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CWB issues final annual report from singledesk era Ownership of the board’s assets is still disputed

By Allan Dawson FBC staff

C

ereals sold through the Canadian Wheat Board last year fetched prices ranging from $7.48 to $15.30 a tonne more than U.S. prices, the board’s final annual report under the singledesk era shows.

The Canadian Wheat Board earned $7.2 billion in revenue, distributing $4.85 billion to farmers — the third highest for both on record — in 2011-12.

“We are actually very proud of those results in that final year given the change (ending the monopoly)... while the whole sales process was going on,” CWB president and CEO Ian White said in an interview May 14.

The annual report was tabled in the House of Commons Feb. 15 and posted on the CWB’s website early last month without any public announcement or followup meetings with farmers.

The wheat board sold 19.98 million tonnes of wheat, durum and barley in the crop year that ended July 31, 2012, up almost 500,000 tonnes from the year previous.

To measure its marketing performance early in the crop year the wheat board sets what it hopes to earn above American grain prices.

In 2011-12 it exceeded its targets.

The board wanted to earn an average of $6.50 a tonne more for wheat but beat it by $7.48 a tonne or 20 cents a bushel.

The target for durum and designated (malting) barley was $4.50 and $10 a tonne above the U.S., respectively, but came in $7.70 and $15.30 a tonne higher.

The results feed the ongoing dispute between former wheat board directors and the federal government over whether farmers should be compensated for the loss of the single desk as well as over the board’s assets.

Wheat research alliance coming to Saskatoon The program will focus on research that increases the yield of Canadian wheat

By Laura Rance fbc staff

T

he federal government has joined with the Saskatchewan government and the University of Saskatchewan to form a new Canadian Wheat Alliance dedicated to improving yields and profitability of wheat.

“The Canadian Wheat Alliance will improve the quality of Canadian wheat, and enhance Canada’s competitive position in the growing world market,” said federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a May 16 release. “The benefits of this alliance will flow throughout the entire value chain, strengthening our producers’ bottom lines and our overall economy.”

The Canadian Wheat Alliance will invest approximately $97 million over five years into genetic improvements as well as more efficient fertilizer use.

The Western Wheat Growers Association welcomed the announcement.

“We do need more research to reduce yield losses due to environmental factors,” said president Levi Wood. “This

funding will help develop new wheat varieties better able to withstand drought, frost and disease.”

The association commended the federal government, the province and the university for their leadership and commitment to research on behalf of wheat farmers.

The Grain Growers of Canada was also pleased.

“At the national Grains Roundtable recently, we created a work plan to identify overlaps and gaps in research between levels of governments, agencies of governments and the academic world,” said Richard Phillips, executive director of the Grain Growers. “That road map will help ensure we minimize duplication and also identify areas where more work is needed, to maximize the use of our public resources.

“We can use this model as a starting point to also leverage producer and private investments to put wheat innovation on a fast track in Canada,” said Phillips.

“Although we have not been happy with some research cutbacks, making more efficient use of the resources and infrastructure like greenhouses and laborato-

ries may mean as much or more progress at the end of the day.”

The alliance combines resources from the National Research Council of Canada, AAFC, with a $5-million contribution from the Saskatchewan government that will be used to support CWA activities and leverage contributions from other stakeholders, part of a $10-million commitment the province is making to wheat research over the next five years.

The University of Saskatchewan is contributing $1.4 million per year through in-kind contributions.

“With renowned plant-breeding expertise available in areas such as our Crop Development Centre, the University of Saskatchewan is a recognized leader in agricultural and food production research,” said Dr. Ilene BuschVishniac, University of Saskatchewan president. “Through this alliance, we will continue to work with our partners to further strengthen the knowledge and tools needed to improve wheat, a crop that brings nearly $4 billion annually to the farm gate in Canada.”

see WHEAT } page 6

SEE CWB } page 6

SCHOEPP:

explore forage and grass beef opportunities } PAGE 24

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news » inside this week

inside » Respected scientist retires from Cigi Linda Malcolmson spent 30 years improving the marketability of Canadian crops

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

livestock

crops

Free-run egg farm a bet on the future

A late start to seeding

columNists phil franz-warkentin

16

brenda schoepp take a new look at pastures and opportunities for grass-fed beef

Growing Forward with water Grants available under three programs to enhance water management and availability

Why a curling rock curls One of curling’s great mysteries has been solved Staff

Swedish researchers who specialize in studying friction and wear in industrial systems have uncovered the secret to why a curling rock curls.

The globally popular sport gets its name from the slightly curved or “curl” path the stones take when released by the player towards the target area nearly 30 metres away.

As soon as the player releases the stone, it is only affected by the friction against the ice. The friction can be slightly reduced, and therefore the sliding distance somewhat increased by intensively sweeping the ice just in front of the sliding stone.

The stone, which weighs nearly 20 kg rotates slowly based on the spin the player applies upon release and typically revolves two to three times during the 25 seconds it takes to travel the length of the sheet.

Despite years of speculations among the curlers and several scientific articles, so far no one has been able to present a good explanation to why the curling stones actually curl. Interestingly, other rotating objects sliding over a surface curl in the opposite direction (make a simple test by sliding, for example, a glass turned upside down over a slippery floor).

However, a team of Uppsala University researchers in Sweden found that the curved path is due to the microscopic roughness of the stone producing microscopic scratches in the ice sheet.

As the stone slides over the ice the roughness on its leading half produces small scratches or grooves in the ice. The rotation of the stone will give the scratches a slight deviation from the sliding direction. When the rough protrusions on the trailing half shortly pass the same area, they cross the scratches from the front in a small angle and have a tendency to follow them.

The importance of having a proper roughness of the sliding surface on the stone to give it the expected trajectory, is since long known among curlers, the Uppsala release says.

However, this has not previously been coupled to the steering mechanism. While working on their model the Uppsala researchers experimented with pre-scratching of the ice in various ways, and could then observe that also non-rotating stones could be guided.

Stones with very smooth, polished sliding surface were, however, not affected by the scratches.

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Weather and seeding progress dominate markets

A Camrose colony hedges on changing consumer demands

23

But with warm, dry weather, farmers are catching up quickly

24

Roy Lewis

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Summer is time to be on the lookout for lungworm

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Want to lose weight?

Eat bugs!

They are high protein, low fat and environmentally friendly

A cake filled with edible insects in the shape of the cookbook The Insect Cookbook is displayed at the University of Wageningen. Research by scientists at the university showed that insects could provide the best source of protein to meet the needs of a rising population. Currently, 70 per cent of agricultural land is used for livestock production. Photo: REUTERS/Michael Kooren

By Catherine Hornby rome / reuters

T

he thought of eating beetles, caterpillars and ants may give you the creeps, but the authors of a UN report published earlier this month said the health benefits of consuming nutritious insects could help fight obesity.

More than 1,900 species of insects are eaten around the world, mainly in Africa and Asia, but people in the West generally turn their noses up at the likes of grasshoppers, termites and other crunchy fare.

The authors of the study by the Forestry Department, part of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said many insects contained the same amount of protein and minerals as meat and more healthy fats doctors recommend in balanced diets.

“In the West we have a cultural bias, and think that because insects come from developing countries, they cannot be good,” said scientist Arnold van Huis from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, one of the authors of the report.

Eva Muller of the FAO said restaurants in Europe were starting to offer insect-based dishes, presenting them to diners as exotic delicacies.

Danish restaurant Noma, for example, crowned the world’s best for three years running in one poll, is renowned for ingredients including ants and fermented grasshoppers.

As well as helping in the costly battle against obesity, which the World Health Organization estimates has nearly doubled since 1980 and affects around 500 million people, the report said insect farming was likely to be less land dependent than traditional livestock and produce fewer greenhouse gases.

It would also provide business and export opportunities for poor people in developing countries, especially women, who are often responsible for collecting insects in rural communities.

Van Huis said barriers to enjoying dishes such as bee larvae yogurt were psychological — in a blind test carried out by his team, nine out of 10 people preferred meatballs made from roughly half meat and half mealworms to those made from meat.

More than 1,900 species of insects are eaten around the world, mainly in Africa and Asia, but people in the West generally turn their noses up at the likes of grasshoppers, termites and other crunchy fare.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

New research manager at Alberta Wheat Commission The wheat commission will be sharing office space with the Alberta Barley Commission beginning in August

Expert says farmers have to accept that consumers are now calling the shots Head of American lobby group says farmers require a ‘social licence’ to operate in today’s agriculture

By Alexis Kienlen

AWC release

T

he Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) is pleased to welcome Lauren Comin to their management team in the position of research manager.

Having completed her PhD in Bioresource and Food Engineering in 2011 at the University of Alberta, Comin comes to the AWC with a wealth of research knowledge in advanced grain processing, strong project management skills and a keen interest in food science and end-use demand.

“Lauren’s skills, knowledge and enthusiastic attitude will serve us well as we look to invest in innovative research projects that will bring new technologies and best management practices to Alberta’s wheat producers,” says Rick Istead, general manager of the AWC. Comin will be responsible for helping the board establish and implement their strategic direction for wheat research and then working with AWC’s research and extension partners implementing, monitoring and reporting on those projects that are designed to help Alberta’s wheat producers improve their bottom line.

The AWC also announced it has entered a resource sharing agreement with the Alberta Barley Commission.

The two organizations will now share the same office space at the Deerfoot Atria in northeastern Calgary near the airport as of August.

The AWC and the ABC have shared resources before, including booth space at trade shows and partnering in a communications campaign to educate farmers on the value of their checkoff dollars.

af staff / red deer

P

ublic relations and communication skills better be in your farm’s tool box, says the head of a U.S. organization dedicated to building consumer trust and confidence in the food system.

“Today’s environment requires us to earn and maintain a social licence to operate, which we define as the privilege of operating with minimal formalized restrictions based on maintaining public trust by doing what’s right,” Charlie Arnot of the Center for Food Integrity said at the recent Western Canadian Dairy Conference.

Government used to call the shots on what farmers could and couldn’t do, but

now it’s increasingly activist groups and retailers trying to market to fretful, skeptical consumers who are dictating what is and isn’t allowed, he said.

Farmers need to think about how to regain the trust of those consumers, Arnot said.

“Historically, we’ve always talked about the science, believing that the public will be logical and rational and come to our side of the argument,” he said.

But that’s no longer good enough, he added.

A survey of 6,000 U.S. consumers over three years found that a sense of shared values and ethics is now three to five times more important in building trust than competency or knowledge of science, he said.

“That’s a watershed for those of us involved in agriculture, particularly those of us involved in agricultural

“There’s growing skepticism about whether or not we care about the same things that consumers do.”

Charlie Arnot chief executive officer of the Center for Food Integrity

communication,” said Arnot. “There’s growing skepticism about whether or not we care about the same things that consumers do. That skepticism erodes social licence and threatens your ability to operate.”

The survey also found that women have a higher distrust of the food system and that a high number of consumers don’t believe operators of large commercial farms share their values. Most people don’t understand that most large farms are family run, he added.

Farmers need to talk about that, and about the environmental, consumer and social benefits they provide. A good place to start is to talk about why you farm, he said.

“What makes you get up in the morning in horrific weather to make sure the cows are cared for, and that you’re producing a high-quality, safe product for consumers on a daily basis?” asked Arnot. “What is it that drives you? Articulate that, put it on paper, and own it.”

But also back up your words with facts, he added.

“We also have to have objective, measurable data to prove the claims we’re making,” Arnot said.

He also said farmers should assume that any problems will come to light, and that requires them to be open and honest, and also ensure their message isn’t undermined by a few bad apples.

“Each of you has a vested interest in how every one of you operates,” he said. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

CFIA reviews what makes ‘local’ food local It’s part of a larger review of food labelling underway

by Dave Bedard Staff

F

ederal food inspectors will now allow a much broader geographic definition in food marketers’ use of the word “local” while the label claim undergoes regulatory review.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said May 10 it will include that particular label claim, among others, in its broader review of federal food labelling regulations, guidelines and policies.

Until now, CFIA has interpreted terms such as “local” and “locally grown” to mean a food that originated either within a 50-km radius of the place where it was sold, or within the same or an adjacent “local government unit” (for example, a town, county or municipality).

However, the agency said it now recognizes “this approach is outdated and does not reflect current food production practices or consumer needs and expectations.”

CFIA said its new interim policy recognizes “local” as food produced in the province or territory in which it’s sold — or as food sold across provincial borders but within 50 km of the

originating province or territory.

The new interim policy will be implemented immediately, and will stay in effect until the agency’s labelling review is complete.

Meanwhile, food marketers’ use of the claim “local” is still subject to rules on false and misleading claims in both the Food and Drugs Act and Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the agency warned.

The agency emphasized that claims such as “local” are voluntary. The industry is also encouraged to add qualifiers, such as the name of a city, to provide consumers with additional information, CFIA said.

It’s also still the responsibility of the regulated party — that is, the food producer and/or marketer — to comply with applicable legislation and regulations, the agency said.

The word “local” has become a particularly popular marketing device for foods since about 2005, as the “locavore” trend has continued to evolve.

Annual surveys of chefs, published each April by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, have found “locally produced and locally inspired” to be the top menu trend in each of the past four years.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is expanding the geographic reach of “local” in labelling claims. photo: thinkstock

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MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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

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

Ag research looks set to suffer more short-sighted cutbacks

Victoria Paterson, Calgary (403) 806-0522 victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

PRODUCTION director Shawna Gibson Email: shawna@fbcpublishing.com

Director of Sales & Circulation

More, not less, research is needed in areas such as cereal and forage development, and improving food safety

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By will verboven

Alberta Farmer | Editor

R

ecent rumblings from Ottawa sound ominous for agriculture-related research in Canada. It would seem that some big cuts will be made and with the largest ag research centre in the country located in Lethbridge, that facility is sure to be affected one way or another.

