Alberta farmer express by Farm Business Communications

FROM ENGLAND WITH LOVE

LOOKING FOR A TECH INNOVATION?

The search for a British sausage leads to big things for Round Hill couple » PG 32

Then just ask these ‘hackers’ to invent some new farm technology for you » PG 3

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What does your grain sell for at port? When grain gridlock hit two years ago, the gap between the elevator and port price appears to have skyrocketed — and cost farmers billions

BY JEFF MELCHIOR AF contributor

he jury’s still out on whether knowing the price of export grain relative to local cash prices will help producers get better prices. But the Alberta Wheat Commission intends to find out. “The port price would provide an indication of whether the system is constrained or functioning efficiently,” said Tom Steve, the commission’s general manager. “For farmers, it’s a tool to let them know whether to send their grain to port or whether there are more attractive opportunities.” According to economist Richard Gray, Prairie farmers lost $5 billion to $6.7 billion during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 crop years because the export basis — the difference between the elevator price and the price grain fetched at the Port of Vancouver — soared to unprecedented levels. Using a mix of U.S. data (for grain exports at Portland, Ore.) and private estimates, the University of Saskatchewan economist concluded the average export basis from 2002-12 was

see grain ports } page 7

Five reasons to celebrate 2015 There’s no denying it was a troubled year, but don’t forget the many good things that happened

August. It’s the first time the major beef industry groups have held a joint national event. That’s a hugely positive sign for an industry that the think-tank described as being unable to collaborate because of its “cowboy mentality.”

More than dirt

The last paper of 2015 had a frontpage story on the first-ever western Canadian conference on soil health, and co-chair Tom Fromme could barely contain his enthusiasm. “I am more excited about agriculture right now than I have ever been

By Glenn Cheater Alberta Farmer editor

s you look back on 2015, do you feel the January blues coming on? The oil price crash went from bad to awful, tighter margins were made worse by summer drought, and ‘disaster’ seems a charitable description for Bill 6. But there were lots of positive developments in the past year and now’s not a bad time to recall them as we head into 2016.

Things have changed

In 2011, the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute think-tank conducted an in-depth review of the Canadian beef sector by talking to more than 80 “stakeholders” — beef producers, feedlot operators, processors, retailers, and others. Its report was not a fun read, describing a fractured sector where there was lots of distrust and “no long-term and shared strategic plan.” A lot has changed since then, and this is illustrated by the front-page story from last January, describing the “Big Hairy Audacious” goals of

‘WHEAT PETE’

see FIVE REASONS } page 6

the new national beef strategy for 2020 — namely to boost production efficiency by 15 per cent, increase carcass cut-out value by 15 per cent, and reduce cost disadvantage relative to global competitors by seven per cent. “You can’t make every goal in life, but if you don’t set something that’s higher than what you have today, you can’t strive to get there,” said Trevor Atchison, the Manitoba rancher who was co-chair of the strategy initiative. If you want to check out how much progress is being made, you might want to attend the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Calgary in

Says it’s time for a rethink } PAGE 21

news » inside this week

inside » DIG YOURSELF A HOLE And then take a good look at the colour and texture of the soil in your fields

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

livestock

crops

columNists

MANAGING YOUR BIGGEST COST

DOUBLE YOUR PROFITS

brenda schoepp The things that matter to young farmers

Laura Rance Our response to Syrian refugees says a lot about us

KEEP WATCH FOR THIS VIRUS Pigs infected with Seneca Valley virus need to be reported right away

Winter feeding gets expensive fast, which is why you want to do it right

How doing just five per cent better can dramatically boost the bottom line

A year in verse that’s joyful not terse

Beef Advocacy Canada says farmers are the best people to engage consumers because ‘no one knows the industry better’ AF contributor

ant to be an advocate for Canadian beef? There’s a program for that. Beef Advocacy Canada is about to launch a new training program for beef producers willing to be the faces — and voices — of the beef sector. “We are looking to empower advocates for the beef industry — people who are raising the beef and bringing the beef to people’s tables,” said Tayla Fraser, Canada Beef’s manager of corporate affairs. “We want them to tell their story, as they know best.” The program, launched three years ago, is modelled after a similar American program called Masters of Beef Advocacy. It was set up by Canada Beef, the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), and Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, and is supported by other producer groups and provincial beef associations. “The program is split into two levels,” said Fraser. “The first level, Course 1.0, is geared toward anyone who ever wanted to know anything about beef and cattle production on a basic level — consumers, people in retail, food service, producers.

“The producer angle we were going for in the first level is if you are a cowcalf producer, you may not have all the knowledge about feedlots and we want to be able to tell all the beef value chain story. We want people to be able to talk consistently about the industry as a whole.” Module two will look at “hot-button” topics such as the use of hormones and antibiotics, and grass-fed versus grainfed beef. The target audience of module two is mostly producers, however, anyone is eligible to apply. “We are looking for beef-friendly people,” said Fraser. The second module will focus on giving people speaking points and getting all industry players on the same page. Unlike module one, which uses quizzes at the end to test participants’ knowledge of the material, the second module allows for open responses and encourages participants to let their passion show. The goal is to create a network of “goto” people within the industry who can speak to consumers and also, if they’re willing, to the media. “Often we’ll get media coming to Canada Beef or CCA looking for beef producers in (a specific geographic area),” said Fraser. “When we look at our list of people who have gone through this program we know who can speak confi-

dently about the industry. We know who has specialties in what area. We know they are going to be positive about the industry.” Social media is another focus of the program. “With more people present on social media and multi-generations represented, we want people to have positive conversations with others while engaging in social media,” she said. Many producers want to engage with the public, but “many don’t want to speak up because they are not comfortable about having conversations about the industry.” While the program is designed to make producers feel more confident, its underlying basis is that they are the beef industry’s best representatives. “No one knows the industry better than the people who live it every day,” said Fraser. “If going through and reinforcing things they know and learning the little details they may not have known, helps them speak up for the industry, then that’s great. “We aren’t asking everyone to speak to the media, it’s not a requirement of the program, we just want people to be confident, and if you want to step forward and be a vocal advocate then that’s good, too.” For more information or to register, visit www.beefadvocacy.ca.

Beef Advocacy Canada helps producers become spokespeople for the sector PHOTO: JILL BURKHARDT

Jill Burkhardt, who raises Angus-cross cattle with husband Kelly at Crooked Lake Farm near Wetaskiwin, has volunteered for Beef Advocacy Canada.

Christmas came early for beef and pork producers Faced with the prospect of punishing sanctions, Congress includes repeal of COOL law in omnibus bill Staff with files from Reuters

“

Dave Solverson

lated.” That was the word the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association used to described the U.S. Senate passage of Congress’s omnibus appropriations bill that would repeal U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for Canadian beef and pork. “This is fantastic news for Canada’s beef cattle producers,” said CCA president Dave Solverson, who ranches near Camrose. “The CCA initiated this fight

in 2008 because the U.S. failed to live up to its international trade obligations. In the seven years since U.S. COOL has been in effect, the cumulative losses for the Canadian beef and pork sectors have been staggering.” The bill was passed one week before Christmas — the same day Canada and Mexico were to be given authority by the World Trade Organization to impose retaliatory tariffs of more than $1 billion on U.S. products if COOL was not repealed. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama three days later The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association spent nearly $4 million fighting COOL, said CCA

John Morriss

Beef sector wants producers to speak up By JILL BURKHARDT

vice-president Dan Darling. The legal bill paid by beef producers through their provincial checkoffs, and Darling thanked producers for directing their dollars towards the fight. R-CALF and some other American farm groups decried the repeal, but others praised it, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and National Pork Producers Council. If it had not been repealed, it “would have been devastating to me and other pork producers,” said Ron Prestage, a South Carolina pork farmer and president of the national pork association.

“This is fantastic news for Canada’s beef cattle producers.”

Dave Solverson

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Tech conference brings together bright minds to ‘hack’ ag industry issues The Emerging Agriculture conference aims to foster ag industry innovations By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff

ove over, Silicon Valley — hackers will soon be setting their sights on Saskatoon to solve the industry’s biggest problems. The agriculture industry, that is. “Emerging Agriculture is a weekend hackathon where we get students and non-students interested in agriculture together to collaborate on agriculture-based technology and ideas, and hopefully make some startup companies out of them,” said Rory Nussbaumer, committee chair for the Jan. 9-11 event at the University of Saskatchewan. Now in its second year, Emerging Agriculture draws university students and industry experts from across the country to ‘hack’ — or solve — technology problems in the agriculture industry. The premise of a ‘hackathon’ is simple: On the first day, people pitch their innovative ideas and then gather up to six people who think they can help make the idea a reality. Over the course of the weekend, the group explores solutions to the problem, then presents its ideas to a group of judges for evaluation. “Say you’re an engineer and you have a really cool accessory for a drill that you think is going to save farmers a crazy amount of money. But you need someone from a software background to help you out,” said Nussbaumer. “You can come pitch your idea on the first day and say you’re looking for computer science individuals.

Now in its second year, the Emerging Agriculture conference brings together students and industry experts at the University of Saskatchewan for a three-day ‘hackathon.’ PHOTOs: SUPPLIED

Ag industry technology innovations are the focus of Emerging Agriculture, but groups can also ‘hack’ finance, marketing, or engineering ideas.

If someone from computer sciences is interested in your idea, you guys can collaborate on the idea together.” The three-day event helps students make “connections that they might not have made.” “The main problem we’re solving with this hackathon is getting that connection between computer science, engineers, agriculture, and commerce; and bringing them all together to create those networking opportunities,” he said. “There’s not much opportunity to actually collaborate with other colleges, so this connects the computer science, commerce, marketing, and agriculture people together to work on these ideas.” But Emerging Agriculture doesn’t just involve students. The event organizers are also working with big names in agriculture — like Seed

So far, the idea wall has generated over 15 innovations, including real-time green seed monitoring technology for canola and a variety selection app. And while most of the ideas so far have been submitted by students, farmers are “definitely encouraged” to participate. “Any farmers who have an idea can participate or just come watch if they want to see what all the ideas are,” said Nussbaumer. “They’re the ones who are getting impacted in the long run.” The hope is that the groups will go on to create a startup company and commercialize their ideas, said Nussbaumer. “There’s a lot of groupthink that happens in college, so I think when you’re getting some outside perspectives, you can create some solid companies in the long run.”

Hawk — and technology — like IBM — to bring outside expertise to the table. “One thing we’re going to be focusing on this year is creating more in-depth and value-added ideas,” said Nussbaumer. “In order to do this, we partnered with a bunch of local companies and out-of-province companies to offer summer internship opportunities.” Emerging Agriculture also has an online idea wall where people can post their innovations and hopefully have them brought forward at the event itself. “Anyone — from a consumer all the way up to the industry — can post on our idea wall,” said Nussbaumer. “Basically, you just go to our website and post a summary of your idea. It can be anything from technology to something related to finance.”

This three-day event helps students make connections they might not have otherwise, says committee chair Rory Nussbaumer. For more information or to submit an idea, visit www. emergingagriculture.com. jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

You can’t get with the plan until you create one There’s a lot of power in sitting down as a family and writing down your short-term and long-term goals

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

ot a plan for 2016? If not, you can start by reviewing the goals you had for last year, says a provincial farm financial specialist. “This is an important process,” said Rick Dehod. “Reflecting on how you have done helps you set goals for the farm business in 2016 and influences what you feel is achievable. “Think about what major decisions you made in the last three years. What were the successes or failures? What were the circumstances surrounding those decisions? What alternatives did you consider? Knowing the outcomes, would your decision be different today?” Setting goals is the next step.

“It is easier to get the job done when you know where you are going and when you want to get there.” But don’t make the mistake of not writing them down, said Dehod. “Putting them in writing adds the additional discipline that often makes the difference between success and failure,” he said. This is doubly important when it’s a family operating the farm. “Different family members will have different goals or may rank the importance of a goal differently. This can result in conflict. That is why it is important to develop goals as a group.” Examples of specific goals are: • To have higher net farm income; • To avoid years of low income or high losses;

• To maintain or improve the family’s lifestyle; • To increase net worth; • To stay in business as a family. “Families all have short-term and long-term goals,” said Dehod. “By discussing the family’s goals you can set priorities on what you want to achieve. As a result, you will reduce frustrations and increase understanding and commitment.” Successful farm managers understand the importance of having written goals, he said. “By setting goals they shape events, rather than letting events shape them. Success in farming depends on setting and attaining goals.” The Farm Manager section of Alberta Agriculture’s website has information on business planning (go to www. agriculture.alberta.ca and search for ‘farm manager’).

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JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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Happy New Year! Do you have time for a rhyme?

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The tree is took down, there’s no more left of the turkey It’s a new year in farming, and for many, the future’s quite murky But not for our readers, who know that from time immemorial That we clearly predict the future in the new year’s editorial But first we look back at the past year, and do a review And as a bonus to readers, we do it in rhyme too Some will be sad that he’s gone, but others will be merry After 12 years of being put on the Ritz, we no longer have Gerry Any news of parting gifts he received, I didn’t quite catch it But I think a good one would have been an axe or a hatchet I don’t know if he gave it some thought, or just a glance cursory But he chopped all the trees from the Indian Head nursery “Shelterbelts are just a relic of the ’30s,” said Gerry, “And by the way, “The same goes for community pastures run by the PFRA” If you want CWRS for bread, or durum for pasta you’re cookin’ Ritz dumped KVD, so which is which now, you can’t tell by lookin’ You could see a grain commission employee and ask for their view But Gerry got rid of a whole bunch of them too Those weren’t the only ones that he didn’t think we’d be needing He chopped a whole pile of the staff for plant breeding To get rid of the wheat board Ritz was particularly hungry What’s left of it is now owned by Saudi sheiks and by Bunge Just before leaving, Ritz and colleagues said it was terrific That they’d signed TPP — a trade deal Trans-Pacific That could be the case, and maybe I’ll soon find that it’s true But it’s 6,000 pages, and so far I’ve just made it to page 3,022

Farm organization leaders must read more quickly, I find Most issued glowing releases in favour the day TPP was signed Except supply management leaders in dairy and chicken They said that under TPP they’re going to take quite a lickin’ It seems that if it’s into the TPP that Canada wants in We’ll have to buy all our milk from New Zealand or Wisconsin Now call it an error in judgment, or a slight mental hiccup But I thought an El Niño was a Chevy, with a back like a pickup But after hearing so much talk of it lately, it finally came through That it’s actually a big slug of warm water off the coast of Peru That’s a long way away, but apparently the effect of it carries To weather everywhere else, including here on the Prairies Now I find that a stretch, but I suppose that as most farmers do I’ll accept that what the scientists say on El Niño is true But on climate change it seems some farmers are sure That those same scientists are spouting a bunch of manure That’s a contradiction on which the scientists can catch you on Especially if you’re a farmer seeding soybeans in Saskatchewan It was just a couple of years ago now, I seem to recall That the world was going to run out of food, and the sky soon to fall Everyone told all the farmers that it was definitely proven That the world needed more grain, and they’d better get movin’ So they did, but once again, there was something to foil it When farmers grow more, the price always goes into the toilet As cattle producers will now very well understand You’re better off to have supply slightly less than demand Farmers are used to markets being a little bit manic But just one slow year seems to make

chemical companies panic I guess it’s because of their shareholders’ urging But all of those big chem firms, they just keep on merging We’ve now got DowPont, and I hear what’s next on the agenda Is Synganto, or maybe they’ll call it Mongenta But enough of the last year, enough of past history You want to know of the future, for it to be less of a mystery You’ll be pleased to know that this year my advice is even wiser I took an Internet course on how to be an ag market adviser The outlook for wheat prices, could we see them recover? Definitely, depending on weather, and U.S. winter snow cover How about feed grain prices, do I see them surging? Maybe, if there’s problem with winter wheat emerging Prices for canola and oilseeds, do I see some gains? Absolutely, depending on what happens to wheat and feed grains Cattle prices, can we expect them to stay quite so hot? I can say with some certainty that probably not Come late February or March, I’m sure you’ll be having Some warm gentle breezes just in time for spring calving For April and May, I’m pretty certain what I sees is Enough moisture for growing, but not too much for diseases Then inch a week after that is pretty much what I’ve seen Until it stops when you pull out the swather around August 15 Or at least that’s what I hope for all of our readers Good luck with your calves, and good luck with your seeders That’s our best wishes to you from all of us here For good crops and good prices, and Happy New Year! john.morriss@fbcpublishing.com

Railway rate deregulation arguments don’t add up BY ALLAN DAWSON Staff

onsensus is rare in western Canadian grain transportation policy. That’s why when two economists who have spent decades sparring over contentious issues actually agree, people take notice. The sky didn’t fall, as Paul Earl joked it might, after admitting at a recent Winnipeg conference that he agrees with University of Saskatchewan agricultural economist Richard Gray “to some very small extent” on whether further deregulation of rail freight rates would benefit farmers. Earl, a senior scholar at the University of Manitoba’s Transport

Institute, and Gray shared concerns that in the absence of the so-called maximum revenue entitlement (MRE), grain shippers would pay much higher freight costs. They weren’t alone. Many other conference speakers challenged the proposition that ending the MRE would result in better railway service for grain shippers. There’s also general agreement the railways must be compelled by regulation to agree to service agreements with grain shippers and be subject to penalties when they fail to fulfil them. Still, the cap has its critics. Several other speakers condemned it, arguing it discourages railways and grain companies from investing to move more grain, ultimately hurting farmers and Canada’s economy.

