Alberta farmer express

MYSTERY MUTATIONS

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Strange things are happening in Alberta canola fields » PG 2

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Partnership a first for cereal breeding Alberta Wheat Commission partners with private seed company and feds to develop new Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat breeding

By Alexis Kienlen AF STAFF

A

deal that is the first of its kind in Canada is being hailed as a major boost to Canada Prairie Spring Red wheat breeding — and a model for future cereal-breeding efforts.

“From an Albertan perspective, it’s a huge opportunity for us,” said Kent Erickson, chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission “We can take a germplasm that would have gone by the wayside and revitalize that.”

see CEREAL BREEDING } page 7

Sell or hang on?

Cattle producers facing tough choices

Some have already pulled the trigger and sold cattle, others are holding back and hoping they’ll have enough feed

By Alexis Kienlen AF STAFF

I

t was supposed to be the year to grow the cattle herd — but Mother Nature and dry conditions across Alberta have changed all that.

A lack of hay and pasture makes for tough choices and some are taking cattle to market.

Viking Hutterite Colony usually buys calves, backgrounds them until spring, and then turns them out to pasture. But earlier this summer, the colony sold 350 yearlings.

“Because of the drought situation, we weren’t able to put them out on pasture,” said farm manager Paul Wipf. “But we did do OK and got good money for our cattle.

We sold them early enough, and somebody must have had some pasture.”

Now Wipf is fielding calls from cattle producers in his area looking to see if he has pasture available.

“I know that there’s going to be a big shortage of hay,” he said. “Guys are not panicking yet

see tough choices } page 6

Like many Alberta cattle producers, Rob Somerville doesn’t want to reduce his herd and is looking for alternative sources of feed for his cattle this year. PHOTO: STUART SOMERVILLE

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2015-07-02 3:43 PM

news » inside this week

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inside » WILDLIFE WOES Producers hit hard by predation but say it’s not worth reporting

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

livestock

crops

columNists

MEASURE AND MANAGE

SILVER LINING

John Morriss Facts go missing in dairy dust-up

15

Laura Rance Focusing on the soil creates options

MAKING PERFECT PIGGIES

Brenda Schoepp

Precision feeding is on its way to Canada’s hog farms

11

Precise numbers help young producer in drought year

12

Drought means less disease but there are areas of concern

India is a country of two agricultures

17

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It’s a bit creepy, but ‘mystery syndrome’ is no cause for alarm Buds on canola plants are doing things they shouldn’t — like turning into leaves or stems

By Alexis Kienlen AF STAFF

I

f you’re seeing weird things in your canola — like buds turning into stems or leaves — don’t be alarmed.

But what’s causing this “mystery syndrome” has Alberta experts scratching their heads.

“You’ve got something that should be forming a pod, and it turns into a weirdly shaped leaf or a piece of stem or something,” said Greg Sekulic, Peace region agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada.

Council agronomists in Alberta first started noticing bizarre morphology — the form and structure of a plant — in canola fields at the early-flowering, late-bud stage in 2012. Dubbed the “mystery syndrome,” these deviations have been spotted from the Peace country to Calgary, and from Camrose all the way east to the Saskatchewan border.

In some fields, 80 per cent of the plants had developed the condition, and a dry year seems to make it worse.

“I could really walk into any field and find a few examples,” said Sekulic. “I’ve yet to be in a field this spring that doesn’t have it.”

The team at the Canola Council of Canada began running tests, looking for herbicide carry-over or tank contamination. They examined crop rotations and varieties; herbicide formulations; tempera-

This photo shows the plant’s reproductive tissue reverting to vegetative. The buds begin to form, but turn into leaf or stem material. PHOTOs: MURRAY HARTMAN

This photo shows some bud abortion, and a reversion of reproductive tissue (buds/ flowers) into vegetative tissue (leaf).

ture and chemical interactions; and sent samples to be tested for diseases or insect infestations like aster yellows. Plant pathologists, entomologists and oilseed specialist Murray Hartman were consulted.

All insect pests and plant diseases were ruled out.

“We ran every test we could,” said Sekulic. “There was nothing common across the hundreds of fields that we found. But by the time we had submitted all the tests, the plants had shaken it off and started yielding normally.”

Plants that recovered from “mystery syndrome” showed weird branching leaves and stems.

“Above that, the plants would be nor-

mal, with normal healthy pods — we didn’t seem to lose much maturity or even yield,” said Sekulic. “It’s just a phase of its life where things looked really odd.”

In some cases, agronomists could see what looked like a pod abortion, or buds that had died off for inexplicable reasons.

No one has any idea what has triggered this strange phenomena. The experts consulted agreed that the plants developed this way due to some sort of environmental factor and are still working to solve the mystery.

“It’s a bit of a non-story because everything seems to work out OK,” said Sekulic.

“A few people attributed it to Group 2 damage of some kind, either carry-over or tank

“It’s a bit of a non-story because everything seems to work out OK.” Greg Sekulic

contamination. In a lot of these cases, we really ruled that out because the symptoms and the histories on the fields really didn’t quite fit.”

Although widespread, the symptoms he has seen this year haven’t been as varied as in 2012.

“It’s frustrating because it’s something that you can readily observe, but not explain.” akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

Naked crows found in Red Deer a rare pair — thank goodness The nearly featherless juveniles found in central Alberta are only the second known case in North America

BY JOHNNIE BACHUSKY Innisfail Province

T

he crow has never been a symbol of nature’s beauty, but even their most ardent admirers wouldn’t warm to a pair of naked juveniles recently found in central Alberta.

But the rare featherless baby crows are causing a sensation among wildlife lovers, and even one of North America’s most respected ornithologists.

It’s only the second known North American case of naked crows — which are born without body feathers and remain bare until at least 12 weeks old.

“Which is just weird,” said Kevin J. McGowan of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology who has been studying

They’re as rare as they are ugly, but this naked crow found in Red Deer is expected to grow a full set of feathers by summer’s end.

PHOTO: Medicine River Wildlife Centre

crows for 27 years. “Baby birds are naked. They come out of the shell naked, so naked baby birds are not unusual. But naked baby birds at four weeks old is pretty unusual.”

The pair was found by a Red Deer homeowner last month after she noticed a pair of fledglings that had fallen from their nest high in a tree and onto her lawn.

“She went, ‘Holy cow,’ and she picked them up and brought them to us, and we went, ‘My goodness, what is wrong with this?’” said Carol Kelly, executive director of the Medicine River Wildlife Centre.

“They had some feathers at the ends of their wings. They were missing most of their body feathers. They are quite humorous to look at, but they do have their wing feathers so they will be learning to fly.”

Wildlife centre staff researched prior cases of naked crows and that led them to McGowan, who advised them to return the juvenile birds back to their nest.

“Because the parents were still there and because they were in really good condition other than the lack of feathers, it was advised to us to put them back with the parents,” said Kelly. “We’ve asked the landowners to keep their eyes open so if anybody does see these little bald creatures flying around Red Deer they will not panic, that it is normal and it is OK.” What McGowan has learned from his experience with naked crows is that the birds will grow normal body feathers by the end of the summer when they are about 13 to 15 weeks old.

He also believes that the phenomenon is caused by a genetic mutation, and that the two cases (the other was in New York state in 2003), while remarkably similar, were not connected.

“It happened the same way it happened in New York, which is that it is a mutation of some particular controlled gene that regulates or enhances the growth of the juvenile body feathers. What happened once has happened again,” said McGowan.

In the meantime, Kelly and her staff at the wildlife centre will keep in contact with the Red Deer homeowners on the naked crows’ progress.

McGowan said he’s confident these interesting and unfairly maligned creatures are in good hands.

“Crows are very family orientated,” he said. “Their parents want to protect them and they probably don’t think they are ugly.”

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Stress could be taking its toll on you — know the signs Withdrawing, not wanting to eat, and constant worry are all signs of stress that could lead to more serious issues

Here are some of the resources available if you, or a loved one, are experiencing undue stress:

By Alexis Kienlen AF STAFF

I

n tough times — like this year’s drought — stress can creep up on you.

So take a moment to think how your friends and family are holding up.

“I really encourage people to notice what other people are doing when it’s stressful like this. You may need to look after each other a bit more,” said Dr. Laura Calhoun, provincial medical director for Addiction and Mental Health with Alberta Health Services.

When people are stressed, they may not sleep as well or worry more than they should.

“Obviously these kind of conditions may cause worry, but people may overworry and they may not know that they are overworrying,” said Calhoun.

There are several signs of this form of stress: People are not able to think about anything else, and not able to enjoy other things in life. So they may eat less or even lose interest in food, not want to socialize, or do things that normally give them pleasure. People who are not usually irritable may be short tempered.

Other signs of stress include ruminating (talking about the same thing over and over) and complaining. Or it may go the other way — many men will shut people out, not talking because they don’t want to burden others.

When people withdraw and don’t want to socialize at all, that’s often a sign that something is wrong.

“At that point, it’s useful to get some help,” said Calhoun.

“If people let that go on and the stress isn’t relieved, that’s when people can develop a major depression or end up with some other anxiety conditions or something like that.”

People can get help from their family doctor, by calling Alberta Mental Health’s 24-hour helpline (1-877-303-2642), or by accessing resources through Alberta Health Services’ website.

Seeking help isn’t easy, and that’s especially true in rural communities.

“In small towns and rural areas where everyone knows everyone else, the stigma is even greater than it is in the city where you

You’re not alone — resources for dealing with stress Alberta Mental Health Help Line 1-877-303-2642

This toll-free helpline provides confidential advice and information on mental health services 24 hours a day.

Community Mental Health Clinics

These clinics provide voluntary clinical community-based mental health services to individuals of all ages who reside in the province of Alberta. Treatment services from the various programs are provided free of charge. For more information, call the confidential helpline at 1-877303-2642. Another option is to call Alberta Health Link’s 811 Service to be assessed and to obtain a referral.

Canadian Mental Health Association

With each bank of clouds that roll by without giving up any moisture, the stress caused by drought builds up. PHOTO: Wendy Dudley can be anonymous,” said Calhoun. “But we think that the stigma is breaking down. There’s more evidence that people are aware that you have to look after your mental health as well as your physical health.”

And the two are often linked.

Exercise helps improve your mood, relieves anxiety, and helps people sleep. It can also distract people from their worries.

Talking to others can be useful.

Even though some people feel like retreating when things are bothering them, socialization is a good way to relieve stress.

That doesn’t mean you have to talk about your worries, said Calhoun. It can be as simple as spending time with people, doing an enjoyable activity.

“You need to try to do things that get you out of the stress that you’re consumed in,” she said.

People should also monitor their alcohol consumption during times of stress.

“Often when people feel down,

“You need to try to do things that get you out of the stress that you’re consumed in.”

Laura Calhoun

they use alcohol to try and make themselves feel better. That works, temporarily, but there can be negative side-effects afterward.”

Stress can quickly lead to full-blown depression. Clinical depression is defined as a period of at least two weeks where every day, for most of the day, a person experiences a mood that is low, sad or blue.

Other symptoms include not being motivated or interested in

things, and not having enough energy. People can also sleep too much or suffer from insomnia, and will often notice a change in their eating habits. Often there are strong feelings of guilt, and some may have thoughts that life is not worth living.

People who have a combination of these symptoms or even some of them, for a period of two weeks, would be classified as depressed and should go see a doctor. Treatment would likely be talk therapy, medication, or both.

People who notice that their family members or friends are suffering from stress can try to talk to them about it. Calhoun notes that it is best to approach with a supportive and curious tone.

“You don’t want to be accusing or angry, but say something about what you’ve noticed,” she said. “Come at it from a concerned and caring point of view.”

In addition to branches in Calgary and Edmonton, the association has offices in Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Camrose, Medicine Hat, and Red Deer. For contact info, go to www.cmha.ca and click on the Find Your Local CMHA tab at the top of the page.

Other helplines

Some Other Solution (SOS), a counselling service covering northeast Alberta, can be reached toll free, 24 hours a day at 1-800-5653801.

The Support Network covers northwest Alberta and provides a 24-hour suicide prevention and distress line at 1-800-2327288. Those in the greater Edmonton Area can call 780-482-HELP (4357).

PACE Crisis line (Providing Assistance, Counselling and Education) serves the Peace region with a 24-hour crisis line at 780-539-6666.

akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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4

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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

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

Look past the rhetoric — the choice is U.S. milk or U.S. subsidies

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

CIRCULATION manager Heather Anderson Email: heather@fbcpublishing.com

The ‘throw open the border’ advocates conveniently ignore hefty subsidies in the U.S. and limited export opportunities

PRODUCTION director Shawna Gibson Email: shawna@fbcpublishing.com

Director of Sales Cory Bourdeaud’hui Email: cory@fbcpublishing.com

By JOHN MORRISS

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Editorial director

D

rop supply management, buy out the dairy farmers for the value of their quota, and throw open the border to imports. The result will be cheaper milk for Canadian households and dairy processors will prosper from selling to a booming international market.

Or so you might think from recent commentary on supply management, which would also have you think that the only barrier to Canada joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is our willingness to open our border to U.S. milk.

Not likely, but this alleged sticking point is often blamed on “the powerful dairy lobby.”

With just 12,000 dairy farms spread across dozens of constituencies across Canada, that power is questionable. The real political issue goes beyond the interests of the dairy farmers themselves — it’s whether we want Canadian milk on Canadian tables.

All agricultural policy is complicated, but dairy policy is particularly so because milk is perishable. Grain can be stored for years, but milk goes off within days. That makes it nonsense to talk of the Canadian milk price being higher than the “international” level.

Yes, you can produce milk more cheaply in New Zealand or Ireland where cows can graze outside on pasture for 365 days a year. But

you can’t buy fresh milk from New Zealand or Ireland. It has to come from local cows, which in Canada means all the additional costs of housing them in barns and hauling the feed to them rather than them harvesting it themselves.

The problem for Canada is that the local cows are also just across the U.S. border, where dairy farmers receive governmentsubsidized insurance against a drop in their profit margins. And if you think Canadian supply management is bureaucratic, don’t bother even trying to get your head around the U.S. system of “milk-marketing orders,” in which the government tells buyers what to pay for milk depending on different end uses.

If the border opened, much of the Canadian milk demand would be within a few hours by truck for subsidized U.S. producers.

Canada would either be forced to match the U.S. support level or allow most of the milk in Canadian cereal bowls to come from cartons reading “Product of the USA.” As for the TPP, would it — as have past trade agreements — prevent the signatories from introducing subsidy programs that weren’t in place before? In other words, would Canadians be stuck with no import controls and no subsidies?

Assuming Canadians could compete with or without subsidies, they would be pressured to match U.S.-style mega-dairies with thousands of animals managed with questionable labour and animal-welfare practices.

As for the notion that dropping supply management would allow Canada to export more dairy products, that is doubtful at best.

There has been an increase in Asian demand for products such as skim milk powder and infant formula. However, there is currently a world glut of those products, and New Zealand’s dairy quasi-cartel has been cutting payments to producers. The EU eliminated quotas on April 1 and Irish producers plan for a sharp increase in production and processing. Again, Canadians can hardly compete with these countries which have year-round pasture.

If you’re looking for a “powerful dairy lobby,” look no further than the National Milk Producers Federation in the U.S., where there are no doubt broad smiles every time their clipping service produces another meanspirited commentary portraying Canadian dairy farmers as rich fat-cats depriving children of low-cost nourishment. They have made no bones about wanting a big piece of our market. They need only increase production by 10 per cent to get it.

It’s reasonable to argue that supply management would be a worthwhile trade-off for the overall benefits of the TPP. It’s not reasonable to ask Canadian producers to compete against U.S. milk without U.S.-level subsidies.

This column first appeared in the Globe and Mail on July 7.

Is it COOL or the packers that’s the problem?

It was how the meat-packing industry applied the law that caused the negative effects on imports

BY HARWOOD D. SCHAFFER AND DARYLL E. RAY

T

he fate of the U.S. COOL (country-of-origin labelling) program for beef, pork, and poultry hung in the balance as Congress went on its Independence Day recess.

Given the World Trade Organization ruling against COOL in May, the threat of $3 billion in retaliatory tariffs being imposed on U.S. products by Canada and Mexico, and the opposition of meat packers, food processors, the North American Meat Institute, and prominent cattle and agricultural groups, the House voted 300-131 in June to repeal COOL. In advance of the House vote on COOL, “283 farm, rural, faith, environmental, labour, farm worker, manufacturer, and consumer organizations” sent a letter to the House agricultural committee chair and ranking member urging them to “reject the repeal of the country-oforigin labelling (COOL) law and support common-sense food labelling” (http://tinyurl.com/o9yfdt3). They argued that polling reveals that nine out of 10 Americans support COOL. In the Senate, Pat Roberts sees repeal of COOL as the surest way to protect the U.S. against the retaliatory tariffs. At the same time Roberts indicates that he is willing to look at alternatives. One of those alternatives, voluntary COOL, has been proposed by Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Vocal opponents

It is interesting to us that one of the groups most vocal in its opposition to COOL is the meat-packing industry, given that it is in a position to sabotage the law and make sure that it has a negative impact on livestock producers in Canada and Mexico. It has been alleged that packers have limited the processing of imported animals to certain days in order to make it easier to segregate born, raised, and processed in the U.S. beef from imported animals that would require a label saying, born and raised in Canada and processed in the U.S. Given the fact that livestock owners are paid on the basis of grade and yield, it is clear that packers have the capability to track each animal through the process. So how much more difficult could it be for their computers to also record the place of birth, raising, and slaughter in the same data record that they use to pay the producer?

Yes, different cuts of meat may go down different lines in the plant, but how hard can it be to attach a computer-generated tag to each intact cut? At the end of the line, intact cuts requiring the same COOL label could then be boxed together so there is no confusion when the meat reaches the retailer.

For supermarkets that receive prepackaged meat cuts, the work would even be easier; they could

be labelled by the packer using data from the computer-generated tag.

perhaps the Canadian and Mexican lawsuit ought to be directed at those causing the problem.

Economic recession

Consumer preferences

In the letter from the 283 groups supporting COOL, they argue that is was not the labelling law, “but the economic recession (that) was the driving factor behind declining livestock imports.” They went on to say “cattle imports are higher today than when COOL went into effect and hog imports are rapidly rebounding, even with COOL in place. This straightforward logic is buttressed by a recent economic report from Auburn University that demonstrates that COOL has not impacted the livestock trade and that any harm to our trading partners has in fact been negligible at most.”

If, despite that analysis, WTO should determine that there has been some negative effect — other than the economic downturn and consumer choice — on Canadian and Mexican livestock as the result of COOL, it would be interesting to know how much of the alleged negative effect has been caused by decisions made by the very people who have opposed COOL from the beginning.

If the negative effects being felt by Canada and Mexico are not a result of COOL itself, but the implementation of COOL by the meat-packing industry, then

We have long argued that the food industry needs to pay increased attention to consumer preferences. And there is a growing number of consumers who want to know where and how their food is being raised. All it takes is a trip through the produce aisle to see that every apple, pear, bell pepper, tomato, and… has a little sticker on it telling consumers the variety and where it was produced — in some cases it lists the farm on which the item was produced. For those buying local that is an important bit of information.

To the extent that major packers and processors ignore the growing consumer trend of requiring more exacting information about food products, the greater are the opportunities for a myriad of small local or regional operators willing to tell consumers where the meat they are selling was born, raised, and slaughtered.

Harwood D. Schaffer is a research assistant professor in the Agricultural Policy Analysis Center, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee. Daryll E. Ray is emeritus professor, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee, and is the former director of the Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (APAC).