Government austerity measures are the usual excuse with cutbacks, and agriculture has to take its fair share, or so the spin-doctored story goes. It’s a disingenuous excuse, of course, when one hears the federal government plans to continue and even expand its self-promotion advertising campaign to the tune of $100 million over the next three years. The reality is ag research is just not very sexy and doesn’t directly impact all that many voters.

The federal agriculture minister tried to put on a brave face by lamely pronouncing ag research was being refocused more towards a business-outcome result. The implication also seemed to be that industry would pick up some of the research that was cut back if it was deemed commercially worthwhile. One suspects any government refocus of research would be more towards anything related to the energy business, as that is the current political obsession. No one disputes the critical contribution the energy industry makes to the economy, but one expects agriculture and food should have the high moral ground as it’s hard to eat oil. You would think that would help continuity for ag research, but I guess as long as consumers believe food magically appears at their local grocery store, agriculture is an easy cutback target.

It seems only public opinion and an outraged media can change government perspectives on these matters. For instance, whenever there is a case of E. coli found in beef, the city media howls for more meat inspection. Sure enough, the Ag Department seems to be able to find money for more inspection. The reality is that it’s hard to get the urban media or politicians interested in agriculture unless

there are deaths involved. One can almost understand government bean counters shifting department budgets away from obscure long-term crop research to deal with short-term food safety calamities with their political consequences.

The reality is ag research is just not very sexy and doesn’t directly impact all that many voters.

Having said that, the federal Agriculture Department could help themselves a bit by getting out of some silly programs that do absolutely nothing for agriculture in the big picture. The prime example is its involvement with promoting and developing organic farming and marketing.

I remain astonished about the growth of Ag Department fascination with that “lifestyle” production concept. One can only assume that Ag Department planners have become captives of trendiness as organic farming has no real redeeming values. Such production actually produces lower yields, and provides no better nutritional benefit and is not safer. On top of that, it can only be afforded by the more privileged in society. Yet Ag Canada deems that important enough to spend tax dollars on developing and promoting its production. Even that has a dubious benefit as most organic produce is now imported from other countries. It’s even more absurd in a starving world — when was the last time you heard of “organic” food aid being sent to the starving. One also recalls in the distant past, millions of research dollars wasted on trying to turn sheep into hogs through intensive production technology, and creating cattalo or was it beefalo from bison and cattle crossbreeding research. Maybe selling or leasing out the big Onefour research

ranch might save money that could be redirected to saving other ag research.

But I digress.

There is some value in supporting ag research that has a more immediate commercial application, but it has to be really opened up. For instance, in crop production we need to introduce many more genetically modified plant varieties that will increase yields and reduce crop input costs. But the feds are reluctant to get involved with GM research because of supposed political perceptions and tangling with anti-GM lobby groups. But that shouldn’t allow them to then make it hard for GM varieties to come to market in a more timely manner by building walls of regulations against private development.

The biggest travesty is in food safety where the feds continue to hinder the use of irradiation on meat products. I cite the more than 10-year delaying actions of Health Canada in stalling the approval process. Food companies and meat processors would have been happy to spend money on how that process could be implemented in their production systems if there had been timely approval. Why the feds never advanced research into that much-needed food safety process is a complete mystery — it could have saved many lives and illnesses over the past decades. Can you imagine the multimillions the cattle and beef industry could have saved had irradiation been in use to prevent past E. coli outbreaks? It boggles the mind.

Finally, agriculture research has shown time and again that it has made major contributions to economic advancement — canola being one of the most dramatic crop developments that came out of past ag research. The same could be achieved with more research into cereal production. We could even make bigger production strides with more forage-related research. But alas, much of that will now be thwarted as cutbacks will set back such research for many years to come. It’s been said many times before that starvation and scarcity is the only way for agriculture to really get the government’s and public’s attention. Looks like ag research will have to face that reality again.

Anti-meat campaign starts up in Canada Sophisticated lobby group founded by one person

By Will Verboven

C

anadians in big cities will be able to see the latest antimeat campaign splashed on the sides of their local transit buses during May and June.

The campaign is sponsored by an organization called Mercy for Animals Canada, the northern branch of a similarly named American organization. The thrust of the campaign centres around images of a pet and a farm animal with the slogan, “Why Love One but Eat the Other.”

It’s a clever attempt to pull on the heartstrings of average citizens — a standard approach of such

groups. It’s not a unique campaign as the group’s U.S. website shows it’s an advertising approach that has been carried out down there for a number of years.

One wonders where the money comes from for these campaigns.

The Canadian branch claims it will receive $25,000 from a donor if that sum is matched by other donors in this country. That donor could well be the mother group back in the U.S., being that these groups are masters at fundraising under very creative and clever schemes. The executive director of the American group sits on the board of the Canadian organization, so the connection and control is fairly clear.

Upon further research, the American executive director, Nathan Runkle, is identified as the person who founded the U.S. group about 10 years ago.

It would seem he is a remarkably good promoter as the organization now has more than 14 employees at three offices across the U.S. and one branch office in Toronto. It takes a lot of money to run such an operation, so sophisticated fundraising is usually a big factor. These types of groups face tough competition (think PETA, Greenpeace, WWF, etc.) in the donation business, so to be successful, they have to be very good at what they are doing.

It’s something our own indus-

try animal-welfare groups should pay attention to. Sure, it’s cynical, but one could surmise that in just a decade, this one clever individual first created a job and then a business for himself that today probably involves millions of dollars.

It’s not the first time this would have happened. Ralph Nader, the iconic consumer rights activist who also created his own lobby organization, has seen numerous former employees create a number of other self-appointed consumer lobby groups who turned those into successful businesses for themselves. I guess the entrepreneurial spirit works in ways we may never have imagined.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

Dairy farmers show some bend in supply management Mounting macroeconomic forces are compelling dairy farmers to rethink their strategy around supply management

By Sylvain Charlebois

T

he Canadian Dairy Commission is finally recognizing it needs to change. We may, in fact, be witnessing the emergence of a new approach: let’s call it Supply Management 2.0, if you will.

The commission recently created a new milk class for mozzarella cheese, which takes effect June 1 and which is expected to reduce costs for Canadian-made mozzarella used by restaurants that make pizza. But whether or not pizza will become more affordable for Canadian consumers remains to be seen.

Regardless, mounting macroeconomic forces are compelling dairy farmers to rethink their strategy around supply management.

Supply management, Canada’s production quota system for dairy and other commodities, was established more than 50 years ago to balance supply and domestic demand for dairy products. Prohibitive tariffs, coupled with quotas, on dairy product imports sometimes exceed 300 per cent.

Many food processors in Canada, including the food-service sector, were forced to look for different ways to reduce production costs. Importers found a way to circumvent current rules to escape duties;

one company in particular, Pizza Pizza Ltd., became good at it.

Pizza Pizza Ltd., one of the largest pizzeria chains in the country, figured out it could purchase mozzarella in packaged cheese-and-pepperoni pizza topping sets in the United States and import them into Canada. It was estimated that as much as 4,000 tonnes of American-made mozzarella was now coming into Canada annually in duty-free kits.

Unsurprisingly, dairy farmers decided to challenge Pizza Pizza’s practice before the courts. It was an obscure, lengthy battle before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, which is still ongoing, that has

led to the loosening of the regulation on imported mozzarella, set for June 1.

The current government in Ottawa has made market access a top priority. Canada is trying to close a trade deal with the European Union while reaching out to the ever-growing Asia-Pacific market by engaging with the Trans-Pacific Partnership. But Canada’s continuing attempt to have it both ways — demanding greater access to other markets while essentially prohibiting access to our market for some commodities, like dairy — has undermined our moral authority abroad when negotiating trade deals.

Essentially, dairy farmers don’t have a

choice. They need to change and supply management, in its current unbending, inadaptable form, needs to improve.

Fortunately, the creation of a new milk category signals that dairy farmers are now willing to recognize that some situations warrant adjustments.

Because of Canada’s demographic situation, domestic growth is impossible. Milk consumption per capita in Canada is at an all-time low, and dairy farms in Canada are disappearing, despite our protectionist policies. In 1971, when supply management in dairy came into effect, there were 122,000 dairy farms in the country. Today, there are fewer than 13,000.

A demand-focused approach to dairy products and research is clearly needed.

Supply management once played an important role in our agricultural economy, but those days are long gone.

The commission’s move, no matter how small, is welcome news. A new supply management model should increase the competitive advantage of our food-processing and food-service sectors, not destroy it.

But if this tactic fails to provide continuing evidence that supply management can adapt, it will need to go.

Sylvain Charlebois is associate dean of the College of Management and Economics at the University of Guelph. He is a regular contributor to Troy Media.

Forage growers write to Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz AAFC scientists should be allowed to attend industry meetings The following contains excerpts from a letter the Canadian Forage Growers Association sent to the federal government in April.

T

he Canadian Forage and Grassland Association represents farmers and ranchers that produce, manage and utilize Canada’s largest acreage crop (National Forage and Grassland Assessment, June 2012).

Cultivated forages for pasture, feed, and seed production, accounts for 33.8 million acres or 39 per cent of the land in Canada devoted to crop production. In comparison, the next-largest crop, wheat accounted for 20.4 million acres or 23 per cent of cropland. In addition, over 36 million acres of land are devoted to native or unimproved pastures and rangeland.

The economic value of the entire forage industry was $5.09 billion in 2011, following

only wheat at $5.2 billion and canola at $7.3 billion. The forage industry is the foundation of the dairy and beef industries which together contribute $11 billion in direct value to Canadian farmers and generate over $50 billion in economic activity. This value reflects the direct measurable benefits of forages.

The forage industry is a unique part of Canadian agriculture in that approximately 90 per cent of the production is fed to livestock on farm or ranch. In addition to direct economic value, perennial forages deliver significant environmental benefits including reducing soil erosion and increasing water infiltration, just to name a few.

Our national association is very concerned about the future of forage breeding, agronomy and management research within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As a result of severe cutbacks over

the past 15 years there remain very few forage research scientists in the Science and Technology Branch.

We realize that federal budgets are very tight but we would encourage you and your department to re-evaluate the need to have sufficient forage research scientists and supporting technicians at different eco-region locations across Canada to meet the future research needs of not just the industry but the true beneficiaries, Canada and the world’s consumers.

It is important to note that the vast majority of forage research is in the public domain requiring public support. As an organization representing industry we see the need for and benefit from a long-term strategy including a commitment to supporting forage research capacity.

In addition, we would also encourage you and your department to develop a suc-

cession plan for scientists that are nearing retirement so that the next generation of researchers can continue to carry out the current research programs that would otherwise be lost through retirement.

Without a succession plan where younger and older scientists can work through the transition period, a significant amount of research information and momentum will be lost.

Our other concern is the very limited and restricted ability for research scientists to be able to attend producer and industry meetings/events at the provincial and national level as well as national and international scientific conferences.

It is extremely important for the future economic growth of Canada’s agriculture industry that research scientists be able to present their research findings and discuss future

research needs with industry partners, stakeholders, producers and colleagues.

The participation of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists in major provincial and federal producer meetings is critical to ensure the development and transfer of research results is achieved, and to ensure that the research questions under consideration by scientists are the most relevant and impactful questions, and stand the highest chance of impacting the resilience and vibrancy of the industry.

The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association is appreciative of the tremendous research effort that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has made in the past. Forage management and agronomic information as well as new forage seed varieties have created economic growth and stability for Canada’s forage and grassland industry.

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Off the front

WHEAT } from page 1

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The federal government announced May 7 it is refocusing the NRC. It says the new structure would bridge the gap between knowledge and discoveries, and industrial innovation.

“With the world’s population expected to exceed nine billion by 2050, there is an increased demand for food, which places a responsibility on, and creates an opportunity for, the Canadian agriculture and food sector,” the release says.

The alliance will develop wheat varieties that are more resistant to disease; have increased tolerance to drought, heat and cold stresses; require less nitrogen fertilizer; and produce increased yields.

“By working in an integrated fashion, and bringing in additional collaborators and contributors, the alliance is striving to ensure the global competitiveness of Canadian wheat farmers and increase the value at the Canadian farm gate by a cumulative total of $4.5 billion by 2031.”

The alliance says climate change is expected to pressure agricultural production in Canada as models predict Western Canada will become drier and its winters less severe — which means pests may overwinter and attack crops earlier in the growing season.

As well, the rate of world wheat trade, one of the most important cereal grains, is expected to grow at a much faster rate than overall consumption, doubling to 240 million tons or more by 2050.

“Canada, as one of the world’s primary wheat exporters, will have to significantly increase production over the next four decades to take advantage of those global demands.”

“It’s a real tragedy that farmers in Western Canada are losing that money,” said Stewart Wells, a Swift Current, Sask. farmer who was a farmer-elected director. “That’s part of the class-action (lawsuit) case and makes up the majority of that $17 billion that we say farmers have lost because of the loss of the single desk.”

The Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board launched the suit in February. It also wants compensation for the assets and the contingency fund the new CWB kept.

The government successfully argued in court it didn’t need farmers’ approval through a vote to end the single desk because it was forming a completely new organization, Wells said. “If that’s the case those assets that farmers had in that old organization should be paid out to the farmers,” he said.

The CWB sees its differently.

“The contingency fund is something built up out of CWB trading activities over a period of years,” White said. “That’s not farmers’ money. That’s not part of the pool.”

The same goes for assets such as the wheat board’s 3,375 hopper cars, which are currently not for sale, White said, and its Winnipeg office building, which is.

