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OCTOBER 22, 2012

The world’s top plowmen and women descend on Olds in 2013 SERIOUS BUSINESS 

The 60th World Plowing Championship is a big deal to people and fans all around the world

BY SHERI MONK OLDS / AF STAFF

he countdown until the 60th World Plowing Championship is on, and Alberta’s very own Olds College is hosting the event as part of its centennial celebrations. Olds College turns 100 in 2013, and a series of major events is being held to commemorate it throughout the year. The

international plowing event will be held on campus July 19 - 20. “We expect 60 plowpersons from 31 different countries. It’s more than just plowing. There’s going to be horse plowing, we’ll have about 400 vintage displays, we’re going to have entertainment, demonstrations in the dirt, a farmers’ market, and a trade show, so it will be a big activity taking place at the college,” said Kerry Moynihan, centennial general manager at Olds College.

SEE WORLD PLOWING  page 6

Tractors from several countries lined up to compete at the World Plowing Championship in Croatia earlier this year.

XL CLOSURE

LEE NILSSON SAYS CO-OPERATED FULLY WITH CFIA  PAGE 16

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news » inside this week

inside » Sustainability is good business OYF winners see EFP as part of success

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

livestock

crops

New parasite threat emerging

Managing resistance to 2,4-D

columNists brenda schoepp

Roy Lewis Be proactive with cancerous eyes

Stand-off over badgers U.K. farmers want cull to prevent TB spread

Coloured honey not welcome

Liver fluke concern from wild bovines

Not a concern yet, but stay on your toes

Daniel Bezte

The science of building a snow fence

17 48

Ducks and seed help Manitoba Olympian harvest gold Double duty } Gold medallist does double duty as pitchman for

BrettYoung and ambassador for Ducks Unlimited Canada by daniel winters

“I’d like to try it, but only if I get to eat the bird that I shoot.”

fbc staff

ost Canadian kids have jumped on a sled and sped down a hill. The difference between that and the Olympic sport of skeleton is a multimillion-dollar track, high-tech gear and a bit more speed — like the 146 kilometres per hour hit by competitors on the track at Whistler, B.C., in 2010. “It’s not as easy as jumping on and going down,” said Jon Montgomery, from Russell, Man. who took home the Olympic gold medal that year. “A sack of potatoes will make it to the bottom, but it won’t be fast.” First off, there’s the critical five-metre sprint — that makes or breaks a competitor’s run — before jumping on the minimalist steel-and-plastic sled. Then it’s a case of keeping your wits about you as you slide down at mind-numbing speeds. “To get to the level we’re at, you need to have a firm cerebral understanding of what’s going on and how your body is reacting,” said Montgomery, adding that on corners, competitors must deal with a force equal to five Gs, or five times normal gravity. In preparation for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Montgomery, like all ama9/29/12

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Page 1

Jon Montgomery

Screen shot Montgomery: A screen shot from a video of on-farm “drag racing.” teur athletes, has been inking sponsorship deals. For 2013, dubbed “Year of the Conservation Champion,” he will serve as an ambassador for Ducks Unlimited Canada. Protecting wetlands and wilderness is important to him, he said, adding he’s proud to be a part of the organization as it celebrates 75 years of promoting wise use of natural resources. “I grew up skating on ponds outside of town,” he said. Although he’s not from a hunting family, he hopes to spend some time in a duck blind. “I’d like to try it, but only if I get to eat the bird that I shoot.” BrettYoung has been a sponsor of Montgomery since 2010, and he has done appearances for the company, as well as radio spots.

Client: Salford Farm Machinery Alberta Famer Expres/ Manitoba Cooperator Size: 10.25” x 3” Ad#: SFM09_28-10.25x3PSO

Reuters Bees at a cluster of apiaries in northeastern France have been producing honey in mysterious shades of blue and green, alarming their keepers who now believe residue from containers of M&M’s candy processed at a nearby biogas plant is the cause. Since August, beekeepers around the town of Ribeauville in the region of Alsace have seen bees returning to their hives carrying unidentified colourful substances that have turned their honey unnatural shades. Mystified, the beekeepers embarked on an investigation and discovered that a biogas plant four km away has been processing waste from a Mars plant producing M&M’s, bite-sized candies in bright red, blue, green, yellow and brown shells. The unsellable honey is a new headache for around a dozen affected beekeepers already dealing with high bee mortality rates and dwindling honey supplies following a harsh winter. Agrivalor, the company operating the biogas plant, said it had tried to address the problem after being notified of it by the beekeepers. “We discovered the problem at the same time they did. We quickly put in place a procedure to stop it,” Philippe Meinrad, comanager of Agrivalor, told Reuters. He said the company had cleaned its containers and incoming waste would now Salford_SFM10_01-10.25x3PSO_AFE.qxd be stored in a covered hall.

Less cattle stress equals more dollars

Call your Salford dealer today, or visit

For the seed company’s Harvest Gold for Canada in 2014 program, he and his wife Darla, also a skeleton athlete, appear in a tongue-in-cheek training video. In the video, available at www.BrettYoung.ca/ JoinJonsTeam, the two participate in “training” events such as loading seed, building endurance while herding cattle, and “quad” training. Funds raised in the Harvest Gold for Canada will be used to develop new equipment for the Canadian skeleton team — including a carbon fibre helmet, low-drag suit, aerodynamic sled, and special shoes for getting a better grip at the start. “We’re trying to find some sponsorship to help pay for these projects because right

now it’s all self-funded,” he said. “Who better to understand the need for good equipment to get a job done than farmers.” Although not a farm boy, Montgomery spent his youth roaming the Russell area with his school friends, most of whom grew up on farms. A thrill-seeker, he sought excitement in skydiving, cliff and bridge jumping, and “driving fast.” After moving to Calgary for work in 2001, he was “desperate” for something competitive to do. He took up skeleton just a week after seeing it for the first time. According to Wikipedia, skeleton racing originated in the 1880s after British gentlemen began racing on sleds down the busy, winding streets of St. Moritz, Switzerland, and “causing an uproar among citizens because of the danger to pedestrians and visiting tourists.”

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Cattle industry braces for crisis in face of possible plant closure TRUCK SHORTAGE } There are not enough trucks to carry all the fat cattle south of the border right now by sheri monk

af staff / pincher creek

hile better news may have arrived by the time this newspaper reaches the mailbox, the prolonged closure of the XL Foods beef plant at Brooks has had some wondering not when it will reopen, but whether it will reopen at all. “If it doesn’t reopen, that will devastate the Canadian industry. It’s disappointing this thing couldn’t move faster and with more answers. If we could have progressed quicker to a resolution versus laying people off — it sounds like a prolonged process to get relisted,” said Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) chairman Doug Sawyer. For producers, the timing couldn’t be worse. The fall calf run is gearing up and the yearling run is on. “Producers need to know what’s going to happen and what to do and feedlots need to know where they can market these cattle,” Sawyer said. While the cowcalf sector is nervously awaiting news about the plant, feeders are even more worried about where to send finished cattle. “These fats that were contracted into Lakeside, we’re having trouble getting trucks to get them down south to be processed,” Sawyer said. He’s concerned what a possible permanent loss of the plant could mean for the Canadian cattle industry. “That’s huge. Moving cattle into the U.S. for slaughter and not having a fully Canadian product… We built up really strong Canadian brands, and we have retailers and wholesalers that are loyal to the Canadian brand. Now we may have trouble getting enough Canadian product to fulfil the Canadian brand orders that we have,” Sawyer said. The XL Brooks plant closure is on top of already-reduced Canadian slaughter capacity. Earlier this year, the Levinoff-Colbex plant in Quebec was closed, and XL’s smaller plants in Moose Jaw and Calgary have also closed in recent years. “Any time we lose infrastructure that impacts our ability to move cattle through our Canadian system, so a U.S. border closure would have significant impact on our ability to get these cattle processed,” Sawyer said. He said ABP is working with other producer groups and the provincial governments to try and fix the problem. “We need this plant back open.

Not alla trucking companies are approved to enter the U.S. It’s crucial infrastructure to our Canadian industry and it’s very important to the economy of this province.”

the U.S. that we’re back in the same situation we were back in 2003.”

Long-term commitment

Another problem looms for the Canadian industry. If feeders aren’t rushing to buy fall calves, too many may end up south of the border. “We need to create enough certainty in the industry that we can continue on so that feeders feel they can continue to fill the pens and the cow-calf industry will still want to retain heifers and build to the future,” said Laycraft. Milt Scott, general manager of

Dennis Laycraft, executive vicepresident of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, said the industry is already preparing for the possibility the plant will remain closed for the short or long term. “Will the plant remain closed while they try and sell the plant, which we think is a pretty clear possibility?” he said. “There have been suggestions come up about leasing it to someone else. Whomever gets involved, we want to make sure they have a long-term commitment to the success of that operation.” Laycraft said the CCA is examining possibilities of increased slaughter capacity elsewhere. “We’ve been in touch with a number of companies and certainly, Cargill is the clearest one that could ramp up more quickly by killing Saturdays and increasing their daily throughput and they’re doing that,” Laycraft said. U.S. plants are another option, but Laycraft said the biggest short-term challenge is trucking capacity, as there are fewer companies still approved to go to the United States. In the meantime, some U.S. plants are stepping up processing, and others are establishing segregation protocols for killing Canadian cattle. Laycraft said the industry has learned from the closure of the U.S. border due to BSE. “I think one thing is clear — we don’t want to be so dependent on

“We need this plant back open. It’s crucial infrastructure to our Canadian industry and it’s very important to the economy of this province.” Doug Sawyer ABP

Calves heading south?

Thorlakson Feedyards near Airdrie, is concerned the plant will stay dark because of what he feels was an extreme overreaction by the CFIA. “Today’s problem is big government flexing its muscle and really trying to prove a point. If you really get down to laymen’s terms, they overdid the recall, ran to cover their butts and once you start covering your butts, then where do you stop?” Scott said. “My question to the CFIA is if they had 40 inspectors plus six veterinarians in there, they were in there prior to September — why didn’t they stop it then?”

Scott fears the crisis will result in the loss of as much as 20 per cent of Alberta’s feedlots. “If we can’t afford to buy the feeder cattle because our price for the fats is going to be Washington less freight then yes, the feeder cattle are going to move south.” Jobs will move too, Scott said. “We’re taking all the infrastructure out of Canada, especially Western Canada, and we’re going to move it south. Alberta is a vast land that produces forage — it makes zero sense to haul the cattle away from where the forage is produced.”

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

EDITOR Will Verboven Phone: 403-697-4703 Email: will.verboven@fbcpublishing.com

Reporters Alexis Kienlen, Edmonton (780) 668-3121 akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

Shawna Gibson Email: shawna@fbcpublishing.com

Investigation needed to clear the air in E. coli case

Director of Sales & Circulation

Tarnished } Confidence in the “Alberta Beef” brand needs to be restored

Sheri Monk, Pincher Creek (403) 627-9108 sheri.monk@fbcpublishing.com

PRODUCTION director

Lynda Tityk Email: lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com

CIRCULATION manager Heather Anderson Email: heather@fbcpublishing.com

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

classified ADVERTISING SALES Maureen Heon Phone: 1-888-413-3325 Fax: 403-341-0615 Email: maureen@fbcpublishing.com

ADVERTISING Co-ordinator Arlene Bomback Phone: 204-944-5765 Fax: 204-944-5562 Email: ads@fbcpublishing.com

PUBLISHER Bob Willcox Email: bob.willcox@fbcpublishing.com

Associate PUBLISHER/editorial director John Morriss Email: john.morriss@fbcpublishing.com

Printed by Gazette Press, St. Albert, AB The Alberta Farmer Express is published 26 times a year by Farm Business Communications. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage for our publishing activities. Publications mail agreement number 40069240 Canadian Postmaster: Send address changes and undeliverable addresses (covers only) to Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3K7

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www.albertafarmexpress.ca or email: subscription@fbcpublishing.com At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer Information Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Wpg., MB R3H 0H1 Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call 1-800-665-0502. The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

By will verboven t the time of writing last week the fate of the XL Foods beef plant in Brooks was still undetermined. By now it may have reopened or may still be closed to buying new cattle. Either way, there is a genuine concern in the industry that XL Foods may not have the financial willingness to keep the plant going if it reopens. The recall alone will cost millions, the inevitable lawsuits could cost millions more, and meat buyers will want to extract significant discounts to again be interested in buying XL beef. One hopes XL has solid liability insurance, or it may be forced out of business. If financing the losses becomes a problem you can expect the Alberta government will be asked to prop up the plant. It’s just too large to fail. From an interview done with co-CEO Lee Nilsson by Alberta Farmer reporter Sheri Monk, it’s clear there are major differences of opinion between XL and the CFIA as to what occurred to cause the closure. One fears that challenging the CFIA will only worsen the situation and cause further delay in opening the plant. If that happens massive worker layoffs will continue and slaughter cattle marketing in the province will be in chaos. I expect that every available livestock liner in Western Canada is already fully booked for an indefinite period of time just to ship cattle south. Rumours continue to swirl that the XL plant is up for sale or lease and the present owners are just waiting to have their operating licence reinstated by the CFIA. That may be the only way for this disaster to be resolved. Cargill is the likely candidate but can only lease the plant due to competition rules. That leaves JBS as a possible white knight to buy the company. A new operator may be the only way to overcome the acrimony that appears to exist between XL and the CFIA. One had hoped that with the PR damage to

the iconic and world-famous “Alberta Beef” brand and the impending cattle-marketing disaster, that our provincial government would be taking decisive and inspiring steps to support our cattle and beef industry, one of the traditional pillars of the Alberta economy and culture. But to the dismay of many in the industry, the Alberta government response to date has been to engage in mindless media photo events with the Premier in boots and jeans on a ranch and the agriculture minister buying a package of beef, all the while expressing their support for our cattle producers. If this is the best our government can do we really are in big trouble in agriculture in this province. Let’s hope the media photo events are just for the consumption of gullible city folks, because producers are not fooled.

Let’s hope the media photo events are just for the consumption of gullible city folks, because producers are not fooled. Where was the CFIA?

Industry sources indicate that meetings of every sort have been going on between producer groups, industry stakeholders, processors and governments for several weeks to discuss every scenario in this evolving situation. What is becoming clear is that notwithstanding the responsibility of XL in this matter, most fingers are pointing to the CFIA as a major cause of the plant closure. Questions continue to be asked as to why so many CFIA inspectors and veterinarians working at the plant seem not to have noticed the growing E. coli problem. How come it took the USDA

inspection service to identify the problem first? The XL case screams for a complete and formal investigation of the role of the CFIA and XL in the outbreak. Clearly something went very wrong, particularly as it appears the company and the CFIA are locking horns as to what happened and what needs to happen. One could speculate that the future of the present ownership of XL may well be influenced by a fear of retaliation by the CFIA on the economic operation of the plant. When egos, control, power and emotion get involved almost anything is possible. For the Alberta cattle and beef industries’ sake a formal investigation is exactly what is needed to clear the air and restore confidence in “Alberta Beef.” It’s what the industry expected the Redford government to demand from the beginning, but alas that is not forthcoming. The premier recently stated that there is no need for a formal investigation of the situation every time something goes wrong. One shudders at the audacity of such a statement. What then will move this government to investigate such a situation? Do hundreds have to die? Do producers need to start shooting cattle they can’t sell? Do 30,000 producers need to march in the streets? The government could have done itself well politically, if it had shown some leadership in this case. One fears that without a formal investigation the issue will fade away, which one suspects is the real hope of government politicians. An investigation could expose shortcomings in the CFIA inspection system which would only prolong the political agony, since food safety issues are something politicians see as a kiss of death. Ironically there is some hope. The USDA has announced that it will be auditing the CFIA inspection process at the XL plant. It’s a rather sad situation that a foreign inspection agency will go where our own government politicians fear to tread.

Premier confirms promise, but when? by will verboven

t a recent news conference in Edmonton, Premier Redford stated that she intends to keep her leadership campaign promise that farm workers will be covered by OHS legislation. According to a Calgary Herald report she said, “I’ve made a commitment. What we’re going to do is continue to do that work to ensure that we get everyone’s input, and when the time is right, we’ll do it.” But therein lies the question — when and how? This issue has been studied and consulted into exhaustion over the past 10 years. Everyone’s position is well known and not about to change. What the stakeholders need to be consulted about is not “if” OHS will be implemented, but “how” they would like OHS standards applied and enforced for their respective sectors. The government particularly needs to

get on with finding ways and means to apply OHS to Hutterite Colonies, owner/ operators and family members. The concern is that even though the premier has made a commitment on farm worker OHS, she may only approve a weak program to appease the industry and not repudiate her government’s Farm Safety Advisory Council recommendations. The industry has been quiet about its opposition to mandatory OHS, but then there may be a factor beginning to unsettle its steadfast position. The large intensive sector of the industry has come to rely on the temporary foreign worker program for farm workers. That’s a federal program which is expected to be applied equally and fairly across the country. It’s been rumoured that some labour groups have brought this matter to the federal government’s attention. One could surmise that the federal program might be suspended in Alberta until the OHS question is resolved.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

It’s time for a national debate on the food industry CONCENTRATED  Large corporations have too much control, says NFU director BY NEIL PEACOCK

he XL Foods recall has really got people talking about the food system all across Canada. Concern for the safety of our food unites us whether we are urban or rural, farmers or consumers, regardless of which part of the country we live in. Some people are saying we need a national debate on the food industry, and I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. The National Farmers Union released a detailed report in November 2008 called “The Farm Crisis and the Cattle Sector: Towards a New Analysis and a New Solution.” It described the concentration of the livestock sector by multinationals, and the consequences for farmers and consumers. The report is on the NFU website at www.nfu.ca. The NFU showed a detailed history of the cattle industry in Canada and

outlined 16 solutions to the situation facing cattle farmers and the Canadian public at large. As a cattleman myself, I am proud to say my cattle carry the same brand as did my grandfather’s, so the cattle industry is nothing new to me. When the beef leaves my farm, it is safe for Canadians to eat. It is only after the cattle leave my farm that safety issues enter the food chain, yet I am punished financially for mismanagement by others. We have a very concentrated food industry in Canada, not just in beef, but in all foods. According to the documentary “Beef Inc.,” produced by the National Film board of Canada (and which I highly recommend), the vast majority of food products found on our store shelves are processed, packaged and/or distributed by just a very few large corporations in each sector and they then use the size of their market share to their own advantage. You can find

out about the level of control exercised by very few companies in the beef sector in the NFU report previously mentioned. The parent company of XL Foods, the same company involved with the largest meat recall in Canadian history, also controls many of the western auction markets where farmers sell their cattle, and the beef feedlots that purchase livestock from farmers. More and more of Canada’s farmers and consumers are trapped without meaningful choices in a market that is highly

We have a very concentrated food industry in Canada, not just in beef, but in all foods.

controlled by vertically integrated corporations on both ends of the food system. The 2008 NFU cattle report also shows the relationship between the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and NAFTA in 1989 and 1994 respectively, and the catastrophic results those agreements have had on our food system today. If you look at the proposed trade agreement with the European Union that the federal government is aiming to close by the end of this year, Canadians should be even more concerned, as it is clearly not in the public interest. The XL Foods contaminated beef recall has caused illness from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, wasted millions of pounds of meat, and damaged the incomes of affected farmers and plant workers. It is a real wake-up call. Clearly a public conversation on the direction of our food and agricultural policy and its purpose is needed and warranted.

This discussion needs to include not just the so-called industry stakeholders, but all of the people of Canada who are the true industry stakeholders. It is the single most important issue facing us as a nation today. You may think oil, manufacturing and jobs are important, and rightly so, they are. They are, however, far less important than clean, safe food and water. If you don’t agree, try going 30 days without either and then let’s talk. Gigantism, a result of increasing corporate consolidation, is clearly not in the interest of the public good or the public trust. Canadians must get involved and demand a look at and a restructuring of our food and agriculture system. Neil Peacock is a National Farmers Union board member, and a cattleman who farms at Sexsmith, Alberta.

The beef industry has bigger problems than E. coli NO COLLABORATION  The beef industry is suffering from too many

organizations and not enough leadership BY JOHN MORRISS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

he fallout from the E. coli contamination at the XL beef plant is bad enough, but it will be even worse if this single issue diverts the industry from looking at some of its larger longterm challenges. Farmers got cranky enough about the Canadian Wheat Board, so imagine there was a Canadian Beef Board in charge of cattle marketing right now, and this was the state of the industry? • Canadian cow herd down 20 per cent from 2005. • Only one significant export customer — the U.S. • Net beef trade balance with the U.S. down from $1.4 billion to only $42 million in 10 years, partly because that customer is using our cattle to exporting higher-value muscle cuts to others — including us. We are at risk of becoming a net importer of beef from the U.S. Imagine the demonstrations in front of the Canadian Beef Board building, and the placards and news releases declaring, “We sell them hamburger, they sell us steaks.” But while there is no Canadian Beef

Board, that’s precisely the state of our beef industry, yet producers and their organizations are virtually silent. That assessment, plus much more detail, is found in the Canadian AgriFood Policy Institute’s (CAPI) recent assessment of the Canadian beef system. To that we can add that now this is an industry that can have 40 per cent of its slaughter capacity shut down for weeks at a time because a few workers didn’t wash their hands properly or failed to wear beard nets. “A long-term and shared strategy is needed to build the beef brand and to generate consumer trust,” says the CAPI report issued last month — before the XL closure. The need for that strategy is now even greater. The industry was conspicuously silent following the release of the report, which is probably explained by some of the report’s main conclusions: 1. The sector has no long-term and shared strategic plan, and needs an explicit strategy that brings stakeholders together. 2. The sector is characterized by minimal collaboration, and participants along the supply chain need to align their objectives. 3. Too many voices speak for the sector, and leadership is needed to improve

the dialogue and move toward greater collaboration and unified purpose. The CAPI report lays out a road map for the industry to follow, and as it points out, many of the basic requirements are there. Consumers want the product, and they increasingly want to know that what they eat was produced humanely and with minimal effect on the environment. Beef — produced properly — can meet those requirements as well or better than any other meat. Meeting environmental and animalwelfare requirements means more land, more grass and more water. Canada, especially Western Canada, is blessed with all three. Industry collaboration requires systems to track animals and the meat produced from them. With the national ID system and other voluntary systems such as BIXS, Canada is already well ahead of others, especially the U.S. So why is the industry slipping? The answer may lie in CAPI’s third point — “Too many voices speak for the sector.” Cattlemen and women have always prided themselves in their independence, a trait which is certainly required to stay in the business. But independence shouldn’t go to the

point where you refuse to co-operate. The Prairie grain business is famous for politics, but when you throw in breed organizations, marketers, feedlots, packers and industry groups, politics in the beef business are worse. Which takes us back to CAPI’s question — who is to provide the leadership for the cattle and beef industries to prosper? That leadership needs to include challenging conventional wisdom, including the tendency to paint a too-rosy future. The CAPI report may also be guilty of that. While there are no doubt opportunities for offshore sales growth to growing economies, note the same assumption from 47 years ago in the “Our history” section on this page this week. That offshore growth may or may not materialize, but on the other hand all meat industries need to face the fact that North Americans eat twice as much as is good for them. It would be foolish to assume that will continue. But the beef industry does need to continue. The long-term health of agriculture in Canada depends on maintaining forage, either permanently or as part of a rotation. That in turn requires a healthy beef business. Discussion of the CAPI report should be on the agenda for every cattle and beef organization this winter.

