kenya Seeds Company to multiply the varieties. “We are expecting to have produced more than 10 tons of the new seed variety by the end of this year,” said KARI director Ephram Mukisira.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

DuPont suit claims Monsanto infringed corn patent GM patents } The bitter rivalry over control of corn seed continues reuters

DuPont’s Pioneer seed unit has sued Monsanto Co., claiming its arch-rival infringed on patents that help genetically modified corn seeds germinate. The suit, filed Oct. 18, is the latest volley in a bitter fight between the duo for dominance in the lucrative U.S. corn seed industry. In its lawsuit, filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Pioneer Hi-Bred International claims that it owns patents on a method “of enhancing the vigour of maize seeds” by defoliating the plant at a particular point after pollination but before harvest, and on a maize seed and stand of maize seeds that have such enhanced vigour. The suit alleges that Monsanto has been using the methods protected by Pioneer’s patents and

seeks reimbursement by Monsanto for any profits gained from the sale of products made with the patents, as well as damages. The suit, which alleges Monsanto’s infringement is “willful and deliberate,” does not seek a

specific dollar amount in dam- at its Constantine, Michigan, ages. research site, Pioneer claimed The patents, U.S. patent num- in the lawsuit. bers 5,518,989 and 6,162,974, Pioneer also wants its attorcover technologies that improve ney’s fees reimbursed and Moncorn seed germination. santo blocked from using the First filed in 1994, the patentsB:8.125” patented methods in the future. have been used by Monsanto Monsanto issued a statement T:8.125”

following the lawsuit’s filing, calling it “baseless” and “without merit,” and said the approach covered by DuPont’s patent is not used in any of Monsanto’s production fields. “This filing appears to be another in a series of frivolous claims initiated by DuPont against our business and aimed at distracting us from our mission of investing in and delivering new product offerings to farmers around the world. We will defend our business against this latest attack,” the Monsanto statement said. The two companies are bitter rivals. Separate from the patent infringement suit, the two have been locked in an ongoing court battle over a soured licensing agreement. DuPont has accused Monsanto of illegal, anti-competitive behaviour and Monsanto claims DuPont has breached business ethics and violated the terms of licensing agreements.

S:8.125”

Saudi Arabia increases storage capacity Saving water } The

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Saudi Arabia expects to import 1.9 million tonnes of wheat in 2011, the director general of the staterun Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organisation (GSFMO) said Oct. 19. “Around 1.9 million tonnes this year and slightly more next year,” Waleed el-Khereiji told reporters on the sidelines of a Russian grain conference in Egypt. The increase in imports is due to an increase in consumption and a decrease in local purchases. “For sure consumption is increasing due to the increase in population and due to the decrease of procurement from the interior market,” el-Khereiji said. Saudi Arabia also plans to increase wheat storage capacity to 3.2 million tonnes, enough to cover its annual wheat consumption of about 2.9 million tonnes. “We have some projects now to add 710,000 tonnes,” el-Khereiji said during his presentation at the conference. “If we complete all these projects we will have one year reserves storage capacity,” he said. Work is underway to construct new silos, some of which are at main Saudi ports, he said. Saudi’s storage capacity is currently 2.5 million tonnes. Only two per cent of Saudi Arabia’s wheat imports in the period from 2008 to 2011 came from Russia while 40 per cent was imported from Canada in the same period. “We don’t select countries, we select wheat quality so we have specifications (and) whoever meets them with the right prices we will welcome him in our tenders,” el-Khereiji said. Saudi Arabia plans to totally depend on wheat imports by the year 2016 to save water.

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Ohio wheat acres expected to drop to record low this year ACREAGE BATTLE  U.S. farmers are following the money — from wheat into corn BY MICHAEL HIRTZER CHICAGO/REUTERS

Wheat plantings could fall to a record low this year in Ohio despite a record-high insurance price guarantee, as incessant rains stalled wheat seedings in the top growing state of the soft red winter variety. Wheat acres left fallow this winter are likely to be planted with corn in the spring, crop experts said, as corn futures remain at a historically high premium over wheat. Lofty wheat stocks and a possible increase in wheat seedings in the U.S. mid-South region should minimize the impact of lower acreage in Ohio while poor export demand should leave ample supplies for domestic millers.

Fifty-five per cent of Ohio’s wheat crop was planted at the beginning of the week, down from the normal planting pace of more than 80 per cent, the U.S. Agriculture Department said. The USDA’s insurance agency set the projected price guarantee of $8.20 per bushel of wheat in Ohio, topping the previous record of $7.93 per bushel in 2008.

Insurance

That should give farmers some incentive to plant beyond the deadline. Insurance protection decreases after the deadline but still helps farmers guard against crop loss or price declines. Nearly a foot of rain has fallen in the past two months in Ohio, more than double average rainfall during the past 30 years, according to the National Weather Service.

Winter wheat is best planted in the short window after insects die off for the year and before the ground freezes. But soil temperatures are already declining and more rain is forecast next week. “It’s not a good scenario and it becomes increasingly harder to dry out fields at this time of year because you lose the sun,” said DTN Meteorlogix forecaster Mike Palmerino. Many Ohio farmers rotate crops of SRW wheat after soybeans, but late plantings and recent rains have pushed Ohio’s soy harvest behind other major U.S. soy-producing states. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we planted half as much wheat as normal,” said Stan Smith, an extension agriculture program assistant at Ohio State University

in Fairfield County, where he has worked for 25 years. USDA will not update its U.S. winter wheat acreage forecast until early next year but Ohio could lose as many as 200,000 acres of wheat, said Rich Feltes, grains analyst at R.J. O’Brien in Chicago. A drop of that many acres would put Ohio winter wheat acreage at a record low, USDA data shows. Farmers earlier this year in Ohio harvested 850,000 acres of winter wheat. SRW wheat has some of the lowest protein content of wheat varieties and its flour is used in the baking of biscuits, cakes and muffins. This year, wheat futures at the Chicago Board of Trade fell below corn for the first time since 1996 and stand at a historic discount to

“The market certainly is not sending farmers a signal to plant more wheat…” GREG JOHNSON GRAIN BUYER

corn due to plentiful global wheat stocks and tight corn supplies. “The market certainly is not sending farmers a signal to plant more wheat and the weather in Ohio is not letting them plant wheat even if they wanted to,” said Greg Johnson, a grain buyer at The Andersons, a major wheat buyer.

BRIEFS

SO MUCH OF FARMING IS “HURRY UP AND WAIT.” WELL, THIS IS THE “HURRY UP” PART.

Japan to review OTM beef import rules TOKYO/REUTERS Japan’s Health and Welfare Ministry said on Nov. 1 it would ask the Food Safety Commission to review import rules currently imposed on U.S. and Canadian beef. Japan currently only allows imports of U.S. and Canadian beef from cattle aged 20 months or younger. The rule, in place since 2005, has caused U.S. imports to plunge and Australian beef to gain market share in Japan’s 500,000 tonnes-a-year imported beef market. Media reported last month that Japan will relax the import rules as early as next year.

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Rahr Malting adds barley storage

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UFA.com 11-10-25 1:28 PM

Rahr Malting at Alix will invest $6 million to increase storage from 400,000 bushels to 1.2 million bushels, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced last week, citing the decision as related to the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly. An Agriculture Canada release said the additional storage will allow Rahr to buy and store more malting barley from farmers, improving efficiency and quality control.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Dairy industry combats decline in milk consumption FORGOT MILK?  Milk promotion aimed at teens and younger

children and focused on health benefits BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF | BARRHEAD

Fewer people are choosing a glass of milk to accompany their dinner or to quench their thirst — and that’s challenging milk producers and marketers. Milk consumption begins to decline as soon as kids go to school and are subjected to other beverage options and influences, attendees at a recent regional Alberta Milk producers meeting were told. The decline intensifies once they become teenagers. “Our focus in the Prairies has really been to target that nine to 17-year-old market,” said Katherine Loughlin, market development manager with Alberta Milk. “We try to get them to drink more when they’re home and get milk out of the parents’ fridge, and try to reinforce the habit before they move away.” Studies have found only 61 per cent of males and 83 per cent of females ages 10 to 16 are consuming the amount of dairy recommended by Canada’s Food Guide, said Loughlin. “Most Canadians are really suboptimal in terms of their milk consumption,” she said. Perceptions about milk as a healthy beverage has changed over time. In 2007, about 73 per cent of people thought it was a good idea to consume milk every day, while in 2010, that figure had dropped to 67 per cent. “A lot of the work we do is to try and rebuild that commitment to milk in people’s minds to make sure they continue to choose it,” said Loughlin. Milk consumption decreases as people age — an ominous factor given Canada’s aging Canadian population. Many people choose to consume milk because of nutritional concerns and studies have found people are concerned about obtaining the right amount of vitamins and protein. “Dairy is a great source of nutrients that many people seem to forget about,” said Loughlin. “About a third of people surveyed were looking to increase their source of protein, but they forget that dairy is a good source of protein.”

Immigrants are also affecting overall consumption. South Asian immigrants, who represent a large percentage of new Canadians, are major consumers, as their largely vegetarian diet uses milk products as their main source of protein. But this demographic one of the few growing consumer markets. However, Another Asian group, those of Chinese origin,rarely consume dairy products. “We need to work to convince these groups to consume more dairy products and think of ways to get them to incorporate dairy into their diets and into foods they are familiar with,” Loughlin said. Milk beverage alternatives,

such as soy, rice, or almond milk, have taken a small percentage of the market away. “It is a growing concern that people may have these in the fridge as opposed to milk,” said Loughlin. The development of new sport recovery drinks and new food products also challenge markets that have been traditionally held by the dairy industry. The forecast for retail sales for 2011 has dropped by one or two per cent in the Maritimes and Ontario and has only grown by 0.5 per cent to one per cent in the Prairies. “We still need to enhance where we’re going in the market and continue to build consumption,” said Loughlin.

The dairy industry wants to convince more teens to try milk.

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Two farmers to exit Viterra’s board

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

ALL EARS

Unrest } Largest

shareholder issues stinging criticism of board expertise

Staff — A farmer from south-central Saskatchewan and another from South Australia plan not to stay on Viterra’s board of directors past March, amid shareholder criticisms of the board’s expertise. Vic Bruce of Tuxford, Sask. and Paul Daniel of Balaklava, South Australia have both said they will not stand for reelection to the board at the grain giant’s annual shareholders’ meeting, scheduled for March 8, 2012 in Calgary. The announcement of the departures came shortly before a stinging statement from Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), the province’s pension and investment fund, which with 17 per cent of the shares, is Viterra’s largest shareholder. AIMCo questioned whether the current board “has the skills or expertise to meet the Company’s leadership needs as a growing international agribusiness.” In a statement Nov. 1, AIMCo said “Alberta Investment Management Corporation will not accept Viterra’s vague plans for board renewal, further platitudes about seeking shareholder input, or closed-door processes on important governance issues. “After eighteen months of dialogue, AIMCo does not believe the current Viterra directors are prepared to enact meaningful change for the benefit of all stakeholders.” The AIMCo statement came after an Oct. 28 release from Viterra, which announced the departure of the two farmer-directors as part of a process of setting a slate of proposed nominees for its board of directors “that reflects Viterra’s commitment to ensure that the evolving needs of the company are addressed.” Viterra said that two internationally recognized search firms have been retained to assist in finding suitable replacements, and that it “will also continue to seek input from Viterra’s shareholders and other important stakeholders on the appropriate composition of the board.” Bruce’s history with Viterra dates back to 1987, when he served as a delegate for Saskatchewan Wheat Pool (1987-95, 1997-2005). He joined the company’s board of directors in 2002, when SaskPool’s board was still largely farmer-elected. Daniel also came to Viterra’s board through mergers, as a founding director of South Australian fertilizer company Direct Fertilizers (1997-2004). That company later merged into grain handler ABB, of which he became a board member in 2006. Viterra took over ABB in 2009.

A doe and buck deer are barely visible in this grain field south of Okotoks, Alta. Photo by Wendy Dudley

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17.4”

Albertafarmexpress.ca • November 7, 2011

Solar dimming can trigger freezing winters New data } Information could help longer-term prediction of weather by david fogarty singapore/reuters

A cyclical drop in the sun’s radiation can trigger unusually cold winters in parts of North America and Europe, scientists say, a finding that could improve long-range forecasts and help countries prepare for blizzards. Scientists have known for a long time that the sun has an 11-year cycle during which radiation measured by sunspots on the surface reaches a peak then falls. But pinning down a clear link to weather has proved harder. “Our research confirms the observed link between solar variability and regional winter climate,” lead author Sarah Ineson of the UK Met Office told Reuters in an email. The study was published in the journal Nature Geoscience Oct. 10. Her team focused on data from the recent solar minimum dur-

Low sunspot activity triggers easterly winds that bring freezing weather and snowstorms to northern Europe and the United States and milder weather to Canada and the Mediterranean. ©thinkstock ing 2008-10, a period of unusual calm for the sun and intense winters in the United States and parts of Europe that shut down air travel and disrupted businesses. The researchers found that a reduction in ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can affect high-altitude wind patterns in the

Northern Hemisphere, triggering cold winters. “While UV levels won’t tell us what the day-to-day weather will do, they provide the exciting prospect of improved forecasts for winter conditions for months and even years ahead. These forecasts play an important role in long-term contingency plan-

ning,” Ineson, a climate scientist, said. Ineson and colleagues from the Imperial College London and the University of Oxford used satellite data that more accurately measures UV radiation from the sun and found a much greater variability than previously thought. They found that in years of low

activity, unusually cold air forms high in the atmosphere over the tropics. This causes a redistribution of heat in the atmosphere, triggering easterly winds that bring freezing weather and snow storms to northern Europe and the United States and milder weather to Canada and the Mediterranean. When solar UV radiation is stronger, the opposite occurs. Ineson’s team used the data in a complex computer model that simulates long-term weather patterns. The model successfully reproduced what scientists have observed happening in the upper atmosphere during changes in solar radiation. More study was needed, though. A key uncertainty in the experiment lay in the satellite data used, because it spans only a few years. “So questions remain concerning both accuracy and also applicability to other solar cycles,” she said. To see the latest sunspot data: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ SolarCycle/.

IN BRIEF Cargill confirms clubroot in Saskatchewan

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by rod nickel/reuters Cargill said on Oct. 27 it has confirmed the presence of clubroot disease in two disease observation nurseries in north-central Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan government confirmed clubroot was found in the same two locations earlier in the month. Cargill noticed symptoms of the disease while evaluating plants and sent samples to an independent lab for analysis, the company said in a release. Clubroot has ravaged European crops for centuries and was first detected a decade ago in Alberta, the main province affected by the disease. Clubroot prevents the canola plant’s roots from taking in nutrients and water, cutting yields on average about 25 per cent. It can stay in the soil for up to 20 years. Cargill said it has restricted access to the area where the diseased plants were found and is working with the Saskatchewan government.