The contingency fund was set up to even out surpluses and losses from farmer pricing programs outside of the traditional pools. Oct. 18, 2011 the federal government ordered all profits from non-pool programs moved to the contingency fund.

As of Aug. 1 money from the fund could be used for anything set out in the CWB’s annual corporate plan or for anything approved by the agriculture minister with the concurrence of the finance minister, the 2011-12 annual report says.

Money from uncashed farmers’ cheques used to go into a “Special Account,” which then funded bursaries and grain-related research. That money was also transferred to the contingency fund.

The report says $22 million in wheat board pension expenses from previous years were charged to the contingency fund in 2011-12.

“It was deemed to be one of those things

MAY 27, 2013 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

CWB president and CEO Ian White says he’s proud of the wheat board’s returns to farmers during the final marketing year operating under the statutory single desk. photo: allan dawson that should rightly go to the contingency fund because we hadn’t charged pool accounts previously for it and we didn’t want to lump the last pool account with a large bill,” White said.

In the future, the federal government will keep the old wheat board’s pension fund solvent and pay for its administration, he added.

The new CWB started the current crop year with a clean balance sheet thanks to $349 million from the federal government to cover the cost of converting to a commercial grain company.

The wheat board paid $5.9 million from its pool accounts for restructuring to cover what was deemed to be normal costs, White said.

With the 2011-12 crop year being the last with the single desk, pool accounts were also vetted and audited by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada. That’s why final payments and the tabling of the annual report were slightly delayed.

“We actually had to clean up the past as well as this last year’s accounts because we had to account for everything that might have been

outstanding and rolled forward from previous years,” White said.

Unlike past annual reports, the latest doesn’t break out compensation paid to the CEO, individual senior executives or directors because of changes in accounting practices, White said.

Total “key management personnel compensation” was $9 million in 2011-12 compared to $3.5 million the year previous, the report says.

Most of the money — $5 million — was for “termination benefits.”

Many senior staff were sacked as the wheat board downsized for the open market.

“They were paid their full severance costs... salary adjustments... pension adjustments... and various other things,” he said.

Total board remuneration in 2011-12 was $420,400 compared to $626,482 the year before largely because the number of directors, excluding the president, dropped to four from 14 after legislation ending the single desk passed in December 2011. allan@fbcpublishing.com

7

Albertafarmexpress.ca • MAY 27, 2013

CWB single desk ends on high note The average wheat pool return was down slightly, but durum and barley were up from last year

By Allan Dawson staff

D

rought in Russia and the United States in 2012 boosted world grain prices, and the positive results are evident in the CWB’s 201112 annual report.

“For a second year, an extremely tight supply-and-demand balance in the corn market underpinned strong prices for all the major grains,” the report says.

As a result the average gross revenue in the 13.6-million-tonne wheat pool was the third highest on record at $337.25 a tonne.

The 2011-12 wheat pool had gross revenues of $4.6 billion.

“The final pool return for No. 1 CWRS with 13.5 per cent protein (net of all costs) was $326.04 a tonne in-store Vancouver/St. Lawrence, compared to $344.96 a tonne a year earlier.

“The final pool returns for No. 3 CWRS and No. 2 CPSR were $250.81 and $252.53 a tonne respectively, compared to $283.17 and $270.28 in 2010-11.”

Canada was the board’s largest wheat customer in 2011-12 taking 1.86 million tonnes, down 23 per cent from 2010-11.

Iraq (1.05 million tonnes), Japan (960,000), Sri Lanka (826,000) and Mexico (798,000) were the next biggest wheat buyers.

Seventy-five per cent of the wheat in 2011-12 graded No. 1 and 2. Protein averaged 13.1 per cent, which was below the five-year average.

Four million tonnes were delivered to the durum pool, which remained open until Oct. 11, 2012 because of delivery problems earlier in the crop year.

Gross revenues were just over $1.6 billion for an average of $398.47 a tonne,

up $83.04 from last year and well above the long-term average.

The final pool return for No. 1 CWAD with 13 per cent protein was $348.05 a tonne in store, compared to $302.94 in 2010-11.

The top five customers were Algeria (813,000 tonnes), European Union (776,000), Morocco (568,000), United States, (470,000), and Venezuela (318,000).

Sixty-eight per cent of the durum graded No. 1 or 2.

The 2011-12 designated barley pool, at 1.3 million tonnes, almost doubled in size from the previous year.

“Canadian barley producers enjoyed a high-quality, highly selectable crop,” the annual report says. “Combining pool receipts with malting barley receipts sold through the CashPlus program resulted in total designated barley sales of almost 1.9 million tonnes.”

Gross returns in the designated barley pool were more than $413 million averaging $316.24 a tonne, versus $263.78 in 2010-11.

The final pool return for Select TwoRow barley in store was $312.94 a tonne, compared to $265.74 in 2010-11.

The final pool return for Select SixRow barley was $299.29 a tonne, compared to $247.98 the previous year.

The top five buyers were Canada (562,000 tonnes), China (368,000), United States (166,000), Mexico (84,000) and Colombia (55,000).

Wheat board administration expenses were unchanged at $71.8 million in 2011-12. Cutting staff reduced expenses by $1.6 million. But that was offset by a $1.9 million increase in advertising and promotion costs resulting from “a communication campaign” to oppose the legislation to end the wheat board’s single desk.

CWB optimistic about privatization plans post-monopoly Ian White says the new CWB wants farmer shareholders as well as other investors

By Allan Dawson staff

T

he new CWB, a governmentowned grain company created last Aug. 1, continues to work towards privatization, says its president and CEO Ian White.

“We still hope we can find a mechanism to have farmers as shareholders (but) with the amount of capital we think we need maybe others as well,” White said in an interview May 14.

“We’re not ruling out the cooperative approach, but we’re looking at a range of options that will give us what we think is the best way forward, bearing in mind that we want to make sure we develop the business and grow the capital of the business.”

It’s difficult to raise much capital through a traditional co-operative, he said.

Under federal legislation that took effect last Aug. 1, the CWB had up to four years to devise a plan to privatize or wind down. In the interim,

the CWB must prepare an annual report and submit it to Parliament.

In its 2011-12 annual report the CWB says there’s strong competition in international grain markets.

“Although significant planning and execution has occurred to position the CWB for success, there is uncertainty in the new marketing environment as well as CWB’s ability to become a viable non-statutory corporation within the time frame provided in the legislation.”

Nevertheless, White said he’s optimistic about the CWB’s postmonopoly future.

The annual report says the CWB will leverage its 75 years of operations, experienced staff and “a proven track record in pooling farmers’ grain,” to remain viable in an open market.

“Grain has been moving for export pretty well,” White said.

“We’ve been participating in all that movement and we’re not unhappy with the position where we are. And we’re still optimistic about our future.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

The CWB’s 2011-12 annual report notes that the federal government faces two lawsuits because of the legislation — one for $15.4 billion and another for $17 billion.

“The resolution of these matters is

not expected to have a material adverse effect on the company’s (CWB) financial position, results of operations or cash flows,” the report says. allan@fbcpublishing.com

NEWS » Markets

8

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

U.S. cattle placements rise

Retaliatory list prepared

chicago / reuters The number of cattle placed in U.S. feedlots last month was up 15 per cent from a year earlier as reduced feed costs encouraged fattening cattle for slaughter, a U.S. government report said.

The USDA reported April placements at 1.750 million head, or up 15 per cent from 1.521 million in April 2012. Chicago Board of Trade corn futures last month averaged $6.70-3/8 per bushel, down from $7.14-3/4 in March.

In August 2012 corn set a record high of $8.43-3/4.

winnipeg / reuters Canada will put forward a list of U.S. products it wants to target in retaliation for U.S. country-of-origin meat labels if last-minute changes to U.S. label regulations don’t prove satisfactory, Canadian officials said May 17. “We will be putting forward a list of retaliatory products to make sure that the Americans have a further understanding of what that will be,” Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said while in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Ritz did not say what products Canada will seek to target, but last month he said he expects to go beyond targeting only U.S. beef and pork.

Weather and seeding progress dominate markets The U.S. winter wheat crop was damaged but losses won’t be as bad as expected

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

I

CE Futures Canada canola contracts moved higher during the week ended May 16, with tight supplies and short traders looking to exit the front month underpinning the nearby July, and uncertainty over new crop production helping prop up the more deferred positions. General weakness in the Canadian dollar added to the strength in the futures.

Seeding operations should be moving full speed ahead — weather permitting — over the next few weeks. Weather issues and the delays they cause could add volatility in the futures as acreage is still up in the air, but the markets will eventually settle down and regroup as seeding progresses.

From a chart perspective, the July canola contract settled above $625 per tonne for the first time since September, but ran into resistance to the upside around $632 and will need a bullish shot in the arm to keep the uptrend intact.

That shot may have come May 17, with a one-cent drop in the Canadian dollar.

Any adverse weather conditions over the Victoria Day long weekend also had the potential to boost prices when traders returned May 21.

New-crop November canola was also trending higher during the week, but still has a ways to go before it runs into any significant resistance and remains range-bound overall. November canola was trading at around $545 per tonne on May 17, which was a $10 improvement from the lows seen earlier in the month, but still $20 below the top end of the range.

Soybeans at the Chicago Board of Trade were higher during the week, while corn was mixed and wheat lower.

After an adverse growing season for most of North America in 2012, the overriding situation in canola now is very similar to what’s happening in corn and soybeans. Old-crop supplies of all three commodities are historically tight and will need to be rationed while end-users await the new crop. Old-crop canola ended the week at an $80-per-tonne premium over new crop. July corn was over $1 per bushel over the December contract, and old crop soybeans were two dollars above the new crop.

Those old-crop/new-crop spreads have the potential to widen even further, as anyone holding short positions in the nearby futures will need to buy those contracts back, or be forced to

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

make delivery of a commodity that just might not be there this year.

The spreads in wheat are much less pronounced, with a more traditional cost-of-carry pricing in effect for the most part. The realities of the international wheat market mean that the ubiquitous crop is almost constantly being harvested somewhere in the world, which limits the potential for an oldcrop/new-crop price squeeze.

Canadian spring wheat is just going in the ground now, but the U.S. winter wheat harvest will soon be moving forward. The U.S. harvest should provide some direction for the futures over the next few weeks. The wheat crop across the U.S. Plains was hurt this year by drought and then freeze damage. Crop ratings are generally poor, but actual yields remain to be seen and many anecdotal reports have come in saying that production “isn’t as bad” as had been thought.

Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for Resource News International (RNI), a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting

9

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

Growing Forward 2 programs include funding for water projects Individual producer and group grants available as part of new federal-provincial funding scheme

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF / LETHBRIDGE

P

roducers and other groups can get their feet wet with water-related Growing Forward 2 grant programs.

“It’s about strategic intent,” Jamie Wuite, head of Alberta Agriculture’s farm water supply branch, said at the recent Water, Agriculture and Environment conference in Lethbridge.

He outlined the three Growing Forward 2 programs in Alberta that directly relate to water.

The On-farm Water Management Program is similar to one in the first Growing Forward program, Wuite said. The program, already open to applications, provides technical assistance to producers to help them make a longterm water management plan, as well as sharing some of the costs of enhancements for on-farm water supply management.

Those who completed one of the plans under the previous Growing Forward program, but didn’t get to implement it, can apply again under one of two project categories, said Wuite.

The first category covers standard projects, including wells, dugouts, dams, buried pipelines and similar items, with funding available for up to one-third of eligible expenses (to a maximum of $5,000). The second category is special incentive projects, which includes specific water conversion measures such as water-use meters and well-pit conversions by a contractor.

Special incentive project applicants could receive up to onehalf of their eligible costs, with maximum funding depending on the type of project.

The next project Wuite told the crowd about was the Irrigation Efficiency Program, which is also now open for applications.

“The intent is to help producers to achieve the latest and greatest standard in efficient water application,” said Wuite.

The program, which helps producers upgrade to a lowpressure centre pivot, requires completion of a long-term irrigation management plan prior to an application. Successful applicants will be reimbursed 40 per cent of their eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.

The third program is the Regional Water Supply Program, something that was identified as a gap in the first Growing Forward program. Its focus is on wells or other water supplies that are not reliable on-farm sources of water and development of different supply systems.

Because it is a Growing Forward 2 program, funding is only available for the portions that relate to agriculture production or processing, Wuite said. The province is trying to find additional funding to cover the nonagricultural related portions of projects, he said. Cost sharing in these projects would be 90 per cent grant money and 10 per cent applicant funds, he said.

“We’re looking to the municipalities to step up and take a key role in any of these projects,” said Wuite.

This program is not yet open for applications.

Three other Growing Forward 2 programs are somewhat “wet” in nature, said Wuite. The Food Safety Systems Producer Program is a carry-over of an on-farm food safety program designed to help producers meet food safety standards. Washing and water-treatment equipment would be eligible expenses under this initiative. The On-farm Stewardship Program is designed to help farmers develop best management practices and projects that have an impact on water quality.

Finally, the Agricultural Watershed Enhancement Program allows groups to foster adoption of best management practices by producers in areas where surface water quality is at risk. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

The Irrigation Efficiency Program is now open for applications.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

WE’RE READY TO RAZE THE CURTAIN Coming June 2013

morris-industries.com

10

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Protecting creeks by protecting groundwater: an expert’s view Groundwater and surface water connected, University of Calgary professor says

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF /CAROLINE

L

ong-term monitoring of groundwater around the province is essential to ensure aquifers don’t run dry, says a professor of hydrology from the University of Calgary. “We need to manage the groundwater in a way that we can avoid the well running dry and your creek is going dry,” said Masaki Hayashi, speaking about the connections between surface water and groundwater during a talk at the Cows, Creeks and Communities event held recently here.