Their message: Let the market work and rail freight rates will ration demand for rail services. Most would agree — if there was competition between the railways. Without it, the railways have no incentive to invest in surge capacity because they know they’ll get the grain eventually. In the meantime, they can charge what the market will bear. In fact, they have a fiduciary duty to shareholders to do just that. One speaker argued farmers are not captive to the railways, but that prompted some eye rolling. Tell a farmer in the Peace River he can truck his wheat to an American elevator if he doesn’t like Canadian rail rates. We’ll soon learn whether the team appointed to review the Canada

Transportation Act sees the MRE as a help or a hinderance. Even if the review chaired by former cabinet minister David Emerson recommends scrapping the MRE, the current government isn’t likely to comply. Veteran Saskatchewan Liberal MP Ralph Goodale knows the file well and recognizes grain shippers are captive to the railways. Still, never underestimate the railways. They are powerful and critically important to Canada’s economy. They must be profitable. In 2000, when the MRE was created, the government thought it struck the right balance between farmer and railway interests. Will today’s government reach the same conclusion? allan@fbcpublishing.com

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Wants, needs, and some advice for young farmers When you ask beginning farmers about their priorities, a few key themes quickly emerge By BRENDA SCHOEPP AF columnist

arm Management Canada recently hosted a fabulous conference in Regina where I was also contributing. The conference was peppered with interactive breakout sessions that made for lively discussion. Three of the questions stuck in my mind and I would like to share five comments on each of those questions with you. I don’t think it is my prerogative to prioritize but these are important considerations for Canadian young farmers. What do young farmers want? Young farmers were clear on what they want in the family business — a business plan that is transparent, open and active. Being involved in the farm can be hectic and the business plan is a road map but not engraved in granite. Being able to openly discuss business and refer to a living document was important. We have often heard of worklife balance and this is important to the next generation of farm men and women. They know the importance of family time, exercise, prayer, and building a social community. In addition to the balance are the

boundaries, and those include allowing for the partner — male or female — to make their own road map as to their level of engagement on the farm. A life partner may want to have a hands-on role in the farm or may wish to work outside of the business, and those desires must be respected. There is an abundance of new technologies available to the young entrepreneur and it can be a full-time job just keeping up. The complexities of farming will dictate that advanced management skills are required. Young farmers want time set aside to explore new innovations and technologies so they can analyze their validity to the enterprise. Finally young farmers said clearly: Please accept and understand that you are entitled to your retirement! (And yes, you will be missed.) What do young farmers need? This question was posed to both groups — young and experienced — and the results were interesting. A global perspective is important to appreciate the environment in which you work. Without a global outlook, it is difficult to understand why dramatic swings may occur in costs, markets, or enabling policy.

Marketing has long been a challenge on most Canadian farms — and still is. Added to that is the complexities of the labour situation and it is really important that farmers get training in human resources. I know that women farmers are short on managers while all farms struggle with finding qualified staff. There are new models to explore that are based on the ‘needs’ of the employee in synergy with the needs of the employer. Money! Access to money is a need of young farmers as they build their equity and have extra needs for operating. This will likely always be in play, but the situation is getting better with less gender discrimination at the bank — 30 per cent of Alberta farms are owned and operated by women — and additional young farmer loans through lenders such as AFSC and FCC. It is interesting and exciting to me that young farmers say they need to diversify their income — and experienced farmers agree. I gave the example in my presentation on keeping lines of business separate and how it can be the saving grace for young farmers. I know there are many monoculture-based farms that are highly successful, but

farmers are a smart and curious bunch and see diversification not only as a way of discovery but to mitigate risk. And finally, young farmers put a lot of pressure on themselves wanting to be really good at what they do. And that leads us to the group of farmers that offered a lengthy list of advice, much of which was mirrored in wants and needs. What is the advice to young farmers? This is about money — not lifestyle! Let’s not get caught up in romanticizing farming — it is tough, dirty, and a cash drain if not done properly. On the other hand, it is a lovely way to make a living and that is what the farm should provide — an income generator adequate to meet the family needs, goals, and objectives. It is always human nature to want to capture the whole dream during the first year out of the gate. But business takes time and energy to grow, and young farmers are advised to set goals and plans in steps that can be achievable. All young men and women are encouraged to leave the farm and get some outside experience. As a friend of mine said, “Learn what it is like to

work for other people so you know how to treat partners and employees when you come back.” I would add that in doing so you are also building value in yourself. In other words, create your own image brand before committing to the family farm. Managing risk is like juggling a multitude of balls in the air at once. From health insurance and hedging to fixing gates and blocking off the dugout, all risks on the farm should be evaluated. But your greatest tool is financial literacy in mitigating risk. In all honesty, none of the wants or needs of the future farmer can or will be met without financial literacy. You simply must understand the business you are in. Finally my young farmer friends, don’t be so hard on yourself. We all started life with one step at a time and despite all the advancements and technologies to date — we still walk and farm this way! Brenda Schoepp is a farmer from Alberta who works as an international mentor and motivational speaker. She can be contacted through her website www.brendaschoepp.com. All rights reserved. Brenda Schoepp 2015

Becoming a place of refuge Our country’s response to Syrian refugees has been heartwarming and hopeful — and says a lot about who we are BY LAURA RANCE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

he news is full of stories these days about the preparations for and arrival of Canada’s newest citizens, many of them refugees from wartorn Syria. The stories are heartwarming and hopeful: Toronto schoolchildren learning to sing a welcome song in Arabic; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally greeting new arrivals at the airport; and the frenetic gathering of furniture, housewares, clothing and money taking place in small towns organizing sponsorships. It is an abrupt reversal of the headlines during our recent federal election campaign, a face of Canada that was fearful and threatened by the prospect of inviting strangers into our midst. Although it ultimately backfired on the Conservative government’s re-election bid, the niqab issue did this country a favour. It drew a toxic undercurrent in Canadian

society to the surface like a festering sliver. Many were shocked at the deeply rooted bias of friends and neighbours. Although those feelings haven’t disappeared, they are now in the open. In the end, the majority of Canadians decided this wasn’t the face of their country they wanted to show the world. We hope the same will happen for our neighbours to the south, where Donald Trump is actually supporting the terrorist cause by representing a face of America that its enemies want new recruits to see. It’s important to remember that all the hard work and generosity that is going into helping new Canadians settle in is only the beginning. As communities that have done this before already know, supporting refugees as they adapt to their new country is a long-term commitment that extends far beyond providing physical infrastructure and financial support for the first year. The newcomers will need language training, job skills, and help

adapting to their cold and snowy new climate. Rural sponsors can help youth find activities and friends that steer them away from harmful alliances. Street gangs are the antithesis of team sports, but strangely both meet a basic human need for connection and feeling that one belongs. Those who see downsides to welcoming newcomers to our land have a point. It is risky. Not everyone will stay in the communities that adopted them. Not all will successfully resettle. It may change ‘our’ country. But this country has been changing since the first Europeans arrived. There are also rewards. Newcomers — many of them farmers — could bring relief to industries, including agriculture, that are chronically short of workers. Many will bring skills that are needed in our rural communities, not to mention children to keep schools operating and consumers to support local businesses. Roméo Dallaire, the retired mili-

tary commander and humanitarian, asked this question of the GrowCanada conference hosted by CropLife Canada in Calgary last month: Is humanity to survive the future, or will it thrive? For him, it is the defining question of our time. How we answer determines whether we will seek solutions to the world’s problems or retreat behind defensive walls in a bid to be the last ones standing. “It is a fundamental ethos of your being,” he said. “If you take the very pejorative position that we are in survival mode, you are not going to lead the future, you are going to manage it.” The second question he asked of his audience was this: Are all humans, human? If we truly see all humans as human, then how can we not offer those in need what is in our power to give? Not to take away from the generosity of Canada’s donors and sponsors, it mustn’t end with the household furniture and spare pots and pans we offer up. People

will need more and there will be more who need to come. Reuters reported during the recent climate talks in Paris that environmental refugees created as weather extremes strengthen and oceans rise around the world, could dwarf existing flows of refugees from conflict. In 2014, an estimated 11 million people fled conflict or violence in Syria, Afghanistan, and other troubled regions of the world. The number of people displaced by natural disasters, including floods, storms and droughts, has averaged 22.5 million a year since 2008, and that number is growing. Canada is one of the few regions of the world that could see overall benefits from climate change. It is a highly developed country with a well-functioning democracy. One of the few resources it remains short of — is people. One of the many ways Canada can lead in this troubled world is by becoming a place of refuge. laura@fbcpublishing.com

Off the front

January 4, 2016 • Albertafarmexpress.ca

FIVE REASONS } from page 1 in my whole life,” said Fromme, research co-ordinator with the North Peace Applied Research Association. “I’ve been a researcher for longer than I can remember, and I just feel like this is the right direction.” The fact the sold-out conference was packed with producers (and had to turn many more away) is one sign that something significant is happening in this whole ‘don’t treat soil like dirt’ movement. And a lot of it is happening in Alberta. A front-page story in April featured the work on cover crops done by Fromme’s association and the paper had many, many other stories on building soil health during the year. But what’s particularly significant is that this is a farmer-driven movement. The North Peace group is one of many small Alberta organizations governed by producers and focused on research that matters to their members. Increasingly, things like cover crops, tillage radish, microbes, and soil biology are topping their list of applied research that boosts the bottom line. We haven’t — so far — written a headline that says ‘Alberta producers go wild for mycorrhizal fungi.’ But the year is still young.

example, in the livestock sector, things such as low-stress weaning and preconditioning to reduce antimicrobial use are also good for the pocketbook. There are many sayings about how problems come with hidden opportunities. Agriculture is full of people who embrace that wisdom.

Opportunities await

Inspiring producers

Yes, a lot of farmers are sick of hearing about consumers demanding this, that, and the other thing when it comes to how their food is produced. But the May 11 livestock front on a new animal welfare assessment tool for feedlots is just one example of how well the farm community is responding to increased consumer scrutiny. It’s worth noting that in this story — and this is true of similar assessment tools for both crops and livestock — that the focus is on finding simple, easy-touse methods to show that producers are, by and large, already doing the right things. “I don’t see that there would be any concerns at all, because producers are already doing these things,” feedlot veterinarian Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed said in this story. This ‘document it’ business is also producing an important side benefit. For

This summer, we invited our colleagues from the Manitoba Co-operator to come visit us, and we put together a little tour that included some farm visits (as well as stops at Harmony Beef and the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence). Of course, we also wrote about everyone we visited and the results can be seen in the July 6 paper and subsequent editions. It is joyful work. There is nothing like going to someone’s farm and seeing what passion and hard work can accomplish. It would be great if all Albertans could do the same. Actually, they can. That’s what Open Farm Day is all about and more than 70 farm families welcomed the public to their operations on Aug. 23. And visitors were wowed. “I thought, ‘Why would anyone want to come to a boring old conventional grain farm?’” remarked Irma producer

A good-news story continues

Kent Erickson. “But really, why not? We take things for granted.” Not every farm can participate in the event, but hopefully more will in 2016 and more non-farm folks will take advantage. There’s no better showcase for Alberta agriculture.

Learn How Grain Sell Recommendations from Ag-Chieve Can Earn You More! Tradeshow Feature: New eBook “Technical VS Fundamental Analysis” Discover why an accurate reading of the charts can Help you sell your grain with more confidence Drop by the Ag-Chieve booth at FarmTech And mention this ad to receive this educational eBook for FREE ($29.00 value) Meet the Author David Drozd, Alberta Farmer Express Columnist at the Ag-Chieve booth 8am - 12pm Wednesday January 27th, 2016

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In the early 1970s, a pair of Manitoba researchers bred rapeseed with far less erucic acid and combined the words ‘CANada, Oil, Low and Acid’ to give it a new name. Just five years after the first variety was released, Western Canada turned bright yellow as more than 8.4 million acres were planted and the term ‘Cinderella crop’ was coined. Producers may be taking a waitand-see approach to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which still faces a bumpy road to ratification — and even then, it may take years before the agreement leads to more sales. But the truth is that canola has been a windfall for Prairie agriculture. Canola oil remains a premium product that fetches premium prices and has stimulated that rarest of things — a value-added processing industry. Indeed, Cargill opened its new onemillion-tonne crush plant in Camrose last year. Whether the TPP trade deal unfolds as expected or not, the fact remains that the canola industry remains forward thinking. The ball isn’t over for Cinderella yet.

