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Harmony Beef opening pushed back Rich Vesta says plans to open last summer were ‘totally unrealistic’ but the venture continues to move forward By Alexis Kienlen af staff

t was supposed to open last summer, but the owner of Harmony Beef says it will be a while yet before his plant starts slaughtering cattle. “Quite honestly, when we started, we were overaggressive in our time frame,” said Rich Vesta, an American businessman and former top executive in the U.S. meat-packing industry. Vesta completed the purchase of the former Rancher’s Beef Plant in Balzac in late 2013, calling the facility world class, but also in need of upgrades to put it on the leading edge of slaughter plants. The new startup date is Sept. 14, he said. “We want to operate as soon as we can, but we want to make sure everything is correct before we operate the plant,” said Vesta. “Our original goal that we set when we bought the plant was totally unrealistic. We could not have complied with our own time frame, regardless of the city or county.” A development permit for the plant’s planned waste water treatment facility has been an issue, even though the proposed system

see HARMONY } page 7

Pest and disease watch for 2015 Some of the usual suspects could be back this year, especially if you are pushing your rotations By Alexis Kienlen af staff

he new growing season is underway, with a combination of old and new challenges and opportunities. Alberta Farmer reporter Alexis Kienlen asked some experts about things that producers should look out for this growing season. Here’s what they had to say:

Plant diseases

It’s difficult for plant pathologists to predict the possibility of diseases, said Kelly Turkington, a plant pathologist with the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centre in Lacombe. “With diseases, you can get a feel for what has developed the previous year or two years previous depending on your rotation, but by and large, it’s really influenced by what happens in the growing season, especially in terms of weather conditions,” said Turkington. It’s much easier to predict potential insect problems, as experts can look at populations and egg counts.

But if plant diseases have been a problem in the past, they will likely continue to be an issue in the future, especially in tighter rotations. Stripe rust is a disease to watch out for this year, especially in central Alberta. “There may be some issues developing earlier than normal in winter wheat,” Turkington said. Stripe rust usually develops in early to mid-June in winter wheat, and in June to July or even later in spring wheat. “In the broad sense, in cereals, I would look at what happened last year, especially if you’re going back into the same field with the same cereal or two years previous if you’re running the typical canola/cereal rotation,” said Turkington. Alternating wheat/barley with canola is a rotation, but it’s not a particularly good rotation because the residue from two years prior remains in the field, contributing inoculum for an epidemic. If you’re out scouting for weeds in lay May or early June, you may observe symptoms of tan spot and septoria in wheat or net blotch and scald in barley.

“You can use that as an indication that you’ve got a risk developing and you may want to come back in later to protect the upper canopy leaves,” said Turkington. Fusarium head blight is another disease that used to be found mainly in southern Alberta, but that is starting to change. “There’s certainly areas in central Alberta that are starting to see an increasing detection of fusarium graminearum in grain or seed samples, which is an indication that the pathogen is starting to build up on infested residues, which are the main source of disease,” he said. This is mainly due to the tighter rotation. To reduce disease pressure, it’s a good idea to have at least two years between cereal crops, and three years or four years between canola crops, to reduce the risk of blackleg.

Clubroot watch

Clubroot is still an issue, so farmers should scout for patches with poorer growth, or where the plants are dying, said Stephen Strelkov, plant pathologist and professor at the University of

Alberta. Patches with poor yield or improper senescense are also suspect. Sclerotinia can also be the culprit, so if producers want to make sure they’re dealing with clubroot, they should pull out the roots to check for galls and root malformations. “Even if you’re growing a clubroot-resistant variety of canola, you should still look, given that there are some new strains that can overcome the resistance,” said Strelkov. He encouraged producers who are growing resistant varieties to watch for the disease, so experts can be made aware of the extent of resistance breakdown and new strains of the pathogen. “Try to mitigate the spread by preventing unnecessary movement of infested soil, and working infected fields last,” he said. If possible, producers should also sanitize their equipment and vehicles or at least try to remove the biggest chunks of soil, to minimize the spread of the inoculum on machinery. Anyone who finds clubroot in their field can phone their county

see PESTS } page 6

DEAL IN PERIL: Chicken allocation plan challenged } PAGE 33

news » inside this week

inside » THAT’S DEDICATION Mother-daughter duo an Aggie Days institution

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

livestock

crops

HERE’S THE PROOF

KEEP AN EYE PEELED

columNists Laura Rance AgriStability ain’t what it used to be

brenda schoepp Companies jump when consumers unhappy

ON THE MOVE Officials need help to halt earthworm invasion

Feedlots respond to concerns about animal care

Alarms raised about overwintering stripe rust

Carol Shwetz Have a game plan in case of colic

Patents boost Alberta biogas company’s plans for expansion Himark BioGas can now let potential clients independently assess the engineering of its leading-edge technology By Tony Kryzanowski AF contributor

t’s been in the works for about a decade, but North American and international patents have been issued to Alberta-based Himark BioGas International for its unique biogas production technology. It’s a major step for the company, which was created to find a way to use manure from Highland Feeders as a biogas feedstock. “It’s part of our strategy to protect the core intellectual property that makes our system work better than anybody else’s,” said Trevor Nickel, Himark’s general manager. “We’ve been very careful to try to broadly protect our patents as much as possible.” Himark has refined and commercialized technology initially developed by a consortium of feedlots and the Alberta Research Council. In addition to a biogas and ethanol production facility located next to the feedlot at Hairy Hill, its technology is also in use at one of the world’s largest biogas plants in Oakley, Kansas. Turning feedlot manure into biogas is a tricky process because it is laden with sand and other solids. The two patents are for technology that addresses those issues — one is for a High Solids Infeed System (HiSIS) for handling and processing mixed waste, and the other for a Clean Slate anaerobic tank grit removal system. Patenting the technology means the company can now more openly show potential customers “how our system ticks,” said Nickel. Potential customers will be able to independently assess the engineering of the system, which will give them the confidence that the system works as advertised. That, in turn, will also make it easier for clients to get financing. Himark is targeting customers south of the border, added Nickel. “We have had very good success marketing our technology into the United States,” he said. “There is a high demand for it, and there are a number of programs that have made anaerobic digestion uptake faster and easier in the States.” Biogas is used to generate electricity and Himark is currently building three projects in the one-half- to one-megawatt range for NEO Energy in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In this case, it is using food waste and agricultural byproducts as the raw material, converting it to biogas and organic fertilizer byproducts. (The Hairy Hill facility also

Open-pen feedlot manure is collected from Highland Feeders for use in anaerobic digesters to produce biogas at the neighbouring Hairy Hill facility. PhotoS: Tony Kryzanowski

Solids in open-pen feedlot manure interfere with the digestion process and cause buildup in the digestion tanks. Himark BioGas has been awarded patents for two technologies that address these challenges.

A third biodigester is currently under construction at the Hairy Hill facility.

now runs largely on organic waste from Edmonton and surrounding municipalities.) But Himark also has a number of projects on the front burner to use feedlot manure as the main feedstock, said Nickel. “We’re definitely the world leader in dealing with open-pen feedlot manure,” he said. When Himark first started refining the technology about 10 years ago, it discov-

ered many biogas production challenges and in some cases, anaerobic digester failures, when feeding feedlot manure into digester tanks. The HiSIS system removes solid and indigestible material such as sand, rocks, plastic and metal which can interfere with mechanical, chemical, and biological processes in the anaerobic digester. The Clean Slate technology takes the matter of handling solids a step further. It removes indigestible solids and inorganic

foreign objects which settle on the tank floor during the production of methanerich biogas. This allows continuous production without the expensive and inconvenient need to shut down the anaerobic digestion tanks and clean them out. In addition to the U.S., Himark has identified several high-priority markets for its technology, said Nickel, adding it looks for growing economies where there are poorly developed waste management systems.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Flood simulation model promises a big payback Insurers won’t issue flood insurance until they have a better way to calculate risks — and the flood simulation model does that By Dianne Finstad af contributor

griculture is leading the charge into research which could ultimately mean flood insurance being available for all Albertans. As the massive flooding of 2013 highlighted, there is no insurance for such disasters. In fact, Canada is the only one of the G-8 nations without such coverage. ‘Why not?’ is the question that always arises when flooding hits. A big part of the problem is insurance companies in Canada don’t have solid numbers to assess the risk of flooding and so they can’t set a premium rate, said Rick McConnell, a Lacombe-based agricultural insurance consultant. “If we could show this system works for rural areas, it could also apply to urban settings, and help convince international reinsurance companies to get involved... It could take away the excuses insurance companies use to opt out of flood insurance.” The system is a new simulation model designed to predict the effects of flooding and drought. And thanks to $1.3 million in Growing Forward 2 federal funding, the Alberta Federation of Agriculture has commissioned a three-year pilot project aimed at quantifying water movement patterns in the province. “Water-related risks can be catastrophic for the agriculture sector, whether from flooding, excess moisture or drought,” association president Lynn Jacobsen noted at the announcement of the project last month. Computer simulation models have been done on water flow in the past, but only in bits and pieces for smaller regions — none of it large enough or comprehensive enough to satisfy risk evaluation needs. Doing so involves collecting and plugging in an enormous amount of information, and using a whole lot of computer power. But once a tested model is built, it could be applied in other fields. So under the guidance of McConnell and Ontario’s Aquanty, the research has begun. Waterloo-based Aquanty has one of the world’s leading hydrology models, and the necessary computer resources.

The chopper landed on the highway, adjacent to the flooded farm, on Highway 549, at Millarville in southern Alberta. Photos: Wendy Dudley Making the case

Because of its variability and scope, the South Saskatchewan River basin was chosen as the best place to start. The process will involve running data for the last 20 years through the hydrologic computer simulation model to assess the risk of water-related events. Factors such as elevations, land contours, soils, rainfall, and snowmelt will all be plugged into the mathematical equations for flow. “Then the model could be tested on certain things in history,” said McConnell. “We could tell if a quarter section of land was too wet to seed, and then compare it to crop insurance claims.” Once they have enough of those past cases, they could then go to reinsurers (companies that offer insurance to insurers to mitigate risk) and “demonstrate the predictability of the past” — namely, that the system would have accurately predicted flood and drought situations if it had been around earlier. “Then we could start looking at 2016, and use soil probes, satellite imagery, and crop conditions to check the model’s water movement estimates for the present,” said McConnell. “That would support the model’s predictions for the future. Assessing climate change could also be built in.” The beauty of such a model, once it’s built and tested, is that it can also show the impact of flood mitigation efforts, ‘testing’ them without hav-

ing to turn a shovel. It could project contamination patterns from an oil or gas spill, because those flow along with the water. It could also be used for irrigation planning or assessing fisheries habitat. Insurance companies are paying attention to the project. The Alberta Federation of Agriculture has also had major interest from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, both provinces having seen major excess water and flood damage in the last few years. “We’ve been working on getting this going for a full year,” said Jacobsen. “We’re glad to see it move forward because it will have tremendous value for farmers… (and) will generate benefits to a broad segment of society.”

A woman is airlifted by helicopter, equipped with a cable and harness, from her flooded farm in Millarville in southern Alberta. She was stranded in the submerged tractor, as swollen waters from nearby Three Point Creek overtook the farm.

Lynn Jacobsen

Photograph of model is for illustrative purposes only.

BAD INVESTMENTS AREN’T ALWAYS THIS OBVIOUS. The Alberta Securities Commission is here to help you protect your financial future. We can provide you with questions to ask to help ensure that an investment is right for you, and show you how to identify “red flags” that could indicate investment fraud – and much more.

Emergency trucks and a helicopter arrive at a flooded farm at Millarville, in southern Alberta, to airlift a couple stranded in their tractor by the rising waters.

“We’re glad to see it move forward because it will have tremendous value for farmers.”

MAY 11, 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

The next AgriStability revamp needs to be watched closely

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

CIRCULATION manager Heather Anderson Email: heather@fbcpublishing.com

Farmers suffering catastrophic losses through an environmental disaster need protection — but also a workable program

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By Laura Rance

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

Manitoba Co-operator editor

hanges to AgriStability three years ago that were designed to limit the exposure of federal and provincial coffers appear to have been more successful than politicians and bureaucrats ever imagined. The changes implemented for 2013 reduce the potential for a payment as well as the potential size of payment. It now appears the number of farmers who even bother to participate is dropping too. Federal statistics show the number of participants in AgriStability dropped about 10 per cent between 2012 and 2013, the year when the program transitioned to Growing Forward 2. Enrolment statistics for 2014 weren’t available. Informal surveys of Manitoba farmers at the Keystone Agricultural Producers general council suggest the dropout rate could be in the order of 20 per cent. Now that’s a successful farm program — if you are in the business of limiting the risk of a payout. Gosh, at that rate, there may soon be no need for a Growing Forward program at all. But if you are in the business of stabilizing farm incomes — assuming that farm incomes require stabilizing — perhaps it’s not so good. That’s a two-sided issue and one farm leaders must consider carefully as they develop their positions going into upcoming consultations on a Growing Forward 3. Firstly, governments in Canada have historically been in the business of stabilizing farm incomes through established programs that transfer cash into farmers’ hands when the going gets tough. In the past, that has also included ad hoc trans-

fers when unexpected price or production shocks occur. The Agricultural Stabilization Act of 1958 was the first. It was fully funded by the federal government and paid farmers 90 per cent of a three-year moving average on grain and livestock commodities. Then came Western Grains Stabilization Account (WGSA), which would win the prize for efficiency; an office of two managers and a couple of support staff pumped as much as $800 million into the western farm economy in any given year. There was also LIFT, FIPA, TPS, SCGP, GRIP, NISA, AIDA, CAIS — all of which became progressively more administratively complicated, labour intensive and difficult for producers to figure out — but all of which were pretty successful in transferring significant funds into farmers’ hands. 2012 was a turning point. The changes to Growing Forward 2 are a signal that both government capacity and its willingness to backstop farmers is more limited. The data in the federal government’s 2015 Canadian Agricultural Outlook released last month would suggest that as a sector, the general assumption that farm incomes need stabilizing is up for discussion.

Here are some key points:

• Growing strength in the cattle and hog industry, strong crop sales, and relatively stable input costs produced a record farm income in 2014 and will continue to sustain the agricultural economy in 2015. • Aggregate net cash income for 2014 is expected to reach $14 billion, 10 per cent above the 2013 record. • Farm-level average net operating income is forecast to be $78,139, also an all-time high.

• Average net worth per farm is expected to set new records of $2 million in 2014 and $2.1 million in 2015. • For 2015, the preliminary forecast suggests that farm incomes will be down moderately, but remain historically high at $13 billion. • Average total income of farm families, which includes the family’s share of net operating income from the farm and other family income, is projected to reach $131,595 in 2014 and $134,931 in 2015. That last point means farmers’ income is on par with airline pilots and engineers. It’s a little less than that of dentists and lawyers, but almost double the Canadian median family income of about $76,000. In light of these statistics, it would seem that farmers are increasingly capable of insuring themselves against business risk, especially if they are diversified. On one hand, it appears that being specialized and large makes it more likely a farm operator would qualify for AgriStability payments, but that raises another question: Is the ability to qualify for a payment the hallmark of a healthy farm operation? Likewise, is the decision by farmers to insure themselves through prudent management of their own resources such a bad thing? It may reduce their appetite for debt, but that may also take some of the pressure off land prices and other costs. There continues to be a role for government in supporting farmers. But perhaps the focus of this round of Growing Forward should be on making programs such as AgriRecovery — a program that should be there for farmers suffering catastrophic losses through an environmental disaster — more workable. laura@fbcpublishing.com

Canada’s wheat yield gains compare well to world Despite claims to the contrary, the rate of yield gain for Prairie wheat is not low compared to other regions By Dave Yanko Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission newsletter

here have been opinions expressed in the media claiming the rate of yield gain for wheat in Western Canada is low compared to that of the rest of the world. However, a survey of the data suggests that’s not the case. Rob Graf, a wheat breeder with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre, says the annual rate of yield gain for CWRS is 1.4 per cent since 1991. The worldwide data for wheat shows a mean annual gain of 1.16 per cent. “It may not sound like much, but on average, we’re advancing faster than the rest of the world,” says Graf, who co-authored a recent study with Julian Thomas of the Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg. “Canada compared quite favourably,” says Graf.

The Thomas and Graf study used information from the Manitoba Management Plus Program, which collects yield data from Manitoba producers and data from Statistics Canada. Figures for the comparisons reflected on-farm yields, which include the impact of new varieties and improved agronomic practices. World figures came from a host of yield studies from various countries. The results are similar to an unpublished study by Graf that used Statistics Canada data to compare yield gains for spring wheat and canola across the Prairies. That study found an annual rate of yield gain of 1.33 per cent for wheat for the same time period. Overall, spring wheat yields increased 32 per cent, while canola yields increased by 47 per cent. Taking a closer look at the data, from 2000 to 2012, the overall wheat and canola yield gains were 42 per

cent and 36 per cent, respectively. Graf says that the increase for canola was higher than wheat in Saskatchewan and Alberta, but not in Manitoba. He says that this shows excellent progress for both crops. Yield gains for wheat were achieved with investments of $25 million annually versus approximately $80 million for canola. Whether comparing wheat yield growth in Western Canada to the rest of the world, or to canola, Graf says one thing is certain. “With the Food and Agriculture Organization projecting that world population will increase to nine billion people by 2050, there’s no doubt we’re going to have to produce more food than we’ve ever had to produce before.” Good progress has — and continues — to be made, he says. Elimination of kernel visual distinguishability (KVD) means promising new wheat varieties no

longer must meet the constraints of kernel size and shape to be registered. And breeding programs in Western Canada have had good success in developing high-yield varieties, including several with resistance to wheat midge and fusarium head blight. But in order for producers to achieve the kinds of yields required to feed a growing world population, says Graf, more investment is required. He says the “PPP” model of research investment, where public, producer and private funds are leveraged to provide maximum impact, is getting a lot of attention. “I think the challenge ahead of us is to come up with a “made-inCanada” solution where we can build on the strengths of both the public system and the private sector. And we need to do that in a way that also makes sure that producers are involved and that their best interests continue to be met.”

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Things have changed in the boardroom of big corporations Consumers are voting with their wallets, and big companies understand they need to move quickly when issues arise By Brenda Schoepp af columnist

here are farm, environmental and consumer groups that advocate the elimination of the corporate agenda. They say corporations drive the family farm to ruin, destroy the air that we breathe, and force consumerism at the expense of human rights. In Canada, 98 per cent of farms are family farms and of the 200,000 farms in the nation, very few are corporate in design. If they are, it is to take an advantage that allows for better taxation and extensive intergenerational participation. From an environmentalist perspective, corporations are seen as companies that continually pollute, keep secret their activities while safeguarding themselves behind barriers. I have seen this “on-guard” structure employed worldwide from heavy metal fabricating to food processing. As the transparency of the world unfolds, we learn that there are no easy answers and always space for improvement. As a consumer, our participation is measured through GDP or the amount we spend on

goods and services produced. To produce something or to sell a service requires a consumer to buy it. Do we need all that we can buy? No, but our buying supports the manufacture of it and that is a measure of the financial spine of a nation. Agri-food manufacturing is a top player in Canada, bigger than auto manufacturing in terms of GDP and employment. Interestingly, 80 per cent of all agri-food manufacturing is done by small- and mediumsize enterprises, but it is the huge corporates that seem to attract attention. Although we once saw them as stand-alone giants, impermeable and stoic in response, we know now that they are very vulnerable to consumer backlash and can be hailed out like any other food enterprise. When Kellogg announced closing its plant in Ontario due to high costs, most felt it was more like the outcome of unresponsiveness to consumer demands. After 80 years in Canada the cereal manufacturer failed to respond to demand for less sugar in breakfast cereal and the cost was bitter for the company and the 500 workers employed there. This year, Hershey announced

it will make candy without high fructose and gluten. This will put it in the enviable position of producing good-for-you candy, the first step in a food journey we have talked about in this column before, such as nutrient add-ons to chocolate and other favourite snacks. These shifts in response to consumer preferences do not occur overnight. The CEO and the board have to determine if it is a fad or a forever shift and then have the whole team working toward a favourable outcome. A&W based its production and marketing on extensive consumer engagement and the entire company went in one direction. More than one board has replaced a CEO or chair because of a disconnect or disrespect to the client (think Lululemon) and this is an indication that corporations now recognize they must be as transparent as packaging film in this day and age. Corporations also exercise extensive political power. In the past they have made an effort to appear apolitical but now that has changed and they are making statements in favour of the consumer — and their shareholders.

Discriminatory legislation, such as we experienced in Canada with changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program prompted many companies to openly criticize government. In the U.S. the openly discriminative state legislation that allowed businesses to refuse service on the basis of religion, sexual orientation and gender garnered swift investment retraction by corporations and massive opposition. The message is clear: Corporations are transparent and answer to investors, a board and their customer. They are no longer afraid to create the backlash required to right the regulatory wrongs. And the mistakes they have made in the past — by refusing to label food with GMO product, for example, — will quickly become their personal nightmare. That is why those companies on the leading edge go to solutions early in the game and market accordingly. At a deeper level, all people were born “persons” and this most certainly is well established in North American law. To retreat to exclusion is to go back 500 years. If we

really care about what we eat and what we wear as a society then the inclusion of human rights and environment will be part of corporate discloser. Once seen as the foe of the farmer and the people, corporations are now starting to use their power to protect those who produce the raw product they need. The days of getting it all for nothing and the enslavement of nations is slowly vaporizing as consumers through technology now have a window to the corporate world. Although corporations seem large and unapproachable, every person has a strong vote with their purchasing dollar. That’s about as sensitive a place that consumers can hit and corporations are sure to respond. As they step out of the protective door of the political closet and onto the interactive global stage, corporations can be strong advocates for farmers and their communities. 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 2014

Why people continue to oppose GMOs Concerns about GMOs resonate with human intuitions about meddling with nature Ghent University release

team of Belgian philosophers and plant biotechnologists has turned to cognitive science to explain why opposition to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has become so widespread, despite positive contributions GM crops have made to sustainable agriculture. In a paper published April 10 in Trends in Plant Science, they argue that the human mind is highly susceptible to the negative and often emotional representations put out by certain environmental groups and other opponents of GMOs. The researchers urge the general public to form opinions on GMOs on a case-by-case basis, thereby not focusing on the technology, but on the resulting product. “The popularity and typical features of the opposition to GMOs can be explained in terms of underlying cognitive processes. Anti-GMO messages strongly appeal to particular intuitions and emotions,” says lead author Stefaan Blancke, a philosopher with the Ghent University department of philosophy and moral sciences.

“Negative representations of GMOs — for instance, like claims that GMOs cause diseases and contaminate the environment — tap into our feelings of disgust and this sticks to the mind. These emotions are very difficult to counter, in particular because the science of GMOs is complex to communicate.” Examples of anti-GMO sentiment are present around the world — from the suspension of an approved genetically modified eggplant in India to the strict regulations on GM crops in Europe. Contributing to this public opposition, the researchers suspect, is a lack of scientific understanding of genetics (not even half of the respondents in a U.S. survey rejected the claim that a fish gene introduced into a tomato would give it a fishy taste) as well as moral objections to scientists “playing God.” “Anti-GMO arguments tap into our intuitions that all organisms have an unobservable immutable core, an essence, and that things in the natural world exist or happen for a purpose,” Blancke said. “This reasoning of course conflicts with evolutionary theory — the

idea that in evolution one species can change into another. It also makes us very susceptible to the idea that nature is a force that has a purpose or even intentions that we shouldn’t meddle with.” While religious beliefs, particularly those that hold a romantic view of nature, have been accused of generating some of the negativity around GMOs, Blancke and his co-authors argue that there’s more to the story. Using ideas from the cognitive sciences, evolutionary psychology, and cultural attraction theory, they propose that it is more a matter of messages competing for attention — in which environmental groups are simply much better at influencing people’s gut feelings about GMOs than the scientific community. “For a very long time people have only been hearing one side,” Blancke said. “Scientists aren’t generally involved with the public understanding of GMOs, not to mention the science of GMOs is highly counterintuitive and therefore difficult to convey to a lay audience — so they have been at a disadvantage from the start.” The researchers believe that understanding why people are

Survey respondents didn’t reject a claim that inserting a fish gene into a tomato would give it a fishy taste. Photo: Thinkstock against GMOs is the first step toward identifying ways to counteract negative messages. Blancke and co-author Geert De Jaeger, a plant biotechnologist, started in their community by developing a public lecture to dispel myths about GMOs. They urge others

to build science education programs that can help balance out anti-GMO campaigns. “We want to bring the two sides more together,” Blancke says. “You cannot say every GMO is bad. You have to look at each case separately to make a judgment.”