5

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Innovations that increase your farming options

BY LAURA RANCE

MANITOBA CO-OPERATOR EDITOR

E

ven in June, you could feel a drought in the making as we tramped across the bone-dry paddocks of Doug Wray’s ranch north of Calgary.

Far from the lush, succulent feel of the pastures here in Manitoba, the grasses there rustled and crunched underfoot. Conditions haven’t improved — in fact, the situation out west has worsened over the past month.

But Wray, who chairs the board for the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, was sanguine about the situation on his ranch. While the health and well-being of his cattle herd is important to him, that’s not the key asset he is concerned about. For him, it’s all about the soil.

That sounds odd coming from a cattle producer. Farming folklore is rife with tales of epic conflicts between the dirt farmers and ranchers. But Wray describes how his view of his place on the land has changed.

“We started out raising cattle, then we realized that if we get the grass right, it will take care of the cattle,” he says. “Now we’ve come to where if we look after the soil, it will look after the grass.”

Wray is among a growing number of cattle producers who rely on swath and bale grazing to carry their herds through the Prairie winters.

They have increasingly been experimenting with adding a variety of species into their paddocks: brassicas such as kale and radish, and legumes such as sainfoin and vetches.

These add important nutrients to the cattle’s diet, but they also increase the diversity on their land, which contributes to overall soil health.

While there is research that says it’s a good idea, at the ranch level it’s a work in progress.

There is no recipe. The mix of vegetation these farmers are using tends to be farm specific, and their experimentation must be carried out cautiously when one’s livelihood is at stake.

Just down the road from

Wray’s we visited with Scott Copley and his wife Terrie in a field littered with 600 round bales. They will feed their cows through the winter in small sections cordoned off by electric fencing. Copley estimates he can incur 20 per cent waste and the system is still more efficient than starting a tractor to haul bales to his cows during cold weather.

It is the combination of lower operating costs with soil building that appears to be adding resilience that might not otherwise exist on these ranches.

Keeping their land under permanent cover maintains plants with deep roots that can better tolerate the variable weather.

Wray’s operating costs are about half of the industry standard for rates of gain. The most important piece of equipment on his farm is an ATV. When he rejuvenates paddocks he drills in new seed, but he doesn’t work the land. The pasture we stood in on the day we visited his farm was 18 years old — and it looked in better shape than many of the others we saw.

It makes sense for him to buy

supplemental feed in the form of bales, rather than make his own, because it adds nutrients to his land, instead of removing them. And the cattle make excellent nutrient recyclers and seed spreaders.

When we met with Wray in June, he was already considering his options based on how the moisture situation plays out this summer. Cereals that don’t make a crop might still make greenfeed. Or he might sell cattle to keep the grazing pressure on his paddocks at sustainable levels.

The options are fewer for grain farmers right now. The crop either grows or it doesn’t and that’s being determined by forces beyond their control.

But they do have choices for how they protect their soil assets. Likewise for farmers who have lost crops due to too much moisture or hail. The question becomes, what can they do to ensure that land is under cover at the end of the growing season?

One option for the future might be a perennial wheat that provides an annual crop.

Researchers at the University of Manitoba’s long-term cropping studies at Glenlea recently introduced visitors to Kernsa, a perennial wheat that does just that. The variety was developed at the Kansas-based Land Institute and is now being studied and tested.

It doesn’t look like much now, and researchers say it could be 15 years before it’s ready for commercial production. But when the concept was first introduced a decade or so ago, they estimated it would be 30 years.

Kernsa has roots that reach metres into the soil, which makes it drought tolerant and capable of handling excess moisture too.

As the farmers and researchers working in natural systems approaches will readily concede, none of these approaches are a panacea or a one-size-fitsall solution.

Farming has always been, and will always be about tough choices. Nevertheless, it’s nice to have options. laura@fbcpublishing.com

India is a country of two agricultures The nation is a world player in food, but full of contrasts and contradictions

By BRENDA SCHOEPP AF columnist

M

y visit to India a few years ago covered a lot of agricultural ground — a 1,500-kilometre loop starting in Ludhiana and ending in New Delhi.

Our team — nine young agricultural professionals from five countries — experienced a transportation strike, a hit-and-run, watched a car slide off the road and into the jungle, and had an airline go bankrupt — while we were in the plane!

In our travels, we talked to farmers, food processors, factory owners, scientists, labourers, academics, investors, politicians, and economists. The result was a collage of messages that was as busy and unnavigable as India’s streets.

This is a country of two agricultures.

There is the progressive food-processing and export powerhouse that builds large terminals and trading centres — the infrastructure for trade. Then there is the actual farming of the land, largely done by hand.

India is the seventh-largest food trader, largest producer of beef, and in the top three of dairy, wheat and rice in the world. Bananas, mulberry, rice, sugar, wheat, turmeric root — you name it and they can grow it. And yet, farmers toil to earn the equivalent of $1,000 per year.

Although senior economists raved about the future of agriculture in India — claiming a return on investment of 27 per cent —

farming remains tough. Destitute from making less than 10 per cent of the retail value of food product, slapped with a degenerating rural infrastructure, and never able to climb out of their caste — millions of Indian farmers have migrated to the city where they can earn up to the equivalent of $5 a day, leaving the countryside desperately short of help.

The fields and factories differ from what we know at home. State regulations dictate that land ownership is limited to approximately seven acres. Millions of tiny farms, most less than two hectares, dot the countryside with their tiny overgrazed yards and crowded homes. The use of technology on site is limited because you literally cannot turn a tractor around. Indian farm equipment is about the size of our larger Canadian garden tractors with different purposed attachments. Gas, diesel and electricity are as intermittent as a winter rain, so buying equipment is the beginning of a problem, not a solution. The result is a continued need for extensive farm labour that is paid $2 a day to hand weed, chop and drop, or process food.

Agriculture in India is a study in constant contrast. Inside the preparation hut, in a dark corner on the floor among the mountains of shells, were women slicing the coconuts on a progressive farm that was exporting oil. We attempted to engage with the women but the owner stopped us. We wanted to know names, ages, dreams. “She has no name. She does not know her birthdate,” was the owner’s forceful explanation.

This exploitation continued in larger factories. Down the road was a global food processor that was packaging baby corn, the vegetable you see in stir-fry Chinese food or summer salads, during our visit. Miraculously there were no children on the floor that day. But the women ranged from very young to very old and stood on platforms for 12 or more hours a day — for $2 a day — while their male “guards” sported designer clothes and cellphones. The hundreds of working women could not leave the compound and shared open-sided sleeping huts with one tap for water.

Even in advanced agricultural facilities such as sugar cane factories, fertilizer factories, clothing factories or the state-of-the-art dairy plant, the majority of the work was done by hand labour. In one of the country’s most advanced dairy factories, women still sat on the floor filling boxes. India may be one of the world’s largest producers of milk, but it still comes in cans from farms with a few cows. The same goes with the state-of-the-art grain terminals. The large grain receptors are filled by both trucks and by farmers with a five-gallon pail.

Regardless, all farmers were creative. On the banana plantations, hot peppers were planted at the base of the tree to ward off bugs. In organic rice fields rouged by hand (to remove off-types and unwanted varieties), the owner used the technology on his cellphone to market crops at a premium.

In the sugar cane composting business,

the scientists employed were able to turn compost in 11 days and this was returned to the farmers to increase their yields.

Chicken farmers were learning the advantages of clean water and dairy farmers were hand cranking silage to improve digestion.

The top farmers are nationally recognized and in Ludhiana we joined all 4,000 of that year’s recipients for an official ceremony where they proudly sat for hours (and hours and hours) in their pure-white tunics and colourful turbans.

India has managed to be a world player in food despite her tangled caste system and confusing infrastructure. Farmers suffer low incomes while food processors capture high margins. All of it is based on cheap labour, mostly women, who keep India in the top place for agricultural exports. The people I met, rich or poor, were kind and gentle and deeply respected the visit (as did I).

As Canada ventures into trade agreements with the world’s largest democracy, it may be an opportune time to reinforce food and biosecurity, sanitation, farm safety and human rights as contractual conditions.

Perpetual inconsistency may be more pronounced in India, but at the end of the day we are farmers feeding the world — sharing the same earth and the same sky.

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

All rights reserved. Brenda Schoepp 2015

6

Off the front

TOUGH CHOICES } from page 1 because they’re still hoping for rain. What they’re doing now is a heavy cull and that’s what’s coming to the market now.”

Rob Somerville, a producer from Endiang and a delegate with Alberta Beef Producers, is trying to avoid reducing his herd this year.

“From an industry standpoint, that’s not what we want to see,” he said. “You have to have that cow factory going to meet the demand domestically in Canada, and for our international markets. If you don’t have the cows, you’re not in the game.”

However, Somerville, who has 300 head, knows that producers have to make difficult choices and provide for their cows. He’s still hoping for rain, and says that what happens with the weather in the next month could still make a difference. Rain, of course is severely needed, but a frost in August could affect grain crops and make more feed available for cows.

“From a cattle guy’s stand-

“You have to have that cow factory going to meet the demand domestically in Canada, and for our international markets.

If you don’t have the cows, you’re not in the game.”

Rob Somerville

point, that’s a faint hope, and from a grain guy’s standpoint, it’s a real fear,” said Somerville, who runs a mixed farm with wife Laurie, son Stuart, and daughterin-law Kayla.

He’s already decided his grain crops will go for feed, but rain is needed if they’re to be silaged.

july 20, 2015 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

“They are late, and they have not been advancing properly due to a lack of rainfall — there is a low probability that they will mature in time before a normal frost,” said Somerville.

“An early frost would spell an end to those crops. What we’ll end up with is totally anyone’s guess. There is no subsoil moisture, no spare moisture, and no assurance of anything right now.”

Somerville, who has hay and pasture insurance, said he’s determined to keep the cows, but he’s going to have to be creative about his feed this year.

“It won’t be a hay diet; it will be alternative feeds,” he said.

Somerville and his family went into drought mode in May, deciding to seed crops that might do better in a dry year.

“On our grain side, we were a little more careful with what we spent. If we had been more optimistic about the moisture situation, we would have gone all out on the inputs.” akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

Smoke in this valley west of High River that drifted down from northern Alberta means poor air quality along with drought-stricken pastures. PHOTO: WENDY DUDLEY

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More cattle heading to market as drought worsens Emphasis was on growing the herd, but that’s been nearly abandoned due to dry conditions

By Alexis Kienlen AF STAFF

I

t’s just a trickle now, but there are fears of a flood of cattle going to market if the drought continues.

“It’s a little too early to be splitting up pairs, but we are seeing some pairs sell,” said Anne Wasko, market analyst with Gateway Livestock Services.

Sale figures are being closely watched these days to see if Alberta shrinks its herd just as American ranchers did during the 2012 drought in U.S. cattle country.

One Calgary auction mart, TEAM Auction Sales, sold almost 16,000 head in June, double last year’s level, according to CANFAX. And yearlings that are normally on grass and sold in November are coming to market now, because there’s nothing for them to eat, said Barry Yaremcio, beef and forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

More cow-calf pairs than previous years are showing up at auction marts in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Veteran, Stettler and Westlock — although it’s not known how many are bound for feedlots and how many to ranches that still have a supply of grass.

The real picture will emerge when Statistics Canada releases its Dec. 31 cattle numbers.

“The guys are planning,” said Yaremcio. “They’re wondering if they have enough feed to make it through the winter, and if they want to pay the going price for hay.”

To make matters worse, some counties — such as Barrhead, Westlock and St. Paul — have been besieged by grasshoppers.

“Grasshoppers are looking for moisture and the easiest way for them to get moisture is to eat grass and forages,” said Yaremcio. “They’re in direct competition with the cow.”

Hay prices are up “as you would expect in these conditions,” said Wasko.

“As prices go up on the feed side, we’re still looking at record prices on the cattle side,” she said. “That’s part of the positive side of this crazy environment we’re in today. We’ve got record

“We’re still looking at record prices on the cattle side. That’s part of the positive side of this crazy environment we’re in today.”

Anne Wasko

Anne Wasko

Barry Yaremcio

Karin Schmid prices, but that might need to go onto the feed bill at the end of the day. It’s a different way of thinking. We’re going to have to pay more for feed, no question about it.”

“With (cattle) prices the way they are, people would like to hang on to as many animals as they can,” added Karin Schmid, beef production specialist with Alberta Beef Producers. “But it might not be an option if they don’t have enough feed for them.”

She recommends producers early wean or creep feed calves to try to avoid selling off too many cows.

Producers worried about their cows’ condition should consider putting out grain to help them maintain their body weight and provide them with energy, said Yaremcio.

“If they eat five pounds of barley or oats on pasture, that will replace 25 pounds of grass that they will eat on a daily basis,” he said. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

7

Albertafarmexpress.ca • july 20, 2015

CEREAL BREEDING } from page 1 Harpinder Randhawa of the Lethbridge Research Centre has the only Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheat-breeding program in Western Canada. When Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced the closure of its Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg in 2013, Randhawa collected its CPSR germplasm but was unable to attract funding to use it in a breeding program. So Agriculture Canada put out a proposal for funding — and that led to a $3.4-million ‘4P’ deal with Canterra Seeds and the Alberta Wheat Commission.

The arrangement — 4P stands for public/private/producer partnership — is a win-win, said Dave Hansen, president and CEO of Winnipeg-based Canterra.

“It came about because of the concern for the CPSR program, and where it was going and how it was going to be funded,” he said.

“The program is important for Alberta, but also has implications across Western Canada. We’re all quite excited about it and what it can mean for the CPSR breeding program, as well as what it can mean for farmers.”

Smaller wheat classes such as CPSR were frequently ignored in the past because the Canadian Wheat Board spent more time marketing Canadian Western Red Spring wheat, he said.

“The CPSR class, in our viewpoint, has been an undervalued class in the past, and we’re seeing that there’s a market opportunity which has yet to be exploited,” said Hansen.

Kent Erickson

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“With the dissolution of the wheat board, we’re seeing the evolution of cereals with changes in the variety registration system, the introduction of UPOV ’91, and the modernization of plant breeders’ rights. All of these have created a new opportunity for cereals in Western Canada.”

The Team Canada missions have demonstrated that there is a demand in Asia for CPSR wheat, which is well suited to making noodles, said Erickson.

“The quality of CPSR is different and it could work in milling programs abroad,” added Hansen.

“We have a market out there that is telling us they are interested in CPSR varieties. With that in mind, we’re wanting to fill that void or capture that opportunity.”

Even though CPSR wheat makes up only 10 per cent of the wheat grown in Canada, 75 per cent of all CPSR is grown in Alberta.

Ottawa is putting nearly $1.2 million into the five-year agreement, with the Alberta Wheat Commission contributing $766,500. It will receive about a quarter of the royalties from any varieties that are developed.

“It depends on how royalties go, whether it’s end point or the seed royalties that we have now,” said Erickson. “Our hope is to put 100 per cent of those dollars right into Harpinder’s program.

“We’re trying to think outside

the box and give back. We’ve been advocating that we need to put more money into plant breeding.

Agriculture Canada and the government have been declining their investment into the commercialization of varieties. For us, there’s a potential to give all that money back to plant breeding, and that aligns with our strategic priorities and it makes sense.”

As part of the new arrangement, the Alberta Wheat Commission will sit on a management team with Canterra and Agriculture Canada, and take on an advisory role to tell the lab what disease resistance, yield potential, and agronomics are desired by producers.

In addition to its investment, Canterra will also contribute its expertise in seed distribution, field testing, and global marketing. Earlier this month, the company struck a wheat variety licensing agreement with Groupe Limagrain. The world’s fourthlargest seed company also bought a minority share in Canterra, and is creating a new cereal-breeding centre in Saskatoon.

“Because of our linkage to Limagrain, we also bring opportunity for quality testing, which is a very necessary component of SEC_MOAFLO15_AFE.qxd 7/8/15 any cereal-breeding program,” said Hansen.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz came to Lethbridge earlier this month to announce the country’s first ‘4P’ cerealbreeding deal. From the left, Ritz, Lethbridge MP Jim Hillyer, AWC chair Kent Erickson, wheat breeder Harpinder Randhawa and Canterra CEO David Hansen. PHOTO: SUPPLIED He predicted this will be the first of many similar deals that will see the private sector, government, 1:54 PM groups Page 1working together and farm to see the breeding of new variet-

ies from germplasm developed by government researchers.

“You can’t expect the government will carry everything,” said Hansen. “You start combining all

these factors and it makes for a much more logical way to market cereals. You’ll see more of this.” akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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8

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

BrettYoung plans Calmar upgrades BrettYoung is improving blending and bagging throughput at its Calmar location, and also expanding its seed storage, cleaning, blending and bagging capacity at its Winnipeg facility.

“To best serve the growing and evolving needs of our customers we need to ensure we are resourced to do so,” said Cory Baseraba, chief operating officer at BrettYoung.

“These investments coupled with the recent opening of our state-of-the-art seedcoating and -treating facility will position us to deliver the seed products and services our customers are requesting.

Importantly the expansion also enhances our ability to serve our seed grower partners by allowing us to more efficiently receive the high-quality seed they produce. The expansion demonstrates our continued commitment to our longstanding seed grower partnerships.” — Staff

New group wants to make food an issue in upcoming election Food Secure Canada wants farmers’ help to make food and agriculture an election issue this fall

BY JENNIFER PAIGE Staff

I

Executive director of Food Secure Canada, Diana Bronson encourages farmers to participate in the Eat, Think, Vote campaign.

f you were to share a meal with a political candidate running for office, what would be your focus of conversation?

Food Secure Canada has recently launched an Eat, Think, Vote campaign, geared to engage Canadians in a conversation with candidates about our food system.

“The idea is we will invite candidates from all political parties to sit down and enjoy a communitycooked meal,” said Diana Bronson, executive director of the group, which has a wide range of members, including food banks, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Canadian Organic Growers, National Farmers Union, Sierra Club of Canada, and the United Church of Canada.

A FIELD FULL OF BALES IS NO LONGER THE DREADED CHORE IT ONCE WAS

“That meal may be a beautiful organic feast from local farms or it might be Kraft Dinner because that is what is available at the food bank today.

“Share a meal and have a discussion about our most urgent food-related issues, and how we can formulate a food policy for Canada that will make our food system more equitable, sustainable, and healthy.”

The current food system is “broken,” she said.

“We have four million people in this country who are hungry,” said Bronson. “We have a crisis of succession in farming. We are seeing increases in food-related health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. And we have an absolute crisis in the North of food insecurity.

“These are all things that good public policy can fix. With this campaign we are trying to shine the light on some of the solutions that we see.”

The Eat, Think, Vote campaign was launched last month and has four focus points — healthy food in schools, affordable food in northern communities, eliminating hunger, and support for new farmers.

“Our mission is partly to support the work of farmers and increase an understanding amongst urban Canadians about where their food comes from and the hard work that goes into making it, as well as the need to respect the land, ecosystems and people who are involved in creating good, healthy food,” said Bronson.

“Our mission is partly to support the work of farmers and increase an understanding amongst urban Canadians about where their food comes from and the hard work that goes into making it.”

Diana Bronson

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Half of Canada’s farmers are over the age of 55, and 80 per cent of active farmers are looking to retire in the next 10 years, she said.

“There are young farmers who want to farm and take on that challenge, but they can’t access the land, the capital or the training that they need in order to become efficient. As a result, we are facing a succession crisis.”

The organization is calling for joint federal-provincial legislation to prohibit foreign ownership and limit acquisition of land by private investment funds. It also wants to see an increase in Farm Credit Canada’s funding envelope so it can offer low-interest loans and small grants for new and aspiring farmers.

