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‘Ghosters’ rediscover the past in Alberta’s forgotten ghost towns Their residents are long gone but the crumbling homes and shops remain

Boyd Stevens sits in front of his pioneer hardware store in Orion, a ghost town along the historical Red Coat Trail in southern Alberta. Photo: Johnnie Bachusky

By Johnnie Bachusky af contributor / red deer

F

or decades, Boyd Stevens has been a dutiful guardian of ghosts and the unofficial mayor of Orion, a ghost town along the famous Red Coat Trail.

Stevens has called Orion — located on Highway 61 halfway between Medi-

cine Hat and the U.S. border — home for most of the past 78 years, taking over the hardware store more than 50 years ago from his late father Howard.

In its heyday, the hamlet founded in 1916 and named for one of the brightest constellations, boasted 350 citizens and more than 30 businesses.

Today, Stevens is one of just four residents “The writing is on the wall,” he says.

PREDATOR COMPENSATION:

“I try to look after things. But the hunting season was down last year and I hardly saw anybody. With Manyberries’ hotel down the highway closed, hunters stayed in either Foremost or Medicine Hat. There’s no future here.”

But there is still the past, along with a unique group of dedicated and curious wanderers who come each summer to find it. They are ghosters, a clan of gentle-hearted eccentrics with cameras in

hand and many questions about days gone by. Stevens is happy to invite ghosters into his shop for coffee, regaling them with tales from Orion’s glory days, or those from the neighbouring ghost towns of Nemiskam, Skiff, Wrentham and Pakowki.

“There had been a lightning strike in a nearby field and Boyd went to

see GHOSTERS } page 6

bUrden of proof too high } PAGE 16

Client: Salford Farm Machinery Alberta Famer Express/ Manitoba Cooperator Size: 10.25” x 3” Ad#: SFM07_12-10.25x3-FBC

NEWS » INSIDE THIS WEEK

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INSIDE » HAIL BEATS UP THE SOUTH AGAIN Extensive damage, but not as bad as 2012

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

LIVESTOCK

CROPS

COLUMNISTS

GRIZZLY NUMBERS ON THE UPSWING

FABA BEANS A GOOD FIT

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NEWS

GREENING THE DESERT IN QATAR

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CAROL SHWETZ A HAPPY HORSE EQUALS A HEALTHY HORSE

DOING THE RIGHT THING Farmers should be proactive in animal care

BRENDA SCHOEPP

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BERNIE PEET

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More bears ranging onto the prairie

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But make sure you have a contract first

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SOME THOUGHTS ON THE NEW PIG CODE

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Alberta cowboys shatter stereotypes on Canadian version of reality TV hit

Backyard hens dumped by ‘hipster farmers’

Gay teammates Jamie Cumberland and Pierre Cadieux have long wanted to be on ‘The Amazing Race’ — in part, to ‘push the barrier just a little bit’

Y

ou’ve heard of city folks

BY JOHNNIE BACHUSKY dumping unwanted INNISFAIL PROVINCE dogs and cats, but NBC reports that animal shelters ierre Cadieux has wanted to be on and rescue organizations are “The Amazing Race” since it first receiving abandoned backyard aired in 2001, but as a Canadian citichickens, sometimes dozens at zen wasn’t eligible to be on the American a time. reality TV show.

“Hipster farmers” are finding Which was why the Innisfail resident was that rather than being a free thrilled when his best friend, Airdrie’s Jamie source of eggs, raising chickens Cumberland, called with news that a Canacan be messy, labour intensive dian version was in the works. and expensive, the story says.

“Jamie saw a CTV commercial one night Susie Coston, national sheland phoned me instantly and said, ‘You ter director at the Farm Sancwon’t believe what is coming to Canada. tuary based in Watkins Glen, The race is coming. We have to apply,’” said New York, said about 250 Cadieux. abandoned backyard birds are And that they did. The pair is one of nine waiting for homes at the shelteams competing for $250,000 in prize ter’s three sites on both coasts. money for the 10-episode “Amazing Race They’re among at least 400 to Canada,” which begins Monday, July 15 on 500 abandoned chickens that CTV. show up every year, including Cadieux said he and Jamie figured they many suffering from maltreathad to be distinct from the rest of the conment or illness. testants. Both men are gay, having met 15 “They’re put on Craigslist all years ago through an Alberta Rockies Gay the time when they don’t lay Rodeo Association fundraising dance. anymore,” Coston told NBC. “We’ve seen different personalities make At the Chicken Run Rescue the show,” he said. “Our opinion was, in Minneapolis, Minn., owner ‘Where else do you find a couple of gay Mary Britton Clouse said surcowboys?’ We can openly come out of the rendered birds have increased closet and say, ‘I like the country and westfrom fewer than 50 in 2001 to ern lifestyle and I am also gay.’ They’ve had nearly 500 in 2012. cowboys but not gay cowboys.”

The story notes that wouldCadieux said that while he and Cumberbe urban farmers don’t realize land, who grew up in Red Deer, are best that hens can quit laying after friends and partners on the show, they are about two years, but can live not life partners. for several years after. And “At the end of the day, we wanted to tell since baby chicks are hard to our story,” he said. “I think the public persex, they sometimes find they ceives a cowboy stereotypically as somehave roosters, which are not Salford_SFM07_12-10.25x3-FBC_AFE.qxd 7/13/13 1:09 PM Page 1 popular with the neighbours.

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body who is hard as nails and goes out every day and ropes calves, does all the things a cowboy does. Part of him also wears his heart on a sleeve.

“I think it is important that we push the barrier just a little bit, and say, ‘They are that and there is so much more.’ Just because you are a cowboy doesn’t mean that you can’t be gay and have feelings.”

The series was filmed in May but Cadieux can’t say where or who ultimately won.

But he is more than willing to say the entire process was extraordinary.

“This experience was the most rewarding yet challenging, yet incredible, yet amazing all wrapped up in one incredible package,” said Cadieux.

“This show catches you with some really big highs. Some days things go your way, and everything is great, and some days things just don’t go your way and catches you at a very low point where you are vulnerable, exhausted and you are tired — all those things.”

In many ways, the experience was like participating in a rodeo.

“There are good days and there were bad days, and on the bad days you just pick yourself up and get back on the horse,” he said.

While Cadieux adores the cowboy and western lifestyle, he loves Innisfail even more. He came to the area in 2007 with his life partner Dwayne Sparks. They were living happily near Gleniffer Lake with their two teenage boys, Wyatt and John, until 2010 when Dwayne tragically passed away from a heart illness.

Cadieux, an executive with ATB Financial corporate head office, then moved to Innisfail with his two sons.

“This community has been awesome — I have never had a problem, I have never encountered one single instance where I felt anything negative towards me because I am a gay man,” said Cadieux.

“Innisfail has been a wonderful home to raise our children.”

He said he hopes his performance on “Amazing Race Canada” — win or lose — will make Innisfail and all of central Alberta proud.

“I hope everyone enjoys the experience and goes through the journey with me on television — that’s what these reality shows do,” said Cadieux.

“I really hope that my kids, family members and anybody who knows me in town or if they don’t know me, will enjoy the little bit of comic relief, the humour, the fun, the Canadianism that was what this show was all about.”

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3

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

U.S., Canada meat groups ask court to block U.S. labelling rules The suit seeks to undo recent revisions to the four-year-old rules

BY ROD NICKEL REUTERS

E

ight meat and livestock groups from the United States and Canada have asked a U.S. court to strike down stricter U.S. meat labelling rules that they say have hurt U.S. processors and Canadian farmers, arguing that they violate the U.S. Constitution.

The suit, filed July 8, seeks to undo recent revisions to fouryear-old rules that required retail outlets to label meat according to where it came from.

The country-of-origin labelling rules, known as COOL, have led to lower U.S. imports of Canadian cattle and pigs, which has hurt Canadian farmers and the U.S. processing plants that relied on imported livestock.

The rules are an effort to give U.S. consumers more information about the safety and origin of their food and some farm

“When weighed against significant costs, we think this rule doesn’t make any sense.”

MARK DOPP AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE

The rules are an effort to give U.S. consumers more information about the safety and origin of their food. groups, particularly R-CALF USA, support them.

The World Trade Organization ordered the United States to comply with WTO rules by May 23, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made revisions to COOL that Canada and Mexico said would only make the situation worse.

One example is the rules no longer allow commingling of most muscle cuts from livestock in different countries within the

BRIEF CCA announces CYL pairings for 2013 The Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Program has finalized its list of mentors for the 2013-14 program.

Started by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association in 2010, the CYL Program provides industryspecific training and mentorship opportunities to young producers. CYL participants have the opportunity to explore a potential career choice or involvement with a provincial/national producer organization, while gaining the expertise and business acumen necessary to sustain the cattle industry into the future.

This year’s Alberta pairings include: • Cherie Copithorne-Barnes (Jumping Pound, Alta.) and Claire Windeyer (Calgary, Alta.); • Corinne Gibson (Fir Mountain, Sask.) and Becky Page (Didsbury, Alta.);

same package, which creates added cost to U.S. feedlots and processors to segregate animals, said Mark Dopp, senior vicepresident of regulatory affairs at the American Meat Institute (AMI).

“When weighed against significant costs, we think this rule doesn’t make any sense,” Dopp said.

The U.S. rule revisions, which took effect May 23, violate the U.S. Constitution by compelling

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

speech in the form of the labels that does not directly advance a government interest, the meat industry groups said, adding that the rules also impose burdens on the industry with little or no benefit.

Last month, Canada said it would ask the WTO to approve its proposed retaliatory measures against the U.S., including tariffs on U.S. products meat, cherries, rice and other products. Mexico said it was consid-

ering suspending preferential trade tariffs with the United States over the dispute.

Along with AMI, the other industry groups behind the court action are the American Association of Meat Processors, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canadian Pork Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Association, and Southwest Meat Association.

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• Mike McMorris (Guelph, Ont.) and Daniel Doerksen (Gem, Alta.); • Scott Dickson (Red Deer, Alta.) and Shelby Froland (Hughenden, Alta.); • Tim Wiens (Regina, Sask.) and Debra Murphy (Altario, Alta.).

Full biographies available at www.cattlemensyoung leaders.com. Funding for the CYL Program is made available through UFA Co-operative Ltd., the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), Cargill and Farm Credit Canada.

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JULY 22, 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

Barley has a lot of catching up if it’s to compete with corn

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

PRODUCTION director Shawna Gibson Email: shawna@fbcpublishing.com

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

Government and private industry make contrasting bets on crop futures

CIRCULATION manager Heather Anderson Email: heather@fbcpublishing.com

By will verboven

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

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

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

president Bob Willcox Glacier Media Agricultural Information Group bwillcox@glaciermedia.ca 204-944-5751

Printed by Gazette Press, St. Albert, AB The Alberta Farmer Express is published 26 times a year by Farm Business Communications.

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Alberta Farmer | Editor

T

wo recent announcements by the federal government and private industry show different research approaches to a couple of crops grown in Alberta. Both have announced the investment of millions of dollars into barley research by the federal government on the one hand, and millions into corn research by Monsanto on the other.

From the outside it looks like the barley industry is trying to catch up with the increasing advancement of corn production in Western Canada, and the seed corn industry is striving to expand its range even further. For commercial cereal growers it all boils down to which crop will produce the most profit. From a number of aspects it’s barley production that seems to be under the gun.

Both crops have some unique qualities and uses that are not interchangeable — malt for instance. However, the one area that they do compete directly in is in livestock feeding, both for grain and silage. That area has become the main weak point for barley, as corn plant genetics continue to relentlessly make significant advancements in grain yield and overall per-acre plant silage tonnage. For cattle feeders in particular, those advancements present stark economic realities. Cheap feed and lots of it are the basis to their business. They know that grain and silage corn is what allows their American competitors to generally grow cheaper beef. The allure is real and does not bode well for barley production.