Off the front

May 11, 2015 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

PESTS } from page 1 fieldman, their local agronomist, an agronomist at the Canola Council or Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Clubroot is most commonly found at the entrance of fields, but it’s also worth it to keep an eye on low-lying, moist areas. Producers who live in areas where clubroot has already been found should be on the lookout, since there’s a bigger chance that clubroot could move onto their particular field. Hot spots in the province include the Edmonton area, and central Alberta. “It’s not very well established in southern Alberta, but there is a significant amount of cases around Red Deer,” he said.

The insect situation

The grasshopper situation this year could be a little confusing. “Basically, we’re seeing lower numbers this year, but we’re seeing an increase in southern Alberta, where the numbers have been extremely low for a long time,” said Scott Meers, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. There’s a higher risk for grasshoppers in southern Alberta than in previous years, but producers don’t need to sound alarm bells yet. The forecast for wheat midge is showing that the main risk this year will be in central Alberta, east of Edmonton and all the way to the Saskatchewan border. The other hot spot could be irrigated wheat around Bow Island in southern Alberta. Producers can expect fewer troubles with bertha army worm. “If we have trouble, it will be west of Highway 2 in central Alberta,” said Meers.

Matt Gosling. photos: supplied The threat of wheat stem sawfly is quite low as well, as there have been low numbers in the surveys the past few years. Cabbage seed pod weevil and pea leaf weevil could be problematic in southern Alberta. “If you’re in southern Alberta, you’ll be wanting to scout for cabbage seed pod weevil specifically,” said Meers. A drier, warmer start to the season is favourable for lygus bugs, so producers should be on the lookout. Pests that can impact the emergence of crops include flea beetles and cutworms. “We don’t think flea beetles will be extreme, but we’ve already had some reports of cutworm activity in southern Alberta, so that’s something we need to be watching for again,” said Meers, who tweets as @ABBugCounter. “There’s always something that surprises us, so keep your ear to the ground, check our website and follow us on Twitter,” he said.

Some general agronomy tips

Agronomist Matt Gosling and his team did a lot of soil testing last

Steve Strelkov. year, and thinks the current moisture situation is fantastic. “The last few weeks of warm, windy weather has dried off the surface and has presented us with some good growing conditions. I think we’ve got a good situation here to have a really effective preseed burn-off season,” said Gosling, owner of Premium Ag out of Strathmore. The past few years, Gosling has seen problems with pea leaf weevils in certain areas. “The one thing that has been a little more frequent, but completely random, is the cutworm situation on canola,” he said. It’s difficult to scout for cutworms, so Gosling encourages growers to look for the bugs out on higher, drier fields with a southsloped exposure. “If you see any activity, you’ll have to do a better job and get out there more frequently,” he said. Gosling said that he’s heard a lot of talk during the conference circuit about spreading fertilizer, mainly straight nitrogen, in front of planters, before seeding. “This is something that we’ve

Kelly Turkington.

been doing for over eight seasons,” he said. “If it’s done properly, it’s quite effective.” Gosling takes a lot of the product out of the seed drill and puts it in front of the seeding operation. Nitrogen stabilizing products that cause urea to stay for about 14 days, also seem to be getting a warmer reception. Shallow-banded urea has just as much loss potential as surfacespread urea does, said Gosling. “Putting a stabilizer on urea that is going to be spread is a really economical course of insurance,” he said. “There’s lots of hype in the industry about that, so we’re going to be watching what we’re doing and documenting and measuring it,” he said. Gosling said his team will also be doing various trials with urea, ESN and other products to measure losses. Some of the articles have indicated that putting Agrotain on urea that is going through a drill might also be a good idea, said Gosling.

“Basically, we’re seeing lower numbers this year, but we’re seeing an increase in southern Alberta, where the numbers have been extremely low for a long time.” Scott Meers

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Albertafarmexpress.ca • May 11, 2015

HARMONY } from page 1 will reduce water consumption by 90 per cent and will recycle and purify water used at the site. “We’re just waiting to get all our ducks in a row so we can apply for a development permit to put the equipment in a building that is about 64,000 square feet,” he said. In November, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, wrote to the Rocky View County’s reeve, expressing concern over the waste water treatment plant and the slaughterhouse. Nenshi wrote that Northeast Calgary and east Balzac have radically changed since the slaughterhouse was approved and built in 2004 (it closed in 2007 after just 14 months in operation). In his letter, Nenshi said there has been no independent analysis on how the operations of the slaughterhouse and the treatment plant will impact air quality and the environment.

“We want to make sure everything is correct before we operate the plant.”

Three tools to stretch your fertilizer dollar Soil testing is key but there are also two free online tools to better gauge your fertilizer requirements Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development release

n Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development specialist is recommending three tools he says can be a big help with controlling fertilizer costs. “Soil testing is one of three tools you can use to make your fertilizer dollar stretch further,” said Harry Brook, a crop specialist with ARD in Stettler. “The other two tools in the box are the Nutrient Use Calculator and the AFFIRM fertilizer program, both available free from ARD. Fertilizer costs are one of the most expensive inputs for annual crops. Shouldn’t you do everything within your power to improve your bottom line?” A sound management decision on what to spend on fertilizer needs good information, said Brook. “A soil test, in the spring,

can give you a good understanding of the average level of nutrients in your field. It’s important to get a good, representative sample to accurately predict the average supply of macronutrients in the soil. This means multiple samples taken from the field in different locations and mixed together. The sample sent to the labs is taken from this larger, mixed sample.” Any farm commodity sold off the farm is composed of nutrients that are exported. A big crop of canola or wheat removes a lot of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur as well as small amounts of trace minerals. “Knowing how much goes into a crop can be used as a guideline to decide how much fertilizer you’ll need to provide to get your target yield of a crop this year. The Grains, Forage and Straw Nutrient Use Calculator on ARD’s website easily gives you that information,

breaking down nutrients for the straw and the grain. You fill in the expected yield and it will give you the macronutrient use in that crop. If your crop takes out 100 pounds/acre of nitrogen and you’re only putting 60 pounds on, then the rest is coming from the organic matter in the soil and will have to be replaced some time.” The AFFIRM software program is also on the ARD website under Decision Making Tools. “It’s a free download where you put in the soil test results, last year’s crop and yield, this year’s crop and expected yield, and it generates a soil fertilizer recommendation. It also allows you to adjust the moisture conditions, fertilizer budget and minimum return expected per dollar spent on fertilizer, and then generates a nutrient blend that meets those conditions. “Combine the soil test, the Grains, Forage and Straw

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“Fertilizer costs are one of the most expensive inputs for annual crops. Shouldn’t you do everything within your power to improve your bottom line?”

Harry Brook

Nutrient Use Calculator and AFFIRM together to help make the wisest fertilizer decisions and get the biggest bang for your fertilizer investment,” adds Brook. “You’ll be glad you did.” For more information on fertilizer costs call the Ag-Info Centre at 301-FARM (3276).

Rich Vesta

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“We certainly are sensitive to their questions and we think we’ve tried to answer most of those,” said Vesta. “We’ve invited the mayor to come and visit us. We’ve had some of the other people from Calgary, but not him. I think it really stems from a lack of understanding about our project and how we conduct our business. Whenever we’ve had a chance to explain things to people and walk them through our plant and our technology, we are usually met with agreement.” Neither Nenshi or Rocky View Reeve Margaret Bahcheli responded to repeated interview requests from Alberta Farmer. Vesta said he expects to get a permit for the waste water treatment plant soon and begin construction of the building that will house it. The slaughter plant itself already has the permits it needs, he said. He also said residents of nearby communities shouldn’t be concerned. “We’re always anxious to tell our story and to show people what our project is about,” said Vesta. “We take our involvement in any community seriously. We never want to have a degrading effect on any community that we operate in. We never have and we never will.” akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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Assure® II herbicide. Add some muscle to your weed control. Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit AssureII.DuPont.ca Rich Vesta, owner of Harmony Beef. The plant was supposed to open its doors in January 2015, but the project has run into numerous delays.

As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Assure® II are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. All other products mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies. Member of CropLife Canada. ©Copyright 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Scorecard lets you put your pastures to the test The scorecard is a simple way to see if a pasture needs to be rejuvenated Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development release

ighly productive pastures are the biggest key to high profitability of most beef, and other grazing ruminant operations. The Alberta Tame Pasture Scorecard is a quick and easy way of doing a pasture assessment. “Determining if pastures are functioning at the desired potential can be determined quite easily,” said Grant Lastiwka, a provincial forage and livestock business specialist. “Pasture

assessments will help producers decide if a pasture needs to be rejuvenated and if so, how best to rejuvenate it.” Pasture assessments look at key indicators to measure pasture productivity and vigour. Indicators such as plant population, density, vigour, ground cover, soil damage, and severity and uniformity of use are assessed. The scorecard uses farm level indicators and descriptions to describe pasture health and productivity, and is designed to be simple and straightforward to use. “Assessments size up the condition of the pasture and iden-

tify strengths and weaknesses so management can be targeted to produce specific results,” said Lastiwka. “Regular pasture assessments along with pasture use records can be used to optimize forage production and evaluate the sustainability of pasture management systems.” Pastures should be assessed at least once a year during the growing season — more frequently if they are more intensively managed. Once problems are identified, a rejuvenation method can be selected to fix the problems. “In spring, one of the most effective rejuvenation tech-

niques is to delay the onset of grazing until after the plant (is at) the 3-1/2-leaf stage or longer,” says Lastiwka. “This gives plants time during a very active growth period for recovering vigour that was lost from overwintering and also if overgrazing occurred in the previous year. With renewed vigour plants will produce more forage and their deeper root system will access more soil nutrients. These healthy plants are also more drought tolerant.” The Tame Pasture Scorecard can be found at www.agriculture. alberta.ca (type ‘pasture scorecard’ in the search box).

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Photo: Thinkstock

Albertafarmexpress.ca • May 11, 2015

New working group gears up to get answers about habitat conservation Maintaining habitat is also important for pollinators and parasitoids that prey on crop pests By Alexis Kienlen af staff

hen you cut down your shelterbelt or take out a windrow, you might not think about the effect it has on the beneficial species living on your farmland. A new working group, unofficially known as the Habitat Working Group, is gearing up to inform producers about the

changes they can make to conserve habitat for birds, pollinators and other beneficial insects. “Habitat loss is caused by farm consolidation and wetland drainage, as well as taking new land into production,” said Greg Sekulic, a Peace Region-based agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada and a member of the Habitat Working Group. “Farm consolidation, which involves taking out fencerows

between previously existing fields, is a huge thing in southern Saskatchewan. And GPS-based drainage programs can take out seasonal wetlands that are repositories of biodiversity,” he said. Wooded tree areas, windrows and shelterbelts are disappearing as drainage becomes more efficient, resulting in a huge loss of habitat. Discussion about these issues inspired a group of concerned industry representatives to

form the Habitat Working Group at last year’s Pollinators and Agriculture symposium in Saskatoon. Group members include Ducks Unlimited Canada, Pulse Canada, CropLife Canada, the Pollinator Partnership and the Canadian Fertilizer Institute. The industry-led national working group is focused on finding and disseminating data on habitat conservation and how it impacts beneficial species. Instead of one group leading the charge, the working group is pooling resources and working with other commodity groups to spread the word and influence necessary research and extension. “One thing we want to do is find out exactly what habitat is required and what types of plant species are required to be hospitable to beneficial insects in crops,” said Sekulic. When the group met this April, it shared literature and resources, and it will be pushing to have research done to quantify the benefits of habitat conservation to the ecosystem and to an individual operation on a per-acre basis. The group is also looking into research on the importance of creating beetle buffers, and maintaining beneficial carabid beetles on the landscape. The working group will be disseminating this information to various commodity groups. An extra day has been added to the Canola Discovery Forum, to be held in Canmore in October, for a special research workshop with agronomists, ecologists and entomologists to discuss studies on yield and ecological benefits of maintaining habitat.

What producers can do right now

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“Producers should really be thinking about maintaining their critical biodiversity on their farmscape, because these things are hugely important on a landscape level. Farmers sometimes underestimate what their impact is on landscape diversity. Taking out a couple of low spots doesn’t seem like much, until you aggregate what is happening all across Western Canada. We really want guys to be cognizant of that,” said Sekulic. Maintaining habitat beside cropland can have a benefit for crop yields. Many of the sustainable agriculture certification initiatives feature an emphasis on conserving habitat and landscape biodiversity.

“Farmers sometimes underestimate what their impact is on landscape diversity. Taking out a couple of low spots doesn’t seem like much, until you aggregate what is happening all across Western Canada. We really want guys to be cognizant of that.” Greg Sekulic

Producers can do many small things to conserve habitat. Canola produces nectar and pollen in July, but there aren’t a lot of other nectar-bearing sources in Western Canada during the rest of the growing season. Many parasitic wasps that feed on pest species require flowering plants to complete their life cycle. Sekulic recommends that producers skip the second herbicide pass to leave a few kilograms per acre of flowering and native weed biomass out in the crop — not enough to affect yield, but enough to help beneficial insects complete their life cycle. All of the group members will be advocating against the prophylactic use of insecticide. When a producer sprays an unnecessary product into a wheat or canola crop, they could be killing the beneficial parasitoids that preyed on the pests that infested last year’s crop. The field across the road will then miss out on some valuable parasitic species. Keeping trees and wet areas in the landscape can preserve water receptacles. Shelterbelts and tree bluffs slow down wind and let snow pile up, keeping moisture on the landscape. “If you’re taking out a tree bluff that is in the way, consider relocating it instead of eliminating it entirely, so you give species a chance to complete their life cycles,” said Sekulic. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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Canola Council of Canada agronomist Greg Sekulic is a member of the new habitat conservation group that is working to research and spread the message about habitat conservation. Photo: supplied

NEWS » Markets

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Food fight over GM labelling Backers of mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods have launched a campaign aimed at turning back food company lobbying against labelling, and the first target is PepsiCo. The move comes as U.S. lawmakers are eyeing federal legislation that would nullify mandatory state labelling laws. PepsiCo is one of many food and ag companies supporting the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015” that would take labelling power away from states. Just Label It, a consortium representing more than 700 corporations and non-profit groups, said it will target several companies starting with PepsiCo’s Quaker Oats brand. — Reuters

Chipotle Mexican Grill says no to GMOs Chipotle Mexican Grill says the 46 ingredients used in its 1,800 restaurants are now free of genetically modified organisms. It’s the first major U.S. restaurant chain to make the switch, part of a bid to cater to consumers, particularly the sought-after millennial generation, seeking fresh foods that are less processed and more natural or organic. Part of that trend includes GMO-free foods. GMO advocates say producing GMO-free foods is more expensive, but Chipotle said its move did not result in significantly higher ingredient costs, and it did not raise prices. Last year, General Mills removed GMO ingredients from its original Cheerios. — Reuters

Canola, soy poised to become ‘weather’ markets The U.S. avian flu outbreak could cut feed demand By Terryn Shiells

he ICE Futures Canada canola market had an up-and-down week, with very quiet activity some days. Overall, prices were down compared to the week prior due to weakness in outside oilseed markets. Strength seen in the Canadian currency earlier in the week was also a bearish force for canola, though it started to lose some of its value against the U.S. dollar later in the week. Overall, canola futures are still stuck in their choppy spring trading pattern, waiting to break out once the 2015-16 Canadian canola crop is more established. The outlook for the 2015-16 crop became a bit clearer after Statistics Canada pegged area at 19.4 million acres in its April 23 report. Some industry members believe acres need to reach at least 20 million to meet demand. General expectations still call for higher acreage compared to the StatsCan estimate. Traders are starting to focus more on spring seeding conditions in North America, as soybean planting is now underway in the U.S. Farmers in Western Canada have also started seeding, with southern Alberta the furthest along. So far, conditions are generally good in both Canada and the U.S., but weather can be unpredictable during the growing season. With both soybean and canola markets set to become “weather” markets over the next few weeks, trade could be very volatile depending on what the forecasts are saying. Rain one day could delay planting, and spark a rally, while the next day sunshine and warm weather could benefit early-planted crops and seeding progress. We’re already seeing the effects a weather market can have on prices in corn and wheat futures, both of which moved lower during the week due to favourable conditions.

U.S. progress

Corn planting in the U.S. has been progressing at a rapid pace, as weather conditions in the U.S. Midwest were very warm and dry throughout the week. This was also beneficial for spring wheat seeding. Wheat values tumbled in reaction to more beneficial rainfall in many U.S. winter wheat-growing regions during the week. Some parts of Kansas have missed the recent precipitation, providing some minor support. The Wheat Quality Council is hosting

Soybean planting is well underway in the U.S. and that has traders focused on the weather. Photo: Thinkstock a tour of winter wheat crops in Kansas during the week of May 4-8, which should give a clearer picture as to how much damage has been done by recent drought. Weekly crop reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will continue to drive all the U.S. markets, with weather forecasts and demand news also of importance going forward. For soybeans, traders are closely watching news of labour disputes in South America, as any issues moving soybeans out of Brazil and Argentina could shift demand back to the U.S. Soymeal and corn will follow the avian influenza outbreak in the U.S., as traders worry it will result in reduced demand for both feed grains in the domestic poultry industry.

Demand news remains bleak for the U.S. wheat market, as the U.S. dollar experienced renewed strength late in the week and prices are still cheaper in other parts of the world, including the Black Sea region.

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

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

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

U of A research could detect Johne’s disease Currently no reliable test to detect the frequent problem in dairy herds ALMA release

ohne’s disease is a challenge for the dairy industry. One of the main issues associated with identifying Johne’s is that the calf gets infected at a young age, but symptoms may not show in the animal for years. Johne’s disease is difficult to diagnose and when present, can cause animal mortality, decreased milk production and financial concerns for producers. Currently, the dairy industry focuses on disease prevention because there is no reliable,

cost-effective method to identify the subclinical carriers of Johne’s disease. University of Alberta Professors Dr. Stephane Evoy and Dr. Christine Szymanski hope to change that. They recently completed a research project that uses bacteriophages and bacteriophage tails to detect Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP), the bacteria that causes Johne’s disease. According to Dr. Evoy, “Bacteriophages are unique viruses that are often used for bacterial typing. If they can identify the bacteria at an earlier stage of

Johne’s disease, this could provide great relief to dairy producers.” The test works when the bacteriophages’ receptor binding proteins (RBPs) found on their tails bind with receptors on the bacteria. Drs. Evoy and Szymanski have also successfully determined that bacteriophages and their recombinant binding proteins can detect bacteria such as E. coli, campylobacter, shigella and salmonella. Using immobilized bacteriophages, Drs. Evoy and Szymanski discovered an RBP that successfully identified MAP. This B:10.25”

opens the door for future research in this area, including the potential creation of a novel single diagnostic test for Johne’s disease. This test would allow for early detection and treatment of the disease. It is estimated that this treatment could save producers $200 per cow per year in a herd with 10 per cent of animals showing clinical signs of Johne’s. Drs. Evoy and Szymanski would like to thank ALMA and Prairie Diagnostic Services for their support of this project.

T4 bacteriophages immobilized onto E. coli biosensor surface. Photo: supplied

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news » livestock

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Beef research mentorship applications open

Organic beef transition program

Applications are now open for the Beef Cattle Research Council’s Beef Researcher Mentorship Program, which helps connect upcoming and new applied researchers with Canada’s beef industry through travel to visit innovative cattle producers or other industry professionals for a one-year mentorship (Aug. 1 - July 31). The mentors are valuable resources of information about day-to-day cattle and forage production, industry structure and influences, and perspectives on industry challenges and opportunities at regional and national levels. Applications are available at www.beefresearch.ca and must be submitted by June 1.

Organic Alberta has announced the 2015 Organic Beef Mentorship program. Selected transitioning producers will be paired with experienced producers to help them transition their herd. Mentees do not have to be certified organic at the time of the mentorship. The program includes a site visit by the mentor to the mentee’s farm, as well as followup phone calls and emails. Mentors are paid up to eight hours for their time, to provide oneon-one coaching. Mentees pay $100 to participate. For more information contact: Melisa Zapisocky, 587-251-2400, Melisa.zapisocky@organicalberta.org.

New animal care assessment tool to measure animal welfare in Canadian feedlots With the new assessment program, cattle feeders can show consumers exactly how they’re ensuring the welfare of their animals By Jennifer Blair af staff

he organization that represents Canada’s cattle feeders is staying one step ahead of changing consumer demands, through a new feedlot animal care assessment program. “The National Cattle Feeders’ Association decided that it wanted to be proactive and develop a national animal care assessment program for feed yards,” said Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed, a feedlot veterinarian from Coaldale, Alta., who acts as a technical adviser for the provincial and national cattle feeders’ associations. “We’re responding to our customers, whether it’s the processors or the consumers. They want to be reassured that we are raising animals with care and doing all the right things.” Work on the program began two years ago, through a committee that included animal welfare experts, feedlot operators, and major processors like JBS, Cargill, and Tyson. Using the National Farm Animal Care Council’s framework, the committee developed a “plain and simple” tool for assessing “whether producers are implementing the requirements in the codes of practice,” said Van Donkersgoed. The assessment tool is based on the recently revised beef code of practice, which includes requirements for protection from inclement weather, access to food and water, pain mitigation for castration and dehorning (coming in 2016), and other animal welfare considerations. “It’s a tool for the feedlot producer to use to assess his own practices on farm and identify areas for improvement,” she said. The voluntary program was driven, in part, by increasing consumer awareness and concerns about animal welfare in livestock agriculture.

Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed (with Rick Paskal at his feedlot in Picture Butte, Alta.) is getting ready to pilot an animal care assessment tool in feedlots across the country. Photo: Courtesy Joyce Van Donkersgoed “Processors need to reconfirm with retailers that their suppliers are practising good animal husbandry on farm,” said Van Donkersgoed. “If a processor needed to come on farm to do a secondor third-party evaluation of the animal care practices on that feedlot, they could use our assessment tool.”

Pilot testing

The program is still in the early phases, with pilot testing being conducted this summer to ensure the tool is “as simple and easy to use as possible for the feedlot operators,” said Van Donkersgoed. “Our pilot test is probably one of the most important

things to provide feedback from the producers themselves on what does and does not work,” she said, adding that the tests will be conducted in different-size feed yards across the country. “What might work in a large 25,000-head commercial feedlot in Alberta might be quite different from a 5,000-head feeder in an enclosed barn in Ontario. There’s quite a bit of diversity across the country in feedlot production, so we need to make sure that what’s designed will work across Canada.” The program shouldn’t create more work for farmers, she said, though there may be “minor tweaking” needed to their documentation systems.