The group’s website — campaign.foodsecurecanada.org — offers a petition in support of the initiative, as well as the ability to sign up to host or join an Eat, Think, Vote event. jennifer.paige@fbcpublishing.com

9

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Hungry hogs, cattle gobble up grain during U.S. bird flu outbreak The bird flu impact has not been as great as anticipated

By Tom Polansek and Michael Hirtzer Chicago / Reuters

Higher numbers of hogs, cattle and broiler chickens are gobbling up animal feed, eating into supplies that were expected to grow due to the loss of 48 million chickens and turkeys in the worst-ever outbreak of bird flu in U.S. history.

The USDA shocked markets by reporting corn stocks as of June 1 were two per cent smaller than traders and analysts had expected and soybean stocks were about seven per cent tighter.

Traders and analysts had baked exaggerated worries about bird flu into their estimates for corn supplies, said Darrel Good, an agricultural economist at the University of Illinois.

The bird flu has primarily killed egg-laying hens in Iowa and turkeys in Minnesota, but has not hurt production of broiler chickens for meat.

Traders and analysts probably “didn’t pay enough attention to what was happening to broiler numbers and dairy cow numbers and hog numbers,” Good said.

Indeed, production of broilers is up, with weekly U.S. data suggesting a 6.9 per cent year-on-year increase in second-quarter chicken production, according to BB&T Capital Markets.

The U.S. hog herd grew nine per cent to 66.9 million head during the March-May quarter compared with a year earlier.

The number of cattle and calves as of Jan. 1, the most recent date for which data is available, was up one per cent from a year earlier at 89.9 million head.

“The impact of the bird flu is overstated,” said Ted Seifried, vice-president of brokerage Zaner Group in Chicago. “Cattle are taking a lot more feed than you would think.”

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Study aims to show beef is sustainable Analysis will create a baseline for things like water use and carbon sequestration

By ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF

C

onsumers have been asking for it, and now the Canadian beef industry is one step closer to proving its sustainability.

“We’re trying to find the impacts — both positive and negative — that come from beef production, from when an animal is born on the ground to when it becomes a kilogram of beef on a plate,” said Thomas Lynch-Staunton, chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s sustainability assessment committee.

“Once we have those baselines, we can look at the areas where we are doing well, and find areas that we can improve on.”

Dubbed a ‘life cycle analysis,’ the study uses a complex set of data to measure the environmental, social, and economic

aspects of beef production. Part of the work involves finding perkilogram baseline numbers for things such as water use by cattle, carbon sequestration, and the amount of carbon dioxide generated in beef production.

“I really think that there are some really good things that will come out of this,” said LynchStaunton, who is director of industry relations at Livestock Gentec.

The preliminary findings also provide support for the sustainability ‘indicators’ being used

by McDonald’s in its ‘verified sustainable beef’ pilot project.

“We are on the right track with both projects,” said LynchStaunton. “They will provide different types of information and that information will complement each other quite well.”

The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef will be developing its own set of indicators for sustainability based on the findings from the McDonald’s

“We’re trying to find the impacts, both positive and negative, that come from beef production.”

Thomas Lynch-Staunton

pilot project and the life cycle analysis. These indicators will be used to create best management practices.

The first phase of the life cycle analysis involved gathering data and compiling survey data, along with analyses of industry statistics and scientific literature.

The next step is to verify the findings and make sure they’re

comparable to industry data.

It will then go through several reviews, including by experts in animal health and welfare, biodiversity, and nutrition.

A final report is expected by September, to be followed by initiatives to create indicators and improve management practices. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

CONGRATULATIONS!

Kayleen Holman

Ariane Bergeron

Julie French

Christopher Manchur

Middle Musquodoboit, NS

St-Samuel, QC

Caledon, ON

Gilbert Plains, MB

The next generation of Canadian agricultural leaders is growing, and CABEF is proud to support them. Congratulations to these six exceptional students who have won $2,500 CABEF scholarships. Based on their applications, the future of the agriculture industry is in great hands.

Morgan Heidecker

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Middle Lake, SK

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Six more $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to grade 12 students in April 2016.

Apply at cabef.org @CABEFoundation CABEF is a registered charity (#828593731RR0001).

For more information on all registered charities in Canada under the Income Tax Act, please visit Canada Revenue Agency www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charities.

10

NEWS » Markets

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Get the scoop on agri-food news

Milk prices continue to fall

Food News is a monthly newsletter that provides Alberta’s agri-food industry with current events and programs to support its growth and help with diversification, competitiveness, and market readiness. It includes information on topics such as current events and workshops; training courses; export missions; missions to trade shows; industry support programs; regulatory updates from Health Canada and the CFIA; and contact info for industry development officers. To subscribe by mail or email, call the Ag-Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276). The newsletter can also be found online at www.agriculture.alberta.ca (search for ‘Food News’). — AAF

International dairy prices slumped to a six-year low as demand for milk powder from major buyers, including China, continued to fall with supply expected to grow in the coming months.

The benchmark GlobalDairy Trade (GDT) price index fell to $2,276 per tonne, its lowest since July 2009. Analysts said prices would continue to struggle as supply from New Zealand, the world’s biggest dairy exporter, picks up with the beginning of the milking season. Global demand for dairy products has also fallen sharply in the past year in China and the Middle East and increasing farmer output has ramped up global supply. — Reuters

Canola conditions vary, leaving forecasts fuzzy Expect action in canola markets to remain choppy for now

By Terryn Shiells

T

he ICE Futures Canada canola market saw some big swings during the week ended July 10, but ended mostly steady overall compared to the week prior.

Traders are aiming to keep the market within its recent range as they await fresh news about the state of the upcoming Canadian canola and U.S. soybean crops. Some fields are patchy, some are lush, some are too wet, and some are too dry, making it difficult to determine overall prospects.

Reports of improving conditions in Western Canada, as beneficial rains were seen over the past couple of weeks in certain regions, weighed on the market.

Mid-July is expected to be very hot, sparking some worries, as it could put crop conditions back where they were before moisture hit and provided some relief to stressed fields.

Where the market goes in coming weeks will depend on what happens in the U.S. soybean market, and how weather shapes up for canola. Overall, though, it should remain within a choppy trading pattern until we get a better picture of how much production there will be for 2015-16.

With canola ending stocks expected to be on the tight side for the current crop year, how much is produced in 2015-16 will be very important for determining market direction. If it’s a smaller-size crop, the canola market will need to ration demand by keeping prices on the higher side to avoid running out of supplies.

The soybean market at the Chicago Board of Trade moved lower during the week, as recent advances were thought to be overdone and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in its monthly supply-and-demand report on July 10, said production will be larger than anticipated this year.

But demand is also still strong, especially in the domestic feed sector, for soybeans in the U.S., which should keep prices well supported going forward.

Corn values in Chicago hit fresh one-year highs during the week, reacting to USDA’s monthly supply-and-demand report. USDA said the 2015-16 U.S. corn crop will likely produce 13.53 billion bushels, which was below expectations and down from last month’s guess of 13.63 billion.

USDA was also lowering its ending stocks estimates for the U.S. crop for both the current crop year and next, a move which is supporting prices.

As with soybeans, excess moisture remains a concern for the corn crop in the U.S. Midwest, which could result in crop losses for some farmers. Traders will be keeping a close eye on weekly crop condition reports from USDA, as well as weather forecasts, as some drier weather would be more than welcome for many fields.

Photo: Thinkstock Wheat prices moved sharply lower as traders liquidated long positions amid news that global supplies of wheat will still likely be near record levels, despite weather problems in North America and Europe this spring and summer.

Reports that farmers in the U.S. were able to make good harvest progress amid drier conditions in early July was also pressuring the market.

Traders will continue to watch for harvest updates, weather forecasts for global wheatgrowing regions and demand news to provide direction to the U.S. wheat market.

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

For three-times-daily market reports and more from Commodity News Service Canada, visit the markets section at www.albertafarmexpress.ca.

11

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Precision feeding revolutionary for hog producers New precision feeder could produce the same pig on 15 per cent less feed, and with less environmental impact

By Jennifer Paige Staff

T

echnology that will enable swine producers to cater to the specific feeding need of each individual pig will be moving into commercial trials early next year.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s dairy and swine research and development centre is working towards commercialization of a computerized precision feeder capable of tailoring rations for each individual pig.

“One day I was with my brother, who is an engineer and a big fan of automation. I said to him, ‘Why don’t we make a machine that can feed every pig individually?’ And so together we began the process to create that,” said Ag Canada research scientist Candido Pomar. “My brother developed the machine and I developed the feeding concepts.”

Pomar began the endeavour several years ago, first examining how feed can be used in the most efficient manner.

The research is being conducted on behalf of the Swine Innovation Porc, a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team of engineers and nutritionists.

Final evaluations are underway and the Prairie Swine Centre plans to conduct commercial trials early next year with the aim of putting a model on the market within two years.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is working to develop a commercially available precision feeder. photos: submitted Individual attention

With the device, each pig wears a transponder that communicates with a computer, where the system automatically collects real-time individual feed intake, body weight and growth information.

From there the feeder determines the optimal nutritional content and tailors rations to each animal.

“Every pig changes every day and every pig is different. What farmers do now is provide nutrient-dense feed to support the growth of pigs with the highest demand,” said Pomar. “If a farmer provides feed based on the needs of the pigs with the lowest demands, many pigs will not be able to meet their growth potential.”

The goal is to lower the overall consumption of protein and phosphorus, reducing the cost and environmental impact, while simultaneously maximizing growth of each pig.

The precision feeder has been estimated to produce the same size

and quality of carcass with approximately 10 to 15 per cent less feed cost.

“As a nutritionist, I never would have imagined that it would be possible to feed each pig individually,” said Pomar. “This completely changes how things are done and we’ve shown that the concepts work.”

The environmental benefits are a major side benefit, as precision feeding reduces excess nutrients being excreted in manure — as much as 40 per cent in the case of nitrogen.

“The research team has developed several feeder prototypes and is now at the business validation stage. It is essential to ensure that farmers have machines that are reliable and affordable,” said Pomar.

Information gathered throughout the process has already shed light on how producers can fine tune feeding programs, he added. jennifer.paige@fbcpublishing.com

The precision feeder monitoring controls.

The precision feeder has been estimated to produce the same size and quality of carcass with approximately 10 to 15 per cent less feed cost.

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news » livestock

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Trade mission to Kazakhstan

JBS buying up rivals

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is leading a trade mission to Kazakhstan with a focus on livestock and genetics. “Kazakhstan has identified its livestock sector as a priority” and wants to increase beef exports to Russia, said trade officer Aarij Bashir. The mission will include meetings with government officials and pre-qualified buyers of live cattle and genetics, and a stop in Turkey. Participation in this mission is by application only and up to 50 per cent of travel and accommodation costs (to a maximum of $2,000) may be covered. For more info, contact Bashir at aarij.bashir@gov.ab.ca or 780-427-6403. The application deadline is July 31. — AAF

JBS expects antitrust approval of its acquisition of Cargill’s U.S. pork assets in four to seven months. The Brazilian food-processing giant is spending $1.45 billion on the deal, but expects synergies of more than $75 million. It did not provide any details on where the synergies — a term that usually describes cost savings in deals but also occasionally opportunities for additional revenues — would come from. JBS is also buying Moy Park, the British poultry and processed foods unit of rival Marfrig Global Foods SA. JBS CEO Wesley Batista said the Cargill and Moy Park opportunities were too good to pass up. — Reuters

Thin cows will cost you money Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

Dry conditions have dramatically reduced forage growth — and that increases the value of a feeding management program.

“Getting the cow through summer in good body condition and maintaining calf growth rates is the first step,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “Nutritional requirements of a lactating cow are 25 per cent higher than a cow in mid-pregnancy.

If the cow does not consume sufficient energy and protein because of limited forage availability, milk production will be reduced. For a young calf, it takes seven pounds of milk to provide enough nutrients to have the calf grow by one pound.”

If cows are thin or thinner than what is wanted, supplementing grain or higherquality pellets on pasture is an option.

“Feeding three to five pounds of grain every second or third day improves the energy intake of the animal and reduces the amount of forage the cows will eat.

If calves are alongside the cow, they will try to eat the grain as well.”

Providing grain or pellets to the calves on the ground makes the transition to a creep feeder easier, said Yaremcio.

“After the calves learn what grain is, scattering some grain around the creep feeder will entice them to eat out of a creep feeder,” he said. “Calves can start receiving a creep ration at 50 to 60 days of age. In (the drought year of) 2002, the difference in weight gain was up to 125 pounds when creep feed was supplied to the calves.”

If cow condition does not improve, or if the calves do not seem to be growing as well as they should, then wean the calves, said Yaremcio. The digestive system of a calf is fully functional at 150 days of age and can be weaned as long as they are fed a good-quality hay and a grain/ protein supplement mix to maintain calf growth rates.

“It is important that a thin cow puts on weight and improves body condition prior to the onset of colder temperatures.

One body condition score change is roughly 200 pounds. A cow that is in body condition score 3 going into winter (compared to body condition score 2) requires 1,400 pounds less hay to meet energy requirements to keep warm, let alone put on weight. At five cents a pound, that’s a $70 reduction in winter feed cost.”

Cows in good body condition cycle sooner after calving and have a higher first service conception rate compared to thin cows, said Yaremcio.

“The goal is to have 70 to 75 per cent of the calves born in the first cycle or 21 days of the calving season,” he said. “A calf born 21 days earlier than another animal and maintains a growth rate of two pounds per day should weigh 42 pounds more than the calf born one cycle later in the calving season. If a 650-pound weaned calf is worth $2 per pound, the cash value of the calf born earlier in the season is $84 higher than the younger lighter calf.”

Survival mode: Three allies to help you deal with drought Young producer says knowing exactly how many days of grazing are left is a ‘game changer’ in a drought year

By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff / Red Deer

C

attle producer Blake Hall isn’t about to sugar-coat things.

“People are so petrified of the word drought, but we’ve been using it for the last three weeks,” the Red Deer cattle producer said in a July 7 interview.

“We stopped seeing any significant regrowth in our pastures about five weeks ago. Now we’re in drought-management mode.”

But the young producer has three allies in the battle to save as much of his 220-head herd as possible — a pair of grass clippers, 30-inch-diameter wire ring, and small portable scale.

After clipping and weighing the amount of grass in the ring (placed on a representative spot in a pasture), Hall uses a conversion chart to calculate how much feed is available.

“If we only want to take 25 per cent of what’s there on a dry-matter basis, we need to give them X number of acres,” he said. “I can take my map and my measuring wheel and measure out to the foot so that they have that exact paddock size. It allows us to manage it much closer.”

And that — rather than “just eyeballing” it — has been a “game changer” this year, he said.

Sixty per cent of Hall’s pastures were in poor condition at the start of the month.

That’s slightly above the provincial average of 55 per cent (as July 7), although not as bad as the area northwest of Edmonton where 81 per cent of pasture and hay land was rated as poor.

Managing what they have as best they can means Hall and wife Angela must constantly run the numbers.

“We try to keep an inventory of the grass on the ranch,” he said. “In a drought, that’s been a really empowering thing because we know how many days of grass we have and we can make management decisions accordingly.”

It’s a numbers game — but having precise ones makes all the difference in these trying times, he said.

“If we know, as of today, we have 48 days of grass on the whole ranch, that’s empowering too, because we can destock now and use that 48 days of grass for fewer animals to get us through the end of the season and still get a decent price for our cattle,” he said.

“We could destock now, or we could supplement feed and pray for rain. We have options.”

Informed choices

That’s the position a lot of cattle ranchers are in right now, said grazing consultant Kelly Sidoryk.

Weighing his grass is the foundation of his grazing and stock strategy this year, says cattle producer Blake Hall. PHOTOS: JENNIFER BLAIR

“We’re in droughtmanagement mode.”

Blake Hall

Cattle producer Blake Hall doesn’t go anywhere without his grass yield measurement tools — a 30-inch-diameter ring, set of clippers, and portable scale.

“You’ve got to have a strategy for destocking,” said Sidoryk, who’s involved in her family’s custom grazing operation near Lloydminster.

“You’ve got to get out there and say, ‘OK, worst-case scenario, how many grazing days do we have left with this amount of animals? What about if we destocked?’”

At this point, producers need to be “replanning,” she said.

“It’s time to redo your financial plan for sure because it’s probably changed from when you did it in January,” said Sidoryk.

“Figure out how many days you’ve got, crunch the numbers, and see if you should destock.”

Current high prices make that decision “a lot easier to take,” she added.

“Even though this just smacks so much of the previous drought of 2002, the value of the cattle is way higher than it was back then if you do destock,” she said. “Even people who are selling yearling cattle right now are doing OK.” Having a precise grip on his feed situation has another benefit for Hall — it’s prompted him to radically change his normal grazing routine.

He practises intensive grazing — moving his electric fences at least once, and often several times, a day — but usually

only allows his cattle to take a maximum of 25 per cent of the available forage on a first rotation on a pasture. That allows for a quick rebound in growth and also leaves lots of litter to slow evaporation.

But this summer, even though his pastures are stressed, he’s letting his cattle take 80 per cent of available forage — with the trade-off being a longer rotation.

“If we’re only taking 25 per cent, we’re leaving about a 30-day recovery period on our pastures, but because we’re not seeing the grass recovering that quickly, we’ve had to lengthen our recovery period,” he said.

“We’re slowing them down, we’re taking 80 per cent, we’re moving them every day.

But by doing that, we’ve increased our recovery period to about 70 days.”

Those “severely grazed” pastures will recover nicely if there’s rain during that time. That, of course, is a gamble — but a precisely calculated one thanks to having an exact handle on his inventory of grass.

“It is a drought, and we have to make compromises,” said Hall. “If we do end up setting our pastures back a little bit, the first step is knowing that.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. We’d sooner abuse our pastures than start feeding hay in July.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

13

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

PED vaccine could aid in disease fight New vaccine, which appears to reduce mortality rates by 90 per cent or more, is awaiting approval for clinical trials

By Shannon VanRaes Staff

P

ork producers may soon have a powerful new tool in the fight against porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED).

Preliminary testing of a new vaccine has reduced mortality rates by at least 90 per cent.

It was developed by the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization’s International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan. Officials are waiting for final approvals from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to begin clinical trials of a vaccine targeting four key strains of the PED virus.

“Sometimes it will be 100 per cent in one trial, it might be 95 per cent in another trial, but it is very, very effective, and I expect that when it’s taken in the field that efficacy will actually increase,” said Andrew Potter, VIDO-InterVac director and CEO. It’s hoped trials will begin in the next month or two, he added.

“Their prime concern is making sure that if it goes out into the field that you don’t end up with an epidemic of PED, so safety is the big concern,” said Potter.

The vaccine looks to be “very, very promising,” said Andrew Dickson, general manager of the Manitoba Pork Council.

“If the trials all prove positive… my view is that there will then be a very rapid uptake of this vaccine by the industry in Canada and in North America,” he said.

Unlike earlier vaccines developed in the United States, this vaccine is a prophylactic aimed at preventing the disease altogether, Potter said.

“The U.S. vaccines are available in Canada, but they’re only recommended for use in the case of an outbreak,” he added.

The VIDO-InterVac vaccine is administered to sows, which pass antibodies on to their offspring through milk and colostrum. It’s hoped that clinical trials will answer questions about how long the vaccine remains effective, said Dickson.

If the trials go as planned, Potter said the vaccine could be available to producers as early as next summer. While highrisk locations would likely be first to jump on the vaccine, all producers can benefit from it, he added.