OFF THE FRONT

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

No place for politics at the World Plowing Championship

WORLD PLOWING  from page 1 The competition is more about the art that lives in the details of plowing in homage to both tradition and practicality. “There’s plowing on grasslands and stubble and they do it over two days, and it’s basically a combination of how straight your furrow is, the depth of the furrow, and it has to overlay in a certain way. It’s not a matter of speed, but you are given a certain amount of time,” said Moynihan. It’s more of a look back on agriculture, and a salute to excellence and precision.” Moynihan attended the last two world championships in research and preparation for Canada’s chance to host the event. He went to Sweden in 2011, and has just returned from Croatia from the 2012 event. He was surprised at what a following the star plowers have. “The Europeans all have their fan clubs. The Germans, the Croatians, the Swedish — they all dress up in their gear and they have their keg of beer at the end of the plows, sitting on a straw bale playing music, so it’s quite colourful,” Moynihan said.

Anderson auto auction

Celebrations begin in March with the Young Farmers of Alberta awards, followed by the traditional gala, which Moynihan hopes the prime minister and governor general will attend. A major equine event is being held in April at the new equine facility, and the Alberta 4-H clubs will hold their provincial publicspeaking competition at the college in the same month. In June, there are two major events planned. “First we have our J.C. Jack Anderson Charity Auction from June 21 - 23. We’re going to auction off 100 antique automobiles donated

“We expect 60 plowpersons from 31 different countries.” KERRY MOYNIHAN OLDS COLLEGE

NO DOPING  However,

some participants partake of a traditional fortifying ritual BY ZORAN RADOSAVLJEVIC VRANA, CROATIA/REUTERS

A display for Olds College at the 59th World Plowing Championship held at Croatia this summer. to us by Jack Anderson, one of our donors. We expect 3,000 people here from all over the world to bid on these cars,” said Moynihan. “That same weekend we have a large community celebration, which is the community’s chance to say thank you to the college. That will include a spectacular outdoor laser show, custom designed and a bunch of other activities.” A golf tournament will be held in September, and an alumni homecoming in October will round off the celebratory events. There are several items being sold to commemorate the occasion as well. “We just finished a 424-page history book of the college which goes by chapter from 1913 to 2013, so it’s jam packed with pictures. We’ve just been awarded a commemorative envelope by Canada Post, and hopefully that will be launched sometime in February,” said Moynihan, adding a centennial rose and lily has been cultivated just for the college as well. For more information on the plowing event, visit www. worldplowing2013.com.

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A Canadian competitor digs into the Croatian soil.

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A last-minute check of their powerful, shiny machines and then it’s time to fire up the engines and race... but don’t expect to see hurtling vehicles at the World Plowing Championship. The snail’s pace at which the tractors move across the field may seem odd to an outsider, but the focus is on neatness rather than speed, and the 60-odd participants do not take it lightly. A team of judges evaluates the depth of each trench, its straightness and the overall look. “The criteria are clear, we have seasoned judges and there is no cheating here, there is a lot of competitive spirit,” said Zeljko Kucjanic, one of the judges carefully measuring the depth of each furrow. Most plowmen bring along their families. Some have colourful supporters who travel with them around the world, like the dozen Swedes dressed in national soccer jerseys and Viking hats in Vrana, near the Adriatic coast, to cheer on their compatriot. England, New Zealand, Austria and Scotland are the superpowers of tractor racing, but the minnows are also here. “For me, I don’t regard this as for money, to me it is to learn new techniques,” said Mark Kuru Toroitich from Kenya. The championship began in 1953 and has been held every year in a different country since then. “It started as a way to promote world peace,” said Don Klehm from Illinois, Michigan. “I cannot believe the camaraderie that’s in this. It is one great big group of friends.” As if to underscore this, the championship brought together for the first time competitors from Serbia and its former province of Kosovo, whose 2008 indepedence Serbia does not recognize. Belgrade strongly opposes Kosovo representatives competing internationally. “We don’t mind (having Kosovo here). This is a global contest and everyone has a right to take part... We represent Serbia, not Kosovo,” said Zoran Paskulj of Serbia. Judge Kucjanic said that, unlike in professional sports, this contest was dope free, but Serbia’s coach Dragan Cirovic said the plowmen did have their fortifying ritual, at least when working for real. “Nobody wants to say this publicly, but every time his work begins, every plowman takes a shot of brandy or wine, crosses himself and gets to work.”

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Albertafarmexpress.ca • October 22, 2012

Canadian plowmen — and ladies — turn the black earth Tough furrows } Rock-hard ground didn’t stop enthusiasts from competing earlier this month By Daniel Winters staff/Alexander, Man.

full week of plowing competitions wrapped up here Oct. 6, with entries from as far away as Ontario and New Brunswick doing their best to turn perfect furrows. Weather conditions ranged from broiling hot sun, to light snow, strong winds, and rain. However there was one constant through the Manitoba Provincial Plowing Association matches followed by the Canadian Championships later on — the soil was bone dry and hard as rock. The baked black, heavy earth and a few stones made it tough going in places, said horse-plowing class competitor Art Gibson. On the first day of competition, the plow point on his riding plow got bent out of shape and he had to stop and get it straightened out before heading back into the furrows. “Hard, hard. Lumps like this,” he said, holding his hands about a foot apart. It was tough plowing, even for the tractor classes. Tom Ryall, a top competitor from Rivers, Man. who hails originally from Ireland, said the turned furrows were filled with clods as hard as cobblestones. On the horse side, a record 15 teams, up from six last year, came out to compete. “Word is getting around, and more people are coming out to try something different,” said Lori Brooking, treasurer of the Manitoba plowing association. Along with the swelling number of entries were a handful of notable firsts since the first provincial plowing match in 2006.

tubing frame, Oliver bottom, a safety shear pin and sealed bearings all around, cost $2,240 plus shipping from the factory in Dalton, Ohio. “I was plowing down in Austin and this guy told me that they still make brand new plows. So I looked into it,” said Gilmore. The “Amish high-tech” plow turned such an excellent furrow that he was asked to refrain from using it in competition on the grounds that it gave him an unfair advantage over his competitors, all of whom were using decadesold steel yanked out of retirement from fencerows and the bush. “They told me that I should go compete with the tractor plows,” said the two-time Manitoba champion with a smile. Barb Boundy, secretary of the provincial association, said that for next year, newly manufactured horse-drawn plows will be accommodated. Lyle Mansfield, a familiar face to the local equine community after 46 years behind the counter

of the western shop that his father started, took to the field for the first time in the novice class with his Percheron-quarter-horsecross team, Mandy and Katy, and a John Deere 262. “I’m just happy to be here,” said Mansfield, with a laugh.

Results

Winners in the Canadian twofurrow conventional tractor plowing championship were Ontarians Barry Timbers in first place, followed by Ken Ferguson, and Nick Boundy of Boissevain, third. In the two-furrow reversible class, the Canadian champion was Brian Fried of Ontario. Junior champion was Carrie Davenport, of Ontario, the first-ever female to win the class. Canadian horse champion was Nelson Sage, and second was Brad Linton, in the walking-plow class. First place in the Canadian sulky class was John Hildebrand, with Art Gibson second. Provincial champion in the senior tractor class was Tom Dav-

Nelson Sage of Ontario, Canadian horse-walking plow champion. photo: daniel winters enport, followed by Tom Ryall, and Nick Boundy, third. Provincial walking-plow champ was Brad Linton, followed by Nelson Sage, both from Ontario. Sulky champion was Art Gibson

and Bruce Gilmore in second place. Heather Manns took first place in novice sulky, with Dan Fontaine and Lyle Mansfield in second and third place, respectively.

“They told me that I should go compete with the tractor plows.” Bruce Gilmore

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Heather Manns hitched up her team of black Percheron mares, Coal and Krusty, to a vintage John Deere footlift sulky plow someone had unearthed in the Riding Mountain area after “that character Art Gibson told me I should try it.” Spectators were eager to chat with her — the first-ever female competitor in the Manitoba competitions. “So much for sneaking out and having a good time,” she said, wryly. Another first was a Haflinger team driven by Dan Fontaine of La Broquerie, Man. Although about half the size of a typical plowing team, the stocky, wide-chested ponies kept pace with their much larger competitors. Fontaine’s horses were in top shape for plowing after pulling a covered wagon with 3,000 pounds of gear on a 250-mile trail ride this past summer. “They hardly broke a sweat,” said Fontaine, with a smile, after over an hour in the furrow.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

One in eight of world population going hungry REPORT  While still high, the number is dropping, except in Africa BY CATHERINE HORNBY ROME/REUTERS

ne out of every eight people in the world is chronically undernourished, the United Nations’ food agencies said Oct. 9, and aid groups warned that rising food prices could reverse gains in the fight against hunger. In a report on food insecurity, the UN agencies said 868 million people were hungry in 2010-12, or about 12.5 per cent of the world’s population, down more sharply than previously estimated from about one billion, or 18.6 per cent in 1990-92. The new figures, based on a revised calculation method and more up-to-date data, are lower than the last estimates for recent years that pegged the number of hungry people at 925 million in 2010 and 1.02 billion in 2009. “That is better news than we have had in the past, but it still means that one person in every eight goes hungry. That is unacceptable, especially when8/26/11 we live SEC_CAR11_T_MC.qxd in a world of plenty,” said José Gra-

ziano da Silva, director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “Most of the progress in hunger reduction was made until 2006, as food price levels continued to decline. With the rise in food prices and the economic crisis that followed, there have been many fewer advances,” he warned. Food prices have risen over the past few months, fuelled by drought in the United States, Russia and other major grain exporters, and FAO expects prices to remain close to levels reached during the 2008 food crisis. But Graziano da Silva said the world can still achieve the Millennium Development Goal to halve the prevalence of undernourishment in the developing world by 2015. The goal is one of a series of targets adopted by world leaders at the United Nations in 2000 to slash poverty, hunger and disease in poor countries by 2015. Economic recovery, especially in the agriculture sector, will be crucial for sustained reduction, 4:23 PM Pagehunger 1 according to the report by FAO,

the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). “Agricultural growth involving smallholders, especially women, will be most effective in reducing extreme poverty and hunger when it generates employment for the poor,” the agencies said. They said factors holding up progress include growing biofuel demand, financial speculation in food commodity markets and inefficiencies in food supply and distribution which lead to almost a third of total production being wasted.

“Biggest scandal”

Luca Chinotti from aid agency Oxfam said lack of political action to tackle high food prices, gender inequality, land grabs and climate change risked reversing past gains in the fight against hunger. “The fact that... more than the population of the U.S., Europe and Canada are hungry in a world which produces enough for everyone to eat is the biggest scandal of our time,” he said. The vast majority of people suffering hunger, 852 million, live in

Africa was the only region where the number of hungry grew over the period, to 239 million in 2010-12 from 175 million in 1990-92. REUTERS developing countries, where the prevalence of undernourishment is estimated at 14.9 per cent, the report found. In the past two decades hunger has fallen by nearly 30 per cent in

Asia and the Pacific, due to socioeconomic progress. Africa was the only region where the number of hungry grew over the period, to 239 million in 2010-12 from 175 million in 1990-92.

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October 22: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 4, Community Hall 6:00 pm, Pollockville. Call: ABP 403-2754400 October 23: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 6, Legion Hall 6:00 pm, Ponoka. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 23: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 9, Sawridge Hotel 6:00 pm, Peace River. Call: ABP 403-2754400 October 24: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 4, Community Hall 6:00 pm, Veteran. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 24: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 5, Community Hall 6:00 pm, Leslieville. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 24: Working Well Workshop, Location TBA, Clearwater County. Call: OrrLangner 780-422-1791 October 25: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 6, Community Centre 6:00 pm, Breton. Call: ABP 403-2754400 October 25: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 9, Dunvegan Inn 6:00 pm, Fairview. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 25: Red Deer River Watershed Meeting, Olds College, Olds. Call: Kelly 403-340-7379 October 29: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 2, Auction Mart 6:00 pm, Fort Macleod. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 29: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 3, Ranchehouse 6:00 pm, Cochrane. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 29: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 4, Czar Community Hall 6:00 pm, Czar. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 29: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 6, Exposition Grounds 6:00 pm, Camrose. Call: ABP 403-2754400 October 29/31: Synergy Alberta 2012, Sheraton Hotel, Red Deer. Call: Synergy 877-461-1323 October 30: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 5, Community Hall 6:00 pm, Big Valley. Call: ABP 403-275-4400

October 30: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 7, Legion Hall 6:00 pm, Mayerthorpe. Call: ABP 403-2754400 October 30: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 9, Stoneridge Inn 6:00 pm, Grande Prairie. Call: ABP 403-2754400 October 30: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 3, Senior Centre 6:00 pm, Sundre. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 October 30: Alberta Milk Producers Fall Meeting, Coast Hotel 9:30 am, Lethbridge. Call: Karlee 780-5773305 October 30: Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance, Community Complex 4:00 pm, Fort Vermilion. Call: Rhonda 780-324-3355 October 30: Who Gets The Farm, Legion Hall 10:00 am, Grimshaw. Call: Nora 780-836-3354 October 31: Alberta Milk Producers Meeting, Black Knight Inn 9:30 am, Red Deer. Call: Karlee 780-5773305 October 31: Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop, Sheraton Hotel, Red Deer. Call: Bernie 403782-3776 November 1: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 7, Memorial Hall 6:00 pm, Westlock. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 November 1: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 1, Bow Slope Auction 6:00 pm, Brooks. Call: ABP 403-275-4400 November 1: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 9, Community Hall 6:00 pm, Spruce View. Call: ABP 403-2754400 November 1: 2012 ABP Fall Meeting Zone 3, Country Club 6:00 pm, Strathmore. Call: ABP 403-2754400 November 1: Alberta Milk Producers Fall Meeting, Neighbourhood Inn 9:30 am, Barrhead. Call: Karlee 780-577-3305 November 2: Alberta Milk Producers Fall Meeting, Nisku Inn 9:30 am, Nisku. Call: Karlee 780-577-3305 November 4/11: FarmFair International, Edmonton Northlands, Edmonton. Call: Tyler 780-471-7324

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Event marks what could be Indian Head’s last seedling harvest Nursery closing } Petitions presented in support of 111-year-old shelterbelt program By Daniel Winters fbc staff

etitions bearing almost 6,000 signatures calling on the federal government to halt its proposed closure of the Indian Head Agroforestry Development Centre were presented to an opposition MP last Friday at an event timed to coincide with what many fear will be the tree farm’s last harvest. Citing changes in farming practices over past decades, federal Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz announced in April that the Prairie shelterbelt program in operation since 1901 had completed its work and would be closed or sold to a private-sector buyer. Bruce Neill, a retired manager of the nursery at Indian Head who is now the spokesman for the Save the Shelterbelt Program group, said 4,000 of the signatures were gathered from farmers and townsfolk in southeast Saskatchewan immediately after the closure was announced. The rest were gathered after petitions were sent to RM offices around the province. Neill said that many rural residents were shocked to hear that the future of the labs, greenhouses and a century’s worth of painstakingly developed genetic material adapted to the Prairie climate is unknown. “I don’t think that they have a plan. Somebody somewhere just made this decision and then said, ‘Go figure it out,’” said Neill. Lorne Scott, formerly Saskatchewan’s minister of the environment during the Romanow years in the 1990s who is now reeve of Indian Head, was present at the ceremony presenting the petitions to Liberal MP Ralph Goodale on Friday at the local RM office. The tour participants were not allowed to enter the centre or speak with nursery workers, but were able to watch tree seedlings being harvested from a picnic area open to the public about a quarter-mile away.

“This is a government that has its priorities all screwed up.” Ralph Goodale

The federal government’s position that the agroforestry centre’s work is finished is not credible, he said, noting that last year saw 3.5 million trees sent out free of charge for planting — enough for 700 miles of shelterbelts. “All you need to do is drive from Winnipeg to Calgary and you’ll see virtually no farmyard without trees around it. Certainly the vast majority of them came from Indian Head,” said Scott, who also farms five quarters near the town. Now, with many old shelterbelts coming to the end of their lifespans, there will still be a big demand for new seedlings to rejuvenate the stands. The tree farm’s annual budget is roughly $3 million to $4 million

per year, putting the cost to the taxpayer at about $1 per tree, he noted. So, he added, nothing has been forthcoming from the federal government about the possibility of adding a “cost-recovery” fee of $1-$2 per seedling with volume discounts that would cover the expense of running the operation. “Unfortunately, there was no consultation and no plan. There’s no indication that it will continue to operate as a nursery,” said Scott, adding that it might end up being converted into a residential subdivision for the town. Liberal MP Ralph Goodale said the decision to end the program is “a competely wrongheaded move” and promised to have the petitions officially and publicly tabled in the House of Commons. “You can just imagine the kind of vision that it took for some agri-

cultural leaders 111 years ago to stand on the bare prairie and say, ‘We’re going to have a tree nursery here,’” said Goodale, adding that the fruits of the centre’s work — some 600 million trees — can be seen across Western Canada protecting farmyards from biting winds, and conserving soil, water, and biodiversity on agricultural lands. “Closing it shows utter blindness to the realities of Prairie agriculture, and closing it is an absolute false economy,” he said. “This is a government that has its priorities all screwed up.” Patrick Girard, a spokesman for Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, said the centre could be transferred to another owner. “With regards to the current status of the centre in Indian Head, there continues to be considerable

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz suggests shelterbelts are no longer needed on the Prairies. interest from third parties regarding an ongoing tree production and distribution business focused on the agricultural community.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Growing dependency on palm oil

Drought chops Kazakh crop

Sizable declines in world export supplies of sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and soybean oil will raise the global dependence on palm oil this year, German analyst Oil World said Oct. 16. “(T)he prospective sizable decline in world exports of sunflower, rapeseed, and soy oils by a combined 1.1 million tonnes will contribute to a demand shift in favour of palm oil,” it said. “The current attractive palm oil prices give an incentive to switch already now.” However, Northern Hemisphere demand over winter could slacken as palm oil thickens at lower temperatures and is not suitable for biodiesel. — Reuters

Kazakhstan’s drought-hit grain crop will fall to between 12 million and 13 million tonnes this year, government officials said Oct. 16, although carry-over stocks will maintain a high level of exports. Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov said Kazakhstan’s 2012 grain crop would fall to around 13 million tonnes by clean weight. His forecast was higher than the 12 million tonnes predicted by the Agriculture Ministry. Kazakhstan harvested a post-Soviet record 27 million tonnes of grain in 2011.

Grain markets blow hot and cold after U.S. crop report Overpriced } Cheaper Black Sea wheat puts pressure on U.S. export demand

photo: kevin link By Phil Franz-Warkentin

he ICE Futures Canada canola market for the week ending Oct. 12 were narrowly mixed, with small losses in the most active front months, but a firmer tone in the May-forward positions. Canola’s supply/demand fundamentals do remain supportive, which likely accounted for some of the strength in the more deferred months, but the commodity also remains a small player in the global oilseeds market and largely reacted to the whims of the U.S. soy complex during the week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its much-anticipated monthly supply/demand report on Oct. 11, and the latest numbers did not fail to disappoint when it came to providing the futures markets something to trade off of — at least for one day. While the numbers could probably be described as neutral at best, the initial reaction was quite bullish. After being hit by fund long liquidation in the lead-up to the report, soybeans and corn both jumped sharply higher when the data came out. USDA upped its production estimates for this year’s soybean and corn crops from the September

forecast, but demand was also forecast to rise — and supplies are still tighter than a year ago. U.S. soybean ending stocks were forecast at 130 million bushels, and corn at 619 million bushels. Both numbers were below average trade guesses. However, just as fast as prices jumped higher, they fell back down. Soybeans ended the week down 29 cents per bushel in the November contract, while December corn held on to a small gain of under five cents after being up as much as 25 cents on the week at one point. From a chart perspective, after a brief break lower, the November canola contract has regained its footings above the psychological $600-per-tonne level and managed to settle above $605 every day of the week. While that support may be holding, there is also quite a wall to the upside and an argument could be made

that canola is entering a bit of a consolidation area.

Canola basis

The harvest is done and canola yields were disappointing. This is now well known and factored into the futures. The smaller crop should keep basis levels looking attractive, as farmers will be reluctant sellers. However, as noted in last week’s report, the market will do its job to ration demand — which means exporters and domestic crushers will eventually back away once it starts costing too much to pry what’s left from the producers. Over the first couple of months of the 2012-13 crop year the domestic crushers have been operating at a record pace, with 1.3 million tonnes of canola crushed to date, compared to 1.1 million at the same point in 2011, according to Cana-

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

dian Oilseed Processors Association data. The export pace is also running strong, with the Canadian Grain Commission reporting total exports to date of about 3.2 million tonnes (up from three million at the same point a year ago). One, or both, of those demand streams will be curtailed in time. Domestic crushers are already looking at some of their weakest margins in years, while export customers are also starting to weigh their options — especially in light of ongoing global economic uncertainty. The three U.S. wheat markets held on to small gains for the most part during the week, with a slight reduction in the world carry-out forecast for the grain somewhat supportive. Production issues in Australia and Europe were behind the tightening wheat scenario, but those problems elsewhere have still not done enough to increase the demand for U.S. stocks. U.S. wheat remains overpriced in the international market, which should limit the upside potential — at least, until Russia follows through with rumoured plans to halt exports, or something else happens in the wider market. Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Growing business prompts Richardson’s to expand Vancouver grain terminal EXPANSION  Capacity has been maxed out the last four years

and the company expects business to keep growing BY ALLAN DAWSON FBC STAFF

ichardson International plans to expand its 108,000tonne Vancouver grain export terminal by 65 per cent to keep up with its growing business, the Winnipeg-based company announced last week. “Obviously with the changes to the Canadian Wheat Board it’s a much more competitive landscape, but there are also a lot more opportunities,” Tracey Shelton, Richardson International’s director of corporate communications said in an interview. “Global demand is increasing. There’s no end in sight of that as our population grows.” The 150-year-old Canadian grain company applied to Port Metro Vancouver in August to build 80,000 tonnes of concrete grain storage at its north Vancouver facility and announced the $120-million project Oct. 1. If the two-year project is approved, 80,000 tonnes of new storage will be added west of the workhouse, but 10,000 tonnes of existing storage will be removed bringing total storage to 178,000 tonnes, Shelton said. The current facility, which can export around three million tonnes

Richardson International’s Vancouver grain terminal has been at capacity the last four years. That, and anticipated increased exports, are why the company wants to add 80,000 tonnes of new storage boosting export capacity by almost 66 per cent. PHOTO: RICHARDSON INTERNATIONAL of grains and oilseeds annually, has been working at full capacity the last four years, she said. The expanded terminal will handle five million tonnes — almost 67 per cent more than it does now. “Essentially this will allow us to handle more grain,” Shelton said. “Now we have some competitors move our grain just because we don’t have the space.