“Most producers — especially cattle feeders — are doing these things, but often, they do them but don’t document,” said Van Donkersgoed. “On a lot of these things, I don’t see that there would be any concerns at all, because producers are already doing these things. There just may be the odd requirement for a d d i t i o n a l w r i t t e n p r o c edures, like a written castration protocol.” The National Cattle Feeders’ Association will be developing generic templates for producers to make the documentation process easier, she said. “That information will all go up on the Cattle Feeders’ website, so producers can then

download some of these forms and just fill in the blanks. In a matter of five minutes, they’ll have their protocol.” The “market-driven” program should be finalized by next spring — and it couldn’t come at a better time, she said. “Animal health and welfare are key pillars of global sustainable beef production, so we need to be at the forefront,” she said. “We need to be leaders in this. We need to be proactive. We need to do these things to stay in business. “We always talk about our social licence to operate, and animal care is part of that social licence to operate.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

When thinking about biosecurity on a beef farm, it helps to think both big and small Disease can be introduced when people visit the farm, such as in the case of the bull sale By Alexis Kienlen af staff

hen people think about biosecurity, they generally think about swine, poultry or dairy operations. But biosecurity is important on beef operations too and there are a number of things producers can do to minimize their risk. “Dairy, swine and poultry are in barns, so biosecurity is easier to control, whereas in the beef industry, the cattle are managed on bigger land bases and pasture, so it’s a harder concept to think about,” said Ceanna Tannas, a registered animal health technologist with Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie. Maintaining proper biosecurity helps maintain animal health and prevent disease. Consumers are interested in biosecurity and programs like the verified beef program have biosecurity components. Since cattle are more valuable right now, people are doing anything they can to ensure that their animals are healthy. In order to get a proper handle on biosecurity, it’s worthwhile to think about it in terms of big and small items, said Tannas, a fourthgeneration rancher who raises Black Angus cattle near Water Valley.

New arrivals

The big picture involves quarantining any new animals that come to the farm for about two weeks, to see if they get sick in that time. Do your homework, buy your animals from reputable places and get the animal’s vaccination records. “That’s a big thing,” said Tannas. “Before you buy new animals, you want to get their records ahead of time, so you minimize the risk of them getting sick.” People in the beef industry might not think about all the people who come on and off their farm. “You have to start thinking about how these people can introduce disease as well,” she said. Disease can be introduced when

Ceanna Tannas, a registered animal health technologist with Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie, says producers should think about both the big and small things when thinking about biosecurity. Photo: supplied people visit the farm, such as in the case of the bull sale. That’s where planning ahead can make all the difference. “When all those vehicles are coming directly onto your place, you don’t want them coming into your corrals or near the animals,” said Tannas. “You probably want them to park in a field.” You can tell people to wear clean boots or shoes, and include this message in all your advertising promoting the sale. Alerting people ahead of time can reduce the risk that they could be offended by the request. You can also have a boot dip at the entrance to your place. “Try to explain to people that you’re trying to be biosecure,” she said. If you’re buying or shipping animals, you should always request a clean truck that has been hot washed and sanitized. Always ask for a clean truck, instead of assuming the truck will be clean. “Always request that it is done

and don’t allow truckers to scrape out on your land,” she said.

Avoid sharing

“Before you buy new animals, you want to get their records ahead of time, so you minimize the risk of them getting sick.”

Biosecure practices can also be implemented in the small, day-today treatments. Calves that need to be treated with oral electrolytes for scours are usually treated with a bag or a bottle with an esophageal feeder. “What people may not think Ceanna Tannas about is that these same bags are often used for milk when a calf is first born and needs colostrum,” said Tannas. She advises using separate bags for each procedure, and the bags mends buying disposal needles, should be clearly labelled, even if and changing them every 10-15 they are washed between proce- animals. Disposal needles are aludures. minum, so they can be detected in She also recommends disposal carcasses if they break off, which needles. isn’t the case for multi-use nee“A lot of ranchers buy multi-use dles. needles,” she said. “You can use When calves are scouring in them more than once, but that a pasture, you can reduce your gives producers the wrong idea risk of transferring it to another that they last longer than disposal pasture by washing your boots needles,” she said. Tannas recom- between pastures. LIM ITE DS PA CE AV AIL AB LE! Join us

LEARN WITHOUT LEAVING THE RANCH

“It’s a small thing you can do, and you just need some disinfectant soap to do it,” said Tannas. The team at Veterinary AgriHealth services has been talking more with their clients about biosecurity and has been giving them some standard operating procedures to give them some ideas about what they should be doing. Anyone who is thinking more about biosecurity should write down their standard operating procedures and goals. “If you write it down, you’re more likely to do it,” said Tannas. Producers should also talk to their veterinarians, and may want to look for more information in the Beef Code of Practice, on the verified beef production website, or in the National Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard, which can be found by a web search for “National Canadian Beef Cattle on-farm biosecurity standard.” akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

for a series of free online seminars with leading cattleindustry experts. Register at UFA.com/Beef. You’ll be eligible for special offers and automatically entered for a chance to win two ProStock low-moisture mineral tubs. CAttle MINeRAl tUB BAsICs Presented by New Generation Feeds Tuesday, May 12 & Thursday, May 14 – noon eleCtRIC FeNCINg INstAllAtIoN tIps Presented by Gallagher Tuesday, May 19 & Thursday, May 21 – noon

130538_GtoG_Seminars_10.25x5.14_ABFarmEx.indd 1

2015-04-29 9:51 AM

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

What if my horse needs colic surgery? horse health } The majority of cases can be addressed non-invasively,

but sometimes surgery is necessary to save the horse’s life By carol shwetz, dvm

he chance that your horse might require surgery for colic is low, very low, yet mentally entertaining the possibility and having a game plan could make a difference for you and your horse. The reason for this is simply because a successful outcome to colic surgery is time sensitive. While deciding to do colic surgery can be difficult, a prompt decision is critical to the survival of the horse. Owners educated about costs, risks, and benefits of colic surgery are better able to make a well-informed final decision when faced with a crisis. Colic is a relatively broad-based term indicating abdominal pain. Colic itself does not identify the cause. The causes of colic are variable and range from simple and selfresolving gas buildup and spasms,

to life-threatening intestinal accidents such as twists and torsions. Typically signs of colic include pawing, sweating, looking at the flank, restlessness, laying down, bloating, rolling, dog-sitting, elevated heart rate, changes to normal gut sounds, and increased respiration. The veterinarian who sees the horse in the field must make a quick decision as to whether or not the horse is a surgical candidate. Treatment for colic falls into one of two categories: surgical or medical. Although the majority of colics tend to respond well to medical treatments such as drugs, handwalking, stomach tubing, and other non-invasive procedures, there are times when surgery will be necessary to save a horse’s life. The first-response veterinarian will be collecting data to assess whether or not the horse is a candi-

date for surgical intervention. There is no single diagnostic test that is 100 per cent accurate at determining the need for surgery. Rather there are certain findings, such as the degree of pain, which are highly indicative of surgery. The pain of a surgical colic is most often constant and unrelenting. In very obvious cases, the horse is throwing itself down, thrashing, rolling and won’t get up, even with drugs on board. When a horse does not respond to medical treatment after the first or maybe second veterinary visit, the attending veterinarian will have a conversation with the horse owner regarding the possibility of referring the horse to a nearby surgical facility. Colic surgery is not for every horse owner. For that matter, colic surgery is not for every

horse. The temperament of certain horses does not make them amendable to surgical intervention and the extensive followup care that is necessary to return to health. If an owner would like to proceed with surgery, the veterinarian will prepare the horse for travel to the surgical facility as quickly as possible, as well as contact the referring facility. Most referral facilities will reevaluate the horse and give a prognosis for surgery. Typically a “best” estimate for the cost of the procedure will be completed and a deposit of between $3,000 to $5,000 will be necessary prior to the start of surgery. Most surgical facilities will also require a credit card remain on file for the remainder of payment. Total costs for surgery and aftercare will range between $8,000 to

™

DECiSiOnS arE MaDE in THE FiElD

The cover crop tillage demonstration at the 2014 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show allowed farmers to see equipment from 19 companies in operation.

Manufacturers demonstrated the speed, accuracy and ability to produce well-processed corn silage during a corn silage harvesting demo at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in 2014.

to ask questions and discuss the machinery they saw working in the field. “there is no other venue where farmers can gather the kind of valuable, hands-on information a field demonstration offers,”

says show Director rob O’Connor. “All this in such a short period of time, in one place.” videos of field demonstrations in Woodstock can be viewed on the Ag in Motion home page, at www.aginmotion.ca.

For more information about Ag in Motion please call toll free: (800) 563-5441 or email: info@aginmotion.ca www.facebook.com/AginMotion

™ Denotes a trade-mark of Canada’s Outdoor Shows Limited Partnership.

New beef researcher award

BCRC release

SOMETHing nEw iS in THE FiElD. ViSiT ag in MOTiOn THiS SUMMEr - JUlY 21-23

SEE Technology

Carol Shwetz is a veterinarian focusing on equine practice in Millarville, Alberta.

For researchers involved in programs related to competitiveness and sustainability

 See technology through live field demonstrations at Ag in Motion Over the next three mOnths, in what is now an empty field, Western Canada’s newest and only outdoor farm expo – Ag in Motion – will evolve into a go-to event for progressive farmers. the three-day event launches this summer, July 21-23. It will take place on a half-section (320 acres) of prime agricultural land about 35 km northwest of saskatoon, on highway 16. site preparations have begun and crop plots will be planted soon. While the outdoor tradeshow concept is new for many, an outdoor venue brings unique and endless possibilities. One unique offering that Ag in Motion will deliver is live field demonstrations. the themes of the field demonstrations will be announced in may, but farmers will have the opportunity to see the latest equipment in action, in the field. Glacier Farmmedia operates Ag in Motion, and also Canada’s Outdoor Farm show in Woodstock, Ontario. now in its 22nd year, field demonstrations have been an integral part of the event since day one. so how does it work? It’s best described using an example. One of several field demonstrations offered in Woodstock last year was a cover crop tillage demo. there were 19 exhibitors participating. each manufacturer had the opportunity to show how their tillage equipment handled cover crops. Farmers were able to see 19 different machines in operation – all in one place. they could also visit the manufacturer’s exhibit

$12,000. Post-operative complications quickly escalate the costs into higher ranges. The cost of a colic surgery can be more than the cost of a new horse. Horse owners who would consider spending money for a colic surgery might investigate the costs and benefits of equine health and mortality insurance. Carrying an insurance policy on the horse can ease the financial burden of a colic surgery. When choosing insurance policies, ensure all print is carefully adhered to in order to activate the claim. Many variables contribute to the prognosis of a colic surgery. Some of these are the timing of the initial diagnosis, time until the horse is on the surgical table, type of lesion and type of horse.

TOUCH Innovation

BE Empowered

@AginMotion

www.aginmotion.ca

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has introduced a new award that honours outstanding researchers for their contribution to the competitiveness and sustainability of the Canadian beef industry. The Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation will publicly recognize scientists and academics actively involved in strong research programs aligned with industry priorities, continually engage with industry stakeholders, and demonstrate their passion and long-term commitment through leadership, teamwork, and mentorship. To be eligible, individuals must have been actively involved in research or programs that benefited the Canadian beef industry within the past five years related to economics, production competitiveness, animal health and welfare, beef quality or safety, environmental stewardship, social licence or technology transfer. Nominations for the 2015 award are now being accepted by the BCRC and must be submitted no later than July 27, 2015. The first recipient will be announced in fall 2015. The nomination form is available at www.beef research.ca/about/award. cfm.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Cattle producers can plug the ‘leaky pipe’ that causes nutrient losses Preventing nutrient loss starts with a budget measuring input and output By Jennifer Blair af staff

roduction systems are like a leaky pipe when the inputs don’t match the outputs. “You have inputs, which are either fertilizer or manure, and you have production on the other end,” said Shabtai Bittman, an Agriculture Canada research scientist at Agassiz, B.C. “If your inputs exceed your outputs, you will get leakages, and the surplus will have to go somewhere. Those losses could be as ammonia into the atmosphere, as nitrogen gas, or as leaching and run-off.” Usually this happens in “very intensive production” systems, said Bittman, who spoke in a Beef Cattle Research Council webinar in mid-April. But every producer can benefit from balancing their nutrients to prevent leakages. “If you’ve got leaks, you’re not going to benefit fully from all your inputs,” he said. “You need to find ways to address the leakages in the system so that you’ll get as much of your inputs showing up in your outputs as possible.” Some losses are inevitable, said Bittman. When present in high amounts, mobile nutrients such as nitrogen can be lost into the atmosphere or leached away in the soil, while immobile nutrients such as phosphorus are susceptible to surface run-off.

But other losses are preventable, and those usually stem from having too many inputs. “The challenge is to know how much inputs you need not to exceed your outputs,” Bittman said.

“If your inputs exceed your outputs, you will get leakages, and the surplus will have to go somewhere.”

Do a budget

The first step is evaluating whether the two match. “You can learn a lot by doing a very simple nutrient budget for a farm — how much is coming in and how much is going out,” he said, adding that the information needed for a nutrient budget is relatively simple. “You need to have some estimate of what your production is and what your nutrient analysis is,” he said. In a lot of cases, producers can use the ‘book values’ for their nutrient analysis and estimate their forage production with falling plate meters or alfalfa sticks. The next step is to look at management practices on a farm level — “Where are the losses? Why are there losses? Can one do something about them?” In feeding systems, for example, a lot of the nitrogen from manure is lost as gas, said Bittman. “What that means is the manure that’s left after it’s been collected from the feeding facilities actually has very low rates of available nitrogen,” he said. But the manure is still a good source of phosphorus. “If it’s applied at rates that will

Shabtai Bittman

give sufficient nitrogen response, the likelihood is that you’re overapplying phosphorus.” The amount of protein the cattle are fed can also affect nitrogen levels. “If you put more protein in than the animal can take up, the loss will be excreted as nitrogen, and the surplus always ends up being in the urine, which is very prone to losses,” said Bittman. “Depending on the system, a lot or even most of that ammonium is lost before it ever gets to the field.” Targeting protein levels to avoid an oversupply of protein can reduce some of those losses, he said. “That’s partly done with better testing, phase feeding, and using enzymes.” Many producers are already doing these and other things on their farms to reduce nutrient

Because of being lost as a gas, manure left after it’s been collected from feeding facilities can have low rates of available nitrogen. Photo: Thinkstock losses, but there’s still work to be done, said Bittman. “It’s not simple and it’s not straightforward, but we’re definitely taking a step in the right direction,” he said.

“To completely solve the problem is years away, but to make improvements is absolutely not insurmountable.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

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} drought

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Big fines for wasting water

U.S. farmers off to a roaring start

Governor Jerry Brown wants to impose steep fines for wasting water in drought-parched California. He plans to introduce legislation to allow wholesale and retail water agencies, along with city and county governments, to issue fines of up to $10,000 per violation. The current maximum, set just last year, is $500 per day. Last month, Brown ordered the first-ever statewide mandatory water reduction of 25 per cent. After four years of serious drought, the state government wants citizens to replace lawns with landscaping that needs less water and swap old appliances for more efficient models. — Reuters

Ideal planting weather in the central U.S. Corn Belt is boosting the prospects of a bumper crop. Corn plantings in the top 18 states were well ahead of usual as of early May and the early seeding will give the new crop a head start on solid rooting to make it through a hot, dry summer. News of the favourable conditions pushed Chicago corn futures to a seven-month low. Seeding of soybeans, which are planted later than corn in the Midwest, were also ahead of long-term averages as was planting of spring wheat. Much of the winter wheat conditions in the central and southern Plains was rated good to excellent. — Reuters

Wind is the wild card in the creation of dust storms Sun and warm weather can quickly dry out fields, but those conditions don’t usually come with high winds

By Daniel Bezte

s I pointed out in the last article, instead of zeroing in on the main culprit of severe summer weather — the thunderstorm — I am going to look at each type of weather warning and outline just what type of weather pattern brings about the best chance of experiencing that warning. The first type of weather warning listed in my last article was the dust storm. Now, I live in the eastern part of Manitoba where there are a few more trees, and thinking back, I only remember hearing about this type of warning once or twice. Maybe out west this is a little more common, but overall, we rarely see this type of warning. (On a side note, I sure hope talking about this now isn’t an omen for the summer to come!) When you think about it, a dust storm only needs two things, wind and dry open soil. Open soil is most likely to occur in the spring before vegetation has a chance to grow. We can also see open fields in summer if there are drought conditions, or in the fall after harvest. Most often the best conditions for blowing dust occur in the spring right around the time when plowing begins. In spring, fields tend to have enough moisture from snowmelt to prevent blowing dust, but they can quickly dry out. This leads us to the second ingredient — wind. In order to have consistently dry weather we usually have high pressure dominating our weather, which normally results in light winds. Sunny weather and light winds make for good drying conditions, but where will we get the strong winds necessary to create a dust storm? From a weather point of view, consistent high pressure usually means that the overall weather pattern is blocked up, preventing the normal progression of weather systems. This can result in the development of extreme jet stream patterns. These patterns allow for the creation of large temperature differences, so that when the systems finally break down and areas of low and high pressure move on, we can get very strong systems with unusually high wind speeds. Over the last couple of years we have seen more than our fair share of these types of systems, but even then we’ve only experienced one or two blowing dust warnings. That is because sustained high wind events do not happen that often, and to get blowing dust you need the winds to occur when the con-

This map shows the total amount of soil moisture in the top 60 centimetres relative to the longterm average. A good portion of agricultural Alberta currently has near to moderately high amounts of soil moisture, with a few pockets in the southeast and northwest having high to very high amounts. In between, there are some small scattered areas of moderately low to low amounts.

ditions are just right in the fields. Personally, I hope that we don’t have to deal with any blowing dust warnings this year. The next topic is to look back at what April brought us and then look ahead to see what the next four to six weeks might have in store. April was an interesting month weather-wise across Alberta. After experiencing a March with temperatures a good 4.5 C above average, Alberta saw things cool down a bit in April. The southern region (represented by Calgary) and the northeastern region (represented by Peace River) recorded a mean monthly April temperature that was about 1.5 C above average. Meanwhile, the central region (represented by Edmonton) recorded temperatures that came in right around average.

The pattern of precipitation differed a bit relative to that of temperature. Southern and central regions reported between 10 and 15 millimetres of precipitation, or about 15 millimetres below their long-term averages for April. In the Peace River region, it was a little wetter with around 20 millimetres of precipitation, — right around the long-term average. Overall, April was a little warmer, and with the exception of the northern regions, drier than average. So what do the weather models predict for the next couple of months? Environment Canada is calling for above-average temperatures to continue, with conditions becoming wetter as the spring moves on. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is calling for near-average temperatures, along with below-average amounts of rain-

fall. The folks over at the Canadian Farmers’ Almanac seem to be calling for a mixed bag, with several mentions of fair weather along with unsettled conditions. I figure this indicates nearaverage temperatures along with nearto above-average amounts of rain. Finally, my forecast is a tough one as I see almost equal chances of wellabove-average temperatures with dry conditions or cool and wet conditions! All of this will depend on the position and strength of the persistent ridge of high pressure that has been dominating the western region over the last year or two. Only time will tell. 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.

} varieties

Trim: 10.25”

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Twelve new varieties under PBR91 The Canadian Seed Trade Association says the Plant Breeders’ Rights Office (PBRO) has granted rights under the new legislation (PBR91) to 12 new crop varieties. The April 30 PBRO Plant Varieties Journal on the CFIA website lists three new PBR91 wheat varieties, two oats varieties, one flax variety and six potato varieties. CSTA says there are different obligations associated with the new PBR91 varieties, which can be found at www.PBRfacts.ca. “We are entering a new era of opportunity with PBR91,” CSTA president Dave Baute said in a release. “But with the opportunity comes obligations.”

Producers, start scouting: stripe rust is spreading north Producers across the province need to start scouting their winter wheat fields for signs of stripe rust By Jennifer Blair af staff

Start scouting

And because the disease is already popping up around the province, producers shouldn’t wait to start scouting their winter wheat fields, said Paly. “Producers need to be aware that if they have winter wheat in central Alberta or even in the Peace, they should be out monitoring their fields,” she said. “If I’m finding stripe rust now, they should be out monitoring their fields right now as well.” At this point, producers should be

Trim: 15.58”

tripe rust overwintering on three winter wheat fields in the Edmonton area is “concerning,” says a provincial winter wheat agronomist. “Last year, stripe rust overwintered in the central Alberta region, near Lacombe, Red Deer, and Olds, which was alarming because it really hasn’t overwintered in years,” said Janine Paly of Ducks Unlimited Canada. “Last year, there was early-onset stripe rust in the Edmonton region, but this year is the first year that we’ve seen stripe rust overwinter in the Edmonton region.” And the disease seems to be spreading north, she said. Last summer, a late infection of stripe rust was found in Beaverlodge — “the first year it was found in the Peace region.” “We have seen stripe rust in the past come up as far north as the Barrhead region, but this is really the first time we’re seeing stripe rust overwinter this far north.” So far this year, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed that stripe rust has been found in four counties in southern Alberta, and in mid-April, Alberta Agriculture researchers found stripe rust at a winter wheat plot in Olds. “The snow had just melted and the field was still wet, and we found one per cent up to 10 per cent stripe rust in some places,” said research scientist Krishan Kumar. “On susceptible varieties, this is a concern. If the weather is good and there’s a lot of moisture, it will keep on multiplying in the field.” But the disease isn’t limited to

research plots in Olds, he said. “We’re getting quite a few reports of stripe rust, especially in the central Alberta area.” Overwintering in stripe rust is generally caused by spores moving from spring wheat still in the field to winter wheat that’s just becoming established, said Kumar. “This crop was planted in September or October of 2014, and at that time, there was still some spring crop in the field,” he said. “The stripe rust transferred from the spring crop to the winter crop, and the snow fell and worked as insulation for its survival there.” But central Alberta’s relatively mild winter should have worked against the disease, said Paly. “I didn’t think it would overwinter in the Edmonton region, given that the snow came later in the year and we had a fluctuation in temperatures, exposing the spores to cooler temperatures,” she said. “This has caught me off guard for sure.” Stripe rust is “getting to be more common,” said Kumar, and can cause a lot of damage “depending on when it comes and how severe it is in the field.”

Historically a problem in southern Alberta, stripe rust has started spreading north, says winter wheat agronomist Janine Paly. photo: Mike Harding monitoring their fields every three to five days, said Paly. “If it stays on the lower leaves and the weather conditions aren’t favourable for the development of stripe rust, then we should be OK. They may just have to spray later on, at head emergence,” she said, adding that the disease fares best in cool, wet environments. If, however, the disease starts moving up through the canopy, “that’s cause for concern.” “That’s when the growers should be monitoring their fields quite regularly to make sure the disease doesn’t spread to the upper canopy.”

Producers growing a susceptible variety of winter wheat should spray “around stem elongation and come back later at the anthesis timing” to reduce the spread, but if the variety has some disease resistance, producers simply need to monitor their fields. “If the disease is developing severely, they may want to think about using a fungicide to protect the plants, but if they have a resistant variety, the stripe rust shouldn’t develop any further.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Earthworm invasion! Help stop the spread of these alien invaders Earthworms may be considered beneficial in agricultural soils, but in Alberta’s forests, they can spell trouble By Jennifer Blair

“Since earthworms don’t move very quickly on their own, producers can help reduce their spread in Alberta by avoiding introducing them at new locations.”

af staff

silent horde of alien invaders is worming its way through the Alberta countryside. These creepy-crawlies came from a world away, and there’s no stopping them now. The best we can hope to do is slow the spread of these invasive earthworms, says the head of the Alberta Worm Invasion Project. “In North American forests, earthworm invasions have led to changes in plant, invertebrate, and songbird communities, and affected soil microbial biomass, carbon cycles, and nitrogen cycles,” said Erin Cameron, a researcher at the University of Alberta. “The most dramatic changes have occurred in forests in the northeastern United States, where earthworm invasions have been ongoing for a longer period of time than in Western Canada. “Since our surveys and model suggest that earthworms are still not very widespread in forests in northern Alberta, if we can slow their spread, we will be less likely to see some of the impacts observed elsewhere.” None of the earthworm species found in Canada are native to North America, said Cameron. “The species that are invading

Erin Cameron

Only six species of invasive earthworms have been found in northern Alberta forests — including one “fairly common” species called Dendrobaena octaedra that, at two to six centimetres long, is smaller than most other earthworms. Photo: Courtesy Erin Cameron are European and are believed to have been introduced with plants and soil with the first European settlers,” she said, adding that, in Alberta, there are at least 14 nonnative earthworm species. And while earthworms can be found in almost every field and garden in the province, “they’ve only recently started to spread into forests” — and Cameron would like to keep it that way. “Earthworms can consume the leaf litter layer in forests and mix it with mineral soil below,” she said. “This affects species that rely on a thick forest floor. For example, the numbers of

mites and springtails living in the organic soil decrease when earthworms invade.”