“From my perspective, vaccines are most effective when you can cover as much as possible of the population,” said Potter. “My bias is that you should use it as broadly as possible so that in fact the virus doesn’t circulate, other people might view that a little bit differently.”

Currently there are no active cases of the disease in Canada, but Dickson noted the virus is still circulating south of the bor-

“My bias is that you should use it as broadly as possible so that in fact the virus doesn’t circulate, other people might view that a little bit differently.”

Andrew Potter

der, where millions of pigs died as a result of the virus last year.

“It is widespread,” he said.

“But the reason we haven’t had a bunch of cases, in say Western Canada, is that we have very strong biosecurity measures in place.”

The spread of the virus has also been slowed by drier weather.

“Our impression of this virus — and we’re always learning more about it — is that it tends to spread when conditions are wet, in the fall and spring,” Dickson said. “And once it gets into a barn, it tends to sort of follow people from one barn to another. So far we’ve been very lucky.” shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

There’s a very high mortality rate for piglets infected by PEDv, but a new vaccine allows sows to pass antibodies on to their offspring through milk and colostrum. PHOTO: ALBERTA PORK

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JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Pregnancy checking: Rectal palpation versus ultrasound beef 911 } Both methods have advantages, but the key

is having reproductive exams at least once a year By roy lewis, dvm

B

oth rectal palpation and ultrasounding for pregnancy have advantages depending on their intended application, and both require a skilled veterinarian performing the pregnancy exam to get accurate results.

I will outline the pros and cons of each method so you can see how to best fit them into your farming operation, and dispel some myths and fallacies surrounding pregnancy examination. In this dry year, pregnancy checking the herd earlier is a way to remove culls and ship open cows in order to both preserve grass and sell when the market for cows is typically highest.

Rectal examination has been performed by veterinarians for eons and very little has changed in this science. It is a relatively quick, cost-effective and safe procedure in the right hands.

Accuracy is good in the early stages of pregnancy (30 to 90 days). In mid-gestation (four to seven months) it is not uncommon for veterinarians to be out two weeks to a month in their estimates.

There are several reasons for this. First, gestational length still varies tremendously. I always use the example of a flush of embryos put into recipient cows. Even though genetics are identical and they are implanted within minutes of each other, it is not uncommon to have the recipients calving up

to one month apart. Depending on breed and sex of calf, gestations also vary greatly. The veterinarian may palpate the nonpregnant horn of the uterus giving a false underestimation of pregnancy status. The most important things are whether the cow is open or is late.

With a good setup with a skilled veterinarian, up to 100 head can be checked in an hour.

I still frequently hear that pregnancy examinations can cause abortions, but there is only a very slight risk in the real early stages of pregnancy (around 30 days) and skilled palpators are seldom in the rectum for more than a few seconds, which minimizes any risk. Nor, as some believe, do we manipulate the fetus during the examination.

Rough handling and banging through the chute are more likely to cause abortions than any rectal palpations ever have — but with today’s setups that is very rare indeed.

One must keep in mind abortions still normally occur in two to three per cent of cattle yearly.

This has numerous causes, including genetic defects, infectious causes, twinning and trauma.

A good setup preferably has a palpation cage, OB sleeves and lube. Veterinarians always need to find a positive sign of pregnancy. This involves balloting the uterus or feeling for the presence of cotyledons. In confirming a cow open, the whole reproductive tract is explored.

The only cows that are difficult to do are extremely fat ones.

Their internal fat pushes the uterus down making it difficult to reach and retract to confirm an open uterus.

Ultrasounding requires a large capital outlay for the veterinarian and the diagnostic intent may be different.

Reproductive problems can be explored since you can differentiate fluid from pus and make a more definitive diagnosis. If interested in fetal sexing this (although more difficult and time consuming) can be accomplished when cows are 55 to 75 days pregnant. The ultrasound is very accurate in the 30- to 75-day range, but less so in the later stages of pregnancy.

Newer ultrasounds have probes that get much deeper so allow more accuracy later in pregnancy. Others have introducers whereby the veterinarian’s arm does not even enter the rectum. We need to watch these as occasionally the rectum can be perforated and a massive peritonitis is the result. Vets use lots of lube if using the probe introducer.

Fine feel and gentleness are virtues when it comes to rectal palpation. In inexperienced hands, full bladders may be misdiagnosed as pregnancies and other pregnancies can be missed. Veterinarians have gladly embraced this ultrasound concept since rectal palpation is really hard on shoulders and elbows. You will find most mixed practices use ultrasounds and the newer-graduate veterinarians are well trained in their usage. In any pregnancy exami-

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nation we must strive to be 99 per cent-plus accurate in the pregnant versus non-pregnant department. Opens are diagnosed with the ultrasound and often double-checked by palpation by the attending veterinarian just to be sure.

With a good internal probe (quality of ultrasounds also varies considerably) besides fetal sexing, twins can be picked up and this may help the producer manage these cases differ ently. The fetal sexing is impossible doing manually and twins will rarely be picked up. Again though, cows must be ultrasounded early in pregnancy for this to be accomplished. Very early embryonic deaths can be diagnosed where you have a fetus but no fetal heartbeat indicating a dead fetus. Cysts on the ovaries can also be detected and easily differentiated between luteal and follicular. These cysts require a slightly different treatment regime, which your veterinarians can explain.

As you can see, both forms of pregnancy examination have merit. Rectal palpation being fast and safe is commonly done in most beef herds and is an important management tool.

Ultrasounds generally are also used in problem breeders or when specialized procedures such as fetal sexing are required.

Cows being sold with sexed embryos are often reconfirmed in calf by rectal palpation later in the year. Pregnancy checking, whether manual or with ultrasound, is done by upwards of 70 to 80 per cent-plus of cattlemen across Western Canada, but it should be much higher when we think of the feed costs this saves or being able to identify problem breeders earlier. It is even more critical as far as purebred cattle are concerned with more dollars tied up in that unborn calf.

If there has been a reproductive disease go through the herd, it can be caught earlier and dealt with. Much better to find you have open cows at weaning than at calving time when you finally notice cows aren’t bagging up.

At the same time as pregnancy examination, reproductive problems can be explored and cows can be condition scored; vaccinations given; lice and worming treatments implemented or discussed with your veterinarian.

Lots can be done at the pregnancy examination visit to help with the year-round health of your herd so let’s utilize this opportunity to the fullest for both the purebred and commercial herds.

There are advantages to both techniques, but at the end of the day the most important thing is to have reproductive exams performed on your beef cattle at least once a year.

If handling setups are available at pastures, pregnancy checking can be done early to remove opens.

Keep in mind other management procedures can be done in the summer at the same time such as vaccinating, deworming and fly control.

Roy Lewis practised large-animal veterinary medicine for more than 30 years and now works part time as a technical services veterinarian for Merck Animal Health.

Ritz says he will defend supply management in trade talks News report says Canada will yield on dairy protection but offer farmers compensation in return

BY ALEX BINKLEY AF contributor

A front-page Globe and Mail article claiming the federal government is planning a compensation scheme for supply management farmers “is pure speculation,” says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

The newspaper said the compensation would be intended to blunt the impact on supply management from Canada joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Speculation about a TPP deal this summer has heated up with Congress giving U.S. President Obama fasttrack authority to negotiate a deal.

“Our government continues to defend both our supply-managed and other agricultural sectors throughout negotiations,” Ritz said when asked about the newspaper report. “We have been clear that the government will only sign a deal that is in the best interests of Canadians.”

The federal election due in October gives the issue extra bounce, especially in Ontario and Quebec where much of the supply-managed sector is located.

Many livestock and crop groups want Canada to be in the TPP to ensure ongoing access to growing Asian markets, and have been active in a campaign orchestrated by the Canadian Council for Chief Executives, which has long advocated abolition of supply management.

There are precedents for compensation for the impacts of trade deals. It was offered to the Ontario wine industry after the NAFTA was signed and both the dairy and East Coast fishing industry could be in line for compensation if the tentative free trade deal with Europe gains final approval.

Wally Smith, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, said he expects negotiations “will ramp up over the course of the coming weeks,” but added federal officials continue to tell his group they will defend supply management.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Wildlife damage is a problem — but not reporting a bigger one Program changes aren’t going to happen if producers don’t start reporting wildlife losses

By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff

W

ildlife damage is a big problem across Alberta — but you wouldn’t know it from the number of beef producers reporting losses to the Alberta government.

About 60 per cent of producers recently surveyed about wildlife damage said that they never reported losses from predators, while 80 per cent never reported forage competition from ungulates.

That’s a real problem, said researcher Kim Good.

“One of the biggest take-aways for beef producers should be that the losses they’re experiencing versus what is reported into the province is pretty low,” said the project manager with Miistakis Institute, which developed the survey for Alberta Beef Producers.

“If there’s going to be any bigger policy change or programmatic assistance to help with this issue, people have to report more into the province.”

The eight-week online survey drew nearly 700 beef producers and showed predation is a major problem.

Three-quarters said they had experienced economic losses from predators, with the “large majority” seeing losses from coyotes. On average, the depredation rate was two per cent, but “there’s people who get hit by extreme events” upwards of 10 per cent loss from depredation.

“People have to report more into the province.”

Kim Good

“One or two per cent loss across the industry is probably OK,” said Good. “That’s manageable, and a basic compensation program can help with that. But when you have extreme events where you lose high percentages, that’s where you have significant problems.”

Forage competition from ungulates is also “significant — not only with ungulates taking off what’s in the field, but also accessing stored feed.”

“On the ungulate side, the average value lost in forages ranges from about five to nine per cent, depending on which forage it is.”

Not worth the effort

Despite the losses — and subsequent hit to the bottom line — producers are still reluctant to report wildlife damage. They just don’t see the point, said Good.

“The time commitment required to go through the process is significant,” she said. “Really what it comes down to is the return is not worth the effort.”

For carnivores, the burden of proof is too great, she said.

“They often feel as though they have to prove really clearly what happened — that it’s not a scavenged carcass — and they find that difficult,” she said.

And because the majority of depredation events involves coyotes, producers are left with few options.

“Coyotes aren’t covered by any compensation program,” said Good. “The response is just to shoot them. That’s a lot of effort and time on the part of the producer. They have other things to do than shoot coyotes.”

With ungulates, most producers felt the compensation wasn’t worth the effort, but others felt losses were part of sharing the land.

“A majority agreed that the presence of wildlife is part of owning the land. They appreciate that and know it’s part of what they do.”

But balancing the needs of

beef producers and wildlife will require programming and policy changes, said Good.

And the first step of that is reporting wildlife loss to show the severity of the problem.

“We want to have a beef industry that’s profitable and managing the landscape in a way that supports the environment and biodiversity, but we also want to have healthy wildlife populations that can move across our landscape,” said Good.

“It is a problem, and if we’re going to work on it to maintain healthy populations and still have economically viable operations, we need to sit down and talk about it.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

A recent survey found three-quarters of Alberta producers have suffered predation loss, mostly from coyotes, but most never report the loss.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

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} forecasts

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Oregon eyes water restrictions

Making rain back in fashion

Oregon is following in California’s footsteps after its governor said she plans to order state agencies to review their water usage and to draft strategies to conserve water. Governor Kate Brown is also telling residents to conserve water. “Drought is a slow-moving disaster,” said Brown. “Adopting responsible water use practices now will help reduce the impact of drought for years to come.” Oregon is experiencing the lowest statewide snowpack level on record, third-warmest average temperature from January to May in the past 121 years, and below-normal rainfall. Twenty of its 36 counties are under an emergency drought declaration. — Reuters

Cloud seeding is undergoing a wave of renewed interest in parched regions around the globe.

Australian renewable energy producer Hydro Tasmania says its cloud-seeding program has boosted rainfall by at least five per cent on the Australian island. Tasmania is blessed with near-perfect conditions for the process, with clouds containing a large amount of cold water vapour whipping in off the Southern Ocean. But experts say winter cloud seeding holds promise in many areas, including the western U.S. China aims to induce more than 60 billion cubic metres of additional rain each year by 2020 using the technique. — Reuters

Keep watch: How to spot the warning signs of a tornado A dark area between the storm and the ground, a green tint to the sky, and a line of swirling clouds are all danger signs

T

BY DANIEL BEZTE

he next topic in our look at different types of severe summer weather is severe thunderstorms, and in particular, high winds. When we think of severe thunderstorms one word that should make you worried and nervous is tornado.

While tornadoes are the most destructive feature that can occur within a thunderstorm, they are fairly rare, with the vast majority of areas never experiencing a direct hit because of their small size. Nonetheless, if they do hit they can be, and often are, totally devastating.

For that reason, we’ll begin our look at severe thunderstorms and winds by looking at tornadoes and then we’ll look at straight-line winds, which can sometimes be almost as destructive and cover much larger areas.

The first question is, how can you know if a storm is capable of producing severe weather?

The answer is actually not that easy. The first thing is to check in with Environment Canada for watches and warnings. A watch issued by Environment Canada means the potential exists for severe thunderstorms, but they have not yet developed in your area. When you hear there is a watch, you should scan the sky for any development, knowing any storms that develop have the potential to become severe.

If Environment Canada issues a warning, this means a thunderstorm with some or all of the characteristics of a severe storm has developed, and has been confirmed by an eyewitness or radar. This means you should take precautions immediately.

The trouble is that we are often out somewhere and may not have access to a radio or Internet, so what should you watch for then?

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. I’m often asked if it can be too hot for thunderstorms to develop and the answer is yes — kind

1 Month (30 Days) Departure from Average Precipitation (Prairie Region) June 10, 2015 to July 9, 2015

< -60 mm -60 to -50 mm -50 to -40 mm -40 to -30 mm -30 to -20 mm -20 to -10 mm -10 to 0 mm 0 to 10 mm 10 to 20 mm 20 to 30 mm 30 to 40 mm 40 to 50 mm 50 to 60 mm > 60 mm Extent of Agricultural Land Lakes and Rivers

Produced using near real-time data that has undergone initial quality control. The map may not be accurate for all regions due to data availability and data errors.

This map shows total precipitation during the 30-day period ending on July 9 as a departure from the long-term average. You can see that only a few small areas in each of the three Prairie provinces have seen average to aboveaverage amounts of rainfall during this period. The vast majority of the Prairies has seen rainfall amounts that are at least 20 millimetres below average, with some areas reporting rainfall deficits greater than 60 millimetres.

Copyright © 2015 Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s National Agroclimate Information Service (NAIS). Data provided through partnership with Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and many Provincial agencies.

Created: 07/10/15 www.agr.gc.ca/drought

cutline of. While it can be very hot and humid at the surface with lots of potential energy for thunderstorms to develop, the conditions in the atmosphere above the storm also have to be favourable. If the upper levels of the atmosphere are also very warm they can act like a cap preventing the air at the surface from rising. (I will write more about this in a later article.)

What else should you look for in trying to determine if a storm is becoming severe?

Look for a dark or threatening sky — especially 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.

Keep an eye out for things like a green sky, roll clouds, and mammatus clouds (clouds

with bag-like sacks hanging below them). These conditions usually indicate the storm contains huge amounts of water and has very strong updrafts and downdrafts. As a severe storm approaches you will often see a uniform line of black clouds that is preceded by a thin line of swirling- or rolling-looking clouds. These clouds are formed by the wind blowing out from the storm and will announce the arrival of the severe 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.

The word tornado for most people brings about a feeling of awe and even a little fear. Unless you have already witnessed a tornado first hand, many who are interested in

weather secretly wish they could safely experience the awesome beauty and power of a tornado.

Worldwide, Canada is second only to the United States in the number of tornadoes occurring each year, with an average of about 70 reported. Southern Ontario experiences the highest number of tornadoes, followed by southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and finally central Alberta. While these areas report most of Canada’s tornadoes, they have occurred in nearly all regions of Canada.

Tornadoes can strike at any time of the year, but in Canada, tornado season typically runs from April to October, with the peak months being June, July and August. This differs from the U.S., where tornadoes peak in April and May. This is due to the amount of cold air that is available for severe storm

development. In the spring, the southern and central U.S. have become quite hot, but cold air is still closely available to help develop thunderstorms. By midsummer, most of the cold air has retreated well into Canada, putting our region into warm conditions. However, we still have cold air fairly close by to our north.

Unfortunately, I am starting to run out of space before we really got going on the topic of tornadoes. In the next article I’ll pick up where we left off and discuss just what tornadoes are and how they form. Stay tuned!

Daniel Bezte is a teacher by profession with a BA (Hon.) in geography, specializing in climatology, from the U of W. He operates a computerized weather station near Birds Hill Park. Contact him with your questions and comments at daniel@bezte.ca.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

17

Trim: 10.25”

Field guide for Prairie pests

By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff

T

To spray or not?

Given the reduced risk for disease, producers may be tempted to save some money on fungicides this growing season, but “assess the risk objectively,” said Turkington.

“The rule of thumb that I often suggest is if you go out into the field between 8 and 10 in the morning and the soil surface is dry and the crop canopy is dry, that is not an environment that is conducive to disease,” he said.

“In that situation, spraying a fungicide is probably not going to be useful.”

But if the crop canopy and soil surface are still moist in the afternoon, “that’s an environment that’s conducive to disease, and you need to look at the crop for signs of disease.”

Once the crop is at the flag-leaf to anthesis stage, producers should be watching for signs of disease developing in the field. If the disease is moving up through the canopy, “that would serve as an indication that there’s risk building, and you should probably go in and spray with a fungicide.”

“At flag leaf or head emergence, look at those lower leaves — do you see signs of disease that you can correctly identify? Is that disease moving

“It’s important not to assume things.

It’s critical that people keep following what’s happening in the fields.”

Kelly Turkington

into the middle of the canopy? Is that canopy and the soil surface moist until mid-afternoon? If it is, that would be an indication that there’s a risk there that warrants spraying.”

Once the crop gets past the anthesis stage though, spraying may not be necessary, even if moisture levels rise later in the summer.

“If you’re looking at cereal leaf diseases and rusts, once the crop gets into late milk stage and you’re beyond the interval for pre-harvest products, the disease is probably not going to cause you a lot of yield loss.”

Sharpen your pencil

Producers also need to factor the crop’s yield potential into their decision to spray, said Turkington.

“We’re hearing reports of crops being very stunted because of the lack of moisture,” he said. “In that situation, it’s not going to pay to spray a fungicide because there’s very limited disease developing and because your yield potential in that crop just isn’t sufficient to make spraying economical.”

Once yield potential in canola drops below 30 bushels an acre, the canopy likely won’t be dense enough to trap moisture and encourage disease development.

“The response to a fungicide application in that crop is going to be less.

You may not get the yield increase that covers your cost of chemical application.”

If yield potential in cereal crops is in the 40- to 50-bushels-an-acre range, “it’s probably iffy whether you’re going to see a response from that fungicide application,” unless there’s extremely high levels of disease.

Producers should expect between five to 10 per cent yield loss if disease progresses, said Turkington, and they can factor that into their decision to spray.

“Let’s say barley is $3 a bushel, and at eight bushels an acre, that’s $24 an acre you’re potentially losing. If you go in with a fungicide that might cost you anywhere from $10 to $15 an acre, you’re probably going to recover your cost of chemical and application and make some profit over and above that.”

But ultimately, the decision to spray boils down to whether there’s a risk of disease developing in the field.

“It’s important not to assume things. It’s critical that people keep following what’s happening in the fields,” said Turkington. jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

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his summer’s dry growing conditions have at least one silver lining — lower levels of disease in fields.

“In those areas that have had very little rainfall this summer, you’re probably looking at limited development of diseases,” federal research scientist Kelly Turkington said in a July 6 interview.