In addition to long-term monitoring, Hayashi recommended other ways to protect creeks in Alberta. Those included recognizing the connection between ground- and surface water, considering the groundwater recharge rates during land-use planning and determining sustainable pumping rates.

Population is growing in the Edmonton-Calgary corridor and with it grows demands for water.

“We really need to be planning ahead on how we’re going to sustain groundwater use in this area,” Hayashi said. The recharge of groundwater occurs in areas that can range from 10 kilometres to 100 kilometres in size, he said. The rate of recharge tends to depend on climate, and in southern Alberta, potential evaporation of water tends to outstrip precipitation.

“The only time when we have excess precipitation over potential evaporation is over winter months,” Hayashi said.

It’s necessary to restrict pumping to sustain creek flow. When there’s no pumping, systems usually balance out. When there’s human use of the water, there tends to be a decrease in storage, which can cause wells to run dry and water capture to reduce if not used carefully. Hayashi pointed to an American example — the Ogallala Aquifer

in Kansas — and Alberta examples of Irricana and Innisfail for areas where the groundwater supply has turned out to not be suitable for long-term use. He said this is in part due to the method used to evaluate the sustainability of wells.

Hayashi said the theoretical formula used to calculate sustainability is over a half-century old and uses a pump test lasting between two hours and two days to determine the drop down for the next 20 years. It assumes only one well is drawing from an aquifer, he said, and that the aquifer area is much larger than many actually are.

“It is simply wrong to apply this infinite theory to these kinds of aquifers.” Instead, in Alberta we should be using a watershedbased approach, Hayashi said.

Groundwater should be evaluated using an integrated surface water and groundwater model, he told the crowd. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

Dr. Masaki Hayashi offered recommendations to stop overuse of groundwater during the Cows, Creeks and Communities event.

PHOTO: VICTORIA PATERSON

WHAT’S UP Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: will. verboven@fbcpublishing.com May 28/29: Alberta Milk Next Generation Forum, Sheraton Capri, Red Deer. Call: Karlee 780-577-3305 May 29: Understanding Septic Systems, Withrow Gospel Building, Clearwater County.

Call: Brooke 403-845-4444 May 31/June 1: Watershed Restoration Workshop, Big Meadow Hall, Enilda. Call: Karlah 780-523-4033 June 1/3: 4H Expo, Lloydminster Exhibition Grounds, Lloydminster. Call: Corinne 306-825-5571 June 12: Medicine River Watershed Info, Community Hall 5:30 pm, Gilby. Call: Gary 403-845-4444 June 13: Alta Sheep Breeders Association Barn Burner, Cow Palace 7:30 am, Olds. Call: Rod 403-843-3032 June 14/16: Alberta Provincial Plowing Match, Community Sportsgrounds, Wanham. Call: Stacey 780-694-2080 June 18: Beef Symposium, Banff Park Lodge 8:30 am, Banff.

Email trevor.alexander@agr. gc.ca June 19/22: 2013 International Clubroot Workshop, Delta South Hotel, Edmonton. Call: Clint 306-821-2935 June 20: All Crops Tour, Lethbridge Research Centre, Lethbridge. Call: ACPC 800551-6652 June 20: UCVM Beef Conference 2013, Coast Plaza Hotel, Calgary. Call: Brenda 403-2107309 June 26: CTF & Precision Ag Field Day, Durango Farms 1:00 pm, Lacombe. Call: ACPC 800551-6652 July 10: 2013 International Livestock Congress, Deerfoot Inn, Calgary. Call: Chantelle 403-686-8407 July 19/20: 2013 World Plowing Championship, Olds College, Olds. Call: Kerry 403-556-4762

11

SEEDED U.S. CORN TOPS RECORD CHICAGO / REUTERS U.S. farmers planted corn at a blistering pace last week, pushing progress to 71 per cent, from 28 per cent a week earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its weekly report May 20. The increase of 43 percentage points indicates that farmers in the world’s biggest corn producer seeded a single-week U.S. record of 41.8 million acres to the grain as of May 19, topping the previous record of 34.1 million acres set in June 1992.

Planting in the U.S. Corn Belt this year got off to the slowest start in decades due to cold and rainy weather, with snowfall recorded in some states as late as early May.

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 RECORD PACE

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

Seeding progressing well despite slow start at beginning of May Despite only one per cent of province having been seeded at the beginning of May, seeding well underway thanks to warm weather

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF / CALGARY

C

rop producers across the province were thoroughly taking advantage of the warm, dry weather to catch up on seeding.

The first crop report of the season, issued May 6, estimated just three per cent of seeding was completed — well behind the average of 8.2 per cent for the first week of May. But by mid-month, the picture had changed.

“A lot has happened since that crop report,” said Rick Istead, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Commission, adding some of his board’s directors located in the south had already finished seeding their wheat.

Things were looking up in most parts of the province.

“As a general rule for the grains and oilseed sector, it’s not bad yet,” said Humphrey Banack, second vice-president of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers and a grain and oilseed farmer near Camrose.

Excessive moisture is a problem in a number of regions, especially the northeast, northwest and Peace regions of the province.

“Right now, if the warm weather holds we should be good,” said Shawna Mathieson, executive director of the Alberta Oat Growers Commission.

“In some areas if they get very much rain there may be some acres that aren’t seeded but farmers are being pretty positive right now.”

In general, oat growers were about a week behind but the warm weather meant the ground was drying out quickly, she said.

Matt Sawyer, who farms northeast of Calgary and serves as chairman of the Alberta Barley Commission, said he’s seeding into moisture, although some rain would be handy.

The southern part of the province has made great progress and many farmers in the central area are close to being done, said Sawyer.

But one of his directors who farms near Barrhead told him producers in that area were just getting started.

“Everybody’s rolling as hard as they can,” Sawyer said.

And no one is panicking yet, Istead added.

“With the equipment we have today they can seed a lot of ground in a fairly short time,” he said.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Earlier is always better for canola too, but it’s not too late yet, said Ward Toma, general manager of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. While the south is more advanced, central Alberta was underway and those in the north were just getting started in the middle of the month.

“If we are not seeding we are

very, very close to seeding across the province now,” he said.

Peace farmers may be the last to get started. The May 6 crop report said some areas in that region still had several inches of snow on the ground but producers were hoping to get started within five to 15 days. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

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12

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

U.S. Supreme Court rules for Monsanto in patent fight In a unanimous decision, the court ruled the farmer will have to pay Monsanto nearly $85,000

BY LAWRENCE HURLEY WASHINGTON / REUTERS

I

n a ruling that drew sighs of relief from the biotechnology industry, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled May 13 that an Indiana farmer violated agribusiness company Monsanto Co.’s patent for a type of soybean.

The court agreed unanimously with Monsanto that Vernon Bowman, 75, had performed an endrun around the law when he used the company’s patented soybean seeds without seeking a licence.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote on behalf of the court that Monsanto’s patent protections were not, in legal terminology, “exhausted” when Bowman used the seeds without the company’s permission.

Kagan wrote that patent exhaustion did not allow a farmer to reproduce patented seeds through planting and harvesting without the patent holder’s permission.

If farmers were allowed to do so, “a patent would plummet in value after the first sale of the first items containing the invention,” Kagan wrote. Such a result would lead to “less incentive for innovation than Congress wanted,” she added.

Reaffirmed

For biotech companies in various sectors, not just agriculture, the ruling was a “reaffirmation” of the principle that patent protections extend to copies made of a patented item, according to Patricia

Millett, a Washington lawyer who filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

“It’s very important for the innovation economy,” she said.

The ruling, Millett and others in the biotech industry say, likely extends to certain other products sold with licences, including DNA and bacterial preparations.

In the ruling, Kagan specifically stated that the decision was limited to the case before the court and not all self-replicating products. She cited computer software as an example.

“We recognize that such inventions are becoming evermore prevalent, complex and diverse,” Kagan wrote. The court, she added, did not need to address in the Monsanto case “whether or how the doctrine of patent exhaustion would apply in such circumstances.”

Christopher Holman, an intellectual property expert at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, said what the court had left undecided were instances in which there is “unavoidable or inadvertent” replication.

Notwithstanding Kagan’s reference to software, the principles contained in the ruling would apply just as much to Microsoft Corp., which sells products with licences, as it does to Monsanto, he added.

Roundup Ready

As a result of the ruling, Bowman will have to pay Monsanto

Indiana soybean farmer Vernon Bowman speaks to the media outside the Supreme Court in Washington, February following arguments in his case against global seed giant, Monsanto. Bowman lost. PHOTO: REUTERS/JASON REED $84,456 for infringing on the company’s patent. Bowman’s attorney, Mark Walters, said the ruling “makes infringers out of 95 per cent of America’s soybean farmers.” Small farmers may need to “organize and lobby Congress for a clarification of the law,” he added.

David Snively, Monsanto’s executive vice-president, said in a statement that the court had ensured that “long-standing

principles of patent law apply to breakthrough 21st century technologies.”

The case arose when Bowman sought in 1999 to save money by buying commodity grain from a grain elevator.

The seed was not identified as featuring Monsanto’s Roundup Ready technology, which protects seeds from herbicides.

Bowman said the patent did not cover the grain he used as

seed because it was “second generation,” not the first generation sold by seed dealers.

Bowman kept the seed generated from the successful crop and used it the following year.

He repeated the pattern until 2007.

Monsanto objected, saying Bowman was growing soybeans that were resistant to Roundup herbicide, meaning he was infringing on its patents.

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13

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

USDA says more review needed for new Monsanto, Dow GMO crops The companies say farmers will suffer; critics say it’s worth the wait

BY CAREY GILLAM / REUTERS

T

he U.S. Department of Agriculture said May 10 it will extend its scrutiny of controversial proposed biotech crops developed by Dow AgroSciences, a unit of Dow Chemical, and Monsanto Co. after receiving an onslaught of opposition to the companies’ plans.

The news frustrated Dow officials who had hoped to have secured regulatory approval and have their new herbicidetolerant corn called “Enlist” on the market by 2013 or 2014 at the latest. But 2015 is now likely the best hope for commercialization, said Dow AgroSciences spokeswoman Kenda Resler Friend. Farmers need the new technology to better manage weeds, she said. “This is something that farmers are going to lose from.”

USDA said it will conduct two separate environmental impact statements “to better inform decision-making” on the approvals sought by Dow and Monsanto. Critics applauded the move. Many have warned that both the new crops planned by Dow and Monsanto, and the new herbicide use tied to the crops, will cause a range of problems for farmers and rural communities.

“USDA is taking the issue... seriously,” said Paul Towers, a spokesman for the Pesticide Action Network. “We’re hoping that a thorough review... will ultimately result in denials.”

and cotton to be used in combination with its new Enlist herbicide that combines the weed killers 2,4-D and glyphosate.

The Enlist crops are genetically altered to tolerate treatments of the Enlist herbicide mixture. Dow says Enlist will help combat an explosion of crop-choking weeds around the United States that have become resistant to glyphosate, which is the chief ingredient in the popular Roundup herbicide.

Likewise, Monsanto, in conjunction with BASF, wants regulatory approval for new genetically altered soybeans and cotton that resist a new dicambabased herbicide.

Both the Enlist system and the dicamba system are seen as

replacements for the combination of Roundup herbicide used on Roundup-resistant crops that now dominate U.S. agriculture.

The USDA has received thousands of comments on both of the new cropping systems that laid out a variety of concerns.

In addition to increasing weed resistance, many farmers fear increased use of the new herbicides that would come with the new crops would cause damage to fruits, vegetables and other crops as dicamba and 2,4-D have been known to travel on the wind far from the fields where they are sprayed.

Many also worry that the new biotech crops will contaminate conventional and organic crops.

And Dow’s Enlist herbicide is

also controversial because 2,4D, or 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, was one of the ingredients in Agent Orange, the Vietnam War defoliant that was blamed for numerous health problems suffered during and after the war.

Agent Orange

Although the main health effects of Agent Orange were blamed on the other component of the mixture (2,4,5-T) and dioxin contamination, critics say 2,4-D has significant health risks of its own.

The Center for Food Safety had threatened to sue the government if it approved Enlist.

Monsanto’s dicamba-tolerant cropping system is of particular

concern to farmers, said Steve Smith, chairman of the Save Our Crops farming interest coalition.

The group petitioned USDA last month to prepare just such an EIS because of the concerns about dicamba’s potential to drift and damage other crops.

But Cathleen Enright, executive vice-president at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), said the USDA’s action sets a “bad precedent for future consideration of safe and beneficial genetically engineered plant products.

“The U.S. regulatory system for biotech products remains unnecessarily burdensome and unpredictable, and American farmers are paying the price,” Enright said.

Unexpected

Monsanto issued a statement calling the development “unexpected,” and saying it would cooperate with the government in the assessment. The company said farmers need its new technology to maximize crop production.

Dow AgroSciences is hit the hardest by the USDA decision as it had hoped to have approval by now, while Monsanto has been aiming for “the middle of the decade.” Dow wants to roll out Enlist corn, and then soybeans

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

EvEry day is June 7th just happens to be when we celebrate it.

For farmers, it’s just another day of hard work. For those of us at UFA, it’s a time to appreciate and reflect on the contributions they make every day, all year long.

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

UFA Co-operative #UFAFarmersDay

@UFACooperative

UFA.com

©2013 UFA Co-operative Limited.

05/13-21165

1-888-413-3325 21165 UFA_FarmersDay_8.125x10.indd 1

5/15/13 8:13 AM

14

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

The only time you shouldn’t spray is when you have a poor looking crop and you are not in a fusarium head blight (FHB) area.