It gets even worse for barley as growers are tending to vote with their wallets. Markets are showing a decline in barley production

mainly because producers can make a lot more money with canola, wheat and specialty crops. On top of that, feed barley market stability tends to be tenuous, since large feedlot operators will switch to importing trainloads of corn in a heartbeat and a nickel if the price is right. Present corn futures prices are dropping into the $4 range with projections of the largest corn crop ever this fall in the U.S. If that happens barley prices will take a big hit, with maltsters and exports being the only market reprieve.

Besides, most feedlot operators like feeding corn — they like its consistency, quality and handling. I haven’t even mentioned corn DDGS. I expect that feed byproduct will be given away if U.S. corn prices collapse.

To try and slow the decline in barley production and profitability, the industry and government figure that more research into barley is the answer. Lower input costs, higher yields and better, more specific-use varieties are to be developed.

Well, more power to that approach, and the recent announcement of $8 million towards researching that goal is to be commended. But that may well be a futile exercise in the long run especially for barley used for feeding. Monsanto announced that it is going to invest $100 million into improving corn plant genetics to make it even more feasible and attractive to replace barley as a livestock feed in more areas of Western Canada.

For a private company to make that kind of investment decision shows not just significant risk taking, but probably a very clear understanding as to their research abilities to create varieties that will flourish in the more corn-challenged areas of Western Canada. I expect Monsanto already has GM corn varieties in the pipeline that will need

significantly fewer heat units to grow, and lower soil temperatures to germinate.

To be fair, any new varieties that will flourish in Western Canada that are developed by Monsanto and others will also expand corn production in the northern U.S., Ukraine and other corn frontier areas. Therefore such investment is global and not just specific to this area.

The point is that there is a message here — private industry is not investing in better and more barley, mainly because there is no money to be made — not for seed companies and not even for many growers.

The big elephant in the room is of course genetic engineering of cereal crops and it’s clear that barley research will not be going in that direction. That puts any potential genetic or economic progress for barley at an instant disadvantage and it will only get worse. Barley is already miles behind corn for use in the North American livestockfeeding industry. Barley has to make a giant leap forward to overcome that huge gap and in my view it’s not going to catch up without a lot of help from genetic modification. Meanwhile the big plant genetics companies are roaring ahead with evermore GM corn research that will in all likelihood displace even more barley growing.

I would suggest that 10 years from now we will see GM corn grown in Alberta for livestock feeding beginning to dominate that sector with barley being relegated to being grown for malting purposes, specialty niche markets or a crop of last resort. I sincerely hope that more barley research will stem the tide a bit, but it’s not looking that hopeful unless barley research embraces the reality of GM. I expect that many in the barley industry and many plant researchers would not protest that perspective too much.

or U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568 For more information on The Alberta Farmer Express and subscriptions to other Farm Business Communications products, or visit our web site at:

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The next Okanagan boom may be even more interesting T he B.C. Okanagan is seeing an interesting development in horticulture which bears a resemblance to what occurred about 100 years ago in the same area. Anyone travelling to the area over the past 30 years can’t help but notice dozens of new vineyards and wineries. That compares to a mere handful of operations 30 years ago. It causes one to ponder what instigated this gold rush into wine facilities and grape growing.

It’s not cheap to establish a vineyard.

It’s highly intensive horticulture that takes years to mature. It’s also not without risk, the biggest being weather. The Okanagan area tends to be at the northern frontier of wine grape growing, although new varieties and cultivation technology are improving the odds. One presumes that the capital investment in even a modest operation could be well into the million-dollar-plus range. Land costs alone are astronomical in the area and a number of acres are needed to establish a viable operation.

Upon noting the history of the area one

finds that about 100 years ago there was a similar horticultural gold rush. It seems back then the Okanagan-Kootenay area was deemed to be ideal for apple orchards.

Land development companies bought up tracts of land and promoted the orchard idea to potential settlers primarily in the U.K. Promotion schemes painted idyllic pictures of planting a few acres of apples and then watching money grow on trees. It seems a lot of folks took the bait and within a 20-year period almost every valley and benchland in the area that could grow apples was populated by innocent new orchardists.

Fruit-packing companies sprung up everywhere to process the fruit. Railways and lake paddlewheelers shipped the fruit bounty of the remote area to markets across the country and even overseas.

But alas, like so many schemes the discipline of supply and demand took its toll and prices collapsed. For the Okanagan, that has been the bane of growers for the past 80 years. And inevitably it’s seen a steady decline in orchard acreage over those years.

The decline continued until the arrival of the vineyard and cottage winery boom.

Apple orchards were torn up not just for vineyards but also residential development — it seems the golden age for apple orchard owners had finally arrived. But will the wild expansion in vineyards also reach its breaking point just like it did with apples? It has that feel to it, and agriculture has that nasty habit of repeating itself.

One also notes that there is an even larger explosion of vineyards and wineries being established in the U.S. — even in Idaho and Montana! One can buy goodquality wine in American stores for $6 a bottle. I suspect there is a message in that, if history is to be heeded. One wishes those who are making substantial investments in Okanagan vineyards well, but the future looks ominous. But this being B.C. perhaps there is another future for this area if the vineyard boom collapses — maybe in 10 years there will be a boom in creating legal marijuana plantations. And so the cycle continues.

5

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Farmers frustrated with lack of access to generic crop protection products Canadian farmers are at a competitive disadvantage due to some of their main trading partners

By Ron Bonnett

T

he Protection of Proprietary Interests in Pesticide Data in Canada (PPIP) regulation administered by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has been a serious obstacle for farmers getting access to lower-cost products.

It has made it near impossible for companies to register generic crop protection products, leaving little competition in the market and farmers with few alternative product choices — products and prices farmers in most of Canada’s main trading partners have access to, but Canadian farmers do not. This has created a serious disadvantage for Canadian farmers, and must be rectified immediately in order to close the gap created with our competitors.

In 2005, PMRA formed a task force with farm organizations and crop protection companies to address issues in the pesticide regulatory system that were creating an uncompetitive environment for Canadian farmers. The task force identified key recommendations to level the playing field, including: • Accelerate increased harmonization with the U.S. to produce

more joint review registrations (either with the U.S. or globally) of new pesticides so Canadian farmers have access to innovative technology at the same time as their competitors.

• Create the Grower Requested Own Use (GROU) program to allow growers to import the U.S. version of a Canadian-registered product if a significant price differential exists.

• Improve the policy for protecting intellectual property rights by providing: a) a system to increase minoruse registrations that benefit Canadian growers; b) timely and predictable process for registering generics; c) fair data protection for industry to promote innovation in Canada.

The government has made important improvements with the first two recommendations.

Farmers have seen tremendous progress by PMRA and crop protection companies on increasing the number of innovative products available to farmers through the joint review process.

For GROU, farmers now have 20 products available for import from the U.S. While there is still much work to be done to complete the regulations and improve the flexibility of the program to allow for more new products on the import list, GROU has been a good example of crop protection companies, farmers and PMRA working together.

In 2010, PPIP regulations were introduced to address issues

concerning the third recommendation, and unfortunately to date, success has been limited.

The implementation of PPIP has not resulted in the hopedfor increase in minor-use registrations — which are actually down from 83 in 2010-11 to 66 in 2012-13. And it certainly has not resulted in a timely or predictable process for registering generic crop protection products.

As of 2012, approximately only 15 per cent of total applications of generic end-use products were registered under PPIP. Conversely, in the past several years, a steady stream of pesticide products have become available for generic registration, and farmers in the U.S. have benefited greatly from this increased competition due to

their comparatively streamlined and timely registration process.

Once again, our regulatory system is cutting into our competitive edge and Canadian farmers remain in a situation where there is an extreme lack of competition in the generic pesticide market.

I have heard from several frustrated farmers trying to sustain successful businesses and maintain productivity, and increased generic competition is an important way to ensure that capacity remains. The current environment simply does not make good business sense and is not in line with this government’s cost-competitive agenda.

The CFA and its members implore the government to implement recommendations made by the generic crop protection industry that would address the serious imbalance in the PPIP regulations. We look forward to working in partnership with the government to address these issues and continue to strengthen Canada’s position in the marketplace by ensuring an essential mix of new innovative products, minor uses and generic pesticide options.

Ron Bonnett is the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and a cow-calf operator.

Calgary Co-op examines next steps on sourcing Why animal welfare is critical to brand reputation for Canada’s livestock industries Meristem Land and Science

C

algary Co-op is one of the largest retail co-operatives in North America, with more than 44,000 members and annual sales of more than $1 billion. Under its co-operative structure, Co-op members can put forward non-binding resolutions at the AGM which if passed by a members’ vote are moved on to the company board of directors and management for consideration.

Now what?

It’s an obvious question following the landmark vote by Calgary Co-op members in favour of eggs and pork not sourced from production systems using particular poultry cages and sow gestation stalls.

A clear picture of what the future holds remains elusive, as the retailer cautiously and methodically moves through a process to evaluate the implications of the vote and its options for moving forward.

Deane Collinson, CEO of Calgary Co-op, spoke at the recent Future Fare event in Red Deer, hosted by the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA).

He offered an overview of Calgary

Co-op’s unique position in the marketplace and always-evolving efforts to boost competitiveness. He also provided an insider’s perspective on what the resolution may indicate about shifting consumer attitudes, along with the potential implications for the retailer’s marketing approaches and supply relationships.

Here’s a sampling of the key points and insights from that session: • Vote is non-binding. The members’ resolution on eggs and pork sourcing — passed by 97-67 — is non-binding, but reading between the lines of Collinson’s comments, it seems a shift in this direction is likely over time depending on the logistics of securing supply. Ultimate decisions rest with the Calgary Co-op board and executive management. The retailer has said it will work with Federated Co-operatives Ltd. as well as producer groups, including Alberta Pork, as it examines potential next steps.

• Signal of shifting consumer attitudes.

The fact the resolution was passed can be taken as an indication the welfare issue increasingly resonates with consumers, says Collinson. “We need to consider that maybe this is the edge of something and we need to listen. If this many people voted

for this, it’s likely there is something there. Maybe this is an opportunity we need to recognize and a road we need to move down.”

• Touching a hot button. “The amount of phone calls and emails we got from this hitting the papers was unbelievable,” says Collinson. “Some people who have shopped at the competition are saying the resolution is great and they’ve switched over and are now shopping with us.”

• A rising issue. It’s unclear how powerful and widespread the consumer drive is on welfare, he says, but there’s little doubt it’s significant. “Is it going to be everybody? Of course it’s not going to be everybody. But there’s clearly some demand for this.”

Recognizing complexity and learning from experts. Calgary Co-op has recognized that animal welfare is a sophisticated issue beyond its expertise. “We’re trying to learn more about it, to consult with producer groups and animal welfare experts, to better understand the issue,” says Collinson. “One thing we know for certain is that it’s not going away. We need to work together as an industry to figure our way through this.”

Perception is reality. Collinson has

consulted briefly with animal welfare expert Dr. Ed Pajor of the University of Calgary and says that Calgary Co-op plans to further engage producer groups and other knowledgeable industry and animal welfare sources in the weeks and months ahead.

“One of the things we’re learning about early on is that there is a clear perception/reality gap among many consumers,” says Collinson. “Everyone has this ‘Old Macdonald’ view of what a farm should be. They have no idea the challenges that the producer community has to raise livestock efficiently at a reasonable cost. But that reality gap is a problem we can’t dismiss and need to address. Because perception is reality when it comes to consumer decisions.”

• Focus on “win-wins.” For the pork sector in particular, a separate but perhaps related issue is how to add value to the pork category of the meat case, he says. “We can continue selling commodity pork but there’s more opportunity we can explore. We need to look at all ways we can diversify and further enhance Canadian pork as a brand we can be proud of. Addressing the welfare issue can be a part of that.” www.meristem.com

6

Off the front

july 22, 2013 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

ghosters } from page 1 help fight the fire but he was soon back and we chatted over coffee and it was a wonderful experience,” says Lila Cugini, who travelled from her home in Nanaimo, B.C. in 2006 to meet Stevens and explore part of the Red Coat Trail, the 1,300-kilometre route the North West Mounted Police took in 1874 as they brought law and order to the pioneer West.