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Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for canola contains the active ingredients difenoconazole, metalaxyl (M and S isomers), fludioxonil and thiamethoxam. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for canola plus Vibrance® is a combination of two separate individually-registered products, which together contain the active ingredients difenoconazole, metalaxyl (M and S isomers), fludioxonil, thiamethoxam, and sedaxane. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for corn (fungicides and insecticide) is a combination of four separate individually-registered products, which together contain the active ingredients metalaxyl, trifloxystrobin, ipconazole, and clothianidin. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for corn (fungicides only) is a combination of three separate individually-registered products, which together contain the active ingredients metalaxyl, trifloxystrobin and ipconazole. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for corn with Poncho®/ VoTivo™ (fungicides, insecticide and nematicide) is a combination of five separate individually-registered products, which together contain the active ingredients metalaxyl, trifloxystrobin, ipconazole, clothianidin and Bacillus firmus strain I-1582. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for soybeans (fungicides and insecticide) is a combination of four separate individually registered products, which together contain the active ingredients fluxapyroxad, pyraclostrobin, metalaxyl and imidacloprid. Acceleron® seed treatment technology for soybeans (fungicides only) is a combination of three separate individually registered products, which together contain the active ingredients fluxapyroxad, pyraclostrobin and metalaxyl. Acceleron and Design®, Acceleron®, DEKALB and Design®, DEKALB®, Genuity and Design®, Genuity®, JumpStart®, RIB Complete and Design®, RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Transorb®, Roundup WeatherMAX®, Roundup®, SmartStax and Design®, SmartStax®, Transorb®, VT Double PRO®, and VT Triple PRO® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Used under license. Vibrance® and Fortenza® are registered trademarks of a Syngenta group company. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design are trademarks of Bayer. Used under license. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Used under license. Poncho® and Votivo™ are trademarks of Bayer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Albertafarmexpress.ca • January 4, 2016

GRAIN PORTS } from page 1 $68 per tonne. But following the record harvest in 2013, Gray estimated it jumped to $162 per tonne for 2013-14 and $124 per tonne the following year (as the last of the bumper harvest was exported). “Even for a smaller 1,000-acre farm, the income reduction would have been in the order of $120,000,” Gray wrote in a 2015 study for the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission. That prompted Drumheller grain producer Darrell Stokes to put forward a resolution that Alberta Wheat Commission lobby government to require grain companies to report international sales prices to Cereals Canada. The resolution passed and will now be considered by the commission. “I’m concerned because I feel farmers are being taken advantage of,” said Stokes. “This would be the first tiny baby step to maybe making it clear just how badly we’re being taken advantage of. “What I’m looking for is to have transparency in terms of the pricing grain companies receive when they take a $5 bushel of wheat, take it out to the coast, and put it on a boat. If that number is $10 — and nobody knows that number because grain companies don’t give you that information — we would see that the grain companies are taking us to the cleaners.”

Sensitive data

However, there is a major roadblock to making this information

“That type of information here would help Canadian producers understand what percentage of the crop has been sold and potentially the value of their grain. Information is power.” Tom Steve

Darrell Stokes

Tom Steve

public — it could compromise Canada’s competitive position. “In the U.S., for example, grain marketers are required to report sales volumes on a weekly basis above a certain threshold,” said Steve. “That gives the trade an understanding of what proportion of the crop has been sold. However, they’re not required to report transaction prices. If that were to be the case in Canada, some would argue that it may put us at a competitive disadvantage.” The Alberta Wheat Commission is examining if there is some way it might have an indication of export basis on its Price and Data Quotes (PDQ) website (www.pdqinfo.ca). “If you provide actual sales data that starts to get into competitive sensitivity issues — where your competitors know what the price of wheat or canola

FACT #1: Proven® Seed is the total, all-around package for success in cereal and canola crops. It’s NEW genetics and varieties. It’s also 25 years of groundbreaking research — plus leading agronomics and field trials. FACT #74: Proven Seed has over 25 years of continuous research in Western Canada. The CPS R&D team includes more than 50 dedicated staff in Canada and Australia with three research farms and 35 research sites across the Prairies. FACT #13: We have t wo new CWRS varieties from Proven Seed: CDC Titanium offers midge tolerance and improved yields; and 5605HR CL is the next step in Clearfield® wheat with high yields, FHB resistance and easy weed management. FACT #92: Our Proven Performance Trials is the largest comparison program in Western Canada. In 2015, we tested Proven Seed across 200 performance trials on large-scale, producer-managed fields — to ensure it performs best where it counts. See for yourself at provenseed.ca/performance-trials.

is in Vancouver — they can react accordingly,” said Steve. “With PDQ, we report an average of all the prices. Whether or not it would be to our advantage to report port price sales is something the industry needs to discuss and debate.” Another roadblock would be getting this data in the first place. “It’s a corporate secret. They’re under no obligation to tell us,” noted Stokes. “They take (the grain), it’s theirs now, they can sell it for whatever they choose, and they have no obligation to tell us what they sold it for. “I’m hoping that farmers start to get upset about that. There are a lot of people who think things are all perfect now — they can forward contract and buy futures — but in my thinking, farmers keep getting the short end of the stick.”

Data gaps

Port basis is not the only data missing in the grain export system, said Steve. “There’s no requirement in Canada for grain handlers or exporters to report sales volumes in a timely fashion,” he said. “Some of that data is collected by the Canadian Grain Commission but it is very dated — usually 1-1/2 to two months old by the time it’s available. “In the U.S. there is a requirement that export sales be reported weekly and, for sales over 100,000 tons, reported immediately. That type of information here would help Canadian producers understand what percentage of the crop has been sold and potentially the value of their grain. Information is power.” The PDQ website is an attempt to put some of that power into producers’ hands.

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NEW FOR 2016: CLEARFIELD® is a registered trademark of BASF. Proven® Seed is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services (Canada) Inc. CPS CROP PRODUCTION SERVICES and Design is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services, Inc.

It currently offers benchmark prices for four crops covering eight zones throughout Western Canada. The market data is provided by grain buyers licensed with the Canadian Grain Commission and averaged by region before posting. The commission is still refining the site. For example, it uses the wheat futures market in Minneapolis to get prices for Canadian hard red spring wheat. “So on our site, and many grain company websites, the futures value is shown in U.S. dollars and the Canadian price is in Canadian dollars, which creates a lot of confusion as to the basis level when you’re comparing U.S. currency to Canadian currency,” said Steve. And market data can only get you so far as better information alone won’t address Canadian producers’ export challenges. “In terms of exporting grain, a big challenge is still our transportation system,” said Steve. That’s why the entire grain industry is anxiously awaiting the recommendations from a review of the Canada Transportation Act. The report from the 18-month-long review, headed by former federal industry minister David Emerson, was to be given to the federal government last month and is expected to be made public in February or March. “We’re looking forward to seeing what enhancements can be made to the transportation system in order to ensure that that gap doesn’t get too wide during times of shortage of capacity,” said Steve.

FACT #29: Seed production is our priority, so we work with CSGA growers to produce clean, and test our seed to ensure the highest level of quality control. Through an accredited seed laboratory, we screen every seed lot extensively for disease, purity and germination — for confidence in your seed investment. FACT #119: Champion is the highestyielding feed barley available in Western Canada. FACT #47: Proven Seed products are only available at CPS retail locations across Western Canada. Your CPS advisor will guide you through seed, fertility and crop protection requirements to find a solution tailored for your farm. Find a retailer near you at provenseed.ca/find-a-retailer.

PROVEN WHERE IT COUNTS — ON A FARM NEAR YOU.

See for yourself at provenseed.ca

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

First Nations interested in buying Churchill port and railway Port saw a steep drop in grain shipments last year BY ALLAN DAWSON Staff

he owner of Churchill’s port and railway says it has accepted a letter of intent from a group of northern Manitoba First Nations for the purchase of its Manitoba assets. The deadline to complete the deal is Feb. 1, but it could occur sooner, OmniTrax Canada president Merv Tweed told CBC Radio. “It’s a group of communities along the line and others that I think always believed the railway was theirs and this now can

become a reality based on current negotiations,” Tweed said. The port and line were put up for sale following a disappointing grain-shipping season. Churchill exported 186,000 tonnes of grain — well under the 10-year average of 554,548 tonnes. Tweed said the drop was an “anomaly.” “If the grain shipments return into that 500,000-tonne level, both the rail and the port will do OK,” he said. Tweed declined to name the First Nations interested in the purchase. He was also mum about the asking price and whether governments would have to assist in the purchase.

If the sale goes through, OmniTrax will work with the buyers “until the comfort level and knowledge transfer allow them to operate independently,” Tweed said. The federal and Manitoba governments invested $68 million in the port and line when OmniTrax bought them 18 years ago. OmniTrax has invested nearly $100 million, Tweed said. According to studies, the line’s value to northern economy is in excess of $40 million annually. A decade ago, OmniTrax sold another northern rail line to a First Nations consortium. allan@fbcpublishing.com

OmniTrax Canada has accepted a letter of intent from a group of northern Manitoba First Nations for the purchase of the Port of Churchill and railway that serves it. photo: REUTERS/John Woods/Pool

What if rates went up here? Understand the trends, see the opportunities

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An immediate hike isn’t likely, but the U.S. move could signal future changes Staff Recent changes in U.S. interest rates could have a ripple effect for Alberta producers, says a provincial analyst. In mid-December, the U.S. Federal Reserve — the country’s central bank — announced it was lifting its key rate by a quarter-point to a range of 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent. The long-expected move put an end to seven years of near-zero borrowing rates. However, because of the oil crash, strapped consumers, and a sluggish manufacturing sector, the Canadian economy is much weaker and so the Bank of Canada isn’t expected to follow suit any time soon. But the rise in the U.S. interest rates will still be felt north of the border, said Todd Bergen-Henegouwen, farm input analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “The decision to raise rates can certainly impact Canadian individuals and businesses,” Bergen-Henegouwen said in a release, noting the loonie fell by more than a cent in the week following the Fed’s announcement. And while the prospect of an immediate rate hike here is slim, it’s a good time to review how an increase would affect your farm business, Bergen-Henegouwen said. “A rate increase would most directly impact short-term loans such as your operating loan, but could certainly also have trickledown effects on long-term loans as well,” he said. For example, an increase of 0.5 per cent on a $1-million, 10-year loan would increase semiannual payments by $1,445. “Producers are encouraged to think how a change in interest rate might impact cash flow and what options and rates are available to producers today,” he said.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

That work you hate pays very well If you’re still running the farm on a cash basis, you’re tying one hand behind your back Alberta Agriculture and Forestry release

early three decades ago, a study of farmers’ work priorities found — to no one’s surprise — that recordkeeping ranked well behind field work; buying and selling machinery and crops; and equipment repair. Only 16 per cent hired outside help for record-keeping, 50 per cent did it themselves and 20 per cent named their spouse as the primary record keeper. Those findings are probably still true today, says a provincial farm business management specialist. “There are many reasons why farmers’ financial management skills and literacy have been slower to develop compared to other industries,” said Dean Dyck. “Although financial institutions require up-to-date statements, many farmers’ primary reason for record keeping is for Canada Revenue Agency reporting. Since cash basis accounting provides farmers with significant advantages in managing their tax liabilities, there is little incentive for them to prepare accrual financial statements, a primary management tool in other industries.” Accrual accounting identifies profitable crop or livestock enterprises and provides direction for future management decisions, he said. Dyck said a strong farm financial plan should answer three questions: Where am I? Where am I going? and, How do I get there?

Farmers wanted for landmark survey on stress

“There are two key financial statements that every farm should prepare to answer those questions: a balance sheet and a cash flow.” Dean Dyck

“There are two key financial statements that every farm should prepare to answer those questions: a balance sheet and a cash flow,” he said. “A balance sheet will give you the power to manage working capital and debt repayment capacity. Projecting a cash flow budget for 2016 is essential, particularly if you sold off livestock in 2015; lost part of your land base in a rental competition; or paid too much to win that land rental competition. This budget will keep you focused on variable expenses (seed, fertilizer, chemical or feed) as well as fixed costs.” And if you get stuck or have questions about things such as a balance sheet and cash flow statement, help is only a phone call away, he added. “If you have any questions on farm financial planning, give us a call at the Ag Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276).”

Photo: tHINKSTOCK

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for Western Canada. The winner of our 2015 Proving Ground™ Yield Challenge just weighed in with a whopping 116.8 bu/ac*. And the runner-up delivered 84.3 bu/ac*, both growing Pioneer® hybrid 45H33.

A researcher with the Ontario Veterinary College is looking for additional participants for a survey on farmer stress. About 700 farmers have filled out the online Producer Stress and Resilience survey, but lead researcher Andria Jones-Bitton is hoping to get 1,000 responses. This study, the first of its kind in Canada, is intended to chart baseline information on producer mental well-being, and will be used to help direct future research efforts and resources for producers. The survey is anonymous. It has 80 questions, takes 16 to 20 minutes, and respondents can skip any questions they would prefer not to answer. It can be found at www.producerwellness. ca and is open until Jan. 18. A short video on the study can be found at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=RK4wxhW8mvg. — Staff

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*Canola yield data collected from large-scale, grower managed Proving Ground™ trials across Western Canada as of October 30, 2015 as part of the 2015 DuPont Pioneer Yield Challenge. Product responses are variable and subject to any number of environmental, disease and pest pressures. Individual results may vary. Multi-year and multi-location data is a better predictor of future performance. Refer to www.pioneer.com/yield or contact a Pioneer Hi-Bred sales representative for the latest and complete listing of traits and scores for each Pioneer® brand product. Genuity® and Roundup Ready® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. ®, SM, TM

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NEWS » Markets

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

A statistical portrait of Alberta ag

Get the lowdown on marketing

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Agriculture Statistics Yearbook 2014 is now available. The tables and charts provide both a current and historical perspective, with individual sections on sectors such as crops, livestock, and food and beverages, as well as industry measures and indicators such as farm income, agri-food exports, economic indicators, and the Census of Agriculture. Alberta Agriculture gets data from Statistics Canada and other federal and provincial departments and agencies. To download the yearbook go to www.agriculture.alberta.ca and search for ‘statistics yearbook.’ — AAF release

Want to sell farm products to the public? The Marketing Made Easy workshop on Jan. 20 in Fort Saskatchewan “examines selling products at farmers’ markets and beyond,” said provincial marketing specialist Karen Goad. “It’s a chance to uncover strategies for creating a lasting first impression, clearly identify your target clients and make them choose you. You’ll also discover which marketing, merchandising and display tools apply to your business.” Speakers are marketing coach Tad Hargrave, Sundog Organic Farm owner Jenny Berkenbosch, and writer/editor Cait Wills. The workshop fee is $25. Call 1-800-387-6030 by Jan. 13 to register. — AAF release

Weather in 2016 will trump supply-and-demand unknowns A strong U.S. dollar will keep dragging on U.S. grains as markets head into the new year By Dave Sims

CE Futures Canada canola contracts finished slightly lower for the week ending prior Christmas, as losses in the vegetable oil market offset declines in the Canadian dollar. The week started off with bullish indicators as crush margins moved to some of the best levels in a year. This kept buyers interested as farmers began to wind down selling ahead of the Christmas holiday. Chart-based selling was also a feature in the first few days of the week, due to a lack of fundamental news. Some large funds also took cash off the table with the end of the calendar year almost here. By mid-week, events had heated up on the world stage as the U.S. Federal Reserve and new government in Argentina made headlines. However, despite a rate cut by the U.S. Fed and slashes on Argentina’s export taxes from its newly elected government, canola hung relatively steady, with no major price swings as both moves were well anticipated. Looking back on 2015, the near-term contract for canola generally hung in a range between $440 and $475 per tonne through the beginning of the year. It was in springtime that things turned interesting when an early frost wiped out some crops in southern Manitoba. On the yearly price chart, one notices that was when a fairly major rise in values began, one that wouldn’t come down until the end of summer. The early days of June were a dry affair, leading many to worry about the

overall yield Canada’s canola crop could attain. At one point (June 18) Statistics Canada’s pegged the 2015-16 crop at 14.9 million tonnes. Both speculators and commercials were on the buy side of the market due to drought worries. August rains helped alleviate the drought threat, though, and the outlook shifted from one of potential supply shortages to one of hefty overall volumes. A massive U.S. harvest of soybeans began to crowd the world supply and from September through to the end of the year, the nearby contract generally hung between $460 and $480 per tonne. Looking ahead to the new year, there are those who think canola can’t help but go higher, while others say, “Sell now!” due to large supplies on hand and an uncertain economic picture. Some believe equity markets will be stiff and unable to throw large sums of cash around with the recent U.S. rate increase and bearish crude oil scene. Still, others remain steadfast that the world will chew its way through the supplies. They also point to crude oil prices in the early 2000s that were far cheaper than in 2015. Weather will retain its usual dominance in most matters, though. The impact of El Niño in 2015-16 hasn’t been felt as dominantly in North America as in other regions in the world, but that could change in 2016. CBOT wheat values were hit hard by a stronger U.S. dollar for much of the year. It caused numerous headaches for exporters who found many customers turning to cheaper supplies from Ukraine and South America. There doesn’t seem to be anything that would keep buyers from con-

Photo: Thinkstock tinuing on that same path, as long as the U.S. greenback retains its strength. U.S. soybeans also had difficulties with foreign competitors in the face of large world supplies. The economic slowdown happening in China curtailed U.S. exports and has cast a shadow over the coming year, as China weighs how badly it needs soy compared to other substitutes in the vegetable oil market. CBOT corn looks like it will exit the calendar year at about the same price level it entered (US$3.75 per bushel, nearby contract). Weather issues gave life to values in the middle of July, sending prices soaring about US$4.25, but large world supplies eventually pulled values back to earth.