“Of more concern would simply be poor crop development this year. Disease would be the least of your worries at this point.”

But if you’ve had rain, keep watch.

Reports of stripe rust overwintering in central Alberta meant that “epidemics started quite early” in that area, said Turkington.

“Especially if they have a variety that’s rated as susceptible or moderately susceptible to stripe rust, it’s something that they might want to be keeping an eye out for. We could start to see some more development of that.”

Spring cereals that have had “reasonable rains of a quarter of an inch to an inch” are also at risk for leaf diseases.

“In all likelihood, you’re starting to see the development of disease as the crop is coming in to head emergence,” said Turkington, who works at the Lacombe Research Centre.

“In the spring cereals, that’s things like tan spot and septoria in wheat, and we’re starting to see some net blotch and scald developing because we’ve had the moisture in the last four weeks.”

Canola is going to be “an interesting one” because of the variable growth stages in some fields.

“We’ve got some fields where some things have germinated early, and then we had some moisture and some of the other seed in the field started to germinate,” he said.

“In our area, up until three or four weeks ago, it was looking pretty limited in terms of development of disease, but with the moisture that we’ve had, things like sclerotinia might become more of an issue in fields that have had a history.”

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But diseases like stripe rust, tan spot, or sclerotinia could be an issue if there’s been decent moisture

®

Save your spray: Crop disease risk drops in drought conditions

Roundup Ready is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company. ® LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design are trademarks of Bayer.

Herculex® I insect protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. ®, ™ Herculex and the HX logo are trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

Ag Canada has a new 152-page full-colour illustrated field guide for managing more than 90 crop and forage pests in Western Canada. Along with diagnostic information for pest species, the guide also helps to identify over 30 natural enemies that prey on or parasitize these pests.

The book includes identification characteristics, life cycle, damage or benefits, monitoring and scouting techniques, economic thresholds, and control or conservation options. To download Field crop and forage pests and their natural enemies in Western Canada go to www.publications.gc.ca and type ‘field pests western canada’ in search box. — AAFC

18

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Keep watch for drought Keep watch for Fusarium stress in trees, says specialist graminearum Toso Bozic said several pests are adding to the stress on trees this year, and recommends weekly monitoring

The fungal disease is established in southern Alberta especially under irrigation Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

F

usarium graminearum (Fg) is a serious fungal disease, affecting yield and quality.

Recent surveys indicate Fg is established in southern Alberta and traces are present in central and northern regions of the province.

“When weather conditions are favourable for infection, and in irrigated cropping systems, an incrop fungicide application may be considered, but only provides disease suppression,” said provincial crop specialist Neil Whatley.

Cereal crops are most vulnerable to Fg infection at flowering time if weather conditions are moist and warm, and if the disease is established in the lower canopy.

Disease spores are spread by rain splashes and wind to infect open flowers.

“Observable Fg symptoms don’t appear until the late-heading stage when it is too late to apply protective fungicide,” said Whatley.

“A decision to apply a fungicide must be made prior to this, at the early-flowering stage. If disease risk level is assessed as moderate to high, and yield return justifies fungicide application cost, a foliar fungicide application should be applied at early flowering to protect open florets.”

It’s better to apply fungicide too early than too late, he said.

“With wheat, flowering begins three to four days after head emergence and lasts approximately seven days. The optimum stage for fungicide application is during early flowering when some visible anthers are present on the head.”

With barley, flowering begins just prior to head emergence and continues during heading, lasting approximately 14 days. The optimum stage for fungicide application is when the spike is fully emerged from the boot.

“Studies indicate that Fg control is improved by directing spray nozzles at 30 degrees from the horizontal either forward or backward or simultaneously forward and backward, and using a high water volume to optimally cover grain heads,” said Whatley. “While 10 gallons (45 litres) per acre of water are adequate for spring wheat, 18 gallons (80 litres) per acre are recommended for durum as durum grain heads are more difficult to wet.”

The most apparent symptom is premature bleaching or blighting of one or more spikelets in the head, which stands out on green heads.

“Under prolonged humid conditions, orange-coloured fungal spores appear on blighted parts of the head. If these symptoms are observed, send a plant tissue sample from the infected head area to a lab to determine whether it is the graminearum species of fusarium.”

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

R

ecent dry conditions are putting a lot of pressure on trees, says a provincial woodlot extension specialist.

“It’s an invitation for insect and disease problems, not just for this year, but for upcoming years as well,” said Toso Bozic.

There are several insects to keep an eye out for.

“Yellow-headed spruce sawfly has been a problem the last couple of years, as have aphids.

The other one is spider mites.

This year, ash trees have been especially impacted, as well as poplars.”

Monitoring is the key when it comes to insects, said Bozic.

“From mid-May until Oct. 1, landowners should check their trees weekly to see what is going on. Monitoring also helps them keep on top of which trees may need watering under dry conditions, or may need help with other issues.”

If monitoring turns up insect, disease or any other issues contributing to tree weakening, Bozic recommends taking pictures to help identify the problem.

“Take photos of both the problem and the surrounding area to get the best idea of what is going on. Sending a picture is always better than trying to explain a problem over the phone. You can also tap on the branch with a white sheet of paper and take a picture of what falls onto it.”

Insecticides or fungicides should be viewed as a last resort to deal with insect or disease problems, he said.

Bozic can be reached at 780415-2681 or toso.bozic@gov. ab.ca. A directory of Agricultural Fieldmen can be found at www.aaaf.ab.ca.

Spider mites have been damaging more ash and poplar trees this year. SOURCE: WIKICOMMONS

Attention Growers

Announcing changes to pesticide return programs–

and they’re as easy as 1-2-3.

Garlic and onion disease survey underway Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

NEW

Bulk Containers

RETURN TO RETAILER

Return all bulk pesticide containers to your crop inputs retailer. Do not return any bulk containers to municipal collection sites.

NEW

Obsolete Pesticides

HOLD ON FARM

Store all obsolete pesticides safely on-farm until called in for scheduled pick up at designated collection sites.

O

ver the last several years, a number of issues has been observed in garlic crops in Alberta, with reduced yields, poor storability, and poor performance.

Plant and soil samples collected from across the province in the last two years have found a number of diseases, including aster yellows, white rot (sclerotinia), fusarium basal plate rot, and embellisia blotch.

This year, a provincial surveillance team will be test-

ing samples for a number of fungal pathogens that normally occur on garlic and onions, but will also include testing for the aster yellows phytoplasma and specific nematodes that affect garlic and onions.

Growers of garlic and onions are asked to contact Alberta Agriculture and Forestry if they observe an issue with their crops. Call Rob Spencer or Dustin Morton at 310-FARM (3276) to make arrangements for submitting a sample for testing.

AAF staff will also be conducting their own sampling program this year.

— AAF release

UNCHANGED

Small Pesticide Containers

RETURN TO MUNICIPALITY

Continue to return small pesticide containers (under 23L) to your local municipal collection site.

REMEMBER: Triple rinsing containers is essential!

These changes are now in effect and more detail can be found at cleanfarms.ca. Thank you Alberta growers for your cooperation and leadership in ag-waste stewardship.

White rot is one of the diseases showing up in Alberta garlic crops.

PHOTO: ALBERTA AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

19

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Good bugs save you big bucks when wheat midge arrives

Facts on wheat midge

Wheat midge has moved into Alberta, but two natural predators will be on your side if you foster their populations Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada release

W

heat midge, a non-native pest that feeds on developing wheat kernels, is a serious economic threat to farmers, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

But the pest is now a growing problem in Alberta, including Peace River country, and starting to attack Montana’s wheat crops. However, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers know ways to reduce its impact.

Biological controls: Parasitoids

Parasitoids are organisms that live on or in a host and consume it until it eventually dies. Parasitoids that feed on midge have long been known in Canada, with the most widespread type (Macroglenes penetrans) controlling an average of 31.5 per cent of the wheat midge across Saskatchewan. The estimated value of the parasitoid, due to reduction in insecticide costs in Saskatchewan alone, was estimated to be in excess of $248.3 million in the 1990s. The environmental benefits of using a natural predator are a bonus.

In the 1990s, AAFC researchers worked with their counterparts in Switzerland to bring another midge-attacking parasitoid to the country. Platygaster tuberosula was released in prime wheat midge country in eastern Saskatchewan.

Through the 2000s, the population grew and has been cohabiting well with the other wheat midge parasitoid. AAFC researchers also developed a refuge (an interspersing of susceptible plants in resistant wheat) strategy for the parasitoids and released midge-tolerant wheat varieties during this time.

Female parasitic wasp with midge eggs. PHOTO: AAFC

Pass the parasitoids, please

Entomologists at Montana State University have seen Canada’s success with parasitoids and visited the Saskatoon Research Centre this month to collect two species of parasitoid wasps from last year’s wheat fields (also known as emergence sites). The timing of their hunting trip is critical, as the parasitoids are only in their adult wasp phase for less than two weeks, which is dependent on seasonal temperatures.

AAFC entomologists will benefit from a successful collection by the Montana team by receiving more data on how these introduced parasitoid populations are faring, the economic impact, and the preservation of the species into the future.

Vigilance required

While parasitoids may seem like a panacea, they must be carefully managed and considered just one of many ways farmers can control wheat midge. The right environment, including frequent crop rotations, applying chemicals at the right time if economically viable, and following other recommended agronomic practices go a long way in supporting the parasitoid population.

“It is important to chemically control wheat midge only when it is economic to do so and only during the susceptible stage in wheats (between heading and flowering), and to implement the ‘refuge’ approach when growing midge-tolerant wheat varieties,” said Owen Olfert, an AAFC expert on invasive insect pests and biodiversity in Saskatoon.

Wheat midge is about half the size of a mosquito and bright orange, but is commonly confused with lauxanids, which are a little bigger and yellowish brown.

Wheat midge lays eggs in the wheat head and the larvae will then feed on the wheat kernels. One midge for every four to five wheat heads can decrease yield around 15 per cent. If there is more than one midge per eight to 10 wheat heads there is a risk of a reduced grade. The Canadian Grain Commission limits midge damage in No. 1 CWRS wheat to two per cent and eight per cent in No. 2. — Alberta Agriculture and Forestry fact sheet

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20

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Canola growers urged to avoid new herbicide Clever Japan hasn’t set a maximum residue level for the active ingredient, quinclorac

BY ALLAN DAWSON

GRAPHIC PPM

“World markets have become much more sensitized to food and feed safety.”

Staff

U

sing the newly released herbicide called Clever on canola this year might not be a smart idea, says the Canola Council of Canada.

That’s because Japan, one of Canada’s biggest canola customers, has not yet established a maximum residue level (MRL) for the active ingredient, quinclorac. That means all grain handlers require farmers to declare it — and some won’t accept canola that’s been treated with it.

“We export over 90 per cent of what we grow and process,” council president Patti Miller wrote in an email. “Making sure we meet the requirements of our customers is critical to the growth and profitability of the entire value chain.”

Cargill Canada says it won’t buy quinclorac-treated canola.

The Western Grain Elevator Association, which represents the major grain companies has amended its Declaration of Eligibility for Delivery Form to be signed by all farmers before delivering, Cargill said in a message to its farm customers. Farmers must declare if their crops have been treated with any form of quinclorac and can be held financially responsible for false declarations.

“Using Clever may result in residues that are unacceptable in (key) markets.

Using pesticide products that result in unacceptable residues jeopardizes the reputation of Canadian canola and can cause serious harm to the industry’s profitability,” the council said in a statement on its website.

Patti Miller

SOURCE: JEANETTE GAULTIER

Clever, produced by Productierra and distributed by Great Northern Growers, was registered in Canada in May. Great Northern Growers issued a statement downplaying the risk, noting Canada’s grain system can segregate treated canola if necessary.

Limited distribution

“We have limited our Clever sales to approximately 1.5 per cent of total canola acres to allow farmers with serious cleaver infestations an opportunity to manage their problem, while ensuring that the industry can easily deliver these treated acres to markets

with established MRLs,” Great Northern Growers said in response to Cargill’s decision.

“In our opinion the small amounts used when pooled with the entire canola crop further dilutes residue levels to negligible levels.

“If a company refuses to work with you (farmers), then you can make the choice to find a company that will work with you.”

According to Great Northern Growers, quinclorac has been used on canola for more than 10 years without issue. Miller said it hasn’t been available commercially

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for canola since 2002, but it’s expected an MRL for quinclorac in Japan will be established in 2016.

“However, until such time as an MRL is established, there is no tolerance for quinclorac residue on canola,” she said.

As for segregating quinclorac, Miller noted those costs are borne by grain companies and processors, not herbicide distributors.

Quinclorac offers good control of a number of weeds, including cleavers. While Roundup is usually effective on cleavers, Liberty Link and Clearfield may not be as effective as many cleavers are Group 2 resistant, Miller wrote. Quinclorac potentially has a fit on about 55 per cent of Canada’s canola acres.

“Improved control of cleavers is a priority for the industry if we are to meet our target of 52 bushels per acre by 2025,” she wrote.

“However, until MRLs are in place in key markets, we will continue to advocate for control methods other than Clever/quinclorac on canola.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

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21

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Ontario grain farmers take neonics fight to court The proposed regulations would require farmers to prove pest threats from harmful insects

BY ALEX BINKLEY AF contributor

L

awyers for Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) will be in an Ontario Superior Court of Justice courtroom in Toronto Aug. 4 in a bid to delay implementation of provincial regulations restricting use of neonic seed treatments.

In an affidavit, GFO says it wants a court order to delay the implementation of the regulations until at least next May 1 so the 2016 crop can be planted under existing rules. It is also seeking a court interpretation of the regulations issued by the Ontario Environment Ministry.

The regulations came into force on July 1, 2015.

“The decision to seek legal action against the government of Ontario

was not easy and is unprecedented in the history of our organization,” said GFO CEO Barry Senft.

The nine-page affidavit says the effect of the Ontario regulations will “dramatically limit the use of this management tool.” The requirement for pest assessments and annual reports on treated seed use “creates an impossible situation for farmers.”

The affidavit says requiring farmers to test fields for harmful insects after planting this year’s crop with treated seeds is absurd because the presence of the pesticide will likely reduce the number of insects to below the level at which they would qualify to plant treated seed next year. That would mean farmers would have to use untreated seed and run the risk of crop losses.

“It will not be possible for these

farmers to conduct an accurate inspection and thus prepare a report until the spring of 2016,” it says. By that time, it would be too late to order treated seed.

Also a one-shot soil test “will not necessarily be reflective of the level of pests that are present in a field throughout the growing season,” the affidavit said. “The consequences are senseless and obviously harmful to farmers.”

GFO will also be able to cite a Health Canada report that says measures adopted to protect bees from neonic dust during the planting season are working.

That report says there was “an 80 per cent in-season bee mortality decrease for the 2015 corn- and soybean-planting season, compared to 2013. The 2014 season saw a 70 per cent decline in bee mortality.”

A beautiful but rampant invasive species

I

t’s beautiful, fragrant, and pollinators love it — but Dame’s rocket can spread at an alarming rate, especially in riparian areas.

It is found across Alberta, and there are anecdotal reports this prolific seed producer from the mustard family is becoming more common this year.

It’s found quite frequently at old farm sites, but is often a contaminant of wildflower seed mixes. (Do not purchase seed mixes which don’t list the Latin names of the contents.)

It is very similar to Garden phlox, which has five petals and opposite leaves, but Dame’s rocket has four petals and alternate leaves. It typically grows one-half to one metre tall; upper stems often branch; and its leaves are dark green, hairy on both sides, and have serrated edges.

Contact your local fieldman at www.aaaf.ab.ca

U.S. to improve regulatory framework for GMOs

BY CAREY GILLAM / Reuters

The White House has directed the three U.S. agencies that oversee biotech crop products to improve and modernize their regulatory “framework” to boost public confidence in a system that critics call a failure.

The July 2 order, announced in a statement by President Barack Obama’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, followed demands by consumers, food-related organizations, and businesses for tighter U.S. regulation of genetically modified crops.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed a rule in 2008 after being cited in a government audit for oversight lapses, and after high-profile GMO contaminations that led to food recalls and disrupted trade.

But the USDA never finalized that proposal and withdrew it earlier this year. In recent months, it has been seeking public input on a new rule.

Biotech crops are regulated through the government’s “co-ordinated framework” that involves the USDA’s Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The White House said the current arrangement is complex, “can make it difficult for the public to understand how the safety of biotechnology products is evaluated,” and creates a lot of red tape for small companies.

The announcement was welcomed by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, whose members include GMO crop developers, which said it favours a more efficient and transparent approvals of new products.

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This Dame’s rocket plant was found in the Pincher Creek area. PHOTO: LINDSEY COCKERILL Contact your local Agricultural Fieldman if you find Dame’s rocket in your area.

Hand-pulling is the preferred method of control and eradication. Repeated removal may be required before the seed bank is exhausted.

For more information on noxious weeds: www.abinvasives.ca

22

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Bumblebees caught in ‘climate vise’ Study finds insects have lost a big chunk of their southern range, but have not moved north

By Dave Bedard

G

AgCanada.com editor/ with files from Reuters

lobal warming is shrinking the terrain where bumblebees live in North America and Europe, with these vital pollinators departing the southernmost and hottest parts of their ranges while failing to move north into cooler climes, scientists say.

A newly published study used records from 1901 to 2010 to track 67 bumblebee species, finding that the insects have surrendered about 300 kilometres from the southern end of the regions they called home on both continents.

The researchers found no evidence pesticide use or habitat destruction were to blame, instead implicating rising temperatures recorded since climate change began accelerating in the 1970s.

“This is the ‘climate vise,’” said University of Ottawa biologist Jer-

emy Kerr, with the bumblebees “stuck at the northern edges of ranges while the southern edges are crushed inward and those populations are lost.

“Bumblebees are declining incredibly fast and the fingerprints of human-caused climate change are all over these changes.

Even more incredible to us, these effects are often nearly identical across continents, occurring at the same pace in both Europe and North America.”

The study looked into the database of about 423,000 geo-referenced bee observations on both continents.

“I’d suspected some (bumblebee species) may be declining, but not such a large proportion,” bee expert, study contributor and York University professor, Laurence Packer said in a release. “The fact that at the northern edges of their ranges they are not moving north as the climate changes is actually really quite worrying.”

“We’re talking about large changes in community composition of essential pollinators over just a few decades.”

Sheila Colla York University

“For the North American species that I work on, we know that about a third of them are in decline and in some cases this has been quite dramatically, more than 90 per cent,” York University environmental studies professor, Sheila Colla said in the same release.

For example, she said, where the rusty-patched bumblebee was the fourth most common species

in southern Ontario in the 1970s and early 1980s, she has only seen two in 10 years despite “extensive” searching throughout its range in Canada and the U.S. “One of the scariest parts of the work that I’ve done is just realizing how quickly the situation is changing,” said Colla. “The bumblebees that are in decline were doing fine 50 years ago.

We’re talking about large changes in community composition of essential pollinators over just a few decades.”

While the study contributors don’t let agricultural pesticides off the hook as a danger to bee health, its authors emphasized during a conference call that they don’t believe their findings are a result of pesticide use, nor of changes in land use over time. The researchers “don’t know for sure what is causing a stagnation at the northern end” of the habitat range, Paul Galpern of the University of Calgary said in a separate release.

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“Bees should be able to start new colonies in places they did not historically occupy. But we don’t know why this is happening so slowly that it looks like the (northern) ranges are not moving at all.”

One theory considers the evolutionary difference between bumblebees and other insects.