“It’s a thrill coming upon a vacant town — taking pictures and wandering the streets imagining the boom and then the bust,” says Cugini. “I feel these towns and buildings deserve respect. The memories of these buildings that warmed families and provided livelihoods should be preserved and not forgotten after they’ve done their duty.”

It’s the untold stories and secrets amidst the ruins that draws him, says Dan Overes, a University of Calgary IT manager, who has also explored Orion and countless other Alberta ghost towns over the past 20 years.

“When I’m in an abandoned house I always wonder about the people who lived there and what stories the walls could tell,” says Overes. “I’m fascinated by the items left behind. How did they decide what to take and what to leave? Why did they finally decide to leave the family home?”

Yvan Charbonneau, a railroad conductor and trackman, has been searching for these answers in Canadian ghost towns since exploring forgotten nickel mine communities during his school days in northern Ontario.

“When I visit a ghost town there’s a feeling the past somehow relives itself through my visit simply by way of imagination,” says Charbonneau.

In addition to ghost towns along the Red Coat Trail, the former Calgarian has explored many forgotten locales near

Yvan Charbonneau, a dedicated ghoster who came to Alberta seven years ago from northern Ontario, stands on a mound of rocks on a hill to photograph the abandoned townsite of Glenbow. Photos: Johnnie Bachusky Alberta’s most populous city, including Glenbow, located near the sandstone quarry community 20 kilometres northwest of the city that mined the raw materials used to build the provincial legislature building.

“Recording these ghost towns is my ode to the ancestors and to the bygone generations before mine,” he says. “If I remember them they’ll never be forgotten.”

Ghosting is like being in a virtual museum where you are transported back in time to experience the pioneer way of life, says ghoster Chris Attrell, also a former Calgarian.

“You can really feel what it was like back in those days — the lack of air conditioning, the scarcity of telephone lines and that sense of small community,” says Attrell, who now lives in Shaunavon

along Saskatchewan’s portion of the Red Coat Trail.

“The spirit and bravery of these folks who built these towns from scratch and how they helped build Alberta have to be honoured. After all, there are still people alive who were born in those towns.”

Stevens is happy to greet the ghosters again this year, even if his heart knows Orion’s final days are closing in fast.

“Everything is changing around here now and there are fewer and fewer people,” says Stevens. “But it is nice to see these folks who come by to see history. They are honouring the good old days, and that is a good thing.”

Johnnie Bachusky is an Alberta journalist and ghoster www.nobleghosts.com

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he Democratic-run U.S. Senate passed a $500-billion, five-year Farm Bill on June 10 that expands a taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance program and rejects sweeping cuts in food stamps for the poor being pursued in the House of Representatives.

The bill passed easily, 66 to 27, and now goes to the Republican-controlled House.

It was the second time in a year that the Senate has sent a five-year Farm Bill to the Republican-led House, which let the bill die at the end of 2012.

Analysts say food stamp cuts are the legislation’s make-orbreak issue, given otherwise broad similarities between the two versions.

While the Senate would trim food stamps by $4 billion over a decade, the bill awaiting debate in the House calls for a $20-billion cut, the largest in a generation. Some two million people,

or four per cent of enrolment, would lose benefits.

House debate on the Farm Bill is expected this month.

Speaker John Boehner on Monday promised “a vigorous and open debate” on the legislation. The National Farmers Union urged Congress to complete work before a stop-gap extension of farm law expires on Sept. 30.

Agricultural lobbyists and analysts said the Senate vote made a new farm law more likely but not certain this year.

A bruising fight was possible in the House over food stamps.

Some 134 of the 201 Democrats in the House signed a resolution against any cuts. And some Republicans want steeper cuts in farm programs as well as in food stamps, which could jeopardize passage of a bill.

Farm Bills are panoramic legislation covering food aid, rural economic development, biofuels development and agricultural research along with crop subsidies, food stamps and conservation.

7

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Animal care specialists urge producers to get the facts and do the right thing Experts say producers should be proactive in finding ways to reduce pain and telling the public about their efforts

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF / CALGARY

O

pening up the barn doors to show how livestock are cared for might not make the public as sympathetic to producers as some would like to believe.

“Educating people about what we do is not an automatic that they’re going to believe what we do is right,” Dr. Joseph Stookey, a professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine told attendees at the recent University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine Beef Cattle Conference.

In countries such as Denmark,

“Educating people about what we do is not an automatic that they’re going to believe what we do is right.”

He said he’s often asked if animals feel pain, and that’s a sign that producers aren’t paying close enough attention.

“Animals do show us pain, it’s just you’ve got to be good enough to see it,” he said, adding producers should look for signs such as twitching ears and tails, a common way that animals signal they are feeling pain.

Vocalizations and a lack of appetite are also signs, while checking cortisol levels or employing strain gauges on pen bars can also be used to measure stress and pain levels, he said.

Progress has been made, said Dr. Reynold Bergen, science director of the Beef Cattle Research Council.

Beef quality audits have shown more cattle are being dehorned younger, and fed cattle with brands have dropped from 65 per SEC_MOAFLO13_AFE.qxd cent in the 1995 audit to 7/11/13 10 per cent in the most recent one.

“Branding and dehorning are painful, but they’re not done to every animal,” Bergen said.

He urged producers not to “do anything you wouldn’t be willing to explain in front of a television camera,” and also welcome research into current practices.

“Sometimes industry gets kind of nervous about studying things,” he said.

But while activists may use research for their own ends, it’s better to know the facts and, if need be, adopt more humane practices, he said.

“If we can use research to demonstrate what we do and honestly tell all the good stories that we have and also tell people that we’re really trying to find ways to do things better, I think we can tell a really good story for our industry,” he said.

1:54 PM Page 1 victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

Dr. Joseph Stookey talks about pain management in beef cattle during a UCVM conference.

PHOTOS: VICTORIA PATERSON

Dr. Reynold Bergen tells the UCVM Beef Cattle Conference that research and communication are key in fighting misinformation.

DR. JOSEPH STOOKEY

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He praised the new draft Beef Cattle Code of Practice for requiring painful procedures to be performed at younger ages and encouraging use of pain-mitigating drugs.

“Is it that much more (work) to give them an injection? And does it cost that much more?”

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8

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

China a big buyer

USDA stocks surprise trade

China booked the eighth-largest single-day U.S. corn purchase on record July 12, after import costs dropped and domestic prices remained elevated. Beijing’s biggest one-time corn import purchase in at least two years followed a U.S. wheat-buying spree featuring deals for 1.3 million tonnes of soft red winter wheat. Expectations for a record-large U.S. corn harvest dragged U.S. new-crop corn prices below $5 a bushel, the lowest in several years. Including import costs, U.S. corn was still cheaper than domestic corn in China which hovered near $10 a bushel. — Reuters

A sharp cut to projected U.S. and world wheat ending stocks for 2013-14, helped by rising livestock-feeding demand from China, highlighted the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly grain supply-and-demand report July 11. The USDA also underlined the split nature of the U.S. corn and soybean market, as razor-thin old-crop supplies following the 2012 drought were expected to soon give way to an abundant harvest and rising stockpiles. — Reuters

Markets watching field and weather conditions U.S. farmers are looking at huge soybean and corn crops, but they are not yet in the bin

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

I

CE Futures Canada canola futures saw some mixed activity during the week ended July 12, but were lower overall

by July 12 as relatively favourable crop prospects and a jump in the Canadian dollar weighed on values.

The November canola contract finished the week at $530.80 which is right at the low end of a long-term range that’s been in place since January. A drop below $530 would set the stage for a test of next support at $520, with a move below $500 a possibility if that level is breached. On the other side, the highs seen in early June near $575 remain the top end of the range, but it will take a weather scare or other outside influence to see values move back that way any time soon.

With canola fields generally in the midst of flowering, new-crop production is still very much up in the air. That makes weather over the next few weeks very important. The consensus in the market

so far is that the canola crops are “looking good overall,” but some areas could use more moisture and others remain on the wet side. If those localized problem areas expand to be more widespread, there is the potential for risk premiums to build in canola. Any disease or insect issues that materialize will also be followed closely.

But, as always, canola does not trade in a vacuum, and activity in U.S. soybeans and the broader international financial markets will also have much to say on where things go from here.

Soybeans saw some choppiness of their own during the week, but managed to hold on to some gains in the most active new-crop contracts by July 12. Concerns that hot and dry Midwestern weather conditions would cut into the yield potential of the U.S. crop caused values to rally off of nearby lows, but as the forecasts moderated so did the futures. Soyoil, which is more closely linked to canola, actually finished lower on the week.

The USDA released updated supplydemand data on July 11, forecasting that

U.S. soybean stocks will be considerably larger at the end of the 2013-14 crop year compared to the current tight year. World supplies are also believed to be rising, with the USDA predicting a 20 per cent increase in global stocks in 2014.

U.S. corn supplies are also expected to be replenished this year, with the USDA predicting a carry-out for 2013-14 of 1.959 billion bushels. That compares with the expected ending stocks this year of only 729 million bushels.

U.S. wheat futures were also higher during the week, with more Chinese demand behind some of the strength. China is now forecast to import 8.5 million tonnes of wheat in the 2013-14 marketing year that started June 1 for wheat. That Chinese demand is up by about five million tonnes from the previous year, as the country had problems with its own crop and also needs more grain for feeding livestock.

Global wheat supplies, are also now expected to tighten over the year, due in part to that rising demand from China.

World ending stocks are now forecast at

172.38 million tonnes for 2013-14, which is down about nine million tonnes from the USDA’s June estimate.

The long, docile wheat and durum futures at ICE Futures Canada were untraded once again during the week, but they did see some price adjustments as values were adjusted by the exchange.

Milling wheat prices were revised lower and durum higher, with the spread between the two commodities widening to reflect the realities of the cash market.

October milling wheat at ICE Canada was quoted at $271 per tonne on July 12, which compares with where it had been for the previous four months at $294. Durum, was quoted at $302 per tonne after the July 12 close, well above the $294.90 posted since late April. Neither milling wheat or durum has any actual open interest at present.

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

Prairie ag markets reporter Dwayne Klassen passes Familiar voice reported market news for more than 30 years

F

amily, friends and colleagues are mourning the sudden passing of Dwayne Klassen, whose coverage of Winnipeg’s grain and livestock trade has been a mainstay in Prairie farm print, radio and online news for more than 30 years.

Klassen, 51, died July 4 of an apparent heart attack, according to Commodity News Service Canada (CNSC), the Winnipeg company for which he’d worked since 1982.

Klassen was hired by company founder Don Bousquet to write for what was then known as Resource News

International, which covered the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange (now ICE Futures Canada), Manitoba’s livestock markets and Prairie crop cash markets for newspapers including the Manitoba Co-operator, and for international market wire services.

Klassen also served as one of the voices behind the company’s twice-daily Farm Market News broadcasts, syndicated to a number of Prairie radio stations and more recently appearing also on smartphones through Farm Business Communications’ mobile apps.

“Dwayne’s influence on our CNS staff

and in reporting the Canadian grainmarketing scene has been immeasurable,” said Winnipeg grain market analyst Mike Jubinville, who operated CNSC from Bousquet’s death in 2010 until the company’s sale last year to Glacier Media, owner of the Co-operator and the AGCanada.com Network websites.

“Dwayne’s reporting, day after day, was full of real information on the crop markets — facts, numbers and opinions,” Jubinville said.

Klassen is survived by a daughter and two sons.

9

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Researcher wants to know if farmers are happy with the contracts they sign Production, marketing, and technology-use contracts are increasingly common but are they fair to farmers or tilted in companies’ favour?

BY ALLAN DAWSON STAFF

M

any don’t like them but are production, marketing, and technologyuse contracts unfair to farmers?