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

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

The fallout from El Niño could boost prices Wheat could see a rally, although it may be short lived because of big global stocks By Naveen Thukral SINGAPORE/ REUTERS

fter suffering a market drubbing this year, agricultural commodities could see some green shoots of recovery in 2016 as higher consumption, biofuel mandates, and unfriendly crop weather drive up wheat and vegetable oil prices from multi-year lows. Yields for both farm commodities are already on the wane, with dryness linked to an El Niño weather event and unseasonal rains covering key growing areas in the Black Sea region, Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. Responding to the threat to supply, benchmark wheat prices rose in December. “We could easily see a 10 to 20 per cent rally in wheat prices,” said Paul Deane, senior agricultural economist at ANZ Bank in Melbourne. “The market at some point in the next three months is likely to get excited over the Black Sea and Indian crops, you could get a bit of spike.”

India, which accounts for more than 10 per cent of the global wheat output, is set to see a second consecutive annual drop in production next year. Traders have started talking about higher imports after the country in 2015 made its largest purchases in more than a decade. But the wheat market’s gains may not be sustainable, ANZ’s Deane cautioned, given the stocks built up from bumper global harvests over the past four years. “It is going to take a major weather event somewhere to get the market going, that could be a year or two down the track.”

Dry conditions

The El Niño, or a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, usually leads to dry weather across Asia, unhinging supply chains of commodities. Wheat and palm oil prices soared more than 40 per cent in 2010, partly due to an El Niño. Oil palm trees take about nine months to show stress due to drought, indicating that the impact of the current El Niño on yields in top producers Indonesia and Malaysia will be evident in the second half of 2016, analysts said.

This will buoy prices because around the same time India will be hungry for more edible oil and Indonesia will be using larger volumes of palm oil to make biodiesel, they added. “We are bullish on vegetable oil, our view is India will be importing record volumes because it has issues with its rapeseed crop,” said Adam Davis, a senior analyst at Merricks Capital, a Melbourne-based fund. “Increases in biodiesel demand in Indonesia and changes in U.S. legislation will mean more use of vegetable oil.” Indonesia has been pushing for greater use of biodiesel to cut its fossil fuel import bill and create more demand for palm oil, while a renewal of a U.S. biodiesel tax credit would lead to a rise in soyoil uptake for blending purposes in the country. But slowing economic growth in major vegetable oil consumer China and a move by big soybean producer Argentina to reduce export taxes are likely to keep a lid on prices. “China’s pace of soybean imports has been strong in the past few years. It might take a breather next year,” said Deane.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Doomsday Arctic seed vault to receive two deposits in 2016 The remote vault ‘is the backup of the backup’ and designed to protect seed stock against the worst cataclysms of nuclear war or disease By Gwladys Fouche Oslo / Reuters

wo new consignments of crop seeds will be deposited in the “doomsday vault” built in an Arctic mountainside to safeguard global supplies The vault — which opened on the Svalbard archipelago between Norway and the North Pole in 2008 — is designed to protect crop seeds such as beans, rice and wheat against the worst cataclysms of nuclear war or disease. It already has more than 860,000 samples, from almost all nations. Even if the power were to fail, the vault would stay frozen and sealed for at least 200 years. “The seed vault is the backup of the backup,” said Cierra Martin, a spokeswoman for the Crop Trust, the Bonn-based organization which manages the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. She said two deposits were planned March and May. To protect the seeds, the vault is rarely opened. Syria’s civil war prompted the first withdrawal of seeds from the vault in September, following a request by the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA). ICARDA moved its headquarters to Beirut from Aleppo in Syria in 2012 because of the conflict. “ICARDA had to move collections in Syria to Morocco and Lebanon and the seed vault helped it re-establish its collections,” said Martin. Many of these seeds, which included samples of wheat, barley and grasses suited to dry regions, have traits resistant to drought, which could help breed crops to withstand climate change in dry areas from Australia to Africa.

The entrance to the Global Seed Vault in Longyearbyen is shown in this 2008 photo. Photo: REUTERS/Bob Strong

*For commercial use only. Offer subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. See your New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. standard terms and conditions will apply. Depending on model, a down payment may be required. Offer good through December 31, 2015, at participating New Holland dealers in Canada. Offer subject to change. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in price. © 2015 CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Capital is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

Norsask

FARM F ARM EQUIPMENT L LTD. TD. 725008

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2005 John Deere 9660 Combine, L/A, Guidance,

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2011 Case IH PH800

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$200,000

725012

2009 Case IH 4420 Sprayer, 2550hrs, 120’ boom, AIM, 2 sets of tires, viper

$239,000

USED COMBINES

2357/2028 hrs., L/A, 2015 swathmaster PU ................$99,000 2003 Case IH 2388, 2580/1992 hrs, L/A, PU Header ......$95,000 *0% – 24 month on Select Case IH Combines 1999 Case IH 2388, hopper top, 4100/2876 hrs, 2013 Case IH 9230, 847/615 hrs, duals, loaded ...........$299,000 1015 PU header, L/A ....................................................$89,000 2013 Case IH 9230, duals, loaded, 1035/761 hrs ............... $299,000 1992 Case IH 1680, 4033 hrs, L/A, 2013 Case IH 9230, 1041/746 hrs, Guidance, L/A, 1015 PU header .............................................SOLD $25,000 duals, PU header .......................................................$299,000 1986 Case IH 1680, PU header, 25’,4200 hrs .................$22,900 2013 Case IH 9230, duals, guidance, 1147/827 hrs .....$299,000 2013 Case IH 9230, new cab, 660/529 hrs, loaded ......$389,000 2013 NH CR9090, 520/350 hrs, L/A, duals, guidance ...$350,000 2013 Case IH WD1903, 36 ft, shears, 2012 NH 9090, loaded, 670/500 hrs ...............SOLD $310,000 deluxe cab, 110/60 hrs.................................SOLD $114,000 2012 NH CR9090, 1240/910 hrs, Guidance, DSP, diff, duals .............................................................$299,000 2012 Case IH WD2303, 36 ft, 550 hrs, shears ..............$110,000 2012 Case IH 8230, L/A Duals, 752/578 ......... SOLD $315,000 2012 MacDon M155, 35 ft D60, transport, 960 hrs ......$129,000 2011 NH CR9080, Deluxe PSD Chopper, Guidance, Leather, HID, 2011 MacDon M205, 30 ft, 950/686 hrs ......................$125,000 620 Duals, 1005/730 hrs..............................SOLD $229,000 2008 MacDon M150, 30 ft, hyd roller, 740 hrs .............$105,000 2008 WD1203, 36ft, hyd roller, 550/403 hrs...................$95,000 2011 NH CR9090Z, 1026/724 hrs, L/A, duals, guidance ...................................................................$289,000 1998 Macdon 4920, 30ft, PU Reel, 1700 hrs .....SOLD $45,000 2011 Case IH 7120, duals, Guidance, PU, 1100/805 hrs .$249,000 2010 NH CR9090Z, 850/650 HRs., Guidance, L/A, PU header .............................................SOLD $289,000 2014 Case IH Farmall, 140A, Loader, MFD, 830 hrs ........$86,000 2010 Case IH 8120, Guidance, 1424/1126 hrs, 2012 Case IH Farmall, 140A, Loaded, MFD, 700 hrs .......$89,000 sm tube RT, fine cut chopper ........................SOLD $249,000 2008 Challenger MT565B, MFD, Loader/Grapple, 2009 Case IH 6088, YPM, Leather, Ext wear, powershift ......................................................SOLD $79,000 950/750 hrs ..............................................................$195,000 1988 JD 2355, loader, 5300 hrs.......................................$8,900 2009 Case IH 8120, 1850/1250 hrs, L/A, duals, hopper top ......................................................$210,000 2009 Case IH 8120, duals, L/A 1643/1357 hrs SOLD $210,000 2009 NH H7460 discbine, 16 ft, 1000 PTO, 2009 NH CR9070, 1350/1200 hrs, Duals, L/A, SOLD $215,000 rubber/rubber ..............................................................$29,000 2009 NH CX8080, L/A, 1750/1300 hrs .........................$189,000 1999 NH 1475, 18ft ....................................................... $11,999 2008 Case IH 7010, duals, fine cut chopper, L/A, 1661/1249 hrs ...................................................$210,000 1999 NH 1475, 16’, rubber rolls .....................................$16,000 2007 Case IH 2588, 2500/1925 hrs, chopper, HID, Duals ...................................................$149,000 2007 NH CR9070, L/A, 1542/1264 hrs .........................$199,000 2006 Highline 8000, 1000 PTO .........................SOLD $12,900 Hesston BR25, tub style ......................................SOLD $3,999 2007 Case IH 7010, duals,

USED WINDROWERS

USED 2WD TRACTORS

USED HAYBINES

BALE PROCESSORS

2630/1630 hrs, P/U header, L/A .................................$149,000 2006 NH CR960, 2300/1900 hrs, Pickup Header..........$119,000 2006 NH CR960, 2050/1687 hrs ......................SOLD $99,000 2005 JD 9660, 2187/1629 hrs, guidance .....................$149,000 2004 Case IH 8010, 2006 2016, L/A, singles, 2663/1968 hrs..............................................$169,000 2004 Case IH 2388, AFX rotor, chopper, AFS,

725013

725014

2013 Case IH 9230

2013 Case IH 9230 Combine, loaded, 1035/761 hrs, duals, spreaders

Combine, hopper top, 4100/2876 hrs, 1015 PU header, L/A

$299,000

$89,000

Combine, Loaded, 847/615 hrs, duals, spreaders

2013 Case IH 600 Quad, PTO, 1700 hrs ..........SOLD $399,000 2012 Case IH 550 Quad, PTO, 36” tracks, ho Hyd pump, 2350 hrs, luxury cab, diff lock ...................................$329,000 2009 Case IH 485, 800/38 Duals, Diff Lock, 5 Hyds, Guidance, HD Hyd .........................................................SOLD $239,000 2008 Case IH 535 Quad, 3380 hrs, diff lock, guidance, PTO ...........................................................$239,000 1993 Ford 876, 5800 hrs, duals .....................................$49,000 1981 JD 8440, 9400 hrs, 18.4/38 duals, 4 hyd .SOLD $19,000

USED HEADERS

2 - 2014 Case IH 3162, 45’, auger, transpeed ................$89,000 2011 Case IH 2152, 40 ft auger, single knife, no adapter......................................................SOLD $40,000 2008 MacDon D60, 40 ft, adapter, auger, trans ..............$38,000 2008 NH 94C, 36 ft, adapter, trans, auger .........SOLD $45,000 2005 NH 994-30, 30 ft U2 pickup reel, tx adapter ..........$27,500 2005 NH 94C-30, 30 ft hyd fore/aft.,trans, gauge wheels .$39,500 2005 NH 94C - 42 ft., transport, auger, CR adapter .....................................................SOLD $39,000 3 - 2004 MacDon 973, headers, auger, transport, CR adapters....................................SOLD $35,000 2004 Honeybee, GB36, 36 ft, Split Reel, transport ........................................................SOLD $39,000 1994 Macdon 960, 30ft, tr adapter ...............................$10,000

USED ROUND BALERS

2004 NH BR780, 590 pto, STD PU, Auto Wrap ................ $16,900

USED HARROWS

1999 Case IH 2388

autoboom, accuboom, 1300 hrs ................................$269,000 2012 Case IH 4430, 120 ft aim, viper, guidance, loaded, 1275 hrs .......................................$279,000 2011 Rogator 1194, 120 ft, sectional, viper, 2250 hrs, 2 set tires ..................................................................$205,000 2009 Case IH 4420, 120 ft, Aim, 2 sets tires, viper, 2550 hrs ..........................................................$239,000 2009 Case IH 4420, Guidance, 120ft, Aim, auto box, 2 sets tires, 2200 hrs ................................................$239,000 2007 Rogator 874SS, 3100 hrs, 320-50, 800 gal, fenders, 480/42 tires .................................................SOLD $119,000 2007 JD 4720, 90ft, Guidance, 1490 hrs......................$189,000 2005 Rogator 1074, Auto Boom, 2 sets of tires, 3700 hrs, 100’ .............................................SOLD $115,000 1998 Tyler Patriot XL, 5147 hrs, 750 gal, 90’ booms, 12.4/38 tires, 3 way nozzle bodies ..............................$45,900

USED AIRDRILLS

2011 Case IH PH800, 60on10, DS, VR,TBT 2010 3430 $200,000 2010 Case IH P800/3430 Tank, 70ft, 12inch, DS ..........$149,000 2008 Case IH SDX40/ADX3430 tank, VR, 40ft, liquid kit ....................................................................$139,000 2008 Seedmaster 50ft, 10”, NH P1060 430 B, tank, DS, liquid tank on board ............................................$169,000 2007 Seedhawk 66’, 12”, Bourgault DS ..........SOLD $110,000 1997 Bourgault 4300 Tank, DS ......................................$35,000

USED DISCS

2010 Lemken, Rubin 12S/1200, 40ft new blades .........$139,000

PLANTERS

2008 Riteway 8168, 68 ft, Hyd. Pressure .......................$35,000 2004 Brandt 7000, 70 ft, Hyd. angle ..............................$28,900 2012 Case IH, 1240 Pivit Planter 16/31 rows, bulk fill ....$99,000 1999 Riteway 77 ft, Hyd. angle ......................................$22,000

USED SPRAYERS

NEW GRAIN CARTS

2014 Unverferth 1610, U-Harvest, scale, tarp, tracks ................................................................$149,000 *0% for 24 Months on select Case IH Sprayers 2013 Unverferth 9250, scale, tarp ..................................$52,000 2014 Rogator 700, 90ft, viper, 700 gal, auto boom, *0%/24 months or 4.25 for 84 months HID lights, 106 hrs .....................................................$229,000 2013 Unverferth 1315, scale, tarp ..................................$82,000 2008 Case IH 485 Quad, diff lock, guidance, 2013 Case IH 4430, 120ft, loaded, 983 hrs ..................$329,000 30” tracks, 4500 hrs .................................................$229,000 2012 Case IH 4430, 120ft, 1082 hrs, AIM, 2013 NH T9.615, 1020 hrs, luxury, 36” Tracks, Guidance, Dividers, 2 sets tires ..................................$299,000 2013 Case SV250, cab/AC,heat, radio, 2 spd, 2775 hrs, HID, Cab Susp, guidance ..............................SOLD $389,000 2012 Case IH 3330, 100ft, Aim, 2 sets tires, new tires, hyd coupler, H controls ................................$42,900