Citizens can help

In an effort to track how these earthworms are spreading, Cameron — in collaboration with researchers at the University of Alberta — has developed a “citizen science program” and mobile app, to be released later this spring. “The website for our program has sampling instructions and curricular materials for teachers, and participants can also view maps of their data and all other data that is collected,” said Cameron.

“We’re looking for participants and data from across the province, so anyone in Alberta who wants to survey in their garden, fields, forest, or any other habitat can help out by downloading the app and following the steps to sample worms.” One such sampling technique involves pouring a mixture of water and mustard powder on the ground to bring up the earthworms, she said. “Both children and adults seem to find that pretty interesting.” And though earthworms are considered beneficial in agriculture because of how they work the

soil, producers can also do their part to help stop the spread into forests, said Cameron. “Since earthworms don’t move very quickly on their own, producers can help reduce their spread in Alberta by avoiding introducing them at new locations, by not moving soil around to more remote forest locations or washing off ATVs before heading to remote areas.” For more information about the Alberta Worm Invasion Project or to download the app, visit worms. educ.ualberta.ca. jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Finding producers biggest organic challenge, industry says Canada’s organic exports have topped $550 million per year, a 20 per cent increase over two years By Alex Binkley af contributor

he field is wide open for increased organic food production if more growers could be found, says Matthew Holmes, executive director of the Canada Organic Trade Association. “Our biggest challenge remains inadequate supply,” Holmes told the Senate agriculture committee. “There are over 5,000 certified farms, handlers and manufacturers in the country, but there is little growth at the production base. We don’t have enough ingredients or farmers to keep up with demand.” Organic “is among the fastest-growing sectors and holds massive economic potential for agriculture in Canada,” he said. “The latest figures show the global organic market is now valued at well over US$72 billion per year in consumer sales. Canada is the fifth-largest market valued at over $4 billion per year in sales.”

However, the one with Europe is a sore point for the industry. “Our agreement with the EU is asymmetrical with strong rules of origin for Canadian exports that effectively keep our manufacturing sector from benefiting from the arrangement,” Holmes said. “Meanwhile, we place no such restrictions on organic imports from Europe.” Converting a farm to organic takes three years, during which the farmer is incurring increased costs and acquiring new skills with no opportunity to access premium organic markets, he noted. That’s an impediment to conversion. “Canadian farmers currently bear the full cost to transition to organic,” he said. “By comparison, the EU and the U.S. have

assisted farmers with the cost of transition for well over 15 to 20 years, and now enjoy a solid producer base as a result. The U.S. has earmarked $57.5 million this year alone through the Farm Bill for this purpose.” Canada should follow suit with a transition program that “would ensure that Canadian farmers are able to meet domestic demand and fill the current organic supply gap,” he added. “Canada has one of the world’s leading organic markets, but we still have some work to do to ensure that our own producers remain the most competitive within it.” Farmers going organic face costs for inspection and certification $600 to $2,000 per year. “If you’re in a remote location,

you need to cover the cost of third-party verification officers coming in to verify the farm.” On top of that, “an incredible amount of paperwork is required throughout the year to show compliance with the standards requirements and to provide everything in good order for the inspection,” he said. “It’s somewhere between an on-site inspection and a full forensic audit. That’s the best way to describe an organic inspection.” During questioning by senators, Holmes explained the organic equivalency agreement with Europe was established in 2011. “However, when it was implemented, it put in place a rule of origin. All products had to be 100 per cent Canadian.” T:8.125”

That works for farmers but not food manufacturers who source ingredients from other countries, he said. That also requires additional paperwork. “We didn’t, in good faith, put the same restriction on the Europeans, so they can source bananas from wherever they can source them and send those products to us. “Interesting enough, six months later, the U.S. reached a similar agreement with Europe, and that clause was not in that agreement,” he added. “The U.S. waited. It watched the agreement that we reached with Europe, and then it got a better one, and that’s been a very serious impediment for our competitiveness in the processing sector.”

“Canada has one of the world’s leading organic markets, but we still have some work to do to ensure that our own producers remain the most competitive within it.” Matthew Holmes

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Canada’s organic exports “now total more than $550 million per year, which is a 20 per cent increase in the last two years alone.” One company reported it would contract out more than 10,000 acres of new crop on the Prairies if it could find the producers, he said. “That is one company out of hundreds in a similar situation.” There are about 3,700 organic farms. The United States, Europe, Canada and Japan represent nearly 95 per cent of world sales, he said. “For this reason, obviously we are very interested in seeing closer trade ties developed, which enable Canadian organic farmers and processors better access to these and other critical markets.” Canada usually gains access to other markets for its organic products under equivalency arrangements in which Canada and the trading partner recognize each other’s inspection regimes.

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAY

With minimal winter snow, pastures in southwest Alberta are parched and in need of spring rain. Producers are still feeding horses and cattle, waiting for moisture to bring on natural forage. Photo: Wendy Dudley

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Alberta wetlands receive funding More than 1,300 acres will be conserved or restored thanks to $11.6 million grant Ducks Unlimited Canada release

Ducks Unlimited Canada will receive more than $11.6 million in grant funds for wetland conservation and restoration work to help reduce the impact of flooding and drought in Alberta. The funding comes from the Alberta government’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program. Wetlands have the ability to store water and slow the release of water into surrounding streams and rivers, which in turn, reduce flood heights and volumes. The funding will help conserve and restore an additional 1,380 acres in Alberta, said Barry Bishop, head of conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited Canada. “Money spent on wetland conservation and restoration provides significant and long-term social returns,” said Bishop. “Wetlands remove excess nutrients, pollutants and sediment in watersheds, help with carbon sequestration, and improve overall water and air quality. They also add value to the land for activities such as recreational use, grazing or development.” Planning for the projects in south-central and southern Alberta is underway and the conservation and restoration work will be begin by September and last three years. Projects take into account an area’s natural hydrology levels, historical photography, land use and landscape. They will be done during a three-year period on landscapes located in south-central and southern Alberta.

BayerCropScience.ca/Delaro or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Delaro™ is a trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Operators upping their game as farmers’ markets proliferate Some are finding ways to stand out in the crowd while others are getting to know their customers better Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development release

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hrive!” was the theme for the 2015 B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets annual conference which attracted more than 100 vendors, farmers, managers and board members to talk about growth, innovation, and building ongoing success in the markets. The conference focused on two areas — strengthening the operation of the market and increasing vendor know-how in areas of production, product pricing, and growing a successful business. “Like in Alberta, conference attendees were concerned with the proliferation of new markets in British Columbia and many expressed

doubt that there are enough farmers to fill these markets,” said Melisa Zapisocky of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Yet many markets were thriving and did not appear to be hindered or upset by this growth.” The conference showed some of the ways these markets are getting it right, she said. “Markets are finding ways to stand out from the crowd by focusing on their personality, and what is unique or different,” said Zapisocky. “Examples include operating a 100 per cent certified organic market, working with food and concession vendors to increase use of local ingredients (and promoting this), and providing more services in the market like knife sharpening, bike repair, or a market-run coffee booth.”

“Markets are finding ways to stand out from the crowd by focusing on their personality, and what is unique or different.”

For other markets, building viable business means focusing on customers. “These markets are committed to strengthening their foundation

by learning about their customers, as well as their economic impact. Methods include administering more frequent customer surveys (in the market, or online), taking weekly customer counts, and collecting vendor statistics, such as sales and category.” Depending on the detail required by the market, data collection can range from simple to quite involved. The most basic example of data collection is by the manager who gives vendors a colour-co-ordinated sticky note (category specific) to write their total sales on at the end of the market; slightly more involved is the use of weekly online forms that some managers email to their vendors. “More complicated yet, is the strategy used by Comox Farmers’ Market,” says Zapisocky. “Vendors

are charged a percentage-based table fee (five per cent or a minimum of $20) on their daily sales. From this data, Comox Farmers’ Market confidently reported its 2014 sales as $1,390,000, and will be able to compare year-to-year growth against future programs (or changes) it implements. Other benefits include continuing to keep their current location by having reliable numbers that show the economic impact of the market, attracting sponsorship dollars, and the ability to make fact-based decisions that benefit the health of vendor categories. “Whether the effort is internal or external, the outcome is clear. Many farmers’ markets are setting the stage to thrive as professional and sophisticated businesses by finding ways to keep one step ahead.”

U.S. soybean shippers say rail service has improved Staff

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The U.S. Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) says it’s pleased with recent improvements to rail service, and is giving especially high marks to Canadian Pacific. In a recent report, 2014 Harvest: Attaching a Garden Hose to a Fire Hydrant, the coalition and the University of Minnesota examined U.S. rail service problems which began last year. Between November 2014 and April 2015, 42 grain-handling facilities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska completed biweekly reports on their rail service. “Fortunately, the rail service disruptions from 2014 have not been repeated,” STC executive director Mike Steenhoek said in a release. “Rail service metrics have dramatically improved across the board. Railroads responded to last year’s challenges with an aggressive level of investment. This has clearly paid dividends.” The STC release said five factors contributed to the improvement, including how railroads have responded to demand. In one of the recent survey periods, one of the participants stated, “CP is turning like we’ve never seen before. Loads are pulled more promptly. BN (BNSF Railway) is about the same; it has improved on pulling loaded trains quicker.” Another survey respondent said, “Actually very pleased with both Class I railroads (BNSF Railway and CP Rail).” Other factors included a longer harvest season, farmers storing grain because of lower prices, better weather and a smaller harvest in 2014.

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

But report of 30 per cent jump in oats acreage may prompt farmers to rethink their plans by phil franz-warkentin

commodity news service canada

A surprisingly large increase for oats acres in the Statistics Canada 2015 planting intentions report, released April 23, led to a quick drop in prices. However, actual area will likely come in below the early expectations, as the declining prices should cause some acres to shift elsewhere. Oats plantings were pegged at 3.6 million acres by StatsCan, which would be up by 30 per cent from the previous year and the largest acreage base in six years. Prior to the report, market participants had been anticipating a much more modest increase in oats area, with average guesses coming in at just over three million. Chicago Board of Trade oats futures dropped sharply following the StatsCan report, hitting fresh contract lows. If the StatsCan number proves correct, “we’re going to grow too many oats this year,” said Mike Jubinville, of ProFarmer Canada. He said such a large acreage number was bearish for prices, which would likely lead to adjustments in some swing acres. “The StatsCan report was probably overestimated,” said Jarrod Firlotte, of Emerson Milling in Manitoba. “We do need an increase in oats, but 30 per cent is probably a little high,” he added, noting that the final carry-out numbers will determine whether or not the increased acres are needed. Firlotte said cash bids have already come down by about 10 cents per bushel. While farmers have a lower risk and lower input costs when growing oats, they will also be reevaluating their seeding ideas in light of the latest data. “Nothing is written in stone,” said Firlotte. In addition, weather during the growing season will also have a large part in determining just how large the actual oats crop is. “Mother Nature will have the final say, as to what exactly happens,” said Firlotte.

DePauw new science adviser to SeCan His role will be to help facilitate public-private partnerships in plant breeding

on DePauw, who recently retired from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada after 41 years as a cereal breeder, has now joined SeCan as a science adviser. As an employee of SeCan, DePauw will work with SeCan’s plant-breeding partners to accelerate the development and introduction of the best new cereal genetics for Canadian farmers, SeCan says in a release. “We want to be absolutely clear that we are not initiating a new breeding program,” said Jeff Reid, SeCan general manager. “The real need is to create synergy between Canada’s public and private breeding programs in order to make quicker progress, and we know Ron is the best individual to drive this process.” DePauw said he believes the time is right to ramp up private sector involvement through a national consortium of Canadian businesses, prepared to find solutions to ever-shrinking

government budgets for plant breeding. “We know it will take partnerships between universities, seed companies, farmers, and government — to keep Canada ahead of the curve when it comes to new varieties,” DePauw said. “SeCan is in a great position to help facilitate these partnerships.” In 2013, SeCan’s board and membership approved changes directing SeCan to evolve from just distributing varieties, to also playing a role in facilitating their development. “Hiring Ron is a natural evolution given this expanded mandate,” said Reid. SeCan is a consortium of over 700 independent Canadian seed businesses engaged in seed production, processing and marketing. It is the largest supplier of certified seed to Canadian farmers, with more than 480 varieties in 27 crop types developed by public and private sector breeding programs.

healthy crops.

HEALTHY PROFITS.

Fungicide: optional add-on or necessary yield enhancer? their yields to the next level, growers need to have fungicide as part of their standard management program, just as they would expect to include herbicide.”

When commodity prices are high, it’s easy to justify investing in crop inputs to maximize yield. When commodity prices drop, however, many producers look for ways to save. Fungicide applications are often among the first inputs to be omitted. But is the decision to drop your fungicide based on good economics and sound science? Not unless you’re growing in near-drought conditions, according to new research from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD). ARD researchers planted small plot trials at five locations around Alberta to test the return on investment of a fungicide application. In the second year of a four-year trial, the side-by-side comparisons of wheat grown with and without fungicide showed definitive results: in all but the driest sites, fungicide application offered a net economic benefit, with returns ranging from $14 to $110 per acre.

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Throughout the 2014 growing season, the three sites in southern and central Alberta received between 10.4 and 16.7 inches of precipitation—average or above average for the area. This moisture supported both strong crop growth and high disease development. The two wettest sites—one moistened via precipitation and one via irrigation—saw a yield increase of 22 to 37 per cent from a single application of fungicide versus the untreated control, and 30 to 48 per cent from a dual fungicide application. The trial site in northern Alberta that faced near-drought

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“I think the data from our trials might convince those growers who are still on the fence,” says Dr. Sheri Strydhorst, an agronomy research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the lead researcher in the fungicide trials. “If the risk factors for disease development are there and they want to take © 2015 UFA Co-operative Ltd. All rights reserved. 130499

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Ron DePauw pHOTO: aLLAN daWSON

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If they want to take their yields to the next level, growers need to have fungicide as part of their standard management program.

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Big Canadian oats intentions surprise market

conditions, on the other hand, had little yield response—not surprising given that conditions were not conducive to disease. According to the study, a single fungicide application cost $18.41 to $25.59 per acre. Based on that cost and a wheat price of $4.68 per bushel, ARD’s Production Crops Economist, Rawlin Thangaraj, calculated the net economic benefit of a single fungicide application was between $75 and $77 per acre at the trial site hit hardest by disease. With two applications of fungicide at the same location, at a total cost of $44 per acre, the net economic benefit was $92 per acre. At the irrigated trial location, net economic benefit was even higher: $103 to $110 per acre for the early and late single fungicide applications respectively. “When you have warm, moist conditions that suit disease development and you’re growing a variety that doesn’t have really strong disease resistance, you will see a tremendous yield response from the use of fungicide,” says Strydhorst. “In those types of conditions, a fungicide’s return on investment will be huge even at lower commodity prices.”

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Late blight risk on potatoes and tomatoes again this year The disease can be carried over in infected material Alberta Agriculture release ver the last few growing seasons, growers have seen signs of late blight, a serious disease that mainly affects potatoes and tomatoes. This disease is caused by an aggressive fungus that develops rapidly under wet/moist environmental conditions. Wet conditions, combined with the presence of the pathogen, has resulted in continuing outbreaks of late blight in commercial, market garden and urban potato and tomato crops throughout parts of Alberta. In 2015, this disease continues to be a risk for all potato/tomato family crops grown in Alberta. The late blight pathogen overwinters on living tissues and there is a risk the disease could be carried over in infected potatoes (cull piles, seed potatoes or potatoes saved by gardeners), or could be introduced via imported potato seed or plant material, such as tomato transplants. More information will follow later in the growing season. For more information on late blight, visit www. agriculture.alberta.ca.

In 2015, late blight continues to be a risk for all potato/tomato family crops grown in Alberta.

Rail safety week reminder The number of crossing accidents and fatalities are down

Protect your crops from yield-destroying diseases with a fungicide solution from UFA. UFA carries a wide variety of effective treatments including:

To learn more about how we can help you get the most from your crop’s potential, contact your local UFA customer account manager, or our customer service centre at 1-877-258-4500 (option 1), or email customer.support@UFA.com

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Too many Canadians die or get injured each year on railway tracks where they have no business being. “When people see tracks, we want them to think ‘danger,’” says Mike Regimbal, national director of Operation Lifesaver. “Ignorance around railway property can result in a serious injury or death, and could have a serious impact on you, your friends and family, your community and railway employees.” Operation Lifesaver, a not-for-profit organization sponsored by Canada’s railway industry and Transport Canada, has organized Rail Safety Week (RSW) for 12 years. Its aim is to raise Canadian awareness of the dangers surrounding railway property through its campaign theme (and hashtags) #SeeTracksThink #RSW2015. In 2014, crossing accidents in Canada declined from both the previous year and the five-year average. Last year, crossing fatalities fell by approximately one-third from the previous year. Trespassing accidents totalled 58 in 2014, the same amount as the previous year and versus the five-year average of 70. There are approximately 23,000 federally regulated grade crossings across Canada (14,000 public crossings) along more than 40,000 kilometres of federally regulated railway tracks.

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

IN A FLAP

A flock of ducks takes flight from a spring slough west of High River, Alta., interrupting this cow’s drink. Photo: Wendy Dudley

There are 21 resistant weeds on the Prairies and 38 million acres have at least one of them Canola Council of Canada release

The first few weeks of the growing season is a great time to police fields for suspicious weeds. Look for weeds that survived pre-seed burn-off or post-emergent sprays while others of the same species have died. These few weeds could be resistant, and it would be good to nab them early. “It takes 14 to 21 days after a pre-seed glyphosate application for glyphosate-resistant kochia to become obvious, so keep an eye out while crossing over the farm while seeding or during in-crop herbicide applications,” said Angela Brackenreed, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. Kochia is far from the only herbicide-resistant weed to watch for. The website www.weedscience. org reports 21 different weeds with herbicide resistance in the Canadian Prairies, many with Group 1 or Group 2 resistance and some resistant to multiple groups. Wild oats with stacked resistance were detected 20 years ago, and some have resistance to Groups 1, 2, 8 and 25. Hugh Beckie, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, estimates that herbicideresistant weeds cost growers $1.1 billion to $1.5 billion per year. “Without management, these weeds will continue to spread and the effect on grower profits will only get worse,” said Beckie. He estimates that the number of acres on the Prairies with at least one resistant weed has gone from 10.9 million in the early 2000s to 38.0 million in 2014.

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Insure your investment with a seed treatment.

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Farming is risky. If you’re a farmer, you know you have absolutely no control over most of that risk. Volatile markets can throw commodity prices for a loop. Wild weather can decimate a prime crop. Spring can come late or winter early, ruining the best-laid plans. But some farming risk can be managed easily and inexpensively. If you’d like to maximize returns from your crop—and sleep better at night—experts recommend you consider a seed treatment. Seed treatments start seedlings strong by mitigating many kinds of disease and insect risk, leading to faster emergence, stronger plant stands and improved yield. “We see seed treatments as a best management practice and recommend that all farmers across Alberta use them,” says Lorena Pahl, executive director of the Alberta Seed Growers Association. “Many factors can ruin a crop; a seed treatment can ensure that a problem at germination or emergence isn’t one of those factors.”

“Many factors can ruin a crop; a seed treatment can ensure that a problem at germination or emergence isn’t one of those factors.”

shorter crop rotations, have caused more disease inoculum to accumulate in the soil,” says Neil Whatley, a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “[This] is an indicator that seed treatment may be cheap insurance for many growers in the spring of 2015.”

Under ideal conditions, seedlings can achieve a good start on their own. Many times, however, a variety of factors conspire against a seedling’s growth, including seeding early into cold soil, excessive or insufficient moisture or disease and insect pressure. When the crop can’t grow quickly enough to protect itself, a seed If you haven’t ever or don’t usually apply a seed treatment will give the seed a 10- to 14-day treatment, you may want to reconsider for 2015. protective head-start. “Higher-than-average moisture conditions over the last few years around Alberta, coupled with

Seed treatments protect crops from pathogens present in and on the soil, on infected residue, or carried within the seed. While some seed treatments protect young plants from early leaf disease and root rot infection, the main role of a seed treatment is to protect seeds from seed rot and seedling blights. Some treatment brands also contain insecticides that help control insects such as flea beetle and wireworm. Protection against these pests helps to ensure a stronger seedling and higher plant population, thereby promoting a strong crop that is better able to compete against later stressors including weeds, foliar diseases, insects and harsh weather.

“

Watch for herbicideresistant weeds

A seed treatment is only as good as its coverage. Buying professionally treated seed from a certified seed producer or retailer or having it processed and treated through a seed cleaning plant is highly recommended. If you choose to apply treatment to your own seeds, ensure you have the proper equipment and your machine is calibrated for the specific product.

Albertafarmexpress.ca • May 11, 2015

ADM will use drones to gather crop insurance claims data The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has approved their use from 2016 By Karl Plume chicago / reuters

rcher Daniels Midland Co. plans to use drones to gather data on U.S. crop insurance claims as soon as the summer of 2016, its risk services head told Reuters on April 23. ADM’s Crop Risk Services Inc. recently won clearance to use drones from the Federal Aviation Administration, which currently bans their commercial use, and will begin testing the technology in the U.S. Midwest this year. The unmanned aircraft can gather data about crop damage from hail, wind, flooding and drought, and automatically upload the information to the

U.S. authorities have made an exception to allow drones to be used for assessing insurance claims. PHOto: Thinkstock company’s claims software, said Greg Mills, president of ADM CRS. The company is one of a small number of businesses with agriculture connections, including

Monsanto Co.’s Climate Corp. and Trimble Navigation Ltd., that have received exemptions to the FAA’s ban on commercial use. The FAA proposed rules on commercial drones in February that

limit their use, but final regulations may not be in place for two years. Mills said cost savings from using the drones were likely to be “significant” for ADM CRS, but declined to give any detailed estimate. “I think it will create some general efficiencies and some specific efficiencies for claims,” said Mills, adding the company already owns two drones and has contracted for another two. The FAA exemption allows ADM CRS to use only Phantom 2 Vision quadcopters made by Shenzhen, China-based Da-Jiang Innovations, which according to the company’s website, cost about $900 apiece. ADM CRS would need further FAA approval to fly different aircraft. Drones can be deployed to find and assess multiple areas of crop

damage over a broad area. Currently, claims adjusters often have to physically walk out into a field to measure the extent of crop damage, Mills said. “The goal is to test the savings to the business in the Midwest and then potentially release nodes of equipment by next spring to be used for the summer of 2016 for use in a larger area,” he said. The FAA exemption allows ADM CRS to fly its drones only within 400 feet of the ground and within sight of the operator. Pilots must also have a farmer’s permission to fly over their land. Crop insurance is used by farmers to protect their income from losses caused by natural disasters. About 90 per cent of planted farmland is covered by insurance every year.

Eat better, live longer and reduce greenhouse gas British study says ‘minor’ adjustments would include fewer animal products, especially red meat, fewer savoury snacks and more fruit, vegetables and cereals

With a seed treatment solution from UFA, your crop has a chance to get established before pests and disease can take over. UFA carries a wide variety of effective treatments including:

To learn more about how we can help you get the most from your crop’s potential, contact your local UFA Customer Account Manager, or our customer service centre at 1-877-258-4500 (option 1), or email customer.support@UFA.com

UFA.com

©2015 UFA Cooperative Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Always read and follow label directions. Cruiser®, Cruiser Maxx® and Vibrance® are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other products are trademarks of their respective companies. 03/15-43310 AFE

Staff

Eating a more healthy diet could extend the British lifespan, lower health-care costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to new research led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The findings are based on two papers. One estimates greenhouse gas emissions associated with current U.K. diets and with diets modified to meet World Health Organization (WHO) dietary recommendations. The second models the impact on the health of the U.K. population. Current average diets in the U.K. don’t meet WHO nutritional recommendations, and it’s estimated diet-related ill health costs the health system around $11.2 billion annually. Researchers said the proposed dietary changes were realistic and likely to be acceptable to the general public. The modified diet has fewer animal products, especially red meat, fewer savoury snacks and more fruit, vegetables and cereals. They said adopting the WHO diet would reduce U.K. diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent, save almost seven million years of life lost prematurely over the next 30 years, and extend average life expectancy by approximately eight months, mainly from reductions in coronary heart disease and stroke.