11/11 - BCS11026

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

 CLAIMS

HAIL PAYOUTS TOTAL NEARLY $164M The Prairie Crop Hail Association says 2011 crop hail claims total nearly $164 million on over 15,000 losses, compared to 16,000 claims and a payout of $155 million. in 2010. A total of $268 million was collected from producer premiums for an industry-wide loss ratio of just over 61 per cent. Alberta farmers will receive over $36 million in payouts on nearly 2,500 losses (over and above crop insurance endorsements). In 2010, Alberta farmers received roughly $38 million in hail payouts on over 2,500 losses. Over $68 million was collected in 2011 premiums, for a loss ratio of approximately 53 per cent.

FLOODS CUT THAI RICE CROP Thailand may lose a quarter of its main rice crop in the nation’s worst flooding in decades, the government estimates, which could boost prices and further squeeze shipments from the world’s top exporter, encouraging buyers to seek alternative origins. A rally in the market for Asia’s main staple could stoke tensions across a region where several nations are struggling with a double-digit increase in food inflation, although ample global reserves and new supplies in the pipeline are expected to keep buyers calm for now. — Reuters

All I want for Christmas …is a weather station

PART II

HIGHER END  Our weather columnist reviews stations

and gadgets in the $100-plus range BY DANIEL BEZTE

n the last article I looked at weather-related gift ideas under $50 for the upcoming holiday season. This issue we’ll continue our look, but will bump up our price range. Don’t forget to check out www.ambientweather. com for probably the most complete list of weather instruments available anywhere. If we start looking in the $100 range there are several interesting instruments available. In this price range we find the starter packages for complete wireless home weather stations. These stations are getting better and better each year. While they still can’t compare to the highend home weather stations, for the beginner or youngster out there they are a great place to start. There are several different companies that make weather stations in this price range, with some of the best coming from La Crosse and Oregon Scientific. These home weather stations come with an anemometer (wind speed and wind direction), rain gauge, outdoor temperature and humidity sensors, indoor

temperature and humidity sensors and barometric pressure. These stations are also able to calculate dew point, wind chill, and heat index values. Also in the $100 price range, if you are more of a traditionalist, is the starting point of some really good classic and antique weather instruments that feature wood, brass and glass finishes. These weather instruments can measure pretty much anything the computer-based home weather station can, and come in several different styles. The traditional style is the three-dial station that displays temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure. In higher-quality instruments, for this price range you can get a single-dial station that usually includes temperature and humidity. A couple of interesting weather gadgets at this price range are the portable lightning detector and the portable wind meter. While most portable lightning detectors are much more expensive, there are a couple of fairly simple ones. These “fit in your hand” devices can detect and warn you of lightning strikes as far away as 50 to 60km, by indicating light-

This station puts all the weather instruments into one easy-to-install package.

Whatever the forecast, it’s still nice to look at this old-fashioned brass and glass barometer. ning using LED lights or having a tone play. As with the portable lightning detector, portable wind meters are fairly expensive, but there are a few available at this price. Kestrel makes a dedicated wind meter in this price range, while Ambient offers a hand-held wind meter that also includes temperature, humidity, dewpoint, and a compass.

High-end range

Now it’s time to move onto the high-end price range, which for the most part, is in the $300 to $1,000 range. At this price you can pretty much get the weather station of your dreams. There are several traditional instruments available in this price range. For example, you can get an oldfashioned barograph for about $1,300, but I will leave these types of weather instruments for you to discover if you are really interested. Instead, I am going to concentrate on full-featured weather stations. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for, and it’s pretty rare that a $300 weather station will outdo a $600 model. There are a lot of different weather stations available in this price range, but the two most popular or common are made by Davis Instruments and Oregon Scientific. The station offered by Oregon Scientific is the WMR200 and sells for about $300. While this system offers the full range of instruments, it does score low in its ability to accurately measure barometric pressure and rainfall. While it does have the option for UV detection it cannot record

This issues map show total precipitation across Alberta over the 30-day period ending on Oct. 25. Much of the province remained dry during this period with most regions seeing less than 20 mm. The one wet region was the southwest where between 50 and 100 mm of precipitation was recorded.

solar radiation. Overall, Ambient Weather gives the WMR200 an OK score. By far the most popular and overall the most reliable homebased weather stations are made by Davis Instruments. Davis has come close to capturing the home-based market by offering easy to install, reliable, and reasonably cost-effective weather stations for over 15 years. The two most popular are the Vantage Pro/Pro2 and the Vantage Vue weather stations. The main difference between these two stations is that the Vantage Vue was designed with all the weather instruments fully integrated into one easy-to-install package, perfect for the home user. The Van-

tage Pro/Pro2 has more options available, including where to install the different sensors and the ability to add additional sensors such as soil moisture and leaf wetness. Both stations are highly reliable and will give you years of service. If you do plan on downloading your information to a computer, you’ll need to get the additional data logger — this will bump up your final price by about $120. Finally, if you are a real weather geek or you need to have access to a full weather station while on the road, Davis has come up with a roof-top mounted version of the Vantage Vue station. Now that would be the ultimate Christmas present!

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

MAPLE LEAF RESULTS IMPROVE

RUSSIA REPORTS SWINE FEVER

Maple Leaf Foods said it returned to profit in the third quarter on strong results from its protein group and the food processor slightly topped expectations. Maple Leaf, which is closing older meat plants while modernizing others as part of a multi-year plan to boost earnings, is up against rising raw meat costs and a strong Canadian dollar. Net earnings were $43 million, versus a loss of C$19.9 million in the third quarter of 2010.

Russia’s animal and plant health watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said last Monday it had registered three new outbreaks of African swine fever. In all three cases the outbreaks of the disease, lethal to pigs, but harmless to humans, took place at small backyard farms, the watchdog said. It said medium and large Russian pig breeding farms are well protected against ASF, which has no cure, and other diseases. It is mainly small farms that are affected by the contagious virus, which is spread partly by wild boars.

“Certainly it’s an issue that’s hot on our plate and we’re well aware of.”

Canada takes a wait-and-see approach to new cage regulations NOT CHICKEN FEED  U.S. egg producers expect to spend $4 billion to upgrade cages in their henhouses BY SHERI MONK

“Here in Canada, what we’ve wanted to do is wait and ensure that the claims being made are, in fact, seen once they are put into practice.”

AF STAFF | PINCHER CREEK

ew animal welfare issues have permeated the public consciousness as the plight of the egg-laying hen, but Canada is taking a wait-and-see approach to new cage regulations. Europe has already adopted new cage regulations and the U.S. is poised to move forward with even larger cages for hens. However, Canada continues to use cages nearly half the size of those used in Europe. “Here in Canada, what we’ve wanted to do is wait and ensure that the claims being made are, in fact, seen once they are put into practice,” said David Webb, marketing and communications co-ordinator for Alberta Egg Producers. “I know we’re also very closely monitoring Europe because they’ve put their ban in already, ahead of the U.S.” In Alberta, egg producers must adhere to the 2003 Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Laying Hens, which specifies that each white layer hen should have a minimum space of 67 square inches, and brown layers should have a minimum of 75 square inches. In Europe, the minimum standard is 116 square inches for each bird. In the U.S., the current proposal is for each animal to have between 124 and 144 square inches. New, larger cages aren’t the

DAVID WEBB ALBERTA EGG PRODUCERS

only proposed changes. As in Europe, the U.S. wants a more natural environment for the hens, with perches, nesting boxes and scratching areas. The improvements are anticipated to cost $4 billion to implement, with a phase-in period of up to 18 years. The large U.S. cage size was the result of discussion and bargaining with the U.S. Humane Society, said Gene Gregory, president of the United Egg Growers of America. “The enriched colony cage size at 124 square inches per white laying hen is greater than European standards and what is currently acceptable scientific justification,” Gregory said in an interview with AF. “In all negotiations, both sides find that there is a give-and-take position and therefore the 124

square inches was a negotiated space per hen.” In Europe, producers must begin using the larger cages by January 2012 and, as in the U.S., the cages must have nests, perches and scratching areas. The U.S. legislation also prohibits feed and water deprivation forced molting, requires vet-approved euthanasia standards, controls henhouse ammonia levels, and includes comprehensive labels on cartons detailing how the eggs were produced. The new law must be voted on by Congress before it can be enacted. “We have no idea when the U.S. Congress will vote on this proposal,” said Gregory. “The legislative language we jointly propose has only been written and finalized within the past

few days. As yet, it has not been presented to any congressman. We will soon begin seeking a congressman to sponsor a bill. We have set a target date of June 30, 2012 to have passage of legislation.” Alberta already prohibits forced molting, and it doesn’t happen in the rest of Canada either, said Webb, adding the Egg Farmers of Canada is conducting its own research on other welfare practices. “It’s being primarily handled right now by our national body,” said Webb. “Even prior to the developments in the U.S., there’s been a lot of work ongoing throughout Canada and research being done, particularly into the benefits and impacts of the new model cages, the enriched cages. There’s a lot

of independent research being done.” Calls to the Egg Farmers of Canada were not returned, and there is no known timeline for research into alternative cages to be complete. However, Webb said change is inevitable and industry wants to be armed with the best available facts, so it can create policy that works for producers, consumers and, of course, the animals. “Certainly it’s an issue that’s hot on our plate and we’re well aware of,” he said. “We just don’t want to jump into anything before we have our definitive information, but certainly, as most people have been saying, there is change in the wind. At some point in time I am sure that some sort of change will be coming, but when and exactly what it will look like I think is yet to be determined in Canada.”

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Domestic beef industry report card STRAIGHT FROM THE HIP  Good prices may not last this year

but next year looks better unless… BY BRENDA SCHOEPP

n the past few weeks, I have been asked to give several presentations on the state of the beef industry — a report card, so to speak, on how we are doing within both the global arena and the domestic market. What I have to say may surprise you. The beef industry in Canada is not growing and is in fact retracting at a very fast pace. The lack of retention of females cannot replace the cull cows and we most certainly will not have significant retention in the next 12 months. Attractive prices have prompted long-term players in the industry to exit. Many of their mother cows, who could still contribute to the Canadian herd, are being purchased by packers who need them to fill their rail hooks. Some

of the potential breeding stock is going down a terminal road, further eroding our opportunity for inventory growth. Bred cattle and pairs are trading all over the map indicating some uncertainty in the future. This is an opportunity for new entrants and for those wishing to expand. If a 600-pound calf sells for $1.60 cwt. and his mother for $0.70 cwt. at 1,400 pounds, that is a total of $1,940. When a decent pair can be bought for $1,350 there is an opportunity. The trick is to remain disciplined when buying. Packers in Canada have kept themselves in the black through extreme discipline. They leave as little to the cash market as they can, preferring to ensure an adequate kill through contract buying. The cows that come on the kill floor help to take the pressure off of the cost of run-

ning empty hooks. Collectively, this keeps a lid on fed cash cattle pricing. The pressure on fed cattle is also magnified by the lack of export interest of Canadian live cattle into the U.S. In other words, our inability to aggressively cash in on U.S. fed cattle prices is keeping the price of fed cattle down. This is expressed in the current wide basis. This situation is risky as the U.S. moves from a net importer to a net exporter of beef. It has and will continue to push beef into Canada. In August, over onethird of the 57.7 per cent increase in beef exports from the U.S. found a home in Canada. Despite the current high prices, the margins continue to be slim in cattle feeding and in beef. The volatility and overall strength of the Canadian dollar does not make us attractive trading part-

Despite the current high prices, the margins continue to be slim in cattle feeding and in beef.

ners and feeder cattle also have stopped flowing into the U.S. The recent Cattle on Feed reports indicate that from the American side, the increase in cattle on feed and in placements will keep Americans subdued in regards to buying feeder cattle. In Canada, lower placements and cattle on feed has generated good interest in calves. The profit on the fed

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side is uncertain however and many of these calves are placed at a loss if the risk has not been mitigated or if the cost of gain increases. Most grain farmers I have spoken to see the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly as positive and expect higher grain prices. We have yet to see how that will unfold, but there is little room in the cattle business for higher feed prices. The volatility of the live cattle futures, the board on which all cattle prices are established, has left even the most sophisticated trader frustrated. We do not, despite the press in favour of higher prices, have any sound fundamentals to indicate this will be a certainty in the year 2011. We may however, enjoy a robust second half of 2012, if we do not experience a global financial collapse. There is most certainly opportunity on the cow-calf side and we have been encouraging our clients to expand or begin cow herds for several years. For fed cattle, the secret will be in the use of strategic risk management and in owning cows. Paying out of the money on feeder cattle inventory on speculation that cash prices will go up has caused many a gray hair. Along with this, it is the right time in history to implement new technology into the development of origin-traced beef. At this point, independent industry is years ahead of government and industry groups in their development of sophisticated cattle health, movement and risk-management software, use of new technology and application of genomics. That is to our advantage. As we move toward a transparent world, animal welfare will be the deal-breaker. We know that from an international perspective, it is to be included in all international trade agreements. Companies, farms, schools, feedlots, research stations, packers and all those who handle cattle should be trained and certified and practising sound animal welfare. Change will come from the public through retailers who respond to buyer demand. For this we must be proactive in our thinking and in our practices because a failing grade on animal welfare could erase our future opportunity. To maintain our markets in the beef industry, we are encouraged to look at it from the public’s point of view and not from the desk in which we are securely seated. Brenda Schoepp is a market analyst and the owner and author of BEEFLINK TM, a national beef cattle market newsletter. A professional speaker and industry market and research consultant, she ranches near Rimbey, Alberta. brenda. schoepp@cciwireless.ca

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

The obesity epidemic affects more than humans horse health } Today’s energy-dense rations don’t

match the horse’s natural diet of grasses and shrubbery By carol shwetz, dvm

eight is an important factor that plays into the health of your horse. Nutritional management and meaningful exercise are key to maintaining your horse at ideal body condition. It is important to distinguish between “fit” and “fat,” because weight gain can be confused with muscle conditioning and roundness. To further complicate matters, a degree of obesity is often judged to advantage in the show ring, acceptable even desirable. Obesity is a developing problem in the equine population that contributes to a number of serious illnesses. Contemporary horse-keeping practices are characterized by provision of energy-rich rations to physically inactive horses. Owners expend considerable financial resources following the wooing of attractive advertising/marketing for refined, energy-dense rations which far exceed the animal’s protein and energy requirements. Horses have evolved eating grasses and shrubbery that contain much more fibre and much less sugar than present-day diets. A horse’s natural habitat is free-choice browsing and grazing of native savannah environments. The lush improved grass fields of the modern pasture contain forages relatively high in sugars and starches, and designed to promote weight gain, growth and lactation in food animals. This is a very different nutritional repertoire from which horses have been genetically adapted. Obesity forebodes illness. Many of the health risks associated with obesity pertain to chronic diseases and the connection of obesity to illness is often disregarded. Excessive weight and its accomplice, over-nutrition, strains every body system in every age group of horses. Laminitis/founder, endocrine and metabolic dysfunctions like insulin resistance and equine metabolic

syndrome, and developmental bone diseases share this common offender. Excess weight taxes hooves, joints, limbs, and soft tissue, creating, accelerating and compounding arthritis. Horses carrying fat stores on the outside of their bodies must also carry fat deposits within and around internal organs like the liver and kidneys, interfering with proper functioning.