“We still hear from our members that the contracts are typically quite one sided,” said Doug Faller, policy manager with the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan.

“Now with the changes to the wheat board and so on, the need for addressing this issue simply grew because we can now add barley and wheat to the list of contracts being signed by farmers.”

To get a better handle on the situation, University of Manitoba agricultural economist Jared Carlberg and a research associate are surveying farmers.

But they’re having trouble getting producers to participate — with only 280 farmers responding after more than 1,000 farmers were mailed the survey.

They are now using an online survey (available at www.survey monkey.com/s/ZKNZNV6>) and hoping more farmers will participate.

The early results suggest only a minority of farmers don’t like the contracts they sign. Just 24 per cent either strongly disagreed, disagreed or somewhat disagreed with the statement, “I am treated fairly by a marketing contract.” Just over half disagreed with the statement that said their rights were protected

by Technical Use Agreements.

“I don’t think the takeaway from our findings is that farmers should be happy with their contracts,” Carlberg said. “The takeaway should be there are significant areas where farmers might prefer to have changes.”

In recent years, farmers have complained about contracts that allow grain companies to inspect their bins, and Faller said rules governing deliveries can be a source of friction.

“Producers are typically required to deliver within a window, but there’s no obligation on the buyer’s side to accept in the same window,” Faller said.

Other complaints include linking input purchases to future grain sales, and the lack of an “Act of God” clause.

Wheat contracts typically specify a certain grade and protein level, but don’t usually spell out the discount if farmer can’t meet those specifications, Faller said.

If farmers give “a clear indication” that they’re unhappy with the contracts they’re signing, his organization is willing to fight for improvements, he said. allan@fbcpublishing.com

TREATED FAIRLY AND TUA

Source: Jared Carlberg, University of Manitoba

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JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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11

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

KEEP SCOUTING FOR STRIPE RUST

Faba beans a good fit in central Alberta Lygus bugs, chocolate spot problems to watch for when growing faba beans

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A July 14 release from AARD said a survey of a dozen winter and spring wheat fields in southern Alberta has turned up traces of stripe rust in two winter wheat fields, but none in spring wheat. Recent weather may have slowed stripe rust progression, as has been the case in the U.S., AARD said, adding it was too late to spray for stripe rust control on winter wheat. In spring wheat the absence of stripe rust in spring in most of southern Alberta means spraying was not warranted at the time,” but producers should monitor their fields for stripe rust in spring wheat for the next two to three weeks until the threat has passed.

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF /LACOMBE

F

aba beans are getting more popular in Alberta, says Robyne Bowness, a pulse crop pathology technologist with Alberta Agriculture. Acres have tripled in one year from 5,000 to 15,000 this year.

“Faba beans seemed like a really good fit,” Bowness said of the plant’s popularity in central Alberta. She said the crop has moved into southern Alberta under irrigation as well.

Bowness took attendees to see faba bean trials during a July crop walk at the Lacombe Research Centre.

Zero-tannin faba beans for feed are the more popular crop in Alberta, though beans with tannin for human consumption are garnering more interest, Bowness said. The tannin faba beans are popular for export to countries where the “snap” in the taste is appreciated.

For those interested in growing faba beans, Bowness warned they need to seed early — it takes 120 days to reach maturity. “Faba beans really do have to be one of the first things you put in the ground,” she said. They’re tolerant of earlyspring frost and less forgiving of fall frosts. Make sure to plant faba beans in ground where not much nitrogen was used the year before.

When planted they need a little bit of phosphorus.

The aim is to have 90 per cent of the pods black by the second week of September. Bowness said some of the top pods might still be green, but those aren’t the high-quality

Robyne Bowness talks faba beans during a crop walk in Lacombe.

PHOTOS: VICTORIA PATERSON

seeds anyway. The high-quality seeds are lower on the plant.

Diseases and insects to watch for with faba beans are chocolate spot and lygus bugs.

There are supply-and-demand issues with the beans, so Bowness said to avoid planting them on spec alone. “I would suggest you get a contract before you put them in,” she said. While faba beans aren’t cheap to put in the ground, the returns can be good, the tour attendees were advised. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

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12

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Japan shuns white wheat for first time in 53 years

N I I N O J

on real

Traders allowed to offer Canadian red winter wheat against Japanese tender

BY JAMES TOPHAM AND RISA MAEDA TOKYO / REUTERS

J

mium white wheat, Canadian red and the country’s farm minister winter wheat, soft red winter grain earlier this month sought to reasand club wheat from the United sure picky consumers about posStates, to be bought during a spe- sible shortfalls of the flour. cial dealing period that closed July “We believe western white is the 5, Toru Hisazome, a Farm Minis- best for making cake and other try official in charge of wheat trad- sweets,” Masaaki Kadota, execuing said. tive director at the Flour Millers As much as 2,000 tonnes can Association of Japan, said, addbe purchased during the period, ing that it was the ministry which Hisazome added. made these selections.

Shipments of the western white Japan is likely to ultimately grade have been stopped since resume western white wheat last month and are not expected imports as mills will find it diffito restart until the conclusion of cult to substitute origins, traders a U.S. investigation into how a said.

GMO strain of wheat developed “We don’t expect the ban to last

by Monsanto Co., but never put too long,” said one Singaporeinto commercial production, was based grains trader. “They will discovered growing in April. resume U.S. wheat imports as Japan has relied on western mills in Japan are used to hanwhite to make cakes and other dling western white wheat, it is T:8.125” confectionery since at least 1960 not easy to switch.”

THOUGHT A T B LE E H T

IS SET

Japanese bakers prefer white wheat for making cakes and pastries. PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

T

he U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a record-size “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, and a Texas A&M University release says there’s one reason — corn production for ethanol.

The dead zone is an annual area of oxygen depletion caused by algae blooms fed by fertilizer from the Midwest Corn Belt washing into the Mississippi and into the Gulf of Mexico. This year’s dead zone is expected to be as large as 8,561 square miles.

The Texas A&M release says last summer’s zone was one of the smallest on record at 2,889 square miles because drought in the Midwest kept run-off out of the Mississippi. This year will be just the opposite. Heavy rainfall in the Midwest this spring led to flooding, which means more fertilizer flowing into the Gulf.

Dr. Paul Montagna, chair and professor for the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI), has studied these dead zones, also known as “hypoxia zones,” for more than 20 years.

He said they affect the commercial fishery in the area.

“The zone sets up in late spring and lasts throughout the summer,” Montagna said. “The hypoxia zones are not dangerous to fish, but cannot support bottom-dwelling life such as clams, crabs and shrimp,” said Montagna. “Because fish avoid these areas, commercial shrimp boats and recreational fishermen must go farther out, to open water, to make their catch.”

Dead zones normally peak in July and August, and start to break up in the fall, the release said. The only thing that would fix the situation sooner is a tropical storm or a hurricane to stir up the water and reoxygenate the area.

T:10”

for

Crab and shrimp fishery damaged by algae and lack of oxygen STAFF

FOOD FOR

apan recently offered to buy wheat used for making cakes that is not the U.S. western white variety for the first time in at least 53 years, seeking to avoid a shortage of confectionery flour after a scare caused by genetically modified wheat found in Oregon.

U.S. western white is a grade developed particularly for the Japanese market and is a mixture of soft white and club white both grown in the country’s Pacific Northwest. Japan imports around 800,000 tonnes of the grade annually.

The world’s sixth-biggest wheat importer allowed Australian pre-

Record ‘dead zone’ blamed on ethanol

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Hail beats up southern Alberta for a second year Damage extensive especially on specialty crops but still not as bad as last year so far

BY HELEN MCMENAMIN

AF CONTRIBUTOR /LETHBRIDGE

S

outhern Alberta has had quite a beating from Mother Nature this summer. The hail season started early with crop-damaging hailstorms during the last week of May in both Lethbridge and Vulcan areas. Storms were particularly violent and widespread over July 5-8, when some motorists reported driving through hailstorms as tough as any winter storm and parts of Highway 2 north of Claresholm had just tire tracks to guide them through the hailstones covering the driving lanes. Taber received over 50 mm of moisture as rain and hail in less than an hour and streets flooded as hailstones blocked grates on storm sewers.

“But this year certainly isn’t shaping up to be the year it looked to be in spring for a lot of crops.”

MARILYN SMITH AFSC

In the week following the storms, phones at Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) in Lethbridge were ringing off the hook as people called to report cropdamaging storms. “It looks very severe,” said Marilyn Smith, acting area manager for sales and market-

ing at AFSC branch operations in the southern region. “Just today, we’ve had over 100 calls. And, a lot of people will go and check things for themselves before they call us.”

Smith said almost every county south of Calgary has had some damaging hailstorms, even those that are normally dry, like Cypress (Medicine Hat) and Forty Mile. Special crops have been hit hard, so the storms could be very costly.

“Potatoes and sugar beets might come back and produce a reasonable yield,” said Smith. “But this year certainly isn’t shaping up to be the year it looked to be in spring for a lot of crops.”

Brian Tainsh, manager of farm inspections for AFSC, said “things have been wild in the south,” with Lethbridge, Taber and Medicine Hat areas pounded hard.

“Storms have spread northwards as well. We have had storms throughout the province, but it’s by far the worst in the south. We’ve got some big crews working down there to assess the damage.”

Tainsh said some areas have been hit twice.

“We’ve been working on one storm and we’ve had to stop and start over because it’s been hit again,” he said.

Moisture levels have been high, especially in southern parts of the province. High temperatures and high moisture levels lead to hailstorms, says Tainsh. High temperatures early in the year led to severe hailstorms earlier than usual.

Lethbridge and Vulcan areas had hail the last week of May and again in early June.

BRIEF Glencore rumoured to put Dakota Growers on the block REUTERS Glencore Xstrata PLC is looking to sell its Dakota Growers Pasta Co. business as it continues to divest assets acquired from its $6-billion purchase of Canadian grain handler Viterra last year, according to three sources with knowledge of the process.

Glencore is working with Barclays PLC (BARC.L) to sell St. Louis Park, Minnestota-based Dakota Growers in a deal which could value the nation’s third-

This photo on the Twitter feed from the U.S. National Weather Service shows a swath of hail from a July 6 storm near Airdrie. “ T h e l a s t c o u ple of years, everything has been looking pretty good,” said Tainsh. “We’ve had good rainfall and good process for just about every crop, but you can never outguess Mother Nature.”

Although some of the storms have hit big areas and some high-value specialty crops look badly damaged, Tainsh says it’s not a really bad hail year whole GG across NG - 6 xthe 6.625 -_AGIprovince.

2013-03-04

“Damage looks to be a little higher than average this year, overall,” he says. “But, it’s not like last year.

Last year we had only 11 hail-free days between early June and midSeptember and the storms were spread from one end of the province to the other,” he said.

“This year is bad and it’s always devastating for someone who’s put so much 10:35 AM Pageinto 1 a crop to lose it.

But, this year is still nothing like last year.”

In 2012, AFSC processed over 11,000 claims totalling $450 million, the worst year ever. The previous most damaging year was 2008, when about $265 million was paid out in claims. “Of course, crops are a long way from the bin yet. We have to keep hoping for some good weather for the rest of the crops,” Tainsh said.

Launching the largest pasta maker at $300 million to $400 million, the sources said on Tuesday.

Glencore and Barclays could not be immediately reached for comment.

To please regulators, Glencore has already sold a number of Viterra assets to Agrium Inc., CF Industries Holdings Inc. and Richardson.

Dakota Growers is likely to draw interest from companies like ConAgra Foods Inc. and Ebro Foods S.A., one of the sources said.

Viterra acquired Dakota Growers for $240 million in March 2010.

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JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Growing Forward 2 funding includes money for barley research

Participating farms welcome Open Farm Days event

Alberta Barley Commission will lead research cluster that brings together industry and researchers

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF /LACOMBE

T

he Canadian barley industry recently got $8-million worth of good news when federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced investment funding for a Barley National Research Cluster led by the Alberta Barley Commission.