We’d like to obviously do it on our own. “We’re also a growing business. We’ve had a number of years of continuous growth and don’t see that changing so the added capacity would certainly help in that light as well.” Some of that growth came by acquiring some of Agricore United’s elevators in 2007. The com-

pany has bought other elevators too.

Public consultations

Consultations with nearby Vancouver residents and other interested parties started last week with a public open house allowing citizens to review Richardson International’s plans. Another open house was scheduled for this week.

Five “stakeholder” meetings are planned. Citizens can provide feedback on the project at the meetings or online. Richardson International will review the comments and respond in November. The port, a federal agency, will decide if the project goes ahead. Expanding its Vancouver terminal won’t have any impact on Prince Rupert’s grain terminal, which Richardson International owns with several other grain companies, Shelton said. Prince Rupert is considered a residual port even though it has some advantages over Vancouver such as less congestion and being closer to some Asian customers. But grain companies prefer to use their terminals to maximize returns. Shelton wouldn’t speculate on whether Richardson International might someday buy the Port of Churchill, currently owned by OmniTRAX, which doesn’t have a country elevator business. Richardson has been using the port this season, but its future is uncertain after Ottawa’s $9-a-tonne shipping subsidy ends in five years. “The big thing for us right now is Vancouver simply because it’s our main port and that’s where global demand is increasing,” Shelton said.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Canada formally joins Trans-Pacific trade talks SUPPLY MANAGEMENT  Other partners seek access

to Canada’s dairy, poultry markets REUTERS/STAFF

S Japanese farmers, seen here at a protest rally in Oct. 2011, are also concerned about the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. It would in principle eliminate all tariffs within the zone, including on farm products, which have been excluded from Japan’s previous free trade deals. PHOTO: REUTERS/YURIKO NAKAO

The

eeking to reduce its reliance on the sluggish U.S. market, Canada has formally joined 10 other nations in talks on creating an Asia Pacific free trade agreement, the federal government said Oct. 9. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations are designed to produce a free trade zone with a combined population of 658 million people and a gross domestic product of $20.5 tril-

lion, according to Canadian data. “The region is a priority market for Canadian businesses, offering enormous opportunities to our exporters,” Heritage Minister James Moore said in a statement. Canada, which sends around 75 per cent of its exports to the U.S., is looking to switch its focus to fast-growing emerging markets such as China. U.S. agricultural groups say the TPP talks must target opening up Canada’s dairy and poul-

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Commodity groups outside Canada’s supply-managed dairy, poultry and egg sectors, however, have already lined up to hail Canada’s entry to the TPP talks.

“The region is a priority market for Canadian businesses, offering enormous opportunities to our exporters.” JAMES MOORE HERITAGE MINISTER

“We will be able to expand access for our canola, pulses, soybeans, malt barley and wheat, for both whole grains and value-added products,” Stephen Vandervalk, president of Grain Growers of Canada, said in a release. “Demand for beef and pork in the Pacific Rim is on the rise in the past decade; this too will give our meat industry a needed boost that will also benefit Canadian grain farmers.” “The TPP presents a unique opportunity for an ambitious regional trade deal that addresses market access and non-tariff issues for agri-food sectors around the Pacific Rim,” Kathleen Sullivan, executive director of the Canadian AgriFood Trade Alliance, said in another statement. “We encourage all TPP member countries to be ambitious and creative in negotiating a deal that liberalizes trade for agri-food products.” The Canadian Pork Council also noted the potential benefits from future expansions of the TPP, which could allow Canada market access to “many other Pacific region nations which have not yet applied to join.” Mexico also announced Oct. 9 it has formally joined the TPP negotiating process. The U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have already been negotiating the TPP for more than 2-1/2 years. A final deal is not expected until mid- to late 2013.

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try markets, which are protected by quotas and high tariffs. Canada’s Conservative government, which regularly promises to protect those markets, also says all areas of trade will be on the table during the TPP negotiations. This has prompted speculation Ottawa might relax its trade restrictions despite the political risk at home — although the federal government has pledged to protect supply management since it first announced its intent to join the TPP talks last November.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

September tied global heat record — again Polar opposites } Arctic ice at its lowest level ever; all-time high in Antarctic By Deborah Zabarenko Reuters

ast month tied for the warmest September in the global modern record, scientists at the U.S. government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Oct. 15. This September tied with the same month in 2005 for the record. The land-and-sea global average temperature was 15.67 C, .67 C above the 20th century average. In addition to being hottest since 1880, the month was the 36th consecutive September and 331st consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last time September temperatures were below that average was 1976, and the last time

Veteran poultry processor seeks bankruptcy protection Growing list }

any month was below that average was February 1985, NOAA scientists said in a statement. September’s globally averaged temperature on land was third warmest for that month. The average combined global land and ocean surface temperature so far this year was the eighthwarmest first nine months of a year on record. Central Russia, Japan, western Australia, northern Argentina, Paraguay, Western Canada and southern Greenland had higherthan-average temperatures in September, while eastern Russia, western Alaska, southern Africa, much of China and parts of the upper Midwest and southeast United States were notably below average. “The irony of this is that we (in the United States) finally did get a little relief from breaking and threatening heat records for

months,” said Deke Arndt, chief of climate monitoring at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center. “The thing is, the United States takes up about two per cent of the globe.” Arndt noted that September in the continental United States was still the 23rd warmest on record, out of 118 years in the U.S. record. “It’s nothing to sneeze at,” he said by telephone. “It’s very close to the front of the line.”

Polar opposites

Arctic ice cover shrank to its lowest extent ever last month, far eclipsing a record set in 2007, while Antarctic sea ice had its alltime high ice extend on Sept. 26. Arndt cautioned against equating these two polar records. “The magnitude of the records in each (Arctic and Antarctic) are vastly different,” he said. “The Arctic is plumbing new depths,

completely leaving the rest of the record behind... there kind of aren’t enough superlatives to describe what has gone on there over the last five or six years.” To put 2012’s Arctic sea ice record in context, compare it to the previous record set five years ago, when U.S. ice experts called the drop in ice cover around the North Pole “astounding” and a sign of the accelerating impact of human-caused global warming. This year, that “astounding” low level of sea ice in the Arctic was equalled or surpassed every day in September, and on some days in August and October as well, Arndt said. So if the record-large amount of sea ice in the Antarctic is “king of the hill,” Arndt said, “the Arctic record is just building an entirely different hill and an entirely different neighbourhood. The change is bigger, the change is

“The irony of this is that we finally did get a little relief from breaking and threatening heat records for months.” Deke Arndt NOAA

more rapid, it is establishing a new characteristic there.” Conditions in the Arctic are important, since the Arctic is sometimes called “Earth’s air conditioner” for its ability to influence weather around the globe.

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Eighth poultry firm to be sold, file for bankruptcy or be shut down since 2011

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California poultry processor Zacky Farms LLC has filed for bankruptcy protection, citing high feed costs following the worst drought in half a century. The family-owned company, whose roots in the poultry industry date back to the 1920s, employs about 1,500 people. Historically high feed prices led to “significant operating losses that have depleted its liquidity and working capital position,” said company officials. It is a strain that has been felt across the nation’s livestock industry, as this summer’s drought led to a disappointing corn harvest. Larger producers are scouring the Midwest to snap up whatever feed they can find or importing corn from Brazil. But many farmers now fear there simply will not be enough feed available to meet industry needs. In the pork industry, the slaughter of sows is happening at record rates, swelling pork supplies and sending prices down. Some cattle ranchers are also liquidating herds, even though short supplies and higher prices are forecast for next year. Zacky Farms is the eighth poultry firm to be sold, file for bankruptcy or be shut down altogether since 2011, according to the National Chicken Council.

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news » livestock

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Canadian Beef School at Olds

FCC deferrals for hog sector

The Canadian Beef School takes place Nov. 27-29 at Olds College. This three-day hands-on workshop will provide an overview to beef producers, restaurateurs, food editors and food-service representatives regarding quality, fabrication and marketing of beef (gate to plate). There will be hands-on learning activities involving live cattle and carcasses with the aim to develop an understanding of those factors that create value differences among cattle. For further information call Olds College at 1-800-661-6537 (ext. 4677), or visit www.oldscollege.ca.

Farm Credit Canada’s customers in the again-battered hog sector will get the chance to adjust or put off loan payments through a new “customer support” program. FCC says the program will have flexible solutions tailored to each situation, offering payment schedule adjustments or deferrals to help see customers through a short-term cash flow problem. FCC said it “will be reaching out” to its hog farmer customers, but farmers can also contact their local FCC representatives.

“The Rocky Mountain wood tick used to strike fear in the hearts of ranchers…”

Some parasite battles won, others still need fighting BAMBI’S DARK SIDE } Deer sometimes shed fluke eggs which are ingested by cattle by sheri monk AF staff / calgary

he fight against parasites is nothing new, but once one is defeated, it seems another moves in to take its place. It’s an ongoing battle that Eugene Janzen, professor and the assistant dean of occupational practice at the University of Calgary College of Veterinary Medicine, remembers well. “I’m an old man, and when I was a child driving from Manitoba to B.C., one of the things that everybody would notice is a sign at the side of the road that said, ‘This is a warble-free area.’ That was the first parasite that producers in Western Canada ever had to deal with, and we’ve driven that parasite almost out of existence,” he said. Warble flies are large, and as they would descend upon a herd of cattle, they would start to panic and run away with their tails held over their backs. The strange behaviour was called “gadding” and for a cattle producer, it spelled disaster. The flies would lay eggs on the legs, which were licked and ingested by the bovine. Once inside the body, they would migrate under the skin along the backbone, causing swellings and bumps called warbles. “They’d be like the size of a toonie, and they’d have a little hole in them, and if you really wanted to gross yourself out, you would squish that lump and lo and behold, something about half the size of your little finger would pop out — it was a warble larvae,” said Janzen. The larvae caused a lot of muscle and hide damage, but it’s nearly been entirely eradicated now, thanks to ivermectin and other warble treatments.

Pour-on effectiveness

The Rocky Mountain wood tick used to strike fear in the hearts of ranchers in B.C.’s dry interior south of Kamloops. The ticks release a neurotoxin into the cattle, causing paralysis. “You’d come across the animal and it was terrifying, it was like a dish-

“What is important to know is that when domestic animals and wild animals share the same environment they probably also share parasites.” Eugene Janzen University of Calgary

Warble fly larvae photographed in Morocco in 2005. Photo: Wikipedia/Creative Commons rag and if you got to it before the ravens and the coyotes did, you were lucky. And if the ravens and coyotes got there first, they would peck the eyes out of the live animal, or eat off the tongue,” Janzen said. Today, most ranchers apply ivermectin in the fall at roundup, and it is effective in preventing many such parasite problems. However, Janzen said evidence is accumulating to show that pouron application isn’t as effective as injecting the treatment.

“I think we’re beginning to see it’s not working quite as good as it should be,” said Janzen, adding that topical treatment doesn’t deal as efficiently with the internal parasites like intestinal and stomach worms.

Liver flukes

Though ranchers do not have to fear the warble flies any longer, they need to know about a new threat — the fluke. “Wild ungulates have a parasite that migrates through the liver. It’s

called a fluke and it turns out there are several species of fluke and some are worse than others,” Janzen said. “What is important to know is that when domestic animals and wild animals share the same environment they probably also share parasites.” The fluke is commonly picked up in wetlands, or near bodies of water or from moist soil. The larvae is then picked up by the grazing animal, is absorbed by the stomach and then migrates to the liver.

“They can do terrible damage to the liver, and then they can often develop a secondary infection which is where the losses occur,” said Janzen. The parasite is found throughout most of Western Canada, though some spots are worse than others. “It’s in the areas where we have an abundance of wild animals, so the foothills, places like the Cypress Hills, places like some of the river valleys where we would have more wild ungulates is where we could expect this transfer to occur,” Janzen said. Producers need to know what parasites their cattle are at risk for, and discuss specific treatments or preventions with their veterinarian. Ivermectin has been literally a lifesaver, but it’s not going to be effective on flukes. “One-stop shopping does not look after them all,” said Janzen.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

The more the merrier? Allowing a gilt to suckle more piglets has a payoff PEET ON PIGS  Danish producers have found that reducing the

number of suckling piglets is actually counterproductive BY BERNIE PEET

efore the advent of highly prolific breeding stock, it was common practice to let first-litter sows suckle a maximum of 10 piglets in order to minimize their weight loss during lactation. With a lower feed intake compared to older sows, gilts are vulnerable to excessive weight loss, leading to an extended wean-to-estrus period and lower litter size in the second parity. However, as litter size has become larger due to genetic advances, not only has this strategy become impractical, but it has been shown to be counterproductive. In Denmark, where average litter size is well over 14 pigs born alive, it is normal to let gilts suckle 14 piglets. The reasoning is that if teats are suckled in the first lactation, they will be more productive in the second and subsequent lactations. Recently published Canadian research not only supports the Danish practice, but has shown that piglets prefer to suckle a teat that was suckled in a previous lactation.

A research project carried out by Chantal Farmer and Nicolas Devillers at the Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre in Sherbrooke, Que., involved two groups of gilts which suckled their piglets in different ways. In one group, piglets suckled the same teats in both first and second lactations and in the other group they suckled different teats. This was achieved by taping over some of the teats to make them non-functional. For the gilts’ first litter, all but six teats were taped over and piglets in both treatments suckled exactly the same exposed teats on their own mother. In the second lactation, one group had the same teats taped over, while the other group had the teats that were suckled in the first lactation taped over. In addition to regular weighing of the piglets, video recording was used to observe piglet suckling behaviour and establish the piglets’ degree of hunger. Piglets were weaned at 17 days and continued to be weighed until 56 days of age. “The results of the trial showed that while birth weights were identical, piglets suckling the same teats in the first two lacta-

tions were 1.12 kg heavier at 56 days,” noted Farmer. “A difference in piglet weight gain was observed as early as days two to four of lactation, which suggests that colostrum yield, and not only milk yield, might also differ between the two groups.” The researchers found that functional mammary glands suckled for two lactations contained more milk-secreting tissue than those which were not suckled in the first lactation. This tissue also had more cells with a greater metabolic activity. “Sows with the same teats used in both lactations consumed more feed during lactation in parity two than sows with different teats being used, which is in agreement with their greater milk yield,” said Farmer. “Behavioural measures also indicated a greater degree of hunger on day three for piglets using teats that were not previously suckled, which corroborates the lower weight gain in these litters.” More specifically, she said, piglets from litters with different teats used in the two lactations massaged the teat longer after milk let-down and had a greater

incidence of fights so that they missed more nursings. The trial results led to the question as to whether piglets can differentiate between a teat that was suckled in the previous lactation and a teat which was not used previously. In a second project, teats were sealed in first lactation as described earlier, but in the second lactation none of the teats were sealed and eight piglets were left with the sow, so that either piglets were present with only six previously used teats. “Amazingly, piglets could tell the difference between previously used and unused teats,” said Farmer. “There was a greater incidence of fights which lasted longer at teats which were previously used. There was also a greater incidence of these teats being suckled by the piglets.” The magnitude of the difference in 56-day weight between the two treatments indicates this research cannot be ignored by producers. With litter size continuing to increase each year, the gilt’s suckling capacity is valuable and should not be underutilized by limiting

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the number of piglets she suckles. Being able to maximize the number of piglets on the gilt and get the benefit of higher milk production in subsequent parities is a useful bonus. However, it still leaves the challenge of getting enough feed into first-parity sows to avoid a detrimental loss in weight. Increasing the lysine level in the lactation diet to about 1.2 per cent total lysine is one strategy that has worked well on some farms. The Danish technique of using gilts as foster mothers is also worth considering as it helps to reduce the metabolic load during the lactation period. The gilt’s own litter is weaned early — in Denmark about 20 days — and a litter of seven-day-old piglets placed on her. The demand for milk drops sharply, while the gilt continues to eat the same amount of feed, which allows her to recover any weight loss by the time she is weaned after a total lactation length of about 35 days. Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

XL Foods owner says plant co-operated fully with CFIA COMMUNICATION  Beef plant co-owner acknowledges that strategy could have been better BY SHERI MONK AF STAFF

L Foods co-CEO Lee Nilsson says the company has done everything within its power to work with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The plant at Brooks, Alta., which slaughters about 40 per cent of Canadian cattle, has been closed since Sept. 27 due to E. coli contamination, leading to 12 confirmed cases of illness and a wideranging product recall. “They requested information and we have given it from the very start in a very timely fashion,” Nilsson said in an interview Oct. 12. “We have done nothing but cooperate 100 per cent. We’ve had

a crew dedicated to it, and team members who have gone through many, many long-houred days to make sure that we fully facilitate and co-operate with the CFIA.” On Oct. 10 the plant was given permission to process carcasses that were hung to be aged before it was shut down, and which have tested negative for E. coli. However there has been no indication when the plant will be allowed to resume slaughter. Nilsson says he doesn’t know the cost yet for the corrective actions the plant has undertaken in an effort to regain CFIA’s approval, but he says it’s substantial. The president of UFCW Local 401 has claimed that faster line speeds at the plant were causing increasing worker injuries and

putting the safety protocol at risk. Nilsson says the plant is running at a line speed of 280 animals per hour, which isn’t as fast as regulations permit. “If we were to be measured against all the plants in North America, probably a true economist would ask us why we weren’t running a little bit faster.” Though the plant’s 2,200 workers haven’t been to work for two weeks, they’ve still been paid for their 32-hour work week as per their contract, but Nilsson said he is not sure how long that will continue. “At this point they have been called back to fabricate these carcasses the CFIA has given us permission to do. As far as going forward, we really don’t know

because we don’t know what new rules are waiting for us and I’m uncertain of what that brings,” said Nilsson, adding he has no idea when the plant will be relisted and fully functional again. “It’s been day by day with a lot of questions about when, and what if, and how it will be. Certainly, I have no shortage of questions. I say ‘soon,’ but I say that with reservation.”

Communication strategy

The Alberta-based company has been criticized for only speaking to the media through press releases. Nilsson said in retrospect, there may have been a better way to handle it, but the company was focused on the actual problem. “From the start, our No. 1 pri-

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“I challenge anyone in the CFIA to show where we did not co-operate or where we hid something — that just wasn’t the truth.” LEE NILSSON

ority was to get the CFIA all the information they wanted, and to co-operate with whatever they wanted. It probably would have made for great reading, but we never felt that at any time it was appropriate to have a debate in the media, and there was no time for that. We were focused on going forward, getting this resolved, and that has been our focus from the very start.” The CFIA has said XL failed to provide information or to make corrective actions as quickly as needed, but Nilsson says they have moved as fast as they can. “I challenge anyone in the CFIA to show where we did not co-operate or where we hid something — that just wasn’t the truth. There was absolutely no resistance from us. Anything they wanted they were given at the plant level,” Nilsson said. Nilsson said that in the early portion of the recall, it might have taken some time to retrieve requested information, but those were logistical issues involving cross-referencing data codes and customer codes to translate them for the CFIA. “There certainly were instances where it took us a day to get the information, but I stress there was never any time that we were holding or hiding any information.” Nilsson confirmed the plant’s decision to recall the primal cuts was unusual, but it seemed the most expedient way to solve what was turning out to be a red-tape issue between trading partners. “Because the U.S. and the CFIA had different stances and worked under marginally different regulations, it got tied up almost in a bureaucracy, and for us the safest way out was to do this far-reaching recall.” Nilsson said the company is concerned for anyone who became ill, for the public, and for all the company’s workers. “I would like to publicly thank all of our team members at head office and at the plant, and everyone involved. It has been a trying time and all that we have done from the very start is try to co-operate and do whatever we can to fix it.” Nilsson said he understands the disruption it has caused the cattle industry, since the XL plant is one of the two largest in the country. “I know it’s caused a great amount of turmoil in the beef community. I’d just like to say hang on because all things will pass, but at this point there seems to be an uncertainty as to which direction CFIA is going with regard to E. coli at my plant, or any other plant in the country,” Nilsson said.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

It pays to be proactive when dealing with eye conditions in cattle ANIMAL HEALTH  Cancerous eyes are the leading cause of carcass

condemnations at slaughter and so it pays to deal with this condition early

BY ROY LEWIS, DVM

Cancerous eyes are a regular occurrence in most western Canadian beef herds, but early detection and treatment will alleviate the pain and suffering — and provide financial benefits for the producer. Cattle with white pigment around the eyes are more susceptible to this condition, as well as pink eye. Ultraviolet light, flies and other irritants such as dust may accelerate the development of lesions. There is thought to be a genetic susceptibility, but this is not proven — although I’ve never seen cancer eye in Charolais. Most producers should try and select for dark pigment around both eyes. Herefords are even being developed with this in mind. Cancer eye (squamous cell carcinoma) usually starts with a plaque, which can progress to a papilloma (wart-like growth) and eventually to invasive tissuedestroying mass. With early detection, surgery can be successful. However, about half of precancerous plaques regress spontaneously, so if you observe these on a cow, simply note her number and keep an eye on her. These plaques may even remain for several years before advancing. About 80 per cent of entire carcass condemnations are the result of cancer eyes, although that number is decreasing as more cows are treated for this condition. About one to two per cent of U.S. cows will develop cancer eye, with a much higher incidence in whitepigmented cattle. So this is definitely an economic disease. If left until the orbit gets eaten away and the cow or bull is losing weight, infection can set in and tremendous constant pain is the result. In some cases the SPCA will be called in and charges can be laid. It used to be that if spread (metastasis to the local lymph nodes in the head and neck) was evident at slaughter, condemnation was the result. Metastasis only occurs in approximately 10 per cent of the cases, and is considered a locally invasive tumour. Now regulations are more stringent and if some of the boney orbit is eaten out, or infection is present, then condemnation will almost always result. So early intervention by your veterinarian is critical. Several procedures can be done and this varies depending on severity and the veterinarian’s expertise. A high percentage of cancers start on the third eyelid (nictitating membrane). This can be frozen and surgically removed without losing the eye. Sometimes a duct is damaged and the tears will run out the eye but this is only a blemish and at least the eye and sight is salvaged. When pregnancy testing in the fall I see this as an ideal opportunity to closely watch for eye and other problems. Cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen), heat therapy or an advanced surgery called a tarsoraphy may be performed if tumours are not too advanced and on the eyelids. When performing these procedures always have your veterinarian closely check the other eye as precursors to cancer are sometimes picked up. In more advanced cases, espe-

cially if the cancer is on the eyeball itself, surgical removal of the eye and lids is the only option. Your veterinarian will usually need to consider several points in each case. At our clinic in late pregnancy (seven-month-plus bred) we may wait until just after parturition and painkillers may be used in the meantime. Likewise in early pregnancy, we may wait a month till the viability of the fetus is stronger and less likely to be aborted. When deciding on surgery, you need to consider if you want to keep the cow long term and the economic viability of the fetus. If the prognosis is good, the cow can be kept for several more years. If guarded, she can be kept till weaning or if the surgery site starts to weep a bit it may be an indication of reoccurrence and she should be shipped immedi-

ately. Some cancer eyes, especially in large bulls, are simply removed to make sure they pass slaughter. As soon as they are healed and the hair is starting to grow back and antibiotics and anti-inflammatory have had their withdrawals looked after, they can be shipped. I always suggest quiet cows will remain that way even with one eye whereas wild cows just get worse and should be culled. Cows are always a danger working on the blind side and bulls ideally should have binocular vision to breed but I have seen bulls with one eye in small pasture situations breed quite well. Fly control should be adequate, especially in the summer months. A fly tag or pour-on fly control is a wise idea until the surgery heals. Early recognition is the key — often a few weeks can make a big

difference in the success rate. If you think it is time to have it attended to, then don’t delay. But you need to ensure the condition isn’t pink eye. Small tumours can cause irritation to the eye, which greatly mimics pink eye. Check closely in the early stages cancer eye is not painful and no eye spasms occur. The cost of these procedures varies considerably, but are always substantially less than the cost of the cow or bull. In order to avoid condemnations, or to extend the life of a productive cow or bull, get those affected eyes attended to. If in doubt, at least have it checked, as bad tearing eyes are something all veterinarians can help you with. Roy Lewis is a large-animal veterinarian practising at the Westlock Veterinary Centre. His main interests are bovine reproduction and herd health.