Body condition scoring

Body condition scoring (BCS) is a valuable tool equine owners and professionals use to evaluate ideal body weight. The nine-point scoring system is based on a system that uses visual appraisal and touch to assess the degree of fleshing/ fat cover over six key conformation points. These key areas include the neck, withers, crease of the back, the tail-head, ribs, and behind the shoulder at the girth. Horses that score in the moderate (5) to moderately fleshy (6) are generally considered to be in healthy body condition, carrying a comfortable body weight. Their ribs cannot readily be seen yet are easily felt with slight pressure and the top line of their back is level, with neither a crease or a ridge. Recognizing your horse is overweight is key. If your horse is overweight it did not occur suddenly nor will weight reduction occur suddenly. Changes in diet, exercise and living conditions are best made gradually. Be patient, for weight reduction is a slow, steady process that will not stress you or your horse. Initially change the type and amount of feed 10 per cent a day over a 10-day period. Quality mature grass hays will be the mainstay of all equine diets. Consider limiting pasture access and grazing your horse in the early morning when the pasture sugars are low. It can be as simple as limiting available calories. Ensure access to clean fresh water, salt, and free-choice minerals. Measure feeds by weight

rather than volume to determine rations and adjust the horse’s diet according to age and activity level. A sacrifice area where your horse has freedom to move yet does not have access to grass can be useful. Spread hay out in multiple locations or place horses in an area designed to make them move for food and water. Simple turnout on a dry lot or depleted pasture is helpful but not enough. Exercise increases metabolism and mobilizes fat stores. Bringing more movement or exercise into your horse’s life, respecting its fitness level, is vital. Consistent exercise will continue

to be a key component in keeping horses healthy. In nature, a horse’s weight fluctuates with the seasons. Under human care horses are fed generously year round, negating the seasonal influence that allows them the opportunity to lose weight. Supervised pawing on well-stocked winter pastures can benefit many horses for the weather washes out the sugars of standing forages and the daily exercise accompanying foraging is of great value to the horse. The winter season presents a favourable period to reduce a horse’s weight as it is in concert with nature at a time when it is most natural to shed pounds.

Horses carrying fat stores on the outside of their bodies must also carry fat deposits within and around internal organs…

Carol Shwetz is a veterinarian specializing in equine practice at Westlock, Alberta.

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Better times ahead for hog producers? PEET ON PIGS } The signs are mostly positive for future profitability but

Canadian hog producers still have their work cut out for them By bernie peet

o far this year, Canadian producers have had their best period of profitability in the last five years, a relief for those who survived a four-year period of unprecedented hardship, with low hog prices and high feed costs. With market hogs fetching up to $200 a head and sometimes more during the summer, the only cloud on the horizon has been high feed costs, which have eaten into margins. The upside is that, both in the U.S. and Canada, this seems to have curbed any plans for significant expansion. And with strong demand in the Far East for our pork exports, the mood in the industry is cautiously optimistic. So after recovering from their economic battering, what should producers be doing to prosper in future and what challenges might they face? In a world context, Canada is a low-cost producer, with fairly similar costs to the U.S. and only slighter higher than Brazil. Unfortunately, producers also receive the lowest prices in the world. This means that the focus in future has to be on lowering the cost of production, especially feed costs. The incorporation of byproduct raw materials into diets can bring significant savings, as noted in my two recent articles on this topic. To get the best value out of more fibrous

ingredients, it is essential to formulate diets on the basis of Net Energy and Standardized Ileal Digestible (SID) lysine, and get expert nutritional advice. It’s also important to monitor growth and carcass performance accurately in order to be able to measure the effect of diet changes. The volatility of grain and protein prices in recent years is likely to continue. In such an uncertain economic climate, producers should expect to see the sort of price swings we have seen over the past few months. This makes it all the more important to lock in to forward contract prices when they are relatively attractive. Our counterparts in the U.S. routinely do this and producers here need to embrace forward contracting for both feed and hogs much more enthusiastically in order to secure a margin.

Currency

One of the main factors that precipitated the ‘industry crisis’ in 2007 was the rapid rise in the value of the Canadian dollar. Recent weakness added nearly 10 per cent to producer prices, a welcome bonus, although since then the loonie has recovered somewhat. Some economists predict the heady heights of $1.06 per U.S. dollar will not be seen again, but a sharp rise in oil and commodity prices could see it strengthen. Overall, it seems likely that producers will get some relief from a rather weaker Canadian dollar,

which will increase the price they receive for hogs. The weak U.S. dollar has led to a huge growth in exports over the last few years. In 2010, the U.S. exported 1.9 million tonnes of pork, up from about 1.2 million tonnes five years ago. Unfortunately, during the same period, U.S. pork exports to Canada rose to over 180,000 tonnes from roughly 130,000 tonnes. However, the U.S. has been very aggressive in its marketing and very successful at exporting pork from the North American continent, which has been supportive to hog prices. Three long-stalled free trade agreements, with South Korea, Panama, and Colombia, have just been ratified by Congress. Dermot Hayes, an economist at Iowa State University, estimated these free trade deals will increase U.S. pork exports by $770 million. The agreement will phase out Korea’s 20-per-cent tariff on American pork over a 10-year period, giving it an advantage over Canadian exporters. “The Canadian Pork Council is pushing the government to act quickly to revive its free trade negotiations with Korea,” says Martin Rice, CPC’s executive director. “Otherwise, our producers will be completely shut out of a market that represents 10 per cent of Canada’s pork exports.”

EU regulations

Another export opportunity will arise when the EU partial sow

stall ban deadline is reached at the end of next year. The market for pork within the EU could descend into chaos and it is predicted that there will be a significant exodus from the industry. Although this will probably not mean that the EU will import more pork, it will export a lot less, allowing major exporters like the U.S. and Canada to take up the slack. Overall, the world situation, in terms of pork supply and demand looks quite supportive for prices over the next couple of years. Having said that, the one negative factor is the steadily improving efficiency of U.S. producers, which is increasing pork production without any increase in the sow herd. The recent USDA Hogs and Pigs Report shows the average number of pigs weaned per litter has exceeded 10 for the first time, up from just nine in 2005. This two per cent-per-year increase, coupled with higher carcass weights, will mean U.S. pork production will grow by around three per cent next year. With flat domestic demand, the U.S. has to keep working hard on exports. Against a broadly supportive demand background, but volatile input prices, Canadian producers must strive to improve efficiency and reduce costs in order to secure their future. We have access to genetics that will deliver 30 pigs/sow/year, modern production systems, good nutritional expertise, and excellent health status.

With market hogs fetching up to $200 a head and sometimes more during the summer, the only cloud on the horizon has been high feed costs, which have eaten into margins.

The tools are there, it just needs the more positive attitude that now prevails in the industry to be translated into a focus on improvement. Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal.

U.S. cattle supply up, but no beef bargains seen Drought } A lack of feed continues to

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force cattle off pastures and into feedlots by theopolis waters reuters

The number of cattle placed in U.S. feedlots rose unexpectedly in October, which analysts said set the stage for a larger-thanexpected beef supply this winter. Placements, which came in about three per cent more than the average trade estimate, helped to lift cattle supply in feedlots by five per cent from a year ago — the 17th straight month of increases. A drought in southwest that dried up pastures, a drop in corn prices, and higher fed cattle prices combined to put more cattle in feedlots in September, analysts said. Despite that larger supply, analysts doubt there will be bargains on beef at grocery stores. Higher feed costs and a sharp drop in imported beef have pushed supermarket beef prices to record highs and analysts expect even higher prices next year as the U.S. cattle herd dwindles.

A drought in the southern Plains withered pastures had forced young cattle into feedlots. While that movement off of pastures has increased current feedlot cattle supplies, analysts claim the pool of feeder cattle is shrinking, which will mean fewer cattle next year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported September placements at 100 per cent of a year ago, but the actual number was up slightly at 2.469 million head versus 2.463 million a year ago. Analysts, on average, expected 2.39 million head, or 97.1 per cent. The USDA reported the Oct. 1 feedlot supply at 105 per cent of a year ago, or 11.312 million head. Analysts on average expected 104 per cent. USDA put cattle marketings last month at 101 per cent of a year ago, or 1.813 million head, while analysts expected 100.8 per cent. Ron Plain, livestock economist at the University of Missouri, characterized USDA’s unexpected placement result as “slightly bearish” but “not a huge miss.”

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Beefed biosecurity standards nearly in place COMMON SENSE } Biosecurity measures are often merely the informal habits of responsible producers

by sheri monk af staff | calgary

Canada’s livestock industry is closing in on its goal of having a complete biosecurity regiment. While only the poultry sector has finished setting its biosecurity standards, the beef sector expects to complete the process by December, with dairy, mink and bees following in 2012 and sheep and goats slated for finalization in winter of 2013. The sheep sector is just undertaking research work into biosecurity protocol development, beginning with a national producer survey. “It’s basically to set a benchmark – where we are currently as an industry in terms of biosecurity,” said Jennifer MacTavish, executive director of the Canadian Sheep Federation. While the language may seem very formal and scientific, biosecurity often means taking commonsense steps that producers have been practising for decades to reduce the risk of contracting and transmitting anything biologically harmful, including diseases, pests and invasive species. “That’s our assumption, but part of the reason why we want to talk to producers is to see if that matches up with what is actually happening on farm. It’s a bit of a gap analysis and focusing a lot on productionlimiting diseases,” said MacTavish. While avian influenza, BSE and foot-and-mouth disease generate headlines, those sorts of devastating outbreaks aren’t the only reason for improved biosecurity, she said. “One of the things that we want to make clear is we’re not just talking about the big diseases like footand-mouth disease,” said MacTavish. “We are looking at what we can do on farm to help with production-limiting diseases that could be managed or perhaps mitigated through biosecurity, and to make it more practical every day for the producers instead of this ominous ‘one day we might get foot-andmouth disease.’” None of the biosecurity protocols in any of the livestock sectors will be mandatory. “It’s not something we’re going to be forcing on producers, but it is something that we’re going to let them know is out there as a tool if they are interested in seeing what more they could do on their farm,” MacTavish said.

The federation is looking for 22 sheep producers from Alberta to participate in the study, which will collect data by phone or through on-farm interviews. While the sheep sector is just getting started, Canada’s cattle industry has almost completed the process. “We’ve been working at it a couple of years now and it has gone

through a number of development stages, including an assessment of what the current practices out on the farm and ranch and feedlots are now,” said Rob McNabb, general manager of operations for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “As well, we brought in experts in the field of animal biosecurity, and animal health, ensuring that

between those two that we captured the appropriate principles and practices.” The CCA and provincial associations will agree upon the final product, and it will then be rolled out nationally, but with each province leading the charge in its own jurisdiction, he said. “A lot of it is fairly common sense,” McNabb said. “It is fairly

everyday practices that producers currently undertake and what we have done is on a national level, we’ve established a standard in collaboration with the CFIA office of animal biosecurity.” Those practices include segregation of cattle from other ranches or when coming back from community pastures, and keeping an on-farm visitors’ log. “It doesn’t mean you’re erecting an electric fence around the property, but you want to make sure that anybody coming on to the operation is aware that you have biosecurity practices in place and they just can’t come in and wander around willy-nilly,” said McNabb. “We’re not talking about trying to fix a wreck here. We’re talking about enhancing our ability to further improve our animal health status as a country which for beef cattle isn’t in bad shape now.”

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

A SURE SIGN OF FALL

A group of hunters gathers in an oat field south of Valleyview, Alberta late afternoon in September to hunt geese. Two bales are rolled close together and Brian Witty pounds a stake to help prepare a burlap blind where they will be hiding. ALL PHOTOS BY KEVIN LINK

Being mindful of wind direction, Brian Witty sets out goose decoys.

With geese on the horizon, Brian uses a goose call to help bring them into shooting range.

Rob Witty takes aim at a flock of geese.

A goose falls to the ground after being shot.

Conrad races back to the blind with a goose before the next flock came into view.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

NOVEMBER 2011

Presents… Presents…

CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR · SPECIAL FEATURE · · SPECIAL FEATURE ·

$1 million up for grabs at CFR $1 million up for grabs at CFR By Heather Grovet

W W

By Heather Grovet hen asked why spectators should hen why attendasked the upcomspectators i n g C a n should adian F i n a l s R o d e attend o ( C Fthe R ) , upcomrodeo n g C a nresponds adian announcer Les iMcIntyre Fwith i n a lenthusiasm. s R o d e o (“The C F R )CFR , r oisdthe eo announcer World Cup,Les theMcIntyre Stanley responds Cup, the with “The thea Grey enthusiasm. Cup of rodeo,” he CFR says.is“As World Cup, the Stanley Cup, that the spectator you can be assured Grey of rodeo,”the he best says.of “As a you’llCup be watching the spectator you can that best compete. The be topassured contestants you’ll watching the will bebemounted onthe thebest topof stock, best Thethe toptop contestants and compete. assisted by ‘behind will mounted on the top the be scenes’ personal,” he stock, adds. and the top ‘behind “Thisassisted ensuresby that viewers will see the scenes’ personal,” he adds. an exclusive, unique rodeo with “This ensures viewers will the most elitethat competitors in see the an exclusive, rodeo with industry, so it unique will always be interthe most elite in the esting. And thecompetitors show will only be industry, it will be intertwo hourssolong, soalways you won’t have esting. Andback the show willoff only be worn the pockets your two hours long, so you you won’t pants by the time leave!”have worn the back Northlands pockets off your Edmonton celpants by the youof leave!” ebrates 35 time years hosting Edmonton Northlands celCanada’s national rodeo champiebrates 35 years of hosting onship, running November 9-13, Canada’s national rodeo 2011. The CFR has 10champievents: onship, 9-13, barebackrunning riding, November steer wrestling, 2011. The CFRtie-down has 10 events: team roping, roping, bareback riding, steer boys wrestling, saddle bronc riding, steer team tie-down roping, riding,roping, ladies barrel racing, novsaddle broncbronc, riding,novice boys baresteer ice saddle riding, ladies novback and bull barrel riding.racing, Contestants ice saddle bronc, novice barecome from all across Canada, the back and bull riding. Contestants U.S. and occasionally overseas to come fromfor allover across$1Canada, compete millionthe in U.S. occasionally overseas to prizeand money. compete for over $1 amillion Les should know thing in or prize money.rodeos. As a young two about Lesheshould know a thing or man competed in both chucktwo about rodeos. As a eventuyoung wagon racing and rodeo, man he competed in both ally ending his career afterchuckbreakwagon racing and rodeo, eventually ending his career after break-

ing his back in a chuckwagon race in 1983. That bad break ing his up back in athe chuckwagon ended being beginning race in 1983. new That — bad break of something a career ended up being the beginning in announcing. “I was always of something — “In a career a talker,” Les new laughs. fact, in was always myannouncing. parents said “I I talked before aI walked! talker,” And Les laughs. “In fact, I’ve been blessed my parents said I talked before to be able to use my gift of gab Itowalked! And things I’ve been talk about thatblessed really to be able to use my gift gab interest me.” In 1984 Lesofstartto about things that really ed talk announcing at horse races interest me.” In 1984 startand chuckwagon races,Les then in ed announcing horse races 1994 he began at announcing at and chuckwagon races, in pro rodeos. This year willthen be Les’s 1994 began announcing at eighthhe CFR appearance. proOnly rodeos. This year be Les’s the top 12 will contestants eighth appearance. in eachCFR event are invited to the Only theFinals top 12 contestants Canadian Rodeo. These in event areselect invited the topeach riders then thetostock Canadian Finals Rodeo. These used at the CFR, with the bull top riders then select the stock riders selecting the bulls, and used at theriders CFR, selecting with the their bull the bronc riders selecting thehorses. bulls, This and preferred bucking the bronc riders selecting their can mean the CFR uses up to 10 preferred bucking horses. This different rodeo contractors, each can mean CFR most uses up to 10 there withthetheir popular different contractors, each animals. rodeo In general there will be there with their most popular 12 head selected for each event, animals. In general will be with several spares there kept in wait12 ing.head selected for each event, with sparesrespect kept inforwaitLesseveral has great the ing. people who work behind the Les has great for the scenes at the CFRrespect and mentions people whoDon work behind “The the chute boss Johansen. scenes at theis CFR mentions chute boss the and engine of any chute Don Johansen. “The rodeo.boss He controls the pace of the chute is matters the engine of any rodeo,boss which to everyone rodeo. controls thethe pace of the — theHespectators, contestrodeo, which to everyone ants and the matters stock,” he explains. — theJohansen spectators, the contest“Don has really impactants and well the stock,” he runs, explains. ed how the CFR and “Don Johansen hastoreally impactin fact is about be inducted ed theHall CFRofruns, intohow the well Rodeo Fameand for in fact is about to be inducted his talents. Yet most of the time into the Rodeo Hall of Fame for his talents. Yet most of the time

photo courtesy northlands

Ladies barrel racing is just one of 10 events at the Canadian Finals Rodeo. photo courtesy northlands