“Innovation of course is critical to a competitive industry,” Ritz said during the announcement following a crop walk event at the Lacombe Research Centre.

The funding falls under Growing Forward 2’s AgriInnovation Program.

The research cluster will bring scientists, industry and universities together to move research forward. “A good part of the cluster’s work will happen right here at Lacombe,” Ritz said. “It’s all about partnerships and linkages

to get the most bang for research dollars. Your industry can and will be a world leader in quality and supply.”

Ritz said the end of the singledesk era means more opportunities for barley and the money would help develop crop production practices that combine effective methods for weed and disease control to try and keep input costs down.

Alberta Barley Commission chair Matt Sawyer said in putting the proposal together, his organization targeted researchers that presented concrete plans.

“We were very careful to ensure we focused on new research, new innovations and new ideas to move our industry forward,” Sawyer said. The funding will help drive research into a few different areas. Sawyer said there would be a drive to develop unique varieties to help improve feed quality, to expand and maintain Canada’s

Pilot project invites city dwellers to check out life on the farm

BY VICTORIA PATERSON AF STAFF /EDMONTON

A

Alberta Barley Commission chair Matt Sawyer gives details on $8 million in government funding for barley research. PHOTO: VICTORIA PATERSON excellent reputation and market for great malt barley and to promote human consumption of barley.

“This is a historic day for our barley industry as we’ve never received such a large cluster of national funding. This $8 million in AgriInnovation Program

money is exactly the shot in the arm barley research needs in Canada,” Sawyer said.

The Alberta Barley Commission will work closely with the Barley Council of Canada on project management, Sawyer said. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

bout 40 farms are planning to open their gates and welcome the public in “Open Farm Days,” a provincially sponsored initiative next month.

“I’m really encouraged to see Alberta Ag kind of getting on board with current consumer trends,” said Rachel Herbert, one of the owners at Trail’s End Beef near Nanton, one of the participating farms.

Open Farm Days will run Aug. 24 and 25. Culinary events will take up Aug. 24, and farms around the province will be open to the public on Aug. 25.

“This event will highlight the tremendous work our farmers and ranchers are doing to grow the province’s agriculture, agri-food and ag-tourism industries,” said provincial Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson in the release.

“I’m really encouraged to see Alberta Ag kind of getting on board with current consumer trends.”

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“Tourism in Alberta’s rural communities contributes more than $1.5 billion to our economy each year, and Open Farm Days is a positive step towards seeing that figure grow,” said Dr. Richard Starke, minister of tourism, parks and recreation.

The event was announced at the Calgary Stampede. It’s a pilot project and the government is collaborating with Ag for Life, the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance, the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies, Travel Alberta and the participating farms and ranches. Herbert, who runs a beef operation with husband Tyler and mother Linda Loree, said Open Farm Days fits in with their policy of allowing the public access to their ranch.

“A lot of people are surprised to see how many projects we’ve got on the go,” she said, noting people are often shocked to find out how much work farming is.

Laura and Cal Siebenga will be welcoming the public to their lamb operation near Lacombe, Brown Eggs and Lamb. “It’s good exposure,” Laura said. They also run a farm gate store and she said any publicity that gains from Open Farm Days is a good thing.

“We’ll see how well it’s responded to,” she said, and whether or not people are willing to drive from the city. She said so far the event seems well organized. The Siebengas will run tours of their operation for the day, which isn’t a regular feature of their farm.

More information on Open Farm Days is available online at www. albertafarmdays.com. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

15

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Alberta Ivermectin for horses Alberta Agriculture says co-operation with Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Alberta Veterinary Labs, and Horse Industry Association of Alberta has led to the formulation of a generic liquid Ivermectin dewormer, called Ivermectin Liquid for Horses. The generic product is manufactured in Calgary and is currently available through veterinary clinics and over the counter at local feed and tack stores. AARD says the product will be available for a quarter of the cost of imported brands, at around $5 for an average 500-kg horse.

Canadian, U.S. groups join The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and Canadian Pork Council (CPC) have filed as co-plaintiffs seeking an injunction against the U.S.country-of-origin (COOL) labelling rules at the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. The six U.S. plaintiffs in the court challenge are the American Association of Meat Processors, American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Association and Southwest Meat Association.

Grizzly numbers on the upswing, and so are the problems faced by producers Landowners reporting grizzly activity is increasing, along with conflicts

by Victoria Paterson af staff / cardston

I

f you think the last few grizzlies have been banished to remote mountain hideouts, think again.

“We don’t have a final number at this point, but what we can say right now is we identified over 100 grizzly bears,” said Andrea Morehouse, co-ordinator of the Southwest Alberta Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project.

And they’re increasingly found on the bald prairie, said Lyle Lester, a provincial Fish and Wildlife officer.

“I can tell you, in southwestern Alberta, we have a lot of grizzly bears,” he said.

The Prairies were actually the grizzlies’ natural habitat before humans pushed them into the mountains, and sows are again bringing their cubs onto the plains because it’s a safer environment for them, he said.

The latest survey, conducted last year, expands on one done in 2011, which was conducted only on public lands.

Morehouse’s survey used 831 sites to collect DNA from hair samples left on barbed wire or objects such as tree trunks that bears like to rub against. Some may be visitors from Montana or B.C., but farmers in the area who have lost livestock or had their grain bins raided know the population numbers are rising, said Jeff Bectell, chairman of the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association and co-ordinator of its Carnivore Working Group.

“It’s just been the last 15 or 20 years that we started to have bears around,” he said during a recent tour of the group’s carnivore mitigation projects.

To reduce bear damage, the group has set up a deadstock composting facility and promoting things such as electric fencing or new, sturdier and hopefully bear-proof grain bin doors.

“The solutions, we’re trying to find them but they’re not all easy cookie-cutter solutions,” Bectell said. victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

Jeff Bectell shows off a door that is to be installed on a grain bin. The door to be replaced was bent by bears trying to get into the bin.

Andrea Morehouse of the Southwest Alberta Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project says at least 100 different bears were identified by DNA collection in the area.

Jeff Bectell shows off an electric fence system installed to help keep predators from attacking livestock. Photos: Victoria Paterson

16

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Changes sought for wildlife predator compensation program Group says burden of proof too high for some producers whose livestock has been killed by carnivores carcass have evidence that the bear or the wolf or the cougar killed it,” Bectell said. “Nobody would want to start compensating people for losses that their cow just died and the bear scavenged it. But the feeling in the community is we’re mostly pretty honest people and that maybe the burden of proof is just a little high and it’s been a frustration to the point where some people won’t even call Fish and Wildlife now because they think it’s just a waste of their time.”

The wildlife predator compensation program pays for cattle, bison, sheep, swine and goats injured or killed by predators such as wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, cougars and eagles. Kills by coyotes are not covered by this program, nor are attacks on horses, donkeys, llamas and other exotic animals, which are covered by other provincial and municipal programs.

By Victoria Paterson af staff / cardston

T

he current wildlife predator compensation program needs to be revamped, says the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association Carnivore Working Group.

“Many of the landowners and ranchers are finding out that the system seems to be too restrictive and the burden of proof seems to be too high,” project co-ordinator Jeff Bectell said during a recent tour of the group’s carnivore mitigation projects.

At a farm that suffered sheep losses to a grizzly in 2012, Bectell cited an example of a sheep that died during a grizzly attack but didn’t have a mark on it — possibly dying from the stress of the event.

“The system requires that the

Many parts of the program are working well, but his group wants it revamped to include missing livestock, full compensation for probable kills, and a higher minimum amount per animal, said Bectell.

The burden of proof should also be reduced and there should be additional incentives to reduce risk, he said. The southwestern area of Alberta has seen increased grizzly activity in recent years, and Bectell took tour participants to farms that have had grain and livestock impacted by the bears.

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, which administers the program, is reviewing the recommendations, said spokesperson Carrie Sancartier.

“At this point it’s too early in the process to say what changes would be made to the program, but the requests are coming in and they’re being looked at,” Sancartier said.

Producers have experienced some delays in getting payment from the Alberta Conservation Association. That’s because claims outstripped available funds last year, said association president and CEO Todd Zimmerling.

“We had to wait till new funding started this spring,” he said.

ACA uses proceeds from the sale of hunting and fishing licences to fund its conservation programs, including the predator compensation program. Zimmerling said compensation payouts have risen from $68,000 in 2001 to $274,000 in 2011 — a result of higher cattle prices and more claims, which rose from 121 in 2006 to 228 last year.

Alberta is seeking federal funding as Ottawa funds compensation programs in other western provinces, he said.

Goat producer finds ‘pasture swaps’ are a hard sell Sharing brush-encroached and spurge-infested cattle pastures with goats could be a win-win, but nobody’s taking the bait

victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

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he studies show running goats with cattle could create a “serious win-win,” but Saskatchewan goatherd Brian Payne is having trouble getting buy-in.

Payne, who runs 225 Savanna goats near Humboldt, has been running ads and making pitches at livestock meetings looking for cattle producers willing to enter into “pasture swaps.”

“I haven’t found anybody yet,” said Payne, who has 40 years of experience in the livestock industry, a trailer, and a willingness to live on site in his own camper.

Payne was part of a successful multi-species demonstration project on nearby Wolverine AESB community pasture that saw him herd 700 goats along with 1,350 cattle on 9,000 acres.

The goats chowed down mainly on willows and weeds such as leafy spurge.

The project showed that goats are the better way to control invasive species, he said.

“People are starting to realize that we’ll never, ever control leafy spurge chemically,” said Payne.

“We’re not doing anybody any favours by heli-spraying Tordon on spurge.”

Steve Kenyon, a grazing innovator and speaker from Busby, Alta., has run about 10 goats with his cattle as an experiment in the past and liked what he saw.

That’s because 80 per cent of a goat’s preferred lunch is made up of “browse,” mainly brush, leaves and weeds — the exact opposite of his cattle’s grassy tastes.

“They mix really well together.

Put them in at the same time and you’re not going to overgraze anything,” said Kenyon.

“I’d definitely look at it if my neighbour had a bunch of goats they wanted to graze on my land.” daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

17

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Greening the desert — Qatar is determined to feed itself A large food company has global aspirations and the money to see them accomplished

BY BRENDA SCHOEPP

M

y friend Ewan and I were sitting together as we travelled from the headquarters of the Hassad Group through the Qatari desert to their farming operations. Hassad has a sole vision of food security for the nation of Qatar, and their reach is global in context. Their mission is, “To own, develop and operate efficient, profitable, and growth-orientated global business brands that contribute to the welfare of Qatar and other societies, using efficient technology in harmony with the environment, and adhering to the highest standards of corporate social responsibility.”

To simplify such a large vision, let me just say that not only do they water the desert to produce food and feed, but they also invest in large tracts of land in Australia, Sudan, Kazakhstan, South America, and soon in Canada for the purpose of owning wheat, rice, sugar, poultry and rice.

The reach of Hassad and the wealth of Qatar was a little surreal as we had just arrived from the New Delhi slums and were now being hosted by a nation of excessive wealth.

to 13 crops per year resulting in 40-45 dry tonnes per hectare.

The dairy was being expanded to 40,000 head and was a complement to the glasshouse and flower operations that grew cash crops. As a note, many of the dairy operations that we visited were going to the 40,000-head mark, making dairy a source of beef for many nations.

Experienced traders

Asked about the openness in sharing information with our scholar group, a Hassad executive answered in direct terms that they had 38 generations of trading and we had four or five. They were trained and ready and could indeed beat us at the table. This was evident in the marketplace (souk).

Walking through the souk brought those words to life as we carefully negotiated our prices without any baseline to assure us of a bargain.