An early stage of cancerous eye.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Less stress equals more profit when moving cattle to market FROM THE HIP  A typical calf fresh weaned, sorted, trucked and stood overnight

will lose 12 to 15 per cent of body weight, but that can be reduced by half or more BY BRENDA SCHOEPP

hrinkage is a measure of stress in calves. The amount of weight an animal loses through fasting, standing, transportation and handling is a signal of how it is responding to change, a lack of food and water, and heat and cold, as well as its anxiety level. There are two kinds of shrink. One is excretory weight, manure and urine, that is lost at the onset of any stress. This accounts for approximately three to four per cent of body weight, and cattle quickly recover from excretory shrink. The second is tissue shrinkage — the loss of body tissue or muscle fluid that occurs

when the body must pull moisture from internal organs and muscle to maintain function. It takes a long time for an animal to recover from this type of shrinkage, and the condition can be life threatening. Research into shrinkage and transportation is ongoing at the Lethbridge Research Centre, but we need to also be aware of all the other triggers to stress and shrinkage. Cattle are sensitive to light, movement and noise, and have a strong social structure that causes immediate stress when disturbed, even in a feedlot pen. Shrinkage will occur at any point of change in the environment and escalates when cattle are mixed. Calves lose one-half of a per

cent of their body weight for every 30 minutes they are being sorted and may lose another 3.3 per cent during the loading process. As they travel, they lose another 0.46 per cent for every 100 miles, with the majority of that loss in the first four hours. If calves are stood after arrival, such as in an auction market, the average weight lost on the stand is 5.9 per cent. It is interesting to note that even without stress, calves may lose up to two per cent of their body weight during the night. Everything we do impacts the weight loss of a calf, yearling or fed animal. The younger the animal, the more severe the impact and the longer the recovery time. Research is clear that once you

near nine per cent of body weight loss, the calf is in danger and the cattle feeder will have a problem on their hands, especially if the calf was commingled. Commingling during the marketing process spikes weight loss by double and is responsible for 75 per cent of BRD in calves. This sets them up for secondary infection which can be, and often is, fatal. The typical calf — fresh weaned, sorted, trucked and stood overnight — will lose 12 to 15 per cent of body weight. At 15 per cent, the loss on a 600pound calf is 90 pounds and at a $1.60/pound price, you are giving away $144 per head. Many calves exposed to a combination of stressors such as a sort, long haul, and standing without feed

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and water, will lose up to 20 per cent of body weight. Ideally, you want to minimize weight loss during the marketing process to between four and six per cent. This assures a greater chance of a healthy calf on arrival and the buyer is not paying for gut fill (that is, excretory weight). When cattle are sold direct or in an electronic format and weighed on farm, the buyer will take a pencil shrink to compensate for the gut fill. The recovery time on stressed calves is between 10 and 36 days depending on the degree of shrinkage. A trial in Alberta found sick calves gained 55.9 per cent less than their well pen mates. American studies have found that overall weight gain in sick calves will average 29 per cent below well calves in the same group. As stressed calves are more likely to become sick, it is important not to trigger disease through stress.

Everything we do impacts the weight loss of a calf, yearling or fed animal. To avoid excessive shrinkage and improve your bottom line, work on reducing the stressors involved with the handling and marketing process. Sort your cattle at home using quiet, experienced help in appropriate facilities the cattle are familiar with. Buy or rent a farm scale or contact a neighbour with the nearest legal-for-tender scale and make arrangements to use it. Be quiet and patient when loading, and load when the truck is on a direct route to the final destination. Ensure cattle have feed and water through every marketing transaction. Starvation, dehydration and fear will cost you money and may cost the calf its life and our industry its reputation. Crowding deeply disrupts the social order of the animal and commingling with other groups is a sure way for buyer and seller to lose money. Watch the weather and avoid excessive cold or heat and always be present when your calf sells on the Internet, on the farm or at auction. Brenda Schoepp is a market analyst and the owner and author of Beeflink, a national beef-cattle market newsletter. A professional speaker and industry market and research consultant, she ranches near Rimbey, Alberta. beeflink@telusplanet.net

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Big packers eye Puratone and Big Sky Possible competition } Receivers say there is also interest from packers outside Canada By Rod Nickel Reuters

wo Canadian pork processors are among those expressing interest in Canada’s second-biggest hog producer, Big Sky Farms, which is looking for new ownership after soaring feed costs left it unable to pay its bills. Big Sky, which produces about one million pigs per year and is based near Humboldt, Sask., entered receivership in early September. Manitoba-based hog producer Puratone Corporation is also up for sale, after entering court protection from creditors last month. Both Toronto-based Maple Leaf Foods and Quebec-based Olymel L.P. are sizing up Big Sky, said Kevin Brennan, senior vice-president at Ernst & Young, the receiver for Big Sky. Big Sky is already a supplier to those companies’ hog plants. Some packers outside Canada are also interested, he said. “There’s a great deal of interest in terms of buying Big Sky,” said Brennan, adding that Big Sky is for sale as a whole, not in pieces. “They take a long-term view of the industry itself, and if there’s a concentration of producers going out of business it provides opportunity for others to grow.” Maple Leaf spokesman Dave Bauer said it’s premature to comment on any specific opportunities the company may have. “We are evaluating several options that would secure our longer-term hog supply,” he said. An Olymel spokesman could not be immediately reached. A severe drought in the United States has decimated crops this year, which has led to higher costs for grains used to feed pigs. Rising feed costs have prompted some farmers to liquidate their herds, putting short-term pressure on hog prices and making losses worse for the remaining North American hog farmers. Ernst & Young was to ask a court this week to approve a sales process for Big Sky. Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said Big Sky should be an attractive acquisition for “major operators” in Canada looking to expand. “I would expect it to be sold off more or less in one piece. It’s too valuable an asset” to shut down, he said. Big Sky owes about $69 million to four secured creditors: lenders Bank of Nova Scotia ($26 million), Bank of Montreal ($16.7 million), National Bank of Canada ($16.2 million) and Farm Credit Canada ($9.8 million).

lems, there are parties interested in buying Puratone as a whole, said court-appointed monitor Brent Warga of Deloitte. Two parties filed expressions of interest with the monitor in buying all or most of the company, and a third group has also expressed interest. All were rejected, but the parties were invited to make new offers by mid-October, with the intent of a sale by Oct. 22, according to court documents. A Manitoba court last week extended Puratone’s protection from creditors until Nov. 2. Puratone, which sells about 500,000 hogs annually, owes a total of $86 million to three secured creditors: lenders Bank of Montreal ($40.9 million) Farm Credit Canada ($40.3 million) and the Manitoba Agriculture Services Corporation ($5 million). Both Big Sky and Puratone continue to feed pigs and pay staff as usual, and have not liquidated their herds.

2012 Fall meeting & election schedule Zone 1

(meeting 7 p.m. stArt free supper 6 p.m.)

Zone 6

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt free supper At 6 p.m.)

nov 1

Brooks, BoW sLoPe auction reynold Bergen, CCA

oct 23

Zone 2

(meeting 7 p.m. stArt free supper At 6 p.m.)

oct 29

Fort macLeod, auction market reynold Bergen, CCA

Ponoka, Legion martin unrau, CCA Chair Breton, community centre ryder lee, CCA camrose, regionaL exhiBition Jennifer Wood, Cpip

Zone 3

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt)

oct 29

cochrane, ranchehouse rich smith, ABp executive Director sundre, seniors centre randy Jensen, AfsC strathmore, goLF and country cLuB Anne Dunford, gateway

oct 30 nov 1

Zone 4

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt free supper At 6 p.m.)

oct 22

PoLLockviLLe, community haLL Doug sawyer, ABp Chair veteran, community haLL ryder lee, CCA cZar, cZar haLL Karin schmid, ABp Beef production specialist

oct 24 oct 29

Puratone attracts interest

Despite the hog industry’s prob-

“They (packers) take a long-term view of the industry itself, and if there’s a concentration of producers going out of business it provides opportunity for others to grow.” Kevin Brennan Ernst & Young

Packers may soon own these pigs from the farrowing barn to the slaughterhouse. file photo

Zone 5 oct 24 oct 30

nov 1

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt WitH free Beef on A Bun supper At 6 p.m.) LesLieviLLe, community haLL martin unrau, CCA Chair Big vaLLey, community haLL Karin schmid, ABp Beef production specialist sPruce vieW, community haLL randy Jensen, AfsC

320, 6715 – 8 street ne Calgary, AB Canada t2e 7H7

oct 25 oct 29

Zone 7

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt free supper At 6 p.m.)

oct 30

mayerthorPe, Legion haLL Annemarie pedersen, Canada Beef inc. WestLock, memoriaL haLL

nov 1

Zone 8

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt free supper At 6 p.m.)

nov 5 nov 6

minBurn, community haLL streamstoWn, community haLL gerald Hauer, Chief provincial Vet goodridge, community haLL Karin schmid, ABp Beef production specialist

nov 7

Zone 9

(All meetings 7 p.m. stArt WitH free Beef on A Bun supper At 6 p.m.)

oct 23

Peace river, saWridge hoteL speaker tBA FairvieW, dunvegan motor inn speaker tBA grande Prairie, stoneBridge inn speaker tBA vaLLeyvieW, memoriaL haLL speaker tBA

oct 25 oct 30 nov 1

tel 403.275.4400 fax 403.274.0007

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Revised SheepBytes live and ready for use BIG DIFFERENCE } Top producers have a cost of production of $65 per lamb

but others have costs nearly two-thirds higher by alexis kienlen af staff / camrose

he high cost of feed makes feeding decisions all the more difficult, which is why the Alberta Lamb Producers and Alberta Agriculture have launched a redeveloped program called SheepBytes. “What we’ve found with our costof-production data collection is that there are top-performing flocks where it’s costing roughly $65 to get a lamb to market, and the bottom-performing flocks are looking at costing about $110,” said Susan Hosford, sheep industry specialist with Alberta Agriculture. “This shows us that there are huge opportunities for improving management of feeding.”

The updated version of the old DOS program, available at www.sheepbytes.ca, features ration-balancing software. Producers who don’t know the quality of their feed and the weight of their sheep tend to overfeed to be on the safe side. Underfeeding in pregnant ewes doesn’t allow fetuses to develop properly and reduces milk production. “Underfeeding and overfeeding are both hugely costly to the industry,” said Hosford. “Because we know that, we wanted to improve some of the tools producers have to manage their flock and SheepBytes is one of them.” Producers should sample feed and build rations this year to ensure the nutritional needs of their flock are being met because forage quality isn’t quite as good this year.

“Because of the costs of feed and the quality of feed this year, managing your feed by sampling and building rations is going to be really important,” she said.

New nutrition data

The new SheepBytes also incorporates new findings in sheep nutrition. Today’s lambs grow faster and bigger, and sheep are more prolific, so the updated nutrient requirements match today’s sheep. The new program is web based, updates automatically, and can be used from any computer. “We wanted to have it finished for this fall because this is when everybody is buying their feed and getting their winter-feeding program in place,” said Hosford. Fourteen feed companies have already taken part in both Cow-

Bytes and SheepBytes training. More courses for SheepBytes training will be held in Camrose, Airdrie, the Peace area, and Leduc. These four sessions will be hosted by Alberta Lamb Producers and local producer groups. Producers can sign up for the program on the website. “It’s a simple, easy way to do it that cuts costs to both producers and administrators,” said Hosford. The program will be administered by Alberta Lamb Producers. The only requirement is that producers use Google Chrome as their web browser for the program to function properly. Since the program is web based, the data is immune to desktop crashes and hardware failures. SheepBytes was funded by the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency and took about a year to develop.

Briefs Canada hog reports cut to semi-annually

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Reuters / A key source of data on hog industries in the U.S. and Canada has been reduced from quarterly to semi-annually, due to budget cuts at Statistics Canada, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA is discontinuing its scheduled Oct. 29 United States and Canadian Hogs report because Statistics Canada has cut its own report on the Canadian hog industry. USDA and StatsCan worked together to produce the joint report on hog and pig estimates, but StatsCan has cancelled some reports due to spending cuts. The next joint report on hog and pig estimates for the U.S. and Canada is scheduled for February. Steve Meyer, president of Iowa-based Paragon Economics, said he tracks Canada’s hog data every quarter, because at one time the industry had undergone a prolonged period of increased breeding herd and output, exporting much of that increase to the United States. As the dollar strengthened, Canadian producers rapidly downsized their breeding herd, he said. “That’s pretty important information about the North American pork industry. I hate to see it go away because we’ll only get an account of their production twice a year instead of four times. I think it’s pretty important to the business and this is a loss for us for sure.”

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

New Rangeland Research Institute game changer for province’s researchers THING  New institute supported by the Mattheis Research Ranch,

a 12,300-acre ranch, which was donated to the University of Alberta in 2010 BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF / EDMONTON

angelands are key to sustaining biodiversity, and the need for relevant and timely research on these ecosystems has never been greater, according to the backers of newly created Rangeland Research Institute at the University of Alberta. The institute’s activities will be supported in large part by the Mattheis Research Ranch, north of Brooks. Ruth and Edwin Mattheis donated the 12,300-acre ranch to the university in 2010, which was, at the time, the largest such donation of its kind in the country. The working cattle ranch consists of untilled native prairie with a diverse landscape that includes badlands,

loamy mixed grass prairie, warmseason grassland on rolling dune complexes, and natural and created wetlands. It’s also home to oil and gas activity, which enables researchers to study interactions between oil and gas extraction, livestock, and wildlife. This year, nearly 30 researchers used the station, looking at everything from songbird diversity to carbon storage in rangeland soils, said Edward Bork, a rangeland scientist with the University of Alberta and the institute’s director. “We work very closely with people in soils, agronomy, and the environmental sciences in our faculty,” said Bork. The new institute will take a bigpicture view, he said, and examine ways to increase long-term economic and environmental sustainability of rangeland.

Agribusiness productivity improvement grants

“More and more, there is a need to identify how we can change the underlying management systems associated with rangelands in this province to make them more sustainable,” said Bork. “If you look at other parts of the world, there’s an ability to tap into what we call environmental goods and services, whether it’s carbon sequestration, habitat conservation, or the protection and conservation of water. These are all revenue streams that have defined markets in other parts of the world, but presently do not have a market here in Alberta.” Creation of carbon markets and environmental goods and services would be a game changer, he said. “What this would do for the cow-calf industry is change every single producer’s perspective on

The institute’s activities will be supported in large part by the Mattheis Research Ranch, north of Brooks. PHOTO: U OF A how they manage their land base and what they’re managing for,” he said. “It means they may no longer be driven by one output in their decision-making, leading to increased economic and environ-

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Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development‘s Workforce Productivity Improvement Grant assists employers in assessing the productivity of their operation and how to make improvements. “The Workforce Productivity Improvement Grant provides financial assistance to agriprocessing and agricultural production companies to assess and adopt new technologies and processes that improve worker productivity,” says Nicola Stevens, manager, Productivity Improvement Initiative with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. The grant reimburses 80 per cent of the cost to hire experts to identify and provide coaching to an agribusiness on lean manu f a c t u r i n g , t e c h n o l o g y and automation, or “lean and green” productivity improvements. Through the Workforce Productivity Assessments and Coaching Project, eligible companies can have a free assessment conducted by a qualified consultant in any of these three streams. Employers must apply and receive approval before contracting a consultant in order to be considered for funding. The grant maximum is $25,000 per applicant. For more information, call an Alberta Agriculture industry development officer or Nicola Stevens at 403-948-8511, or search for “productivity improvement initiative” on the AARD website.

mental sustainability.” Bork said he is hoping scientists from across the country and around the world will come to the ranch to conduct research.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Rural home is net-zero for annual energy consumption ECONOMICS  Initial cost is higher but energy savings pay off over the long term BY REBECCA DIKA

AF CONTRIBUTOR / PARKLAND COUNTY

“You don’t need to sacrifice comfort, style or luxury to be green.”

t sounds like a tall order — a home that is self-sufficient, environmentally friendly and with enough room outside for three kids to roam freely. But Christy Cuku and her husband Dennis were able to achieve all three. The Cukus moved into their green home 15 months ago in Parkland County. This 4,000-sq.-ft. family home uses some of the most advanced renewable and energyefficient technologies to produce as much energy as it uses. There’s no gas line — it’s completely solar powered. “You don’t need to sacrifice comfort, style or luxury to be green,” said Cuku. The Cuku home was the first LEED Platinum certified (a North American standard for low energy) home in the capital region and only the second in Alberta. It was one of 12 featured in the Eco-Solar Home Tour this summer. In its 13th year of operation, the tour is perennially popular. Eco-Solar is a non-profit group in Edmonton that promotes green building practices. The couple had done their own home tours previously as they began to explore the idea of creating their own green home. “Some of the highly efficient homes we had visited tended to be small or lacking in modern-day conveniences,” said Cuku. “We were adamant to find a way to have our cake and eat it too. We spent tons of time researching and it was a steep learning curve,” said Cuku.

CHRISTY CUKU

Building in a rural area makes it easier to orient the house for maximum solar exposure. Now they feel compelled to share what they’ve learned. Together with the private tours they’ve hosted, she figures that more than 1,000 people have visited their home. Cuku said the cost to build a green home is about 10 per cent more than a conventional home, not including the solar panels. Two arrays of a total of 60 solar panels are concealed in a meadow near the home. They feed the house its electricity during the day and the surplus goes back into the grid. At night, the home pulls the power back off the grid. On a net annual

basis, the home consumes zero energy.

Sustainable materials

Those polished concrete floors look contemporary but, their thermal mass helps save energy because they can store daytime heat from the sun during the winter, but stay cooler in the summer. All stains and construction materials are free of volatile organic compounds. The wood in the house is sustainable bamboo, or salvaged from the property or logged environmentally, Cuku said. The walls are 16 inches thick

PHOTO: DENNIS CUKU

and stuffed with shredded newspaper for insulation for an R value of 56. The ceilings and attic are R90. All the heating in the house is electric. A boiler not much larger than a breadbox circulates heated water through pipes embedded in the concrete floors, zone by zone. The house is also built for passive heating and cooling. Because of the design of the roof and alignment of the house, the southern wall of windows gets little sun during peak summer months when the sun is high — and all kinds of sun during winter. Two different cisterns with a total

capacity of 5,500 gallons are used to collect rainwater from the roofs. One is used for waste water (toilet flushing); the other for irrigating the garden. Fresh water comes from an on-site well. Water for landscaping was reduced by using local and drought-tolerant plants and limiting grass areas. “The payback is easily within the life of your mortgage,” said Cuku. “It’s almost a no-brainer.” Rural home builders have an advantage, says Cuku, in that they usually have more latitude in site location. If the house is oriented due south, you can collect as much of the sun’s energy as possible. “We collect almost 50 per cent of our heating requirements through our windows so solar energy dramatically reduces the need for other energy sources,” she said. Another advantage afforded in a rural site are larger roofs to mount solar panels. Looking into the future, Cuku said they have considered aging grandparents, so their new home includes an elevator shaft and wheelchair-width halls. The 2,000-sq.-ft. lower level is home to a complete apartment.

CANADA’S OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS PROGRAM — ALBERTA/NWT REGION THANK YOU TO OUR REGIONAL SPONSORS

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

NEWS CFGA announces leadership award CFGA RELEASE The Canadian Forage & Grassland Association has initiated a leadership award to recognize an individual, group or organization whose leadership has had a significant positive impact on the forage and grassland industry either nationally, internationally or both. In setting up the award CFGA recognized that contributions to the industry may come from many different areas and would not necessarily be limited to: management practices, research, teaching or public relations and/or public education. Among those to be considered are farmers and ranchers, agency staff in land managing agencies, researchers, and technology transfer personnel, educational personnel, etc. The award will be presented at the CFGA AGM and conference in Toronto on Dec. 11. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 31. A nomination form is available at www.canadianfga.ca. For more information contact executive director, Wayne Digby at w_digby@canadianfga.ca.