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Harami alerts producers to impending rally in the Canadian dollar market outlook } A harami that occurs at the end of a significant move down

in price and time will have more reliability than any other place on a chart by David Drozd

he Canadian dollar has rallied nearly 600 basis points in the past six weeks. This rally may have come as a surprise to some people, but not to those studying candlestick charting. The Japanese are regarded as the true pioneers of candlestick charting. The Japanese method of charting is called candlestick because the individual lines resemble candles. The exact same data used in traditional bar charting (open, high, low and close) is all that is required.

Basic construction of a candlestick line

The daily line shows the open, high, low and close. The thick part or candle is called the real body. It highlights the range between the open and close. If the close is above the open then the body will be white. When the real body is black this simply means the close was below the open. The lines above and below the real body represent the high and low ranges for the period. A long black body illustrates a bearish period in the market with an open-

GRAPH CANADIAN DOLLAR JUNE 2015 Chart as of April 29,2015

ing near the day’s high and a close near the day’s low. A long white body is the opposite of a long black body and shows technical strength with an opening near the low and a close near the high. The harami is similar to an inside day in bar chart analysis and is illustrated as an inset in the accompanying chart. A harami that occurs at the end of a significant move down in price and time will have more reliability than any other place on a chart.

On the first day, the market closes weak relative to the opening, creating a long black body. The next day, the market opens higher and closes slightly higher than the opening, creating a short white body. Thus, the small body of a harami must be contained by the real body preceding it. A harami developed in the June futures contract on March 16, 2015. A harami is a reversal pattern which indicated the Canadian dollar was about to turn up from the

low at .7800. This low coincided with the previous low on January 30, 2015, reference point A. Markets will often turn up from a previous low, as it provides an area of support where market participants are no longer willing to pressure the short side and the longs are eager to buy in anticipation of an impending rally. Caution should be exercised as markets don’t always hold at previous lows, but when a chart provides a buy signal by way of a reversal formation at a previous low, it increases the probability the market will turn up from that level. The June Canadian dollar futures contract went on to develop a rectangular pattern with the lower boundary of the pattern providing support at .7800 and the upper boundary defining an area of resistance at .8060. Once the loonie exceeded .8060, point B, all those who shorted the market since January 23, 2015 were caught losing money. The shorts place buy-stops above the market to protect their capital and once triggered, the buying frenzy causes the market to accelerate higher. An advantage in identifying rectangular patterns is the predictability of the advance after

prices exceed the upper boundary. Simply measure the height of the rectangle and add it to the breakout point. For example, the Canadian dollar was trading in a sideways range between .7800 and .8060, so the height of the rectangle was 260 basis points. Add this to .8060 and the technical measurement provided an objective of .8320, point C, which was achieved on April 29, 2015. Producers who sold grain or livestock and received payment in U.S. dollars were able to take advantage of these important market signals by converting their U.S. currency to Canadian as soon as the harami developed. Send your questions or comments about this article and chart to info@ag-chieve.ca. David Drozd is president and senior market analyst for Winnipeg-based Ag-Chieve Corporation. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and are solely intended to assist readers with a better understanding of technical analysis. Visit Ag-Chieve online at www.ag-chieve.ca for information about our grainmarketing advisory service and to see our latest grain market analysis. You can call us toll free at 1-888-2743138 for a free consultation.

USED EQUIPMENT NH 223 Skitsteer, 127 hrs, HiFlow Hyd, 2 buckets, post hole auger, palatte fork, grapple & Front brush mower $59,200

USED HAYING

USED TILLAGE

Case IH RBX562, ‘03, $230/mth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12,250 NH BR780A, ‘06, Autowrap, Hdy P/U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16,500

(2) Flexicoil 2070 Precision Hoe Drill, ‘12, 60’, 10” spacing, Dutch Side Band, Dlb Shoot,pneumatic packers, intelliview 4 monitor, w/ Flexicoil P1060 Cart 430 bushels, variable rate - tbt, dual fan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $241,500 Flexicoil 5000 Hoe Drill, 39’, 9” spacing, steel packers, 3.5” Dutch Paired Row Boots, Double Shoot Primary Blockage w/2340 Variable Rate Cart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,000 Morris Maxxim 2, ‘05, 40’ airdrill w/8336 cart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75,000

NH BR780, ‘04, Xtrasweep pickup, bale command twine wrap . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17,000 NH 1475 Mower conditioner, 18’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,000 NH 780A Netwrap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12,000

SOLD

JD 568, ‘08, twine/net, mega wide pickup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$22,000

USED SWATHERS

HB 30’ fits NH 8000 Series Swather. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$37,000

USED TRACTORS 2014 TV140 Bidi, low hrs, optional dozer attachment & snow blower . . . . . . .$118,000 2010 T9040 HD, 435 hp, 710/42 rubber, 2765 hrs, w/Degelman 4 way blade/silage guard, 0% - 12 month waiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$235,000 1995 JD 7800 w/loader, FWA, quad shift/grapple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$40,000

Flexicoil 820/1330 Cart, 12”–29’ single shoot, 4 bar harrow, 75 packer bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,000

2010 NH T9020, 4WD, 2635 hrs, 335HP, 14’ 6 way Degelman Blade . . . . . . . .$185,000

Flexicoil 5000 Hoe Drill, shortened to 37’ have wings for 51’, 7.5” spacing, 2” stealth boots,

JD 8640 4WD w/14’ 6 way blade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$26,500

single shoot, 2.5” rubber packers,w/ Flexicoil 2320 cart, 230 bushels, mechanical - tbh, fan . . $57,000 Bourgault 330 Series Air Seeder, 42’, 8” spacing, 1.75” Bourgault openers, single shoot, 2” steel packers, granular kit, w/ Bourgault 180 cart, 180 bushels, mecanical - tbh . . . . . . . . . $17,000 w/Case IH 3400 cart, 340 bushels, Mechanical - tbh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,500

Bills

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USED COMBINES

0% FOR 30 MONTHS

NH CR960, ‘04, 76C, 14’ p/u, excellent condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$129,000 Case 2388, ‘02, 2034 hrs w/2015 axial flow p/u, very clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$95,000 NH CR9070, ‘10, 932 hrs, 76C, 16’, p/u, duals, crop catcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$209,000 TX36, Swath master p/u, 1992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,500 TX66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20,000 ‘11 72C Header, 25’, 2 Available w/new trailteck transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24,500

Concord Drill, 47’, 10” spacing, 4.5” GEN Paired Row, dbl shoot, pneumatic packers,

4004 44th Ave. – Stettler, AB Phone: (403) 742-8327 Fax: (403) 742-1282

Case 990 w/loader 2wd, 1970 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000

Honeybee 30ft. draper header to fit 2388 case combine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$32,000 2011 NH CR9080, rotary, GPS full yield/moisture monitor, 0% - 30 months

$270,000

YOUR POWER TEAM HEADQUARTERS AFTER HOURS TELEPHONE Terry Jobs – 403-740-9473 General Manager: Tracey Peters Service Manager: Regan Finlay 403-740-6494 Parts: 403-742-8327

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

2002 FLEXI- COIL 5000-57’ AIR DRILL

10” Spacing, 4” Rubber C/W 2002 Flexi-Coil 3450 Air Tank. 30325A/30284A

$80,000 FOR THE PAIR CASH NO TRADE

2009 BOURGAULT- 3310-48’ Air Drill, 9.8” Spacing, MRB’s. 30355A

$120,000 CASH NO TRADE

1998 BOURGAULT L4350 AIR TANK

3 Tank Metering, Single Shoot, 8” Unload/Load Auger 30363B

$29,512

2011 BOURGAULT 5810-72’

Air Drill, MRB III’s Hydraulic, Double Shoot, 3 ½” Steel Packers w/Mud Scraper, 9.8” Spacing. 30384A

$80,000

2011 BOURGAULT- 3310-75’

12” Spacing, Mid Row shank, Single Shoot, Double Liquid Kits, Installed S/S Blockage Monitors. 30363A

$125,000 CASH NO TRADE

2014 BOURGAULT 3710-60’

Disc Drill- 10” Spacing, Leading Tank Conﬁguration, MRB III’s w/Cleaning Wheels, Single Shoot Leading, Liquid Kit, 4.5’ Wide Cleaner Wheel, Rear Tow Hitch. 30382A

$205,900

TRI-AG IMPLEMENTS LTD.

Wainwright, AB. (780) 842-4408 • Consort, AB. (403) 577-3899 • St. Paul, AB. (780) 645-4465

2001 FLEXI-COIL 5000-45’

Drill, 12” Spacing, 3 ½ Steel Packers, C/W 2005 Flexi-Coil 4350 Tank. 11980A/30307A

$80,000 FOR THE PAIR CASH NO TRADE

2011 NEW HOLLAND SP.240F

High Clearance Sprayer- 1000 Gallon Stainless Steel Tank, 3” Quick Fill. 12150A

$195,000 CASH NO TRADE

2003 BOURGAULT 5710-47’

4 1/2” steel packers w/mudscrapers, double shoot, no MRB’s, 9.8” spacing 30386A

$30,000 CASH NO TRADE

2013 NEW HOLLAND SP.240F

High Clearance Sprayer- 1200 Gallon Stainless Steel Tank, Boom Leveler Power guide, Luxury Cab 12162A

$220,000 CASH NO TRADE

Find us at

www.triag.ca

2011 BOURGAULT 5810-62’

9.8” spacing, 2 1/4 steel packers c/w 2011 Bourgault L6550, 4 tank metering, 591 monitor 30360A/30367A

$225,000

2012 NEW HOLLAND SP.240F

High Clearance Sprayer- 1200 Gallon Stainless Steel Tank, Fence Line Spray Kit, rear Wheel Nozzle w/Fender, Electric Flush & Rinse Control, 100-60, 10 Section Control Kit, UltraGlide w/5000 controller, 3” Quick Fill, Amber Rotating, Raven Radar Speed Sensor 11792A

$210,000 CASH NO TRADE

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Farmers dropping out of AgriStability Ottawa says participation is down by nine per cent, but informal surveys in Manitoba suggest that number is much higher By Allan Dawson

staff / portage la prairie, man.

hanges to AgriStability three years ago is prompting many farmers to abandon the income stabilization scheme because the cost is too high and the potential for payments too low. Federal statistics show the number of farmers enrolled in the program has dropped about nine per cent since 2012. However, if informal surveys by Manitoba’s main farm group are any indication, dropout rates could be much higher. A show of hands indicated 14 of the 25 farmers attending Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) recent general council meeting said they’d dropped AgriStability in the last five years. Ninety-five per cent of general council delegates who responded to a KAP survey said they had been in AgriStability in the last five years, but only 75 per cent said they were still in the program. “So we’ve seen a 21 per cent drop in enrolment during the transitions from Growing Forward 1 and Growing Forward 2 (which took effect April 1, 2013),” said James Battershill, the organization’s general manager. Respondents said they dropped out because changes to AgriStability meant their margins had to fall 30 per cent instead of 15 per cent to trigger a payout, he said. “They and their accountants just

deemed there was no chance that they would ever receive a payment,” Battershill said. “Quite a few of those who are still enrolled in AgriStability said they were going to be evaluating it and were considering dropping out of it sometime in the future.”

Drop predicted

“This is exactly what we feared could happen,” said Doug Chorney, the farm group’s past president. AgriStability’s lower payout trigger and changes to farmers’ reference margins mean some farmers would qualify for payments that are 50 per cent less than they would have received under the old program, Chorney said. Moreover, it’s harder than ever to trigger an AgriStability payment. A farmer with a $100,000 reference margin and $100,000 in allowable expenses would get a $66,500 payment from the old AgriStability program in a year that margins fell to zero, compared to $49,000 under today’s version. But if a farmer’s reference margin tripled to $300,000 and his or her allowable expenses stayed the same, the old program would pay $199,500 compared to just $49,000 now. KAP’s current president, Dan Mazier, said farmers now see AgriStability as disaster aid, instead of income stabilization as was originally intended. “The way the program works right now I think everybody agrees it’s broken,” he said. “Do we need it? Definitely. But there are some

“This is exactly what we feared could happen.” Doug Chorney

holes in there. I think we really need to take a long look at it. “It’s a convoluted process. It should be as easy as saying here’s what I have for inputs, here’s what I have for production, here’s my gross margin, here’s my coverage — end of story.”

Reference margins

Part of the problem is farmers’ real margins are not part of the equation, said KAP vice-president Glenn Young. Under AgriStability, production margins are calculated by taking allowable income minus allowable expenses plus inventory adjustments. Reference margins are an olympic average of the last five production year margins, dropping the highest and lowest values, or an average of adjusted expenses from the same three years, whichever is less. Taking the lower number makes it hard for farmers to build their reference margin in good years making it less likely payouts will come in years that a farmer’s margin drops.

Informal surveys by Keystone Agricultural Producers suggest participation in AgriStability is plunging, said James Battershill, the organization’s general manager. pHOTO: aLLAN dAWSON “It’s complicated and hard to figure out,” Young said. “You complete your paperwork and hope for the best.” Because AgriStability is complex, many farmers rely on accountants when applying and that adds to their costs, he said. Young said while the program isn’t as useful to farmers as it was in the past, some protection is still better than none. “It’s not easy protection to get, but it’s better than zero.” Every farmer has to decide for themselves, he added. “I think the more diversified guys (with more stable margins) are probably looking at the program as

a real disaster assistance thing and that’s why they would drop off.” In 2013, 73,779 farmers were enrolled in AgriStability — compared to 81,458 in 2012. A department spokesperson said that nine per cent decline could be attributed to numerous factors such as a decline in the overall number of farms due to consolidation and favourable market conditions in recent years. The participation rate is higher among farms with revenues of more than $500,000, suggesting large operations see the program as a way of managing risk, he said. allan@fbcpublishing.com

Looking for some ag inspiration? Watch the AgCanada TV video series online now. Gain a new perspective on your farm, your family and your future with this informative video series from Farm Credit Canada.

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Current AGCanadaTV topics include: 

Know Your Options: Take the Risk Out of Grain Marketing

Tyler Russell, Cargill National Grain Marketing Solutions Manager shares how farmers can mitigate grain marketing risks and go from price takers to price makers.

Trade in the Canadian Agri-food Industry



Hear about the resiliency of Canada’s agri-food industry and its importance in the Canadian economy from FCC Chief Agricultural Economist J.P. Gervais.

Grainews looks at Ford’s all-new, aluminum-bodied F-150



Grainews field editor Lisa Guenther talks with Trevor Boquist about the features on Ford’s 2015 F Series truck.

Start watching: www.agcanada.com/video

AGCanadaTV is sponsored by

Albertafarmexpress.ca • Xxxxxxx, 2015

NEW BUHLER 2450 BALE MOVERS

NEW RB560 SPECIALTY CROP BALERS

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Hauls 14 big round!

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35 - 47 HP, hydro, loaders and more!

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CASE DC162 DISCBINE

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SCHULTE 15’ BATWING MOWER 2008

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CASE RBX 562 ROUND BALER Bale command, new belts, rebuilt pick-up

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NEW HOLLAND BOOMER 3045 CVT 2010, cab, air, 3pt super steer, 162 hrs

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CASE RBX 562 2005, round baler

11,000

QUALITY USED HAYING EQUIP. FIELD READY CASH PRICES SUPREME 900T, 2007 TWIN SCREW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SOLD $28,000

1993 NEW HOLLAND 660 ROUND BALER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SOLD $5,000

NH BR 780, 2004, EXTRA WIDE P/U, AUTO WRAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$11,000

2005 NEW HOLLAND FP230, 29P PICKUP,

KRAUSE 1900 19’ DISC, NOTCHED BLADES, DOUBLE OFF-SET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SOLD $7,900 2012 CASE DC162 DISCBINE, 15.7 HYDRO SWING, 1000 PTO, AS NEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,500

ALWAYS SHEDDED, RECENT WORK ORDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . SOLD $13,900 2008 NEW HOLLAND 195 SPREADER, UPPER BEATER, HYDRAULIC APRON CHAIN,HYDRAULIC END GATE . . . . . . . SOLD $10,000

5410 - 43 ST. Rimbey AB • Phone: 403.843.3700 • Fax: 403.843.3430

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Community news and events from across the province

Mother-daughter duo a fixture at Aggie Days By Rosie Templeton

anielle Lee hasn’t missed a Calgary Stampede’s Aggie Days yet. Her mom, Debbie Lee, brought her newborn daughter — along with some Jersey calves — to the very first Aggie Days 30 years ago. Debbie also led the cow-milking demonstrations, which both Lee women still do today. What’s changed is the kind of questions that visitors ask. “When we started Aggie Days, people were maybe one or two generations removed from the farm,” said Debbie. “Now, they’re two or three generations, and many don’t understand the connection between the farms and food in the grocery store.” “The kids mostly just want to know about what they eat, how you milk the cows, why they’re skinnier than other cows,” added Danielle. “But we also get the chance to clear up some myths about things like hormones in milk. Many people don’t know there are no hormones in milk in Canada.” Operating a mixed livestock and hay farm near Springbank, the Lee family lives agriculture every day, and understands that very few people have the same level of exposure to food production. Aggie Days strives to bridge that gap with interactive displays in everything from cow milking to meeting live animals and learning about how crops grow. Geared toward schools and families, the event brings agriculture to children who may not have other opportunities to experience it in the city, said Debbie. Debbie and Danielle have led the cow-milking demonstration at Aggie Days and Ag-tivity for many years. Twelve years ago, they acquired a

Debbie Lee Danielle Lee

Photos: Kim Taylor

plastic Holstein hand-milking cow they named Bluebell, a tribute to the late Jersey cow that the Lees brought to many Aggie Days events in the past. Of course, Aggie Days has also seen many changes, and both Lee women agree the greatest one is its size. Debbie remembers being excited that 400 people attended the first time the show was extend to the weekend — it now welcomes 30,000 to 40,000 people over two days. One thing that has not changed is the dedication of the Lee family and the cause of educating people about where their food comes from.

“I think we look forward to this as much as the kids do,” said Danielle, who has been booking the week of Aggie Days off school or work her entire life, even once deferring her exams at the University of Alberta for the event. When asked to look ahead to the next 30 years of the event, Debbie said there’s nowhere to go but up. “Aggie Days will always have a purpose, because people will always want to know where their food comes from. They just want the right information from the right people.” Rosie Templeton grew up on a ranch in southern Alberta and is a public relations specialist at AdFarm.

May Update

FOR MORe INFORMATION 165, 6815 – 8 Street Ne Calgary, AB Canada T2e 7H7 tel 403.275.4400 fax 403.274.0007 www.albertabeef.org famoustaste.albertabeef.org

RaisedRight.ca

REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR PREMISE ID PROFILE Premise identification (PID) became mandatory in 2009. They are required to complete transport documents such as manifests and permits, sell livestock at auction markets, apply for government grants and buy over the counter medication at retail outlets. PID is an important component of traceability, and is crucial during a disease outbreak or other emergency situation. Have you looked at your PID profile lately? If this information is not current, you run the risk of not being contacted in an emergency or missing out on crucial information. To update your PID profile (or just double check that the information is correct) please call 310–FARM (3276). Consider adding your e-mail address to your PID profile if you have not yet done so – in a situation when time is of the essence, e-mail communication is much more efficient than other methods.

BASIcS OF BEEF BIOSEcURITY Biosecurity is a term for management practices that prevent or mitigate disease from entering, spreading within or being released from operations that may contain livestock. Often when we think of biosecurity, we think of poultry or swine operations and the elaborate and highly effective methods they use to keep contagions out of their operations. The extensive nature of beef production may make us think that there’s not much we can do about biosecurity. After all, when your cattle are grazing on a community pasture miles away you can’t be expected to control access. However, there are some simple and inexpensive steps you can take to implement basic biosecurity protocols on your operation.

Manage and minimize animal movement risks Segregate new animals to the herd for a period of time (at least two weeks) before adding them to the main herd. This allows you to observe the new animals and vaccinate or treat as required. Manage movement of people, vehicles, equipment and tools Apply sanitation practices and minimize the use of the same equipment for clean and dirty tasks. This can be as easy as making sure you, your employees, and visitors change their boots before walking through the cattle. Having dedicated equipment for sick pens or cattle can reduce the risk of their illness spreading to the rest of the herd. Manage animal health practices Have a valid veterinary-client patient relationship, including

a current herd health plan prepared with your veterinarian. Vaccination is an important part of biosecurity. Educate, plan and record Maintain animal health records and ensure that all personnel know the basic principles of biosecurity and how to respond to a wide range of animal health situations. These and other tips, along with a biosecurity risk assessment, can be found in the National Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard at www.cattle.ca/assets/CBCattleStandard-Eng-web.pdf. More information can be found on the Verified Beef Production website at www.verifiedbeef.org. Implementing some basic biosecurity will help mitigate the risk of a disease outbreak on your operation.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

what’s

Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com May 13: Working Well Workshop, Parkland County (also May 26 in Bonnyville, June 4 in Caroline, and June 11 in Buffalo Lake). Contact: Melissa 780-422-1791 May 13: Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions - Impact Innovation 2015 Conference, Zeidler Hall at the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton. Contact: Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions 780-638-4060 May 26: Alberta Pork Regional Meeting, Pomeroy Inn & Suites, Vegreville (also May 27 in Red Deer, May 28 in Lethbridge, June 2 in Grande Prairie. Contact: Loreen Riley 1-877-247-7675 May 27-28: Ingredients for Success: The Conference on Food Innovation 2015, Deerfoot Inn and Casino, Calgary. Contact: Marie Cusack 780-638-4060 May 28: Crop Walk, Farming Smarter Lethbridge Field Site, Lethbridge (also June 4, 11, and 18, same site). Contact: Jamie 403-381-5118 May 28: Environmental Farm Plan Workshop, Vulcan Lodge Hall, Vulcan. Contact: Barbara Archibald 403-948-8518

Applications open for Follow the seed for $20,000 4-H scholarship Ag in the Classroom

enior 4-H youth members could earn a $20,000 scholarship from Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction (L.E.A.D.). The L.E.A.D. awards recognize outstanding 4-H’ers who epitomize 4-H youth empowerment, have gained critical life skills through their 4-H experience, and who have positively impacted their community. There are four categories: community engagement & communications; environment & healthy living; science & technology; and sustainable agriculture & food security. Each category offers a $20,000 scholarship for higher education ($5,000 annually for four years); an all-expensespaid trip to the 4-H Canada Members Forum in Regina in November; and the opportunity to be paired with an indus-

Syngenta has launched a Twitter campaign to promote modern farming practices

S try mentor who is an expert in their chosen category. Applicants must be at least 16, a current 4-H member, and in their final year of high school. The application deadline is July 3. For more info, visit www.4-h-canada.ca/ LEAP or contact Sue Wood at 1-844-759-1013 (ext. 25) or swood@4-h-canada.ca — 4-H Canada release

yngenta will donate $1 to Ag in the Classroom groups across the Prairies for every Twitter follower picked up by its #Follow the Seed campaign. The tweets will be coming from Cam Canola (@ CamCanola) or Sam Soybean (@SamSoybean) as they progress through the growing season to Oct. 31. The donations to Ag in the Classroom are capped at $10,000. To help inform followers about some of the many dimensions of crop production, Cam and Sam will tweet about how weather conditions and

pest pressure impact their growth and development. Followers will also learn how modern agricultural practices help crops reach their full yield potential, Syngenta officials say in a release. “Modern farming is more complex than ever,” said Richard Marsh, technical development lead with Syngenta Canada. “It is our hope that this campaign contributes to the conversation about the types of decisions a farmer must make over the course of the growing season to produce healthy and profitable canola and soybean crops.”

touch innovation

May 30-June 1: 4-H Expo; Lloydminster Exhibition Association Grounds, Lloydminster, Sask. Contact: Sam Hardstaff 306-825-5571 June 5-6: Taber & District 4H Show & Sale, Taber Agriplex, Taber. Contact: Travus or Amanda Valgardson 403-2239539 June 8-10: Carcass 101: second edition, Olds College, Olds. Contact: Angus Central 1-888571-3580

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

Bird flu leads to bans

Get ready for veggie-wurst

Saudi Arabia has banned imports of poultry meat and egg products from Ontario because of avian influenza on three farms. The virus, known as bird flu, is the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain. In addition to Ontario, it was discovered last December in B.C. and several American states. Another strain, H5N8, has been identified in California and also in Idaho. Mexico, the biggest buyer of U.S. chicken, halted imports of live birds and eggs from Iowa last month. Hong Kong, Uruguay, Japan and Taiwan have also restricted imports over the outbreak. — Reuters

Germans, known for their love of sausages, are eating less meat and more vegetarian food as concerns grow about health, animal welfare and the environmental cost of livestock farming. Meat consumption is stable or declining in most developed countries but the shift is particularly striking in Germany, Europe’s biggest pork producer and home to 1,500 varieties of sausage. Overall meat consumption dropped last year to 60.1 kilograms per person from 62.8 in 2011. That’s well above the global average, but further drops are forecast. The number of vegetarians has doubled in the last seven years to about 3.7 per cent of the population. — Reuters

HEARTLAND

Processors’ concerns are threatening to unravel a national chicken allocation agreement Processors in the West want provincial regulators to review the deal By Ron Friesen af contributor

late appeal by western Canadian processors could jeopardize a landmark agreement aimed at settling a long-standing dispute among provinces over allocating broiler chicken quota. Chicken processors in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and B.C. are appealing a memorandum of understanding signed last summer by provincial chicken-marketing boards and Chicken Farmers of Canada for the allocation agreement. Although the agreement has been signed by the chicken boards, provincial regulatory bodies must ratify the operating agreement to complete the deal. But processors are asking both regulators and chicken boards in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and B.C. to review the deal, claiming it gives Ontario an unfair market advantage. “Some of our processing members do have concerns with the CFC agreement,” said Mike Terpstra, chicken sector manager with the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council.