USED 4WD TRACTORS

USED SKIDSTEER

* See Dealer for Details, Restrictions May Apply.

news » livestock

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Stewardship funding available

Coyote compensation considered

Growing Forward 2’s On-Farm Stewardship program might have some cash for you. “As we get into the depths of winter, it’s time to start planning for next year,” said Mike Hittinger, a provincial extension specialist with Alberta Agriculture. “The On-Farm Stewardship program has financial support for some of the things you may be planning.” The program has five categories: grazing management, manure management, improved pesticide management, agricultural waste management, and innovative stewardship solutions. For more information, contact Hittinger at 780-349-4466 or Diana Bingham at 780427-3980, or go to www.agriculture.alberta.ca and search for ‘on-farm stewardship.’ — AAF release

Delegates at Alberta Beef Producers AGM last month defeated a resolution to put coyotes on Alberta’s wildlife predator list so producers could claim compensation when they killed cattle. It was defeated because of concerns about the sustainability of this type of coverage from the government’s coffers, and because coyote control was something that could be managed. However, another resolution called on ABP to lobby the provincial government to provide predator compensation from coyotes. This motion was carried and will be addressed. — ABP Grass Routes newsletter

Extended grazing saves time and money — if done right Winter grazing is a simple concept, but the trick is in things like good body condition scores in fall and the right grazing sequence By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff / Lethbridge

inter feeding cattle is a matter of using the right tool at the right time, says a federal forage specialist. “Placing grazing methods in sequence is probably going to be the efficient method time after time to reduce risks and costs,” said Vern Baron, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “In this day and age, we have to consider every feed and every piece of land we have on a farm to cut costs and to be efficient. There’s a place for everything.” In most parts of the Prairies, cows are traditionally fed on a summer pasture, and winter feeding becomes “an expensive part of the feeding process,” Baron said at the Farming Smarter conference last month. “The summer pasture lasts from June to October, and there’s 125 to 200 days of the winter where you have to feed,” he said. The cost of feeding 100 cows for 100 days in a traditional system ranges anywhere between $15,000 and $20,000. It’s tough to get away from those costs, said Baron. But by extending the grazing season, producers can reduce winter feeding costs by reducing the cost to haul feed, harvest grain, and feed cattle. “We know that if we reduce that yardage cost, we’re automatically going to reduce the cost of calf production, and extended grazing reduces yardage costs,” said Baron. “If we can take some or all of those costs away during the winter feeding period, we substantially reduce the cost of daily feed production.” But because every farm is different, “we can’t say that one thing is better than another.” “On the farm, you’re going to have to figure out what combination of all of these things works,” said Baron. “We can

If you’re swath grazing, spending a little more to get higher yield will actually lower your costs, says Vern Baron. probably put weight most easily on cows by stockpile grazing in the fall when the quality is high, then have cows in good shape going into winter on swath grazing. And perhaps we have to increase the amount of bale grazing we’re using as winter conditions dictate.”

Start strong

Stockpile grazing — or grazing pasture regrowth in the late fall and early winter — can save producers money if done properly, said Baron. “Stockpile grass has pretty high quality, but it’s a matter of placing it in a winter feeding system so we get the most out of it,” he said. The trick is to send cows into the fall with good body condition scores. “We know that it takes a cow more energy per day to survive and maintain her weight when she’s out there foraging in snow, compared to standing at a feed bunk, so it’s not unusual that cows would lose weight,” he said, adding cows

“In this day and age, we have to consider every feed and every piece of land we have on a farm to cut costs and to be efficient. There’s a place for everything.” Vern Baron

are “particularly vulnerable” in the late stages of pregnancy. “We can accept that cows lose weight if we start them on pasture in good condition, so long as we keep their body weight up.” Once the snow is too deep, producers can then move to swath grazing — a feeding system where the cows graze on swaths of annual crops, usually cereals. Swath grazing can reduce

daily feeding costs per cow by 41 to 48 per cent, but that depends largely on the carrying capacity of the grains being grazed. “High yield equals high carrying capacity, and that should lower your costs,” said Baron. “You should strive for yield if you want to reduce your feed costs per day.” In a side-by-side comparison of two crops, “the one with the higher yield and carrying

File photo

capacity is probably going to cost the least,” he said. “When we plant barley in the middle of June, it’s going to yield somewhere around 6,000 pounds per acre in dry matter, and that’s going to get us somewhere around 250 cow days an acre or 600 cow days a hectare,” he said. “Triticale costs a little more than barley to grow, but the cost per kilogram of dry matter is going to be about half as much. That feed can carry you about twice as far.” But producers shouldn’t sacrifice quality or yield just to cut costs, he added. “In the beef industry, we have this desire to cut costs above all else. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” said Baron. “But you have to temper the desire to cut costs to zero with what it takes to attain a yield and maximized carrying capacity if we want to reduce the daily feeding costs.” jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Pig producers warned to be on the lookout Seneca Valley virus is a concern because its symptoms are the same as those for foot-and-mouth By ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF

f you see blisters around the mouth, hoof, or nose of your pigs, you need to call your veterinarian immediately. Seneca Valley virus, which causes these blisters, is a swine disease that has recently become more prevalent in the U.S. “Seneca Valley virus is a concern because you can’t distinguish it from the really scary reportable foreign animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth, without doing lab testing,” provincial veterinary epidemiologist Julia Keenliside said during Alberta Pork’s monthly pork town hall. “Just by looking at the animal, you can’t tell what virus caused those blisters. If you see blisters, call your vet right away and get it checked out.” About 70 premises in the U.S. were affected by the virus in 2015. Although it is not reportable, it does not seem to be spreading rapidly and there are no cases in Canada. However, the disease,

Cheap feed reduces ractopamine use in U.S. Hog producers are taking advantage of corn prices near five-year lows BY THEOPOLIS WATERS Chicago / Reuters

Cheap grain has encouraged some U.S. hog farmers to switch away from a controversial drug to bulk up their animals, giving them the added benefit of being able to sell to big customers such as China, which have banned the supplement. Ractopamine, known by the brand name Paylean, cuts the total cost of producing a hog by at least US$2, or about two per cent. Safety concerns, however, have prompted 23 countries, including major importers Russia and China, to refuse meat containing the additive. Christina Gaines, a spokeswoman for Elanco, one of the producers of ractopamine, said the drug “has been safely used in livestock production for more than a decade and affirmed by 30 regulatory authorities.” But with corn prices hovering near five-year lows, U.S. hog farmers are using more grain and less ractopamine. That could see China buying more U.S. pork. The USDA said in October China would resume imports from 14 domestic pork plants and warehouses after halting some shipments in 2014 over the use of ractopamine. “They need us, we need them. Hopefully they can be the goose that lays the golden egg for us,” said Nebraska hog farmer Brian Zimmerman. Ractopamine was used by roughly 80 per cent of U.S. hog farms in 2012, when corn prices topped $8 per bushel. Corn costs have fallen to about $3.70 per bushel.

which affects pigs, cows and mice, has been found here in the past. In November, pigs that had come from Ontario and Manitoba and crossed into the U.S. were found to have the virus. No symptoms or positive tests were found at the Canadian farms of origin. “We want to send out the word to producers and people in the industry, especially those who transport pigs, to be on the lookout for blisters because it can be a very serious issue if we do have a serious animal disease,” said Keenliside. “It’s really important that we get everything looked at by a veterinarian, tested by CFIA and confirm that it is not a foreign animal disease and that it is in fact Seneca Valley.” Although not as severe as porcine epidemic diarrhea, the virus can cause increased mortality in piglets under seven days of age. The blisters only appear for a day or so, before rupturing. This causes sores near a pig’s nose and mouth or on their tongue. Sows and gilts may develop a fever and be off feed. In growing or slaughter pigs, the animals will develop lameness because of

“We want to send out the word to producers and people in the industry, especially those who transport pigs, to be on the lookout for blisters because it can be a very serious issue.” Julia Keenliside

painful blisters where the hoof attaches to the foot, so producers should watch out for acute, sudden lameness in a whole group of pigs. “The good news is that it does seem to resolve very quickly and there’s not a lot of mortality,” said Keenliside. Pigs with blisters should not be moved and should not be taken to slaughter. Other reportable diseases that cause blisters in swine are swine vesicular disease, vesicular stomatitis and swine vesicular exanthema.

Foot-and-mouth is currently not in North America but if there was a case, it would cause an immediate border closure and a cessation of trade. “It would be quite a disaster for our pig industry, and possibly other industries such as the cattle industry,” said Keenliside. It is not known how the virus is transmitted. To see a slide show about the disease and what it looks like, go to www.nationalhogfarmer.com and search for ‘seneca facts.’ akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Winter is the ideal season for healthy weight loss in horses Hay nets are a good way to prevent horses from overfeeding during the colder months By Carol Shwetz s your horse carrying too much weight? The answer to this question is an important order of business, and best asked at the beginning of the winter season. If the answer to this question is yes then the winter season is the ideal time to implement intervention. Weight loss is far easier in the colder snow-covered months when the horse’s metabolism is already working to that effect. Stored body fat from the summer months, when the forage is good, acts as insulation and reserve energy for times when forage isn’t so good. Although it is appropriate for horses to gain fat stores during the spring and summer seasons, it is equally appropriate, if not essential to their health to lose those fat stores in the winter. Fat stores that continue to remain on a horse’s body year after year without loss become stale, hard, and a source of inflammation. In the natural course of seasonal flux, horses would lose weight over the winter. It is extremely challenging to initiate weight loss during the summer months when pastures are rich and lush. Winter months provide the ideal window of opportunity offering four to six months of slow, effortless weight loss. It is of advantage to offer such to

the domestic horse. If your horse doesn’t lose any weight through the winter, there is no room for natural weight gain in the spring and summer. The Henneke body condition score (BCS) system developed to assess fat cover on animals has been widely used for many years and is appropriate for use by veterinarians, horse owners, and caregivers. This system scores horses on fat cover — visually and by palpation — at several locations on the horse’s body. A score of 1 applies to an emaciated horse and 9 applies to a very fat horse. Generally, horses with BCS of 1 to 3 are considered underconditioned; 4 to 6, optimally conditioned; 7, overconditioned; and 8 to 9, obese. If your horse scores 7, adjustments made at the beginning of the winter season pay dividends for a leaner, healthier horse in the spring. The simplest practice for weight loss in horses is winter grazing or pawing on well-stocked snow-covered pastures. These pastures easily meet the nutritional maintenance requirements of the adult horse. The weather washes the sugars out of the grasses yet has little effect on its protein values. One can supervise their horse’s progress by tracking its body condition. Placing your hands on the horse’s body, to feel through its

Photo: Carol Shwetz thick winter coat, will tell you whether its condition is adequate. It is acceptable to feel the ribs. It is not acceptable to feel backbone. Generally, horses that are three years of age and under, 25 years of age or older, heavily pregnant mares, and horses with dental problems are poor candidates for winter grazing. If winter foraging is not an option for your horse, winter still remains the ideal time to limit feed for your horses. Central to weight control is simply not to overfeed. Do not feed grains to horses

that do not need it. For situations that require weight loss one could eliminate all grains, alfalfa hays, and processed feeds and move towards reducing available grass hays by up to 10 per cent. Weighing your hay on a scale provides a good benchmark for feeding an accurate amount of hay to your horse. A good starting point is 1.5 to 2.0 per cent of ideal body weight. Spread the hay out in as many feedings as possible. Followup assessments of your horse’s body condition allow further decisions to be made accordingly.

Creatively placing hay about on fresh blankets of snow provides a clean ground surface for horses to feed and can influence their movement. Feeding areas can become quite small in the winter and any means to influence greater movement in the horses will bring it benefit. Round bale feeding is a common practice for a number of horses. If this is the chosen practice it is advisable to limit the time available for the horses to feed as some horses with unlimited access will quickly consume up to 40 pounds of hay within a day, while expending little energy to do so. Body conditions soar quickly, especially in mild winter conditions. The introduction of creative designs for slow feed netting has brought a unique solution to considerably slow down and reduce a horse’s forage intake. It also contains the hay and eliminates waste, bringing benefit to both the horse and the owner. Straw from cereal crops are not grasses and although horses can survive on these feeds there are better choices for healthy weight loss. The provision of fresh clean water and appropriate minerals and salt will also be necessary to balance out the diet. Carol Shwetz is a veterinarian focusing on equine practice in Millarville, Alta.

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JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Argentina farmers gearing up after wheat and corn taxes axed Grain production is expected to soar by 30 per cent over the next four years BY HUGH BRONSTEIN Buenos Aires/Reuters

rgentine President Mauricio Macri has eliminated corn and wheat export taxes as part of his plan to revitalize the country’s massive farm sector after years of antagonism with the government. The decree will also cut the export tax on soybeans, the country’s main cash crop, from 35 per cent to 30 per cent. His government will also allow the peso to float, leaving the scope for a devaluation of around 30 per cent as currency controls are removed. The South American country has also sealed a deal with grains exporters to liquidate $400 million of produce per day over the next few weeks, The increased output and sales expected from Macri’s free-market policies will put downward pressure on world food prices. Bolstering agricultural production by cutting taxes imposed by previous president Cristina Fernandez was a major plank in Macri’s election campaign. “I am betting on the farm sector’s ability to increase produc-

tion,” he said shortly before cutting export taxes. The quotas, meant to ensure ample domestic food supplies, have pushed growers out of wheat and corn, resulting in the overplanting of soy on the Pampas over recent years. Corn exports have been taxed at 20 per cent and wheat at 23 per cent. The decree will also eliminate a 15 per cent export tax placed on beef exports. Macri’s policies are expected to spark a big increase in crop rotation, which would help preserve soils and contribute to an increase in overall grains production.

More corn

Fernandez had feuded with the country’s growers since protests over her tax policies paralyzed the agriculture sector and rocked her government in 2008. After two terms in office, she left Argentina with inflation estimated at more than 20 per cent, a yawning fiscal deficit, and low central bank reserves. The government estimates the country’s grains production will grow to 130 million tonnes per year from the current 100 million tonnes during Macri’s first term, ending in 2019.

“I am betting on the farm sector’s ability to increase production.” Mauricio Macri

“We have been fighting for this for years,” said Pedro Vigneau, who manages 2,500 hectares of grains and cattle land in the breadbasket province of Buenos Aires. “The government is now supporting the farmers, which is really new for Argentina,” he said. “Now the ball is in our field. We are responsible for increasing production.” Argentina’s farmers are racing to grow more corn now that Macri has taken power, increasing the area planted by 10 per cent over previous estimates and making more exports likely from one of the world’s biggest suppliers. They can plant corn until mid-January, while wheat goes into the ground mid-year.