Many species, such as butterflies, originated and diversified from tropical climates, and thus are more likely to adapt. Bumblebees instead have “unusual evolutionary origins” in the cool-to-temperate Palearctic.

An “assisted migration” — active intervention to encourage bumblebees to expand their northern ranges — may need to be considered, said Kerr.

But such a move shouldn’t be attempted without first carefully considering the potential impacts on species already present in those northern reaches, he added.

Farmers shortchanged during CWB windup Staff

Ottawa shortchanged farmers to the tune of $720 million from the operations of the Canadian Wheat Board in its final year in operation as a single-desk marketer, four western Canadian farmers allege in an amended statement of claim filed in Federal Court July 10.

Stewart Wells, a former farmer-elected CWB director and now chair of the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, said that the percentage of CWB revenue allocated by the federally appointed board of directors during the 2011-12 crop year to farmers was “substantially out of line” with previous years of CWB operations.

He said audited financial statements show the board returned nearly 93 per cent of its sales revenue to farmers between 1998 and 2010-11.

He said the government-run board returned only 83 per cent to farmers in 2011-12.

“The difference between 93 per cent and 83 per cent is in the order of $720 million. It should be noted that 2011-12 sales recorded the third-highest revenue since farmers were put in charge of the board in 1998,” Wells said.

Also, for the first time in 79 years, the minister of agriculture decided to withhold CWB’s financial results for the 2012-13 crop year, making it impossible to follow the money as the CWB was transformed into a grain-handling company.

“It appears that the government-run CWB even used money from pooling accounts to cover some of the restructuring costs,” he said.

The group says it will also ask the Auditor General of Canada to conduct an investigation.

23

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Finding the ‘sweet spot’ the key for composting Manure composting has many benefits, including concentrated nutrients, reduced volume, no smell and easy transport

BY SHANNON VANRAES

“There are a lot of misconceptions as to what composting actually is.”

Staff

L

ike any recipe, making a good composted manure requires the right ingredients, proper mixing, and some

heat.

“There are a lot of misconceptions as to what composting actually is, some think that if you have a pile of manure it’s called composting, it really isn’t,” said Mario Tenuta. “So we want to talk to growers about what would be some recipes for composting.”

The University of Manitoba soil ecologist is one of several researchers operating out of the Glenlea Research Station just south of Winnipeg, where a pilot composting project aims to introduce producers to the practice.

Piled in pyramid-shaped windrows about six or seven feet wide and just as tall, visitors to the site can see what composting looks — and smells like — at various stages.

“If you’re doing it properly, you shouldn’t have a smell,” said Tenuta, adding the final product is stable, dense, nutrient rich and easy to transport.

But it takes the right combination to get the desired results.

“We don’t want too much water, we don’t want too little, we don’t want too much nitrogen and we don’t want too little nitrogen, there is a right sweet spot,” he said.

“And once you mix all that stuff together the microbes take over.”

Those mighty microbes — bacteria and fungi — also provide the heat.

“In soil the heat generated by microbes is inconsequential, because soil is a good conductor of heat, and it wicks the heat away from the microbes, but a pile of organic material is a good insulator,” said Tenuta.

“So the heat that those microbes are generating in the pile stays in the pile.”

Mario Tenuta

Bruce Berry of Almost Urban Vegetables uses composted manure to power his plants. Photo: Marilyn Firth And don’t think winter will stop those organisms from heating things up.

“Our work has shown that we have no problem composting in the winter, even if it’s -30 outside we can compost… because the microbes are generating enough heat, and that manure is a wonderful heat insulator,” he said, adding heat is crucial to removing animal pathogens and rendering weed seeds inert.

Bruce Berry knows the problems that can accompany improperly composted manure first hand.

“It’s much better for us to have compost in our hands than some manure that was turned a couple of times,” said the operator of Almost Urban Vegetables located just outside Winnipeg.

“What we’re finding is that with some of

the materials we are bringing in, they’re loaded with weed seeds, so I’m really just importing next year’s hours in the garden weeding.”

But for now, Berry doesn’t have to worry about the quality of his compost. He’s importing it from the pilot project at Glenlea.

“For me it’s a great enabler to have decent-quality stuff to work with, it’s just going to up our game,” he said.

The compost made at Glenlea is also used on the site’s 24-year-long organics study.

“The compost additions every several years are enough to keep that system going, so nitrogen is fixed biologically, through legumes, be it alfalfa, soybeans, and… compost addition provides the phosphorus,” said Tenuta.

Turning compost is also crucial, he added, noting aeration is part of the composting process. At Glenlea, mixing and turning is done with the help of some specialized machines.

“Think of a bale buster, or a Kitchen-Aid mixer,” he said. “Basically a big huge thing like that and you throw a bale under it, and it had these grinders… then we can start adding the solids, we can start adding the water, and mix it up. Then we open up a side chute, and out it comes.”

However, windrows can also be made using something like a front-end loader.

Compost is turned with something similar to a snow blower, but much less dramatic.

And while the Glenlea study is currently focused on manure composting, Tenuta would like to expand the scope of composting projects in the future.

“We’d like to see this demo project grow, for example… how much food do people eat, say at the University of Manitoba?

Think of all that organic material and also all those paper towels,” he said. “That’s all compostable material… and we’d like to be diverting that to Glenlea, mixing in this animal manure and composting that material — so it could then go back to providing nutrients and a healthy product for the soil.” shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

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24

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Too hot for grazing

With temperatures in much of Western Canada soaring into the 30s, these cattle in a treeless pasture near Millarville, Alta., seek shade in a shelter. Photo: Wendy Dudley

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See your local Farm King dealer for details. *Terms and Conditions: Program #RP-15-07-01-GH. Farm King customers that purchase a new Farm King auger will be eligible for a discount off invoice at time of purchase; $500 on 10" augers (models 1050, 1060, 1070, 1080), 13" augers (1370, 1385, 1395) or 16" augers (1684, 16104). Dealer must submit a copy of the retail contract and warranty registration to Corporate Office before the end of the day August 30, 2015. Valid in the United States and Canada only. No changes or substitutes. See your local Farm King dealer for details. Farm King and the Farm King logo are registered trademarks of Buhler Industries Inc. ©2015 Buhler Industries Inc.

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Warning about horses returning from U.S. Canadians are reminded to check import requirements before arriving at the border with their horses.

Import requirements protect human and animal health and may change at any time in response to an animal disease outbreak in another country. Failure to meet import requirements could result in delays at the border, or denial of entry.

New import requirements are in place in response to the recent U.S. outbreak of vesicular stomatitis, which closely resembles foot-and-mouth disease. Canadian horses that have been in a VSinfected state may only return to Canada if they move to a non-infected state and reside there for at least 21 days. Certification by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is required.

Travellers should check state requirements before moving their horses.

It is important to note that after 60 days residency in the U.S., Canadianorigin horses lose their Canadian status for import purposes and are considered U.S.-origin horses.

In certain cases, horses may need to be inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at the border. Inspection must be arranged by appointment at least 24 hours in advance. — CFIA release

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25

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

Tracking the elusive but destructive wild boar The highly reclusive wild boar may be responsible for much more crop damage than previously thought

BY SHANNON VANRAES STAFF

R

uth Kost has never seen a wild boar before but she’s hoping that will change after a summer spent tracking the elusive beast.

“They don’t like to show themselves,” said the University of Saskatchewan master’s student.

“They are kind of reclusive, they avoid people… and they’re very aware of hunting pressures.”

But just because you don’t see something doesn’t mean it’s not there.

And so Kost is hopping into a rental truck and heading across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to speak to people who have seen wild boars and visit sites where damage has been caused by the animals.

“It’s a means of collecting scientific data, it’s just not the usual way,” she said, explaining the habits of wild boars make conventional tracking difficult. So instead of laying eyes on them directly, the researcher will be relying on firsthand accounts and anecdotal evidence.

Ryan Brook, Kost’s academic supervisor, recently launched Canada’s first feral pig radio collar program to learn about their patterns, habitats and potential spread.

It wasn’t easy though.

“We were hoping to capture them on the ground with traps and collar them that way, but it was not particularly successful,”

Wild boars are caught on trail camera during the night.

Researchers believe wild boars are more prevalent than many people realize. photos: Ryan Brook said Brook, an assistant professor in the university’s animal science department.

“They are incredibly smart and adaptable animals, so we didn’t trap a single one. We had to bring in a helicopter and capture them using a net gun fired out of the helicopter.”

In the end, Brook’s team was able to collar five wild pigs in Saskatchewan’s Moose Mountain Provincial Park in March.

Wild boars came to the Prairies in the 1990s in an unsuccessful attempt to diversify livestock operations.

“They were able to escape the pens, and in some cases the farm-

ers would actually let them go, because it wasn’t a really lucrative business,” said Kost. “So that’s how our wild boar population got started.”

‘Like a Rototiller’

Without control measures, the feral pig population could continue to grow.

“We know that these feral pigs are quite resilient and they do quite well in the wild environment,” said Dr. Megan Bergman, Manitoba’s chief veterinarian. “They are able to reproduce successfully and stay in good body condition, so the possibility of their number increasing is definitely there.”

Wild boars cause “extreme damage” to crops and fields, said Brook.

“Boars are a rooting species, so it doesn’t look like an animal has just come and fed,” he said. “Boars will knock all the corn down, rip up all the roots and it will be like a Rototiller went through.”

But because feral pigs are largely nocturnal feeders, farmers and landowners may be left to guess at what caused damage the following morning. Boar damage is often attributed to other species, like elk, deer, or even black bears. It’s only by installing trail cameras, which are motion activated, that the true culprit is revealed.

“I think a lot of people are unaware of the presence of boars, and from what we’ve heard talking to a lot of producers is that there is probably a lot more damage that is

being done than is currently being recorded because they aren’t seen and aren’t known that well,” said Brook.

He and Kost hope that by the end of the summer, they will have a better idea of where boar populations are located, how they behave, and what type of habitat they might frequent.

“The main goal is to create a distribution map,” said Kost. “Because it’s important that if further management is needed with this species that we know where they are, so we can make strategies, or even go out where they are and kill them if that’s the management goal.”

Anyone who has seen a wild boar is asked to contact Kost at ruth. kost@usask.ca. shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

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NH CR9070, 2011, 525 sep hrs, gps . . . . . . . . . . . . $235, 000 NH CR9070, 2011, 550 sep hrs, gps . . . . . . . . . . . . $235, 000 NH CR8090, 2013, 400sep, dsp, gps . . . . . . . . . . . . $335, 000 NH CR9090 Elevation, 750sep, gps, 2012 . . . . . . . . $335, 000 NH CR9060, 2008, 940 sep hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $175, 000 NH CR960, 2005, 1130 sep hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129, 000 JD 9600, 1989, stored inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34, 500 CIH 2388, 99, 2000hrs, con . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75, 000 NH 840CD-30 like new, cross auger . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69, 500 NH 840CD-30, header height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59, 500 NH 94C-30’ header, CR/CX adptr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38, 500 NH 740CF-35 superflex header, 1013 . . . . . . . . . . . . $38, 500 Macdon 973-36’ header, pur, trspt, cross auger. . . . $39, 500 HoneyBee sp36 hdr, CIH adptr, 2011, 4 in stock. . . . $58, 000 NH 971-30’, header, batt reel, trspt (2) TR-TX adptr $9, 500 JD 230-30 auger header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4, 500

NH T9.450HD , 2013, 1000PTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $265, 000 NH T7.235, 2260hrs, ldr, 3pt, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $131, 000 NH T7.235, 2575hrs, ldr3pt, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129, 500 NH T7.200, 1650hrs, ldr, 3pt, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129, 500 CIH Puma 140, 1000hrs, PS, 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $110, 000 CIH 430 Steiger, 2007, 2600hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $185, 000 CIH 9270, 6300hrs, PS, 20.8R42 duals. . . . . . . . . . . . $65, 000 CIH MXU135, 6600hrs, ldr, 3pt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45, 000 NH T7050, PS, 3100hrs, CVT, ldr, grpl . . . . . . . . . . . $125, 000 NH T7.235, 2013.PS, ldr, grpl, 4 hyd, 1750hrs . . . . . $135, 000 NH T7.200, 2013, 1650hrs, ldr, grpl . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129, 500 NH 846 6200hrs, 12 spdd std, 14’ blade . . . . . . . . . . $49, 500 TYM T1003, 05, 750hrs, ldr, 3 point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39, 500 Steiger Panther 1000, PS, 14’ blade . . . . . . . . . . . . . $58, 500 NH L220 Skid Steer, 500hrs, CAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37, 500 NH l175 Skid Steer, 1200hrrs, cah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25, 500

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J.D. 535 round baler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7, 900 NH 664 Bale Command baler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9, 500 Heston 1275-16 mowr conditioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14, 500 Jiffy 1105 high dump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19, 500 Jiffy 600 high dump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3, 500 Haybuster 2650 bale processo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11, 500 Artex 1050 high dump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16, 500 JF Stoll 1360 for age harvestor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39, 500

AUGERS

Westfield Storm seed treater, 10x41, like new. . . . . $26, 500 Westfield MK100x61 swing auger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8, 500 Sakundiak HD8x1600 24hp, mover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6, 900 Sakundiak HD8x1600, 24hp, mover, clutch. . . . . . . . . $8, 900 Sakundiak HD10x140038hp, mover, clutch light kit $13.900 Sakundiak HD10x1200, 31hp, mover . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9, 500 Westfield MK 130x71, low pro hopper . . . . . . . . . . . . $7, 500 Westfield MK130x71 low pro hopper . . . . . . . . . . . . $14, 500 Westfield MK130x71, hyd swing & lift . . . . . . . . . . . $16, 500 Wheatheart SA1391, hyd swing & lift . . . . . . . . . . . . $19, 500 Farmking 8x51xhyd swing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . offers Brandt 5000 grain vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12, 900 Turbo 990 grain vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7, 900

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26

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Alberta producers tap into energy management program There have been more than 400 applications in Alberta for the Growing Forward 2 On-Farm Energy Management Program Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

A

cross Alberta, agricultural producers are using new ideas and emerging technology to reduce their energy consumption.

For greenhouse operators in Alberta’s challenging climate, managing energy costs is an issue of the highest importance.

At Broxburn Vegetables, which operates a three-acre greenhouse growing peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers near Lethbridge, owner Paul de Jonge has tried a number of different approaches over the years.

Some years ago, he ran the greenhouse with coal. While cost effective, he considered the fuel too dirty for his liking. More recently, he used a natural gas boiler that’s 95 per cent efficient. The drawback is that natural gas prices can be volatile, and when prices are high, it can take a bite out of his profitability.

Late in 2014, de Jonge unwrapped a piece of equipment that he believes has the potential to transform his energy destiny. It’s a Japanese-made co-generation unit, acquired with cost sharing from the Growing Forward 2 On-Farm Energy Management Program.

The unit’s engine runs on natural

gas, producing electricity for lighting, other fixtures, and motors in the greenhouse. The unit also produces heat, which is captured and used to heat the greenhouse.

“It’s nowhere near enough heat for the whole greenhouse, but I believe every BTU I capture is a BTU I don’t have to put in,” said de Jonge.

De Jonge is waiting to see how much difference the unit makes to his normally formidable electricity bill. The best-case scenario is that he won’t need power from the grid for several months of the year, and will only pay a demand charge in these months.

Popular program

For de Jonge, this new co-generation unit has the potential to deliver what he considers the best of both worlds: a manageable cost with the versatility to use captured heat to run his greenhouse.

He likes that Growing Forward 2 funding was available for this purpose.

“By encouraging production to be more energy efficient, we can become more competitive with greenhouse operators in places like Mexico,” he says.

Over the past year, the energy management program has received more than 400 applications for a

Greenhouses are just one sector where efforts to reduce energy consumption are underway. PHOTO: AAFC wide variety of energy efficiency programs on Alberta farms.

There are many possible changes that Alberta producers can make to start reducing their energy consumption, said Jason Price, manager of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s energy program.

For those in the early stages, Price recommends: • Get to know your energy bill.

Know what’s normal and what’s not, know which equipment is

using the most energy, and consider putting in sub-meters for greater insight.

• Think about and manage energy at a systems level. Are cooling processes going on at the same time as heating processes?

Marry them up wherever possible.

• Compare efficiencies between your existing equipment and the latest models. The return on investment can make updating worthwhile.

New energy management solutions on the farm will continue to gain momentum, he predicted.

“I would characterize interest in this area as a steady march,” said Price. “Producers are increasingly engaged with energy management. Climate change plays into it, but producers are also concerned with sustainability and want to be good stewards. Energy management is high on their list. The program is steadily growing, and that reflects the producer’s interest.”

4723 - 39 Ave., Wetaskiwin, AB T9A 2J4

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*For commercial use only. Offer subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. See your New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. standard terms and conditions will apply. Depending on model, a down payment may be required. Offer good through August 31, 2015, at participating New Holland dealers in Canada. Offer subject to change. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in price. © 2015 CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. All rights reserved.

New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Capital and New Holland Construction are trademarks in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

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28

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Community news and events from across the province

It’s summer — why aren’t you at the fair?

Staff

I

t’s tempting to make every day a workday during the summer.

But if you can pull yourself away from the farm, 65,000 of your friends have a great day planned for you and your family.

That’s the number of volunteers who donate their time to the province’s agricultural societies, including putting on several dozen fairs, rodeos, animal shows, music festivals, and more across the province this summer.

“The plethora of things that go on is quite staggering, everything from the traditional fairs and rodeos to things that are quite unique, like the pedal tractor pull in Vegreville,” said Tom Carson, CEO of the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies.

The number of volunteers comes from a 2011 study on the impact of the province’s 293 ag societies.

And the size of that impact might surprise you.

“One of the roles of agricultural societies is to bring people together, and provide facilities and experiences that allow their community to have its unique feel,” said Carson.

“They own and operate over 700 facilities in the province — everything from hockey and curling rinks to ball diamonds, community halls, ski hills, golf courses, walking trails, and campgrounds. The list goes on and on and on. They provide these facilities not only for themselves but for other com-

up

Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com July 21: Pulse Research Tour, AAF pulse site, Vegreville (also July 22 in Bon Accord and July 23 in Barrhead). Contact: Christy Hoy 780-422-3825 July 21: Sainfoin Training: Improving the Profitability of Livestock Grazing (also July 22), Lethbridge Research Centre, Lethbridge.

Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800-387-6030 July 21: HortSnacks in the Field, Erdmann’s Gardens and Greenhouses, Vimy. Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800-387-6030 July 22: Farming Smarter Medicine Hat Field Day, Cypress County Site, Medicine Hat. Contact: Jamie 403-381-5118 July 23: Building Soil — Creating Land (Christine Jones), two farm locations near Airdrie and Olds (also July 24 in Oyen, July 28 in Rycroft, July 29 in Manning, July 31 in Morinville, Aug. 4 in Bonnyville, and Aug. 5 in Castor). Contact: Fiona McCarthy 403-3353311 ext. 143 July 28: Making the Grade workshop on grain grading; Olds College & Pomeroy Inn on Campus, Olds. Contact: Alberta Canola Producers 780-454-0844

The pedal tractor pull at the Vegreville Country Fair is just one of a “staggering” number of activities on offer at fairs and exhibitions put on by Alberta agricultural societies. PHOTO: COURTESY VEGREVILLE NEWS ADVERTISER munity groups. Whether it’s 4-H, scouts, adult groups, or whoever, they all need facilities so they can do what they’re passionate about.”

Those facilities have a replacement value of $1.4 billion — but many of their users don’t even know they are owned and operated by ag societies.