Businessman puts dollars behind concerns over land use APPLIED RESEARCH  Agriculture the main focus for new institute at the University of Alberta BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF / EDMONTON

algary businessman and outdoorsman David Bissett has seen a lot of changes in Alberta land use over the past 30 years. He’s concerned — in fact so concerned that he has donated $4.9 million to create a new research body called the Alberta Land Institute (ALI). The institute opened on Sept. 5 and is currently housed in the HUB building on the main campus of the University of Alberta. Bissett is concerned that environmental outcomes and wildlife habitat are not being considered in land use decisions. Vic Adamowicz, the research director for ALI, said Bissett funded the institute mainly to provide evidence-based research on land use changes and policy. Adamowicz said the institute’s goal is to work with academics to communicate options to policy-makers and other stakeholders. “This is a great opportunity for folks in the university who want to see their research make a difference,” he said. Adamowicz, a U of A professor in Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology in the faculty of agriculture, said Bissett’s priority is mainly in private lands used for agricultural purposes. “We very much want to identify what the issues are,” said André Tremblay, executive director of the ALI. “Once we’ve established those issues, it’s about identifying specific research questions that we can pose to an academic team to try and find clarity around the issues and what strategy or policy options we can focus on.”

The institute has a community advisory board which includes producer/landowners and representatives from non-governmental organizations such as Delta Waterfowl and the Alberta Conservation Association. They will also add two government policy representatives to the board. The institute will be working in the agriculture sector on governance issues and municipal development. “It’s really that interface between growth and expansion of municipal zones, whether it is industrial or residential developments and such, and the agricultural land base,” said Adamowicz.

Agriculture main focus

Forestry and energy will not be ignored, but agriculture is the main focus for now. “The whole plan for the research is to identify what the challenges are on the landscape. What are the conflicts and issues that we’re facing or will face. What are the different policy options and what consequences will we face by choosing these options?” said Adamowicz. The Institute will hold a land use conference in 2013 to bring some of these ideas together. Researchers affiliated with the institute will soon launch several projects exploring wetlands, irrigation and fragmentation of land. The ALI has identified four major theme areas for research this fall. The first is property rights. Researchers will be consolidating their information, a description of what they know about property rights, a guide to property rights and comparison with other jurisdictions. Area two is fragmentation and conversion of agricultural land. Researchers will

ALI research director Vic Adamowicz said the institute’s goal is to work with academics to communicate options to policy-makers and other stakeholders. SUPPLIED PHOTO be looking at the current situation, losses and gains, policy options and future challenges created by fragmentation. Area three is focused more on the southern area of the province and irrigation, and area four is wetlands. “In all of these, we’re trying to get ahead of the game, project what is going on and think about what problems might be there,” said Adamowicz. The institute will soon be calling for research proposals and will be translating its findings into outcomes and policy briefs.

Join the Alberta Barley Commission at your 2012 regional meeting to learn more about the Commission, its activities and how barley can work for you. Region 1* Wed., Nov. 21, 2012 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Holiday Inn – Banquet Room 120 Stafford Drive | Lethbridge, AB In conjunction with the Alberta Wheat Commission and includes AAFC research station tour.

Region 2* Thurs., Nov. 15, 2012 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Three Hills Memorial Centre – Lodge Room 212 Main Street | Three Hills, AB In conjunction with the Alberta Pulse Growers.

Region 3* Wed., Nov. 28, 2012 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Lacombe Memorial Centre Main Street – 5214 – 50th Avenue | Lacombe, AB In conjunction with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission.

Region 4* Thurs., Nov. 22, 2012 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. School of Hope 5212 Railway Ave | Vermillion, AB

In conjunction with the Alberta Wheat Commission and includes Lakeland College – Vermillion Campus tour.

Region 5* Fri., Nov. 30, 2012 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Westlock Community Hall 10003 – 106 Street | Westlock, AB In conjunction with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission.

Region 6* Wed., Nov. 21, 2012 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Fairview Campus – Conference Room A144 Grande Prairie College 1123 – 98 Ave | Fairview, AB In conjunction with the Alberta Pulse Growers and includes college tour.

*Delegate positions are available in your region. Visit albertabarley.com for details.

DIRECTOR POSITIONS AVAILABLE The Alberta Barley Commission has the following Board of Director positions open for nomination: Region 5 Director; Region 6 Director; and one Director-at-Large (eligible from Regions 2, 4, 5 or 6). Nominations close at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2012. For more information about available board positions, nomination forms or your regional meeting, please call 1.800.265.9111 or visit albertabarley.com.

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

BriefS

fall cattle field

Monsanto recognized as top employer

Cattle producers are increasingly concerned about the fallout from the beef recall, as XL Foods in Brooks, Alta., remains closed. Photo: Wendy Dudley

Monsanto Canada, which is headquartered in Winnipeg, has been selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers in Mediacorp Canada Inc.’s annual survey of Canadian businesses. This is the fifth time in the past six years that Monsanto has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. In a release, Mediacorp said Monsanto scored highly for health and family-friendly benefits, its training and skills development programs. Its community involvement is “exceptional” giving Monsanto the highest A+ grade possible. The company also ranked high (A) in the areas of work atmosphere and communications, and employee engagement.

French soft wheat stocks may hit lowest level in 13 years

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paris / reuters French soft wheat stocks at the end of this season are now forecast to be the lowest in at least 13 years. Soft wheat ending stocks in 2012-13 are expected to fall to 1.8 million tonnes, largely because of increased exports. That figure is below the benchmark figure of 2.2 to 2.3 million tonnes that is believed to be needed to avoid supply shortages. Exporters are taking advantage of high wheat prices, says Michel Ferret, head of markets at farm agency FranceAgriMer. “In this context it was logical to raise the export target,” he said.

Barley organizations funded MP Steven Fletcher, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, has announced funding of more than $525,000 to the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, the Malting Industry Association of Canada, and the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute to develop a Canadian malt barley brand. A government release said funds will be used for product testing and evaluations on new malting barley varieties, the current year’s harvest, and on cargo shipments to highlight the attributes of the current Canadian crop for international customers. The funds are part of the $88-million AgriMarketing Program, part of the Growing Forward policy framework.

THREE MORE COUNTIES REPORT CLUBROOT Clubroot infected fields in three new counties this year, according to the Canola Council of Canada. “We’re still continuing our surveying but so far it has been just one field,” said Krista Kotylak, assistant agricultural fieldman with Beaver County. Quinton Beaumont, ag fieldman for Stettler County said the county now has three confirmed cases. The name of the third new county reporting clubroot hasn’t been confirmed, but there are now at least 22 Alberta counties with clubroot cases.

2,4-D resistance no big deal in Alberta — but stay on your toes WATERHEMP  Its relation to pigweed, already found resistant, is of concern to researchers BY HELEN MCMENAMIN

AF CONTRIBUTOR / LETHBRIDGE

“It’s quite surprising in a way that we’ve seen relatively little resistance to 2,4-D when we’ve been using it for so long.”

ecent discovery in the U.S. of a population of waterhemp resistant to 2,4-D grabbed a lot of attention, as the old standby chemical was seen as an option for controlling the weed that’s already become resistant to glyphosate. But the waterhemp discovered in a Nebraska grass seed field are not the first weeds resistant to 2,4-D. The first case was in 1957, when wild carrot in Ontario was not controlled. At present populations of 30 weed species in 49 places have been confirmed resistant to the old herbicide. Some, including false cleavers found in Alberta in 1996, escape by evading more than one of the herbicide’s modes of action. “The synthetic auxins are classified as low risk for herbicide resistance,” says Hugh Beckie, an Agriculture Canada weed scientist. “There’s a lot we don’t understand about them, but we know they have multiple mechanisms of action.” The Group 4 herbicides, 2,4-D and other phenoxy products — dicamba, clo- and amino-pyralid and picloram — disrupt cell growth and protein production in newly forming stems causing misshapen shoots and tumours. “The waterhemp complex, (there are several species that interbreed) is notorious for its ability to develop widespread resistance because it includes several species that outcross and interbreed, a bit like kochia,” says Beckie. So far no waterhemp has been found in surveys of weeds in Western

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

HUGH BECKIE

Southern U.S. soybean and cotton growers face a difficult problem controlling glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, which is related to waterhemp. PHOTO: LAURA RANCE

Canada. However, the pigweed family is related to the waterhemps and Beckie says some resistance to 2,4-D has been found in green pigweed in Manitoba. “It’s quite surprising in a way that we’ve seen relatively little resistance to 2,4-D when we’ve been using it for so long. (The first synthetic plant hormone was first released in 1946 in the U.K.) The good news on 2,4-D is that it isn’t the greatest herbicide. It has a limited-action spectrum, but it has been a good standby.” The problem Beckie sees for both 2,4-D and dicamba is that resistance to these two herbicides is part of the new “stacked-trait” genetically modified crops to be released as soon as next year in the U.S., by Monsanto and Dow. His fear is that the stacked-trait crops will lead to a

lot more selection pressure on weeds controlled by 2,4-D and that crossresistance to other Group 4 chemicals will develop. “I don’t expect we’ll see a big surge in resistance,” he says. “I think we’ll see a slow increase in resistance.” The multiple mechanisms of action against weeds of the Group 4 chemicals should keep resistance low. Also, the 2,4-D and dicamba tolerance are stacked with glyphosate tolerance, so stacked traits will likely be sprayed with mixtures of these chemicals so the risk that even plants in a particular field can withstand both chemicals is quite low. But Beckie worries that pollen or seed could spread resistance across a region, particularly in areas like Manitoba that are prone to flooding. “We just need to be aware of the risk,” he

says. Tank mixing herbicides with different modes of action, rotating into a broader range of crops, more competitive crops and crops with different seeding times, higher seeding rates can all help control the development of resistance. Beckie recognizes that by the time you’re done spraying, you really want a break. But, he says, you can control even Group 1 and 2 resistance if you scout your fields after spraying. “After spraying you can see weed patches that aren’t controlled while the plants are small,” he says. “If you prevent those weeds from setting seed, you can stop that patch from spreading. If you combine those patches they’ll spread right across the field. We’ve seen a big difference in farm fields — where the farmer controlled seed set, over six years, the patches of resistant weeds stayed the same size. But where the surviving weeds were left till after combining, for six years, the resistant patches expanded and expanded.”

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Obsolete pesticide collection campaign coming to Alberta

Black Sea grain harvest expected to fall by more than one-quarter

Farmers in Alberta are being invited to turn in their obsolete or unwanted agricultural pesticides on dates ranging from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 at participating ag retail locations.

The Black Sea region countries, one of the world’s key wheat exporters, are expected to cut their combined 2012 grain harvest by 27 per cent to 130 million tonnes due to a drought, according to the latest official forecasts. Hot, dry weather has decimated this year’s grain output from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, which normally supply a quarter of world wheat export volumes, as the U.S. drought sent global prices for wheat and corn into overdrive. Adding to upward pressure on wheat prices were persistent rumours Russia will ban grain exports this year, as it did after a drought in 2010. But Russian President Vladimir Putin said there were

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Uncertain } Russian President Vladimir Putin rules out export

ban but orders only “surplus” grain be used for exports moscow / reuters

no talks over such a move, despite his concerns about rising grain prices. “Of course there is no talk about an export ban, which was justified in the abnormal drought of 2010,” said Putin. Putin’s remarks showed he sided with Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov and Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, who have repeatedly ruled out any restrictions on grain exports or special tariffs to curb exports. However, Putin has ordered that stockpiled grain, which the government plans to sell to cool down prices on the domestic market, not be used for exports. He said only surplus grain should be used for export and told Fyodorov to monitor the situation with domestic prices on a daily basis. “You should not relax in any way.

If you miss two to three days, the result can be catastrophic,” Putin told Fyodorov. Russia’s exportable grain surplus is officially seen at 10 million tonnes, of which 8.4 million tonnes have already been exported since the start of the 2012-13 marketing year, which began on July 1. Russia and Kazakhstan have almost completed their 2012 harvest, while Ukraine was 85 per cent done as of last week. Russia’s harvest is expected to be 71 million tonnes, down from last year’s 94 million tonnes, with wheat down 29 per cent to 40 million tonnes. Ukraine’s grain crop is forecast at 45 million to 46 million tonnes, down from last year’s 57 million tonnes, with wheat at 22.3 million tonnes (down from 15.5 million tonnes last year). In

“You should not relax in any way. If you miss two to three days, the result can be catastrophic.” Vladimir Putin

Kazakhstan, the Black Sea region’s top producer of hard wheat, this year’s grain harvest is forecast to be 13 million tonnes, less than half of last year’s 27-million-tonne record. Weather for the winter grainsowing campaign remains favourable, except for southern Ukraine.

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American drought far from over Prolonged } U.S. agriculture secretary says effects from drought “will be felt for years to come” reuters

lack of rain this fall is fuelling fears that the worst drought in 56 years will continue into next year. The summer-long stretch of hot and dry weather in the U.S. Farm Belt slashed corn and soybean harvests this year. Twothirds of the contiguous United States, including prime farmland in the Plains and Midwest, remain under moderate to severe drought as growers begin to plan for the new crop year. “Even if it rains tomorrow, the consequences of this drought will be felt for years to come,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Dry spells can run for several years although it is impossible to forecast if there will be drought in 2013, said Doug Kluck of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Without a soaking rain, things are not going to get better quick,” said Kluck. “I don’t mean to be a black cloud but from a responsible point of view, you need to be prepared for the worst.” Drought will persist in the central U.S. Plains this fall while improvement is expected east of the Mississippi River and in the northern Plains, NOAA forecast recently. Dry weather in the Plains would threaten the upcoming winter wheat crop, it said. Three-fourths of Nebraska, a major corn, wheat and livestock state, was under exceptional drought, the most severe category, said director Greg Ibach of the Nebraska Agriculture Department. “The good news for dryland farmers is they will be able to rely on federal crop insurance,” said Ibach. Roger Elmore, an Iowa State University agronomy profes-

sor, said soils in the No. 1 corngrowing state were so dry that fall tillage raised dust clouds. He said dry weather was expected to continue in the near term. “If we don’t get back to normal precipitation this fall, it may be hard to catch up in the spring. We don’t want another dry year,” said Elmore. To alleviate drought in Minnesota, six to 12 inches of rain are needed in most counties — an improbably large amount to expect this fall, stated Mark Seeley, a University of Minnesota climatologist. It would be more realistic, he said, to expect a modest recharging of soil moisture. “A wet spring will be needed for a decent 2013 crop in Minnesota,” said Seeley. With the fall harvest speeding toward an early conclusion, USDA has forecast the smallest corn and soybean crops since 2004 due to drought and tight supplies for the year to come.

U.S. President Barack Obama walks around the McIntosh family farm with owners to view drought-ridden cornfields in Missouri Valley, Iowa August 13, 2012. There are fears the drought could continue another year. Photo: REUTERS/Larry Downing

Richardson boosts West Coast port grain storage Bin replacement }

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Grain handler Richardson International has applied for permits to boost its Port Metro Vancouver terminal’s grain storage space by about two-thirds. The Winnipeg company, currently Canada’s second-biggest grain handler, said Monday it plans to build an 80,000-tonne-capacity concrete grain storage annex at its Vancouver port site. After it takes down its current steel storage bins at the site, Richardson said this $120-million expansion project would net about 70,000 tonnes of new storage, bringing the terminal’s total storage capacity to 178,000 tonnes. “Increasing storage capacity at our Vancouver terminal is critical to our business,” Darwin Sobkow, Richardson’s vice-president for agribusiness operations, said in a release. Richardson’s Vancouver terminal is now running at maximum capacity, the company said, handling about three million tonnes of grains and oilseeds per year. The company’s grain handle is also expected to rise in coming months through its planned acquisition of 19 Prairie elevators now owned by Viterra, Canada’s No. 1 handler. Pending approval from federal antitrust watchdogs, that sale — part of a $900-million deal with Viterra’s proposed new owner, Glencore International — would put Richardson near the No. 1 spot among Canadian handlers. Given “growing global demand,” Richardson said, it expects to be able to handle over five million tonnes per year with this additional storage capacity in hand.

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

New council hopes to boost barley’s fortunes

NEW WORLD RECORD SET

DECLINING ACRES 

Barley acreage has fallen dramatically in the last two years BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF / WARNER

A new Guinness world record for the number of combines in a single harvest was set at Dalmeny, Sask. on Oct. 6 when 249 combines rolled down the field in a fundraising event for Harvest for Kids Saskatchewan, which funds Children’s Camps International. SUPPLIED PHOTO

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Barley growers are hoping a new national marketing body, the Barley Council of Canada, will spur a resurgence of the crop. “Two years ago, our acreage dropped to an all-time low of less than six million acres from a high of 14 million acres 10 years ago,” said Brian Otto, chairman of the working group that is finalizing a business plan, bylaws and governance for the new organization. “There are international markets out there that we haven’t tapped, and I’m sure that there is an opportunity for us. When you bring a national perspective to it, you’re a stronger entity, in my opinion.” Producers are driving the creation of the barley council, but it will also include processors, grain handlers, exporters and end-users, including maltsters and people from the feed industry, said Otto, who operates a 4,300-acre grain farm near Warner and became chair of the working group in August. The end of the CWB’s single desk has created new marketing opportunities to move barley into the U.S. and export markets in both the feed and health industry, said Otto. The barley council is being modelled on the Canola Council of Canada and Pulse Canada, but has not finalized how it will fund itself. The group hopes to have its business plan in place by the end of October, and a board of directors set up by year’s end. The Alberta Barley Commission is providing administrative support for the organization. The main focus will be on research and development of new varieties, as well as marketing initiatives, said Otto. “Everybody is an important part of the barley value chain and you want everyone to work for the benefit of the barley industry,” he said. “It all comes down to gross revenue back to the producer, but everybody in the barley value chain has to be able to make money as the barley passes from one hand to the next. “You want to work on strengthening the weaker links, so that everyone is healthy and everyone is making money. As long as everyone can make money growing barley, then you grow the industry.” Otto said the barley council won’t impact the Western Barley Growers Association because it is largely focused on policy and market issues.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Flax sector slowly recovers from Day of the Triffids CONTAMINATION  About two per cent of all samples

show traces compared to 10 per cent in 2009-10 BY PHIL FRANZ-WARKENTIN COMMODITY NEWS SERVICE CANADA

anada’s flaxseed industry continues to make progress eliminating traces of genetically modified Triffid seed from the country’s crop, but there is still work to be done given Europe’s very tight allowances for the gene. Triffid, a genetically modified flaxseed variety, was bred in Saskatchewan in the 1990s for tolerance to soil residues of sulfonylurea herbicides, but was deregistered in 2001 and never commercialized. Traces, however, found in Canadian shipments to Europe in 2009, effectively shut the door to what had been the largest market for Canadian exports. In the aftermath of the original discovery, testing protocols were put in place in an effort to eliminate Triffid from Canada’s flaxseed crop and reopen export markets. “We have seen the incidence of Triffid go down,” said Will Hill, president of the Flax Council of Canada. Currently, about two per cent of all samples were showing traces of Triffid, which compares with 10 per cent when testing first began with the 2009-10 crop, said Hill. Of those samples testing positive now, the intensity of contamination is also much smaller than in 2009, with the overall amount of Triffid in the tests that are positive very close to the 0.01 per cent detection level called for by the European Union. In order to see the food market reopen in Europe, the percentage of samples testing positive for Triffid will need to decline further still or changes to the protocol itself will need to be made, said Hill. There is now a 0.01 per cent allowance for Triffid, but if that allowance were 0.1 per cent, Hill estimated there wouldn’t be any samples testing positive at all. “We’re making progress, but the question is, ‘Can we make enough progress for shipping to go back to the way it was before Triffid?’” he said. At 0.01 per cent, it is very hard to get consistent results, with multiple tests of the same sample sometimes getting a positive result, and sometimes not. Efforts between Canada and the European Union were still underway in an attempt to establish a more trade-friendly testing routine, he said. Allowances closer to 0.1 per cent would also make it easier for Canada to consistently ship to the EU without fear of an unexpected positive result.

Healthy attributes

In the meantime, Canada is send-

“We’re making progress, but the question is, ‘Can we make enough progress for shipping to go back to the way it was before Triffid?’”

ing more flaxseed to the U.S. and China, said Hill. In China the demand is largely on the industrial side, but Canada is also working on developing markets for flaxseed for human consumption. Canada in 2011-12 exported a total of 256,800 tonnes of flaxseed, with less than seven per cent of that destined for Europe, according to Canadian Grain Commission data. In 2008-09, the last full crop year before the Triffid issue came to the forefront, Canada exported 530,200 tonnes of flaxseed, with European business accounting for about 80 per cent of the total. Canadian farmers grew 518,200 tonnes of flaxseed in 2012, according to the latest production report from Statistics Canada. That compares with the 930,000 tonnes grown in 2009 prior to the Triffid issue.

Seeded area of about one million acres in 2012 was up from the 695,000 acres seeded in 2011, but still well off the 1.7 million planted in 2009. Given the increasing demand internationally for the healthy attributes of flax, Hill said the industry could sustain acres of 2.5 million to three million if the European situation were to sort itself out. Spot bids for flaxseed in Western Canada can currently be found in the $14- to $14.24-perbushel area, which compares with canola bids that are a little softer, according to the latest Prairie Ag Hotwire data. As long as flaxseed bids were in line with canola, Hill said, the crop should be seen as a good option for farmers seeking to plant an alternative oilseed.

Triffid was named after a fictional genetically modified plant creature in the novel Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham, later made into a movie. The creatures used a poisonous sting to blind humans.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

New technologies mean new challenges for farm safety CULTURE SHIFT  CASA director says safety needs to be incorporated as a cost/benefit in the farm’s bottom line BY HELEN MCMENAMIN

AF CONTRIBUTOR / LETHBRIDGE

he death and injury statistics tell the tale — agriculture remains one of Canada’s most dangerous professions. All the industry’s efforts to improve the situation haven’t made any difference. In Alberta 16 people were killed in farm accidents in 2011 and three of them were under 18. Just as a comparison, among all the workers covered by Workers Compensation in Alberta, 43 people died in workplace accidents in 2010, the most recent year with figures available. The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) took new approaches and looked at new issues at their annual conference this month. Around 70 farmers, safety professionals, trainers, manufacturers and researchers participated. CASA is a non-profit association dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and workers across the country. It works with provincial groups and others, in some ways acting as an umbrella group for other agencies with an interest in farm safety. It also has the FarmSafe Foundation, a new charity arm to help finance new and ongoing farm safety activities.