New Argentine president, Mauricio Macri, holding the symbolic leader’s staff, has moved quickly to cut exports taxes on wheat and corn. PHOTO: REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

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

COMBINES & HEADERS

DISCBINES/HAYBINES/RAKES

NH L230 2011 3000lb Lift Capacity, Full Load, High Flow Hyds, Hyd Q/A, 550 E016122 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $49,500 NH TV140-TV6070 Loader, Grapple, 105 PTO HP Starting At: . $32,900 NH T6.175 2014 Loader, Bucket, Low Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming In Vers 956 Duals & Blade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming In

0% for 30 Months OAC Followed By CQR. NH CX8070 2008 Clean 1300E 1000T E014437 . . . . . . . . . . . $129,900 NH CX8080 2009-12 9 Available Starting At: . . . . . . . . . . . . . $132,000 NH CX8090 2013 Cast Drum, Tier IV, GPS, Duals, 300E 200T E013496 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $299,000 NH CR9080 2010 Duals, RWA, GPS, Lux Cab, 1100E 850T E016610 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $225,000 NH CR9090 2012 c/w Pickup Header, RWA, GPS, Luxury Cab, 870E 690T E016124. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $310,000 NH Selection Of NH Straight Cut & Draper Headers Various Sizes Available Starting At: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,000 New Units Also In Stock at Great Pricing!!!

CIH 8380 16’ Hydroswing E016393 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,500 NH 1475 2006 16ft Hydroswing E014022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,500 NH 1431 13’ Discbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20,000 NH H7450 2011 13’ Discbine, ShockPro Hubs, Premium Shape $34,900 Sitrex MX12 12 Wheel V-Rake E016379 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,500 NH HW305s/HS16 2006 16’ SP Haybine 1500E. . . . . . . . . . . . . $52,900

SPRAYERS

FC Used Pull Type Sprayers, Various Models Starting At: . . . . . $17,900 Apache AS1210 2009 100ft, 1200 gal, AutoBoom, 5 Section Boom, Envizio Pro 850 E015883 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $149,900 Wilmar 8100 1997 E016135 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 Apache AS1220+II 2014 NEW Units, 100’ Booms, Duals Available, Raven GPS Starting At: NEW . . . . . . . . . . . $272,000

FEEDING

Haybuster 2650 With Grain Tank E013339. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,200 Haybuster 2650 With Grain Tank E015596. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,900

TILLAGE & SEEDING

Summers 60ft Heavy Harrows CNT E014008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,900 FC 820/1720/Pack 33’x9”, Single Shoot, TBH, Air Seeder, Packer Bar CNT E015372 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16,900 FC 5000/1720 33’x9”, Single Shoot, TBH, 4” Rubber Packers E015789 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30,000 NH P2060/P1060 2009 70’x12”, TBH, Variable Rate, Double Shoot, AgTron Blockage Monitor On Seed Runs, 4” Paired Row Atom Jet Openers, 5.5” Rubber Packers, Clean Unit. E013197 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $114,900 Salford I-2136 2014 Vertical Tillage Unit, Demo/Rental, 36’ with 3 Bar Heavy Harrows & Rolling Basket . . . . . . . . . . . $97,900 Landoll 6230 36’ Disc, Rear Hitch, Hydraulic Fore/Aft Levelling $41,900 Morris 2000 50’x10” Floating Hitch Cultivator . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22,900

BALERS JD 567 2006 Twine Wrap, Wide P/U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,900 NH BR7090 Specialty Crop, Wide P/U, Twine & Net Wrap, Excellent Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming In NH BR780A 2007 Auto Wrap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming In

GRAIN CARTS, AUGERS & BAGGING EQUIPMENT

MISC

Demco 1150 2014 1150 Bu, Black or Blue, Hyd. Drive, 900 Tires, Tarp & Scales Starting At: New. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59,900 Akron 9250D 9’ Bagger E014522 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,900 Richiger R1050 10’ Bagger E014819 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,900 Farm King Great Selection Of New & Used Farm King Grain Augers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call For Details!!

Trailtech 16’ Gooseneck Dump Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,500 Viring 72” HighFlow Skid Steer Snow Blower, Excellent Shape. . $7,250

SWATHERS

CaseIH 6000 25’ Draper & 14’ Mower Conditioner, Excellent Condition 2700E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,900 NH HW340 36’ Draper 1400E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900 MacDon 4952 2000 30’ 972, New Drive Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $47,900 Westward 9352i 2005 30’ 963 Header, Premium Unit 1150E . . $59,000 MacDon M150-M155 30’ & 35’ D60/D65, Double Knife, Trans, Triple Del, Swath Rollers Available Starting At: . . . . . . $89,900

CONSIGNMENTS FK Y720 Farm King 72” Rotary Cutter E016017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,700 Wheat-Belt Never used 20’ Electric Bale Elevator . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,900 Kub ZG227 54” Zero-Turn Mower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,500 DR Pro Lawn Vac & Chipper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,600 NH Boomer 3040 2012 40hp, Loader, Skid Steer Q/A, CVT Trans. E016441 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,000 JD 701 10 Wheel V-Rake E016365 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,900 NH Boomer 25 2013 Loader & 60” Belly Mount Mower . . . . . . $21,900 Sunflower 1443 35’ Disc, one season of use on new blades . . . $35,000 NH CR9070 2011 Duals, Pickup Header, GPS, Low Hours . . . $199,900 *For commercial use only. Offer subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. See your New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. standard terms and conditions will apply. Depending on model, a down payment may be required. Offer good through December 31, 2015, at participating New Holland dealers in Canada. Offer subject to change. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in price. © 2015 CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Capital is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Lack of snow puts crops in danger worldwide The same factors which kept winter away at the end of the year set the stage for a frigid January and February By Karen Braun Reuters

he extent of snow across the Northern Hemisphere is alarmingly low, especially considering the increased risk of much colder weather come January. North America, Europe and Western Asia have all been consistently several degrees warmer in November and the first half of December. This leaves winter crops exposed and vulnerable to the elements, and atmospheric indexes are already indicating greater chances for frigid conditions during January and February. Most winter grains across the Northern Hemisphere are currently in good condition, but crop ratings could take a tumble if the snow cover does not arrive before the mercury drops. Snow not only insulates crops but is a vital source of soil mois-

ture replenishment once spring arrives. Soil moisture in the Northern Hemisphere is generally sufficient, save in Ukraine, Russia, and parts of Eastern Europe, where moisture deficits are near record lows. The recent lack of snow is in sharp contrast to a year ago when the Eurasian continent was blanketed in snow from Germany eastward. The last time Eurasian snow cover was this sparse was 2011, which led to disastrous wheat harvests for Russia and Ukraine in 2012 following a punishing winter and a drought-like spring.

Red flags

The lack of snow cover across the Northern Hemisphere is not necessarily a problem so long as winter temperatures remain mild, but there may be a heightened risk that this will not be the case come January. Although many look to El Niño for winter weather clues, phe-

Photo: Thinkstock nomena such as the polar vortex or the Arctic Oscillation (AO) are much better indicators in the Northern Hemisphere. If the polar vortex is strong between October and December, history indicates it is likely to be weaker in January and February, releasing cold, arctic blasts down into the midlatitudes. Following a strong October,

the polar vortex reached record strength in November, explaining at least in part the warm weather experienced throughout the Northern Hemisphere. So far, this strong trend fits the mould of a polar vortex likely to take a nosedive in January. The AO is an index based on pressure anomalies over the Arctic region. In the Northern Hemi-

sphere, positive values typically spell out warmer winter temperatures while negative values lead to colder conditions, similar to the AO’s “cousin,” the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Since late October, the AO has been trending positive, which along with the polar vortex has caused the delay in the arrival of winter. But the AO could plunge into negative territory during January and February. If the AO turns negative at the same time that the polar vortex loses strength, temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere would almost certainly plummet, potentially to extreme levels if the AO ends up considerably negative. Neither the polar vortex nor the AO index is well correlated with precipitation, so it is difficult to know at this point if snow would be able to accompany the cold — or preferably, precede it. But if snow remains elusive, global wheat supply may not be able to reach last year’s recordhigh levels.

New Plant Breeders’ Rights database launched A new database to assist seed sector stakeholders to easily identify Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) protection on crop varieties registered for sale in Canada has been launched. The Crop Varieties Registered in Canada and Plant Breeders’ Rights Status database was created by the Canadian Seed Trade Association with the assistance of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s variety registration office and the plant breeders’ rights office. Using the database, seed sector value chain members can easily identify the PBR status of a crop variety with a few simple steps. Users can search specifically by crop kind, variety name, and by the type of PBR protection. The full database is available at www.cdnseed. org (click on the Library tab). The type of PBR protection is indicated by two certification marks: UPOV 1978 or UPOV 1991. “We encourage members and stakeholders to check the database frequently,” said seed trade association president Scott Horner. “We also hope everyone continues to visit www. pbrfacts.ca to review the opportunities and obligations relevant to all of us under the new Plant Breeders’ Rights legislation.” — CTSA release

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JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

U.S. hogs fed pig remains, manure to fend off PED’s return U.S. producers fear declining immunity to PEDv as weather turns colder procedures to prevent the spread of the virus. Veterinarians said attempts to deliberately expose hogs to the virus also help reduce the risk of an outbreak as big as the one that began in 2013, although it is not clear how many farmers are taking such precautions. Michael Blackwell, chief veterinarian officer for the Humane Society of the United States, said feeding baby pigs to other hogs “seems to be pretty barbaric,” but that he understands why farmers are doing it. “It is not as inhumane as having millions of piglets killed in an outbreak,” he said.

BY DANNY NA AND TOM POLANSEK Reuters

n a bid to ward off the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), some American producers are feeding remains of dead baby pigs and manure to breeding hogs or spraying a mixture of hog manure containing the virus and water on the noses of pigs to create a “natural vaccine.” Across the Farm Belt, U.S. pork producers are doing whatever they can to shore up their herds’ defences against the virus that killed up to eight million pigs, a tenth of the nation’s herd, two years ago, and that farmers fear could return this winter. The virus, which causes severe diarrhea that kills baby pigs, thrives in cold weather, and declining immunity in the U.S. herd has raised the risk of another outbreak, veterinarians said. A resurgence could drive up prices again and hurt profits for processors including Tyson and JBS, which have benefited from low hog prices. Farmers are better prepared to fight the disease than they were two years ago after implementing

Vaccines and ‘feedback’

Veterinarians said commercial vaccines available from Zoetis and from Merck-owned Harrisvaccines offer limited help preventing outbreaks. They do not specifically target the gut and are mainly effective on hogs that have already been exposed to the virus. Such limitations, along with concerns that immunity levels have waned, make farmers turn to methods such as “feedback,” where intestines of piglets killed by the virus are fed to female pigs used for breeding. Immunity has declined because a growing

“It is not as inhumane as having millions of piglets killed in an outbreak.” Michael Blackwell

number of hogs has never been infected, meaning they lack natural immunity they could pass on to their babies, veterinarians say. Also, immunity wears off over time in hogs that were previously infected. Feedback allows female hogs to become infected and pass on immunity to piglets. Those fed infected food or otherwise exposed to the virus usually become sick for a few days. Purposefully exposing hogs to the virus is “really important because that’s one way we can have local establishment and local building of immunity,” said Lisa Becton, director of swine health information and research for the U.S. National Pork Board.

With current vaccines seen as limited in their ability to help hog herds get past a PED outbreak, some U.S. farmers are trying the “feedback” approach. pHOTO: thINKSTOCK

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

724172

USED EQUIPMENT

695024

USED COMBINES/HEADERS

$3,878 Hustler Raptor52, 2015, Zero turn radius!! 52” cut 695084

$26,500 2009 New Holland L170 Skid Steer, 4300hrs, NEW TIRES OPEN CAB

2 - 2012 CR8090 Combines, c/w Stone trap and GPS . . . . . . . . . .Choice @ $295,000 2011 NH CR9070, Auto Steer, 900 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$199,900 2012 94C, 30’ head. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $58,000 SP30N Honeybee Header, fits CNH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45,000 NH 74C, 36’ auger flex headers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37,500 2008 CIH 8010, AFX 1475 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$156,000 MacDon FD70, 40’ flex draper, DK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $56,000 2013 NH CR8090, 950 hrs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$295,000 2011 NH CR9070, 1200 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$199,900

USED TRACTORS

2012 Boomer 50 Compact Tractor, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,000 2008 NH Boomer 3040 MFD, ldr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16,800 2011 NH T9.505, 4WD, 3000 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$235,000

USED SWATHERS/SPRAYERS

695086

$32,500 2006 New Holland C185 Track Loader, COMPACT TRACK LOADER 710316

$295,000 2011 New Holland SP365 Sprayer, 1600 gal, 120’, Comes with 3 yr, 3000hr power train warranty 719376

$295,000 2012 New Holland CR8090, loaded 735654

JUST IN 2011 New Holland T9-505 Tractor Must see! 735658

2013 MacDon M155, 500 hrs, 30 DBL, D65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$145,000 2003 MacDon 9352, 30’ DBL, 2800 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42,800 2011 NH SP365F, 1600 gal, 120’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$295,000 MacDon 9352i, C/W 30’ header Very low hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $89,000 MacDon 4952i, C/W 30’ header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $62,500 MacDon 2940, C/W 30’ header. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $48,000 2006 Spray Air 3600, deluxe 100ft booms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,900 M&S suspended boom sprayer, 1000 gal, 86’ booms auto rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,500 MacDon 14’ hay header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call 1 - MacDon 18’ multi crop header, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,500 NH SF215, suspended boom sprayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,500 2009 Apache 1910, 910 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$189,000 2013 NH SP275R, 1200 gal, 100’ boom, 450 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$235,000

USED FORAGE & HAYING

NH 1431, discbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,900 NH 575, 14x18 baler new knotters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,900

JUST IN 2008 Case IH 8010 Combine 675910

$58,000 New Holland 94C, 2012, 30 feet

SKID STEER

735662

2009 NG L170, 4300 hrs, new tires, open cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,500 2006 NH C185, compact track loader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $32,500

TILLAGE

2010 Agrex Maxi, 10 tonne fert spreader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000

$27,500 New Holland SF215 Sprayer, Good cond. 719377

ALL UNITS COME WITH FULL WARRANTY AND ALL ARE AT OLD PRICING WHEN THE DOLLAR WAS BETTER

CALL FOR PRICING

JUST IN New Holland TV140 Tractor, Bidirectional, in on trade,

2014 NH T8.390 CVT Loaded 2014 Demo Special NH SP333F, w/1600 Gal, 120’ Loaded

$28,900 2006 Spray Air 3600 Sprayer, Excellent cond.

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

$189,000 2009 Apache 1910 910 hrs

“Southern Alberta’s New Holland Dealer since 1967” 510 – 36th. Street, North, Lethbridge, AB

Farm Centre Inc.