“Ag societies are one of the best-kept secrets out there,” said Carson. “Volunteers are seldom in it for the recognition,

and they don’t blow their own horn very well. So a lot of people who are enjoying events such as hockey tournaments, bonspiels, and those types of events have no idea who is facilitating them.

They don’t know it’s the agricultural society that’s providing that facility, they think it’s the municipality — that’s a very common misconception.”

But there’s no secret to finding an ag society event in your area.

The list goes on and on Here’s a partial list of upcoming fairs, exhibitions and other events across the province: July 23-26: Bonnyville Pro Rodeo & Chuckwagons

Aug. 7: Buffalo 40th Annual Fall Fair & Bench Show

July 24-26: Bowden Daze Rodeo

Aug. 7: Barnburner Music Fest (Darwell)

July 24-26: Lamont Summer Sizzler Rodeo

Aug. 7-8: Castor Fair

July 24-26: 19th Annual Millarville Rodeo

Aug. 7-8: Clandonald Country Fair

July 25: Airdrie Agricultural Society Ranch Hand Competition

Aug. 7-8: Elnora Brahma Rama

July 25: Czar Bench Show & Agricultural Fair

Aug. 7-8: Mackenzie County’s Agricultural Fair and Trade Show (Fort Vermilion)

July 25: Namao Fun Days

Aug. 7-9: Annual Blue Heron Fair (Barrhead)

July 31-Aug. 1: Carmangay Fair & Sports Day

Aug. 7-9: Mayerthorpe & District Agricultural Fair

July 31-Aug. 2: Lakeland Country Fair (Lac La Biche)

Aug. 7-9: Pine Lake Country Fair & Sports Days

July 31-Aug. 2: 40th Annual Tees Amateur Rodeo

Aug. 7-9: Valleyview & Districts Agricultural Society Annual Fair & Rodeo Aug. 7-9: Waskatenau Fair Days

July 31-Aug. 3: Strathmore Stampede

Aug. 8: Glendon Derby & Mudbogs

Aug. 1-3: Polynesian Days (Alberta Beach)

Aug. 8: Minburn Heifer Show & Bench Fair

Aug. 3: Smoky Lake Demo Derby (Smoky Lake) Aug. 6-8: Vegreville Country Fair

what’s

Aug. 8-9: 20th Annual Ag Drag (Darwell) Aug. 8-9: Winfield Ugetuk Days Aug. 9: Ranfurly Fair Parade

The association has an Events link at the top of its website (www.albertaagsocieties.ca).

That link takes you to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s ag societies events page. You can search by the type of event (there are 13 categories), by month (there are events listed as far out as Buffalo & District Agricultural Society’s Valentine Extravaganza), or by region (there are six in the province).

July 28: Planned Grazing Using High Stock Density to Improve Profit, Lucends Ranch Ponoka. Contact: Holistic Management Canada 204-648-5622 July 29: 2015 Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Vegreville Field Day, Hwy. 16A & 75 St., Vegreville. Contact: Chariti Sawchuk 780632-8618 Aug. 6: U of A Cereal Agronomy & Pulse Research Tour, South Campus, Edmonton (also Aug. 11 at Killam pulse and cereal sites).

Contact: Christy Hoy 780-422-3825 Aug. 10: HortSnacks in the Field, Solstice Berry Farm, Crossfield. Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800-387-6030

Seventeen southern Alberta farm families honoured S eventeen southern Alberta families were recipients of the BMO Farm Family Awards at the Calgary Stampede.

Each year, the municipal districts in southern Alberta nominate one family, who are honoured at a reception, and given a family photograph session, a personalized farm gate sign, and rodeo tickets.

The Stampede also posts a history and biography of each family at www. ag.calgarystampede.com (search for ‘2015 family farm,’ then scroll to the bottom of the web page to find a link to the biographies).

The winners of the 2015 BMO Farm Family Awards are: J.R. and Nikki Thompson (Bar XT Farms, Cardston County); Will and Jean Van Roessel (Specialty Seeds Ltd., County of Forty Mile); Darren and Kim Taylor (DRT Farms Ltd. County of Lethbridge); John Dyck Family (Brookside Farms Ltd., County of Newell No. 4); Ken

and Nora Balog (Ken & Nora Balog Family Farm, County of Warner); Trevor and Janet Biemans (Peter-Built Farms Inc., Cypress County); Harold, Rick and Doug Hansen and Families (Hansen Farms, MD of Foothills #31); Bryan and Sherry Mackenzie (Brylor Ranch, MD of Pincher Creek); Pepneck Family (Pepneck Family Farm, MD of Taber); Roy and Karen Hall (The Hall Farm, MD of Willow Creek); Dennis and Joanne Overguard (Dennis & Joanne Overguard Family Farm & Ranch, Mountain View County); Eric Longeway Family (Rockyview Farm, Rocky View County); Oscar, Glenn, Michelle and Brian Quast (Quast Family Farm, Special Area #2); Ted Mundt Family (Twin R Ranching, Special Area #3); Terry Riggs and Family (Riggs Farm Ltd., Starland County); Dale and Diane Groves (Groves Family Farm, Vulcan County); and Ernest and Joyce Walker (Walker’s Farm, Wheatland County).

29

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

New version of ag business analyzer now available The online tool can be used to measure a farm’s financial health and identify problem areas Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

A

lberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Agricultural Business Analyzer has recently been upgraded, and user support has been enhanced with a user video tutorial, frequently asked questions, and Microsoft Excel program user tips.

The online tool is free and powerful, said farm financial specialist Rick Dehod.

“The program can help analyze the financial strength of a farm business and provide producers with the information to make informed decisions,” said Dehod.

Statements produced by the analyzer can even be submitted to financial institutions for loan applications or annual reporting, he added.

Using the analyzer, farm business managers can review up to five years of historical financial data, and prepare and analyze a financial plan for the upcoming year. Projections start with an opening net worth statement, and then information on past and projected income and expenses (forward for one year) can be entered into the program and analyzed.

Incomes and expenses for the upcoming year, along with expected monthly cash flows from operations, capital investments, financing, and other farm cash flow activities are then entered into the program.

This creates a closing financial statement illustrating what the financial situation of the farming operation will be at the end of one year based on its projections, said Dehod.

“In addition, the program calculates key ratios in the areas of liquidity, solvency, profitability and efficiency for both the past and projected income and financial statements, and compares them to industry benchmarks,” he said.

The program also highlights financial areas that may be weak or risky.

“Farm business managers can also assess the financial impact of their business decisions (such as purchasing more land, machinery, renting more land, and taking on more debt) on their businesses going forward into the future.”

The new version of the analyzer is compatible with current Windows operating systems and latest version of Microsoft Excel 2013.

To view the analyzer, go to www. agriculture.alberta.ca and search for ‘agricultural business analyzer.’

Watching what moves markets Monitoring response to government crop and livestock reports helps with risk assessment and marketing plans Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

I

t’s a fact — government agricultural reports can affect the market.

Those who follow crop and livestock markets often see the dramatic reaction these reports can have on prices, says provincial market specialist Neil Blue.

“The reports are usually the result of a survey of inventory, or of estimated inventory and estimated use of crops or livestock, or may be an estimate of acreage or production,” said Blue.

“Most government reports are preceded by estimates from private firms.

Reaction from the release of the government numbers often depends on how those numbers compare to the range and average of the private estimates.”

Regardless of the eventual accuracy of these government reports, they are widely respected and therefore heavily weighted in the marketplace. Pre-report

trading can push a market opposite the recent price trend and market reaction to the report can reset the trend for several days or even longer.

It’s good to keep an eye on them — even if you have no salable inventory — for assessing risk and planning marketing moves, he said.

Here are report release dates for some upcoming Statistics Canada and USDA reports.

• July 1 semi-annual Canadian livestock inventory (Aug. 20); • Canadian principal field crop production estimates (Aug. 21, Oct. 2, Dec. 4) • S tocks of Principal Field Crops (Sept.

3, Feb. 4, 2016); • U .S. Hog and Pig inventory report (quarterly) (Sept. 25, Dec. 23); • U .S. Cattle on Feed estimate (as of beginning of each month) (July 24, Aug. 21, Sept. 18, Oct. 23); • U.S. Grain Stocks (quarterly) (Sept. 30); • U .S./world crop supply and demand plus crop production (monthly) (July 10, Aug. 12, Sept. 11, Oct. 9).

Three-crop rule cited in wheat acreage drop The wheat area for this summer’s harvest in Britain is estimated to have fallen by three per cent to 1.87 million hectares, according to a planting survey issued July 6 by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

The survey also estimated there had also been a seven per cent decline in the rapeseed area to 627,000 hectares, while the barley area climbed three per cent to 1.09 million hectares.

“Cultural control of black-grass, through the use of spring cropping, as well as implications of the three-crop rule, could

be particular drivers of the decline in the wheat area,” the board said.

Black-grass, a weed that can reduce wheat yields, has become widespread in England.

The EU has introduced the three-crop rule to encourage crop diversity. It requires farmers with more than 30 hectares of arable land to grow three different crops each year. Farmers can’t devote more than 75 per cent of their land to a single crop and two others must cover at least five per cent each. — Reuters

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• Optional and pressurized cab with and air the roof.sealed Rear visibility is best in class withheat the large rear window, low engine conditioning hood and no rear frame towers to get in your way. Work the SMART way with a • Glide option forsteer. a smoother ride Newride Holland skid • Hydraulic quick coupler option for fast attachment changes • Optional sealed anddaily pressurized cab with • Quick servicing with checkpoints under rear hood heat and air conditioning and door, and if full access is needed, the entire cab tilts • Glide ride option for a smoother ride forward • Hydraulic quick coupler option for fast

© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial attachment N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. Newchanges Holland Construction is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

• Quick servicing with daily checkpoints under rear hood and door, and if full access is needed, the entire cab tilts forward

USED EQUIPMENT 684303

612989

$16,000

$22,000 2010 Massey Ferguson 1375 Disc Mower Conditioner, Good cond.

2006 New Holland 499 Mower Conditioner, Good cond.

© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. New Holland Construction is a trademark in the United States and many other 684308or affiliates.

708844 countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries

$12,000

$95,000

2000 New Holland 688 Round Baler Good cond.

2008 New Holland H8080 Mower Conditioner-SP, 1230hrs, Good cond.

TRACTORS

NH 499, ‘06, 12’ haybine . . . . . . . . . . . . $16,000

Kubota ZG20, ‘04, mower . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,900 IHC 234, ‘86, hydro, 15 hp, 450 hours. . . .$4,300 NH TM125, ‘00, FWA, FEL, 100 hp . . . . $37,000

NH 2300, ‘99, 18’ header . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9,000 NH 688, ‘00, bale comm., 17, 694 bales $12,000

SPRAYERS & SEEDING

NH BR7090, ‘12, w/net . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,500

FC 2340 variable rate air cart . . . . . . . . $19,500 FC 5000 57’, w/3450 TBH air cart. . . . . $46,000 NH P2070, ‘11, 60’ precision drill . . . . $112,000 FC 67-120’, ‘98 sprayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,800

HAYING EQUIPMENT JD 1600A, 14’, mower conditioner . . . . . .$6,900 Case IH DCX161, ‘07, 15’ disc mower $19,800 MF 1375, ‘10, 15’ disc mower . . . . . . . $24,000

NH 688, ‘00, w/auto tie . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000

OFF ROAD UTILITY Honda TRX500 Foreman, ‘07 . . . . . . . . . .$4,500 Kawasaki Teryx 750, ‘13 . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,000 Arctic Cat XTZ1000 Prowler, ‘11. . . . . . . .$9,900

MISCELLANEOUS Renn RGU1214, ‘11, 12’ bag extractor $35,000 Rem 2700, ‘08, grain vac, 283 hrs . . . . $14,500

Claresholm, AB 403-625-3321

1-800-852-7270 www.challengernh.ca

30

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

1-800-665-1362 • abclassifieds@fbcpublishing.com

inDEx Tributes/Memoriam Announcements_ Airplanes Alarms_&_Security_Systems ANTIqUES Antiques_For_Sale Antique_Equipment Antique_Vehicles_ Antiques_Wanted Arenas AUCTION SAlES BC_Auction AB_Auction_Peace_ AB_Auction_North AB_Auction_Central_ AB_Auction_South SK_Auction MB_Auction_Parkland MB_Auction_Westman_ MB_Auction_Interlake MB_Auction_Red_River_ Auction_Various_ U.S._Auctions Auction_Schools AUTO & TRANSPORT Auto_Service_&_Repairs Auto_&_Truck_Parts Autos Trucks Semi_Trucks Sport_Utilities_ Vans_ Vehicles_Various_ Vehicles_Wanted BEEKEEPING Honey_Bees_ Cutter_Bees Bee_Equipment Belting_ Biodiesel_Equipment_ Books_&_Magazines_ BUIlDING & RENOVATIONS Building_Supplies_ Concrete_Repair_ Doors_&_Windows_ Electrical_&_Plumbing Insulation Lumber_ Roofing_ Buildings Business_Machines_ Business_Opportunities_ BUSINESS SERVICES Crop_Consulting Financial_&_Legal_ Insurance/Investments_ Butchers_Supply_ Chemicals Clothing/Work_wear_

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SPRAyING EqUIPMENT Sprayers Spray_Various_ TIllAGE & SEEDING Air_Drills_ Air_Seeders_ Harrows_&_Packers_ Seeding_Various_ Tillage_Equipment_ Tillage_&_Seeding_Various_ TRACTORS Agco_ Allis/Deutz_ Belarus_ Case/IH_ Caterpillar_ Ford_ John_Deere_ Kubota_ Massey_Ferguson_ New_Holland_ Steiger_ Universal_ Versatile_ White_ Zetor_ 2-Wheel_Drive 4-Wheel_Drive_ Various_ Fencing_ Firewood_ Fish_Farm_ Forestry/Logging_ Fork_Lifts/Pallet_Trucks_ Fur_Farming_ Generators_ GPS_ Health_Care_ Heat_&_Air_Conditioning_ Hides/Furs/Leathers_ Hobby_&_Handicrafts_ Household_Items_ Iron_&_Steel_ lANDSCAPING Greenhouses_ Lawn_&_Garden_ lIVESTOCK Cattle Cattle_Auctions__ Angus_ Black_Angus_ Red_Angus_ Aryshire_ Belgian_Blue_ Blonde_d'Aquitaine_ Brahman_ Brangus_ Braunvieh_ BueLingo_ Charolais_ Dairy_ Dexter_ Excellerator_ Galloway_ Gelbvieh_ Guernsey_ Hereford_ Highland_

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display Classified

• Minimum charge — $15.00 per week for first 25 words or less and an additional 60 cents per word for every word over 25. Additional bolding 75 cents per word. GST is extra. $2.50 billing charge is added to billed ads only.

• Terms: Payment due upon receipt of invoice.

• 10% discount for prepaid ads. If phoning in your ad you must pay with VISA or MasterCard to qualify for discount.

• Ask about our Priority Placement • Prepayment Bonus: Prepay for 3 weeks and get a bonus of 2 weeks; bonus weeks run consecutively and cannot be used separately from original ad; additions and changes accepted only during first 3 weeks.

• If you wish to have replies sent to a confidential box number, please add $5.00 per week to your total.

Count eight words for your address. Example: Ad XXXX, Alberta Farmer Express , Box 9800, Winnipeg, R3C 3K7.

• Your complete name & address must be submitted to our office before publication. (This information will be kept confidential & will not appear in the ad unless requested.)

• Advertising copy deviating in any way from the regular classified style will be considered display and charged at the display rate of $34.30 per column inch ($2.45 per agate line).

• Minimum charge $34.30 per week.

• Illustrations and logos are allowed with full border.

• Advertising rates are flat with no discount for frequency of insertion or volume of space used.

• Terms: Payment due upon receipt of invoice.

• Price quoted does not include GST.

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 1-800-665-1362 Phone 403-341-0442 in Winnipeg FAX 403-341-0615 Mailing Address: Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7 • •

•

AGREEMENT The publisher reserves the right to refuse any or all advertising for any reason stated or unstated.

Advertisers requesting publication of either display or classified advertisements agree that should the advertisement be omitted from the issue ordered for whatever reason, the Alberta Farmer Express shall not be held liable. It is also agreed that in the event of an error appearing in the published advertisement, the Alberta Farmer Express accepts no liability beyond the amount paid for that portion of the advertisement in which the error appears or affects. Claims for adjustment are limited to errors appearing in the first insertion only.

While every endeavor will be made to forward box number replies as soon as possible, we accept no liability in respect to loss or damage alleged to a rise through either failure or delay in forwarding such replies, however caused, whether by negligence or otherwise.

(2 weeks prior)

ORGANIC Organic_Certified_ Organic_Food_ Organic_Grains_ Outfitters_ Personal_ Pest_Control Pets_&_Supplies_ Photography_ Propane_ Pumps_ Radio,_TV_&_Satellite_ REAl ESTATE Commercial_Buildings_ Condos_ Cottages_&_Lots_ Houses_&_Lots_ Land_For_Rent_ Land_For_Sale_ Mobile_Homes_ Motels_&_Hotels_ Resorts Vacation_Property_ Farms & Ranches British_Columbia_ Alberta_ Saskatchewan_ Manitoba_ Acreages/Hobby_Farms_ Farms/Ranches_Wanted_ Pastureland_ RECREATIONAl VEhIClES All_Terrain_Vehicles_ Boats_&_Water_ Campers_&_Trailers_ Golf_Carts_ Motor_Homes_ Motorcycles_ Snowmobiles Recycling Refrigeration Restaurant_Supplies Sausage_Equipment_ Sawmills_ Scales_

COMMON SEED Cereal_Seeds_ Forage_Seeds_ Grass_Seeds_ Oilseeds_ Pulse_Crops_ Common_Seed_Various_ SEED/FEED/GRAIN Feed_Grain_ Hay_&_Straw_ Feed_Wanted_ Grain_Wanted_ Hay_&_Feed_Wanted_ Seed_Wanted_ Sewing_Machines_ Sharpening_Services_ Silos_ Sporting_Goods_ Stamps_&_Coins_ Swap_ Tanks_ Tarpaulins_ Tenders_ Tickets_ Tires_ Tools_ TRAIlERS Grain_Trailers_ Livestock_Trailers_ Trailers_Miscellaneous_ Travel_ Water_Pumps_ Water_Treatment_ Welding_ Well_Drilling_ Well_&_Cistern__ Winches_ CAREERS Career_Training_ Child_Care_ Construction_ Domestic_Services_ Farm/Ranch_ Forestry/Log_ Health_Care_ Help_Wanted_ Management Mining_ Oil_Field_ Professional_ Resume_Services_ Sales/Marketing_ Trades/Tech_ Truck_Drivers_ Employment_Wanted_

MAiL TO: Alberta Farmer Express, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7 FAx TO: 403-341-0615 PhOnE in: Toll-Free in Canada 1-800-665-1362 OR (403) 341-0442 in Alberta

NAME_ ___________________________________________________________ ______PHONE_#_______________________________ ADDRESS_____________________________________________ ______TOWN_____________________________________________ PROVINCE____________________________ _____POSTAL_CODE__________________________

All classified ads are non-commissionable.

advertising deadline Wednesday noon

Livestock_Equipment_ Livestock_Services_&_Vet_Supplies_ Miscellaneous_Articles_ Miscellaneous_Articles_Wanted_ Musical_ Notices_ On-Line_Services_

CERTIFIED SEED Cereal_Seeds Forage_Seeds Oilseeds Pulse_Crops Specialty_Crops

AD ORDER FORM

adveRtising Rates & infoRmation

RegulaR Classified

lIVESTOCK Swine Swine_Auction_ Swine_For_Sale_ Swine_Wanted_ lIVESTOCK Specialty Alpacas_ Bison_(Buffalo)_ Deer_ Elk_ Goats_ Llama_ Rabbits_ Emu/Ostrich/Rhea_ Yaks_ Various_

Even if you do not want your name & address to appear in your ad, we need the information for our files.