His organization wants “checks and balances to ensure regional and national markets are supplied appropriately,” he said. The western Canadian processors say the agreement allocates extra kilograms to Ontario, Canada’s largest chicken producer, over 10 years and that is unfair to them. Industry officials worry the processors’ lobbying efforts could influence the decisions of supervisory boards (provincial bodies that oversee agricultural sectors governed by provincial legislation) and prevent the allocation plan from going ahead. “The danger is, if each supervisory board tried to renegotiate what the (chicken boards) did, then other supervisory boards would say, well, if you’re renegotiating something for your province, then we might do it for our province,” said Wayne Hiltz, Manitoba Chicken Producers executive director. “And then we’re back to square one, except now it goes to a level of people who don’t necessarily have the same stake in the industry.” Mike Dungate, CFC executive director, said there’s no room for further negotiations and the only thing left to do is complete the operating agreement.

“We’re trying to get the language finalized. We’re not trying to reopen the negotiations,” said Dungate. “And in our view, trying to add a regional component to what we’ve done is reopening the negotiations.” The deal, six years in the making, was finally signed last summer with support from the Farm Products Council of Canada, which was pushing chicken boards to reach an allocation agreement. It allows for something called “differential growth,” which enables some provinces to get proportionally more chicken quota than others, based on their economic conditions. Provinces with rapidly growing populations, such as Alberta, complained the system was inflexible in matching supply with increased demand because it did not provide differential growth. Alberta pulled out of CFC in late 2013 over the issue, triggering fresh negotiations for a new allocation agreement. After a number of delays and false starts, a deal including a formula for differential growth was finally hammered out last July, with CFC and all provincial chicken boards, including Alberta, signing on.

photo: Thinkstock Dungate said the last-ditch efforts by processors could potentially scuttle the deal, even though they are not actually signatories to it. Dungate said CFC will intervene at supervisory board hearings in Saskatchewan and B.C., saying the

agreement already addresses processors’ concerns. He expressed confidence the agreement will be fully ratified later this year. “Our goal is to get this thing across the finish line.”

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Maximize pregnancy rates when using artificial insemination There are several steps producers can take to improve AI success ndsu release

rtificial insemination (AI) offers cattle producers the opportunity to use semen from high-accuracy, genetically superior sires at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a herd bull with similar genetics. “In addition, using estrus synchronization and AI can increase the number of calves born earlier in the calving season and increase weaning weights of calves,” said Carl Dahlen, a beef cattle specialist with North Dakota State University Extension Service. A large portion of the economic advantages of implementing AI comes from the number of calves born in a herd from AI sires. The benefits are twofold: an immediate increase in sale value and the long-term benefits of infusing superior genetics into a herd. As producers prepare for the upcoming breeding season, they can take several steps now to maximize AI pregnancy rates this spring: • Evaluate the plane of nutrition: Cow body condition score (BCS) serves as an indicator of overall nutritional status.

see PREGNANCY } page 35

There are several steps producers can take in spring to maximize artificial insemination pregnancy rates. PHOTo: Laura Rance

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USED TRACTORS JD 2010, gas FEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,750 SOLD 2011 NH TV6070 Biderectional, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,000 Cockshutt 1850, cab FEL 90 hp, no GST . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,750

2007 MacDon M150, C/W 2010 35’ D60 header. . . . . $80,000 MacDon 4952i, C/W 30’ header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming in MacDon 9352i, C/W 30’ header Very low hours . . . . . $89,000 MacDon 2940, C/W 30’ header. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $48,000 3 - MacDon 14’ hay headers . . . Call for individual pricing 1- MacDon 18’ multi crop header . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming in 2013 New Holland SP365F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $365,000 2009 NH S1070, S/B 100’ Sprayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,500 M&S suspended boom sprayer, 1000 gal, 86’ booms auto rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,500 2008 Brandt SB 4000, 100’ booms frame suspension boom height control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,900 SOLD

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PREGNANCY } from page 34 Ideally, cows should be at a score of five to six on a ninepoint scale. However, absolute BCS is only part of the story. Making sure cows are on an increasing plane of nutrition leading up to the breeding season will help maximize pregnancy rates. • C heck your records: Calving records can tell you a lot about the likelihood of success when breeding specific females. Identify cows less than 45 days postpartum at breeding and cows that had very difficult births. You still may be able to get a portion of these females pregnant, but expect lower overall pregnancy rates with AI if they are included in your breeding group. • A s s i g n r e p r o d u c t i v e t r a c t scores to heifers: In groups of heifers that have an unknown history, were bought from multiple sources and commingled, or you just haven’t had time to watch closely, consider having a veterinarian assign reproductive tract scores (RTS) to the heifers. Based on the size of the uterus and ovarian structures, RTS can be used

to eliminate heifers with poor breeding potential and identify any freemartins, or pregnant, heifers. For optimal fertility with AI breeding, 50 per cent of all heifers should have an RTS of four or five about 45 days prior to breeding. • F ollow pre-breeding vaccine labels: Pre-breeding vaccinations can help protect cattle from several types of viruses and bacteria that can cause reproductive failure. Be sure to follow label recommendations when giving pre-breeding vaccines. Working events in many estrus synchronization protocols coincide with times when vaccine administration would be off label, and vaccinating at these times could reduce pregnancy rates with AI dramatically. • I dentify high-fertility bulls: Fertility differences exist among AI sires, so be sure to review current estimates of sire fertility published by semen companies or talk with your semen supplier about which bulls consistently have generated superior fertility in the AI scenario you plan to implement (fixed-time AI, heat detection, etc.).

• Work cattle calmly: Each person working cattle always should practise calm, lowstress handling techniques through adequate facilities, or stress may lead to poor results. Moving cattle calmly through facilities several times in advance of the breeding season can reduce the stress of subsequent handling and improve cattle temperament, and may increase pregnancy rates. • B e diligent with heat detection: Producers wishing to use protocols that include heat detection must identify cows that are in heat. Not catching cows that come into heat will lead to disappointing results. Old-thumb rules of performing heat detection 30 minutes per day morning and evening likely will result in missed heats, so consider more frequent and longer heat detection periods. • S trive for complete compliance with synchronization protocols: Successful synchronization requires each task at each working event be completed. Impacts of noncompliance (missed cattle, improper injections, CIDRs T:10.25”

left in, etc.) are accumulative. If every task is completed correctly 90 per cent of the time and a protocol requires three working events, the end result would be that 72.9 per cent of females were synchronized correctly (.90 x .90 x .90 = 72.9 per cent). • H andle semen and inseminate with proper technique: Proper semen handling begins when the semen arrives on the ranch. Transfer semen from dry shippers to storage tanks as soon as possible, and make sure the tanks have plenty of nitrogen and are kept in a safe place. Thawing semen, loading AI guns and insemination all need to be done correctly. Producers need to be proficient in AI or should consider hiring an AI technician. • W o r k w i t h t h e w e a t h e r : Although we cannot control it, we need to understand the impacts that weather can have. For summer breeding seasons with heat in the forecast, be sure to schedule working and breeding activities for the coolest period of the day when possible. Early morning (first light) is when the cattle’s body temperature is

the coolest. If cattle working is required during peak periods of sunlight and heat, provide shade and water when possible, and ample space for cattle to spread out in staging areas. Also ensure cattle spend as little time as possible in closely confined portions of working facilities. In all cases, protect semen and other equipment from the damaging effects of sunlight, wind and precipitation. • P lan post-AI movement and nutrition carefully: Whenever possible, transport cattle from day one to four after AI or delay the shipment until 45 days after AI to avoid transport-induced pregnancy losses. For dry lotdeveloped females, adapt to summer grass for a period prior to breeding or consider supplementing on pasture to reduce losses associated with rapid diet and environmental changes. “Many factors can contribute to the success of an AI breeding program,” Dahlen says. “Concentrating on managing factors that you can influence is imperative to maximize pregnancy rates and the number of AI calves born in an operation.”

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Good times can require a different financial approach Pay attention to working capital, and invest in productive assets, herd health and yourself, says expert Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development release

ow that the cow-calf business is providing positive margins, an Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development specialist has some suggestions where cow-calf operators can invest to help improve their bottom line. In the Managing Prosperity in the Beef Industry presentation now available from Cow-Calfenomics risk management series, farm financial specialist Rick Dehod suggests that improving working capital, and investing in productive assets, herd health and yourself can all bring excellent returns. “Herd health is an important part of the ongoing operations,” said Dehod. “Sometimes, when funds were tight, a vaccination protocol may not have been followed as this expense was perhaps thought of as not critical. Not following a herd health protocol often leads to poor financial performance due to disease and lack of creature comfort. This just compounds cash flow problems and, ultimately, the viability of the operation.” Dehod also advocates improving working capital and bringing accounts payable current or to within 15 to 30 days. “Trade creditors have helped you through the tough times and you will need them again when margins tighten,” he said.

The rise in cattle prices offers a chance to invest in herd health, as well as strengthening your balance sheet. PHOTo: Laura Rance He also recommends paying down some small loans to improve accessible working capital into the future and bringing any operating loan down to within its margin limit. Keep in mind that an acceptable current ratio (current assets/ current liabilities) should be greater than two, he added. Producers should also put

some money away for “lean” periods, he said. “Do projections and compare those monthly projections to actual returns and costs. This will enable immediate identification of problems. Production returns and costs are time critical due to the seasonality of the business. By doing a cash flow projection, you can plot

out your sales and your feed requirements. You can see the months when your margins are positive and will have funds to invest or reduce your financial commitments. By comparing your projections to actual, you can make those adjustments to continue to manage a positive margin. Investing in productive assets

is another strategy Dehod recommends. • C arefully evaluate investment in depreciating assets like pickups and new equipment. Is this the best use of your capital? • H ow old is your cow herd? Is it time to keep back some heifers, and cull some older, less productive cows from the herd? • Lock in some positive margins: You don’t go broke taking a profit. • Feed costs: Consider the alternatives to forward price feed to lock in your feed purchase prices. Last, but not least, Dehod recommends investing in yourself. “Strong business management skills will enhance your decision-making skills, and help give you the competitive edge. You are a professional and all professionals embrace lifelong learning to stay at the top of their game.” To view the Managing Prosperity in the Beef Industry presentation, go to the Cow-Calfenomic’s home page and look under the Presentations tab. Open the YouTube playlist and scroll to the presentation. For more information, visit the Farm Manager Homepage at agriculture.alberta.ca/farmmanager or call the Ag-Info Centre toll free in Alberta at 310-FARM (3276).

14250 – 100 Street, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 7C7 Phone: (780)532-5344 • (888)532-5344 • Fax: (780)532-2457 11508 – 8th Street, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H3 Phone: (250)782-7511 • (800)663-3572 • Fax: (250)782-7511 TRACTORS

Woods CZR2652 2012 52” Zero Turn Mower E014133 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,250 Kubota B7510 4wd, 60” Sweeper, 60” Mower, 60” Blade & 48” Tiller 500 eng hrs E011076 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,000 NH T4040 2012 Cab, 4wd, Ldr, LH Reverser, 70 PTO HP 350 eng hrs E013756. . $49,900 NH TS110 2002 Cab, 4wd, FK Loader, 90 PTO HP 5200 eng hrs E014143. . . . . . $41,900 NH T5.115 2014 Cab, 4wd, MSL Ldr, LH Reverser, 98 PTO HP 125 eng hrs E014918 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $95,000 NH TV140 1998 Loader, Grapple, 105 PTO HP 7400 eng hrs E011676 . . . . . . . . $32,900 NH TV145 2007 Loader, Grapple, 105 PTO HP 3670 eng hrs E015531 . . . . . . . . $69,900 JD 4630 Loader, Duals, Q/A Bucket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,250 NH TJ425 2004 710 Duals, GPS, Hi. Cap. Hyds, 24spd 3750 eng hrs E013492 . $125,900 Vers 435 2007 900 Duals, Std 2100 eng hrs E013507 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $139,900 NH T9060HD 2009 Triples, Powershift, 535hp 1300 eng hrs E014421 . . . . . . . . $225,000 NH T9.670HD 2011 800 Duals, 600hp, GPS, Lux Cab, Mega Flow Hyds 200 eng hrs E013694 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $307,000

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Haybuster 2650 Grain Tank E013339 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,600 Haybuster 2650 E015141 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,900

TILLAGE & SEEDING

Summers 60ft Heavy Harrows E014008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,900 JD 220 18ft Disc E014891. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,250 FC 3450 1997 340bu, Variable Rate, Tow-Behind E011083 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,500 FC 3450 1998 340bu, Mechanical, Tow-Behind E013668 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,900 FC 3450 2002 340bu, Variable Rate, Tow-Behind E012247 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,900 FC 5000/1720 33’x9” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coming In FC 5000 1997 45’x9” E014377 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coming In FC 5000/3450 2002 57x7.2, TBT, Mech Cart, Single Shoot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coming In NH P2060/P1060 2009 70’x12”, TBH, Variable Rate, Double Shoot, AgTron Blockage

Monitor On Seed Runs, 4” Paired Row Atom Jet Openers Used 1 season, 5.5” Rubber Packers, Clean Unit. E013197 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $127,900

COMBINES & HEADERS

NH TX68 1995 With Pickup Header, E013291 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $46,900 CIH 2388 2003 With Pickup Header, 1,650 T Hours 2210 eng hrs E014945 . . . . . $72,000 NH 94C 25’ Draper to fit 2388 E014946 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000 Lexion 570 2011 RWA, Clean Unit, 850 eng hrs E014936 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $159,900 NH CX8070 2008 1000 T Hours 1300 eng hrs E014437 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $169,900 NH CX8080 2009-12 9 Available Starting At: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $175,000 NH CX8090 2013 Cast Drum, Tier IV, GPS, Duals, 200 T Hours 270 eng hrs E013496 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $325,000 NH CR9070 2008 Hopper Cover, 490 T Hours 730 eng hrs E012246 . . . . . . . . . $199,900 NH 72C 2006 30ft E014438 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,000 NH 74C 2005 30ft Flex Auger E011843 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,000 NH 94C 2006-12 30-36’ Drapers 10 Available Starting At: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,900 NH 840CD 2013 35’ Center Drive Draper, With Transport E013497. . . . . . . . . . . $67,500 JD 9860 2004 Hopper Cover, Clean & Ready To Work, 1,815 T Hours 2420 eng hrs E015728 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $124,900

GRAIN CARTS

Demco 850 2014 850 Bu, Black, PTO & Hyd. Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E013357 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demco 1050 2014 1050 Bu, Blue, Hydraulic Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E013371 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demco 1150 2014 1150 Bu, Black, PTO & Hyd. Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E013356 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demco 1150 2014 1150 Bu, Black, PTO & Hyd. Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E013372 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demco 1150 2014 1150 Bu, Blue, PTO Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E014124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demco 1150 2014 1150 Bu, Blue, PTO Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E014125 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demco 1150 2014 1150 Bu, Blue, PTO & Hyd. Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales NEW E014289 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SWATHERS

MacDon 2930 1996 30ft 960, Single Knife 1725 eng hrs E012437 . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,900 MacDon 9352i 2005 30ft 972, Double Knife, Triple Del. E012026. . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 MacDon 4952i 2006 30ft 972, Double Knife, Triple Del. E013760. . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,900 MacDon M105 2013 25ft D65, Single Knife, Triple Del. 125 eng hrs E014431 . . $129,900 MacDon M150 2008 35’ D60, Double Knife, Trans, Triple Del, Swath Roller 1100 eng hrs E014297 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $101,900 MacDon M150 2010 30ft D60 360 eng hrs E014784 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $110,000 MacDon M150 2011 35ft D60 430 eng hrs E015040 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $119,000 MacDon M155 2012 35ft D65 E014782 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129,900 MacDon M155 2012 35ft D65 E012951 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129,900 MacDon M155 2013 35ft D65, Tow Kit 520 eng hrs E014782 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $135,000

DISCBINES/HAYBINES/RAKES NH 1411 2003 10ft Sidepull E014170 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,900 NH 1411 2007 10ft Sidepull E014948 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,500 CIH DCX131 2004 13ft Hydroswing, Shockpro Hubs E014308 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,900 CIH 8360 12ft Hydroswing E013769 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,250 NH 1475 2006 16ft Hydroswing E014022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,500

BALERS

$62,250

NH BR780 2004 Auto Wrap, 2.07m P/U E007642 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NH BR780 2005 Auto Wrap, 1.5m P/U E009687 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NH BR780A 2006 TW/NW, 2.07m P/U E007409 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NH BR780A 2007 Auto Wrap, 2.07m P/U E014919 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NH BR7090 2010 Auto Wrap, 1.5m P/U E007406 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NH BR7090 2010 Bale Command, Twine Wrap, 2.07m P/U E014063 . . . . . . . . . . NH BR7090 2011 Bale Command, Twine Wrap, 2.07m P/U E012632 . . . . . . . . . . NH BR7090 2011 Auto Wrap, 1.5m P/U E014224 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$62,250

CONSIGNMENTS

$49,900 $56,750 $64,900 $64,900

$64,900

NH HW340 2004 36ft Double Knife Draper 1350 eng hrs E008828 . . . . . . . . . . . $54,900 NH HW340 2004 30ft Double Knife Draper E014781 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,900 Hesston 8400 1994 21ft Draper E014240 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,500

$13,900 $14,900 $18,900 $13,900 $19,900 $19,900 $19,900 $22,900

CIH 8500 45’ Air Drill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,500 NH SF216 2007 100’, Windscreens, 1600 US Gallon Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,000 REM 2700 Grain Vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,500 JD 9600 2830 Threshing Hours 4165 eng hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 JD 925 25’ Auger Header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000 JD 2520 Tractor, Loader, Backhoe, Disc, Mower, Rear Blade, Wood Chipper. . . . $28,000

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

S e r v i c e S i n c e 1933

EBB’S

CLARK PIPKE

MIKE GOTTSELIG

TRAVIS GIEBELHAUS

VEGREVILLE, AB

MILES MACKOW

RANDY REICHEL

PETER D. POLISCHUK

LAMONT, AB

1-877-632-6772 1-855-895-2189

GROUND-BREAKING POWER

SCOTT WEBB

KEVIN MARTIN

MIKE SYMES

COLTON DRAVES

VERMILION, AB

1-888-853-5196

Versatile narrow frame four-wheel drive tractors are ideal for row crop farming and grain cart operation. Available in three models from 350-400 hp with a QSX 11.9L Cummins engine and a sixteen speed CAT® transmission, Versatile offers the most rugged powertrain on the market today. The HQ cab gives the operator fingertip control over all of the tractor’s functions and is the largest cab available on the market. An industry 3-year 3000-hr warranty provides peace of mind to Versatile owners.