PHONE: (403) 327-1100 ALBERTA TOLL FREE: 1-800-565-0592 EMAIL: vfc@telusplanet.net

JOHN BEYER JAKE PETERS Cell: 403-380-0488

Cell: 403-654-3243

www.vaneefarmcentre.com

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

‘09 MORRIS CONTOUR 1/8370,

TBH, 61’, 370+80bu, 10” Spacing, Double Shoot $210,000 SC

‘14 NEW HOLLAND H7150/HS16,

‘13 NEW HOLLAND CR7090,

NEW ‘14 NH SPDRWR 130,

$45,000 SC

Eng Hrs 797, Sep Hrs 575, 408 HP, 315 BU $269,000 SC

‘14 NEW HOLLAND CR8090,

‘11 NEW HOLLAND BR7090,

NEW ‘14 NH BOOMER 24,

‘12 NEW HOLLAND BR7090,

‘14 NEW HOLLAND CR8090,

’10 MORRIS CONTOUR 1/8650, TBH, 71’, 650bu, 10” Spacing, Single Shoot $225,000 SC

TBT, 60’, 430bu, 10” Spacing, Single Shoot, $149,000 SC

2012 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$310,000 BR 2012 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$310,000 SC 2012 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$349,000 TA 2013 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$310,000 SC 2013 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $349,000 MH 2013 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $349,000 SC 2013 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $349,000 SC 2013 NH CR8090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $399,000 SH 2008 NH CR9060 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $189,000 MH 2008 NH CR9060 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$189,000 MJ 2009 NH CR9060 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$189,000 MJ 2010 NH CR9060 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $259,000 SH 2008 NH CR9070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $239,000 BR 2010 NH CR9070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $259,000 MH 2010 NH CR9070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $259,000 SH 2011 NH CR9070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $269,000 SH 2011 NH CR9070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $269,000 SH 2011 NH CR9070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $269,000 TA 2005 NH CR960 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$109,000 MJ 2005 NH CR960 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129,000 BR 2006 NH CR970 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$189,000 SH 2007 NH CX8080 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$159,000 SH 2001 NH CX840 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$99,000 MH 2003 NH CX860 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99,000 SH

2014 Honey Bee 4036, 36’ . . . . . . . . . . .$75,000 SH 2003 Honey Bee 94C, 36’ . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,000 TA 1997 Honey Bee SP30, 30’ . . . . . . . . . . . $21,000 MJ 1996 Honey Bee SP36, 36’ . . . . . . . . . . . $15,000 SH 1998 Honey Bee SP36, 36’ . . . . . . . . . . .$22,000 SC 2005 Honey Bee SP36, 36’ . . . . . . . . . $25,000 SH 2008 Honey Bee SP36, 36’ . . . . . . . . . $35,000 SH 2012 Honey Bee SP40, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . $49,000 SH 2012 NH 740CF, 35’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$33,000 SC 2013 NH 740CF, 35’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 TA 2009 NH 74C, 35’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,000 MH 2009 NH 74C, 35’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37,000 MJ 2009 NH 74C, 35’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37,000 MJ 2005 NH 76C, 14’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,000 SC 2006 NH 76C, 14’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,000 MJ 2014 NH 790CP, 15’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 SC 2014 NH 880CF, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99,000 SH 2014 NH 880CF, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99,000 SC 2014 NH 880 CF, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,000 SC 2014 NH 880CF, 45’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99,000 SC 2004 NH 94C, 36’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,000 SH 2006 NH 94C, 30’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 SC 2006 NH 94C, 30’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 SC 2006 NH 94C, 30’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 SC 2010 NH 94C, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$49,000 BR 2012 NH 94C, 36’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$35,000 SC 2012 NH 94C, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,000 SC 2012 NH 94C, 40’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$62,000 SC

2008 NH 1441 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000 SH 1999 NH 1475 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,000 SH 2001 NH 1475/2300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,000 SC 2005 NH 1475/HS18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23,000 SC 2009 NH H7150/HS16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,000 SC 2013 NH H7150/HS18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45,000 SC 2009 NH H7450 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,000 BR 2012 NH H7460 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$34,000 MJ

2006 AGCO Hesston 1275 . . . . . . . . . . . $17,000 MJ 1994 Case IH 8370 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000 BR 1990 John Deere 1600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,500 BR

WINDROWER

Eng Hrs 367, Sep Hrs 273, Duals, Elec Trap $409,000 SC

9000 Bales, 2.07m PU, hydraulic pickup lift, $25,000 SC

AIR DRILL

1996 Bourgault 5710/3225 . . . . . . . . . .$39,000 SH 1996 Bourgault 5710/4350 . . . . . . . . . $49,000 SH 1994 Flexi-Coil 5000/1720 . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 MJ 1995 Flexi-Coil 5000/2320 . . . . . . . . . $49,000 SH 1997 Flexi-Coil 5000/2320 . . . . . . . . . .$39,000 SC 2000 Flexi-Coil 5000/3450 . . . . . . . . .$79,000 SH 2008 Flexi-Coil 5500/4350 . . . . . . . .$139,000 MJ 2009 Morris C1/8370 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$210,000 SC 2010 Morris CONTOUR/8650 . . . . . $225,000 SC 2006 NH 500/2340/2340 . . . . . . . . . $115,000 MJ 2009 NH P2060/P1060 . . . . . . . . . . . .$149,000 SC 2010 NH P2070/P1060 . . . . . . . . . . . . .$185,000 MJ 2011 NH P2070/P1060 . . . . . . . . . . . . .$185,000 SC 2002 NH SD440/SC380 . . . . . . . . . . . $69,000 MJ

BALE WAGON

1950 Misc HAAKUS WGN . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,500 MH

BALER/ROUND

2008 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23,000 SC 2008 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23,000 MJ 2009 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 SC 2011 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,000 SC 2011 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$32,000 SC 2012 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,000 SC 2012 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,000 SC 2012 NH BR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$32,000 MJ

COMBINE

2013 Case IH 8230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $349,000 MH 2011 Massey Ferguson 9895 . . . . . . . $250,000 SC 2012 NH CR7090 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $269,000 BR

16’

Auto Wrap, Narrow, Twine $29,000 SC

Eng Hrs 361, Sep Hrs 279, Duals, Elec Trap, $409,000 SC

DEEP TILLAGE

2012 Horsch Anderson RT370, 37’ . . .$85,000 TA

DISK

John Deere 335, 28’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,000 TA

HEADER COMBINE

2011 AGCO Gleaner 9250, 35’ . . . . . . . .$75,000 SC 2012 Case IH 3016, 15’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24,000 MH

130 HP, 600/65R28 Tires

CALL FOR PRICING SC

‘14 NEW HOLLAND L213 - C238,

24HP, 23x8.50-12, 12-16.5, Ind Tires $10,900 SC

MOWER CONDITIONER

SHAUNAVON

VARIABLE - NEW & USED, 46-84 HP CALL FOR PRICING SC

’09 NH P2060/P1060,

RAKE/WHEEL

2009 Misc 14 WHEEL RK . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,000 SC 2015 NH 1225 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23,000 SC

SPRAYER

2009 NH S1070 (S/B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$35,000 BR 2012 NH S1070 (W/B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25,000 BR

SPRAYER/HIGH CLEARANCE

2008 Apache 1010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$139,000 SC 2012 Apache 1020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$189,000 SC 2013 Apache AS1220 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$215,000 SC 2013 Apache AS1220 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$215,000 SC 2013 Apache AS1220 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$215,000 SH 2011 NH SP.365F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $245,000 SH 2014 NH SP.365F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$319,000 SC

TRACTOR

1984 Case IH 886 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,500 MH 2010 NH 3040 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23,000 SC 2013 NH T9.615 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $329,000 SC 2003 NH TC21DA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,000 SC 1998 Case IH 8825HP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,000 SC 1989 NH 1118 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,500 BR

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Bin-busting canola yields

Get an edge with an adviser board

Five Alberta canola producers were winners in DuPont Pioneer’s 2015 yield contest. Saskatchewan producer Florian Hagmann claimed top spot with 116 bushels per acre on his plot and more than 100 bu./ac. on the field using Pioneer seed. The Alberta winners were Jim Herder (Sylvan Lake, 84.3 bu./ ac., second spot), Ron Krywko (Sturgeon County, 81.3 bu./ac., third spot), Ridgevalley Colony (Crooked Creek, 69.2 bu./ac.), Arnold Beusekom (Fort Macleod 63.6 bu./ac.), and Kevin Taschuk (Two Hills, 69.0 bu./ac.). The top finisher in the corn competition was Manitoba farmer Bernie Toews with 200.8 bu./ac. The winners get a trip for two to the 2016 Tim Hortons Brier in Ottawa in March. — DuPont release

Leading farmers often cite advisory boards as one of their best practices. If you want to learn how to set one up, there’s a webinar on Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. Shauna Feth, executive director of Alberta Business Family Institute, will deliver a 45-minute presentation followed by questions and answers. Among the topics that will be covered are understanding the advisory board’s role, engaging participation, benefits and composition, criteria for recruiting, board compensation, and meeting structure. To register, go to www.agriculture. alberta.ca, search for ‘advisory board webinar,’ and click on the Webex link. — AAF release

Upping your game through pain control HEARTLAND New video makes the case that pain control makes sense in a host of ways STAFF

he Beef Cattle Research Council has a new video to help producers better understand new pain control requirements. As of Jan. 1, the national beef code requires pain control after horn bud attachment and for castration of bulls older than nine months. (The latter changes to six months as of Jan. 1, 2018.) The benefits greatly outweigh the cost of pain control medication, feedlot owner Leighton Kolk says in the video. “Yes, it costs money, but we like to look at the bigger picture,” says Kolk, who operates Kolk Farms near Picture Butte. “If the animal is more comfortable, my staff feel better about what they’re doing because they don’t see the cattle in pain and the animal feels better. I think it’s a win-win for all of us.” The video also makes the case for performing painful procedures early in a calf’s life. “It’s best to do castrations as early as possible because the tissue area is much smaller, the blood supply is less developed, and we believe the innervation (nerve supply) of that area is less developed,” says Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein of Agriculture Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre. “Dehorning is particularly painful once the horn attaches to the skull,” adds Reynold Bergen, the research council’s science director. “When a calf is born, if it has horns, the horn is actually loose — it wobbles because it’s not directly connected to the skull. Probably around two to three months that horn does get connected (to the skull). At that point, taking that horn off hurts an awful lot.” There are also production benefits from using pain control. “Producers report that calves that have been medicated for pain will follow mother, they will suckle more, and they will travel easier,” says Dr. Eugene Janzen of the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine. It also makes beef easier to market because it addresses consumer concerns about animal welfare, says B.C. beef producer Phil Braig. “It would be better for the industry if producers were to voluntarily move in the direction that consumers want,” says Braig, assistant manager at the Douglas Lake Cattle Company. “I think in the end that would improve the salability of our product.

pHOTO: tHINKSTOCK

“If the animal is more comfortable, my staff feel better about what they’re doing because they don’t see the cattle in pain and the animal feels better. I think it’s a win-win for all of us.” Leighton Kolk

This scene from the video shows that at the age of two or three months, the horn bud attaches to the skull and makes dehorning much more painful. VIDEO: BEEF CATTLE RESEARCH COUNCIL Pain control treatments come in two classes. Anesthetic drugs cause a lack of feeling and awareness and are used to dull the pain to permit surgery and other painful procedures. In cattle, the primary anesthetic used is Lidocaine.

The other type is analgesics, which relieves pain without affecting awareness (similar to Tylenol or aspirin in humans). The most common analgesics in animals and people are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The three analgesics for

cattle are: ketoprofen (sold as Anafen), flunixin (Banamine), and meloxicam (Metacam). All three are injectable and have variable withdrawal times. The eight-minute video can be found at www.beefresearch. ca/pain. The web page includes

information on pain control products, as well as the recommendations and requirements listed in the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle when performing painful procedures like castration and dehorning.

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

The price for social licence has gone up, says animal welfare expert Livestock doesn’t have to be treated like pets, but their ‘emotional or mental needs’ have to be taken into account BY SHANNON VANRAES Staff / Winnipeg

t was an uncomfortable moment for the audience — photos of downer cows about to be shot at an American slaughter plant. None of the staff at the plant objected as veterinarian Jennifer Walker took the pictures. “They told me that this was an average cull cow day — two of the seven cows that arrived fell down on the trailer, two fell down while getting off the trailer, one more was so skinny and weak she fell down later while trying to navigate the system,” Walker, director of dairy stewardship for the U.S.based Dean Foods, told producers at a recent dairy conference here. “All five of these were perfectly and humanely handled by staff at the slaughterhouse. All five of them should have never been put on the trailer to begin with.” While cost, profit, and production are vital considerations, so is animal welfare and public opinion, she added “When it comes to animal welfare and animal health, and understanding what our consumers and customers want, we need to remember it is a matter of perspective,” she said. “So what you might rank as a dairy farmer as your top concern is

going to be different than a customer.” Giving the example of a farmer with a top-producing cow that’s going on three good legs, she painted a picture of a difficult decision that can’t — at the end of the day — be about money. “How long does she have to walk around in pain until you sell her? And how miserable is that journey to the sales barn and then to the slaughterhouse?” Walker asked. “And if she gets there and has to be euthanized on the trailer because she can’t actually get up, can we look consumers in the eye and say we’ve done the right thing? “We have to come to terms with the fact that science can only tell us what we can do. What we’re dealing with today is questions about what we should do.” Long gone are the days when producers could justify practices on scientific terms or efficiency. Reiterating the mantra that cows must be happy and healthy if production is high is a failure in the eyes of consumers. Not only does it diminish consumer trust, she said, it pushes consumers to seek information from alternate sources, such as Mercy for Animals or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “What consumers expect is that we take good care of our

Consumers have changed and that means livestock production has to change, too, veterinarian Jennifer Walker told Manitoba dairy producers. Photo: Shannon VanRaes cows,” Walker said, and that includes producers acknowledging that their animals have emotional or mental needs, as well as physical ones.

Cow feelings

It’s not an idea that’s particularly popular with some producers.

“I hear it all the time, again and again, ‘We have to feed the world. There’s going to be nine billion people… We’re going to have to increase food production by 70 per cent, and you want me to stop and worry about my cows’ feelings? Are you kidding me?’” said Walker. But good animal welfare —

The 2016

which Walker roughly defines as animals having a life worth living and a comfortable death — has many real benefits for producers to consider, she said. Besides the all-important need to maintain social licence and consumer trust, healthy and happy animals produce more, are more resistant to disease, and provide better, more profitable carcasses, she said. No one expects cows to be sleeping at the foot of the bed, but producers need to recognize that consumers have changed. She pointed to the trend as not labelling meat products as animals — it’s broiler instead of chicken these days — and the way pets are viewed. “So while we have removed the animal from the food we eat, we have simultaneously elevated the animals in our lives,” she said. “For many, cats and dogs are treated like members of the family. In many cases, animal companions have really become the primary, sometimes only, stable form of companionship.” That doesn’t change the ethics of animal care, she said. “Simply put, the golden rule is still the golden rule,” said Walker. “What has changed is to whom we extend consideration of the golden rule to… our circle of caring is expanding.” shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

“Where the serious bull buyers are looking”

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rAnge WArs

long WAY From lA Crete But country stars Brad and Curtis Rempel haven’t forgotten their farm roots » PG 32

Report on grazing leases ignites an old debate » PG 22

ThE ANNuAL ROuNDup

Young beef producers meet in Neepawa » Pg 15

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Stonewall pays tribute to artist William Kurelek » Pg 3

Publications Mail Agreement # 40069240

LATE FEBRUARY ISSUES: Deadline: Feb. 1, 2016 February 29 - Alberta Farmer February 22 - Saskatchewan AgDealer February 25 - Manitoba Co-operator

AlbertA eDItION | Issue #18 | August 31, 2015 | ADVeRtIsINg INFORMAtION: 1-888-999-4178 | www.agdealer.com

serVing mAnitobA FArmers since 1925 | Vol. 73, no. 33 | $1.75

August 13, 2015

Vo lu m e 1 2 , n u m b e r 1 6

no word on farm aid until after harvest Livestock producers have a tax deferral option, but government waiting to see if crop insurance is adequate By Alexis Kienlen AF STAFF

August 3, 2015

Farm leaders say workers’ compensation coverage is a good thing Mandatory enrolment could be announced this fall, but leaders say cost and paperwork won’t be onerous

cP Rail says it’s ready to move this year’s crop to market

MAFRD is looking at how well these oversize cold frames can extend horticultural growing seasons

The company is investing billions to move even more grain as western Canadian production continues to increase

see CP Rail on page 7 »

JOHN DEERE HEADERS

You don’t have to go far to find hazards on a farm, and that’s why new workplace safety regulations are inevitable, say farm leaders. PHOTOS: COURTESY Canadian agRiCUlTURal SafETY aSSOCiaTiOn tors for workers’ compensation.” Oneil Carlier, the new NDP agriculture minister, has vowed to extend workplace safety regulations to farm workers who aren’t currently covered by workers’ compensation or Occupational Health and Safety regulations. Today, only around seven per cent of Alberta farm employers voluntarily carry workers’ compensation for their operations. But offering that protection — both for employers and employees — is one of the realities of farm-

Mike Millar

ing today, said Jacobson, who farms near Enchant. “There’s getting to be more and more hired help on the farm and we’re employing more people,” he said. “It gives protection from litigation and other advantages, and if you don’t have it, there can be some serious consequences.” And farm workers today “aren’t just interested in a paycheque,” he said. “They’re starting to realize, ‘If I get hurt on this job, where’s the protection for my family?’ When it comes down to it, a farm that has some type of

protection for those people is going to have a lot easier time hiring people.”