Ladies barrel racing is just one of 10 events at the Canadian Finals Rodeo. spectators don’t even think about and older sister Raylee won barrel racing in 2003. It was really his job.” oldertosister Raylee win woninbarspectators don’tto even think about and exciting see a fourth the When asked share highlights racing in 2003. It was really his job.” family. of past CFRs, Les quickly responds. rel to see a fourth win realize in the Whenone asked share highlights “I don’t think people “Well, oftothem would be exciting family. of past CFRs, Les quickly responds. in 2003 when Kyle Bowers and how much the cowboy lifestyle don’t event,” think people realize “Well, one of them be is a“Ifamily Les concludes. Grated Coconut broke awould Canadian much it’s the Farmfair, cowboy lifestyle in 2003 when Kyle Bowers and how “Whether Ranch Champion arena record in barea family Lesoften concludes. Grated CoconutAnother broke a Canadian Rodeo, or event,” the CFR, it’s an back riding. highlight is it’s Farmfair, Champion arenayear record in bareentire, complete family Ranch opporwould be last when Rana “Whether back riding. Another highlight tunity.”or the CFR, often it’s an Walters of Lethbridge, AB, won Rodeo, complete family opporwould be last year whenonRana The CFR would like to recognize the ladies barrel racing her entire, Walters of Easy Lethbridge, AB, and thank its major sponsors: horse Real Doc. Rana waswon the tunity.” The CFR would like the ladies barrelofracing on her Government ofto recognize Alberta, fourth member her family to thank itsDestination major sponsors: horse Easy Doc.championship. Rana was the and Edmonton Hotels, win aReal Canadian Government Alberta, fourth member of won her family to TELUS, Ram, CPRA/of Her father, Oscar, tie-down Hotels, win a in Canadian Pro RodeoDestination Canada, EPCOR and roping 1979, herchampionship. mother, Mary Edmonton TELUS, Ram, CPRA/ Her father, Oscar, won tie-down t Lynn won barrel racing in 1980, the City of Edmonton. Pro Rodeo Canada, EPCOR and roping in 1979, her mother, Mary t Lynn won barrel racing in 1980, the City of Edmonton.

photo courtesy northlands

The voice of the CFR, Les McIntyre. photo courtesy northlands The voice of the CFR, Les McIntyre.

Celebrate the western life during Farmfair Celebrate the western life during Farmfair By Heather Grovet

K K

By Heather ick Grovet start all the CFR rodeo action at Farmfair International,

Check out all to see and do during Farmfair, November 5-13, 2011 at Northlands in Edmonton. Check out all to see and do during Farmfair, November 5-13, 2011 at Northlands in Edmonton.

running November 5-13 at Northlands. Farmfair offers a ick start of all activities the CFR and rodeo action at Farmfair International, number events including the RAM Country running November Northlands. offers of a Marketplace featuring5-13 250 at booths offering Farmfair a huge variety number such of activities andgoods, eventssaddles, including the RAM Country western products as leather apparel, home decor, Marketplace featuringequipment. 250 booths offering a huge variety of western art, food and livestock western products suchisas leather goods, saddles, apparel, Another highlight the Alberta Supreme Cattle Show, home which decor, showwestern art, champions food and livestock equipment. cases breed from three top Alberta cattle shows. The show’s Another highlight the Alberta Supreme Cattle Show,Supreme which showGrand Champion notis only earns the coveted Farmfair title, cases breed champions three topDodge AlbertaRam cattle shows. The show’s but also drives away infrom a brand new truck. Over 700 head Grand Champion notfrom only 13 earns the coveted title, of cattle are expected purebred breeds, Farmfair includingSupreme Black Angus, but also drives away inShorthorn, a brand new DodgeHereford, Ram truck. OverAnjou 700 head Gelbvieh, Simmental, Lowline, Maine and of cattle Park. are expected from 13 purebred breeds, including Black Angus, Speckle Gelbvieh, Simmental, Hereford, Maine One new feature atShorthorn, Farmfair isLowline, the Bloodstock 2011 Sale.Anjou This and topSpeckle quality Park. horse auction is geared towards ranch, rodeo and performance One and new isfeature Farmfair is the Bloodstock Sale. This tophorses, hostedatby Northern Bloodstock, The2011 Canadian Supreme, quality auction is geared towards Group. ranch, rodeo and performance and thehorse Alberta Quarter Horse Breeders horses, andactivities is hostedinclude by Northern Bloodstock, Canadian Other numerous equineThe clinics and Supreme, seminars, and Alberta Quarter Group.Heritage Ranch Rodeos, draftthe horse pulls, stockHorse dog Breeders competitions, Othershows, activities include numerous equine clinics andfamily seminars, alpaca team penning competitions and 4-H day draft horse pulls, stock dog competitions, Heritage Ranch Rodeos, activities. alpaca shows, team and penning and City 4-Hoffamily day Farmfair recognizes thankscompetitions its major sponsors: Edmonton, activities. RAM, Edmonton Kubota, UFA and Morand. t Farmfair recognizes and thanks its major sponsors: City of Edmonton, RAM, Edmonton Kubota, UFA and Morand. t

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

Ranch horses strut their stuff in working horse competition By Wendy Dudley

ust as a polo pony, show jumper or barrel racer must know how to do its job, so must the ranch horse that earns its hay by being an equal partner in helping its rider tend to livestock chores. A horse that is easily spooked, runs off without its rider, or balks at flapping rain jackets or twirling ropes won’t make the cut as a working cow horse. The Working Ranch Horse competition, held November 8 in the Edmonton EXPO Centre as part of Farmfair, tests the mettle of these equine cow hands, as they are put through their paces to simulate the challenges faced by the everyday ranch horse. The competition attracts proven ranch horses four years of age and older from across western Canada. Some of the horses are also entered in the Heritage Ranch Rodeo, held November 6-8. Each of the approximate 15 horses entered in the competition are for sale, put up for auction following the contest. Horses must show they can be easily bridled, ground-tied, have their feet inspected without making a fuss, and then stand quietly while being mounted. The horse then shows off its manoeuvres in a reining pattern. “They are asked to change leads, circle, spin, and do rollbacks,” said David Fiddler, Northlands’ Farmfair show manager. Horse and rider then work a cow, boxing it in, and then running it down the fence, showing it can be turned in the opposite direction. The horse shows off its ability in tracking while the rider ropes a cow that may be swerving or ducking. Finally, the horse is asked to drag a log, showing it isn’t phased by a object “chasing” it from behind. This can be tricky since the log is partially in the horse’s blind spot. “A rider then has the chance to show off anything else it can do. It is their chance to wow the crowd,” Fiddler said. “Riding with one hand is preferred, but two-handing it would just cost in terms of scoring, not disqualification.” The competition highlights the versatility of the working ranch horse, with some turning in amazing performances, said Fiddler. “Some of these horses are ridden by professional trainers who can ride anything with hair,” he said. “They can make the horse look really good.” Last year’s ranch horse champion was ER Uvalde, a Quarter Horse gelding owned

PHOTO COURTESY NORTHLANDS

ER Uvalde, a four-year-old Quarter Horse gelding, won the 2010 Working Ranch Horse competition. The horse also fetched the second highest bid at the sale, selling for $6,000. From left to right: judge Geoff Hoar, trainer and rider Jesse Thomson, and Paul Lucas of Northlands, who made the presentation.

by Don Edey of Longview and ridden by Jesse Thomson. The pair scored 302, just four points ahead of My Midnight League owned by Frehlick Quarter Horses of Estevan, SK. “Any horse that is trained to do the herd, rein and fence is unequivocally a well-broke horse,” said Edey. “Add the roping element and you have an all-around stock horse that is handy for any ranch work.”

Uvalde was an eye-catcher even as a weanling, he said. “He is what we like in a horse. Good conformation, trainable, good temperament and athletic. And pleasing to look at. He was our pick as a snaffle-bitter as a three-year-old. His full sister was a champion reiner and cow horse and he had that potential as well. He was shown in the futurities as a three-year-old.” But the horse is just the raw material,

he noted. It requires the proper training to excel in competition. A top trainer, Jesse Thomson is also an accomplished roper, said Edey. “All of his horses get experience getting used to a rope. He also uses some of the show horses to work off of in the summer while doctoring heifers. So the horses get everyday ranch horse experience outside of the day-today arena work.” 

Win-Win for buyers and sellers at ranch horse sale By Wendy Dudley

f you’re out to sell a top ranch horse, the Working Ranch Horse competition and sale, to be held November 8, are ideal venues, said the owner of last year’s champion ranch horse. “It’s a win-win venue to market a well-broke stock horse,” said Don Edey of Edey Ranches in Longview, AB. Edey’s horse, ER Uvalde, won the championship and brought in the second highest bid at the sale, which follows the competition. The brown gelding went for $6,000, with My Midnight League, a black mare

from Frehlick Quarter Horses in Estevan, SK, receiving the top bid of $6,500. She placed second in the competition. The winning horses don’t always fetch the highest price, depending on the order of bidding and what the purchaser wants, said Northlands’ Farmfair show manager David Fiddler. “Sometimes there is quite an upset. There may be a horse that tugs at someone’s heart strings, or they just want a quiet horse.” For Crystal Ference, of Gibbons, AB, Uvalde was the horse for her. “Even if he hadn’t won the competition, that is the horse I

wanted,” she said. “I’d seen him in the sales catalogue, and liked the results he had. I would have bid on him even if he hadn’t won the competition. It was just an added bonus that he won.” The sale attracts buyers looking for working horse prospects and some who are eyeing experienced mounts as 4-H candidates, said Fiddler. Buying a horse through an auction can be tricky if you haven’t had a chance to chat with the owners or see the horse in action, said Ference who uses Uvalde in team penning and reining. He is also a great prospect for her chilwww.horsesall.com

dren, she said. “I may use him as a gymkhana horse.” Ference was looking for a horse that was sound with good training, experienced around cattle and a horse she could advance on. “At this sale, you get to see what they can do. You know you are getting an experienced horse. You have a chance to preview them.” The sale will also broadcast by Direct Livestock Marketing Systems (DLMS). Edey takes great satisfaction in matching his horses with the right owner. “I love to produce good horses and see people eventually own them and

enjoy them as much as we do in their development,” he said. Fiddler expects sale prices to be equal to or more than last year’s average of $3,807. “Cattle prices are up, canola is nearing record prices and the oil business is strong,” he said. At a sale Fiddler held in September in Saskatchewan, prices were the strongest they’ve been since 2002, when Alberta’s cattle industry was crippled after its first cases of bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) “So things are now looking good,” Fiddler said. “I think we will have a very strong sale.” 

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

PHOTO COURTESY

NORTHLANDS

Draft Horse Pull: tonnes of excitement By Cindy Bablitz

here’s nothing quite as exciting in the world of spectator sports as watching fine athletes display all the brawn and devo-

tion to their training in performance competitions. And so it is that the Draft Horse Pull is back by popular demand to the 2011 Farmfair. “I always had a liking for the draft horses,” says

Clarence Paly, president of the Northlands Draft Horse Pull Committee and judge of the competition. “When I was a kid, I used to just wait for those teams of horses to come into my yard. That was the

AFTER A TRAGIC ACCIDENT THAT KILLED 5 OF DAWN’S HORSES A FACEBOOK AUCTION IS BEING HELD FOR HER Dawn was just begging to see the reality of her dreams unfold once again. Because of her love & dedication to all of her horses their potential was limitless. The time & effort it will take to recover Dawn & her husband Brad to recover from this loss is something that we can all help ease by contributing & taking part So that Dawn & Brad will be able to raise and train thier next generation of home raised Barrel Horses with a bright future to look forward to from here on out

www.dawnlinkbarrelhorses.com Accomplishments of Dawn & MnM 1992-1998 CFR qualifier fastest times at CFR Bud Pro Tour Champion Calgary Stampede Finalist 1994 CFR Canada Champion 1996 Horse with the Most Heart CPRA 1992 Denver short-go qualifier 1992 Rapid City short-go qualifier 1992 after Spring Rodeos ranked in Top 20 in WPRA Standings

“Horses ~ we don’t own them they are for us to borrow from God. Barrel Horses ~ We are their partner given to us for a time to make them shine.”

HERE’S HOW CAN YOU HELP??? 1. DONATE AN ITEM

Email a photo of the item and value as well as your info to katrinafavell@hotmail.com

2. DONATE MONEY

There is an account set up at the ATB Bank. Go in and let the teller know how much you would like to deposit. OR mail a cheque to Montacre Farms P.O. Box 2098 Beaverlodge AB T0H 0C0 Payable to : DAWN LINK TRUST

3. BID ON AN ITEM

Go to the photos tab on the left hand side and look through the different albums, comment with your bid amout but be prepared to pay immediately if you win.