TRACTORS

0% FINANCING FOR 36 MONTHS ON 4WD TRACTORS

NH T4040, 2013, 20 hrs, 70 PTO HP, 2WD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 LAM MF 6480, 2004, 4745 hrs, 115 pto, MFWD, 3 remotes, FEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,000 LAM NH TV145, 2004, 3990 hrs, EE pto, EE hyd, long loader and grapple . . . . . . . . . $74,000 LAM NH TV145, 2005, 3906 hrs, long loader with grapple, C.E. Pto and 3 pt . . . . . . . $80,000 LAM JD 7330, 2010, 4500 hrs, 125PTO HP, 3 remotes, 3pt hitch, 12’ blade . . . . . . . $82,000 LAM MF 5475, 2011, 1150 hrs, 110 PTO HP,MFWD, 3 Rems, Loader & Grapple . . . . . $85,000 VER NH TV6070, 2011, 3300 hrs, LL, directional tires, high flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $130,000 VER NH T7.235, 2011, 3300 hrs, CVT, 20.8R42, 4 electric remote, 860TL, grapple $135,000 VER NH T7.210, 2013, 450 hrs, 140PTO HP, NEW 855 LOADER AND GRAPPLE . . . . $142,000 VEG NH T7.250, 2013, 480 hrs, 165PTO HP, no ldr, P.S. sidewinder, 4 remotes . . . . . $142,000 VEG NH T7.250, 2013, 165PTO HP, no ldr, P.S. sidewinder, 4 remotes . . . . . . . . . . . . $142,000 VEG NH T7.250, 2013, 165PTO HP, 860TL, P.S. sidewinder, 4 remotes . . . . . . . . . . . $158,000 VEG CHALLENGER MT675C, 2009, 1100 hrs, 275 PTO HP, Frt & Rear Duals, NOT AVAIL TILL MID MAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $210,000 LAM NH T8.330, 2012, 900 hrs, 240 PTO HP, dlx cab, 18 speed, P.S., duals, HID, full GPS, 3 pt hitch, 4 Rems, HD front axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $215,000 LAM NH 936, 1986, 7490 hrs, std., 4 remotes, needs tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,500 VER VERSATILE 876, 1988, 7427 hrs, duals, 4 remotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,500 VER NH T9.450HD, 2012, 730 hrs, 710 duals, 4 remotes, full GPS, Omnistar, RENTED, NOT AVAILABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249,000 VEG NH T9.450HD, 2013, 1320 hrs, 710 Mich, PTO, diff lock, 2 pumps, 6 remotes, HP/XP GPS, dlx cab, full HID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $263,000 LAM NH T9.450HD, 2013, 716 hrs, 800’S, DIFF, GPS, HID, 2 hyd pumps, 6 remotes, LCTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $269,000 LAM JD 9530, 2011, 1761 hrs, PS, 5 remotes, diff lock, HID, GPS full, high flow . . . . $285,000 VER

COMBINE HEADERS

HB SP25, 1994, 25’, transport, UII reconditioned lifters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,000 VER NH 994, 1999, 30’, cross auger, transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,000 VER HONEYBEE ST25, 1998, 25’ UII reel, DK TR/TX adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $23,500 VER NH 790CP, 2012, 15’, catering guage wheels, hyd floatation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,500 LAM MACDON CA20, 2011, CNH Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,500 LAM NH 790CP, 2013, 15’, fixed guage wheels, hyd floatation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,500 LAM HB SP36, 2000, 36’, cat adaptor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,750 VER NH 74C, 2008, 35’ flex auger header, p/u reel, skid shoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,000 VEG NH 94C, 2003, 30’, TR adapter, transport, UCA, Hart Carter reel, BENT REEL . . . . $32,000 VEG HB SP36, 1999, 36’ draper, transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,000 VER NH 72C, 2011, 30’, Bergen Transport, auger header, p/u reel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $33,000 VER HB 3055, 2007, 30’, UCA, hyd fore & aft, headsight, transport, CNH adapter, flex draper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 LAM NH 94C, 2002, 30’ HC reel, transport, TR/TX adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,000 VER NH 994, 2001, 25’, transport, TR Adaptor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36,000 VER NH 94C, 2003, 30’, SK, HCC, p/u reel, transport, UCA, CR/CX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37,000 VEG MACDON 973, 2004, 36’, SK, split p/u reel, hyd F&A, CNH adapter, transport, hyd tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,000 VEG NH 94C, 2005, 30’, SK, UCA, AHHC, F&A, transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,000 VEG NH 94C, 2005, 30’, SK, UCA, AHHC, F&A, transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,000 VEG NH 94C, 2009, 30’, SK, AHHC, transport, CNH Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40,000 VER NH 94C, 2005, 36’, SK, transport, AHHC, split reel, HCC reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $44,000 VEG NH 94C, 2011, 30’, SK, AHHC, transport, CNH Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $47,500 VER NH 94C, 2011, 30’, SK, AHHC, transport, CNH Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $47,500 VER

NH 94C, 2010, 30’, SK, AHHC, F&A, transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $48,000 VEG CASE SP36, 2009, 36’ draper, transport, AHHC, CASE adaptor, UCA . . . . . . . . . . $52,000 VER NH 94C, 2009, 30’ header, SK, pick-up reel, CNH adapter, RENTED . . . . . . . . . . . $53,000 VEG NH 94C, 2010, 30’, SK, hyd F&A, UCA, UII, transport, CR adapter, AHHC, hyd tilt . . $57,000 VEG JD 6300, 2011, PRESELL// 30ft, pick-up reel, transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $57,000 VER NH 760CG, 2012, 35’ rigid auger with extendable cutting knife . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 LAM NH 760CG, 2012, 35’ rigid auger with extendable cutting knife . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 LAM NH 94C, 2011, 36’, SK, cross auger, transport, AHHC, HCC reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . $62,500 LAM HB SP30, 2014, 30’, McKay lifters, UCA, headsight, transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $66,000 VER NH 88C, 2010, 36’ flexdraper, CR adapter, AHHC, 6 bat reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $74,000 VEG

D60 s/n: 187220-09 (7186-2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $109,000 VEG NH H8060, 2013, 320 hrs, 190HP, 2 speed Prairie Special, dlx cab, 600/65R28 tires, HB30 header, DK, DS, EZ pilot, & FM750 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $135,000 LAM MACDON M205, 2012, 900/695 hrs, 30’, DK, stabilizer wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . $145,000 VER MACDON M205, 2012, 969/267 hrs, 30’, DK, stabilizer wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . $145,000 VER

SEEDING EQUIPMENT Dealer Name / Contact Information FC 2320, 1996, TBT, airseeder hopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,500 VEG HAYING EQUIPMENT

MF 220-16, 2001, 16’ hay header, DK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,500 VEG HESSTON 856A, 2000, 7818 hrs, auto cycle, bale shape monitor, pick up wheels, bale ejector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,500 VEG MACDON 5000, 1997, 16’ pivot, steel rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000 VER NH BR780A, 2006, 12000 hrs, twine only, narrow pick-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,500 VER HESSTON 1275, 2005, 16’ pivot, steel rolls, clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,000 VER MF 9120, 2010, 16’, S.P. hay header, DK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,500 VEG HESSTON 956A, 2004, mesh wrap, autocycle, bale kicker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,000 LAM NH 1475, 2006, HS16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,500 LAM MACDON R85, 2012, 16’ discbine hdr, fits a M205, reconditioned . . . . . . . . . . . $28,000 VER

SWATHERS

JD 2360, 1992, 25’, SK, P.U reel, guage wheels, diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,000 VEG HESSTON 8100, 1993, 1886 hrs, 21’, DK, UII, pu reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,900 VEG HB WS30, 2006, 30’, DK, HCC reel, transoport, came off of JD 4895. . . . . . . . . . $21,500 VER MF 220, 1996, 2422 hrs, 22’, SK, DS, UII reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000 VER MF 220, 1998, 2500 hrs, 26’, SK, UII p/u reel, roto shears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $33,000 VEG NH HB30, 2012, 30’, DK, UII reel, transport, came off of H8060. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,000 VER MACDON 9300, 1997, 2475 hrs, 30’. SK, guage wheels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42,000 VEG HESSTON 8250S, 2002, 1900 hrs, 30’, SK, DS, rotoshears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42,500 VER MACDON D60, 2008, 30’, DK, trip del, transport, split 6 bat reel, poly cutterbar, swather header. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $44,000 LAM MACDON 2940, 2002, 1600 hrs, Non Turbo, 25’, p/u reel, SK, guage wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,000 VEG MACDON 4952i, 2004, 2855 hrs, 25’, pick-up reel, swath roller, SK, 19.5L-24 front tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 VEG MACDON 4952C, 2003, 2810 hrs, 25’, pick-up reel, swath roller, DK, 500/70R24 front tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 VEG MACDON 4952C, 2003, 2675 hrs, 25’, pick-up reel, swath roller, SK, 500/70R24 front tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 VEG MACDON 9352i, 2005, 1684 hrs, 30’, split reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $65,000 VER MACDON 9352i, 2006, hrs, 30ft, SK, gauge wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $72,000 VER NH HW320, 2000, 2500 hrs, 30’ VER MF 9220, 2008, 360 hrs, 30’, SK, UII reel, roto shears, guage wheels . . . . . . . . . $79,500 VEG MF 9435, 2009, 1340 hrs, 30’, SK, UII Reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $82,500 VER MF 9430, 2007, 930 hrs, 30’, SK, center delivery, 18.4R26, frt tires, roto shears, electric fore & aft, guage wheels, 5200 header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,000 VEG MF 9430, 2010, 1200 hrs, 25’, p/u reel, elec F&A, guage wheels, SK . . . . . . . . . $93,500 VEG MF 9435, 2011, 617 hrs, 25’, p/u reel, topcon GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $94,500 VER MF 9435, 2010, 320 hrs, 25’, p/u reel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $95,000 VER CASE WD1203, 2010, 380 hrs, 30’, DK, elec mirrors, cab & rear axle suspension $99,000 VEG MACDON M150, 2009, 1343/1003 hrs, 30, sk, pick-up reel, transport,

FC 5000/1720, 1993, 39’, 9”, DS, stealth, 4” steel packers, 1720 cart . . . . . . . . $28,000 VER FC 3450, 1998, TBH, DS, no hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,000 VEG FC SC430, 2007, DS, Mech, no monitor, TBH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $33,000 VER FC 3450, 2000, TBH, DS, 6 run, VR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,000 VEG FC 5000/3450, 1998, 57’, 12”, 3.5” stealth, 4.5” pneumatic, TBH, 340bu, VR, DS$47,000 LAM JD 1820/1900, 2001, 35’x10”, DS, 4” steel, TBH, 270 bushel tank, VR, 6 run $55,000 LAM FC 5000/3450, 2003, 39’, 12”spacing, 3.5” paired row, 4”steel, 3450 TBT cart. . $62,000 VER FC 5000/3450, 1999, 52’x12”, DS, TBH, 5.5” Rub, 5” Stealth prd, Mech tank, very nice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,500 VEG BOURGAULT 5710/5350, 1999, 40’x9.8”, DS, 4.5” steel, midrow banders, TBH, VR, 350 Bushel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $79,000 VEG NH SD440A/SC380, 2007/2008, 45’x10”, 4” Stealth, 4.5” Steel, DS, VR, Auger $114,000 VER

SPRAYERS

NH S1070, 2010, 120’ wheel boom, 120 gal, screens, foam, no monitor, boom unfold, double nozzles, ind. Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,000 VEG NH SF115, 2006, 90’, suspended boom, Raven auto boom, dbl nozzles, auto rate, screens, 1200 Gal tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45,000 VEG NH SP240R, 2011, 715 hrs, 100’, 1000gal poly, fence nozzles, foam marker, NH GPS, hyd wheel adj, induction tank, boom blow out, ultraglide, duals $219,000 VEG NH SP275F, 2012, 621 hrs, 100’, 1600 gal, Intelliview IV, 5 way nozzles . . . . . . $279,000 VEG NH SP.275F, 2012, 574.8 hrs, 1200gal SS, 120’ boom, Norac, FM750 control, 380 tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $279,000 VER NH SP.365F, 2013, 239 hrs, 1600gal, SS, 120’ boom, intelliview monitor, ultraglide, accuboom, intellisteer, electric flush, 650 tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $368,500 LAM

MISC

Highline 8000, 2006, hrs, Big Tires, RH Discharge, 3 Remotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,500 VEG REM 2700, 2008, 260 hrs, Grain Vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,000 VEG REM 2700, 2008, 192 hrs, Grain Vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,500 VEG Krause 969, 1982, 30’x8” spacing, 20” discs, smooth discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,000 VEG REM 2700, 2008, 111 hrs, grain vac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,500 LAM FC S85, 1996, 70’, 5/8 tines, manual adjust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,000 VEG REM 2700, 2012, 58 hrs, grain vac, clean up nozzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,500 VEG REM 3700, 2008, 181 hrs, grain vac, clean up nozzle, New Fan installed. . . . . . . $26,000 VEG RITEWAY 8178, 2010, 78’, 5/8” tines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 LAM DEGELMAN SM7000, 2012, 82’ heavy harrow, hyd fine adjust, 5/8”x26” tines, mint condition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,500 VEG Salford RTS570, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $88,000 VEG NH L230, 2013, 88.6 hrs, 2spd, E-H control, cab, A/C, heat, 84” bucket. . . . . . . . $53,000 VER

CONSIGNMENT

Renn 24”, Roller Mill, unload auger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,000 VER NH 660, twine only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,500 VER CHALLENGER 75C, 1996, 8410 hrs, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40,000 VEG CASE STX450Q, 2003, 5282 hrs, quad trac, 36’ tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $160,000 VEG

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Hog farmers more likely to carry resistant bacteria Study finds 20 per cent of the people exposed to hogs carried multi-drug-resistant staph bacteria by tom polansek chicago / reuters

og farmers are six times more likely than the general population to carry an infectious bacteria that can cause skin and respiratory problems and resists treatment from multiple drugs, according to a new U.S. research study. The study, published this week in the online journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, is the largestever examination of infections of Staphylococcus aureus, or staph, in a group of livestock workers. It comes amid rising concern that widespread antibiotic use in meat production could create risks to human health. Staph is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections in humans. Most infections are not

life threatening, but the bacteria can lead to pneumonia and turn deadly if they infect the bloodstream, bones and joints, or lungs. Health experts are concerned that routine use of antibiotics in meat production could be spurring the growth of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” capable of creating a human health hazard. The study tracked more than 1,300 Iowa residents, including workers on hog farms, for 18 months starting in May 2011, said Tara Smith, an author of the report and associate professor at Kent State University in Ohio. Researchers said information was not available about whether the hogs were fed antibiotics. They did not take samples from the animals. They found that 20 per cent of the participants exposed to hogs were carrying multi-drug-resistant

Staph is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections in humans.

staph (MDRSA) bacteria, compared to three per cent in the unexposed group. Some 34 per cent of the participants exposed to hogs carried a strain resistant to tetracycline, a human antibiotic also used in meat production, compared to four per cent in the unexposed group, the report said. People carrying staph bacteria do not automatically become sick.

“These people, farmers included, were getting staph infections and they were being caused by these livestock-associated strains,” of bacteria, Smith told Reuters. The prevalence of staph bacteria resistant to the antibiotic methicillin, known as MRSA, was “unexpectedly” similar between the exposed and unexposed groups, according to the study. MRSA is resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections. The National Pork Producers Council, an industry group, said other studies show hog farming does not create an increased risk for staph infections. Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. poultry producer, recently said it plans to stop treating its chicken flocks with human antibiotics and is working to curb on-farm drug use in other meat businesses, including pork.

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Canadian cattle to see strong prices for another year Some producers are holding back heifers for replacement by dave sims

commodity news service canada

Canadian cattle producers should continue to see high prices over the next year or so while operators try to rebuild their herds, industry officials say. “Typical risks for cattle prices are the Canadian dollar and feed costs for cow-calf producers and feeders,” said Brian Perillat, a manager and senior analyst with Canfax. Feed grain prices have generally come down over the past three to four years while the Canadian dollar has plummeted over the past several months, he noted. Both factors helped lift cattle prices to record levels over the past year. Anne Wasko, a market analyst with Gateway Livestock Marketing in Alberta, expects cow kill numbers to be down in the next few months as producers hold back some cattle for replacement purposes. “We’re certainly going to be looking at a squeeze on fed cattle slaughter in 2015 in Canada,” she said, adding heifers will also likely be held back in some cases for herd retention. Perillat agrees that will support prices moving forward. “When you’re in a situation of tight beef supplies and you start taking heifers and cows off that market, that further supports prices and shorts the beef supply, possibly into 2016,” he said. Wasko said she expects beef prices to remain strong into 2016 due to the strong North American demand for beef and reduced herd numbers. “The economics behind the current price level certainly has some (producers) holding back heifers for replacement, that’s the feeling I’m starting to get,” she said. Perillat agrees, saying the Canadian herd is the lowest it’s been in 20 years. “We’re testing demand all of the time, consumer demand and resilience, as pork and poultry continue to grow supplies that could cap our prices,” he said. Allan Munroe of Killarney Auction Mart in Manitoba said he recently talked with a producer who wasn’t sure whether to cash out a yearling or put it on grass. In the end, he thinks many growers will decide to keep their young animals for longterm gain. “Grain (prices) are holding, the dollar is holding, there’s a feeling it (the market) will stay high and we don’t make cattle overnight, not like pigs,” he said. Munroe says price insurance may be something producers will want to look at when gauging those dilemmas.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

USED FARM EQUIPMENT AIR DRILL

2011 Bourgault 3310 .................................................................$158,000 2009 Bourgault 3310 .................................................................$148,000 2013 Bourgault 3710 .......................................................................CALL 2011 Bourgault 3710 .................................................................$184,000 2010 Bourgault 3710 .......................................................................CALL 2012 Bourgault 3710-50............................................................$168,000 2002 Bourgault 5710 ...................................................................$55,800 1998 Bourgault 5710 ...................................................................$59,900 1997 Bourgault 5710 ...................................................................$48,000 2008 Bourgault 5710 .................................................................$108,000 2007 Case IH ATX700/3430 ............................................................CALL 2001 Flexi-Coil 3450 ...................................................................$39,500 1996 Flexi-Coil 5000 ...................................................................$28,000 2003 Flexi-Coil 5000/3450 ..........................................................$89,000 2002 Flexi-Coil 6000 / 4350 ............................................................CALL 2010 Flexi-Coil P2060 .................................................................$68,000 2008 New Holland SD550 ...............................................................CALL

AIR SEEDER

2013 Bourgault 3320/L6550 ............................................................CALL 2013 Bourgault 3710 / L6450 ..........................................................CALL 2001 Bourgault 5440 ...................................................................$48,000 2012 Bourgault 6450 .......................................................................CALL 2010 Bourgault 6450 .................................................................$108,000 2011 Bourgault L6550 .....................................................................CALL 2009 Bourgault L6550 .....................................................................CALL 2009 Bourgault L6550 .....................................................................CALL

BALE PROCESSOR

2003 Bale King 3100 .....................................................................$9,800

BALER/ROUND

2004 Case IH RBX562 Number of Bales: 12600Bales ................$13,800 2008 Case IH RBX564.................................................................$19,800 2008 New Holland BR7090 .........................................................$19,500 2011 New Holland BR7090 .............................................................CALL 2003 New Holland BR780 .............................................................$7,900 2003 New Holland BR780 Number of Bales: 3364Bales ............$15,800 2004 New Holland BR780 ...........................................................$12,500 2005 New Holland BR780 ...........................................................$13,500 2006 New Holland BR780A .........................................................$14,500 2007 New Holland BR780A .........................................................$15,900 2007 New Holland BR780A .........................................................$12,800

BLADE

2013 Leon Q5000 ........................................................................$33,000 2012 Leon Q5000 ........................................................................$33,000 2013 Leon Q5000 ........................................................................$33,000

COMBINE

2012 AGCO Gleaner S77 Eng Hrs: 446 Sep Hrs: 346 ..............$298,000 2013 AGCO Gleaner S77 Eng Hrs: 374 Sep Hrs: 296 ..............$329,000 2012 AGCO Gleaner S77 Eng Hrs: 423 Sep Hrs: 323 ..............$298,000 1999 Case IH 2388 Eng Hrs: 2518 Sep Hrs: 1950 ......................$68,000 2000 Case IH 8010 Eng Hrs: 1728 Sep Hrs: 1322 ....................$189,000 2008 Case IH 8010 Eng Hrs: 1781 Sep Hrs: 1169 ....................$169,500 2013 Claas 760 Eng Hrs: 361 Sep Hrs: 233..............................$389,000 2000 John Deere 9650 Sep Hrs: 2030 ........................................$98,000 2007 John Deere 9860STS Eng Hrs: 1627 Sep Hrs: 1161........$208,000 2012 John Deere S680 Eng Hrs: 439 Sep Hrs: 343 ..................$359,000 2012 New Holland CR8090 Sep Hrs: 480 .................................$339,000 2013 New Holland CR8090 Sep Hrs: 440 .................................$359,000 2012 New Holland CR8090 Eng Hrs: 554 Sep Hrs: 434 ...........$359,000 2007 New Holland CR9070 Eng Hrs: 1710 Sep Hrs: 1253 .......$229,500 2008 New Holland CR9070 Eng Hrs: 1434 Sep Hrs: 1023 .......$249,000 2008 New Holland CR9070 Eng Hrs: 1489 Sep Hrs: 1020 .......$195,000 2009 New Holland CR9070 Sep Hrs: 920 .................................$239,000 2007 New Holland CR9070 Eng Hrs: 948 Sep Hrs: 780 ...........$198,000 2009 New Holland CR9080 Eng Hrs: 1347 Sep Hrs: 980 .........$269,000 2014 New Holland CR9090 Eng Hrs: 491 Sep Hrs: 342 ...........$389,000 2014 New Holland CR9090 Eng Hrs: 458 Sep Hrs: 319 ...........$395,000 2010 New Holland CR9090 Eng Hrs: 1040 Sep Hrs: 751 .........$349,000 2014 New Holland CR9090 .............................................................CALL 2010 New Holland CR9090 Eng Hrs: 1165 Sep Hrs: 796 .........$318,000 2011 New Holland CR9090 Eng Hrs: 1024 Sep Hrs: 699 .........$339,000 2012 New Holland CR9090Z Eng Hrs: 860 Sep Hrs: 630 .........$359,000 2006 New Holland CR970 Eng Hrs: 1547 Sep Hrs: 1219 .........$189,500 2006 New Holland CR970 Eng Hrs: 1861 Sep Hrs: 1300 .........$169,500 2005 New Holland CR970 Eng Hrs: 2459 Sep Hrs: 1821 .........$159,000 2013 New Holland CX8080 Eng Hrs: 185 Sep Hrs: 137 ...........$358,000 2008 New Holland CX8080 .............................................................CALL 2007 New Holland CX8080 Eng Hrs: 1002 Sep Hrs: 785 .........$218,000 2010 New Holland CX8080 Eng Hrs: 1090 Sep Hrs: 841 .........$255,000 2013 New Holland CX8090 Eng Hrs: 447 Sep Hrs: 335 ...........$348,000

2003 New Holland CX860 Eng Hrs: 1955 Sep Hrs: 1458 .........$129,000 2004 New Holland CX860 Eng Hrs: 2374 Sep Hrs: 1851 .........$138,000 1996 New Holland TR98 Eng Hrs: 2931 Sep Hrs: 2211..............$39,000 1997 New Holland TR98 Eng Hrs: 2740 Sep Hrs: 1934..............$48,000 1998 New Holland TR98 Eng Hrs: 2700 Sep Hrs: 2200..............$48,000 1999 New Holland TR99 .............................................................$69,000 1993 New Holland TX36 Eng Hrs: 3079 ......................................$25,000 1997 New Holland TX66 Eng Hrs: 3754 Sep Hrs: 2781 ............$385,000 1998 New Holland TX66 Eng Hrs: 3438 Sep Hrs: 2643 ..............$39,500 1998 New Holland TX66 Eng Hrs: 2696 Sep Hrs: 2024 ..............$49,500 1998 New Holland TX66 ..................................................................CALL 1996 New Holland TX66 Eng Hrs: 2796 Sep Hrs: 2188 ..............$48,000

MOWER CONDITIONER

2007 Bourgault 7200-72..................................................................CALL 2013 Bourgault 7200-84..................................................................CALL

2010 Riteway 8100 ......................................................................$36,000

HEAVY HARROW DEEP TILLAGE

2013 Mandako MT3620RB .............................................................CALL

FIELD CULTIVATOR

2008 Farm King 17FCW ...................................................................$995 2014 Valmar 3255........................................................................$12,800

GRAIN AUGER

2001 Brandt 1390 ..........................................................................$9,000 2010 NuVision 5395 ....................................................................$21,000

GRAIN VAC

2008 REM Mfg 3700 ...................................................................$22,000

HAY CONDITIONER

2003 MacDon 922 .......................................................................$12,500 1995 New Holland 2216 ................................................................$7,500 1999 New Holland 2300 ..............................................................$10,500 2011 New Holland HS16 .............................................................$24,800 2007 New Holland HS18 .............................................................$16,800 2006 New Holland HS18 .............................................................$19,000 1997 Westward 9200...................................................................$39,000

HEADER COMBINE

1998 MacDon 871 .........................................................................$6,000 2008 Honey Bee HB36 ................................................................$48,000 1996 Honey Bee SP25 ................................................................$18,500 1997 Honey Bee SP30 ................................................................$29,900 1995 Honey Bee SP30 ................................................................$29,500 1994 Honey Bee SP36 ................................................................$19,500 1999 Honey Bee SP36 ................................................................$29,000 2012 John Deere 635 ..................................................................$68,000 2008 John Deere 936D................................................................$39,900 2010 MacDon D60 ......................................................................$59,500 2011 MacDon FD70 ....................................................................$89,500 2011 MacDon FD70-35 ...............................................................$75,000 2011 MacDon FD70-45 ...............................................................$75,000 2013 MacDon FD75 ....................................................................$79,000 2010 Massey Ferguson 5100-35 .................................................$58,000 2006 New Holland 88C-36 ..........................................................$58,000 2009 New Holland 88C-42 ..........................................................$68,000 2007 New Holland 94C-25 ..............................................................CALL 2000 New Holland 94C-25 ..............................................................CALL 2005 New Holland 94C-30 ..........................................................$29,500 2003 New Holland 94C-30 ..........................................................$29,500 2003 New Holland 94C-36 ..........................................................$44,000 2009 New Holland 94C-36 ..........................................................$53,000 2008 New Holland 94C-36 ..........................................................$49,500 2003 New Holland 94C-36 ..........................................................$39,500 2004 New Holland 94C-36 ..........................................................$45,000 2009 New Holland 94C-36 ..........................................................$44,000 1999 New Holland 994-25...........................................................$26,800 1999 New Holland 994-25...........................................................$25,000 1998 New Holland 994-25...........................................................$28,500 1999 New Holland 994-30...........................................................$29,500 2000 New Holland 994-30...........................................................$38,000 1998 New Holland 994-36...........................................................$19,000 1998 New Holland 994-36...........................................................$19,000 2007 New Holland HB36 .............................................................$29,500 1998 New Holland SP30 .............................................................$28,500 1994 New Holland SP30 .............................................................$19,500