PLEASE_PRINT_YOUR_AD_BELOW_ ______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CAUTION The Alberta Farmer Express, while assuming no responsibility for advertisements appearing in its columns, exercises the greatest care in an endeavor to restrict advertising to wholly reliable firms or individuals.

However, please do not send money to a Manitoba Co-operator box number. Buyers are advised to request shipment C.O.D. when ordering from an unknown advertiser, thus minimizing the chance of fraud and eliminating the necessity of a refund where the goods have already been sold.

At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer Information Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1.

Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you.

If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call (204)-954-1456.

The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis.

However, the editors, journalists and Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communication assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CLASSIFICATION__________________________ ❏ I would like to take advantage of the Prepayment Bonus of 2 FREE weeks when I prepay for 3 weeks. _

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❏

VISA

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MASTERCARD

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31

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JULY 20, 2015

BUILDINGS

BUILDINGS

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Sprayers

SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Sprayers

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile Smooth Wire

SPOOLER

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

$29,418 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

CAN BE CONVERTED TO:

Roll up Silage Roll up & unroll lay Plastic & Grain OR flat plastic water Bags; hose (up to 6” diameter 11” flat) Features:

• Hydraulic Drive (roll or unroll);

ADVANTEK

4-7459 Edgar Industrial Bend, Red Deer AB Ph: 403-346-2933 Email: info@advanteklighting.com

LIGHTING SOLUTIONS

INTERIOR - EXTERIOR - SECURITY - RETROFIT

ASK US HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE GOVERNMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS!

-

High Efficiency T5 and LED Lighting Products Energy Saving Retrofits For All Applications Commercial/Industrial/Agricultural/Mobile Free Site Consultations and Lighting Design

• Mounts to tractor draw bar, skidsteer, front end loader, post driver, 3 pt. 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 to 5 minutes to roll up 80 rod or ¼ mile) • Swath grazing or rotational grazing

The Level-Winder II

Rolls wire evenly across the full width of the spool automatically as the wire is pulled in!

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Building Supplies ALUMINUM PICKET RAILING SUPPLIED & installed, $30 linear ft., white, black, yd bronze.

Phone (403)330-5673.

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

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

1-800-665-1362 BUILDINGS STEEL STORAGE CONTAINERS, 20-ft & 40-ft. Wind, water & rodent proof.

1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722 magnate@telus.net Farming is enough of a gamble, advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express classified section. It’s a sure thing.

1-800-665-1362.

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

FARM CHEMICAL / SEED COMPLAINTS We also specialize in: agricultural complaints of any nature; Crop ins. appeals; Spray drift; Chemical failure; Residual herbicide; Custom operator issues; Equip. malfunctions.

Licensed Agrologist on Staff.

For assistance and compensation call

Back-Track InvesTIgaTIons

1-866-882-4779. www.backtrackcanada.com

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: 3-PT. CULTIVATORS, Discs, Plows, Blades, Harrows, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, AB. MF 820 TANDEM DISC, 33-ft, $8,000; 2004 Rogater 1264, 1200-gal., 80-ft outback auto steer, Raven auto rate, Raven GPS w/mapping, rear duals, 2 sets of tips, $92,500. 1990 Kongskilde 700 Grain Vac, $5,000. Call:(403)665-2341, Craigmyle, AB.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

RON SAUER

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

25’ 8100 Hesston Swather, comes with pickup reel, 2 keer sheers ...........................................................$21,500 (3) CIH Late Model High HP Tractors, 1 with pto .......... CALL Wanted - 30’ to 40’ JD 9450 Hoe Drills, complete with mover .................................................................... CALL 40’ Morris 3100 Hoe Drills, mover and hitch ............$10,000 946 Versatile Ford Tractor, 5,000 hrs, 24.5 x 32 D....$50,000 275 MF Tractor & Loader, diesel, multi power, 3 pth, new 18.4 x 30 rears, looks and runs great.................... $13,000 B275 IHC Tractor & Loader .....................................$3,500 560 Hesston Round Baler, 1,000 PTO ...................... CALL New NH 1060 TBT Air Tank, on duals ................... $85,000 (1) NH P1060 TBH Air Tank, as new .................... $69,500 35’ 4590 EEZE-ON Double Disc, good condition .... $36,000 44’ 820 F.C. Deep Till Air Seeder, harrows ................. CALL 2320 F.C. TBH Air Tank, complete with 320rd tank ......... CALL 40’ 340 F.C. Chisel Plow & 75 Packer Bar, P30’s... $33,000 62’ F.C. S75 Packer BAR P30’s, good condition .... $13,500 48’ F.C. S75 Packer Bar, P30, as new ....................... $35,000 2003 4300 IHC Service Truck, 466 diesel, 5 speed Allison auto, crane, compressor, welder, nice ................ $50,000 51’ Degelman Landroller, as new.... ...................... $40,000 Degelman Dozer Frame MF 4000 Series 4WD .....$1,000 41’ Flexicoil 300 B Chisel Plow, 3 bar harrows ..... $12,500 Flexicoil 6 Run Seed Treater....................................$1,000 100’ 65XL Flexicoil Sprayer, complete with windguards, elec. end nozzles single tips, auto rate, excellent condition ... $12,500 225 DOW Kello-Bilt Tandem Disc, 28” smooth front & rear blades, 10.5” spacing, oil, bath bearings, as new ........ $60,000 47’ 820 Flexicoil Chisel Plow, 4 bar harrows ......... $67,500 2009 GMC Topkick 20 ft. Grain Truck, automatic, silage gate, air ride suspension,approx. 7,000 kms ...$105,000 New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps available .......... CALL 13 x 70 Farm King Grain Auger, complete with spout, Brehon elec. winch & swing, full bin alarm ....... $10,500 HD 8 x 1600 (53 ft) Sakundiak Grain Auger, 24 HP Onan eng., E-Kay round about mover, clutch & spout .......$4,500 HD 8 x 1600 (53 ft) Sakundiak Grain Auger, no motor ...................................................................$1,250 8” Wheat Heart Transfer Auger, hydraulic drive .......$1,500 New Outback RTK BASE stn.......................................... Call New Outback MAX & STX Guidance & mapping........In Stock New Outback E-Drive, TC’s......................................In Stock New Outback E-Drive X, c/w free E turns.................In Stock New Outback S-Lite guidance ...........**In Stock** $1250 New Outback VSI Steering Wheel Kits .................. In Stock Used Outback E-Drive Hyd. kits .................................. $500 **NuVision (Spray Air) & Meridian-Sakundiak Augers, Outback GPS Systems, EK Auger Movers, Belt Tighteners, Bin Sweeps & Crop Dividers, Kohler, Robin Subaru & Generac Engines, Headsight Harvesting Solutions, Greentronics Sprayer Auto Boom Height, Kello-Bilt Discs**

Call for Local Dealers in Sask., Alta. and B.C.

Central Alberta Machinery Sales & Service Ltd Ken Lendvay 403-550-3313 Red Deer, Alberta e-mail: kflendvay@hotmail.com www.levelwind.com

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted WANTED: MASSEY 36 DISCER, anywhere, will pick up. Call (306)723-4875 or (306)533-3309 WANTED: NH BALE WAGONS & retrievers, any condition. Farm Equipment Finding Service, P.O. Box 1363, Polson, MT 59860. (406)883-2118 We know that farming is enough of a gamble so if you want to sell it fast place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. It’s a Sure Thing. Call our toll-free number today. We have friendly staff ready to help.

1-800-665-1362.

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

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

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

S670/680/690 JD Combine low hrs 4730 JD Sprayer, 100 ft.

854 Rogator SP Sprayer, complete with JD auto steer, swath pro Special 450 CIH Quadtrac with big pump 554 Rogator Sprayer SP 4840 JD 2WD, low hours, new tires

“LIKE MANY BEFORE, WE’LL HAVE YOU SAYING THERE’S NO DEAL LIKE A KEN DEAL” • Phone: (403)330-7847 • Cell: (403)504-4929 • Email: kendeal@shaw.ca

TracTors

REAL ESTATE

TRACTORS Various

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

IHC 885 c/w loader, 3 pth JD 2130 with loader, 3 pth JD 4440 FWA, c/w loader JD 4450 FWA, loader available JD 7130 FWA, with loader 3 pth JD 7600 FWA, 740 loader with 3 pth JD 7800 FWA, with 3 pth JD 7810 FWA, 740 loader Clamp on Duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 FINANCE, TRADES WELCOME 780-696-3527, BRETON, AB

LOOKING FOR EQUIPMENT?

TRY SCAN TO DOWNLOAD THE APP »»

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

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

1-800-665-1362

Watch your profits grow!

Advertise with AFe Classifieds Place your ad today call

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

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

BUYING:

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

“ON FARM PICK UP”

1-877-250-5252

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

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

Green or Heated Canola/Flax

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

TRAILERS Trailers Miscellaneous

www.penta.ca

1-800-587-4711

Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds.

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

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle – Hereford HEREFORD BULLS, YEARLINGS & two year olds, dehorned, & polled, excellent quality, low birth weights suitable for heifers, catalogue online at couleecrest.ca Coulee Crest Herefords, Bowden, AB. (403)227-2259 or (403)588-6160.

LIVESTOCK Cattle Various REGISTERED POLLED HEREFORD & Black Angus 2-yr old bulls, no grain. Double N Ranch, Sundre AB. Call Gerald or Shelley (403)638-2356, www.doublen.ca

ORGANIC ORGANIC Organic – Certified

1-800-665-1362

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Feed Grain

TRAILERS

Combines

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

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

SEED / FEED / GRAIN

The Icynene Insulation System®

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

COMBINES Accessories

18-ACRE LOT FOR SALE. Located in NW Montana. Lincoln County Hwy-56, in the cabinet mountains. Easy access to a private pine wooded paradise with a blue ribbon trout river. 549-ft river frontage, fishing, hunting, kayaking, floating. Build your dream cabin surrounded by mountains! Land is set up for 1 or 2 lots, private financing available. $199,000. Call Mark (507)402-7405.

1-877-641-2798

HAYING & HARVESTING Various FOR SALE-1991 HESSTON 4655 inline square baler-good condition $7000. New holland 1033 square bale retrieving wagon-good condition $4000.

Can be delivered to Edmonton.

(780)285-2009.

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

WANT THE ORGANIC ADVANTAGE? Contact an organic Agrologist at Pro-Cert for information on organic farming: prospects, transition, barriers, benefits, certification & marketing. Call:(306)382-1299, Saskatoon, SK or at info@pro-cert.org

FOR SALE: 2006 PETERBILT 379 hiway tractor; 70-in bunk, moose bumper, very good rubber, 13-spd, 40 rears, 475 ISX, 1.2million kms. Excellent condition. $52,000 OBO. 1997 Lodeking tridem 3 hopper grain trailer with almost new Michaels aluminum augers, VGC. $30,000 OBO. Call:(780)926-0983 or (780)841-2984.

TRAVEL

RURAL & CULTURAL TOURS Italian Villa ~ Oct 2015 Spain & Portugal ~ Nov 2015 European River Cruise ~ Multiple dates Australia/New Zealand ~ Jan 2016 Costa Rica/Panama Canal ~ Jan 2016 Tanzania/Zimbabwe ~ Jan 2016 South America ~ Feb 2016 India ~ 2016 *Portion of tours may be Tax Deductible

Select Holidays 1-800-661-4326

www.selectholidays.com CAREERS CAREERS Help Wanted MUST HAVE FARM EXPERIENCE, mechanically inclined, be able to do any structural repairs to buildings, must be able to run combine, swather, tractor, balers, haybines, farm equipment. Mixed farm. Wages are negotiable depending on experience, potential to make $50,000 plus per year, for the right individual. (204)738-2716.

32

JULY 20, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

No matter what the crop — canola, alfalfa, grass, small grains, lentils, or peas — New Holland H8000 Series Speedrower® windrowers deliver capacity that can’t be matched by any other machine. Not only do you have the power to drive the widest variety of headers, you also get outstanding visibility, comfort, and header control – giving you a SMART choice in the ultimate crop-cutting PLUS machine.

BONANZA BUCKS

PHENOMENAL PHENOMENAL CAPACITY AND IN-FIELD CONTROL. CAPACITY AND No matter what the crop – canola, alfalfa, grass, small grains, lentils, or peas – New Holland H8000 Series Speadrower® windrowers deliver capacity that can’t be matched by any other machine. Not only do you have the power to drive the widest variety of headers, you also get outstanding visibility, comfort, and header control – giving you a SMART choice in the ultimate crop-cutting machine.

IN-FIELD CONTROL.

• 126 hp to an industry-leading 226 hp • Smooth Discbine® headers up to 18’ wide — the widest available • Reliable draper headers from 21’ to 36’ • Proven Haybine® sickle headers — 12’, 14’, 16’ and 18’ • Comfort Ride™ cab suspension for a smooth ride • Optional chassis suspension for ultimate productivity in the field

SWATHER SALE!

• 126 hp to an industry-leading 226 hp

• Smooth Discbine® headers up to 18’ wide – the widest available • Reliable draper headers from 21’ to 36’

• Proven Haybine® sickle headers2010 – 12’, 14’, 16’ and 18’ NEW HOLLAND H8040 • Comfort Ride™ cab suspension for a #W22404A. 246 HRS, AIR smooth ride

2012 NEW HOLLAND H8060

#HW3388A. 508 HRS, #HW3387A. 551 HRS, AIR *For commercial use only. Customer participation subject to credit qualification andSPRING approval SUSPENSION,

by CNH Capital America AIR SPRING SUSPENFULL LLC or CNH Capital Canada Ltd. See your participating New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. Down paySION, FULL CAB W/AC, CAB W/AC, CAB DELUXE ment may be required. Offer good through November 30, 2013. Not all customers or applicants may qualify for this rate or term.

PILOT GUIDANCE, UPGRADE, 36’ HEADER, CNH Capital America LLC or EZEE CNH Capital Canada Ltd. Standard terms and conditions will apply. This transaction will be unconditionally interest free. Canada Example - 0.00% 36’ term HEADER, DOUBLE DOUBLE KNIFE, per annum for a total contract of 36 months: Based on a retail contract date of October 15, 2013, with a suggested retail price on a new T7.170 tractorSINGLE of C$131,116.70 KNIFE, SINGLE UII SWATH TRANScustomer provides down payment of C$26,212.70 and REEL. finances the balance of C$104,904.00 at 0.00% per annum for 36 months. There will bePU 35 REEL, equal monthly installment payments of C$2,914.00 each, the firstHUMBOLDT due on November 15, 2013 and one final installment of C$2,914.00 due on October 15, 2016. The totalPORT amount GAUGE payable will be C$131,116.70, WHEEL which includes finance charges of C$0.00. Taxes, freight, setup, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in suggested retail price. Offer subject to change or PACKAGE. HUMBOLDT

SPRING SUSPENSION,

• Optional chassis suspension ultimate CAB for DELUXE UPGRADE, productivity in the field MOUNTED ROLLER, HB36

95,000

$

26,500

$

DOUBLE KNIFE DRIVE SOLID REEL, FORE/AFT REEL, STORAGE TRANSPORT. HUMBOLDT

2012 NEW HOLLAND H8060

125,000

$

125,000

$

cancellations without notice. © 2013 CNH America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland and CNH Capital are registered trademarks of CNH America LLC.

1998 CASE IH 8825

2005 NEW HOLLAND HW325

#W22108B. 2906 HRS, 30’ SHIFTABLE DRAPER HEADER, GAUGE WHEELS, ROTO SHEARS, KOENDERS MOUNTED ROLLER, DOUBLE KNIFE,DOUBLE SWATH PU REEL. HUMBOLDT

#HN3123B. 1500 HRS, DELUXE CAB UPGRADE, CAB AND REAR AXLE SUSPENSION, HB36 HEADER, GAUGE WHEELS, SINGLE KNIFE DRIVE, UII PICKUP REEL. HUMBOLDT

72,500

$

2011 MASSEY FERGUSON 9430

89,000

$

© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

2012 JOHN DEERE A400

105,000

$

#W22412A. 256 HRS, 480XR38 TIRES AG LUG, 14LX16.1SL FORMED REAR CASTOR, REAR WEIGHT KIT, CUTTING HOURS --ONLY! 185 HRS, 36’ DOUBLE KNIFE DRIVE, UII P/U REEL, SINGLE SPAN, PLASTIC FINGERS, HYD TILT, FORE/AFT, TRANSPORT KIT. KINISTINO.

72,000

$

2006 MASSEY FERGUSON 9420

62,000

$

#PN3020C . 828 HRS, 30’ CENTRE DELIVER DRAPER HEADER, FRONT 18.4R26 FIRESTONE, 30’ PU REEL UII, ELECTRIC FORE/AFT, SWIVEL GAUGE WHEELS, HYD TILT, SINGLE KNIFE, FORKED REAR TIRES,MOUNTED WINCH SWATH ROLLER, 4 CYLINDER CUMMINS DIESEL 110 HP. PRINCE ALBERT.

2007 MASSEY FERGUSON 9430

2002 MACDON 9250

#W22408A . 1102 HRS, 30’ CENTRE DELIVER DRAPER HEADER, UII P/U REEL, HYD TILT AND GAUGE WHEELS, 18.4R26 DRIVE TIRES, 12.5L-15 FORMED CASTORS. KINISTINO.

#W22416A. 1101 HRS, 30’ DRAPER HEADER, 21.5X16.1 AG LUG, 9.5 FORKED BACK CASTOR, 30’ 962 HEADER, MECH DECK SHIFT, SINGLE KNIFE DRIVE. KINISTINO.

58,000

$

2011 MACDON M150

136,000

$

Hwy. #3, Kinistino 306-864-3667 Hwy. #5, Humboldt 306-682-9920 Hwy. #2 S., Prince Albert 306-922-2525 PRECISION FARMING AND DRONE EXPERTS ON STAFF

#W22122B. 844 HRS, 30’ CENTRE DELIVER DRAPER HEADER, WINDSHIELD WIPER, ELECTRIC FORE/ AFT, MECH TILT, UII P/U REEL, HYD DECK SHIFT, CONVERTED TO SCHUMACHER KNIVES, TOPCON STEERING MOTOR, AUTOSTEER, GAUGE WHEELS, REAR WEIGHTS. KINISTINO.

#W22643A. 570 HRS, 2010 D60 HEADER ONLY 407 HRS, HYD SHIFT DECK, ALWAYS SHEDDED. KINISTINO

2011 MASSEY FERGUSON 9435

92,000

$

VISIT

2015 MACDON M155

FARMWORLD.CA

FOR DAILY CASH SPECIALS ON EQUIPMENT, PARTS & MORE!

#W22406A. 270 HRS, 36’ CENTRE DELIVERY DRAPER HEADER, WINCH ROLLER FREE FORM, 480/85R28 FRONT TIRES, REAR FORKED 14L-16.1 SL GOODYEAR, SINGLE KNIFE 36’, 4 REAR WEIGHTS 55KG EACH, GAUGE WHEELS 20X10.00-10NHS, 5 FORWARD LIGHTS 3 REAR LIGHTS, 5200 HEADER. PRINCE ALBERT.

Bi-annual payment

$

WITH D65 35’ HEADER

12,310

(OAC, some restrictions apply)

+ GST