HOW WINNING BIDS WILL WORK:

Draft pull

continued on next page

Welcome to your nge! home on the ra

TOP HAND WESTERN SHOP

Once the item is paid for in full, the donors will be contacted and given the ok by me to mail out your item.

www.facebook.com/pages/For-a-friend-Online-Auction/257744014266929?sk=wall

Please make checks payable to DAWN LINK TRUST and mail them to: Montacre Farms P.O. Box 2098 Beaverlodge AB T0H 0C0

Located in Claresholm, Alberta Beside the Claresholm Agriplex on Highway 2

email tophanshop@telus.net

If anybody would like to go to ANY ATB in Alberta and donate to the Dawn Link Trust account. If you have any problems please contact me Katrina Favell via email: montacrefarms@hotmail.com or 780-518-2480

Danyluck, a pulling teamster and member of the Draft Horse Pull committee. Between each pull, another 500 pounds is added to the sled. Although competing teams are divvied up into classes — lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight — it’s not a foregone conclusion that heavyweight competitors pull the most weight, relative to their size. “It’s a matter of toughness,” says Clarence. “Not necessarily the heaviest horse can pull the most, it’s the team who’s the toughest and in the best of shape.”

When bidding ends winners will need to make a cheque to “DAWN LINK TRUST” or pay to Katrina’s paypal account with the details of your item YOUR mailing address, and amount: katrinafavell@hotmail.com

AUCTION WEB SITE

Photo credit: www.nickyraephotography.ca

highlight of my life then, and I still love them now.” The Draft Horse Pull — this year being held on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2:30 p.m. at Northland’s Edmonton EXPO Centre in Hall D and featuring some 20 teams — is an event with a huge draw. Preceded by the Draft Horse Pull sponsorship auction the day before, the competition itself generates a tonne of excitement … several tonnes, in fact. The contest is measured by who pulls the most weight over their team’s weight — known in pull circles as pounds over inches. “In order to have a complete pull, teams have to pull the sled 14 feet,” explains Kevin

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CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

Auction ignites old-fashioned western rivalry By Cindy Bablitz

ne of the more exciting draws of the Canadian Finals Rodeo and Farmfair’s roster of competitions happens before man or animal ever exert themselves in the arena. It’s the Northlands Draft Horse Auction, and it’s where a friendly spirit of competition and community support ignite some good old-fashioned western rivalry. “It’s very exciting, very western, with the auctioneer hollering at top of his lungs, guys making bids, screaming, horses getting riled up … everyone’s gets excited,” says Kevin Danyluk, committee member of the Draft Horse Pull and Auction. The Draft Horse Pull itself is a brawny test of strength, sheer determination and years of disciplined athleticism … and the auction to compete for bragging rights as sponsor of the performing teams is a surprisingly adrenaline-filled precursor to the main event, says Kevin. Ten per cent of the proceeds from this year’s

Draft pull

from previous page

The overall winner of the competition is the team who has pulled the most weight over their body size. By the end of the contest, teams are dragging some 10,000 pounds across dry dirt. “The competition gets quite intense … it’s a very exciting show,” says Clarence. And it’s a show that takes a training regimen of brute discipline. “Some people think these horses are ordinary draft horses just coming into town hooking onto a load and seeing if they can pull it,” says Kevin. “But these horses want to pull! They are trained to pull, are very good at pulling, and are in top notch shape to do so. Not one horse in the pulling teams has been sitting in the pasture for the last six months to come into the competition for kicks to see what they can pull. These competing horses are fed the best diet, the best vitamins, and are given the best care. “These horses are true, 100 per cent athletes. They’re not your average horse.” The Draft Horse Pull hearkens back to an earlier time when

sponsorship auction will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Northern Alberta, adding another layer of motivation for upping the ante. Sixty per cent of the Draft Horse Pull sponsorship auction dollars go to the teams being bid on, and the remaining 30 per cent is put into a pool toward prize dollars for the winners. The highest bidder for the auction is rewarded with a ride in a hitch wagon in the competition arena before the pull. Interested sponsors register on November 4 before the auction, which happens on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m., at Northlands’ Edmonton EXPO Centre in Hall B. The Draft Horse Pull itself happens the next day, Sunday, Nov. 6 at 3 p.m. in Hall D. “We usually kick off the auction with the wild card,” explains Kevin. The winner of the opening wild card auction gets to pick from the field of competitors what team they want to sponsor. After that, each remaining team’s sponsorship is auctioned off, one at a time. In the day leading up to the

auction, sponsors are invited to attend Farmfair to meet the teams, preview the horses in the stalling area and chat with the teamsters, check where the pullers have placed at different competitions. Once the bid-

ding is complete, the teams are outfitted with signage, and the Draft Horse Pull announcer features the names of the winning sponsors throughout the competition. For more information on

the Draft Horse Auction, or the Draft Horse Pull, visit www. farmfair.ca, select Programs and Schedule, Equine Events and the Northlands Draft Horse Pull. For inquiries, call (780) 471-7300. 

heavy horses were working staples on family farms. And, though the viewing audience has in the past drawn an older crowd — many who remember firsthand the days of working farm horses — this trend is beginning to shift. “We’re starting to see a renewing interest from the younger people,” says Clarence. “We’ve got 35 year old guys with pulling teams. They like the direction back to horse power ... it’s the way things began and possibly the way things will end one day.” The Draft Horse Pull operates under a very strict procedure of rules. “They have to go gently. It’s a dead pull; there’s no jerking the skid loose. There’s no slapping the horses, no rippling the reins, no mistreatment of the animals in any way. It’s all voice command ... the animals do what they want to do, what they’re encouraged to do, and they seem very happy doing that.” For more information about the Draft Horse Pull, visit www. farmfair.ca, click on Programs and Schedule, Equine Events and Northlands Draft Horse Pull. 

“Some people think these horses are ordinary draft horses just coming into town hooking onto a load and seeing if they can pull it. But these horses want to pull!” — KEVIN DANYLUCK

NOVEMBER 2011

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR Advertising Feature

Slow-feeders: N.A.G. Bags new concept By Cindy Bablitz

.A.G. Bags – an acronym for Natural Alternative Grazers – is Canada’s newest

innovation in feeding systems for animals who are natural grazers. “We see in studies very high ulcer rates in show and racehorses — higher than in any

backyard horse, and a health concern non-existent in wild horses,” explains Mandy Blais, founder of N.A.G. Bags. Horses are, by nature, grazing herbivores, with a stomach and

PHOTO COURTESY NORTHLANDS

Farmfair offers a number of activities and events including the RAM Country Marketplace featuring 250 booths offering a huge variety of western products such as leather goods, saddles, apparel, home decor, western art, food and livestock equipment.

digestive system designed for small, regular meals. In captivity, with meals fed two or three times per day, food consumption at each meal can challenge a stomach capacity of only eight to 15 litres, and the betweenmeal absence of stomach acidneutralizing saliva, (which is only produced in horses when they’re actually chewing food) can result in acid build up in empty stomachs. “This is the biggest concern and where we start to see health problems like ulcers, cribbing, colic symptoms and other behavioural problems,” says Mandy. And, this is where slow feeders come in. Professional equestrians, equine nutritionists and veterinarians are coming on board as supporters of the slow feeding movement sweeping the equestrian world. It’s a simple, but eloquent idea: cast a net over the meal, so by design, horses eat slower, consuming their requisite nutrition over a longer period of time. N.A.G. Bags are manufactured by Mandy herself, out of Canadian-made netting. Unlike some imported feeding netting which is round nylon cord, apt to create heat and friction on the gums and mouths of feed-

ing grazers, N.A.G. Bags are knitted, soft to the touch, very flat and extremely strong. Safety is very important to Mandy so she offers specific instructions on the safe use of N.A.G. Bags. For instance, they are not to be used with horned animals and some guidance on prudent placement of the bags and the feed they cover is worth the few extra minutes to ensure. Mandy, educated in agricultural sciences and forage, is knowledgeable in equestrian nutrition and will be offering a demonstration seminar at The Mane Event on correct usage of her N.A.G. Bags as well as some instruction on hay types. “I am very dedicated to seeing show horses and race farms take on this feeding practice. I have a real passion for horses and their welfare and in my years of research on equestrian health and wellness, I have rarely come across such a simple method of ensuring the health, well being and happiness of performance horses as slow feeding when it’s done safely, with quality materials and with the animal’s optimum comfort in mind,” says Mandy. For more information visit www.slowfeeders.com or, catch Mandy at The Mane Event.

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CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

Top western performance horses up for auction at Bloodstock 2011 By Cindy Bablitz

armfair manager David Fiddler is proud and excited to be a part of the first time in history that Canadian Supreme breeders, Alberta Quarter Horse Breeders Group and Northern Bloodstock have collaborated with Northlands, Farmfair and the Canadian Finals Rodeo for an unprecedented assemblage of the best of the best in western performance horses. “Bloodstock 2011 is about the industry coming together to promote the best equine genetics that western Canada has to offer,” says David. “Typically, every group of breeders operates pretty independently,” he explains. “Now, we’ve come together acknowledging we all seek the same results, and with Bloodstock 2011, we’re working together to achieve them. “Farmfair is good at bring-

ing together the audience; these breeder groups have the quality horses. Northlands brings a contingent of show managers and we provide the catalyst to help the industry be successful.” Bloodstock 2011 will feature yearlings and up to eight or nine year olds with impressive show records. “When we first started brainstorming the idea for Bloodstock 2011, I said I’d be happy if we could bring 20 horses of the quality we were seeking up for auction,” says David. “What we’ll likely end up with is some 35-40 horses. I’m very happy with the numbers we have.” The Bloodstock 2011 auction will feature a top-tier selection of well trained performance show horses — reiners, cutters and working cow horses — as well as well-bred prospects coming from proven dams and sires who’ve demonstrated their performance quality as earning winners. “We have a number of excel-

lent yearling prospects that will be ready to start this winter — horses well presented to take new owners on to the winner’s circle,” David says. Bloodstock 2011 is shaping up to be an impressively unique equine auction not only for the quantity and quality of bloodlines being brought together for sale but for the method of the auction itself. Each of the featured horses being marketed will be showcased by video on big screen

before and during the auction itself, as well as ahead of Farmfair, on YouTube, at the owners’ and trainers’ discretion. “This will be totally innovative and different from what auction goers have experienced in the past.” David explains, “Sometimes, we see two year olds at auction, who’ve never been to a big event in a big arena and with the bright lights and the big city, they may not be on their best performance live at the event.

We’re putting together really good video presentations of the horses in action in their home environments, where they’re comfortable, to best showcase the real quality of their performance potential.” Bloodstock 2011 isn’t about speculation: the breeders and trainers who will be bringing their horses to market have been working with their stock — and their bloodlines — for years. “We’ve invited only very reputable breeders and trainers that are willing to stand behind their horses. This really will be a sale of the best of the best,” says David. Northlands is proud to host Bloodstock 2011 at Farmfair on Thursday, November 10, at 3:00 p.m. in the Kubota Hall D in the Edmonton EXPO Centre. For more information on the sale, please visit www.farmfair.ca, click on Programs and Schedules and select Bloodstock 2011 Sale. 

Heritage Ranch Rodeo showcases working cowboys By Wendy Dudley

odeos have always been part of the cowboy way of life. In the days of long cattle drives, a rider would select his horse from a remuda, ready to be tossed about in the saddle before getting on with the day’s work. The horses were often half-broke and the range riders got things sorted out as they headed down the trail to market. Wranglers were handy at roping, cutting cattle, and tending to animals that got sick along the way. These are the skills the 7th annual Heritage Ranch Rodeo, held November 6-8 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, will showcase as 16 ranches from across western Canada compete for the honour to be named top working ranch. It’s an opportunity for traditional ranches to showcase their skills, said David Fiddler, show manager of Northlands Farm and Ranch Show. “These cowboys take great pride in their horsemanship and stock handling abilities. The rope is their tool.” Events include sorting, doctoring, branding, wild cow milking, a wild horse race, and bronc riding. There are no bulls breaking out of the chutes and riders are not racing down the arena throwing a loop after a speedy calf. These events are not typical of everyday ranch life, as ranch hands know that the best way to move and work with cattle is at a slow and

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHLANDS

The Mesabi Ranch of Nanton, AB, won the Heritage Ranch Rodeo in 2010. The same team will be back to defend its title.

steady pace, said Mike Sears, captain of the Mesabi Ranch. The Nanton Base r Ranch won last year’s rodeo event. Even the heritage rodeo introduces speed to determine winners, noted Sears. “The real difference between rodeo and the real ranch life is the stopwatch. The horse race does not happen on the ranch. That’s not how you go after a horse,” he said. “Whether horses or cattle, if you rush them, it won’t work well.” Time is for entertainment, he said. “It is the only way you can compare two teams.” While a ranch horse will occasionally buck, it’s not as accepted as it was in the days

of horses greeting each day with a snort or two, he said. “Back then cowboys didn’t care if the horse bucked or not. They were tough-minded and tough-bodied. We have horses that buck but I have no interest in that. I don’t like it. I try to prepare them so that does not happen, but back then, they didn’t care. They were tougher than me.” Today’s horses are started younger and are around people every day, Sears said. The training methods are also more considerate of the horse, with trainers such as the late Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance believing that gentler methods result in a more trusting mount. “Their

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influence changed the way horses are handled,” Sears said. Ranches invited to participate in the Heritage Ranch Rodeo must practice traditional methods, and members have to be employees or family members of the ranch. “In other words, you can’t bring someone in from the CFR to ride the bronc,” said Fiddler. Last year, it was the bronc riding that made the difference between top and bottom placements. Two ranches had a rider bucked off. Just like on a ranch, all of the events, except for bronc riding, are a team effort. “Very few places get by with just one person. It’s usually a husband and wife, or husband,

wife and children, or a husband, wife and an employee,” Sears said. Sears and his team compete each year for the social aspect, but also to see how they stack up against similar outfits. “It’s the satisfaction of making sure your skills are comparable.” One goal of the Heritage Ranch Rodeo is to preserve the skills that are part of Alberta’s ranching history. Cattle are now trucked to market instead of overland trail drives, and some ranches are turning to ATVs instead of horses. But not Sears. “I like the horse. It’s a preference. If you’re not comfortable with a horse, then I guess you can switch to an ATV. But horses can go anywhere a cow can go, through thick trees that an ATV can’t get through, and mud and water. And if you need to treat an animal, there’s no way of restraining it if you’re on an ATV.” The Mesabi Ranch, which grazes, backgrounds and finishes cattle, returns this year to defend its title. Other ranches expected to compete include the R Bar Ranch (Bluffton, AB), Bar U Ranch (Longview, AB), High Plains Ranch (Carnduff, SK), Roseburn Ranches (High River, AB), the Porcupine Quill Ranch (Pincher Creek, AB), the Douglas Lake Cattle Company (Douglas Lake, BC), the Gang Ranch (central BC), the Nicola Ranch (Merritt, BC), the River Ranch (BC), Wineglass Ranch (Cochrane, AB), Sleepy Spring Ranch (Winfield, AB), and the Coldstream Ranch (Coldstream, BC) 

NOVEMBER 2011

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

Farmfair’s Team Roping Futurity

Farmfair’s Team Roping Futurity is open to horses aged four or five and judged on their team roping abilities, responsiveness and obedience.