L G A

EAF TIM I

NG

FL

TO SPRAY

No visible disease present No visible disease present

If your crop doesn’t look good, but you are in an FHB area, a fungicide application can still pay for itself and safeguard the yield and quality of your grain.

Do some calculations and if your potential disease risk and ROI exceed the cost of application – you should protect your crop with a fungicide.

If your crop looks good, you will definitely want to protect your investment with a fungicide application. Which product will provide the most bang for your buck?

It depends on crop staging, current disease pressure and potential disease risks. Here is a quick chart to help make your fungicide decision easier.

No visible disease present

–

Leaf disease on upper leaves and/or flag leaf

–

Leaf disease only (lower to mid leaves)

To see how It Pays to Spray in your area visit BayerCropScience.ca/ItPaystoSpray

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

Always read and follow label directions. Folicur® and Prosaro® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

F:10.8”

No visible disease present

Leaf disease on upper leaves and/or flag leaf

Leaf disease only (lower to mid leaves)

FS:10.55”

AD TIMING E H

Leaf disease only

Leaf disease only

T:21

15

Albertafarmexpress.ca • May 27, 2013

NOT TO SPRAY FHB AREA

NO

YES

WHAT SHOULD YOU SPRAY?

Even when you can’t see disease symptoms, there is no such thing as a disease-free crop. A good crop is worth protecting – consider spraying an application of Folicur® EW or Prosaro® applied at head timing to help ensure top grade, quality and yield.

There is no such thing as a disease-free crop. Even in the absence of disease symptoms, the mere fact that you are in an FHB area means you need to protect your crop. Apply Prosaro at head timing.

YES

Spray Folicur EW and re-assess at head timing to determine whether a second fungicide application is required.

+ 4.6 bu./ac.

Folicur EW 3/4 rate, flag leaf OR

+ 9.4 bu./ac.

Prosaro, head

+ 1.8 bu./ac.

Folicur EW full rate, head OR

+ 3.1 bu./ac.

Prosaro, head

+ 9.8 bu./ac.

Folicur EW 3/4 rate, flag leaf

+ 4.4 bu./ac.

Folicur EW 3/4 rate, flag leaf OR

+ 8.5 bu./ac.

Prosaro, head

+ 7 bu./ac.

NO

When leaf disease is limited to lower/mid leaves at flag leaf timing, the damage is negligible. Re-assess at head timing and if you still only see leaf disease you can spray either Folicur EW or Prosaro.

Folicur EW 3/4 rate, flag leaf OR

+ 7 bu./ac.

Folicur EW full rate, head OR

+ 10 bu./ac.

Prosaro full rate, head

YES

Whenever you are in an FHB area, you should spray Prosaro. However, if leaf disease is limited to the lower/mid leaves you have the ability to make your Prosaro application at head timing to cover both leaf disease and FHB.

+ 5.8 bu./ac.

Folicur EW full rate, head OR

+ 8.5 bu./ac.

Prosaro, head

C-51-05/13-BCS13012-E

F:10.8”

T:15.5”

NO

Leaf disease damage to upper leaves or the flag leaf can cause irreparable injury to your crop and immediate action is required. Spray Folicur EW and re-assess at head timing to determine whether a second fungicide application is required.

GAIN IN YIELD*

*Gain in yield based on multi-year wheat Demonstration Strip Trial (DST) results in Western Canada, 2008-2012. Results compared to yield of untreated check.

1.6”

16

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Record world crops on horizon, USDA says as grain prices dip Despite a late start to planting, the USDA says 2013 could be a bin-buster 158 bushels an acre, down 5.6 bushels, or three per cent, from a projection made at its Outlook Forum in February.

With the mammoth crop, 4.85 billion bushels of corn will be used to make ethanol, up from 4.6 billion bushels from the 2012 crop. Ethanol output could top 13.4 billion gallons from this year’s crop.

U.S. soybean production was projected at a record 3.390 billion bushels — enough to recapture the title of world’s largest soybean grower from Brazil — with 2013-14 end stocks more than doubling to 265 million bushels from the 125 million estimated for this Aug. 31. Stocks would be the largest in seven years.

By Charles Abbott washington / reuters

R

ecord-large U.S. corn and soybean crops will end three years of punishingly tight domestic supplies, the government said May 10 in a report that offered the brightest outlook in years for world food supplies.

One year after a brutal Midwest drought revived fears of grain shortages and higher prices, the U.S. Agriculture Department projected the largest-ever global wheat, corn, rice and oilseed crops in its first projections for the 201314 crop year. Global grain stocks would rise more than analysts expected, with corn zooming 23 per cent to a 13-year high, it said.

The forecasts tipped Chicago grain prices lower, but losses were limited by concerns that conditions may change dramatically in the five months before the crops are in the bin. July weather conditions are critical for U.S. crops. A cold, rainy and snowy spring has farmers weeks behind in sowing corn.

“Overall, we’re looking at a monster of a crop going in. But it doesn’t mean anything right now because we don’t know what the weather is going to be,” said Joe Vaclavik of Standard Grain.

If the forecasts are realized, however, they could help quell a succession of food-price spikes and

U.S. farmers are poised to harvest record yields of corn and soybeans, the USDA says — provided farmers can overcome the cold, wet spring to get them planted. Photo: REUTERS/Darren Hauck supply fears triggered by extreme weather conditions, strong Chinese demand and an influx of investor funds into commodities.

First projection

In its first projection of the fall harvest, USDA said the corn crop would be a record 14.14 billion bushels, despite a late start to planting that will lower yields.

All the same, corn ending stocks for the 2013-14 marketing year

would hit 2.004 billion bushels, the largest supply in nine years and marginally larger than traders expected. It would nearly triple the 759 million bushels, the smallest supply in 16 years, forecast for the Aug. 31 end of this marketing year.

“The slow start to this year’s planting and the likelihood that progress by mid-May will remain well behind the 10-year average reduce prospects for yields,” said USDA. It pegged yields at

Worldwide surge

Bigger wheat crops are projected in all of the world’s major exporting nations, with a record 701.1 million tonnes expected, up seven per cent. Europe and the former Soviet states would see the largest increases, said USDA. Ending stocks would rise by three per cent.

Europe, the former Soviet states and China would reap larger corn crops, along with the record U.S. crop, for a world record 965.9 million tonnes, up 13 per cent from 2012-13. Even with record consumption, stocks would reach a 13-year high of 154.6 million tonnes, USDA projected.

China was forecast to become the world’s largest rice importer in 2013-14 as world production rises two per cent to a record 479.3 million tonnes, said USDA, and ending stocks of 107.8 million tonnes would be the largest since 2001-02.

Global oilseed production was projected for a record 491.3 million tonnes, up 4.7 per cent due mainly to a larger soybean crop. Soybeans, which account for roughly 60 per cent of world oilseeds, would be up by six per cent. Soybean ending stocks would surge by 20 per cent, to 75 million tonnes, USDA said.

The world’s largest soybean importer, China was forecast to buy 69 million tonnes, up 10 million tonnes from this marketing year and two-thirds of the world total. Chinese farmers are shifting land to more profitable crops and growing fewer soybeans. “If realized, harvest area of 6.6 million hectares would be down 28 per cent in four years,” said USDA. The U.S. winter wheat crop was forecast at 1.49 billion bushels, down 10 per cent from last year, mostly due to freeze and drought damage in the central and southern Plains, the heart of the crop.

Winter wheat, the lion’s share of U.S. output, is projected to be 2.057 billion bushels this year.

Respected Cigi manager retires Cigi’s manager of special crops, oilseeds and pulses joined the institute’s team in 1998

By Lorraine Stevenson staff /winnipeg

C

olleagues are lining up to bid farewell to food scientist Linda Malcolmson who retires at the end of May with the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) — and it’s a long line.

In a career spanning 30 years, including 15 as Cigi’s manager of special crops, oilseeds and pulses, Malcolmson has worked with a plethora of industry, government and university groups across Canada and around the world in market development and applied research.

Prior to joining Cigi in 1998, she was a professor of food and nutritional sciences at the University of Manitoba and director of the George Weston Limited Sensory and Food Research Centre at the University of Manitoba.

Meeting so many people over these three decades has been her greatest source of job satisfaction, said Malcolmson as she prepares to leave Cigi.

“My staff often say to me ‘you know everybody,’” she said. “The greatest joy of this whole job has been people, and working with great people.”

When she was hired at Cigi, Malcolmson was initially assigned to oversee the wheat technology activities. But she arrived at a time when Cigi’s work was also evolving beyond its traditional emphasis on wheat and cereal grains.

“It quickly was obvious that there was another role for Linda here at Cigi,” says Earl Geddes, chief executive officer with Cigi, adding that it was her knowledge, leadership and commitment that enabled the institute to expand into the whole new area of pulses.

In 2005, the institute opened its pulse-pro-

cessing and specialty milling facility, which is now staffed by a team of four specialists working with new food products made with pulses.

“Linda really started up the whole pulse program here at Cigi,” says Geddes. “Today it’s a major part of our program.”

That, in turn, has significantly boosted the institution’s international reputation, he added.

“She’s raised our reputation as a go-to technical centre because of the extensive knowledge and experience she’s had with various field crops while she’s worked here.”

Malcolmson’s other major contributions at Cigi have included facilitating its ongoing partnership with the Canadian Soybean Council to deliver programs on their behalf, and her extensive work promoting usage of barley flour. She has worked with major food companies around the world.

Colleagues say they’ve always appreciated her ability to motivate those she’s worked with to do their best work.

Elaine Sopiwynk, Cigi’s head of analytical services, whose first association with Malcolmson was as a graduate student in the mid1990s says she’s always valued Malcolmson’s perspective and often sought her advice.

“She’s never stopped being a teacher,” she said. “She knows you know the answer and she wants you to think of it.”

Trends look good

Malcolmson says she leaves feeling especially proud of the pulse program, the support it’s received from government, grower associations and Pulse Canada, and the skillful staff who will carry on its work.

“I am very proud of the work they’re doing for the pulse industry and I know that the future is in good hands with them,” she said.

It’s also good to end a career focused on

Linda Malcolmson, Cigi’s manager of special crops, oilseeds and pulses says the establishment of a pulse-processing facility and the skilled team operating it is one of the things she’s most proud of from her time at Cigi. That team includes technologist (l) Gina Boux, and project managers Peter Frolich and Heather Maskus. Lindsay Bourre, a technical specialist (not pictured) is also part of Cigi’s pulse team. PHOTo: Lorraine Stevenson healthier foods just as consumer interest and desire to eat more nutritiously has never been stronger, Malcolmson said.

The trend looks extremely promising for production and consumption of many more healthy whole foods, she said.

“I would say there is certainly more of a desire and interest to eat healthier and to eat more nutritiously and that has really played well into my work,” she said. “I was never a fan of nutraceuticals, but I was a big fan of functional foods, and using food in a whole form. I’ve been really lucky because

towards the end of my career there’s a strong desire for that. It’s a good time to be stepping away.”

But she’s not putting her feet up yet.

Geddes said he plans to keep her on contract for projects. “Losing Linda is a bit of a challenge for Cigi as we’re doing this transition, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to still count on her to do some of the project work that requires her level of knowledge,” he said. lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

17

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

Anything special I need to know about my heavy/draft horse?

Keep it simple. Heavy horses have distinctive dietary needs for sound health

By Carol Shwetz, DVM

H

eavy horse often implies a draft bred horse, yet any horse of a body weight over 550 kg (1,200 pounds), exceeding 15 hands classifies as a “heavy” horse. These large creatures share similar statures and genial personalities, as well as tendencies towards common health matters, heightened nutritional concerns, and metabolic differences, not as widespread in light horse types.

Some of these horses are very large weighing upwards of 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) and standing over 18 hands tall. It is this physical largeness that gives rise to their distinctive needs necessary for thriving.

Heavy horses are ‘easykeepers,’ requiring simple diets of 12 to 23 kg (25 to 50 pounds) of quality grasses and grass hay daily. Overnutrition and lack of exercise quickly escalate into obesity, laminitis and metabolic dysfunctions. The most common metabolic dysfunction of the heavy horse is a sensitivity to high carbohydrate diets.

Their muscles are metabolically unable to process starches and sugars as fuel sources. The most widely accepted term for this condition is Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSM).

can vary from a mild spasm to a condition so severe that the horse kicks his belly.

Symptoms

Shivers is distinguished by symptoms of unexpected shaking and trembling of the hindquarters and tail. Symptoms intensify with backing up. Most of these horses struggle when asked to pick up their hind feet.

Symptoms worsen with stress or excitement.

Chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL) is a disease identified in Shires, Clydesdales, Belgians and Gypsy Vanners. It is a progressive swelling, thickening and eventually fibrosis of the lower limbs. The thick feathers characteristic of these breeds are suspected to play a role in its development. It is often mistaken for pastern dermatitis or scratches yet it does not respond

to conventional therapy. Studies are currently underway to determine the hereditary component of this disease.

Junctional Epidermal Bullosa is a hereditary disease unique to the Belgian breed. It is a devastating disease of the neonate in which the skin is very fragile, rubbing off, peeling and blistering with pressure. Affected foals die within a few weeks of birth or are euthanized as soon as diagnosis is made.

The defective gene is a recessive trait requiring one copy from the dam and one copy from the sire to produce an affected foal. A genetic test is available to determine if a horse is a carrier of the mutated gene.

Reproductive problems

Reproduction appears to be a more delicate matter in the heavy horse, once again likely

due to sheer size. Draft/heavy mares tend to be more susceptible to retained placentas, dystocia, and inadequate uterine clearance. These complications are exacerbated with mineral imbalance, lack of exercise and overnutrition.