Tractor rollovers remain one of the leading causes of farm accidents in Canada. PHOTO: U.S. NATIONAL AG SAFETY DATABASE Emerging farm safety issues were one part of the conference, including autonomous equipment such as auto-steer and driverless vehicles, and nanotechnology, which may be great advances for agriculture, but may also bring new hazards. “We need to make sure that we understand the safety implications of these new technologies so we can control the hazards along the way,” said Marcel Hacault,

executive director of CASA. “This conference is a great way for participants to get a snapshot of the future through the lens of a safetyfirst attitude.”

Nanotechnology concerns

Nanotechnology involves using microscopic particles for a huge variety of uses from stain-resistant clothes, to antimicrobial socks and tightly targeted anti-cancer therapies and pesticides. Over a

thousand nanotech products are already on the market and the number is expected to be four times that very soon. Conference participants got a first look at the potential hazards of using some of these products. The fact that asbestos fibres, the cause of mesothelioma, a particularly nasty lung cancer, are considered nano-particles is a grim reminder that the new technology might come at a high cost unless their risk is managed. The keynote speaker at the CASA conference was John McNamara, from the Irish Health and Safety Authority. In joining the European Union, Ireland has accepted regulations that apply to all workers, including prohibition of children under 16 operating or riding on farm equipment. “It was difficult for people to accept at first,” says McNamara. “But, we have made huge progress, the number of children who die in farm accidents is now very low. We’ve also seen a reduction in accidents among younger farmers, those under 55. But a rise among those over 55.”

National strategy

The conference also gave the farm safety community its first look at CASA’s new National Farm Safety Strategy. The document starts with goals and mission statements

then identifies key priority areas for improving farm safety across Canada. The strategic plan aims to change the culture of farm safety, the way farmers plan their operations and the way they act when something unexpected happens. “Our goal is farms that are safe places to work and to live,” says Hacault. “We want to help farmers see the risks in their operations and manage that risk so that no one in Canada is hurt farming.” The plan is based on the notion that linking safety risks to other farm risks is part and parcel of managing the overall business risk of the agricultural operation. The strategy proposes that a farm must manage safety risks like any other business, but with the added challenge of recognizing that for those living on a farm, they are in a workplace as soon as they step outside. “We need a culture shift, a change in behaviour, but in thinking as well,” says Hacault. McNamara agrees. “A safe farm is one where work is well organized,” he says. “Accidents are a failure of planning. When something goes wrong, farmers, who are used to being in charge, tend to act impulsively — and that’s when things can really go wrong.”

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

LONGEAR LINE DANCE

Three donkeys and a mule stand in line while foraging on a pasture hill on Burro Alley Ranch, near Millarville, Alta.

PHOTO: WENDY DUDLEY

NEWS BRIEFS U.K. wheat yields lowest in a quartercentury LONDON / REUTERS Wheat yields in Britain this year have been the lowest since the late 1980s. The National Farmers Union estimates the U.K. wheat harvest at 13.25 million tonnes, with a yield of 6.7 tonnes per hectare, down from five-year averages of 14.92 million and 7.8 tonnes respectively. “This is something not seen in the U.K. since the late 1980s,” said NFU crops adviser Guy Gagen. High levels of disease and a lack of sunshine during the key grain fill period are being blamed for the drop. The NFU forecast the U.K. rapeseed crop would total 2.8 million tonnes, 25 per cent higher than the five-year average.

Futures market signalling to sell sooner: AARD specialist The market may be signalling farmers not to hold grain this winter, says David Wong, market specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. In an Agri-News release, Wong says that in most years of normal harvest, nearby futures prices are lower than those for deferred months. “This is normal, and provides an incentive for farmers to store their grain to wait for that higher price,” Wong said. However this year futures have been “inverse,” with nearby futures higher than those in distant months. “The first factor was the great demand for these products last year, creating very low year-end stocks of these products. Then, drought in the U.S. devastated their crops, resulting in even tighter grain supplies,” Wong said. “The bottom line is that buyers need the product now and are willing to pay a premium

for the assurance of supply in the near term. The market signal in this ‘inverse market’ is to sell your product now, do not store it.” Holding grain will put you at the mercy of basis and price risk, Wong said. “Simply put, you will be speculating on either basis improvement, futures price improvement, or both. There is no ‘carry’ in the marketplace to help cover your storage costs.”

U.S. futures regulator targets commodity speculation WASHINGTON / CHICAGO / REUTERS The top U.S. futures regulator says he would support appealing a court ruling last month that struck down his agency’s attempt to place limits on speculation in commodity markets. Gary Gensler, chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said his agency drafted the original rule at the direction of U.S. Congress. The rule, which was to have taken effect this month, limited the number of contracts traders can hold in 28 commodities, including oil, coffee and gold. However, critics, including Wall Street banks and Republican lawmakers, said the law did not clearly order the CFTC to impose those limits. U.S. District Court Judge Robert Wilkins threw out the tough new rules last month, saying the CFTC needed to prove the curbs were necessary to rein in excessive speculation. “Congress mandated us to do this,” said Gensler. “I’m looking with my fellow commissioners and the lawyers at all of our options of appeal.” But four leading Republican lawmakers say the court’s decision raised serious questions about the agency’s rulewriting process. “We are very concerned... CFTC staff are using limited resources to pursue ideological and political goals,” they said.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Ad blitz pummels support for California GMO labelling SUCCESSFUL Support for the GMO labelling proposal plummeted

to 48.3 per cent from 66.9 per cent two weeks earlier BY LISA BAERTLEIN REUTERS

n intense advertising blitz, funded by Monsanto and others, has eroded support for a California ballot proposal that would require U.S. food makers to disclose when their products contain genetically modified organisms. If California voters approve the measure in November, it would be the first time U.S. food makers would have to label products that contain GMOs. For more than a week, the opposition group — funded by Monsanto and PepsiCo — dominated television and radio airtime with ads portraying the labelling proposal as an arbitrary set of new rules that will spawn frivolous lawsuits and boost food prices, positions disputed by supporters. Experts say the real risk is that food companies may be more likely to stop using GMOs, than to label them. That could disrupt U.S. food production because ingredients such as GM corn, soybeans and canola have for years been staples in virtually every type of packaged food, from soup and tofu to breakfast cereals and chips. As of Oct. 10, support for the GMO labelling proposal had plummeted to 48.3 per cent from 66.9 per cent two weeks earlier, according to an online survey of likely California voters conducted by the California Business Roundtable and the School of Public Policy at Malibu-based Pepperdine University. At the same time, the proportion of respondents likely to vote “no” on the measure — known as Proposition 37 — jumped to 40.2 per cent from 22.3 per cent two weeks earlier, according to the survey results. “Clearly the ‘No’ side has more money and

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If passed, California would join dozens of countries that already have some requirements for labelling of genetically engineered foods. the advertising is having an effect,” Michael Shires, a Pepperdine professor who oversees the survey cited above, told Reuters. Funding for the effort to defeat the “Right to Know” ballot initiative is led by chemical giants Monsanto and DuPont, whose businesses also are the world’s top sellers of genetically modified seeds. Monsanto has contributed just over $7 million to fight the proposal, while DuPont has kicked in about $5 million. In all, the “No on 37” camp has raised a total of $34.6 million, according to filings with the California Secretary of State. “Yes on 37” supporters — led by the Organic Consumers Association and Joseph Mercola, a natural health information provider — have donated just $5.5 million. “When there’s an initiative that’s going to affect an industry that can rally resources,

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they’ve usually been able to stop it,” said Shires. “It still could go either way.” If passed, California would join dozens of countries that already have some requirements for labelling of genetically engineered foods. Supporters of the ballot initiative, including food and environmental activists as well as organic growers, say consumers have the right to know what’s in the food they eat. Many want GM products, which do not require pre-market safety assessments in the United States, cut from the food chain. Industry says the products are safe, but there is a fiery debate raging around the science. Because foods made with GMOs are not labelled, it is impossible to trace any food allergies or other ill effects suffered by humans or animals, critics say.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Family makes sustainability key to farm’s future success EFP } Environmental impact assessed as part of running the operation as a business By Meristem Media

“We could have just put walls up and put some cement down, but we really thought and planned.”

hen Robert and Angela Semeniuk won the Alberta regional Outstanding Young Farmers program nomination in 2012 one thing that stood out in their presentation was their clear focus on strong business principles. And a key part of that was their understanding that sustainability will play an important part in their future success of their fourth-generation family farm. The couple currently farms about 3,400 acres, seeded to cereals, oilseeds and pulses, near Smoky Lake, Alta. In addition, they custom fertilize between 25,000 to 30,000 acres and custom seed about 1,000 acres. “We were at a size that we wanted to really start thinking about the environmental side and the sustainability side and we wanted to focus on where we needed to improve,” says Angela Semeniuk. They’ve used their Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) as a guide to develop an action plan geared to preserving their land for future generations. Here are four examples of what they’ve done.

Robert Semeniuk

Robert and Angela Semeniuk with daughter Gabrielle and son Tristan.

Low-drift nozzles

One of the first things the Semeniuks tackled was spray drift. They had already incorporated a GPS into their spray technology package and they also use an auto boom shutoff on their sprayer to reduce the risk of chemical overlap during application. After completing their EFP in 2005, one of their first onfarm improvements was to replace the nozzles on their sprayer with low-drift nozzles. That one change alone helped them control drift during spraying and ultimately reduce the risk of pesticide buildup in non-target areas, such as neighbouring land and water bodies.

Revamped fuel storage

One clear risk their EFP identified was on-farm fuel storage, and the Semeniuks also knew they wanted to upgrade their system for on-farm storage of petroleum products in a big way. In 2011 they replaced a single, gravity-fed diesel 1,000-gallon storage tank, with three double-walled tanks that hold 1,000 gallons each. The double-walled tanks are designed for secondary containment of fuel products, so no additional berm is required. Having three tanks instead of one reduces risk further in the event of an accidental spill. They also purchased a 500-gallon,

1 Excellent

Left: The new shop features many design elements to reduce environmental risk and improve profitability. Above: Three tanks instead of one improve flexibility and reduce risk. double-walled storage tank for gasoline, as well as a used oil storage tank.

Farm shop redesign

One of the most powerful changes on the farm was when the Semeniuks built their shop last year. They built the 50x60-foot shop in order to save costs by doing more in-house maintenance. These days, the dealership’s mechanics come to the farm to service the equipment and the Semeniuks save on the high cost of trucking their equipment to the dealership. They created their shop blueprints with environmental sustainability in mind. For example, the shop’s concrete floors are heated by an in-floor heating system, powered by a high-efficiency boiler. They also chose to install a closed containment system. A floor drain con-

CANTERRA 1970 2 Very Good 3 Good

nects to a two-compartment sump and a 2,000-gallon holding tank. The tank is regularly pumped out by a truck which then transports the waste to a disposal facility. This feature ensures that shop waste is properly disposed of, minimizing potential risks to the environment. “Building the shop, we were trying to think what would help environmentally,” Semeniuk says. “The containment system, more efficient lighting, an efficient boiler system; things like that all played a part when we were building it. We could have just put walls up and put some cement down, but we really thought and planned.”

Protecting wetlands

One continuing focus is protecting their wetlands while continuing to maximize their acreage. Currently, a dugout on

one of the Semeniuk’s properties is protected by a grassy buffer zone, a feature which helps separate valuable riparian areas from cultivated fields and more intensively used land. Semeniuk says the grass in the buffer zone is cut only in the fall, to ensure nesting of waterfowl is not disrupted. As they clear trees in order to bring a new quarter section of their land into production, the Semeniuks are keeping a close eye on wetland protection. They have identified one area that is very low and they will retain the natural state of that area, ensuring there is a buffer zone of natural grass, trees and shrubs around the water. In spring, they will take a closer look at the remainder of that property to get a clear picture of the natural flow of water as they build future plans for wetland protection. Angela adds they will continue to use their EFP as a guideline to ensure the quality of their water sources is preserved and protected. “Our goal is to make the land as efficient as possible without destroying it,” Semeniuk says. “Each quarter we own has at least one low spot with water and trees in it. We will keep those and a buffer zone of grass and trees around them to protect them and the wildlife which inhabits them.” Semeniuk says she is planning to update the family’s EFP in the future and is looking forward to determining how the updates they’ve made affect their ratings. “I don’t think you can run a business without really knowing your environmental impact; you need to know that,” she says. “We have to make sure, especially farmers, that we can keep producing food. That’s the way we look at it — it’s not just about making money, it’s about feeding people.” More information on EFPs in Alberta is available at www.albertefp.com. More Meristem articles at www.meristem.com.

DOES YOUR STANDABILITY MEASURE UP? SEE FOR YOURSELF Always follow grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Details of these requirements can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication.

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Online education opens up new learning opportunities Gaps } An estimated 72,000 rural households are still without high-speed Internet access by rebecca dika

af contributor / grande prairie

hen Wendy Walter, operator of an educational nursery near Grande Prairie, wanted to enhance her skills, she didn’t have to look — or travel — far. Once in her office chair, Walter had access to all the resources and expertise offered by Olds College, even though she is 700 kilometres away. Walter recently completed the Prairie Horticulture Certificate program offered in partnership with Assiniboine Community College, University of Manitoba and University of Saskatchewan. Olds College is part of eCampusAlberta, a consortium of 16 post-secondary institutions offering access to more than 60 accredited online certificate, diploma and applied degree programs and 800 individual courses. High-speed Internet access has presented entire new business streams for institutions such as Olds College whose School of Agriculture has offered an online Animal Health Technology program since 2007. The program is capped at 30 students, and is full every year. Students take the online courses during the regular academic year and then attend the campus for the hands-on portion of their programs in the summer. A new online veterinary practice manager certificate program is in development. The college is also working to enhance the agronomy online course offerings. The program began in the spring of 2008 and includes four online courses as well as a residency component, says

The eCampusAlberta consortium recorded an 11 per cent increase in course registrations last year. Mary Jane Block, the Olds College Continuing Education program manager (Agriculture, Land & Environment). Students gain practical training in cropproduction systems, nutrition and protection in the program, which is capped at 20 and often runs at capacity. Block said students include producers, retail ag employees and foreigners wishing to enhance their knowledge of western Canadian crops and practices. The Rural Finance & Entrepreneurship Certificate Program, rolled out last September, had an initial enrolment of 17 which jumped to 39 in the next semester. The program is 100 per cent online,

and Block said it plays primarily to a producer audience, usually participants who want to enhance bookkeeping skills or others who are taking over the family farm. “The most frequent feedback we get is that the training we offer can be put into practice the same day,” said Block. “You can get an accounting course anywhere, but where can you get agricultural accounting training?”

Connectivity gaps

The eCampusAlberta consortium recorded an 11 per cent increase in course registrations last year — its eighth consecutive year of double-digit

growth. But with an estimated 72,000 rural households still without highspeed Internet access, there are still a few hurdles. SuperNet, a $300-million, 12,000-kilometre high-speed fibre network, was rolled out in 2005 to nearly 430 communities. Private Internet service providers could then supply the “final mile” of the connection between the network and individual households. Doing that cost effectively wasn’t so easy and as 2011 wound down, some six per cent of households were still without access to high-speed Internet. This January, the province introduced the $5-million Rural Community Program to support local municipalities in securing high-speed access. It is meant to support 75 per cent of eligible project costs to help pay for needed infrastructure such as towers and fibre optic cable, installation costs and other related expenses. The Final Mile Rural Connectivity Initiative pledged another $10.5 million in March toward making highspeed Internet available to an estimated 43,600 households, using a variety of approaches including satellite and wireless. The province is making up to $900,000 available for a remote-area satellite solution that will reduce the distance costs of accessing high-speed Internet for Albertans living in low-density and remote areas. In the next phase, the government is working with Internet service providers to add infrastructure to the remainder of unserved areas in rural Alberta, including the extreme north and south of the province.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Africa can easily grow wheat, says new study POTENTIAL  CIMMYT says production now at only 10 to 25 per cent of what is possible can nations would spend about $12 billion to import 40 million tonnes of wheat in 2012, particularly for fast-growing cities. More wheat should not be grown at the expense of other more viable crops, Braun said.

BY ALISTER DOYLE REUTERS

Wheat fields in Western Cape Province, South Africa. A new study says more wheat can be grown in African highland areas. ©THINKSTOCK and 25 per cent of the amounts that the centre’s research suggested was “biologically possible and economically profitable” with a net return of $200 per hectare. The 89-page study, issued at a wheat conference in Ethiopia, said it aimed to identify ways to raise wheat production as “a hedge against food insecurity,

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The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) interim board of directors has announced its inaugural call for nominations. The AWC is seeking nominations for two directors and three regional representatives in each of its five regions. To be eligible, producers must grow wheat in their region and have paid a checkoff to the AWC. Directors and regional representatives will represent growers in their respective regions. Nomination forms need to be signed by at least three eligible producers from the region a producer is being nominated in, and be accompanied by the written consent of the eligible producer who is being nominated. The initial terms of office for directors and regional representatives are: Region 1 – one year Region 2 – two years Region 3 – three years Region 4 – two years Region 5 – one year Elections will take place at the following AWC regional meetings: Region 1 – Lethbridge, Nov. 21 Region 2 – Strathmore, Nov. 19 Region 3 – Red Deer, Nov. 30 Region 4 – Vermilion, Nov. 22 Region 5 – Fairview, Nov. 16 Call-out for nomination information and the nomination form are available on the AWC website, or by calling Elizabeth Tokariuk, office administrator at 403-345-6550. Nominations must be filed in writing and received on or before Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012.

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political instability and price shocks.” “Wheat is not an African crop, it is not a tropical crop (but) many governments want to produce wheat locally instead of paying for imports,” Hans-Joachim Braun, director of the centre’s global wheat program, told Reuters by telephone. The report estimated that Afri-

Braun said wheat was already an established crop in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa but could easily expand to highland areas in other sub-Saharan nations. “Wheat cannot be produced in tropical lowlands,” he added. Twelve nations in sub-Saharan Africa produced almost six million tonnes of wheat a year in the period 2006-08, the study showed. And wheat consumption was rising fast. A rise in incomes and a shift to cities from the countryside also meant a shift in diets towards wheat and rice, away from crops including maize, sorghum, sweet potato, cassava or yams. The study suggested that, with investments including in fertiliz-

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heat production in subSaharan Africa is at only 10 to 25 per cent of its potential and nations can easily grow more to limit hunger, price shocks and political instability, says a new study. The report, examining environmental conditions of 12 nations from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe, said that farmers south of the Sahara grew only 44 per cent of the wheat consumed locally, meaning dependence on international markets prone to price spikes. “Sub-Saharan Africa has extensive areas of land that are suitable for profitably producing wheat under rain-fed conditions,” according to the study by the non-profit International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT). It said countries in the region were producing only between 10

ers, wheat yields would be highest in the highlands of countries including Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda. Mozambique, Angola and Zimbabwe were least suited to wheat in rain-fed areas, it said. Zimbabwe, however, is one of the most productive of the wheat-growing nations in Africa but depends heavily on irrigation. “If Africa does not push for wheat self-sufficiency, it could face more hunger, instability and even political violence, as bread riots in North Africa showed in recent years,” Bekele Shiferaw, a lead author of the study, said in a statement. Braun said it was hard to say when African nations might reach self-sufficiency in wheat if they tried. “The biological potential is there. But you also need access to markets. The big issue is the road infrastructure. It doesn’t help very much if the farm is far from the cities,” he said.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Dairy will be processing organic cow’s milk Expansion } Company plans to add a yogurt product line ALMA

Cherylynn and Patrick Bos operate Rock Ridge Dairy, which sells products under five brands. Photo: Andrew Beattie

he departure of Saxby Foods in January represented a market opportunity for another processor to offer dairy products using organic milk. In partnership with the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), Rock Ridge Dairy, a Ponokabased, family-owned processor, is upgrading their facility to allow them to offer organic cow’s milk and other organic product lines. Currently, Rock Ridge produces goat dairy products such as whole natural goat milk, chèvre (soft goat cheese) and feta. The first phase of the facility upgrade was achieving organic certification and licensing from Alberta Milk allowing Rock Ridge to process organic cow’s milk. The second phase of the project included significant modifications to the facility, effectively doubling the processing capacity. Rock Ridge also installed a large vat pasteurizer

to increase their chèvre production and add a yogurt product line in the near future. To market the new product lines, Rock Ridge integrated new labelling equipment to accommodate the different package sizes and shapes. With the expanded operations, Rock Ridge is putting new energy into branding and further product development. Rock Ridge operates under five brands — Rock Ridge Dairy, Happy Days, Emma, Western Family and Oak Island — and is looking to add the organic cow’s milk to the flagship Rock Ridge Dairy brand. With this upgrade, Rock Ridge Dairy becomes a unique processor with the capability to process and market products created from goat’s or cow’s milk. Cherylynn Bos, co-founder of Rock Ridge Dairy, said, “We are really excited to begin processing organic milk. It strengthens our business and helps us provide locally produced specialty products to Albertans.”

U.S. says does not support strategic grains stocks idea Uncertainty }

Representative says policy would encourage corruption Rome/Reuters

The United States does not support the idea of creating strategic grains stocks to tame volatile food prices, a U.S. representative told a ministerial meeting on the food market situation at the United Nations’ food agency Oct. 16. “The United States generally opposes the creation of regional or global food reserve systems to manage price volatility,” U.S. ambassador to the United Nations agencies in Rome David Lane told the meeting at the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “The fiscal, logistical and governance costs of regional reserves are considerable and could divert limited and valuable resources away from sustainable solutions, such as targeted support to producers, safety nets for poor consumers and increased investment in transportation and distribution infrastructure,” he said. He warned that stocks can also encourage hoarding and corruption in the food system and can create uncertainty in markets due to the unpredictable timing and size of the release of stocks. France’s agriculture minister had told Reuters in an interview on Monday he did not expect to reach a deal in the short term on France’s strategic stocks proposal due to scant international support but said that he would keep pushing for the idea.