Although the foreign women of Qatar hold executive positions, they are also confined to cultural norms and are very adherent to cultural expectations. Local women are covered in black, some completely, including the entire face. It was as though they were floating dolls — difficult to capture, protected from my camera, and perhaps secure in their cover. Again, my opinion would be limited to what I know and my growth comes from the discovery of the woman under the cover who lives in a world I could only begin to appreciate by being in that place at that time.

Executive women wore modest and flattering clothing inside the office. Qatari men, wear their spotless, long, white tunics with heads covered.

In four short weeks, I had gone from Canada through Australia to

Singapore and through India and then to Qatar. At once I realized how limited I was by what I know and how liberation happens when we don’t know and must seek out the answers. Ewan and I talked about this in terms of what we were seeing and in the context of food security. Food security is not really about assets, but about arteries, and arteries only come from relationships, trades, deals, offering value and respecting values and a complete understanding to yourself and your client.

Food security then is a complex issue that goes beyond simply growing or storing more crop and seeing commodities. In the comfort of our own domain we think we know the world but that is only a mirage. The world must be seen, felt, tasted and explored for us to even begin to understand it.

If the desert can be green then what is it that we can do within agriculture in Alberta? If hay is the most valuable crop to another culture, what does that say about long-term agricultural growth and food systems? Perhaps to see the value in change we can look to Ontario where innovative farmers are growing crops specific to the foreign-born population. Better yet, we can look to ourselves for a moment of discovery and find our own green in the desert, not limited by what we know and ready to invest in the future.

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

If hay is the most valuable crop to another culture, what does that say about long-term agricultural growth and food systems?

Qatar is a conservative Arab nation that is highly protective of its culture and wealth. The government is preparing to feed its own and to protect it by developing food bunkers in the desert. The excessive heat (it was 47 C) and humidity were almost overwhelming as we stood in the middle of an unprotected barren landscape surrounded by a green oasis of Qatari hay.

The most valuable crop in Qatar is fodder (hay as we call it) for the dairy division and to sell to farmers so they may expand sheep and camel production. Depending on the variety, Hassad harvested nine

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JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Draft code of practice strikes difficult balance — Part 1 Emergency management provisions are one area that could be strengthened By bernie peet

T

he draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs is now in its public comment period, which ends Aug. 3, and can be viewed at www.nfacc.ca. Its publication has been delayed due to disagreement over some of the sensitive issues that were identified as priorities by the Pig Scientific Committee members. These areas are controlling pain from castration, methods of euthanasia, space allowances for growing pigs and sows, sow-housing systems and social management of sows. In addition, the new codes cover housing, feeding, health, husbandry practices and transportation.

It should be recognized that balancing the views and opinions of people representing all sectors of the industry as well as animal welfare organizations is a nigh-on impossible task. This is noted in the introduction to the document, which says, “As the code development process involved representatives with diverse interests, not all parties fully agree with every requirement and recommendation.

However, all members agree that this document represents the best achievable balance.”

This compromise between divergent interests gives the new codes strength and validity. If all the parties agree that this is the way forward, then it effectively allows the industry to defend itself against extreme animal rights organizations and also allows retailers to stand behind the codes in response to consumer questions about pig welfare.

Differences from 1993

The biggest difference from the previous codes of practice, published in 1993, is that the

new document lists “requirements” and “recommendations,” whereas the 1993 code only listed recommendations.

This is partly because the codes will form the basis of a revised Animal Care Assessment Model, which will be designed to demonstrate that the codes are being followed and which will be part of the industry’s quality assurance (CQA) program. Without requirements, this would be toothless.

The 62-page document has a well-structured and logical organization and is well written, although I do have some criticism of the emphasis placed on particular areas. My main question is whether too much emphasis has been put on the priority areas, which arise both from public concern and a scientific review, and not enough on defining best-practice management. As a production consultant, the areas I see as being most likely to be involved in compromised welfare include: • Rapid recognition of sick, injured or disadvantaged pigs; • Appropriate treatment of sick or injured pigs; • Quality of hospital pens and their management; • Ability to carry out welfaresensitive tasks such as injecting, teeth clipping, castration etc. correctly; • Identification of pigs requiring euthanasia and correct euthanasia technique; • Moving and handling pigs.

Of course these areas are covered in the codes, but I see the opportunity to improve on them more than the draft code requires because we know how to make improvements through best management practice (BMP). In these key husbandry areas, more of the recommendations in the draft could be requirements, as they are in European legislation.

PHOTo: thinkstock Stockpersons’ knowledge

The draft codes recognize the importance of the stockperson’s knowledge and skills, and their impact on welfare, far more than the existing codes. However, the requirement for staff to be competent in key areas which impact welfare is limited. For example, in the section that deals with sick and injured animals, there is a requirement for pigs to be inspected daily, for there to be a protocol relating to treatment of sick or injured pigs and that pigs are treated, sold or euthanized according to their condition.

It then gives a recommendation, not a requirement, that says, “Ensure all stockpersons are competent in recognizing behaviour associated with common pig diseases…” Rapid recognition and appropriate treatment of sick or injured pigs has such a big impact on welfare that it should be a requirement that staff are competent in this and the other areas I listed above.

Having some sort of competency

certification for stockpersons would not only go a long way to reassuring consumers on animal welfare standards, but would result in a genuine improvement in welfare on the farm.

Emergency management

One area that I believe is dealt with inadequately is the area of emergency management. Emergency events such as power failure or fire are fortunately rare, but they have the potential to compromise the welfare of large numbers of pigs and even result in extensive death. The section on “Emergency and Safety” commands a measly eight lines in the draft codes, and dealing with the failure of feed or water supply is relegated to the section on feed and water. There should be a requirement to have a written plan that deals with all potential emergency events and that staff should be required to be familiar with the plan and how to execute it, both of which are only recommendations in the document.

This area needs strengthening and given more emphasis.

I have highlighted two examples where I believe that the codes need strengthening and there are a number of other areas where I feel that changes should be made. I will be submitting my detailed comments to the National Farm Animal Care Council and I encourage producers and others in the industry to review the draft codes and also submit comments. Most of the codes are common sense and good husbandry which will be supported by the production sector. It is inevitable that there are some compromises but, when a consensus is reached, we will have a set of standards that will define and defend the industry’s welfare standards for the foreseeable future.

In my next article, I will be examining the more sensitive areas of the draft codes, notably sow housing and space allowances.

U.S. approves two horse slaughterhouses The move could reduce the number of horses exported to Canada and Mexico

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he U.S. government approved a horse slaughter plant in Iowa July 3, its second such move in four days, but it also renewed its appeal to Congress to ban the business and was hit by a lawsuit from animal welfare groups.

In a statement, the U.S. Agriculture Department said it was required by law to issue a “grant of inspection” to Responsible Transportation of Sigourney, Iowa, because it met all federal requirements. USDA will also be obliged to assign meat inspectors to the plant.

“The administration has requested Congress to reinstate the ban on horse slaughter,” the USDA said in a statement. “Until Congress acts, the department must continue to comply with current law.”

Valley Meats in Roswell, New Mexico, June 29 became the first horse plant to clear the USDA review process since a ban on horse slaughter ended in 2011.

Five animal welfare groups filed suit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco to overturn the approvals, saying the Agriculture Department did not conduct environmental reviews before acting. The groups say horses are given medications not approved for livestock so the waste products of slaughter plants may include pollutants.

“America is the original home of the horse and has never been a horse-eating culture,” said Neda DeMayo, president of Return to Freedom, one of the litigants.

“Horses have been our companions, fought battles with us, worked sun-up to sundown by our sides... we will not abandon them now.”

Horsemeat cannot be sold as food in the United States, but

it can be exported. The meat is sold for human consumption in China, Russia, Mexico and other countries and is sometimes used as feed for zoo animals.

Nearly 159,000 horses were exported from the United States to Canada and Mexico during 2012, most likely for slaughter, officials said.

Congress effectively banned horse slaughter in 2006 by saying the USDA could not spend any money to inspect the plants.

Without USDA inspectors, slaughterhouses cannot operate.

The ban had been extended a year at a time as part of USDA funding bills, but the language was omitted in 2011.

Lawmakers may vote in coming weeks on horse slaughter as part of its work on Agriculture Department funding. In addition, two free-standing bills would ban horse slaughter and the export of horses for slaughter.

19

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Happy horse = healthy horse Horses show many of the same signs of stress as humans

BY CAROL SHWETZ, DVM

R

elaxation in horses is powerful medicine. It does not come in a pill vial, by needle injection or even by an elixir yet it is an essential property of health and well-being. Conversely tension and stress within the body creates lack of ease or “dis-ease,” eventually being expressed as behavioural and/or physical changes.

Stress adversely impacts the digestive, immune, reproductive, and cardiovascular systems of horses as well as their mental functioning and ability to learn or perform. Cribbing, weaving, pawing, diarrhea, colic, and ulcers are but a few expressions of stress in horses.

Recognizing those elements that stress your horse are equally

NEWS High injury rates in livestock raising and processing A new report by Allsup, a U.S. disability insurance provider, puts livestock raising and slaughtering among the top 11 industry groups with the highest serious injury rates nationwide.

The report is based on data obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 11, based on job transfer or restriction per 100 workers in 2011, include: • Amusement parks and arcades — 3.2 cases • Animal slaughtering and processing — 3.1 • Beverage manufacturing — 2.7 • Foundries — 2.7 • Nursing care facilities — 2.6 • Beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverage merchant wholesalers — 2.4 • Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing — 2.3 • Hog and pig farming — 2.2 • Motor vehicle manufacturing — 2.2 • Community care facilities for the elderly — 2.2 • Poultry and egg production — 2.2

important as knowing those elements which relax and bring comfort to your horse. What may appear stressful to one horse may be insignificant to another.

There is great variability in this matter amongst horses. Feedstuffs, surrounding environment, companions, lifestyles, routines, and handlers influence individual horses differently.

Stress is an inevitable part of life, even a horse’s life. It becomes important as a caretaker to observe and recognize the physical and behavioural responses from horses. This allows a better understanding of the attitudes that lie beneath the symptoms and thus an entry point to affect those attitudes.

Recognizing and/or reading a horse’s body language provides valuable insight into what troubles or what benefits a horse. Simply

observing a horse during everyday handling is a good indicator of his emotional state. Ear position, wrinkles on the muzzle and/or around the eye, expressions of the eye, tone of the tail are only a few of the endless nuances that bring valuable information about the emotional weather of a horse.

A horse that is apprehensive will vocalize, stare blankly, disassociate, elevate its head above the withers, be reluctant to stand still, tense its jaw, clamp its tail, and hold its breath. Breath holding is very common in horses. One can get an impression a horse is holding its breath by watching the rise and fall of the belly along the rib cage. A horse’s emotional state will relax once again when breathing is restored.

Licking, chewing and yawning are ways horses release, especially

that tension carried in their temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and move towards a feeling of ease.

Lowering the head, softening of the eyes, relaxation of the jaw, snorting, passing gas, shaking of the head and neck, and even shaking of the entire body are also ways the horse is communicating that he is unwinding.

Learning the body language of horses takes time and practice.

Observing your horse’s postures and expressions and how they change as the world around them changes offers valuable clues as to what brings them closer or further away from health. This is one of the most rewarding skills that any horse owner can develop.

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

Observing your horse’s postures and expressions and how they change as the world around them changes offers valuable clues.

www.farm-king.com

Crucial details connecting your combine to the market

Grain Vac - PTO Model

Grain Vac - Diesel Model

Backsaver Auger 10/13/16

Backsaver Auger - Feterl Original 12/14

Backsaver Auger - Feterl Original 12

Conventional Auger

Conventional Auger - Feterl Original

Drive-over Hopper

Utility Auger / Unloading Auger

Rollermill / Hammermill

Grain Cleaner

Grain Cart - 1060/1360

Higher input costs and tighter margins require a complete grain management system to make your operation as profitable as possible. The complete line of Farm King grain handling equipment ensures you get top dollar for your crop.

With decades of grain handling experience, Farm King offers everything you need to get your grain to market after it leaves the combine.