By Heather Grovet

his year is the third year Farmfair’s hosted the Team Roping Futurity. Unlike a typical team roping event, the fastest time does not necessarily win. Instead the futurity is open to horses aged four or five, and judged on their team roping abilities, responsiveness and obedience. “This is a great event for team roping trainers, breeders and contestants because it has over $25,000 added money,” says Ronald Schmidt, committee representative for the Team Roping Futurity. “And it’s very entertaining to watch.” The futurity really challenges the young horses. For example, each horse will have a total of five runs, but one of them will be ‘scored.’ (In a scored run the steer leaves the chute, but the horse must stay in the box and not follow the steer.), explains Schmidt. “The judges really watch to see how hard the rider has to pull to contain the horse. It isn’t enough that the horse is cowy, it also must prove it’s well broke.” Ronald competed at the inaugural 2009 team roping futurity,

and this year his 17-year-old son, Kolton, will be competing as the event’s youngest rider. “Team roping is a great family event,” Ronald says. “Often you’ll see husband and wife teams, or father and son teams. I’m happy to say that both my son and daughter are involved in the sport.” Kolton will be riding a red roan AQHA mare nicknamed Reba, because of her red hair. The mare was purchased by the Schmidts in Phoenix, Arizona, after being started in cutting. “We like to buy cutting horses that don’t quite make it in that discipline, and then turn them into team ropers,” Ronald explains. “These horses will have been pushed hard, but not ridden roughly, so they’re very well started. And they’ve already proven that they’re cowy and athletic.” Wayne Skocdopole is another horseman with a mare entered in the Team Roping Futurity. This mare is special to Wayne, because it was bought in partnership with his father, who has since passed away. “Dad and I saw the mare when she was three, and we really liked her,” Wayne says. “She really watched the cow, and she had a huge stop. And she was pretty

with a long, flaxen mane. Once you’ve seen her, you don’t forget her. My dad said he’d buy the mare if I’d take her to the futurity, so I guess you could say this show is in memory of my father.” The Skocdopole mare is a registered Quarter Horse named Alaskan Drift, but Wayne admits her nickname is Witch. “The man we bought her from called her that,” Wayne laughs. “I gather she was a little nasty at times. I do know that she wasn’t very trusting when we bought her, and she didn’t like people. We had a few go-rounds together, but we put her to work here on the ranch, and after a few wet blankets she started to come around. She’s still a great team roping horse, but

now you can catch her anywhere, and my kids can safely ride her.” Wayne regrets that he won’t be riding Witch at the futurity, instead Tyrel Flewelling, a family friend and professional team roper, will be handling the mare. “Tyrel is a young fellow, but he’s done a lot of team roping in New Mexico,” Wayne says. “He knows what the judges look for in the futurities, and he’ll do a good job

with the mare. I would have liked to have ridden her myself, but I’m just too busy at home to work with her every day, and that’s what these young horses need.” Wayne recommends anyone who’s interested in roping, or even just horses in general, take the opportunity to come to the futurity. “People will enjoy it,” he says. “It’s a different kind of horse show — one of a kind in Canada.” 

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CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

Accessory/clothing company born of a dream By Cindy Bablitz

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orn of a dream, literally, Cowgirl Finesse is growing up into a sassy, smart, homespun, sophisticated boutique unlike any other. Grieving the tragic loss of her sister, her son and her best friend all in the span of a few years, Cowgirl Finesse’s founder Nicole Bazley woke up from a series of prophetic dreams in August 2005 during which the business plan — and the name itself — of Cowgirl Finesse was scripted. “At the time, I was lost in life, and didn’t know where to turn,” remembers Nicole. “I had started going to bed praying I could survive, desperately wanting something positive to focus on.” Nicole spent the next year researching the ideas that had come to her in her dreams, ultimately creating a niche market for the Cowgirl Finesse branded product line — from belts, purses and wallets, to jewellery, luggage and handcrafted mineral-based makeup, produced entirely at Cowgirl Finesse headquarters in Wainwright, AB. Earlier this year, Cowgirl Finesse released a line of children’s apparel and, most recently, an adult clothing line is in production. “We started out slowly to see where there were holes in the market we could fill,” says Nicole. “And by keeping our attention on the positive aspects of, ‘everything happens for a reason,’ we’re finding ourselves on one exciting adventure after another.” Cowgirl Finesse is a proud sponsor of many individuals and organizations in the horse industry, including the Miss Rodeo Canada Pageant and the Canadian Finals Rodeo ladies barrel racers. As in previous years, the newly crowned 2011 CFR Queen will be awarded a selection of exclusive accessories and clothing courtesy of Cowgirl Finesse. Also, at the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s Ladies Luncheon and Fashion show being held during the CFR — a fundraising initiative of the Edmonton Rodeo Cowboy’s Benevolent Foundation — attendees will have an oppor-

tunity to win a head-to-toe makeover by Cowgirl Finesse, as well as numerous draw prizes. For more information about Cowgirl Finesse, and to learn

more about opportunities to get involved as a home-based representative of Cowgirl Finesse, visit www.cowgirlfinesse.com or phone (780) 842-4339. 

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

CAnAdIAn FInALS RodEo · FARmFAIR

SPECIAL • • FEATURE

Equine chiropractic helps relieve pain By Cindy Bablitz

lthough he’d prefer you not call him doctor, Daniel Kamen turned an early education in music into a lifelong devotion to the harmonics of body mechanics. Finding himself drawn to the subtle melodies of wellness, Daniel began studying chiropractic, ultimately achieving his degree in chiropractic in 1981. It was a fascinating study, though not without its detractors and, as his career had meandered to that point, Daniel found himself following the organic rhythms of opportunity and need in the clients he was serving. “One of my first human chiropractic patients had a horse who was in pain,” explains Daniel. Happy with the pain relief results he had experienced under Daniel’s care, this patient invited Daniel to work on his horse. “And, as I wasn’t too busy with people, I had time to look at his

horse, and work with him. Lo and behold, what I did worked, and I started getting calls from other horse trainers asking me to work with their animals. That’s when I knew it was time to dig in and learn more about animal chiropractic,” Daniel says. Daniel earned his certification in animal chiropractic in 1992 from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, (AVCA) after studying at the highly respected Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Palmer College was one of the country’s early pioneers in animal chiropractic education, with its early forays of teaching chiropractic techniques dating back to around 1915. The fascinating aspect of treating animals, like horses, with chiropractic care is that, unlike humans, animals don’t come to their treatments with any cognitive bias. Even the pain they feel is often only subtly conveyed. Daniel says, “You have to watch them move. The expression of their

“There are very few techniques I would use on people that I use on animals. The angles and forces are different.” — DANIEL KAMEN

pain is typically not as obvious as limping. They might short stride, hesitate in turns, lift the hip higher … show signs of pain avoidance. Mostly you have to watch them in action, know their usual movement, and recognize when something is off in their gait.” And when their pain is relieved through chiropractic treatments, horses simply express their relief in freed-up movement. The concepts of chiropractic are universal to all species. “It starts with a crossover of theory and principle and practice, from animals to humans,” says Daniel. Vertebral subluxation — chiropractic speak for nerve irritation — either through trauma or toxicity of the

body, can be alleviated by adjusting vertebrae, manual muscle work as well as physical therapy modalities such as electrotherapy, ultrasound and cold laser therapy. However, allowing for the much larger spines of equine patients, and the much smaller spines of most dogs and cats, Daniel says, smiling, “There are very few techniques I would use on people that I use on animals. The angles and forces are different.” The practice of animal chiropractic has been emerging in the last 20 years. Daniel says the AVCA has certified about a thousand licensed veterinarians and chiropractors since 1989. “I’ve trained, at least in part, a majority of the

(animal chiropractic) practitioners practicing today,” says Daniel. Speaking to the rise in popularity of this effective wellness modality, Daniel says, “People are aware of it. Most of the racetracks now have their own equine chiropractor. I’ve had over 5,000 students in my seminars.” And, at this month’s Farmfair, you’ll have the opportunity to hear Dr. Kamen instruct on equine chiropractic in workshops he’s hosting on Monday, Nov. 7, in Northlands’ Edmonton EXPO Centre in Hall B at 11 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. For more information about Dr. Daniel Kamen, visit www. animalchiropractic.com. You can also check out www.vetrolaser.com, and click on News and Announcements for video clips demonstrating equine adjustments in action. Edmonton Kubota is the presenting sponsor of headlining equine clinicians and the presenting sponsor of Farmfair equine clinicians and seminars. 

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Dr. Daniel Kamen helps relieve his equine patients’ pain through chiropractic care. He is conducting two workshops during Farmfair.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Passing down the predatory instinct — coyotes who kill livestock teach this behaviour to their young.

©THINKSTOCK

FLOCK SAFETY A multi-pronged approach to keeping coyotes at bay PREDATION SOLUTIONS  When fighting with these

cunning predators, it’s best to use a number of strategies BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF | MORNINGSIDE

t takes more than an anvil and a roadrunner to chase off or kill a wily coyote. Sheep producers need to employ a variety of approaches to battle coyote predation, expert Ken Wick told attendees at a recent predator control seminar. Killing coyotes is actually a measure of last resort, said Wick, an inspector with the Inspection and Investigation Branch of Alberta Agriculture. Predation is a learned behaviour and adult coyotes who kill livestock teach this behaviour to their young, he said. Keeping a healthy flock is a simple way to reduction predation, as coyotes target sick animals, along with the young and old. Good fencing around the entire flock, with special care paid to the young animals is another deterrent, said Wick, who is based in Olds. Six- or seven-wire fences, electric fences, or page wire fences commonly used on elk or deer farms are the best fencing options. However, coyotes are quite smart and can learn how to go under or through fences, said Wick. Many of them learn to jump fences, or dig under them. Dogs, donkeys, llamas and horses can deter predators. Some horses do not like canines, and will chase coyotes or dogs out of their pasture, but it is learned behaviour and Wick suggested experimenting with an older mare. And llamas or donkeys cannot be housed with mates when they are used for coyote control. “When dogs are used for livestock predation control, they must be part of the flock,” added Wick. “This is the best, nonlethal coyote control method and the single most important factor in reducing coyote predation in the province.”

Bringing the flock in at night also helps. If the situation gets out of control, producers should first call their ag fieldmen before resorting to using lethal methods, as regulations vary by county. Den hunting is regulated but can be time consuming. Coyotes use the same den every year, and these are often found near water, along fencelines or in secluded fields with good cover. When most people go den hunting, they usually call and shoot the adults and then gas the pups. Den hunting is more successful in southern areas of the Prairies. Shooting live animals and using electronic calls are legal and effective, however they only work once, said Wick. “You call them in once, you better get him because he won’t come back for that call again,” he said. “You don’t trick a coyote twice. They learn fast.” Some of the calls are so effective that coyotes will come barrelling at the caller/hunter, who should keep a rifle or a shotgun loaded to shoot the animal. This method works best in fall or spring. Poisoning the animals is another option, but one Wick does not like to recommend, since it can be fatal to dogs, or other wildlife. Counties regulate poisoning of animals, and anyone who wishes to use poison on their property needs to consult with their ag fieldman. Anyone who uses poison on a coyote needs to obtain a Form 7 permit, which is regulated by the Regulatory Services Division of Alberta Agriculture. Poisons should only be used as a last resort and will only provide a short-term relief, said Wick. The 1080 tablet is used at the predation site and is usually stuck in a carcass or chicken head. An M-44 is a small capsule filled with cyanide and placed in a coyote lure in the ground,

and works best in the summer months. It needs to be set about two or three days before a predator will accept it. “They’re very effective and if they go off, something is dead,” said Wick. When a coyote pulls on this lure, a cyanide capsule will explode in its face, and the animal will die a short while later.

Any neighbourhood dogs that investigate or pull on the capsule could also be killed and other wildlife might also be affected by secondary poisoning, which is why this method is not commonly used. The cyanide will disperse quickly and the amount of cyanide in the capsule is minute. M-44s work best in fall, and are available from ag fieldmen.

Good fencing around the entire flock, with special care paid to the young animals is another deterrent. KEN WICK ALBERTA AGRICULTURE & INVESTIGATION INSPECTOR

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NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Good harvest profits not aplenty for India’s farmers costs soar } Farm wages have more than doubled over four years in some areas by rajendra jadhav mumbai/reuters

Cotton farmer Ravindra Krishna Patil in India’s Maharashtra state should be feeling flush after strong monsoon rains and a good crop, but high costs have cast a pall over his preparations for the festive season. Instead of splashing out on gold jewelry, appliances or maybe even a car during the biggest shopping season of the year, 28-year-old Patil must count his rupees after costs of everything from fuel to labour soared while cotton prices have fallen by nearly half. Producers of other major summer-sown crops such as rice, sugar cane, soybean and maize also have to contend with falling prices and rising costs, which may ultimately contribute

“I have spent more money than last year.” …The cost of seeds, fertilizers rose. Labour wages jumped, but my profit fell.”

to crimping the growth of Asia’s third-largest economy. “I have spent more money than last year,” Patil said. “The cost of seeds, fertilizers rose. Labour wages jumped, but my profit fell.” He said he spent about 400,000 rupees (US$8,107) for cultivating 16 acres of cotton, compared to 290,000 rupees a year ago. Rising rural incomes have been a key driver of India’s broader economic growth as well as revenues for makers of consumer products. The country expects to produce record food grains of 245 million tonnes in the current crop year to June, an increase of 1.4 per cent thanks to good monsoon rains. Usually, a good monsoon and strong crop yields raise rural spending. Record output, however, is pushing down prices, and government minimum support prices have not risen in line with higher input costs. Soybean futures prices have dropped 19 per cent from this year’s peak, while corn and rubber have dropped 27 per cent and 13 per cent respectively, from year highs. Turmeric and cotton prices are at half their peak levels.

Wage spiral

After months of delay, India in June raised the state-set price of diesel by nine per cent, lifting the cost of plowing, tilling and other land preparation operations for

Krishna patil indian cotton farmer

Record Indian crops are pushing down prices, and government minimum support prices have not risen in line with higher input costs. ©thinkstock farmers. A jump in fertilizer prices in the world market and a government move to ease its subsidy burden forced fertilizer makers to pass rising production costs to farmers. What has hurt profitability most, farmers said, is rising wages for labourers, driven by government efforts to ensure a minimum level of paid work for rural households under its National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. “Farm labourers’ wages have gone up sharply. And even after

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paying higher wages there is no guarantee you will get workers,” said George Valy, president of the Indian Rubber Dealers’ Federation. “The biggest task for farmers is to find workers.” Daily wages for female farm workers in the Jalgaon area, where Patil farms cotton, have risen to 100 rupees this year from 75 rupees a year ago and for male farm workers to 200 rupees from 150 rupees. Overall, farm wages in the area have more than doubled over four years.