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Albertafarmexpress.ca • October 22, 2012

Mustard prices seen having room to move up Contracts } Production not what expected due to weather problems By Phil Franz-Warkentin Commodity News Service Canada

smaller-than-expected mustard crop in Western Canada this year should keep values well supported going forward, especially as end-users are already looking to secure supplies through the spot market, according to an industry official. Yellow mustard and brown mustard bids have some room to the upside, as a number of end-users are starting to be short of product, said Baine Fritzler, vice-president of the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission. “Their contracted production didn’t come in where they thought it would be, and they lost some to weather this summer,” he said adding that “there is no downside in the market, and we might see a two- or threecent upside.”

At this time of year, the endusers should be bringing in contracted product and not be in the spot market, said Fritzler. However, some buyers were already in the spot market. According to the latest Statistics Canada production survey, released Oct. 4, Canadian farmers grew 125,500 tonnes of mustard in 2012-13, a slight improvement on the 124,800 tonnes grown the previous year. However, that was well off the 138,200-tonne crop forecast in July. Fritzler said dryness in parts of Saskatchewan and hailstorms in the mustard-growing region of Alberta cut into the size of the crop. Yellow mustard is currently priced at 35 to 37 cents per pound, delivered to the elevator, while brown mustard bids top out at 32 cents and oriental at 25 cents, according to the latest Prairie Ag Hotwire data.

Ukraine will not limit barley, maize exports — ag minister Favourable prospects } Winter

grain sowing for the 2013 harvest is almost complete

By Pavel Polityuk Kiev / Reuters

StatsCan says Canadian farmers grew 125,500 tonnes of mustard in 2012.

T:10”

Ukraine will impose no limits on exports of barley and maize in the current marketing season, Agriculture Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk said Oct. 16, adding that the former Soviet republic would export over two million tonnes of grain this month. “Moreover, we will encourage the exports of feed grains,” Prysyazhnyuk said on the sidelines of an international grain conference in Kiev. The ministry gave no official export data for September, while some observers say the volume could total about 2.5 million tonnes with wheat dominating the shipments. “Regarding wheat exports... everything will depend on how we will complete winter grain sowing,” he added. Prysyazhnyuk said Ukraine had almost completed winter grain sowing for the 2013 harvest and only farms in the south needed more time due to the lack of moisture. Weather forecasters said recent heavy rains which covered almost all Ukrainian regions would help all crops to germinate and strengthen. Farms had sown 7.2 million hectares for the 2013 winter grain harvest as of Oct. 15, or 88 per cent of the originally forecast area, official data showed. Most crops have germinated and are in a good state. In September, the Agriculture Ministry and traders agreed that exports from the former Soviet republic would not exceed 19.4 million tonnes this season, including four million tonnes of wheat, three million tonnes of barley and 12.4 million tonnes of maize. Earlier, Prysyazhnyuk said the ministry had raised the export limit for wheat for 2012-13 season, adding one million tonnes to a previous four-milliontonne cap. “We... understand that we cannot export any more than 5.0 million tonnes of wheat this season,” he said. Traders and analysts, however, said that the country’s exportable wheat surplus could reach 5.5 to six million tonnes this season. Ukraine exported 5.4 million tonnes of wheat in 2011-12.

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

CUT AND BALED

With warm fall weather gracing much of Alberta, farmers were able to get their fields cut and baled before colder weather blew in during the first week of October. These hayfields are near Bragg Creek, Alta. PHOTO: WENDY DUDLEY

French seed company backs away from plan to field test GM corn POLITICAL CLIMATE 

Company says debate is too highly charged BY GUS TROMPIZ PARIS / REUTERS

French seed company Vilmorin & Cie SA has dropped plans to conduct field tests of genetically modified crops next year because debate over the technology remains too highly charged. “The political climate led us to put the question on hold for now,” said Daniel Jacquemond, the company’s finance director. “We don’t want to be provocative.” A study published last month by French researchers that raised health concerns about a type of maize (corn) made by Monsanto reignited controversy in France, where opposition to the technology is fierce and commercial planting of GM crops is banned. Vilmorin did not comment on the study, but argued GM crops were necessary to support agricultural production. “These are absolutely essential components for the competitiveness of agriculture including Europe,” said Jacquemond. Vilmorin, controlled by French farm co-operative Limagrain, has in the past carried out open-field tests of GM plants in France, but stopped such work after protesters ransacked test sites. It is continuing field trials in three other European Union countries, notably in Spain, which is the largest grower of GM maize in the 27-member EU.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Odds get longer on an El Niño winter UNCERTAIN  Conditions are in place, but models suggest it could be weak WEATHERFARM WEEKLY

t’s much less clear now than it was a few months ago whether we’ll see an El Niño winter in 2012-13, as several key indicators now suggest otherwise. El Niño — an abnormal warming in the equatorial Pacific Ocean — is typically tied to warmer-than-normal conditions from December through February in Western Canada and the Maritimes and wet conditions across the southern U.S. As we’ve said here before, it’s also tied to drought in crop-producing countries such as Australia and Brazil. Drought occurs in those affected countries and others at varying levels and different times during an El Niño event. The U.S. government’s Climate Prediction Center in Maryland said this month that equatorial sea surface temperatures (SST) stayed “elevated” in September

across the Pacific Ocean — which points to an El Niño event. But the margin of those anomalies dropped during that time and the anomalies in oceanic heat content — the average temperature in the upper 300 metres of the ocean — also weakened. “Due to the recent slowdown in the development of El Niño, it is not clear whether a fully coupled El Niño will emerge,” the centre said in its diagnostic discussion on the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effect. “The majority of models indicate that borderline ENSO-neutral/weak El Niño conditions will continue, and about half suggest that El Niño could develop, but remain weak.” On the other hand, variations in low-level westerly wind over the equatorial western Pacific Ocean “may portend possible strengthening of the subsurface anomalies in the coming months,” the centre said.

“The official forecast therefore favours the continuation of borderline ENSO-neutral/ weak El Niño conditions into Northern Hemisphere winter 2012-13, with the possibility of strengthening during the next few months.” The Australian government’s Bureau of Meteorology agrees with the U.S. centre, reporting Tuesday that the tropical Pacific “continued its retreat from El Niño thresholds for the second consecutive fortnight... remaining within the neutral range (neither El Niño nor La Niña).” Given the rate of ocean cooling and “continued neutral conditions” in the atmosphere, “the chance of an El Niño developing in 2012 has reduced further over the past fortnight,” the Australian bureau said. “However, some risk still remains while the trade winds in the western Pacific continue to be weaker than normal.”

EL NIÑO

WINTER

Atmospheric circulation departure from normal during an El Niño winter.

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UN says world food crisis unlikely, but urges action RISKS  FAO warns

of potential effect of speculative capital ROME / REUTERS

World food prices stabilized in August at levels close to those reached in the food crisis of 2008, but global grain stocks are likely to shrink this year as cereal crop output falls short of what is needed, says the United Nations food agency. The FAO Food Price Index, which measures monthly price changes for a food basket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy, meat and sugar, averaged 213 points in August, unchanged from July, when prices surged six per cent.

“Although we should remain vigilant, current prices do not justify talk of a world food crisis.” JOSE GRAZIANO DA SILVA FAO DIRECTOR GENERAL

The index is below a peak of 238 points hit in February 2011, when high food prices helped drive the Arab Spring uprisings. But it is still close to levels during the food price crisis in 2008. “Although we should remain vigilant, current prices do not justify talk of a world food crisis. But the international community can and should move to calm markets further,” said FAO director general Jose Graziano da Silva. “We are reassured that the drought problems in the U.S. will not pull us into a similar situation that we had in 2008.” The agency says there are still upside risks for food prices, such as the potential for speculative capital to return to markets.

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Help with harvest, then see the sights Down Under FARMAROOS  Australian recruiter offers “certainty” for young people embarking on working holidays BY DANIEL WINTERS

STAFF / SOURIS, MANITOBA

inished high school? Craving travel and adventure? Being a “farmaroo” in Australia is one way for farm kids to trade their farming skills and work ethic for an extended trip Down Under. “It’s a new way for young people to work, learn, and see Australia,” said Carling Henderson, who worked for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives before moving to Oz to join her fiancé two years ago. Henderson has travelled around Canada in recent weeks on behalf of Australian labour recruiter Dodgshun Medlin Regional Placements. Any Canadian aged 18 to 30, and who has no dependents or criminal record, is eligible for a one-year working holiday visa that costs $270 in Australian dollars (which are currently virtually at par with

the loonie) and can be extended for an additional year. And anyone with farm experience and willing to work hard will be welcomed with open arms, said Danny Conlin, an Australian farmer who also works for Dodgshun Medlin, an accounting firm that has branched out into agronomy, financial planning and recruiting. “We have a particular problem over harvest and seeding to find workers,” said Conlin. Those able to drive “chaser bins” and “headers” — grain carts and combines — are particularly in demand, he added. “A lot of our farmers are working 16- to 18-hour days over four to six weeks to try to get that done.” Under the program offered by Dodgshun Medlin, farm workers pay a one-time fee of AU$2,500 plus $250 in taxes, with half payable upon acceptance and the rest in installments over the first working period. They are

responsible for arranging their own working holiday visa and return airfare, and must pay an additional AU$330 for Australian health insurance coverage. In exchange for the fee, the company lines up jobs with the 25 modern, well-equipped farm families that belong to its program, two days of safety training at Longerengong Agriculture College near Melbourne, and above-average pay rates of at least AU$18 per hour. Most placements last six to eight weeks, or until seeding or harvesting is complete. After that, the workers can either pick up another harvest or seeding stint, or roam about the country and see the sights. Australian taxes are deducted at a rate of about 30 per cent, but foreign workers can apply to have them refunded. The farm families in the program are vetted by the company on the basis of the quality of their equipment and worker

accommodations. The farms range in size from 3,500 to 38,000 acres, and generally crop canola, wheat, barley or chickpeas, and use ultra-modern, GPS-guided equipment. “It’s all about getting a job before you leave Canada so you have something set up and you know what you are doing as soon as you get there,” said Henderson. “We make it easy for you to come to the country.” Paycheques are issued by Dodgshun Medlin, so workers can’t be exploited by unscrupulous operators. New arrivals are set up with a bank account and a pre-paid mobile phone. Harvest runs from late October to December and seeding begins in April and runs into May. Cost of living? The farm hosts provide food and free accommodation. And a pitcher of beer in local pubs costs about AU$3.50. For holidaying around the country, many visiting workers buy a cheap car, or purchase an

Hard work Has its own rewards. enjoy tHem all year round.

open bus and train ticket good for one year that allows them to “jump on and off” at various sites throughout Australia. “You can keep coming back and work for us again and again,” said Henderson. “Say after your first six weeks you go off to Bondi Beach for Christmas and spend a bit too much money, just give me a call. There’s always a farmer who needs help.” Henderson admitted adventurous types who want to save on the company fees can apply for the working holiday visa on their own and find their own job upon arrival in Australia, but said that the extra cost of joining the program is worth it in her view because it protects workers from being exploited.

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities

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

Get your interior finishing packages at UFA. Turn your cold storage structure into a comfortable working environment and keep your operation going strong all year round. Visit your local UFA Ranch & Supply store today.

Carling Henderson, a recruiter with Australian firm Dodgshun Medlin, explains how young people 18-30 can use their services to line up a working holiday in the land Down Under. PHOTO: DANIEL WINTERS

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Mismatched investors and borrowers cause African investments to languish RELUCTANT  Private investment funds don’t want to put their money into small farms BY HELEN NYAMBURA-MWAURA JOHANNESBURG / REUTERS

frican agriculture has a big investment problem: lots of private equity interest but few opportunities because most farms and companies are too small to absorb the cash or provide attractive returns. With only a third of its 630 million hectares of arable land under cultivation and large quantities of water flowing untapped, Africa is the last great agricultural frontier, its soil coveted by Asian giants such as China and India. Soaring grain prices and global food inflation are spurring investor interest in African farming, trends that are also eating into household income on the world’s poorest continent and threatening food riots like those seen in 2008. The stakes are high in a region where agriculture still accounts for about a third of gross domestic product but remains undeveloped and rain fed, with most farms tilled by peasants for subsistence instead of sale. “What Africa has going for itself is that it has the land availability and space to grow agricultural production in a much more significant manner,” said Joseph Rohm, a portfolio manager at Investec Asset Management,

A girl farms the land during the rainy season outside Gereida (South Darfur). REUTERS/ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN/UNAMID which oversees some $3 billion in Africa. African agriculture attracted $102 million worth of private equity investment in the first six months of 2012, compared with $54 million in the whole of 2011, according to the U.S.-based Emerging Markets Private Equity Association. Some of that was by Standard Chartered, which spent $74 million earlier this year on a minority stake in grain and fertilizer trader Export Trading Group and another $20 million for an indirect stake in Zimbabwe’s horticultural firm Ariston.

Small targets

The targets are either too small or too early in their development, and are grappling with price and weather risks, said Peter Baird, Standard Chartered’s head of private equity for Africa, making deals scarce. “It’s hard to either acquire existing assets or to cobble together investible opportunities,” he said. Many investors would rather put their money in the food chain rather than the actual farming, said Daniel Broby, chief investment officer at specialist frontier market investment manager Silk Invest.

The fund’s private equity arm is looking at a second closing for its $150 million African Food Fund by 2013 and has already invested in an Ethiopian biscuit manufacturer and a Nigerian fast-food chain. Standard Bank’s head of agriculture in Africa, Mohit Arora, said some seven economies with top agricultural potential need at least $25 billion in both public and private spending over the next three to eight years to grow the sector. Ethiopia alone requires $11 billion until 2020. However, a good chunk of the total private funds raised for the region remained idle last year, he said. “While the investors have gone out and raised quite a lot of money, putting that money to use is another thing,” Arora said.

Unlocking finance

Operating in Africa comes with its unique challenges like opaque land rights, fragmented land in some areas, lack of skills and poor or non-existent infrastructure. Even when there is ready financing, small farmers, who make up about 70 per cent of agricultural activity, are reluctant to borrow because many are financially illiterate, cannot write up business plans or are put off by high interest rates.

To address this the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is guaranteeing commercial bank loans for agriculture on one hand, and teaching farmers how to run their farms like enterprises on the other. So far, the Bill and Melinda Gates-supported organization has made available $17 million in guarantees that has enabled banks to lend another $160 million. Some governments are now catching up and giving similar incentives. Nigeria is offering commercial banks $500 million to unlock $3 billion. In Tanzania — where AGRA’s $2 million of guarantees to the National Microfinance Bank led to $10 million in loans — maize yields in some farms have tripled to 4.5 tonnes per hectare. “The private sector needs to see a viable business opportunity from the agriculture sector, and the agriculture actors need to practise their operations as a business,” said Nixon Bugo, an Innovative Financing officer at AGRA. With a one-billion-strong population growing at 2.3 per cent each year, governments are allocating more budget resources to farming but the amounts are still woefully low and the outlook for Africa’s hungry millions remains precarious.

Fall ch eck

list

Boo Rounkd Genuity up Re B o W ok Roun ady canola eather dup MAX B herbic ook w ide inter v acatio n

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

High demand and cheap natural gas prompt plan for giant nitrogen plant in Quebec

fall leap

Competition } Yet

another plant added to planned list

Fall colours are evident as this white-atailed doe bounds across the prairie landscape north of Hussar, Alberta. photo: kevin link

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winnipeg / reuters The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative (IFFCO), one of India’s largest fertilizer makers, plans to build a $1.2-billion nitrogen plant in Becancour, Que., with a Canadian partner to cash in on strong North American demand. IFFCO and La Coop federée plan to begin construction in two years, provided they can raise the remaining 45 per cent of the capital cost and pending a feasibility study, and start producing urea in 2017. The project is the latest in a series of announced plans for additional nitrogen capacity in North America, as high crop prices support demand and with new technology unlocking the key ingredient natural gas from shale rock. IFFCO and La Coop will face stiff competition from Norway’s Yara International ASA and Agrium, both of which plan to expand their nitrogen output. In the near term, a surplus of nitrogen production is unlikely, considering that the United States is a net importer of the fertilizer, said Claude Lafleur, CEO of La Coop. “The (crop) production in North America is increasing also, and corn needs a lot of nitrogen,” he said. “At the end of the day, if everybody goes and builds new facilities, it could lead to a glut, but we don’t see that in the next 10 years.” The U.S. imports more than two-thirds of its urea production, but still, if all the rumoured projects became reality North America would quickly have a surplus, said David Asbridge, president of NPK Fertilizer Advisory Services. “Even if we have three, possibly four new plants in North America in the next five years, that’s going to be a little price depressing,” Asbridge said.

} Set your local weather } Set news subjects relevant to your farm } Set notices on the futures contract prices of your choice } Alberta Farmer version is FREE to Download } Available for Android, iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones } Visit agreader.ca/afe today to download the app or text “afe” to 393939 to be sent the link. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

Farmers square off against animal lovers over badger cull CLASHES  Local police barred from taking leave in case of trouble between the two sides BY ALESSANDRA RIZZO

COALEY PEAK, ENGLAND / REUTERS

enseless massacre to some, a necessary evil to others, a plan to cull thousands of wild badgers to stem the spread of tuberculosis in cattle is sharply dividing rural England. Marksmen could start the cull any day but details are being kept secret for fear of clashes between farmers determined to protect their livestock and livelihoods and activists who have pledged to foil the plan by scaring away the badgers. Passions are running so high that police leave has been cancelled until the new year in Gloucestershire, one of two areas in southwestern England where the cull is being piloted, in case violence breaks out. At issue is how to stem the spread of bovine tuberculosis, which many farmers blame on roaming badgers, while saving a creature that holds a special place in English hearts. The disease in England has cost the taxpayer some 500 million pounds (C$795 million) over the past decade, as farmers were forced to destroy herds made unfit for human consumption. The debate is a sensitive one in Britain, where the mass slaughter of cattle to control disease in livestock has left deep scars in the farming community and government following mad cow and footand-mouth outbreaks in the past two decades. Scientists have found that badgers help spread the disease. Cull supporters say vaccinating the nocturnal creatures is difficult and costly, although some trials are underway. They argue that shooting badgers is the most efficient way to slow the spread of the disease, which is so acute some farmers have given up rearing cattle altogether. Critics, however, argue the science is far from conclusive. Some of the more militant animal rights

Proponents say culling 70 per cent of the badgers could eventually reduce TB by 16 per cent. activists say they will vandalize supermarkets selling products from farms involved in the cull, and the National Farmers’ Union says some of its members have received threatening letters and phone calls. Retired policeman Tony Dean, who has been watching badgers for 30 years, is among those appalled by the prospect of the killing. “They call it a cull. I call it a slaughter,” said the 79-year-old, pointing towards one area where the animals will be lured from underground after dark and shot. “For every badger they kill, I’m absolutely certain there’s going to be nine or 10 badly injured that will die a long, lingering death,” he said.

“Queen” legend is not amused

Under the plan, badgers will be shot for six consecutive weeks in each of the next four years in parts of Gloucestershire and the neighbouring county of Somerset. The aim is to reduce the badger population by 70 per cent. “Of course nobody wants to be going out there and killing bad-

gers,” said Tom Rabbetts, a policy adviser for the National Farmers’ Union. “Unfortunately it is the lesser of two evils.” Lengthy government trials have suggested culling could lead to a net reduction in TB in cattle, with a decrease within the cull area only partly offset by a rise outside, as badgers that survived ranged more widely. The trials also found that, if less than 70 per cent of the badgers in the area were killed, the wider spread might outweigh any benefit. The pilot areas for the current cull have been designed to limit the potential for spreading by using boundaries like rivers and motorways. Animal rights activists say the same trials showed badgers had a marginal role at most. They point to a 2007 study at the end of the trials that said culling made no meaningful contribution to eradicating cattle TB. Celebrities have joined the debate on saving the badger in Britain, where the popular image of the wise if curmudgeonly Mr. Badger from the classic children’s book The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, lives on. Brian May, guitarist of the rock band Queen, has started an anticull petition that has gathered about 150,000 signatures. He said he was sure there would be clashes but urged parties to refrain from any intimidating behaviour. “There are a lot of people in Gloucestershire and Somerset who have this on their doorsteps and they don’t want it, so they have every right to protest in a lawful way,” May said, speaking at an

©THINKSTOCK

event at the European Parliament in Brussels.

Trauma

The culling debate is also being driven by memories of the thick smoke billowing from the pyres used to burn infected herds during outbreaks of disease in the last 20 years. Mad cow disease in the mid1990s led to the slaughter of millions of animals and prompted foreign bans on British beef, devastating the farming sector. In 2001, foot-and-mouth cost agriculture and tourism an estimated 8.5 billion pounds (C$13.5 billion), with more than six million animals slaughtered. Rabbetts, the farmers’ union adviser, argued that farmers are unfairly tagged as heartless because they produce animals for meat. “But actually you don’t want to kill an animal early,” he said. “It can be really heartbreaking.” Culling the badgers can eventually reduce TB by 16 per cent, he says. In 2010, one-quarter of cattle farms in southwestern England recorded cases of TB, prompting the slaughter a year later of about 26,000 of the animals, according to the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Gavin Grant, head of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said culls are ineffective. “There is no good reason why this cull is taking place and there is every good reason to oppose it. At best, it’s a distraction; at worst, it’s a disaster,” he said.

“Of course nobody wants to be going out there and killing badgers. Unfortunately it is the lesser of two evils.” TOM RABBETTS NFU

Vaccination

Grant said the cull diverted attention from the need to press the European Union to approve a vaccine for cattle, and in the meantime vaccinate badgers and introduce better measures to prevent cow-to-cow transmission. He has urged supermarkets to adopt badger-friendly labels so customers know which products come from farms that have culled badgers. In the market town of Stroud, in Gloucestershire, graffiti sprayed beside a canal feature the blackand-white face of a badger and, in blood-red paint, its plea: “Don’t Kill Me.” But at the weekly farmers’ market, packed with stalls selling fresh farmhouse cheeses and locally raised meat, Stan Jones of Hinton Marsh Farm said bovine TB had forced him to slaughter about 10 cows in recent years. “They’ve got to do something about it because there’s so many cows being killed,” said Jones, 69.

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8/22/12 1:33 PM

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

WINNERS SURPRISED BY UFA REPS TOP PHOTO: The UFA presented Bob Fraser of High River and Herb Serfas of Turin, with brand new 2012 Ford F-250s. The two members were surprised by UFA representatives who delivered the news and thanked the men for their ongoing patronage. BOTTOM PHOTO: Fraser had been visiting with his UFA member relations representative, Rudy Nordin, and the agent at the UFA Petroleum Agency in town, Dan Ritz, when a new Ford F-250 — complete with his name decaled on the side rolled up. The UFA team went down to Picture Butte to surprise Herb Serfas, who farms with two of his sons Mark and Kevin. A honking F-250 pulled into their yard as they were meeting with the Picture Butte UFA petroleum agent Don Shimek and member relations representative, Rudy Nordin. The UFA Fuel Up For a Pick-Up™ contest automatically qualifies participants with every purchase of 2,000 litres or more of marked agricultural fuel through the month of August for an entry to win one of two brand new 2012 Ford F-250 XLT 4x4 Super Cabs. The program has been in place for three years as a way to reward our customers and stock up Alberta growers and producers with new equipment for their operations.