Newborn foals frequently require nursing care as they may be slow, clumsy risers and lack a strong nursing drive. Twinning is overall more common than in light horse breeds. Stallions

tend to be ‘late bloomers’ requiring ample time to mature both behaviourally and physically.

As with other horses, medications such as antibiotics, dewormers, and pain relievers are given on a body weight basis.

Vaccines are administered as per horse. Sedatives and tranquilizers have a more profound effect on draft breeds requiring substantially lower doses to achieve effect. General anesthetic is problematic with complications inherent in managing a large, recumbent animal.

A final nuance of the heavy or draft horse is their life expectancy which is typically 18 to 24 years.

In comparison, their lighter-bred cousins are expected to live up to a decade longer.

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

Let your flag leaf fly.

Confusing disorder

Considerable confusion surrounds this disorder due to its varied presentation. Muscle weakness and damage occurs with exercise. Symptoms may include mild to severe muscle pain, muscular stiffness and cramping, trembling, hindlimb lameness/weakness, performance troubles, recumbency, and discoloured urine. Azoturia, tying up, and Monday morning disease are likely various presentations of EPSM. Diagnosis is based on elevated muscle enzymes and muscle biopsies. There is no cure for EPSM. Afflicted horses respond remarkably to dietary modifications which limit starches, primarily by eliminating grains and sweet feed. If extra calories are required, fat is added to the diet. Clinical signs are further alleviated through consistent daily exercise and proper conditioning.

Balanced mineral support becomes imperative for soundness as the body becomes larger.

Youngsters are particularly prone to developmental bone diseases and arthritis when pushed too hard nutritionally or when lacking mineral support.

Stand up for healthy yields with Quilt ®. By applying Quilt fungicide at the flag-leaf stage, you protect your cereal crop from leaf diseases that reduce your yield and quality. Cereal crops treated with Quilt are protected against rusts, tan spot, powdery mildew and Septoria.

Registered on all wheat and barley, Quilt safeguards your investment and your profitability.

Degenerative joint diseases

The increased concussion of carrying extra weight can lead to higher incidence of degenerative joint diseases, such as high-low ringbone. As well, proper hoof care is necessary to provide a solid foundation that effectively carries and supports a large body.

Two neuromuscular disorders seen more frequently in heavy horses is stringhalt and shivers.

Both diseases result in abnormal movement of the hind limbs and their causes remain speculative.

With stringhalt one or both hind legs flex higher and faster than usual when the horse moves. It

Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682).

Always read and follow label directions. Quilt®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2013 Syngenta.

5496-D_Quilt_FlagLeaf_AlbertaFarmerExpress.indd 1

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18

} fire risk

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Persistently dry

Monster tornado

moscow / reuters Lack of rain persists in some Russian grain-growing regions, an analyst said May 19, while Russia’s state forecaster warned of a danger of wildfires.

Traditionally the world’s third-largest wheat exporter, Russia needs to replenish stocks this year after it lost one-third of last year’s wheat crop due to drought during the second half of May and early June. The possibility of wildfires remained very high in the Voronezh region of the Central Federal District and in the Volgograd region of the Southern District, the Federal Hydrometeorological Centre said.

A massive tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore May 20, killing dozens with winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 km/h) that flattened entire tracts of homes, two schools and a hospital, leaving a wake of tangled wreckage. The death toll was at 91 and still rising as rescue workers combed the wreckage to find those still missing. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center provided the town with a warning 16 minutes before the tornado touched down at 3:01 p.m. local time (2001 GMT).

How does hail form?

Wild swings in the jet stream point to the potential for some big storms

by daniel bezte

E

ach year I like to re-hash some of my weather articles because, well, they tend to discuss some of the most important weather events that affect our part of the world.

When we think of late spring and early summer our thoughts start to migrate towards thunderstorms. With the return of some heat and humidity to the Prairies we are beginning to see thunderstorms develop.

What has been interesting about this year is just how slow of a start there has been to the thunderstorm season. Maybe not here in Canada, but across much of the United States it has been one of the quietest first halves of May on record. A lot of this has to do with the jet stream and cold pattern it has been creating, but with some wild swings in the jet steam over the last week or two it is looking like thunderstorm season may be upon us, and it just might end up being one of those years where we see some really big ones.

If you have spent any significant amount of time living on the Prairies, then there is a good chance you’ve experienced a hailstorm. While hail can occur pretty much anywhere across North America, there are two main regions where the chances of experiencing a hailstorm are significantly higher. The first region is the central United States and the second region is the Canadian Prairies, and in particular, Alberta.

For those of you who routinely read my column, then you know I have a fair number of weather peeves. Well, I have another one and, you guessed it, it has to do with hail, or rather, the improper use of the term hail. Hail refers to the falling of ice from a cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) cloud. Ice pellets, snow pellets, and graupel (a snowflake that has been coated in ice) are not hail and should not be called hail. These types of precipitation will often occur in the spring or late fall and are not associated with thunderstorms.

One of the first questions I get

asked about hail is: Can it be too warm for hail? The answer is — yes. If the upper atmosphere is warm, then the freezing level in the atmosphere is very high up.

If a thunderstorm does develop, and if hail forms in the storm, chances are that the hail will melt well before it ever reaches the ground. So, the key ingredients for hail to form are to have plenty of cold air aloft and to make sure it is not too high off of the ground.

OBJECT DIAMETERS

Pea Marble Grape Ping-pong ball Golf ball Egg Pool Ball Tennis ball Baseball Grapefruit Softball

Large enough?

Most thunderstorms will produce hail, the question is, whether or not the hail will grow large enough to make it to the ground without completely melting. As we have already discussed, a very low freezing level helps this happen, because the hailstone only has a short distance to fall through the relatively warm air.

Another way to keep a hailstone from melting before it hits the ground is to start off with a really big hailstone. This is one of the main reasons Alberta sees so much hail (compared to everyone else in Canada). The topography of Alberta is such that, while ground temperatures can be really warm, the freezing layer is not that high up relative to what it might be in Manitoba.

Now, here is where a second common misconception about thunderstorms and hail lies. To get really big hailstones you do not necessarily need a really tall (or high) thunderstorm.

Hail forms when a particle passes from the warm (liquid) part of the cloud into the cold (freezing) part of the cloud.

When this occurs, any water on the particle freezes and you now have a small hailstone.

Now, if that hailstone just kept going up towards the top of the thunderstorm it wouldn’t accumulate much more ice and therefore it would remain small. For hailstones to get really big they must go back into the warm (liquid) section of the storm, pick up more water, then go back up into the cold section of the cloud so the water can freeze. Repeat this cycle a number of times and you can get some really big hailstones.

When it comes to hail, size really does matter.

Pea-sized hail will do little if any damage to structures and plants, while golf ball-sized hailstones can literally destroy everything in their path. When it comes to measuring hailstone size things

become a little strange. That is, you don’t usually hear that the hail will be around 50 mm in diameter. Instead you hear that the hail was the size of a golf ball or an egg. Of all the things we measure in regards to weather, hail has by far the most descrip-

5 mm 10 mm 15 mm 40 mm 45 mm 50 mm 60 mm 65 mm 70 mm 100 mm 115 mm

tive measurements. Above are some of the more common descriptive terms used for hail and the approximate size that hailstone would be.

In the next issue we’ll continue our look at severe summer weather.

This issue’s map shows the amount of precipitation that has fallen across the Prairies so far this spring (March 15 to May 13). You can see two distinct patterns across the Prairies. The eastern Prairies have been fairly dry, stretching from south-central Manitoba northwesterly to north-central Saskatchewan. Over Alberta it has been a little wetter, with about half the region seeing around average to slightly above-average amounts and the other half seen a little less than average.

19

Albertafarmexpress.ca • May 27, 2013

Danish pork producers confident despite feeder pig exodus peet on pigs } Danish finishers need to compete against German weaner buyers By bernie peet

L

ike their counterparts around the world, Danish pig producers face the challenge of high feed costs and moderate hog prices, but the tone of the latest annual report of the Pig Research Centre (PRC), which reviews industry developments, is modestly confident.

This is despite the ongoing problem of increasing exports of feeder pigs to Germany, which has left the producer-owned processing companies with a shortage of pigs. On top of that, Danish producers face increasingly strict welfare and environmental legislation and huge pressure to reduce the use of antibiotics.

Faced with a barrage of challenges, lesser mortals would throw in the towel but the modern-day Vikings respond with quiet deter mination and a degree of organization and co-operation that is the envy of pork industries around the world.

Over the last 20 years, there have been massive structural changes in the industry, with the number of farms with pigs falling from over 20,000 to about 4,500 last year.

There has also been increasin g s p e c i a l i z at i o n i n p r o duction, with the traditional farrow-to-finish model being replaced by two- or threesite production. There are now about 1,800 farrow-tofinish farms, averaging 255 sows per farm, but also 600 specialist sow farms with an average of 950 sows and 2,100 dedicated finisher units with an average annual production of 6,800 market hogs.

The requirement to change to group sow housing hastened these changes, with many smaller farrow-to-finish producers choosing either to increase sow numbers and specialize in piglet production or convert to finishing.

The PRC report notes that the industry was able to carry out the conversion to group housing without a dramatic drop in overall production.

Output improves

In 2000, the Danish industry produced a total of 22.4 million pigs from a sow herd of 1.07 million. Total production for 2012 is expected to be 29 million pigs, including weaner exports, from one million sows, almost a 30 per cent improvement in output. There has been a total focus on efficiency as a route to continued survival, because it is impossible to control either feed prices or the return per hog.

However, Danish processors continue to look for ways to derive more value from each carcass through improving quality and adding value. The weekly hog price is determined by the

Danish processors continue to look for ways to derive more value from each carcass through improving quality and adding value. value of product sold by the processor, so producers receive strong signals from the marketplace. Producers are also board members of the processors, so can influence changes in response to market conditions. Over the last five years, the hog price has moved up from a range of 9DKK/kg to 10DKK/kg (about $1.82) to 11DKK ($2) in 2011.

At the end of 2012, both processing companies, Danish Crown and Tican, paid a bonus of 0.90DKK ($0.16) per kg, effectively representing a dividend for the producer owners of these businesses.

Interestingly, Danish processors refuse to accept pigs immunized against boar taint because taste panels detected more boar taint than in castrates.

German feeder demand

The thorn in the side of Danish processors is the expansion in the export of 30-kg feeder pigs to Germany for finishing. This arose because German processors were paying more for market hogs and so finisher producers could pay more for Danish weaners than they were worth in Denmark. Currently, there appears no end to this trend.

During 2012, weaner exports increased by 14 per cent to 9.16 million from 8.04 million in 2011, and have gone up from from just over 3.5 million in 2006. Short of a sudden reversal of this trend, exports are on track to represent about one-third of total production this year.

As I have reported before, last October the processors announced a plan to encourage increased finishing capacity in Denmark, but this is unlikely to have a major impact, certainly in the short term.

Herd recording

Production and financial records for Danish producers are derived from the herd-recording scheme run by the national advisory service, which is operated by the farmers’ unions. Production

data is from 664 sow farms, with 425,000 sows, 574 nursery farms with total production of 9.4 million weaners, and 746 finisher farms with total production of 4.9 million finishers. In the 12 months to mid-2012, sows farms weaned an average of 28.8 pigs/sow/year, a 0.7 pig increase compared with the previous year. The top 25 per cent of farms weaned 31.5 piglets.

Such high breeding herd productivity is tempered by a range of problems, notably high sow mortality, which is being investigated by the research and development programs run by the PRC. Another issue being addressed is the nutritional and feeding requirements of highly prolific sows.

Very high litter size has resulted in a reduction in birth weight and a recent trial evaluated the impact of feed level in the last four weeks of gestation on litter weight.

Sows were fed either 2.5, 3.5 or 4.5 Danish Feed Units (equivalent to about 2.3, 3.2 and 4.1 kg of gestation feed in Canada) and there was a significant improvement in litter weight from feeding 3.5FU/day, which was not increased by feeding 4.5FU.

In the finishing herd, the requirement to phase out castration by 2018 has stimulated extensive research by PRC. The Danes believe that a genetic route to removing boar taint by avoiding androstenone in the meat is the only way forward and have been looking at the genetic correlations between traits for boar taint and the economically most important traits included in the breeding objectives.

Preliminary results for Landrace pigs suggest that these correlations are ‘faint’ or slightly favourable, which means that selection for pigs free of taint will not negatively impact performance.

They are also making full use of genomics and, once the preliminary work has been completed, will be able to identify, and select against, boars with the genes that lead to boar taint. Interestingly, Danish processors refuse to accept pigs immunized against boar taint because taste panels detected more boar taint than in castrates.

Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal

20

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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

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

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21

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

FARM MACHINERY Grain Handling

BUILDINGS

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

BUILDINGS

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

Double LL Industries 780.905.8565 Nisku, Alberta

AGRI-VACS

2009 Massey Ferguson 1533

Tired of shovelling out your bins, unhealthy dust and awkward augers?

Walinga manufactures a complete line of grain vacs to suit your every need. With no filters to plug and less damage done to your product than an auger, you’re sure to find the right system to suit you. Call now for a free demonstration or trade in your old vac towards a new WALINGA AGRI-VACS

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

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

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

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

Green or Heated Canola/Flax

1-877-641-2798

BUYING:

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

Licensed Agrologist on Staff.