Visit www.farm-king.com to find a dealer near you.

©2013 Buhler Trading Inc. | info@buhler.com | www.farm-king.com

20

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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

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

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

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21

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

FARM MACHINERY Grain Handling

BUSINESS SERVICES

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Various

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

Double LL Industries

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS

AGRI-VACS

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

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

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

ENGINES ASSORTED DEUTZ & OTHER Diesel engines.

KMK Sales, (800)565-0500, Humboldt, SK.

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.

780.905.8565 Nisku, Alberta

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

2007 AGCO 5100 DRAPER header, comes w/MF9000 series combine adaptor, comes w/HC PU reel, VGC, asking $25,000. Call 780-837-0496.

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Baling

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

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

FOR SALE: PARTS FOR IH TD40 track tractor, crankshaft & bearings, radiator, Diesel injector pump, All for $300. (403)729-2181 Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds.

Place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifed section. 1-888-413-3325.

Wheat, Barley, Oats, Peas, etc.

Green or Heated Canola/Flax

30-FT. CIH 1010 HEADER, batt reel, VGC, $8,000; 30-ft. Header trailer, $2,000; 25-ft. IH Cultivator #55 w/Prasco Bandit big tank, $3,500; Case IH 21-ft. PT swather model 75 w/UII PU reel & bat reel, $2,000.

Phone (403)823-9974 or (403)823-1928.

1-877-641-2798

Combines

BUYING:

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Case/IH

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

1-877-250-5252

1985 Case IH 1480 Combine. 3,950 Engine hrs, new front tires, 2 sets concaves, chopper, rock trap, specialty rotor, 12-ft PU header w/large auger, always stored inside. $22,500. Phone: (204) 362-4532. clint.andrea.fehr@gmail.com

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Ford/New Holland

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

CALL 1-866-388-6284

1995 R72 GLEANER, 2522/SEP hours, 3245 engine, Sunnybrook rotor, new feeder chains, $35,000 (403)818-6443 1996 GLEANER R72, 2160/SEP. hrs, 2724 eng. hrs. Sunnybrook rotor, new feeder chains, $40,000 (403)818-6443

FARM MACHINERY Combine – John Deere

www.milliganbiofuels.com

JD 9600 COMBINE 1989 model 3,200 thrasher hrs, 4,500 eng hrs, new feeder chain, $35,000. Phone (403)818-6443.

AUCTION SALES

AUCTION SALES

AUCTION SALES Auctions Various

AUCTION SALES Auctions Various

SHIELDS

High Clearance, 1368 Hrs, w/ 3 Point Hitch, And Mid Mount Cultivators

Loader

GAS, 60 HP, 3 Point Hitch, 540 Pto, NEW Rear Tires

55 HP Diesel, 3 Point Hitch

4,800

$

Big Tractor Parts, Inc. Geared For The Future

STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

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

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

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

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

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

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

FARM MACHINERY Sprayers

FARM MACHINERY Sprayers

JD 9400, 9420, 9520, 8970 JD 7810 & 7210, FWA JD 9860, 9760, 9750, 9650, 9600 JD 9430, 9530, 9630 CIH 8010 w/RWD, lateral tilt, duals 900 hrs.

Case STX 375, 425, 430, 450, 480, 500, 530 CIH 8010-2388, 2188 combine CIH 435Q, 535Q, 450Q, 550Q, 600Q pto avail.

NH TJ 450, New Triples, Big Pump 8100 Wilmar Sprayer

JD 4710, 4720, 4730, 4830, 4920, 4930 SP sprayers JD 9770 & 9870 w/CM & duals CIH 3185, 3230, 3330, 4430, 4420 sprayers 9580 Kubota, FWA, FEL, low hours 3545 MF w/FWA FEL

AUCTION SERVICE LTD. General Auction Services since 1960

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

GOOD SELECTION OF JD & CASE HEADERS: 635F, 636D AND MANY MORE CASE & JD

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

TracTors

FARM, RANCH, REAL ESTATE & COMMERCIAL

BUILDINGS

John Deere 1630

CX840 NH COMBINE, 1593S-HRS, 2124E-hrs, 16ft rake-up PU; 30-ft NH Honey-Bee straight cut header also avail., VGC. Phone(403)391-6021, Red Deer, AB.

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Gleaner

CANOLA WANTED

1974 John Deere 401A

7,500

$

9,900

$

www.doublellindustries.com

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories

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

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Swathers

NEW John Deere 542

8,800

FARM MACHINERY

WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN

1983 Kubota L245 Offset Tractor

$

Combine ACCessories

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

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

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

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various JD 7210, FWA, 3 pth Front End LDR JD 4250 FWA, 280 loader JD 7810 FWA, 3 pth JD 4560, FWA, 280 loader JD 6400, FWA loader JD 2550, FWA JD 746 loader, new Mustang 2044 Skidsteer, 1300 Hrs. Clamp on Duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 158 & 148, 265, 740.280, JD loaders JCB 1550B, Backhoe FWA, Extend A Hoe, Ford Backhoe 655C 4x4, Extend A Hoe FINANCE, TRADES WELCOME 780-696-3527, BRETON, AB Looking for a hand around the farm? Place a help wanted ad in the classifieds. Call 1-888-413-3325.

1993 960 JD COMBINE w/914 pick-up, Asking $68,000; JD 930D straight-cut header w/pick-up reel, $35,000; 2006 JD 4995 self-propelled swather, comes w/2 headers: 30-ft Honeybee & JD 5-m discbine, $110,000; 1997 9400 JD 4x4 tractor, $128,000; 2007 56-ft 5112 Conscerva-pak air drill w/440 tank, $150,000; 1997 JD 7810 front wheel assist w/740 SI front end loader, $60,000; 1999 JD 7410 front wheel assist w/740 SI front end loader, $58,000; 2005 JD 567 round baler w/net wrap, $25,000; Jiffy 712 12-wheel brake, $9,500; Ren 36-in roller mill, $3,000; Crown hyd.

3 Batt rock picker, $3,750; 1987 freight liner Tandem dump truck, $20,000; 1997 freight liner semi-truck, $24,000; 2012 Wilson Tridem grian trailer, aluminum & air-ride, $55,000; 2001 IH 9200 semi-truck, $24,000; Doctor Tandem grain trailer, $17,500; Leon 4-way blade, 16-ft, $15,000. Call:(780)888-1278.

1999 CAT 460 1300 sep. hrs, rake up $88,000; 2006 JD 567 mega-wide, mesh wrap, 5453/bales, $18,500; 1998 AGCO 9755, 530/int electronic, 18spd p/s, 3096/hrs, 4 remotes, 540 front weights, duals, $48,500 (403)665-2341, Craigmyle, AB. NH STACKLINER 1010 BALE wagon, will take offers; MF 3-PTH 7-ft sickle mower, belt driven, asking $400. Phone: (403)783-2691.

BLANCHARD (HARMON) 83-FT SPRAYER, $1800; Morris B3-48 rod weeder, $650; Morris CP519 cultivator, $950; CCIL 3-ring walking harrows, $375; 2 disc markers, $75 ea. Ph (403)782-2545.

CASE IH MAXXUM 125 Pro FWA tractor, 3,300-hrs, 18-spd power shift/shuttle shift, LX 750 loader/grapple, $59,000; JD 8760 4WD tractor, 20.8x38 duals, 3-Hyd, 9,000-hrs, $45,000; MF 250 DSL tractor, 16.9x30 (like new tires) 3-PTH, hyd. canopy, $9,500, 2 6-ft flail mowers to fit also available; Versatile 145 4WD tractor, c/w Leon 12-ft dozer blade, $6,500; Case W14 loader, c/w grapple & backhoe attachment, 17.5x25 tires, $16,500; Concord 4012 Airdrill double chute/paired row, harrows & Concord 3400 tank, $15,000; Chinook 1203 Aircart, plastic tanks, DSL engine, $2,500; JD 2800 plow, 3-PTH, 7 btm, 14-18-in adjustable, $7,900; Wil-Rich 10x18 plow, $5,500; IHC 700 7x16 plow, $1,250; Case 1900 Chisel plow, 32-ft, $750; 2002 Flexi-Coil 67XL sprayer, 134-ft, 1,250-gal tank, $8900; Sprayair sprayer, $900; Home built sprayer, 800-gal tank, $900; Jiffy 920 bale processor, c/w grain tank, very little use, $7,500; Du-All 310 FEL, c/w grapple-joystick & Case 7000 series mounts, $4500; 2 Haybuster 8000 drills c/w transport (for parts), $1,000; Red River model LB237 tri-axle trailer, belted & live bottom, $19,500; Duscon gooseneck tri-axle trailer, complete w/beaver tails, 35-ft deck, $8,500. Tri-axle Seacan trailer, $1,500; Trailmobile 48-ft reefer trailer c/w Thermo King reefer, $6,500 (set up for meat sales); Willok 42-ft Highboy, c/w bale rack, $3,900; Gusmer H-11 Spray foam machine c/w tanks, hose, mounted in 18-ft Van, $2,500 (for spraying foam insulation on walls, etc.); WBM 60-in Clean-up bucket, $3,200; 1996 Freightliner FL60 S/A truck, c/w Cummins Eng, auto trans, 22-ft van, power tailgate, $6,500; 1982 IHC 1754 single axle truck, 466 Engine, $3,400; 1989 IHC cab over truck, c/w 444 Cummins, 18-spd, 5th wheel, $5,500; MF 2805 tractor for parts, $2,500; MF 1135 tractor for parts (rod through block) $900; Haul all drill fill, $1,500; 2006 JD 567 baler, mega wide silage, c/w net wrap (20,000 bales), $13,500; 2005 JD 567 baler, mega wide PU, (20,000 bales), $12,500; MF 2656A baler (Hesston), c/w net wrap (8,000 bales), $14,500; NH BR780A baler (5,000 bales), $12,500; Hesston 856A baler (5,000 bales), $10,500; JD 7721 PT combine, $1,900; IHC 1482 PT combine, $1,500; Gleaner R60 combine, complete w/Victory pick-up, $8,500; Gleaner R70 combine, $7,500, complete w/Victory pick-up; Agway Accumul 8 Bale accumulator & AC 800 bale fork (very little use), $3,900; JD 640A Pickup (2001), $4,500(fits JD forest harveters); JF 1350 forage harvester c/w heavy hitch, $25,000; Hesston 7170 forage harvester, $900; NH 1600 Forage harvester, $2,500.

Phone: (780)621-6704.

FOR SALE IN ATHABASCA: 1997 CH75E 5000-hrs farm use only, $90,000; 100-ft Fast-963P 3-PTH sprayer used one season stored inside, $23,000; (2006) Lexion 590R 1040 sep hrs, P516 Skids for 1620 meridian bins $1400; Farm King 13x85 used one season almost new, $16,500; 5000-gal. fuel tank $900. (780)212-4848 or (780)675-5186.

JD 250 SKID STEER For Sale - Mint condition like new.

New tires, suspension seat, factory weights, 61-hp diesel - no leaks. C/W 72-in bucket.

Always shedded, meticulously cared for & maintained - must be seen to be appreciated!

1999/2,500-hrs. (780)967-2689 (please leave message).

JD 336 SQUARE BALER; JD 568 round baler; Case IH 8380 Haybine, 16-ft; 41-47-ft Leon chisel plow w/harrows, w/wo NH3 kit. Case 2090 tractor, w/wo Leon 790 loader; Greenbelt 900 chain highdump. 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.

Watch your profits grow!

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

Advertise with AFe Classifieds

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

Pioneer One Steel Buildings

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

Place your ad today by call

1-888-413-3325

22

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

JD 8820 914 PICK-UP header & 930 grain header & trailer; MF 860 w/pick-up & MF 20-ft grain head-er; MF 410 combine, PU header; Honeybee 36-ft draper header, pick-up reel, fits Case 2388 & 2588 combine; D7G, PS, ripper; CAT 235 track hoe; D760 Champion Grater; Tree farmer skidder, me-chanical special, new 18.4x34 tires; Calhoun fertiliz-er spreader, PTO; Grousen dozer, fits a JD 8970 16-ft; 2004 Dodge RumbleBee short box.