HEADER DRAPER

1996 MacDon 960 ...........................................................................CALL 1998 MacDon 960 .........................................................................$9,500 1998 MacDon 960 .......................................................................$25,000 1998 MacDon 960 .........................................................................$7,500 1995 MacDon 960 .......................................................................$19,800 1992 MacDon 960-30..................................................................$19,800 2003 MacDon 972 .......................................................................$39,000

1992 John Deere 1600 ..................................................................$5,800 2013 John Deere 956 ..................................................................$32,500 2000 MacDon 5010 .....................................................................$12,000 2002 New Holland 1431 ................................................................$9,800 1996 New Holland 1475 ................................................................$9,800 2002 New Holland 1475 ..................................................................CALL 2007 New Holland 1475 ..............................................................$22,000 1998 New Holland 1475 ..............................................................$13,800 1999 New Holland 1475 ..................................................................CALL 2000 New Holland 2300 ..............................................................$10,500

ROW CROP TILLAGE SPRAYER

1998 Flexi-Coil S62 .......................................................................$3,400 1987 Flexi-Coil S62 .......................................................................$4,800 2003 Flexi-Coil S67 .....................................................................$19,500 2008 New Holland SF115............................................................$24,900

SPRAYER/HIGH CLEARANCE

2008 Case IH Patriot 3320 Eng Hrs: 3030 ................................$148,000 2005 Miller 2275HT Eng Hrs: 1950 ...........................................$169,000 2008 Miller A40 Eng Hrs: 885 ....................................................$138,000 2011 New Holland SP240F Eng Hrs: 747 Spray Hrs: 542 ........$268,000

SWATHER

1990 AGCO Hesston 1200 ............................................................$2,800 2008 John Deere 4895 Hrs: 643..................................................$82,500 2013 MacDon D6540DK .............................................................$59,000 2011 MacDon M150 ........................................................................CALL 2011 MacDon M150 ........................................................................CALL 2013 MacDon M155 ........................................................................CALL 2011 Massey Ferguson 5230 ..........................................................CALL 2006 Massey Ferguson 9420 Hrs: 2060......................................$58,000 2011 Massey Ferguson M9435-453 Hrs: 435 .............................$59,500 2011 New Holland H8060 ...........................................................$95,000 2006 New Holland HB30 .............................................................$26,000 1999 New Holland HW300 Hrs: 1855 .........................................$39,800 2003 Premier 2952 Hrs: 2098......................................................$48,000 1998 Westward 9300 Hrs: 3268 ..................................................$35,800

TRACK LOADER

2008 New Holland C190 Hour Meter: 760Hrs.............................$43,500

TRACTOR

1991 Case IH 9270 Eng Hrs: 7486 ..................................................CALL 1988 Ford 1220 ...............................................................................CALL 2006 Massey Ferguson 6480 ......................................................$49,000 2009 McCormick TTX230 Eng Hrs: 1640 ....................................$99,000 2009 New Holland T6030 Elite Eng Hrs: 4550 ............................$85,000 2010 New Holland T6070 Elite Eng Hrs: 2271 ............................$93,000 2011 New Holland T7.170 Eng Hrs: 1850 .......................................CALL 2011 New Holland T7.170 AutoCommand Eng Hrs: 2980........$119,000 2011 New Holland T7.235 AutoCommand Eng Hrs: 2000..............CALL 2011 New Holland T7.270 AutoCommand................................$158,000 2008 New Holland T7030 Eng Hrs: 2442 ..................................$109,000 2008 New Holland T7040 Eng Hrs: 3960 ....................................$99,500 2010 New Holland T7040 ..........................................................$118,000 2007 New Holland TG245 Eng Hrs: 2271 .................................$122,800 2003 New Holland TJ375 ............................................................$98,000 2001 New Holland TM125 Eng Hrs: 7410 ...................................$48,000 2009 New Holland TV6070 Eng Hrs: 4660 ..................................$95,000 2011 New Holland TV6070 ..............................................................CALL 2008 New Holland TV6070 Eng Hrs: 4555 ..................................$79,500

TRACTOR 4WD

2012 Buhler Versatile 500 Eng Hrs: 925 ....................................$285,000 2012 Buhler Versatile 500 Eng Hrs: 390 ....................................$275,000 2009 Case IH STX535Q Eng Hrs: 3103.....................................$278,000 1998 New Holland 9682 Eng Hrs: 3275 ..........................................CALL 2014 New Holland T9.615 Eng Hrs: 861 ...................................$338,000 2014 New Holland T9.615 Eng Hrs: 1263 .................................$338,000 2008 New Holland T9040 Eng Hrs: 2750 ..................................$209,000 2010 New Holland T9060HD ...........................................................CALL 2002 New Holland TJ450 Eng Hrs: 9000 ..................................$138,000

VERTICAL TILLAGE

2013 Bourgault 8910 - 70..........................................................$115,000 2010 Salford 570 RTS .................................................................$65,000

WINDROWER

2013 MacDon M105 Hrs: 170 ...................................................$138,000 2010 MacDon M150 Hrs: 950 Sep Hrs: 700 .............................$109,500 2009 New Holland H8040 Hrs: 520 .............................................$98,000

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www.novlanbros.com

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Auditor general slams federal inaction on antimicrobials Little progress has been made after more than a decade of discussions The vets support the call for the federal government to “prioritize actions, af contributor clarify roles and responsibilities, and establish clear and realistic deadlines he federal government has failed to for the development of a pan-Canadian take effective measures to contain strategy to address AMR.” the proliferation of drug-resistant “While there is much work to be done bugs that threaten human health and to address AMR in Canada,” Gauvin to prevent the overuse of antimicrobial added, “we look forward to collaboratdrugs in livestock production, says Audi- ing with stakeholders from agriculture, tor General Michael Ferguson. veterinary medicine and human mediThe Public Health Agency of Canada cine to ensure we stay on target” with and Health Canada “have not fulfilled the goal of bringing Canada’s prevenkey responsibilities to mitigate the pub- tion policies up to international stanlic health risks posed by the emergence dards by the end of next year. and spread of antimicrobial resistance Ferguson said Health Canada had (AMR) in Canada,” Ferguson said in his failed to strengthen “existing regulaspring report. tions to prohibit farmers from importAntimicrobial resistance is on the rise ing unlicensed non-prescription drugs across Canada and in hospitals alone, that are important to human medicine “about 18,000 Canadians contract drug- use.” resistant infections every year,” said FerIn addition to completing the guson. But the health agency “is not col- national strategy and banning unaulecting all the surveillance information thorized and regulated imports, Health needed to understand the scope of AMR Canada should also periodically review in Canada,” he said. the use of all antimicrobials imporA strategy to deal with antimicrobial tant to human health and “whether resistance was first pledged by the for- their approved uses and availability in mer government in 1997 and promised veterinary medicine increase the risk again in 2009, he said. However, “in our that these antimicrobials will become view, it will likely be many years before ineffective in treating infections in there is one.” humans,” said Ferguson. While a doctor’s prescription is Last year, the Canadian Animal required for the use of these drugs in Health Institute and the veterinarians’ humans, it doesn’t always require a vet- association called on Ottawa to ban How Antibiotic Resistance Happens erinarian’s authorization for treating livestock farmers from importing drugs livestock with them. The use of certain without a prescription and to prevent drugs in food production “may have seri- the importation of bulk shipments of ous health implications.” medicines to treat animals. 3. 1. conclusions reinforce 2. 4. Ferguson’s conThe government finally announced in The drug-resistant Lots of germs. Antibiotics kill Some bacteria give cerns theresistant. Canadian Veterinary Mediearly are April that toit would be preparing now allowed A fewthat are drug bacteria causing the illness, bacteria their drug-resistance to grow and takeamendments over. well as good otherto bacteria, causing cal Association has beenasraising forbacteria years, regulatory do that. The protecting the body from more problems. said president Jean Gauvin. infection. U.S. government launched a major pro“CVMA has expressed the need for a gram last year to tackle antimicrobial comprehensive national all-sectors strat- resistance in that country. In response, egy to address the growing concerns sur- Health Canada would only say it was rounding AMR,” he said. working on a plan. By Alex Binkley

T 5’ x 6’ BALING CAPACITY CLIMBS EVEN HIGHER.

’ X 6’ USED5EQUIPMENT

BALING CAPACITY

CLIMBS EVEN HIGHER. The Roll-Belt™ 560 is built to increase your baling capacity by 20% compared to previous models. Higher baling capacity results from these SMART, field-tested innovations: $98,000 $98,000 pickups 2004• Activesweep™ New Holland82-inch SD440 , SC430 TBH Air

9” spacing, rubberinpackers • Cart, Better windrow5.5” feeding a wide range of crops and baling conditions • Proven combination of rolls and belts for fast core starts and dense, uniform bales in any crop • Simplified twine and net wrapping systems

$14,500

2003 John Deere 1895 Air Drill 430 Bu 1910 Air cart

D L O S

$18,500

2008 New Holland SF216 120’, w/ auto rate

$189,000

1981 CASE 2390 TRACTOR,

2WD, 5853 hrs, 160 HP, good condition

$42,000

© 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. New Holland is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or , , licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

2011 New Holland, SP 240R 100’, w/rear duals, autosteer, 250 hrs

Examples of How Antibiotic Resistance Spreads

2002 Flexi-Coil 3450 Air Cart Variable Rate

TRACTORS

Kubota ZG20, ‘04, mower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,900 NH H8080, 2008, w/18’ disc head, autosteer, 1230 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $95,000

SPRAYERS & SEEDING

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 JD 1895, ‘04, 36’ disc drill w/ FC 2340 cart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,000 FC 67-120’, ‘98 sprayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,800

Drug-resistant bacteria can remain on meat from animals. When not handled or cooked properly, the bacteria can spread to humans.

HAYING EQUIPMENT

Case IH DCX 161, ‘07, 15’ disc mower. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,800 MF 1375, ‘10, 15’ disc mower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,900 NH 499, ‘06, 12’ haybine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16,000 NH 2300, ‘99, 18’ header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000 NH 688, ‘00, bale command, 17, 694 bales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,000 NH 688, ‘00, w/auto tie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000

OFF ROAD UTILITY

George gets antibiotics and develops resistant bacteria in his gut.

Animals get antibiotics and develop resistant bacteria in their guts.

SWATHERS

Fertilizer or water containing animal feces and drug-resistant bacteria is used on food crops.

George stays at home and in the general community. Spreads resistant bacteria. George gets care at a

hospital, nursing home or other inpatient care facility.

Resistant germs spread directly to other patients or indirectly on unclean hands of healthcare providers.

Kawasaki 610XC, ‘11, Mule w/plow, 75 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,600 Kawasaki 4010, Trans, ‘10, w/winch, windshield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,800 Kawasaki 4010, ‘14, Mule, 302 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,500

MISCELLANEOUS

Renn RGU1214, ‘11, 12’ bag extractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 Rem 2700, ‘08, grain vac, 283 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,500 Vegetable Farm

Claresholm, AB 403-625-3321

1-800-852-7270 www.challengernh.ca

Drug-resistant bacteria in the animal feces can remain on crops and be eaten. These bacteria can remain in the human gut.

Patients go home.

Healthcare Facility

Resistant bacteria spread to other patients from surfaces within the healthcare facility.

Simply using antibiotics creates resistance. These drugs should only be used to treat infections. CS239559

This graphic illustrates how antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread among and between humans and animals. Photo: U.S. Center for Disease Control

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

1-800-665-1362 • abclassifieds@fbcpublishing.com

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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_

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MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS We also specialize in: Crop Insurance appeals; Chemical drift; Residual herbicide; Custom operator issues; Equipment malfunction; Yield comparisons, Plus Private Investigations of any nature. With our assistance the majority of our clients have received compensation previously denied. Back-Track Investigations investigates, documents your loss and assists in settling your claim. Licensed Agrologist on Staff. For more information Please call 1-866-882-4779

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT 2004 NH RG200B GRADER air, dozer & ripper, 5,000-hrs; 2003 Hitachi ZX200LC track hoe & thumb; Case 621 3-yd loader; D7F dozer ripper, PWR shift; New Quonset in crate 52x35x18-ft. $17,000; 1999 GMC T8500 Cat DSL, tow truck, 20ft. tilt & wheel lift, $14,500; 1977 IHC 1700 series floater w/tiler fertilizer spreader, $5,000; 3-Ton fertilizer spread $1,500; Rotex SR7 Pwr parachute needs frame, as is, $3,000; Ford Major DSL loader 3-PTH bale fork, $6,700. (306)236-8023

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous 4640 SPRAY COUPE 2001, 80-ft booms, 400-gal. tank, 2,450-hrs w/front & back crop dividers. Trimble 250 w/Auto steer. $49,900. Ph: (780)662-2220. ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: 3-PT. CULTIVATORS, Discs, Plows, Blades, Harrows, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, AB. RETIREMENT SALE: NH 575 small square baler overhauled completely in 2008, then stored inside, has hyd tongue & tension, excellent condition, $8,500. Phone (403)932-5522

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

RON SAUER

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

(3) CIH High HP Tractors, 1 with pto.............................. CALL Wanted - JD 9450 Hoe Drills............... ........................ CALL 946 Versatile Ford Tractor, 4,994 hrs, 24.5 x 32 D....$50,000 8070 AC Tractor, FWA, wheel base extended, duals .. $22,500 275 MF Tractor, diesel, multi power, 3 pth, new 18.4 x 30, front weights, loader available, looks and runs great ......... $12,500 B275 IHC Tractor & Loader .....................................$3,500 New NH 1060 TBT Air Tank, on duals ................... $85,000 (1) NH P1060 TBH Air Tank, as new .................... $69,500 40’ Salford RTS 570 Vertical Till, as new ............ $73,500 35’ 4590 EEZE-ON Double Disc, good condition .... $36,000 62’ 820 F.C. Deep Till Cultivator, c/w 4 Bar Harrow & Raven NH3 kit, excellent condition.......................... $46,000 44’ 820 F.C. Deep Till Air Seeder, harrows ................. CALL 2320 F.C. TBH Air 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 .... $11,000 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 ... $12,500 791 NH Manure Spreader, c/w top beater ................$6,500 225 DOW Kello-Bilt Tandem Disc, 28” smooth front & rear blades, 10.5” spacing, oil, bath bearings, as new ........ $62,500 47’ 820 Flexicoil Chisel Plow, 4 bar harrows ......... $67,500 New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps available ............ Call 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** $900 New Outback VSI Swather Steering Kit...............In Stock Used Outback E-Drive Hyd. kits .................................. $500 Used Outback S2 Guidance, c/w 360 Mapping ...........$1,500 **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**

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. 1-800-665-1362.

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile Wire Spooler & Water Hose Roller

SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Sprayers

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

4955 JD low hrs, 3 pth, very clean S670/680/690 JD Combine low hrs 4730 JD Sprayer, 100 ft. JD 8770, 4WD, 24 speed with PTO Case IH 9170, 4WD 854 Rogator SP Sprayer, complete with JD auto steer, swath pro GOOD SELECTION OF JD & CASE SP SPRAYERS AND 4WD TRACTORS

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

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted - Wire Roller can now be converted to roll up & unroll flat plastic water hose up to 6” diameter (11” flat) - Hydraulic Drive (roll or unroll) - Mounts to tractor draw bar, skidsteer front end loader, post driver, 3pt. hitch or deck truck (with receiver hitch & rear hydraulics) - Spool splits in half to remove full roll - Shut off/ Flow control valve determines speed - Works great for pulling out old wire (approx. 3--5 minutes to roll up 80 rod or 1/4 mile) - Also works great for swath grazing or rotational grazing The Level-Winder II Wire Roller rolls wire evenly across the full width of the spool automatically as the wire is pulled in Ken Lendvay (403) 550-3313 Red Deer, AB email: kflendvay@hotmail.com Web: www.levelwind.com

AG DEALS TO GO!

Go public with an ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. Phone 1-800-665-1362.

mOBile

yOUR PORtaBle eQUiPment sOURCe!!

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

GAUGE WHEEL & GAUGE WHEEL KIT

HAYING & HARVESTING

3” & 4” OPTIONS

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

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

1-800-665-1362

www.ridgelandmanufacturing.ca

204-866-3558 ridgemetal@hotmail.com

Combines COMBINES Accessories

TILLAGE & SEEDING Tillage Various

RECONDITIONED COMBINE HEADERS. RIGID & flex, most makes & sizes; also header transports. Ed Lorenz, (306)344-4811 or Website: www.straightcutheaders.com Paradise Hill, SK.

6200 IH PRESS DRILL 24-ft, factory transport, rubber packers; 510 IH wheel drill; #10 IH wheel drill; 14-ft deep tillage cultivator; 97 Ford 150 ext. cab truck. (780)919-9985.

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 11, 2015

TRACTORS John Deere

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus

2003 JD 9420, 1,605-HRS, 24spd, 710/70R/42, cast weights front & rear, GreenStar ready, full diff., extra lights, shedded, excellent, $186,000. Olds, AB. Phone Mike:(403)335-9205.

TRACTORS Various

JD 1840 complete with 3 pth JD 2130 with loader, 3 pth JD 2950 FWA, 260 loader with 3 pth JD 4255 2 WD, with 158 loader JD 4440, 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

REGISTERED RED ANGUS BULLS Quiet, Easy Calving, Low to Moderate Birth Weights, Good Growth, E.P.D’s available Guaranteed Breeders (Vet Checked & Semen Tested). Excellent Bulls for Heifers or Cows. Cleveley Cattle Company (780)689-2754.

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 Sheep For Sale PLAN TO ATTEND THE 9th Annual Pound Maker Ram Sale. 110 yearling rams sell by auction. Thursday May 21, 2015 at Ford Macleod Alberta. Suffolk, Dorset, Hampshire, Charollais, Ile de France, Rambouillet, North Country Cheviot & Coloured. Catalogue on the website after May 10th. For details, call Warren:(403)625-6519 or check our website: www.poundmakerrams.com

Big Tractor Parts, Inc. FARMING 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

IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

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

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

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

www.penta.ca

1-800-587-4711

LIVESTOCK

1-800-665-1362 Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds. Place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifed section. 1-800-665-1362.

LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT

LIGHT BIRTHWEIGHT RED & Black Angus yearling bulls. $2500 Bellshill Red Angus & Davidson Angus. Lougheed, AB. Ph:(780)384-2354 or (780)888-2123, Cell:(780)888-7585 .

SEED / FEED / GRAIN

AVAILABLE BACHELORETTES

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Feed Grain

Name: Carrie Age: 44

Carrie a down-to-earth, natural beauty who is very genuine about finding a real, serious, loving relationship. She is divorced, and has a 12 year old daughter. Sweet, kind hearted and loving, Carrie is generous and charitable person. She is a farm girl, born and raised and she still works on the farm, which she owns with her 2 brothers. She loves the country life, country music, and would prefer to stay in and meet someone in the country. She was in a very bad marriage for 8 years where she was hurt. She has been divorced for 4 years, and has been hesitant to put herself back out there in fear of being hurt again. However, she is tired of being alone and wants a good man in her life, a positive male role model for her daughter, is a hopeless romantic and not given up on love. She is very happy in her life now, and wants someone to share that with. Carrie is soft spoken, a bit shy at first, has a great sense of humor, loves the outdoors, riding her horses, spending time with her daughter, going on picnics and making home cooked meals. She is the type of person that wants to bring happiness to all those in her life. She is looking for a very kind, loving, honest country guy with a big heart, who is affectionate, compassionate, likes animals, and is preferably a Christian such as herself. She hopes to finally find true love, someone she can spend her days with, and perhaps her life with.

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Grain Wanted

European River Cruises ~ Multiple Dates NWT/Yukon ~ July 2015 Alaska Cruise ~ July 2015 Australia/New Zealand ~ Jan 2016 Costa Rica/Panama Canal ~ Jan 2016 Tanzania/Zimbabwe ~ Jan 2016 South America ~ Feb 2016 India ~ 2016

BUYING:

Select Holidays

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

*Portion of tours may be Tax Deductible

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

1-800-661-4326

www.selectholidays.com Stretch your advertising dollars! Place an ad in the classifieds. Our friendly staff is waiting for your call. 1-800-665-1362.

CAREERS

“ON FARM PICK UP”

1-877-250-5252

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

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

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

1-877-641-2798

CAREERS Career Training Massage is a Great Career for Caring, Active People! RMTs are needed throughout Western Canada. At MH Vicars School, you’ll receive an exceptional education that meets Canada’s highest standards without having to relocate. Choose monthly, weekly or weekend classes in Calgary or Edmonton. www.mhvicarsschool.com Go public with an ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classifieds. Phone 1-800-665-1362.

Remember that story you wanted to read again from a few months back?

Network

Search news. Read stories. Find insight.

Thorough screenomg process, customized memberships and guaranteed service. Est 15 years in Canada & US. We are a full service permanent relationship firm with a success rate of 87%. Testimonials available.

Prairie-Wide Display Classifieds

PETS & SUPPLIES

MORE OPTIONS TO SAVE YOU MONEY

Border Collie Pups PB Non-Registered Out of Good Working Parents. Pups Guaranteed Over 20 years breeding. $400 (1st shots inc) www.riverhillsranchltd.com (204)365-0372

ORGANIC

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.

Buy one province, buy two provinces or buy all three. Great rates whatever you choose

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

Contact Sharon

Email: sharon.komoski@fbcpublishing.com

Farming is enough of a gamble, advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express classified section. It’s a sure thing. 1-800-665-1362.

INFORMATIVE:

INSPIRATIONAL:

Watch reviews of the latest ag products. From vehicles, equipment and services to emerging ag technologies.

Listen to such noted speakers as Rick Hanson and many others discuss the challenges and rewards of farm living.

Current AGCanadaTV topics include: 

1-888-916-2824 www.selectintroductions.com

REAL ESTATE

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

TRAVEL

RURAL & CULTURAL TOURS

BUYING ALL TYPES OF feed grain. Also have market for light offgrade or heated, picked up on the farm. Eisses Grain Marketing 1-888-882-7803, Lacombe.

Matchmakers Select

CALF CATCHER Catch process & transport your newborn calves all w/the safety of your Quad Roper calf catcher. www.calfcatcher.ca (780)688-2496

ORGANIC Organic – Certified

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Angus

PERSONAL

Know Your Options: Take the Risk Out of Grain Marketing

Tyler Russell, Cargill National Grain Marketing Solutions Manager shares how farmers can mitigate grain marketing risks and go from price takers to price makers.

Trade in the Canadian Agri-food Industry



Hear about the resiliency of Canada’s agri-food industry and its importance in the Canadian economy from FCC Chief Agricultural Economist J.P. Gervais.

Grainews looks at Ford’s all-new, aluminum-bodied F-150



Grainews field editor Lisa Guenther talks with Trevor Boquist about the features on Ford’s 2015 F Series truck.

Start watching: www.agcanada.com/video

AGCanadaTV is sponsored by

MAY 11, 2015 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Nominate and pay tribute to the success and innovation of Alberta’s export companies.

Searching for Alberta’s

2015 EXPORT CHAMPIONS With 50 million acres used for crop and livestock production, Alberta produces an abundant supply of agricultural commodities available for export and as input for Alberta’s processed products. We want you to play a part in honouring Canadian companies who have achieved export success, contributing to our provincial and national economies.

The 2015 winners will be announced and celebrated at an

embracing the opportunities “ By of a global marketplace, Alberta has built an international reputation as a reliable source of agricultural technology, expertise and agri-foods. — GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA

PRESENTED BY:

awards luncheon taking place in Calgary in the fall. The Alberta Export Awards highlight Alberta’s most important export sectors and influential exporters with the following award categories: INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

PREMIER SPONSORS:

Exporter of the Year

Leadership

Emerging Exporter

International Business Studies

SECTOR AWARDS:

Agriculture, Food/Beverage

Consumer Products

Manufacturing

Professional Services

Oil and Gas Service/Supply

Advanced Technology and Innovation

Clean Technology

AWARD SPONSORS:

Visit ALBERTAEXPORTAWARDS.COM before May 15, 2015, to cast your nomination.

”