“For farmers, labour cost is a dominant factor in production expenses and labour wages are going up. Labourers are demanding higher wages as they are also feeling the pinch of higher food and fuel inflation,” said Ashwini Bansod, a senior analyst at MF Global Commodities India. About 600 million Indians make a living from farming, even though agriculture makes up only 14.6 per cent of the economy, down from 30 per cent a decade ago.

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Are you interested in helping to develop Canada’s newest and brightest graduates for a career in the agriculture industry? The Career Focus Program provides employers with up to $20,000 in matching funds to create internship opportunities for recent graduates from agriculture-related programs. For employers, the program offers an economical way to attract new talent and helps provide new graduates with a valuable first job that will help pave the way to a career in the ever changing agriculture and agri-food industry. Eligible employers: • must offer projects that will give graduates meaningful agriculture career-related work experiences in Canada and skills acquisition through mentoring and coaching; and • could include organizations such as farm businesses, industry, not-for-profit organizations, provincial and municipal governments, associations, boards, councils, colleges and universities. Eligible interns: • must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant; • must be 30 years old or younger; and • must have graduated from a university, college, CEGEP or provincial institution within the last three calendar years, specializing in biology, agriculture, veterinary sciences or applied technology. Project proposals for 2012-13 will be accepted effective October 3, 2011 until December 30, 2011. To help expedite the review process, prospective employers are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible.

To find out more about the Career Focus Program and to obtain a project proposal form: Visit: www.agr.gc.ca/careerfocus Call: 1-866-452-5558 E-mail: careerfocus@agr.gc.ca

With the onset of fall weather, the U.S. South was starting to creep out of a devastating drought that has caused billions of dollars in damages, according to a national drought report issued Oct. 27. For parts of Texas and Oklahoma, it has been the longest dry spell on record. Recent rainfall, including showers moving through parts of the Plains in late October, helped replenish thirsty soils and barren ponds and reservoirs, though climatologists warned that it will take significant rainfall to overcome this summer’s record heat and long-term drought. As winter approaches and temperatures cool, less moisture will evaporate. That should help improve circumstances through Texas, parts of Oklahoma and elsewhere that have suffered from a long-lasting drought, according to the Drought Monitor report issued by a team of federal and academic climatologists. The Drought Monitor stated that 90.87 per cent of the Lone

Star State was considered in extreme or exceptional drought. That was down from 91.87 per cent a week earlier. And the worst level of drought, exceptional drought, fell to 69.61 per cent from 72.61 per cent of the state, according to the Drought Monitor. Texas so far has suffered more than $5 billion in agricultural losses, and wildfires have scorched millions of acres during the state’s longest dry period on record. Oklahoma also saw an improvement in the level of exceptional drought, which dropped to 54.84 from 59.09 per cent of the state. And taking into account the second-worst level of drought, extreme drought, the dryness contracted to 86.26 per cent from 87.85 per cent. Louisiana saw drought levels hold unchanged with exceptional drought spread through 35.36 per cent of the state. But drought in the key wheatproducing state of Kansas grew worse, expanding to 34.06 per cent of the state in extreme drought condition.

Albertafarmexpress.ca • November 7, 2011

1-888-413-3325 • abclassifieds@fbcpublishing.com

inDEx Tributes/Memory Announcements Airplanes Alarms & Security Systems ANTIqUES Antiques For Sale Antique Equipment Antique Vehicle Antiques Wanted Arenas AUCTION SAlES BC Auction AB Auction Peace AB Auction North AB Auction Central AB Auction South SK Auction MB Auction Parkland MB Auction Westman MB Auction Interlake MB Auction Red River Auction Various U.S. Auctions Auction Schools AUTO & TRANSPORT Auto Service & Repairs Auto & Truck Parts Autos Trucks Semi Trucks Sport Utilities Vans Vehicles Vehicles Wanted BEEKEEPING Honey Bees Cutter Bees Bee Equipment Belting Bio Diesel Equipment Books & Magazines BUIlDING & RENOVATIONS Concrete Repair Doors & Windows Electrical & Plumbing Insulation Lumber Roofing Building Supplies Buildings Business Machines Business Opportunities BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting Financial & Legal Insurance/Investments Butchers Supply Chemicals Clothing/Work wear Collectibles Compressors Computers CONTRACTING Custom Baling

Custom Feeding Custom Harvest Custom Seeding Custom Silage Custom Spraying Custom Trucking Custom Tub Grinding Custom Work Construction Equipment Dairy Equipment Electrical Engines Entertainment Fertilizer FARM MAChINERy Aeration Conveyors Equipment Monitors Fertilizer Equip Grain Augers Grains Bins Grain Carts Grain Cleaners Grain Dryers Grain Elevators Grain Handling Grain Testers Grain Vacuums haying & harvesting Baling Equipment Mower Conditioners Swathers Swather Accessories Haying & Harvesting Various Combines Belarus Case/IH Cl Caterpillar Lexion Deutz Ford/NH Gleaner John Deere Massey Ferguson Versatile White Combines Various Combine Accessories Hydraulics Irrigation Equipment Loaders & Dozers Parts & Accessories Salvage Potato & Row Crop Equipment Repairs Rockpickers Snowblowers/Plows Silage Equipment Specialty Equipment Spraying Sprayers Spray Various Tillage & Seeding Air Drills Air Seeders Harrows & Packers Seeding Various Tillage Equipment Tillage & Seeding Various Tractors Agco Allis/Deutz

Belarus Case/IH Caterpillar Ford John Deere Kubota Massey Ferguson New Holland Steiger Universal Versatile White Zetor Tractors 2WD Tractors 4WD Tractors Various Farm Machinery Miscellaneous Farm Machinery Wanted Fencing Firewood Fish Farm Forestry/Logging Fork Lifts/Pallets Fur Farming Generators GPS Health Care Heat & Air Conditioning Hides/Furs/Leathers Hobby & Handicrafts Household Items lANDSCAPING Greenhouses Lawn & Garden lIVESTOCK Cattle Cattle Auctions Angus Black Angus Red Angus Aryshire Belgian Blue Blonde d'Aquitaine Brahman Brangus Braunvieh BueLingo Charolais Dairy Dexter Excellerator Galloway Gelbvieh Guernsey Hereford Highland Holstein Jersey Limousin Lowline Luing Maine-Anjou Miniature Murray Grey Piedmontese Pinzgauer Red Poll Salers Santa Gertrudis Shaver Beefblend Shorthorn Simmental

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Published by Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 WINNIPEG OFFICE Alberta Farmer Express 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 Toll-Free in Canada 1-888-413-3325 Phone 403-341-0442 in Winnipeg FAX 403-341-0615 Mailing Address: Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7 • •

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AGREEMENT The publisher reserves the right to refuse any or all advertising for any reason stated or unstated. Advertisers requesting publication of either display or classified advertisements agree that should the advertisement be omitted from the issue ordered for whatever reason, the Alberta Farmer Express shall not be held liable. It is also agreed that in the event of an error appearing in the published advertisement, the Alberta Farmer Express accepts no liability beyond the amount paid for that portion of the advertisement in which the error appears or affects. Claims for adjustment are limited to errors appearing in the first insertion only. While every endeavor will be made to forward box number replies as soon as possible, we accept no liability in respect to loss or damage alleged to a rise through either failure or delay in forwarding such replies, however caused, whether by negligence or otherwise.

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(2 weeks prior)

REAl ESTATE Vacation Property Commercial Buildings Condos Cottages & Lots Houses & Lots Mobile Homes Motels & Hotels Resorts Farms & Ranches British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Pastures Farms Wanted Acreages/Hobby Farms Land For Sale Land For Rent RECREATIONAl VEhIClES All Terrain Vehicles Boats & Water Campers & Trailers Golf Carts Motor Homes Motorcycles Snowmobiles Recycling Refrigeration Restaurant Supplies Sausage Equipment Sawmills Scales SEED/FEED/GRAIN Pedigreed Cereal Seeds Barley Durum Oats Rye Triticale Wheat Cereals Various Pedigreed Forage Seeds Alfalfa Annual Forage Clover Forages Various Grass Seeds Pedigreed Oilseeds Canola Flax Oilseeds Various Pedigreed Pulse Crops Beans Chickpeas

FAx TO: 403-341-0615

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ORGANIC Organic Certified Organic Food Organic Grains Personal Pest Control Pets & Supplies Photography Propane Pumps Radio, TV & Satellite

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Miscellaneous Articles Wanted Musical Notices On-Line Services

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november 7, 2011 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

BUYING:

HEATED CANOLA

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

FARM MACHINERY Grain Bins RETIRED FROM FARMING: selection of used Westeel flat bottom bins on wood floors, in 19ft dia., have 1 bin @3500/bu, 1 bin @2750/bu. in 14ft dia: have 7 @1750/ bu. all 19ft bins priced from $1/per bu. all 14ft bins priced from $1.90/bu. Custom transporters available Hussin seed farms, (403)936-5923 (403)680-4471 Calgary, Ab.

FARM MACHINERY Wheat, Barley, Oats, Green & damaged Canola

1-877-641-2798

Market Your

DAMAGED CANOLA

to a

LICENSED & BONDED

company

MILLIGAN BIO-TECH

1-866-388-6284

www.milliganbiotech.com

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Building Supplies STEEL BUILDINGS HUGE SAVINGS/FACTORY Deals (Canadian Certified) 38x50, 50x96, 63x120, 78x135 Misc. Sizes & material avail. www.sunwardsteel.com Source: 1DD 1-800-964-8335

BUSINESS SERVICES

2005 JD 635F HYDRAFLEX header, new full finger auger, knife & guards. Nice condition, $29,900. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

Combine ACCessories FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories 1998 MACDON 960 36’ header, excellent knife and guards, batt reel, factory trans., fits CIH combines, other adapters available. $11,900. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com NEW COMBINE DUAL KITS $4300. Fit any combine, comes with new tires. Limited supplies. Trades welcome, financing available. www.combineworld.com 1-800-667-4515 RECONDITIONED COMBINE HEADERS. RIGID and flex, most makes and sizes; also header transports. Ed Lorenz, (306)344-4811 or Website: www.straightcutheaders.com Paradise Hill, SK.

FARM MACHINERY Grain Augers IHC HD CULTIVATOR, 16FT, $200; Three bottom tractor plow, used very little, offers; Co-Op big chief combine, w/pu, $400 and extra parts combine $100; (780)384-2366, Sedgewick, Ab.

NEW & USED GSI grain dryers for sale, some avail immediately. Various sizes, canola screens, efficient & accurate, easy to operate, remote monitoring avail. Also selling Air Transfer Systems. Call for more detail, Vince Zettler Market Rep for Axis Farms (204)998-9915. www.vzgrain.com

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Baling

2003 NH 72C 30’ flex header, hyd. fore&aft, PU reels, full finger auger, fits AFX or CR/ CX combines, $27,900. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-667-4515, www. combineworld.com

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories TR95-98 ROTOR GEARBOX USED LHS $1250, used RHS $3390, rebuilt RHS $4390. www.combineworld.com 1-800-667-4515.

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Swathers 2009 JD 4995 16FT discbine, low hrs. Will sell separately or w/25ft Honey Bee grain header w/pu reel. 2420 diesel 16ft hay & 21ft grain header. Phone: (306)236-8023.

Combines FARM MACHINERY Combine – Caterpillar Lexion

NEW WOBBLE BOXES CIH 4000/5000 $1495 JD 200/900 $995; MD old style $1275; MD new style $1695; NH 71C/ 72C/73C74C $995, CIH 1010/1020 $1550 OEM Quality. Used and rebuilt also available. www.combineworld.com 1-800-667-4515.

FARM MACHINERY Salvage

BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

JD 2210, LDR, 3PTH, MFD JD 4450, FWA, 280 ldr., 3PTH JD 4455, FWA JD 7200, ldr, 3pth FWA, JD 7800, FWA, $35,000 Steiger ST 270, 4WD 14’ Schulte rock rake Degelman 12’ Dozer Clamp on duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 IHC 5600 DT 33’ 158 & 148 JD loaders Willmar 500 Fertilizer spreader FINANCE, TRADES WELCOME 780-696-3527, BRETON, AB

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile Wire Spooler

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

FARM MACHINERY Grain Dryers

WANTED: Jd 7810 c/w fel & 3pth; sp or pto bale wagon; JD or IHC end wheel drills. Small square baler. (877)330-4477

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS

FARM MACHINERY Combine – John Deere

www.bigtractorparts.com

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. 1-888-413-3325.

Adapter available to unroll new barb wire off of wooden spool

- Hydraulic Drive (roll or unroll wire) - Mounts to tractor draw bar, skidsteer or bobcat, 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) The Level-Wind 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 See my display at the Red Deer Agri-Trade Nov 9,10,11,12/2011. In booth # 7058 With Bunning Distribution (BIG GREEN MANURE SPREADER) In the Agri - Center East Bldg

1977 Ford 3600, Gas 40Hp, 3PTH, P/S, 2 Sets Hydraulics, $5800

1990 Case-IH 5130, FWA, 89 PTO HP, 3PTH, 8703 hours

1984 International 784, 67HP Diesel, New Clutch, 3PTH, 540 + 1000 PTOs, IHC 2250 Loader, $11,500

2005 Toyota 25 Forklift, Propane, 5000 Lb Lift, Side Shift, $5500

www.doublellindustries.com 780-905-8565 NISKU, ALBERTA

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

CONTRACTING CONTRACTING Custom Work

2000 LEXION 450, 1969 hrs., yield and moisture, reel spd., fore&aft, chopper, spreader, $44,800. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Ford/New Holland FORD NH TR 98, only 1285hrs, Terrain tracer, hopper topper, chaff spreader, new concave’s, rub bars, feeder chain, Swath Master PU, shedded, field ready, (403)947-2508

COMBINE WORLD 1-800-667-4515, www. combineworld.com 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.

Tillage & Seeding FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Tillage WILRICH 28FT CHISEL PLOW, walking beams and flotation tires on all sections, new 16in. sweeps, excellent condition $3,900 (403)782-2545

SUPER CARBIDE PRODUCTS AT VW Mfg. Many products in stock! VW Mfg, Dunmore, AB, See our website: www.vwmfg.com or call (403)528-3350.

TracTors

WEST RIM EXCAVATING, LAND clearing, land drainage, road and site construction, building demolition, owner/operator phone George (780)914-8931 or 1-866-520-0710

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – John Deere

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT 2006 NH CR970 1186 hrs., Redekop MAV, good tires loaded, headers available, $139,800. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-6674515 www.combineworld.com

2009 JD 8130 FWA, 3pth, 60/gal per min. hyds. duals, front fenders, GS2 auto track, 1150/hrs, $135,000. (403)818-2816 JD 4840 P/S, 20.8X38 cast duals, weights, 3 hyds. JD 1610 17ft c/w harrows; S82 Flexicoil 50ft tine harrows, auto fold, excellent. (780)352-3012 JD 7810, MFD, CW 741 loader, has IVT trans. 3100hrs, 3PTH, shedded, never winter used, exc. condition. (780)990-8412

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Kubota USED KUBOTA Utility Tractors (780)967-3800, (780)289-1075 www.goodusedtractors.com

2005 JLG G6-42A TELEHANDLER 3802hrs., 6000lb, 42’ reach, tilt carriage, 3-way steering, aux. hyd., $39,840. Trades welcome, financing avail. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

ENGINES ASSORTED DEUTZ AND OTHER diesel engines. KMK Sales, (800)565-0500, Humboldt, SK.