Dry Prairies need a soaking, but it may not come until spring EL NIÑO  Reduced likelihood could mean

more snow this winter

BY TERRYN SHIELLS

COMMODITY NEWS SERVICE CANADA

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ields across Western Canada are in desperate need of some precipitation ahead of winter freeze-up, but time is running out. Freeze-up usually occurs sometime between the end of October and mid-November and while some regions have seen some precipitation, most areas are very dry, said Bruce Burnett, weather analyst with CWB. The snowfall picture for Western Canada is improving, said Drew Lerner, weather specialist with World Weather Inc. in Kansas. Lerner recently changed his winter precipitation forecast for Western Canada because the influence of El Niño in the region is starting to wane. If El Niño was still a strong presence, it would be a dry winter. Lerner now predicts near- to below-average precipitation with warmer-than-average temperatures.

“I think we’ll have adequate snow during the coldest periods, but the depths are definitely going to be low,” Lerner said. “And when we come into spring the moisture in the topsoil will probably be a little below average.” And soil moisture levels next spring will be lower than they were this past spring, he said. Snowmelt would improve moisture levels, but frost will most likely prevent it from penetrating the soil. Farmers are going to have to be patient, Lerner said. “We will need a greater amount of precipitation to restore topsoil moisture before we can get into planting some of these areas in the spring of 2013,” he said. “I think we’ll get it, but it may not come right away.” When precipitation does come, it will probably be abundant — perhaps too abundant, he added. “We don’t want too much moisture when we’re trying to access the fields,” he said.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

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OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

FARM MACHINERY Grain Bins

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

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

BUYING SPRING THRASHED CANOLA & GRAIN “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN Wheat, Barley, Oats, Peas, etc. Green or Heated Canola/Flax

1-877-641-2798

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories

BUYING:

• Competitive Prices • Prompt Movement • Spring Thrashed “ON FARM PICK UP”

1-877-250-5252

CANOLA WANTED

Heated, Green, Damaged Buying all levels of damaged canola. Excellent Market Prices. Bonded, Insured.

Geared For The Future

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Baling

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Swathers

JD 55 COMBINE, EXC. cond, always shedded; antique JD grain binder, 1936 w/book, (780)786-4310, Mayerthorpe, AB. NEW TRACTOR PARTS and engine rebuild kits, specializing in hard to find parts for older tractors, tractor seats, service and owners manuals, decals and much more, our 38th year! 1 800-481-1353, www.diamondfarmtractorparts.com

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Case/IH 2002 CASE IH 2388, AFX rotor, 30ft cutter, Excellent condition, $130,000. Phone (403)877-2020, Lacombe, AB.

1992 CIH 1660, EXTRA clean, 1800 hrs, pu header, $23,500; NH TR95, 2200 hrs, excellent condition, $6,450, both field ready, (403)392-8081, Red Deer, AB

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

10/12-19585_2A

LOW HRS; KOMATSU WA 320-1 3yd loader; 122 trackhoe; (306)236-8023

FARM MACHINERY Sprayers

10/11/12 12:19 PM

SPRAYERS!

Are you having bad dreams about spraying your crops? COMBINE WORLD located 20 min, E of Saskatoon, SK on Hwy. #16. 1 year warranty on all new, used and rebuilt parts. Canada’s largest inventory of late model combines & swathers. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

Put money in your pocket!

Combine ACCessories FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile Wire Spooler

• JD • CIH • ROGATOR • WILMAR • SPRA COUP

Increase your productivity, ease your Operator’s fatigue level!

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

ALL THE TOP BRANDS!

Because if you have this thought for more than 4 minutes you should call Ken Deal about a sprayer!

CIH 1010 22-1/2FT, STRAIGHT cut header, w/pu reel, excelelent condition, $7,000, (403)784-3248, Clive, Ab.

We can turn your nightmare into a dream come true!

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.

KEN DEAL EQUIPMENT

“LIKE MANY BEFORE, WE’LL HAVE YOU SAYING THERE’S NO DEAL LIKE A KEN DEAL” •Phone: (403)526-9644 •Cell: (403)504-4929 •Greg Dorsett (403)952-6622 •Email: kendeal@shaw.ca

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

1-888-413-3325

CONTRACTING

Buy and Sell

anything you need through the

NEW WOBBLE BOXES for Macdon, JD, NH, IH, headers. Made in Europe, factory quality. Get it direct from Western Canda’s sole distributor starting at $995. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

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

www.bigtractorparts.com

ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: CULTIVATORS, DISCS, Plows, Blades, Post pounders, Haying Equipment, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, Ab.

19585-2A CPSClassified_4x4_BW.indd 1

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

CUSTOM COMBINING, 2388 CASE IHC, 20ft cutter, contact Pete Wierenga @(403)782-2596 or Cell: 403-877-2020

1-800-982-1769

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Various

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS

CONTRACTING Custom Harvest

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.

Ask your CPS retailer about the PrePay program and earn 5% toward your crop input purchases.

Combines

INC.

ANTIQUES Antique Equipment

STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

Earn

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

CALL 1-866-388-6284 www.milliganbiotech.com

ANTIQUES

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

Big Tractor Parts, Inc.

MACDON 972 30FT SWATHER header, 2002, split pu reel, triple delivery, excellent condition (403)886-4285

HEATED & GREEN CANOLA

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories

Tillage & Seeding

1-888-413-3325

Farming is enough of a gamble, advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express classified section. It’s a sure thing. 1-888-413-3325.

FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Tillage

JD 2210, LDR, 3PTH, MFD JD 4050 fwa, 3pth loader JD 4250 c/w loader JD 4320 loader avail. JD 4440, loader available JD 4450 c/w loader JD 6410 3pth, FWA, loader available JD 746 loader, new Mustang 2044 Skidsteer, 1300hrs. Kello 10ft model 210 disc Clamp on duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 158 & 148, 265, 740, 280, JD loaders

See my display in the RED DEER AGRICENTER WEST BUILDING - IN BOOTH #6017 NOVEMBER 7TH-10TH WITH DUTCH BUNNING DISTRIBUTION (THE BIG GREEN BUNNING MANURE SPREADER)

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

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

Double LL Industries 780.905.8565 Nisku, Alberta

2009 John Deere 5101E

1987 John Deere 2950

2001 Kubota M9580

2005 Toyota 25 Forklift

FWA, 101 Eng HP, 84 Pto HP, 520 Hours, 3PTH, Made In USA, John Deere 563 S/L Loader

4065 Hours, 85 Pto HP, 97 Eng HP, 3PTH, 260 S/L Loader

FWA Tractor, 95 HP Diesel, 4767 Hours, 3PTH

5000 lb Lift

IH 800 12 BOTOM plow; 40ft Blanchard crow foot packer bar; 41-35ft Flexicoil 700 chisel plow, excellent trash clearance, w/spikes and harrows (780)623-1008

TracTors FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Kubota

Earn Profit from our experience. Make a PrePay program deposit to your CPS account and earn 5% toward crop input purchases. Ask at your local CPS retail store.

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

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various CASE IH 1990, 7110, 2WD, 18 spd, 4 rev. 1000/540 PTO, 130hp,; 1984 Hesston, 1580 DT, fwa, 140hp, 1000/540 pto, c/w 125 ezee on high lift loader; 1983 Ford 3/4T F250, 4x4, c/w suburban bale handler. (403)577-2296, 403-575-0987, Consort, Ab. NEW TRACTOR PARTS and engine rebuild kits, specializing in hard to find parts for older tractors, tractor seats, service and owners manuals, decals and much more, our 38th year! 1 800-481-1353, www.diamondfarmtractorparts.com

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

Advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express Classifieds, it’s a Sure Thing! 10/12-19585_1A

1-888-413-3325 19585-1A CPSClassified_4x4_BW.indd 1

10/11/12 12:18 PM

45,000

$ 19,500 28,500 www.doublellindustries.com $

JD 9400, 9420, 9520, 8970 JD 7810 & 7210, FWA JD 9860, 9760, 9750, 9650, 9600 JD 9430, 9530, 9630 CIH 8010 w/RWD, lateral tilt, duals 900 hrs. Case STX 375, 425, 430, 450, 480, 500, 530 CIH 8010-2388, 2188 combine CIH 435Q, 535Q, 450Q, 550Q, 600Q pto avail. NH TJ 450, New Triples, Big Pump 8100 Wilmar Sprayer

5,800

JD 4710, 4720, 4730, 4830, 4920, 4930 SP sprayers JD 9770 & 9870 w/CM & duals CIH 3185, 3230, 3330, 4430, 4420 sprayers 9580 Kubota, FWA, FEL, low hours 3545 MF w/FWA FEL GOOD SELECTION OF JD & CASE HEADERS: 635F, 636D AND MANY MORE CASE & JD

“LIKE MANY BEFORE, WE’LL HAVE YOU SAYING THERE’S NO DEAL LIKE A KEN DEAL” •Phone: (403)526-9644 •Cell: (403)504-4929 •Greg Dorsett (403)952-6622 •Email: kendeal@shaw.ca

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 22, 2012

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous Used Flexicoil Aircarts, 4350, 3850,3450, 2340, 2320,1720 & 1330..........................................................................Call Flexicoil 6 run seed treater .......................................$2,000 2006 51’ Flexicoil 5000 airdrill, 10”, 5.5” rubber packers...........................................................................Call 2006, 39’ Flexicoil 5000 airdrill 10”, 5.5 rubber packers, double chute, used 1 year, like new................................Call 32’ NEW 820 Flexicoil chisel plow 4/bar mounted harrows, spikes, list $58,000, special CNT...........$38,000 134’ Flexicoil S68XL sprayer, 2007, suspended boom, auto rate, joystick, rinse tank, triple quick jets, auto boom height, electric end nozzle & foam marker ..........$39,500 130’ Flexicoil 67XL PT sparyer, 2006, trail boom, auto rate, rinse tank, hyd. pump, combo jets, nice shape................................................$26,500 51 Flexicoil Bodies c/w GEN. 4” carbide spread tip openers, single chute, like new ..................................$3,500 2940 Premier MacDon c/w 25’ 972 header w/PU reel .............................................................................$65,000 4800 Prairie Star MacDon diesel swather, c/w 25’ 960 header w/PU reel.............................................................$30,000 8110 Hesston diesel swather, c/w 25’ header & PU reel, nice shape ...........................................................................$32,500 2360 JD swather, gas, c/w 18’ table & PU reel ......................................................................................$7,500 30’ 8230 CIH PT swather, PU reel, nice shape, ....$10,000 25ft Hesston 1200 PT swather, pu reel, nice shape ..............................................................................$7,500 21ft Westward MacDon PT swather, pu reel, nice shape ....................................................................................$5000 1372 MF 13’ swing arm discbine 4yrs, like new ................................................................................. $20,000 MATR 10 wheel V-Hayrake, hyd. fold, as new .......................................................................................$5,250 New Hawes fuel tank & Hyd. motor w/ring drives for SP auger mover ..................................................................Call New Sakundiak 10x1200 (39.97’) 36HP Kohler eng., E-Kay mover, Power steering, electric belt tightener, work lights, slimfit, 12 gal. fuel tank........................................................................................$18,000 2002 JD 1820, 45-FT., 10-in. spacing, double shoot, dutch paired row, 3-1/2in steel, $23,500; 1996 Rogator 854, 800/gal, 80ft. 4x4, 2 sets tires, 3790/hrs, GFS boom, Raven auto-rake, Raven cruiser, GPS, spd. hydro. 195hp Cummins, $59,500; 1999 CAT 460 1300 sep. hrs, rake up $98,000; 2006 JD 567 mega-wide, mesh wrap, 5453/bales, $25,000; (403)665-2341, Craigmyle, AB. CASE IH 8230 HEAVY duty pull type swather. 1000 RPM. Great shape, always shedded; Bale trailer; Flail 3-PTH finishing mower. Call Ed (403)575-1423. RETIRED FROM FARMING, MOST machinery shedded, 1998 Peterbuilt, 460 Cummins, 18spd, w/36ft tandem Doepker grain trailer $75,000; Rock picker, $1,000; (403)586-0978, Torrington, Ab.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

Specialty LIVESTOCK Livestock Equipment

New Sakundiak 7x1200 (39.97’) , 22HP Robin-Subaru eng., battery & fuel tank.w/winter kit, battery & Fuel Tank ................................................................................................$7,500 New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps ..................................................Call 8x1600 (52.5’) Sakundiak auger c/w newer 30hp Koehler engine, gear box clutch, Hawes mover, spout, nice shape ...........................................................$10,000 Flexicoil 10”x 50’ Grain auger ....................................$2,500

HAYBUSTER 1000 TUB GRINDER; BP 25/bale processor, w/bunk conveyor and recutter; Sundance tub grinder; Oswald 400 feed wagon; New 4-5x7ft, 6-7x8ft treated fence posts; High tensile smooth wire (780)623-1008

REAL ESTATE

always shedded exc. cond..........................................................$7,000 18.4”x30” tractor grip tires on rims.........................................Call

New Outback E drive X c/w free E turns ...................................Call New Outback S-Lite.........................................................................$900 Used Outback 360 mapping........................................................$750 Used Outback S guidance.............................................................$750 Used Outback S2 guidance......................................................$1,000 Used Outback E drive Hyd. Kits. (JD,Case, Cat & NH) ......$500

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

ronsauer@shaw.ca

HEALTH CARE VISIT: WWW.TOYOURHEALTHPRODUCTS.CA For All your health care needs and read the testimonials that has helped other people by using the products. Call us (403)345-7788 collect

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

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

Australia-New Zealand – Jan/Feb 2013 Kenya-Tanzania – January 2013 South America – February 2013 Hawaii – February 2013 India – Feb/Mar 2013 Ukraine-Romania – May/June 2013 Switzerland-Austria – June/July 2013

CAREERS Employment Wanted

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

Visit us at the Red Deer Agri-Trade November 7 – 10, 2012 *Tours may be tax Deductible

Select Holidays 1-800-661-4326 www.SelectHolidays.com

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

New Outback Max GPS Guidance Monitor New Outback S3, STS, E drive, TC’s in stock

AGRICULTURE TOURS

5’X10’ PORTABLE CORRAL PANELS, 6 bar. New improved design. Storage Containers, 20’ & 40’ 1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722

2002 7000HD Highline bale Processor, c/w twine cutter,

Available......................................................................................Call

TRAVEL

LAND FOR SALE AT ELKTON Alberta, 20/ac, zoned agriculture, 1 hour NW of Calgary. $285,000 OBO (403)638-2232

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

WATER TREATMENT WANTED: HESSTON 60A STACKER any condition, preferably central Alberta area, also wanted a 60B stacker. (403)845-0414. (403)722-2409

CAREERS

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

CAREERS Employment Wanted EARN $75,000/yr PART TIME in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. 1-800-488-7570

1-888-413-3325

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Hay & Straw 500 ROUND BALES MIXED Alfalfa hay, $120/per ton, (403)638-2232, Cremona area HAY FOR SALE: large round 208 first cut Alfalfa/Timothy, 400 orchard/grass mix, $.04/per/pound, 300/bales second cut (both types) at $.05/per/pound, little or no rain, (780)696-2491, Breton, Ab. ROUND AND SQUARE HAY bales, excellent quality alfalfa timothy brome mix, shedded, good for horses & Cattle (780)967-2593, Calahoo, Ab. SMALL SQUARE BALES HORSE hay, Crossfield, Ab. 50/lb bales $3.00/per bale, green, no rain (587)329-1796, (403)613-4570

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

TIRES

CPS Prepay Program Ask your CPS retailer how to earn 5% toward your crop input purchases.

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

www.penta.ca

Tri-Axle 350 Bunning Manure Spreader For Sale: Wide Spread, Triple Axle, Rear Steering, Slurry Door, 2000 Bushels, Spring Suspension, 600/55R 22.5 Alliance Tires, 1000 PT0. (403)505-4610.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted

1-800-587-4711

IRON & STEEL

10/12-19585_3A

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

Watch your profits grow!

LIVESTOCK

WANTED: INTERNATIONAL 5000 SWATHER, needed hydrostatic pump. (403)638-2232

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Hereford

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

MINIATURE HEREFORD COW/CALF PAIRS for sale phone (780)363-2459 for details, No Sunday Calls please.

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

Stretch your advertising dollars! Place an ad in the classifieds. Our friendly staff is waiting for your call. 1-888-413-3325.

19585-3A CPSClassified_4x4_BW.indd 1 New 30.5L-32 16 ply, $2,195; 20.8-38 12 ply, $866; 18.4-38 12 ply, $783; 24.5-32 14 ply, $1,749; 14.9-24 12 ply, $356; 16.9-28 12 ply, $558. Factory direct. More sizes available new and used. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds. Place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifed section. 1-888-413-3325.

You’ll be surprised what you can find in the Alberta Farmer Express Classifieds Call 1-888-413-3325 & ask about our Prairie Wide Classifieds Book your ad for 3 weeks & get 2 weeks free

10/11/12 12:20 PM

Advertise with AFe Classifieds Place your ad today by calling Maureen at

1-888-413-3325

} harvest

OCTOBER 22, 2012 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Relief from rain in Argentina

Winter wheat planting slowed

Rains that have slowed Argentine corn sowing were expected to give way to sunshine last week, also setting the stage for easy planting of the country’s key soy crop and give some relief to the rain-delayed wheat harvest. “The net effect of all this water has been positive so far. Better too much rain than not enough. Of course that’s hard to tell a farmer whose fields are flooded,” said Tomas Parenti, an agronomist at the Rosario grains exchange. The exchange expects 2012-13 Argentine wheat production at 10.12 million tonnes, down 28 per cent from last year. — Reuters

Drought conditions in the United States grew even worse in the week ending Oct. 7 as historic drought conditions crept north and threatened new winter wheat planting in several states. September was the driest in 118 years of U.S. record-keeping for North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana and was the third-driest September for Nebraska and Oregon, said Mark Svoboda, a climatologist with the University of Nebraska’s National Drought Mitigation Center. Fully 69 per cent of the U.S. winter wheat area is suffering from some level of drought, Svoboda said.

The art and science behind building a snow fence Work saver } A properly placed snow fence can save a lot of shovelling this winter snow will be captured is the height of the fence. To capture 25 tonnes per metre you need a fence around four feet tall. To capture 100 tonnes per metre you’ll need a fence around eight feet tall.

by daniel bezte

ith winter just around the corner and some of us already having its first taste, I felt that it might be appropriate to write about something winter related. As I was putting up my own snow fence the idea just came to me. I knew I had written about snow fences before, but when I looked back, I discovered it has been over three years since I last touched on this subject. So I think it’s appropriate we revisit this topic because you never know, this might just be the winter we really need them! The information I used for this article came from a number of different sources and I’ve tried to summarize the information as best I could. For most of us, the No. 1 reason for putting up a snow fence is to prevent snowdrifts from forming where we don’t want them to — usually roads and driveways. The second major reason for building a snow fence is to try to capture snow in a particular area — either to use the snowmelt in the spring or to provide ground cover and insulation in the winter. In either case, the biggest mistake made when putting up a snow fence is not figuring out the capacity of the fence, or determining how much blowing snow, on average, the fence needs to capture. To estimate the quantity of blowing snow you could expect in a typical winter, you first need to figure out the fetch, or distance where wind can pick up snow and then deposit it. For most regions across the Prairies, the prevailing wind direction during blowing snow events is either north or south, so you need to determine how much open space there is in those directions. If you have huge wide-open spaces around you, then you don’t need to worry about distances longer than about four kilometres.

Leave a gap

Snow fences can either collect snow where it’s wanted, or keep it away from where it isn’t. the wind from where it fell, to a new location), but this depends greatly on how much natural trapping capacity there is (tall grasses, ditches, etc.) prior to the snow reaching your snow fence. If we use an example of a wide-open cultivated field with a fetch length of around 500 metres, you could expect

around 25 tonnes of snow to be transported per metre over the winter. This amount increases to around 100 tonnes per metre for fetches over 3,000 metres in length. So what does this mean? It means a snow fence will need to be sized and placed so it can capture this amount of snow. If a snow fence is too small, once

its capacity is full it will no longer be able to prevent drifting downwind. Also, if the fence is placed too close to the area you are trying to protect, the size of the drift may eventually cover the area, making the situation even worse. The main feature of a snow fence determining how much

Calculations

Snow amounts across the Prairies vary greatly from year to year, but during a typical winter most regions will expect around 100 cm of snow. On average, about 70 per cent of this snow will be relocated (moved by

This map shows the total precipitation across the Prairies during the 30-day period ending Oct. 11. Significant precipitation fell at the two extremes with eastern Manitoba and far-western Alberta seeing upwards of 50 mm. In between amounts were very light with much of central Saskatchewan seeing less than five mm.

Typically, pre-made snow fences are four to five feet tall, but most people don’t realize a small gap of around six inches should be left at the bottom of the fence and the ground. This gap helps to optimize the catching ability of the fence, and on a four-foot fence this extra six inches in height can increase the capacity of the fence by 30 per cent. For most places in our region, a 4.5- to 5.5-foot snow fence will do the job. If you find your situation needs a higher fence, you can either put the effort into increasing the height, or put up a double snow fence — two snow fences running parallel to each other, spaced using the guidelines in the next paragraph. A rule of thumb for the placement of a snow fence is that a fully grown drift can stretch downwind around 35 times the height of the fence. Therefore, a 4.5-foot fence is capable of producing a drift around 150 feet in length, but remember, this is the maximum length and in some years we never get enough snow or blowing snow to develop a full-size drift. When installing the fence, it should be placed perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction and should extend up to 10 times the fence height in either direction of the area that the fence is trying to protect. This will help take into account variation in wind direction. This means if the area you are trying to protect is 300 feet wide, your fence should extend around 50 feet past this area in each direction, giving you a 400foot fence. While nothing can beat your own personal experience when placing your snow fences, understanding how and why snow fences can work will help you tweak your current setup, allowing you to get the most bang for your buck. So while you never know just what type of winter we’ll have this year, a little forethought can go a long way when it comes to capturing snow.