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

CONTRACTING CONTRACTING Custom Work CUSTOM BIN MOVING AVAILABLE, 14-19ft bins, w/or without floor, hoppers, flat bottoms, also selling new or used bins, call Wayne anytime (780)632-0455

ENGINES

1-877-250-5252

Buying Spring Thrashed, Heated, Green, Canola, Freight Options, Prompt Payment Bonded and Insured

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

ANTIQUES

ENGINE REBUILD KITS FOR most makes and models of tractors, great selection, thousands of parts! Service manuals, super savings, Our 39th year, www.diamondfarmtractorparts.com.

1-800-481-1353

FARM MACHINERY Grain Bins ROCKYFORD STEEL LTD. WWW.ROCKYFORDSTEEL.COM Phone:(403)533-2258. Upgrade lid openers, upgrade bin doors, OB1 temperature cables & cooling vent tubes.

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Baling WANTED: JD 7810 c/w FEL & 3-PTH; sp or PTO bale wagon; JD or IHC end wheel drills. Small square baler. (877)330-4477

ANTIQUES Antique Vehicles

Combines

ANTIQUE 1944 CASE MODEL D tractor for sale.

Good condition, $2,000 OBO Barry Phone:(403)703-3900.

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Various

AUTO & TRANSPORT

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

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

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories CIH 1010 22-1/2FT, STRAIGHT cut header, w/pu reel, excellent condition, $7,000, OBO (403)784-3248, Clive, Ab.

1-888-413-3325

RECONDITIONED COMBINE HEADERS. RIGID & flex, most makes & sizes; also header transports.

Ed Lorenz, (306)344-4811 or Website: www.straightcutheaders.com Paradise Hill, SK.

AUCTION SALES Auctions Various

AUCTION SALES Auctions Various

SHIELDS

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

FARM MACHINERY Sprayers MELROE 116 SPRA-COUPE 51FT w/15” spacings for better chemical coverage, floatation tires, economical VW engine w/4spd. trans. shedded, $6,250. (403)666-2111

Tillage & Seeding FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Tillage 33-1/2FT MF 820 DISC, medium duty, notched FT, 19in. smooth rear pans 20in. no welds. Tandem wheels on center section, $14,500. (403)666-2111

AUCTION SERVICE LTD. General Auction Services since 1960

FARM, RANCH, REAL ESTATE & COMMERCIAL

Email: john@shieldsauctionservices.com • Phone: 403-464-0202

Geared For The Future

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

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

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

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Various 48FT BOURGAULT PACKER BAR. series 4000 wing up model, heavy P30 packers. tandem wheels on centre section. very little use. like new condition. over $50,000 new. $17,500. (403)666-2111 48FT WILLRICH CHISEL PLOW, HD, 5plex w/mounted harrows. original harrow tines still measure 12in. walking tandems on centre section. heavy trip shanks on a very well built machine, no welds, $18,500. (403)666-2111

TracTors

JD TRACTORS, SPECIALIZING IN quality engine rebuild kits, great selection, thousands of parts, super savings, Our 39th year, 1-800-481-1353 www.diamondfarmtractorparts.com

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various NEW TRACTOR PARTS AND specializing in engine rebuild kits, great selection, super savings! Not all parts online, service manuals and decals, Our 39th year, www.diamondfarmtractorparts.com 1-800-481-1353

FARM MACHINERY Sprayers

Big Tractor Parts, Inc. STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

Spraying EquipmEnt

JD 1120 C/W JD 145 loader, bucket & pallet forks, 3-PTH, dual hyds, 540 PTO. Phone (780)968-7750, Stony Plain, AB.

NEW TRUCK ENGINE REBUILD kits, high quality Cummins, B&C series engines 3.9, 5.9, and 8.3, also IH trucks, great savings, our 39th year!

1-800-481-1353 www.diamondfarmtractorparts.com

IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

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

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – John Deere

AUTO & TRANSPORT Auto & Truck Parts

FARMING

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS

“ON FARM PICK UP”

CANOLA WANTED

JD 3140, 3pth loader JD 4020, loader available JD 4440, 158 loader JD 4560, FWA, 280 loader Jd 6300 FWA, 3pth, loader JD 7410, FWA, C/W Loader JD 7610, FWA, C/W loader JD 746 loader, new Cat Skidsteer, 256C, 1000 Hrs. Mustang 2044 Skidsteer, 1300 Hrs. Kello 10ft. Model 210 disc.

Clamp on Duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 158 & 148, 265, 740.280, JD loaders

Pioneer One Steel Buildings

BUSINESS SERVICES

8,800

$

8,800

$

1986 John Deere 410B

Extendahoe, 4x4, 6255 Hours

28,500

$

www.doublellindustries.com

Call toll free 1 (877) 525-2004 or see us online at www.pioneeronesteel.com

HEATED & GREEN CANOLA • Competitive Prices • Prompt Movement • Spring Thrashed

13,500

$

When you go with steel you get the right deals!

Case Ih 585

High Clearance, 1368 Hours, 52 HP, 1745 Hours, Diesel, 3PTH, Mid Mount Cultivators 3PTH, With Ezee-on 60 Loader

FWA, 33 Hp Diesel, 498 Hours, 3PTH

$28,418

Fergus, ON: (519) 787-8227 Carman, MB: (204) 745-2951 Davidson, SK: (306) 567-3031

983 Kubota L245 Offset Tractor

3 BUNNING MANURE SPREADERS for rent, Custom corral cleaning, call Lawrence (403)588-4787; Bunning spreaders on trucks. Call Shane 403-588-1146 ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: CULTIVATORS, DISCS, Plows, Blades, Post pounders, Haying Equipment, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, Ab. JD 568 ROUND BALER, loaded. Low bales. JD 336 Square baler; Case IH 8380 Haybine; 41-ft Flexicoil chisel plow/air seeder W/harrows; 43-ft chisel plow w/harrows; IH 12 bottom/plow. Also calf tipping squeeze, stock trimming/calving chute.

Phone:(780)623-1008.

RETIRED SALE: JD 702 10 wheel V-rake, $5,100; LZB JD hoe drill, 12-ft w/7-in spacing, fine seed & fertilizer box, stored inside, excellent condition $3,200; NH 575 small square baler, stored inside since overhaul, w/hyd toungue & bale tension, $9,500. Phone:(403)932-5522. Cochrane.

SEED DRILLS 6200 24ft. rubber packers, fertilizer, factory transport shedded; IH 5100 end wheel drill, w/fertilizer attachment; IH #10 end wheel drill w/grass and fertilizer; hyd drill mover, 24ft; #10 deep tillage; IH 12ft deep tillage IH.; 12ft MF disc. with hyd. gas tanks and stands. (780)919-9985

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

1-888-413-3325

FARM MACHINERY Sprayers

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile Wire Spooler 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

RON SAUER

MACHINERY LTD. (403) 540-7691 ronsauer@shaw.ca

2005 STX CIH 450 Tractor, P/S, deluxe cab, triples, 520x85-46 good, Serviced and ready to go ........$185,000 Flexicoil 6 run seed treater ................................ $2,000 60’ Flexicoil S95 harrow packer draw bar, tandem wheels, P30 packers, fair shape ......................................... $6,500 134’ 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 sprayer, 2006,trail boom, auto rate, rinse tank, hyd. pump, combo jets, nice shape.... $26,500 30’ 8230 CIH PT swather, PU reel, nice shape,.. $10,000 25ft Hesston 1200 PT swather, Bat reel, nice shape .......................................................... $7,500 21’ 4600 Prairie Star PT swather, UII pu reel, nice shape .............................................................$5000 16’ NH 2300 hay header & conditioner from NH 2450 swather, nice cond. ......................... $5,000 1372 MF 13’ swing arm discbine 4yrs, like new$20,000 MATR 10 wheel V-Hayrake, hyd. fold, as new .... $5,250 New Sakundiak 10x1200 (39.97’) 36HP Kohler eng., E-Kay mover, Power steering, electric belt tightener, work lights, slimfi t, 12 gal. fuel tank ...................... $18,500 New Sakundiak 7x1200 (39.97’), 22HP Robin-Subaru eng.,w/Winter Kit, battery & fuel tank, new tires..... $7,500 New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps .........................Call Flexicoil 10”x 50’ Grain auger ......................... $2,500 7721 JD PT combine, decent cond. ....................... $5,000 7701 JD PT combine, new concaves & rub bars ..... $4,000 Jiffy feed wagon, like new, hardly used....................$9,250 18.4”x30” tractor grip tires on rims .......................... Call New Outback Max GPS Guidance Monitor Available................................................... Call New Outback MAX, STX, STS, E-Drive TC’s ................... Call New Outback STS, E drive TC’s ...............................In Stock 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 TC drive Hyd. Kits.

(JD,Case, Cat & NH).................................................$500 WANTED: 8820 JD Combine, nice condition ** NuVision, Sakundiak & Farm King Augers, Outback GPS Systems, EK Auger Movers, Belt Tighteners, Sweeps, & Crop Dividers, Kohler Robin Subaru engines, Degelman, Headsight Harvesting Solutions**

JD 9430, 9530, 9630.

JD 9410R, 9460R, 9560R 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.

535 Quad track w/PTO 920 Fendt 3500Hrs, Excellent Condition

8100 Wilmar Sprayer JD 4710, 4720, 4730, 4830, 4920, 4930 SP sprayers JD 9770 & 9870 w/CM & duals CIH 3185, 3230, 3330, 4430, 4420 sprayers

GOOD SELECTION OF CASE QUAD TRACKS 500-550 & 600’’S

Many Other 4WD’s Available!

“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

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted WANTED: NH 8500 ROUND bale wagon. Phone (406)883-2118 WANTED: NH BALE WAGONS & retrievers, any condition. Farm Equipment Finding Service, P.O. Box 1363, Polson, MT 59860. (406)883-2118 WANTED: POST POUNDER, PREFER trailer type.

(403)886-4285 We know that farming is enough of a gamble so if you want to sell it fast place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. It’s a Sure Thing. Call our toll-free number today. We have friendly staff ready to help.

1-888-413-3325.

Go public with an ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. Phone 1-888-413-3325.

22

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

LANDSCAPING Lawn & Garden

LANDSCAPING Lawn & Garden

DEINES! 1st to Perfect The FLIP UP DECK To See What A DEINES Mower Can Do For You. Visit: lairdmowers.ca

DEAN EBBERT SALES 403-347-2797 Red Deer 1-800-886-9429

* Deines is a Zero-turn FRONT MOUNT mower first designed and built in 1970. * Deines mowers have a welded construction 11 guage steel, flotation design deck available in 50, 60 & 72” sizes. * Excepitonal maneuverability lets you trim right around trees, under shrubs and fence lines wih ease. Cut your mowing time in half. * Standard sizes belts, bearings, etc. Simple easy maintenance. * Kohler 18, 20 & 23 H.P.O.V.H. series engines. * Demos, delivery and referances avaiable.

Also Sell

*Smucker Foam Markers *NO-DRIFT Lawn Chemical Applicators

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

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

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Angus YEARLING RED/BLACK ANGUS heifer bulls, light birth weight, $1,800. (780)888-2123, or (780)384-2354, (780)888-7585 Sedgewick, Alberta REGISTERED RED & BLACK ANGUS YEARLING bulls, quiet, various birthweights 70lb and up, semen tested, delivered, $2,500. Bellshill Angus, Lougheed Ab. (780)386-2150, 780-888-1374 UNREGISTERED RED ANGUS BULLS for sale, born April, Light birthweights, semen tested, $1800.

Bellshill Angus (780)386-2150, (780)888-1087, Lougheed, Ab.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus www.penta.ca

1-800-587-4711

IRON & STEEL Oil Field Pipe: 2 3/8, 2 7/8 & 3 1/2 inch pipe for sale.

Contact David at (250)308-4106

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle – Angus PB RED & BLACK Angus yearling bulls for sale.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

Import tariffs cut

Beef prices soar

reuters Japan is set to agree to reduce import tariffs on Australian frozen beef from 38.5 per cent to around 30 per cent as part of a bilateral economic partnership agreement, the Nikkei said. Tariffs on chilled, grass-fed beef from Australia will also likely be brought down from 38.5 per cent to roughly 30 per cent. But those on chilled, grain-fed beef will remain unchanged, as this type of Aussie beef competes against some Japanese offerings, the paper said.

chicago/ reuters A turn to warmer weather in the United States and pent-up demand for steaks and burgers ahead of the traditional grilling season sent wholesale prices for Choicegrade beef to a record high of $205.91 per hundredweight May 13, up 36 cents from the previous record set late last week. The average retail beef price in March hit a record $5.30 per lb., surpassing the previous record of $5.15 in November, according to the U.S. Economic Research Service.

Egg Farmers chair says organic, free-run egg farm shows industry responding to consumer demands Ben Waldner says tour of free-run facilities in Holland and Germany convinced Rosalind Colony delegation that the system can work

By Alexis Kienlen af staff / rosalind

T

hink Hutterites are slow to embrace technological advancements and market changes?

Think again. One of Canada’s three organic, free-run egg farms is located at Rosalind Colony near Camrose.

“I think this barn provides some great examples of innovative things egg farmers are doing to meet consumer demands,” Ben Waldner, chair of the Egg Farmers of Alberta, said during a recent tour of the facility.

“We were just trying to come up with something that would meet consumer demand in the future. You work together with your processor and your breeder, and find out what you think the market is.”

Waldner was part of a delegation from the colony that travelled to Europe to see free-run operations in Holland and Germany.

“You work together with your processor and your breeder, and find out what you think the market is.”

Ben Waldner chair of Egg Farmers of Alberta

“What we saw in Europe really encouraged us,” he told those on the tour, which included Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson.

“Four of us came back and we were fairly confident that we could make this work.”