ENTERTAINMENT SPIRITUAL PSYCHIC PREDICTIONS, TAROT cards, palm readings, past life readings, revealing the past, explaining the present, unfolding the future! Spiritual reader will help you in all problems in life! Such as, love, any type of business transactions, private and confidential readings, and also call for one free question. (403)510-2902

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Massey Ferguson 2008 NH CR9070 785/1103 hrs., yield monitor, fine cut chopper, chaff spreader, 4 speed hydro, grain tank ext., headers avail., $169,000. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

MF 1805 4WD TRACTOR, duals, fair condition, open to offers. (780)919-9985, Vermilion Area.

FARM MACHINERY Combine – John Deere

1997 NH TR98 COMBINE, VGC, shedded; 1997 CaseIH 9370 tractor, VGC, shedded; 1991 Hesston 25ft swather, very good shape. Phone: (204)641-0714.

1993 HONEYBEE SP42, 42’ header, UII PU reels, dual knife drive, Schumacher cutting system in good shape, fits JD combines, other adapters avail., $15,900. Trades welcome, financing available. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

2002 JD 1820, 45-FT., 10-in. spacing, double shoot, dutch paired row, 3-1/2in steel, $31,500; 1998 Agco Star, 8425, 425-hp, 3,400-hrs, duals, auto steer, $52,500; 2004 Hesston 1365 discbine, 15ft 3in. steel rollers, swivel hitch, 2pth or draw-bar adaptor $13,500; 2004 McHale 991B bale wrapper, $10,500; (403)665-2341, Craigmyle, AB.

2 JD 9870 COMBINES, loaded, GS 3 auto track, 26ft auger; 2010 900hrs, 615P header, $255,000; 2011 450hrs, PW7 header, $315,000; (403)818-2816

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

359 MIXER MILL, GOOD condition, always shedded, (403)578-2194, Coronation, Ab.

JD 6400 FWA, w/FEL, grapple JD 4450 2WD, P/S JD 9400, 9420, 9520, 8970 JD 9860, 9760, 9750, 9650, 9600 JD 9430, 9530, 9630 CIH 8010 w/RWD, lateral tilt, duals 900 hrs. CIH STX450 c/w PTO Case STX 375, 425, 430, 450, 480, 500, 530 CIH 8010-2388, 2188 combine TM190, FEL, 3PT 9680-9682 NH, 4WD 3630 Spray Coupe

CIH 435Q, 535Q, 450Q, pto avail. JD 4710, 4720, 4730, 4830, 4920, 4930 SP sprayers CIH 9770 w/CM & duals CIH 3185, 3230, 4260, 3150, 4420 sprayers CIH 3185 sprayer, auto steer, boom shut off 90-ft., 921 hrs, hyd. tread adj. CIH Skidsteer 440 & 430 Rogator 1064-854-664 Selection of Combine Headers & Haying Equipment

•Phone: (403)526-9644 •Cell: (403)504-4929

45’ Flexicoil 5000HD airdrill, 10” space, 4” rubber packers, DC 3850 TBT-V Flexicoil airtank .................Call 2320 Flexicoil TBT airtank c/w seed treater .........................................................$25,000 2320 Flexicoil TBH airtank w/320 third tank .......................................................................$22,500 51 Flexicoil Bodies c/w gen. SC 4” carbide spread tip openers...................................................................... $3,500 9352I I Westward Swather, 2005, 800hrs., PU reel, 30’, 972 header, roto shears ..........................................$65,000 4952 I 30’ Prairie Star swather, 2005, 800hrs, 30’, 972 header, roto shears, header mover ...................$65,000 810H 25’ Hesston grain table - PU reel ..................Call 910 - 14’ MacDon hay table & crimper.........$10,000 2 WD 1203 CIH swathers, 2011, 240hrs, 36’ headers, PU rteel, roto shears, header transports...................Call New Sakundiak 10x1200 (39.97’) 36hp, Kohler eng. E-K mover, P/S, electric belt tightener, work lights, slim fit Eco Hopper..........................$18,000 New Sakundiak 8x1200 (39.97’) auger, 27hp Robin Subaru, E-Kay mover, P/S, electric belt tightener, work lights.....................................CNT$15,500 Used Sakundiak 8x1600 (52.5ft) auger, 24hp Onan, Wheatheart mover, clutch, lights, nice shape $8,500 3T D7 CAT, C/REBUILT; 17A D7 Cat, good shape; 5 bottom JD plow #3100; 16ft Miller offset disc; 26ft Wilrich vibrashank cultivator; MF sm/sq. baler; 2/500 Gal fuel tanks w/stands; front tine rockpicker; (780)213-1697, Lacombe, Ab. ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: CULTIVATORS, DISCS, Plows, Blades, Post pounders, Haying Equipment, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, Ab. IH 800, 12 BOTTOM plow; Kellobuilt 5000, 5 shank subsoiler; 43ft chisel plow, harrows; Blanchard 40ft crowfoot packers. 90ft Spray-air, 3pth sprayer, (780)623-1008

Used Sakundiak 8x1200 (39.97’) auger, c/w new 25hp Robin Subaru eng......................................$4,750 Used J208x51’ Westfield auger, 20hp Kohler Wheatheart mover.................................................$6,750 New E-Kay 7”,8”,9” Bin Sweeps...........................Call 2002 7000HD Highline bale Processor, c/w twine cutter, always shedded...........................$8,500 2004 2620 Haybuster Bale Processor, 1000 PTO all hyd. drives, like new ...................$8,000 New demo Outback baseline X ..................$6,500 New Outback JD STS Hyd. Kit ........................$1,000 New Outback S lite guidance .............................$900 Used Outback 360 mapping...............................$750 Used Outback S guidance....................................$750 Used S2 Outback guidance.............................$1,000 WANTED: 60’ Vibrashank cultivator 50-70’ Heavy Harrows

Ron Sauer Machinery Ltd. (403) 540-7691 **Flexi-Coil, Westward MacDon Swathers, NuVision augers, Sakundiak, Farm King, Outback GPS Systems, EK Auger Movers, Sweeps, & Crop Dividers, Degelman** Sales Rep for George’s Farm Centre

ronsauer@shaw.ca

RETIRED FROM FARMING, MOST machinery shedded, 1998 Peterbuilt, 460 Cummins, 18spd, w/36ft tandem Doepker grain trailer $75,000; Rock picker, $1,500; Flatdeck car trailer, 16ft; (403)586-0978, Torrington, Ab. RETIRING - CASE 8480 rd baler ($17,000); Hesston 4590 sq baler ($7,000); Case 8330 9’ haybind ($7,000); NH 166 Swath Inverter ($5,000); NH 1033 Bale Wagon ($6,000); Pallets for 1033 ($30 Each); Tram 10 ton farm wagon ($3,900); All low hours, shedded. field ready. 780-963-1155. Spruce Grove AB. Round up the cash! Advertise your unwanted equipment in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. Phone Maureen Toll Free 1-888-413-3325.

Albertafarmexpress.ca • November 7, 2011

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous USED GRAIN CARTS: 400-1050/BU, large selection. Gravity wagons: used 200-750/bu, new 400/bu, $6,700; Richardson Hi-Dump wagons. Used fertilizer spreaders. Call: 1(866-938-8537 www.zettlerfarmequipment.com WIRELESS DRIVEWAY ALARMS, calving/foaling barn cameras, video surveillance, rear view cameras for RV’s, trucks, combines, seeders, sprayers and augers. Mounted on magnet. Calgary, Ab. (403)616-6610. www.FAAsecurity.com

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE JD 2955, MFD, 265 ldr, no cab, $22,500 JD 4020, cab, 3pth, 158 ldr. $9,500 JD 4450, 265 ldr, joystick, $34,000 JD 7210, 6300hrs, 740 ldr. $50,000 JD 7510, 740 ldr., $52,000 JD 7810, mfd, pth, 6400hrs, $64,000 JD 7600, 740 ldr. MFD, no cab, $25,000 JD 8400, p/s, duals, $57,000 Case 7230, 5000hrs, 3pth, $58,000. MF 255 loader, 3pth, $10,500 Case 8555 smsq. Baler, $8,500 JD 347, 338, 348 balers. Call Melroe 6 bottom plow, $2,000 JD loaders, 148, 740, Call 2 blades for JD tractors, call Sakundiak 10x60’ swing auger, $4,500 Westfield 10x60’ swing auger, $2,500 CIH 595 manure spreader, exc. $7,500

(403)732-4647 or (403)394-5115

IRON & STEEL PIPE FOR SALE 3-1/2IN., 2-7/8in., 2-3/8in., 1in. Sucker Rods. Henderson Manufacturing Sales. (780)672-8585

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle Various

Safe new

One-Man

corral designs plus 80 Safe new ideas to cut Tub costs & labor - 120 diagrams, OneManCorrals.com Free look! LIVESTOCK Cattle Wanted

WANTED: YOUNG TOP QUALITY Hereford/Angus cross crows, bred Charolais. (403)335-4358, Didsbury, Ab.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted

Specialty

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

LIVESTOCK Livestock Equipment

WANTED: Small square balers and end Wheel Seed Drills, Rock Pickers, Rock Rakes, Tub grinders, also JD 1610 cultivators (403)308-1238

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

430 FARM AID FEED wagon, used very little, excellent condition, (780)889-3798, Heisler, AB 5’X10’ PORTABLE CORRAL PANELS, 6 bar. Starting at $55. Storage Containers, 20’ & 40’ 1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722 JIFFY 220 SILAGE BUNK feeder, always shedded, excellent condition, $6,000; (403)227-4403, Innisfail

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

MORAND BUFFALO SQEEZE, W/SCALE, exc. conditon, could also be used for cattle, asking $5,000 obo (780)349-2346 SHAVINGS FOR BEDDING Britewood Industries manufactures high quality pine shavings & super-compresses them into 4x4 bales. Call for truckload quotes or for a dealer in your area. www.britewood.ca. sales@ britewood.ca Tony (250)372-1494, Ron (250)804-3305

PERSONAL

www.penta.ca

1-888-484-5353

COUNTRY INTRODUCTIONS, MATCHING YOU with down-to-earth country people like yourself, personal interview, criminal check required, in business since 1989! 1-877-247-4399

REAL ESTATE

TIRES

CAREERS

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Alberta

FEDERATION TIRE: 1100X12, 2000X20, used aircraft. Toll free 1-888-452-3850

CAREERS Truck Drivers

200 COW RANCH, CYPRESS Hills area, 500 deeded, good crop & hayland, Chinook climate, 640 ac. Alberta lease, plus 2 separate grazing leases, good set buildings w/treed yard site, good water, gas well revenue, Must Sell, (403)937-3901 NO GOPHERS NO BADGERS! 1/2 section, cow/calf operation, complete set of buildings, Hay & pasture, 70/Ac cultivated, Excellent Water, Evansburg area. (780)727-2919

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale CHOICE FARMLAND FOR SALE, adjoining Lake McGregor, 10,559/ac dryland mainly one block; 2,534/ ac grazing lease, gravel pit. Priced $27,602,145.00. For viewing call Harold or Lyle Magnuson @ Magnuson Realty Ltd. Harold @403-485-0368, Lyle @403-485-6901 LAND TRADER ADVERTISING means world wide exposure. Sell it yourself, save commissions. One time fee of $189.-that’s all. Visit www.landtrader.ca call Shelley toll free 1-(877)729-4841. Free information brochure available

SEED / FEED / GRAIN SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Feed Grain BUYING ALL TYPES OF feed grain. Also have market for light offgrade or heated, picked up on the farm. Eisses Grain Marketing 1-888-882-7803, (403)350-8777 Lacombe.

NEW TIRES, 20.8X38 12 ply $826; 18.4x38 12 ply $736; 18.4x34 12 ply $636; 18.4x30 12 ply $569; 30.5Lx32 16 ply $2195; 24.5x32 14 ply $1749; 18.4x42 16 ply $1397; 20.8x42 16 ply $1699; 20.5x25 20 ply $1496; 405/70-20 14 ply $795; 14.9x24 12 ply $356; 16.9x28 12 ply $498. Factory-direct, no middlemen. Implement, skid steer tires also available.Tubes sold separately. Used tires also available. 1-800-667-4515. www.combineworld.com

TRAVEL

Agriculture Tours

Australia & New Zealand – Jan/Feb. 2012 Kenya/Tanzania – January 2012 Costa Rica – February 2012 South America – February 2012 Ukraine/Romania – June 2012 Scotland/England/Wales – June 2012 Tours may be Tax Deductible Select Holidays 1-800-661-4326

FEED GRAIN WANTED! ALSO buying; Light, tough, or offgrade grains. “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Hay & Straw 1300 ROUND HAY/STRAW BALES, 1300/lbs, $18/per bale; 1140 round hay bales, 1400/lbs, good quality, $55/T. (403)364-2129, Delia, Ab.

A SPECTACULAR FIVE STAR ALL INCLUSIVE CHINA’S WORLD HERITAGE SITES! Shanghai, Beijing, Yantzie Three-Gorges Cruise

HAY FOR SALE, BIG JD bales, good quality, delivery available, first cut $34/ton, 5x5 JD wrapped haylage bales $34/per ton. Oat greenfeed $34/ton New hay, 18.76 protein analysis done, $50/Ton (403)665-2341

CULTURAL EVENING EXTRAS (International Hotels & Cuisine) Travelling with Dr. John Keng, Chinese-Canadian Agri-Business Consultant Departures from Calgary, Edmonton & Vancouver For info, itinerary & pre-registration Ph: John Calpas at 403-320-1774 or email: jgcalpas@shaw.ca

QUALITY ROUND HAY, VARIOUS mixes, delivery or loaded, volume discounts, Oat hay also available, (403)637-2258, Didsbury, Ab. SMALL SQUARE BALES HORSE hay, Crossfield, Ab. 50/lb bales $3.00/per bale, (403)946-5481, (403)613-4570 SM. SQ. BALES (403)442-2642

MIXED

hay,

$5/per

obo

SEWING MACHINES INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINE FOR leather and upholstery (403)749-3871, Delburne, Ab.

Buy and Sell

anything you need through the

1-888-413-3325

Is your ag equipment search more like a needle in a haystack search?

Find it fast at

NOVEMBER 7, 2011 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Protect Your Investment

The value of seed and fertilizer continues to grow – Protect your investment with Meridian powder coated, smooth-wall bins. Check out www.meridianmfg.com to see the newest evolution of storage to fit all your on-farm needs. © 2011 Meridian Manufacturing Group. Registered Trademarks Used Under License.