Phone: (306)236-8023.

RON SAUER

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

ESTATE SALE

2003 9650 JD Combine 2,171 Sep Hrs Redekop Chaff Blower & Wagon, $88,000 1993 9600 JD Combine 2,680 Sep Hrs, $40,000 2004 MacDon 974 36-ft. Flex Header, Cross Auger, PU Reel, Fore & Aft, Single Pt, $33,000 1998 MacDon 960 36-ft. PU Reel, Fore & Aft, $15,000 1997 Macdon 960 36-ft. Header, Bat Reel, $10,000 930 Rigid 30-ft. JD Header, $5,000 930 Flex JD Header 30-ft. PU Reel & Transport, $15,000 Case PT Swather 30-ft. Bat Reel, $5,000 Farm King 1370 Swing auger Mechanical, $4,000 Bourgault 3195 Triple Air Tank, $8,000 1986 3394 Case MFD 8,700 hours, $20,000 Phone (403)601-1360

Buy and Sell

anything you need through the

1-888-413-3325

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

FOR SALE IN ATHABASCA

1977 850 Versatile Series II, Atom jet hyd., 20.8 x 32d tires, nice shape ................................ $17,500 31’ Flexicoil B Chisel Plow Extensions, Extends to 41’, 3 bar harrow, Excellent Condition.......................... $12,500 Flexicoil 6 run seed treater ................................ $2,000 Wanted Flexicoil S95 harrow packer draw bar, 5 bar harrows, good condition ............................................................ Call 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.... $26,500 100’ 65XL Flexicoil Sprayer, complete with windguards, elec. end nozzles dual tips, markers ........................ $3,500 30’ 8230 CIH PT swather, PU reel, nice shape,.. $10,000 25ft Hesston 1200 PT swather, Bat reel, nice shape .......................................................... $5,500 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 MATR (Italy) 10 wheel V-Hayrake, hyd. fold, as new.................................................................... $5,250 New Sakundiak Augers Complete with E-Kay Attachments ............................................... Call 2 Used 8” Self Propelled Sakundiak Augers .Coming In New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps .........................Call 2 Used E-Kay 9” Bins 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, shedded .....$9,250 415 New Holland Discbine, like new ................. $12,500 166 New Holland Hay Turner, like new .............. $5,500 40’ Morris Harrow Packer Bar, P30 packers, 4 bar harrows, Hyd. fold up, good condition ..................... $5,500 1990 GMC 9000 Single Axle Grain Truck, 16’ x 18’ steel box, propane only, runs good.......................... $6,500 8” Wheat Heart Transfer Auger, as new............ $1,500 Jiffy Grain Feeder, 3 pt hitch, hydraulic auger, as new .$500 New Outback MAX & STX Guidance & Mapping ....In Stock 1 New Outback S3 Complete with 3 year EFP ........ $3,500 New Outback E-Drive, TC’s .................................In Stock New Outback E-Drive X, c/w free E turns ............In Stock New Outback S-Lite................................................$900 New Outback VSI’s Swather Steering Wheel Kits .......................................................In Stock Used Outback RTK Guidance System ....................... Call Used Outback E-Drive Hyd. Kits.(JD,Case, Cat & NH) $500

**NuVision, Sakundiak & Farm King Augers, Outback GPS Systems, EK Auger Movers, Belt Tighteners, Bin Sweeps, & Crop Dividers, Kohler & Robin Subaru engines, Degelman, Headsight Harvesting Solutions**

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted WANTED: NH 8500 ROUND bale wagon. Phone (406)883-2118

1997 CH75E 5000 hrs farm use only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$90,000 $90,000 100’ foot Fast-963P three point hitch sprayer used one season stored inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23,000 (2006) Lexion 590R 1040 sep hrs, P516 Skids for 1620 meridian bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,400 Farm king 13x85 used one season almost new. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16,500 5000 gallon fuel tank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $900

Please Call 780-212-4855 or 780-675-5186

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

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

1-888-413-3325

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

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

www.penta.ca

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

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

NOW BUYING OATS!

Competitive Rates

PAUL MOWER

DAVE KOEHN

ALL GRADES Prompt Payment

1-800-587-4711

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus 40 REGISTERED RED ANGUS bulls, (from 7 sires) quiet, easy calving, low to moderate birth weight, good growth, EPD’s, guaranteed breeders, exc. for heifers or cows. Cleveley Cattle Company (780)689-2754, Ellscott, AB.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Hereford

403-304-1496

403-546-0060

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

BULLS FOR SALE: HEREFORDS, mostly dehorned, great selection including “Surefire Heifer Bulls.” Dependable maternal genetics selected for 39-yrs. www.bretonwestherefords.com Phone: (780)696-3878.

HEREFORD BULLS, YEARLINGS AND two year olds, dehorned, and polled, excellent quality, check out our catalogue of bulls for sale by private treaty at Coulee Crest Herefords, couleecrest.ca (403)227-2259 or (403)588-6160, Bowden, Ab.

LIVESTOCK Livestock Equipment 5’X10’ PORTABLE CORRAL PANELS, 6 bar. New improved design. Storage Containers, 20’ & 40’ 1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722 GOLDENVIEW FEEDLOT PRO DELUXE hyd squeeze w/palpation cage, scale, crowding tub, transition tub, 4 alley sections, alley splitter & loading chute. Phone (403)391-6021, Red Deer AB.

REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE Mobile Homes CANADA SINGLE FAMILY HOME NEW 16 wide & 20 wide MODULAR HOMES at GREAT prices.

(218)751-7720 frontierhomesonline.com

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

1-888-413-3325

New 30.5L-32 16 ply, $2,195; 20.8-38 12 ply $866; 18.4-38 12 ply; $898; 24.5-32 14 ply, $1,749; 14.9-24 12 ply, $486; 16.9-28 12 ply $558, 18.4-26 10 ply, $890. Factory direct. More sizes available new and used. 1-800-667-4515. www.combineworld.com

TRAVEL

Rural & Cultural Tours

International Plowing Match/Canadian Rockies ~ July 2013 Upper Mississippi Cruise ~ Oct 2013 Midwest USA ~ Oct 2013 Australia/New Zealand ~ Jan 2014 Kenya/Tanzania ~ Jan 2014 India ~ Feb 2014 South America ~ Feb 2014 Far East ~ Mar 2014 China ~ March 2014 Ireland & Scotland ~ June 2014 Ukraine Agriculture Tour ~ June 2014 NWT/Yukon/Alaska ~ July 2014 Russian River Cruise ~ Sept 2014 *Portion of tours may be Tax Deductible

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

23

}High yields

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 22, 2013

Big wheat crop in Russia

Good EU barley crop

The 2013 wheat harvest in Russia’s largest Black Sea farm region of Krasnodar is complete and was twice as heavy as last year, the Agriculture Ministry said July 16. Russia, traditionally the world’s third-largest wheat exporter, had said it hoped to increase the harvest by one-third to no less than 50 million tonnes as it seeks to replenish stocks and boost exports after a drought last year. Yields in the region, the key region for wheat export via the Black Sea, were quoted at 5.2 tonnes per hectare (77 bu.ac.), up from 4.2 last year. — Reuters

Western Europe is on course to harvest more barley this year, supported by a good end to the growing season in top producers France and Germany, along with a sharp rebound in Spanish yields and an expected U.K. rise driven by spring barley. “The pickup in temperatures pretty much everywhere has accelerated the growth cycle and allowed plants to dry out, reducing disease pressure,” said Pauline Boissinot of Strategie Grains. Earlier, a long winter and damp, chilly spring had hampered crop growth and raised concern about damage both to yields and quality. — Reuters

Severe versus air mass thunderstorms

A storm with a rotating column of air can produce tornadoes by daniel bezte

S

o far in our look at severe thunderstorms we’ve looked at the three main severe weather threats: heavy rain, hail, and wind or tornadoes. What we haven’t discussed or looked at is why do some thunderstorms become severe while others do not, and how can you tell if a thunderstorm moving towards you is going to be severe?

So, what needs to happen to take a garden-variety thunderstorm and make it severe? We need to have a hot and humid air mass in place, the air a few thousand feet up needs to be very cold providing for good lift, and we need a strong jet stream overhead providing venting at the top of the storm. Everything is in place for a severe thunderstorm, but what can Mother Nature add to the mix to make things even more spectacular?

The first and probably most important “extra” ingredient that can be added to the mix is to have the wind change direction with altitude. To put it in a nutshell, this change of direction can cause the developing storm to rotate. Picture what would happen if you took a rising parcel of air and pushed on it from the south when it was at the surface. Then, as it rose several thousand feet, the wind switched direction and is now blowing from the west or northwest. What would happen to our rising parcel of air?

It would get twisted — it would start to rotate.

Remember that if we can get air to rotate counterclockwise we have an area of low pressure.

Air flows inward in a counterclockwise rotation and is then forced to move upwards. One thing we get if we can get our severe storm rotating is a smallscale area of low pressure that helps the air to rise even more than it would without the rotation. The second thing a rotating thunderstorm can do is to nicely separate the area of updrafts and downdrafts. This is important, since the downdrafts, even with a severe thunderstorm, will eventually cut the updraft off from its source of warm, moist

photo: ©thinkstock air. In a rotating thunderstorm, the source of warm, moist air is maintained, giving these storms a long life and a lot of moisture to produce heavy rains.

Another aspect to the storm that a rotating column of air can provide is tornadoes. While we still do not understand how tornadoes are formed, we do know that rotating thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. It is believed that rotating columns of air can get squeezed into a narrower shape. As this happens, the wind speeds increase eventually producing the tornado.

Like most things in nature, thunderstorms rarely behave like their textbook example.

Even when all of the ingredients are there, no storms may form, or sometimes, some key ingredient is missing, yet we get a really severe storm. This is what makes weather so interesting!

Now, not every thunderstorm that develops becomes severe, in fact, much of our summer rainfall comes from garden-variety thunderstorms, or what are referred to as air mass thunderstorms. These storms, as their name indicates, develop in the middle of a typical warm summer air mass. Because they are in the middle of an air mass, a number of the key ingredients for severe storms are missing.

Usually in the middle of an air mass, temperature will not decrease too rapidly with height.

The wind will usually remain constant with height, and there will probably not be a jet stream overhead. Nonetheless,

we can still have enough heat and humidity for air to rise and thunderstorms will form. Since these storms don’t rotate or have any way to vent the rising air at the top of the storm, they rarely last long.

The accumulating air at the top of the storm will eventually fall back down as a downdraft; this will wipe out the updraft, essentially killing the storm. The whole process from the start of the storm to the downdraft killing it can be anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. While these storms are short lived, they can give brief periods of heavy rain and the odd good gust of wind, especially when the downdraft first hits the ground.

Now, how can you recognize if a thunderstorm moving towards you has the potential to be severe? First of all, recognize the conditions — how warm and humid is the air? Remember, a moist atmosphere means there is a lot of energy available. Look for a dark or threatening sky — look closely at the area between the storm and the ground, if you can see through it, the storm is likely not severe yet. Lots of lightning or nearly continuous thunder is a good indication of a severe storm.

As the storm approaches, keep an eye out for things like a green sky, as this usually indicates that the storm contains huge amounts of water and has very strong up and down drafts.

Another thing to watch for are roll clouds. These form in front of the storm and are caused by

This map showing the 30 days from June 10 to July 9 shows mostly average precipitation across much of Alberta. strong winds blowing out of the storm. These clouds will rush by you quickly accompanied by high winds announcing the arrival of the storm. Finally,

watch out for any kind of rotation within the storm. This means the storm has become very strong and has the capability of producing a tornado.

24

JULY 22, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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