Rosalind Colony’s operation is serving a niche market, said Waldner, who predicted demand for free-run eggs will

continue to grow, but organic may take a lot longer.

“These eggs are sold at a premium,” he said. “The market will grow eventually, but it’s not going to grow so that every barn will be like that. It’s up to consumer response. We still need to have an egg in the store that consumers want. And not everyone can afford a $6-a-dozen egg.”

Producing organic, free-run eggs is more costly,” said Mike Stahl, who was a plumber before becoming manager of the Rosalind Colony facility two years ago.

“There’s a lot more work involved in this barn, and a lot more attention to detail,” said Stahl.

“You spend a lot more time in this system than you would in any other barn.”

Stahl said he had previously heard the term “chicken savvy,” but never understood it until he worked with his birds.

“They have a small head but there’s a lot in there,” he said.

“And once they have something in there, you can’t change it. So you have to train them when they’re small.”

The chickens, brown leghorns, are trained through use of lighting controls, placement of water, opening and closing of doors, and temperature changes. The cage-free system allows the birds to engage in natural behaviours, such as scratching and perching.

“I’ve never run a caged barn, but I think this is a more stressfree environment. I just love this barn,” said Stahl.

Maintaining a clean environment takes up the majority of his time. He spends at least half an hour a day looking at computerized records that include temperature, humidity, egg collection and monitors everything closely, including lighting, ammonia levels, and chlorine levels in the water.

The colony has its own onfarm feed mill and processes organic wheat, barley, peas, canola and soy meal. In order to increase biosecurity, Rosalind Colony tries to do as much

Ben Waldner, chair of Egg Farmers of Alberta, looks on while David Dorward MLA for Edmonton-Goldbar, and Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson collect eggs during a tour of the Rosalind Colony’s egg operation.

PHOTos: Alexis Kienlen

Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson enjoyed the calm, well-socialized laying hens during a tour at the Rosalind Colony egg barn. on farm as possible. The barn is certified organic, which means no pesticides are allowed in the entire facility. Stahl only uses one kind of disinfectant in the entire barn, and doesn’t use disinfectant around the birds.

The colony has a very low bird mortality rate, losing about 0.2

Ben Waldner, chair of Egg Farmers of Alberta, holds up an egg inside the Rosalind Colony’s cage-free barn. per cent of the birds for the life of the flock.

“That’s actually better than our average would be in cages,” said Waldner.

To be certified organic, the chickens need to be able to access the outdoors. They can go outside depending on tem-

perature and time of the day.

In addition, the barn has two layer rooms, each containing 7,000 birds, as well as a pullet barn where 7,000 pullets are kept until they’re 17 weeks old. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

24

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

It’s time to take a new look at pastures and opportunities for grass-fed beef Forage and pasture-fed associations are popping up around the world and Canada’s ample supply of pasture is an economic opportunity By brenda schoepp

T

he dairy cows grazing kale on pasture in the United Kingdom are a beautiful sight. Kale is an experimental crop being tested because of reduced yields from last summer’s poor crops. It doesn’t have as much punch as some traditional grazing mixes, so animals requiring less, and the lower-yielding bovines, are here.

They stand in a nice, solid line behind a portable electric wire.

Rye was also grown on this farm to allow for an early graze and to offset the costs of buying feed. It is all part of a program to keep cows on the farms rather than downsizing because of feed shortages. Pasture management in the U.K. is as much a solution as buying feed, as 68 per cent of land in the U.K. is pasture.

A forage strategy is a must for every farm.

Pasture management is also critical for beef producers in years when excessive moisture drastically cuts yields. The focus on pasture improvement and the availability of pasture, along with a growing consumer trend led to the newly formed Pasture Fed Livestock Association. The group was formed to give farmers who sell pasture-fed product a voice and to engage them collectively both on- and off-line. The fin-

ished beef on pasture is fully traceable through the Pasture Tracks system as the number on the carcass goes with the beef right to the retail shelf.

In Manitoba, grass-fed beef producers have also formed an association to promote their product. The Manitoba Grass Fed Beef Association is a collection of Verified Beef producers who promote their product and support the health benefits of grass-fed beef. Canada has a similar percentage of pasture land as the U.K., so this is an opportunity for many.

This past month, the Cattle Council of Australia launched a Pasture-fed Cattle Assurance Program that will allow for producers to have “Certified Pasture-fed” cattle for the market and the shelf. This new branding initiative allows producers to make a claim and for processors and retailers to apply their own brand with a high degree of confidence. The growing trend toward certification is proof that we can harvest in terms of income, what the cattle eat.

Do consumers care? I recently visited the Front Street Hero Burger shop in Toronto where certified range-fed Angus beef was featured. Manager and store owner Akin Asalu was enthusiastic about the taste and consistency in the burger and was totally satisfied with the experience. On the menu was the Canada Beef logo and Asalu asked me to let the Alberta producers know they were doing a good job.

Do farmers care? The evercreative Foothills Forage & Grazing Association and other provincial forage associations are always looking for new and innovative ways to increase pasture production, reduce

PHOTo: thinkstock costs, sustain the environment and create a great product. Their work with early forages, annuals and perennials, intercropping, and stockpiling along with a host of other techniques has boosted profits for their members. Forage associations are the greatest investment a government can make when you consider that nearly three-quarters of our land base is forage/grass based.

Provincial entities such as ARECA and the Alberta Forage Network are leading the effort to find new ways to increase, maintain or enhance forage, along with the accompanying biodiversity.

What about the plant that delivers health benefits through the animal? This will come from the collaboration between research and application.

For those who do not have a love affair with the land, it may be difficult to make the switch from continuously grazed and overused pastures to a long-term plan to build the soil and increase production. A simple calculation on a per-calf basis may change your mind. Research has shown us that the difference between the most and least profitable cow in terms of feed is 1.8 tonnes.

At $80 a tonne that is $144. The extension of the grazing season by a short 60 days at $1 per head day is $60. Collectively, that is $204 per calf or $37 cwt on a 550-pound calf. That is strong evidence to pay attention to the ground on which you walk!

A forage strategy is a must for every farm. Even on our little farm, we have quadrupled

production so far without the use of herbicides, pesticides or fertilizer. But that does not mean we stop there, nor does it mean we would not incorporate enhancers in the future.

It is simply a reflection of our willingness to change and to learn.

The opportunities to add value are endless. I’m looking at my garden plants with a new appreciation. Kale chips and burgers anyone?

Brenda Schoepp is a Nuffield Scholar who travels extensively exploring agriculture and meeting the people who feed, clothe and educate our world. A motivating speaker and mentor she works with young entrepreneurs across Canada and is the founder of Women in Search of Excellence. www.brendaschoepp.com.

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25

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

Summer is time to be on the lookout for lungworm BEEF 911  Most vet clinics can test manure samples to see if lungworms are present

BY ROY LEWIS, DVM

E

very year in later summer we see a few outbreaks with lungworms on pasture. This is especially true in a wet year where the life cycle of the lungworm can be completed.

But much like we see with anthrax outbreaks in drier years, where cattle can pasture low-lying areas we will see flare-ups of this parasitic disease as well.

The life cycle of the lungworm (dictyocaulus viviparous) starts with the animals picking up infective larvae off the grass. The larvae are then ingested and migrate through the intestine into the bloodstream and end up in the lungs as adults. They cause damage to the air sacs in the lungs and the adults live in the bronchial tubes.

The adults produce a tremendous number of eggs which are coughed up and swallowed where they, on passage through the intestinal tract, change to larvae by the time they are passed in the manure. The entire cycle takes about one month.

The finding of even one larval lungworm is significant and necessitates deworming, so if you’re worried, have several samples checked.

These larvae are one of the ways veterinarians can diagnose the condition by examining a manure sample. It takes a different test than looking for the intestinal worm eggs. The baermann technique is done on a handful of fresh manure and takes a few hours to run. We have samples arrive in the morning so we can give you an answer the same day.

Most clinics are set up to run this test in house. The finding of even one larval lungworm is significant and necessitates deworming, so if you’re worried, have several samples checked.

Other than checking manure samples cattle can be checked clinically or autopsies can be done if any have died. Clinically we may see cattle doing poorly

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in spite of good grass conditions.

There is often a number with very prominent coughing. Some may have varying degrees of diarrhea.

With herd involvement there is always great variation with some doing very poorly, others just a bit rough-haired and still others looking almost normal. Generally the younger cattle (calves and yearlings) are most susceptible as any previous exposure yields some immunity.

If we listen to the lungs there is often evidence of emphysema caused by the lungworm larvae damaging the air sacs. We may even see a secondary bacterial or viral pneumonia from the stress the lungs are under. Some of these lung changes, if severe enough, will not reverse so even if treatment is successful, a poor-doing animal with reduced lung capacity is the result.

With autopsies an experienced vet will notice changes to the lungs and actual adult lungworms can be found in the bronchial tubes and trachea. It is very easy to see how lung capacity has been diminished.

Summer exposure

The lungworm can overwinter in our Canadian winters but most of the exposure comes from carrier cattle shedding the larvae on the pastures. Generally then you will get buildup by midsummer in areas that are affected. Endectocides and other drugs are available as part of the routine treatment in the fall or if a clinical diagnosis is made in the summer. Talk to your herd vet about which to use. Some can either be mixed in grain and fed in feeders as a one-time treatment or fed in reduced amounts

over three to six days. Another technique we have found successful is scripting the drug into the trace minerals. This requires a veterinary prescription as it is not an approved method for administration.

When treating clinical cases the symptoms such as coughing or respiratory problems will actually increase for a few days. This is because all the dead worms need to be coughed up and swallowed. The killing of all the adult worms may cause a reaction but the animal must be dewormed so you have to treat. Any pneumonia complications may need to be treated with antibiotics at this time.

Pastures that have had previous problems on are the ones we really concentrate on. Over a few years the treatment possi-

bly can be phased out but always be on the lookout for the clinical signs reappearing.

Bison are very susceptible to lungworms and the same safeguard can be used but under a veterinary prescription. The endectocides if given are used at the same rate as cattle.

Any time cattle are failing have them checked if at pasture in the summer lungworms are a real possibility which often get overlooked. Bring several manure samples into your veterinarian if you suspect it and follow their recommendations for treatment if it is diagnosed.

Roy Lewis is a large-animal veterinarian practising at the Westlock Veterinary Centre. His main interests are bovine reproduction and herd health.

26

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Alberta’s Himark BioGas makes breakthrough south of the border Company’s process overcomes the problem of ‘dirty’ manure in biogas digester tanks

BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI AF CONTRIBUTOR / VEGREVILLE

I

The Himark BioGas system can process ‘dirty’ manure from cattle feedlots, which gives it a niche in the green energy market. PHOTOS: SHANE CHRAPKO

t’s been a dream that Alberta’s Chrapko and Kotelko families have been pursuing for more than a decade — development of a closed-loop cattle, biogas and ethanol production system that they can market globally.

Recently, the owners of Himark BioGas made a major breakthrough, selling their system to Kansas-based Western Plains Energy. The American ethanol producer has invested in Himark’s patented Integrated Biomass Utilization System (IMUS) and has started using biogas from the anaerobic digestion of cattle manure as fuel in its ethanol production process.

The main selling point of

IMUS, which Himark developed with assistance from the Alberta Research Council, is its ability to produce biogas from both clean and dirty manure. Manure from an open-pen feedlot contains a high percentage of solids such as dirt, rocks and sand mixes, but IMUS continuously discharges the solids to prevent buildup in digester tanks.

Western Plains Energy’s ethanol plant is located near a large feedlot, and the company spent $35 million to $40 million on its four massive anaerobic digesters and a tertiary lagoon. With 13.5 million gallons of anaerobic digester capacity, it is now the largest biogas production facility in North America. It is capable of producing twice as much biogas as Himark’s own digester, which is adjacent to a feedlot owned by

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the Kotelko family near Vegreville.

The project showcases his company’s technology, said Shane Chrapko, co-CEO of Himark BioGas. “With all the trouble that digesters have had stateside alongside open-pen feedlots or with any kind of manure contaminated with sand, rock, grit and dirt, we elected to stay focused on a potential site that would be able to use that dirty manure and be integrated with an ethanol plant,” says Chrapko.

Other digester systems have either failed or operated inefficiently due to buildup of solid byproducts in the digester when dealing with manure with high solid contaminant content, he said.

Based on their own experiences, Himark BioGas knew that there were many “nice synergies” when a feedlot, digester, and ethanol plant were integrated, he said. In fact, Himark BioGas has also constructed an ethanol plant attached to its installation near Vegreville. It is about one-fifth the size of the Western Plains Energy ethanol plant.

Construction of the Western Plains Energy installation began last summer and the system began ramping up in January. Operation of the feedlot in Kansas was very similar to how open-pen feedlots are managed in Alberta, with the pens typically scrapped once or twice a year and the manure land applied.

“As we get going, we will be in those pens more often harvesting manure, but it’s much like you’d see in Alberta,” says Chrapko.

The company expects the Western Plains Energy project to be the first of many, he said.

“That focus opens up literally billions of tonnes of material that have not been able to be digested before,” says Chrapko.

“We feel that we have a very bright future and many more projects because we can handle that material that the traditional companies have shied away from or done a mediocre job of handling.”

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Feedlot manure is transported regularly to supply the anaerobic digesters that produce the biogas fuel used to manufacture ethanol

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

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912152A05_FCB TDCT M0219 AGRI M0219_Mag_C_2_ST

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Dec. 05, 2012

MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

TD Canada Trust

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Dave, Roland & Ernie Jeffries Vegetable Growers

Vince Puchailo TD Agriculture Specialist

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M0219_Mag_C_2_ST.indd 1

12/5/12 3:29 PM