Cost and paperwork

There are “some misconceptions” about workers’ compensation that have made Alberta farmers reluctant to offer coverage to their workers, said Jacobson. “Some people don’t like that administrative role and the paperwork that is associated with the program at this point in time,” he said.

Publication Mail Agreement 40069240

AF STAFF

Advertising Sales Cell: 403-393-7493 rick.dibben@fbcpublishing.com

OTHER COMBINES

CIH 2388 - 2003 CIH 2388 MF 8780 NH CR9080 - 2010, 1031/790 HRS NH TR98 - 2218 HRS NH CX8080 MF 9790 -

High tunnel production has potential to extend the Manitoba grower’s season, says MAFRD’s fruit crops specialist Anthony Mintenko. He and the provincial vegetable crop specialist are evaluating fruit and vegetable crops for high tunnel production at the AAFC site at Portage la Prairie. PHOTO: LORRAINE STEVENSON

BY LORRAINE STEVENSON

By JenniFeR BlAiR

T WOU BLO

JD S670 - 2012, Duals JD S670 - 2012 JD S670 - 2012 JD S680 JD T670 JD 8820 - 1983 JD 8820 JD 8820 - Titan II JD 9501 - PT JD 9650 - Walker JD 9660 - Walker JD 9760 - STS

Co-operator staff / Portage la Prairie

hanges to farm safety regulations are expected soon — and that might not be a bad thing for Alberta farmers, says the president of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture. “Workers’ compensation or private insurance really is a great risk management tool for farms nowadays,” said Lynn Jacobson. “That protection against litigation is one of the big selling fac-

VISIT WWW.DEERMART.COM FOR MORE USED INVENTORY

JOHN DEERE COMBINES

senior executive with CP Rail says the company is “well positioned” to move this year’s g ra i n c r o p d e s p i t e re c e n t cutbacks in staff and locomotives. Grain is, was and will continue to be Canadian Pacific Railway’s biggest cargo, John Brooks, vice-president of sales and marketing for bulk commodities, said in an interview Aug. 6. And the historic railway founded in 1881 is investing to move even more in the future, he said. “Make no bones about it, grain is king at CP,” he said. “It is our life-bread. There is nothing we want to do more than move a lot of grain. “I think we feel pretty good about our handling capacity… to move this new crop.”

USED INVENTORY LIQUIDATION

2010 NH CR9080 WAS $269,900 NOW $199,900

BY ALLAN DAWSON Co-operator staff

rop producers will have to wait until after harvest to find out if there is any government drought assistance, says the president of the Grain Growers of Canada. The question of additional farm aid was put to Oneil Carlier, the new NDP agriculture minister, when he attended an Alberta Wheat Commission directors’ meeting in Red Deer on July 21, said Gary Stanford, who is also a director with that organization. “I asked him if there will be any form of funding for cattle and hay, and also for some areas that are so dry that crop insurance for grain farmers won’t really cover everything,” said the Magrath-area producer. “He said that he will probably wait until after harvest is over and he gets the crop insurance information back from the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation to see what the facts are. He’ll then find out which counties are in the worst shape.” That same stance was taken by Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz at a national meeting of agriculture ministers held in mid-

see FARM AiD } page 6

Rick Dibben

mAnitobAcooperAtor.cA

Researchers study how to extend the growing season

see COVeRAGe } page 7

National Advertising Sales Cell: 306-251-0011 mike.millar@fbcpublishing.com

production system that extends the growing season, offers growers a competitive edge in the marketplace and potential to make more money sounds mighty tempting. That’s why fruit and vegetable growers were out in large numbers at Hort Diagnostic Days in late July to hear more about construction of high tunnels. This is the first year a variety of fruits and vegetables has been planted in the high tunnel built in 2014 at the Agriculture Agri-Food

Canada location in Portage la Prairie. Growers are keen to hear what Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) specialists are learning. High tunnel production is commonplace in other parts of Canada and in northern and central U.S. where nearly every type of fruit and vegetable is now grown, even tree fruits. MAFRD staff are researching how high tunnels work in Manitoba growing conditions. “We have a lot of recommendations from other places like Minnesota and Ontario about what to grow in a high tunnel but nothing for under Manitoba conditions,” said fruit

crop specialist Anthony Mintenko, who is evaluating day-neutral strawberries, early-season June-bearing strawberries, fall-bearing raspberries and blackberries at one end of the 100x15x7.5-foot tunnel. Provincial vegetable specialist Tom Gonsalves is experimenting with vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers at the other. High tunnels are like greenhouses, except they don’t have a double layer of poly, and no permanent heat or electricity. But they have a similar function — they keep cold out and, conversely, heat in.

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WAS

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NOW

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NOW

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COOL: U.S. challengeS canada’S claim» PAGE 3

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REMINDER Contact your Rep to tell them about your Post Sale Results so we can publish them in Canadian Cattlemen

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Bison roam a highway in the Wyoming section of Yellowstone National Park, which is home to about 5,000 head. photo: reuters / jim urquhart

Montana weighs letting Yellowstone bison roam Ranchers fear the park bison could put Montana’s brucellosis-free status at risk BY LAURA ZUCKERMAN Salmon, Idaho / Reuters

he shaggy offspring of the United States’ only wild, purebred herd of bison are pitting Montana conservationists, federal wildlife managers, ranchers, and native American tribes against each other. Montana Governor Steve Bullock is due to decide soon whether bison from Yellowstone National Park will be allowed to roam the state outside certain tribal lands, where their recent return was seen as a long-awaited homecoming. The saga centres on a push by environmental activists and native Americans to increase the numbers of the iconic beasts, which were once almost wiped out, against opposition from livestock owners who fear disease and say recent bison deaths on tribal lands may have been caused by mismanagement. There are nearly 5,000 bison in the park, which is mainly in Wyoming but also spills into Montana and Idaho. They represent the last of ancient herds that once thundered across the U.S. West in tens of millions. The U.S. government’s efforts to exterminate remaining herds to force the surrender of warring tribes that depended on buffalo resulted in fewer than 50 bison finding refuge at Yellowstone in the early 20th century. The tribes revere the Yellowstone bison, which are a top draw for the record number of tourists flocking to the park. Wildlife advocates also prize the animals

for their genetic purity, since they were excluded from an otherwise widespread practice of crossbreeding with cattle.

Disease threat

But Montana ranchers fear the bison because they can carry brucellosis, a bacterial disease that can cause pregnant cattle to miscarry. Stockmen in the state have long supported a program that allows the capture and eventual slaughter of many bison that migrate from the park into Montana in the winter. The practice has protected the state’s brucellosis-free status, which allows producers to send cattle across state lines without expensive testing, but it has also prompted public opposition. A recent proposal to cull 1,000 bison drew such controversy that the U.S. government put the move on hold for now. James St. Goddard, spiritual leader of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, said the bison should not be crowded into trucks and then killed like any livestock. “Our ancestors depended on (bison) for survival, and now they depend on us for their survival,” Goddard said. “We should be fighting for their lives.” Two Indian reservations in Montana have in recent years received brucellosis-free bison as part of a government experiment designed to test whether quarantined animals could be kept from being exposed to or carrying the disease.

Gene editing produces virus-resistant pigs Gene-edited animals don’t produce the protein PRRSv needs to spread in herds BY BEN HIRSCHLER London / Reuters

FOR MIXED FARMING. T6 Series tractors are the ideal choice for mixed farmers. They allow you to master multiple jobs—haying, heavy loader work, roadside mowing, and more. The spacious Horizon™ cab offers extraordinary comfort, but is standard equipment. And thanks to an endless list of performance and comfort options, you can tailor a T6 tractor to suit your operation exactly. That’s New Holland SMART. • Six models from 143 to 175 Max boosted engine HP—your choice of 4- or 6-cylinder engine

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equipment. And thanks to an endless listflange of performance and comfort options, • Rear axle options include a heavy-duty or can 98-inch axle for the versatility to handleexactly. That’s New Holland SMART. you tailorbar a T6 tractor to suit your operation haying as well as row crop work Six models from to low 175 Max • Choose your cab143 roof: roof boosted for low engine HP—your choice of 4or 6-cylinder engine clearance or deluxe high roof • Selection of transmissions, including semipowershift, creeper and Auto Command™, continuously variable transmission (CVT) • Choose your 4WD front axle: TerraLock™ automatic traction control, the sharp-turning SuperSteer™ axle, or ultra-smooth TerraGlide™ suspended axle • Rear axle options include a heavy-duty flange or 98-inch bar axle for the versatility to handle haying as well as row crop work • Choose your cab roof: low roof for low clearance or deluxe high roof

© 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.

AIR DRILL

2011 New Holland BR7090 . . . . . $15,500

2009 Bourgault 3310 . . . . . . . . . $175,000 2009 New Holland BR7090 . . . . . $19,995 2010 Bourgault 3310 . . . . . . . . . $225,000 2010 New Holland BR7090 . . . . . $25,300

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2005 New Holland BR780 . . . . . . $19,500

GRAIN CART 1997 Degelman SK800 . . . . . . . . . $24,995

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2012 Degelman Strawmaster . . . $47,500 2006 New Holland BR780A . . . . . $19,500 2006 New Holland BR780A . . . . . $16,995 TRACTOR 1967 John Deere 4020 . . . . . . . . . . .$7,995 2006 New Holland BR780A . . . . . $12,995 2012 New Holland TS6.110 . . . . . $74,995 2007 New Holland BR780A . . . . . $17,995

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LAWN TRACTOR Kubota T1770 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,250

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2007 New Holland 1475 . . . . . . . $23,500 2009 New Holland H7460 . . . . . . $31,500 1998 New Holland 1475 . . . . . . . $14,995 2010 New Holland H7550 . . . . . . $25,995

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British animal genetics firm, working with U.S. scientists, has bred the world’s first pigs resistant to a common viral disease, using the hot new technology of gene editing. Genus, which supplies pig and bull semen to farmers worldwide, said last month it had worked with the University of Missouri to develop pigs resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv). The condition, also known as blue-ear disease, can be fatal as it affects the animals’ immune system and costs farmers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. There is no cure. By using precise gene editing, the team from the University of Missouri was able to breed pigs that do not produce a specific protein necessary for the virus to spread in the animals. Early-stage studies showed the new PRRSv-resistant pigs, when exposed to

the virus, did not get sick and continued to gain weight normally. The development of these resistant pigs is further proof of the power of gene editing, which is taking the biotech industry by storm. Genus chief scientific officer Jonathan Lightner said it was “a potential game changer for the pork industry.” Editing the genes of living organisms holds out great promise for treating diseases and improving crops and animal species. But it could also be used to create “designer” human babies, prompting critics to call for a global ban on genetic modification of human embryos. The technology allows scientists to edit genes by using biological “scissors” that operate a bit like a word-processing program that can find and replace selected stretches of DNA. It has been put to work in laboratories around the world, even as the ethical and safety issues it raises are fiercely debated. Lightner said there were several critical challenges ahead to fully develop and commercialize the technology.

MAXIMUM VERSATILITY

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Community news and events from across the province

what’s Yearning for a taste of up home leads to big things for transplanted Albertans

Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: glenn.cheater@fbcpublishing.com Jan. 12: Pricing Principles (for retail sales), Agri-Food Business Centre, Leduc (also Jan. 14 in Airdrie). Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800387-6030

BY DIANNE FINSTAD

Jan. 12: Hortsnacks @ Night - Human Resources, Chinook Honey, Okotoks. Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800-387-6030 (also Jan. 13 at Arber Greenhouses, Wetaskiwin and Jan. 20 at Green Island Garden Centre, Fairview)

AF contributor

sense of adventure brought Alan and Nicola Irving from England to Canada — and a yearning for a ‘back home’ taste set the stage for their made-in-Alberta success story. Irvings Farm Fresh’s sausage, hams, and most of all, tasty bacon has made the operation a hit in Edmonton’s farmers’ market scene and with chefs in the city. But the tale of the couple’s entry into the food business is one of how life can get very interesting if you’re open to new things. The couple and their children (Sarah is now 18 and Cameron 12) arrived in Canada in 2005. Alan, who grew up on a farm but worked as a trucker in England, found work with an Edmonton transportation company. They preferred rural life and found an acreage a half-hour drive north of the city near Vimy — with no clue that would be the start of a very big Canadian adventure. “Alan was away trucking lots, and I was at home with the kids,” said Nicola, who has an agriculture degree and worked in the feed industry. “We had buildings and a little bit of land, so I was like, ‘What are we going to do with it?’” The answer was a few laying hens. “That’s where Irvings Farm Fresh started — because we were selling ‘farm fresh’ eggs.” The one thing they missed most about home, other than family, was sausages. “We would go to the grocery store, and buy what we thought were nice quality, and were always disappointed.” The neighbours who were hunters and made their own wild game sausage showed the British family how easy it could be to ‘do it yourself,’ said Nicola. “That sowed some seeds in our minds and we said, ‘Well why don’t we start making our own?’ So we did that, and basically turned that into a business. We were buying pork and making sausages before we ever had pigs.” Expats who bought their sausages were soon asking for English-style bacon. That led to a trip home to learn a method called quick dry curing. “It’s the same amount of salt and the same amount of cure, but instead of making it into liquid, we dry hand rub it into our meat,” said Nicola. “It’s then left for period of time, depending on whether it’s from the belly to make side bacon, or our British-style back bacon from the loin. “Through osmosis, salt goes into the meat and some of the meat’s liquid comes out, so what we end up with is a more concentrated flavour. You’re not paying for water, and it doesn’t shrivel and shrink when cooked.”

Business booms

And once again, demand wasn’t an issue — supply was. So the Irvings bought some Berkshire pigs, a heritage breed common on British farms. “We were running seven or eight (breeding) sows, but as we expanded we needed more.” Soon, their Vimy farm wasn’t big enough, so the family was on the move again — this time to Round Hill, near Camrose. Still, they could barely keep up. In 2009, they opened a new 1,500-square-foot butcher shop, which now employs one full-time and five parttime staff.

Jan. 14-16 and 21-23: Holistic Management Course with Don Campbell, Valleyview Ag-Plex, Valleyview (also Jan. 28-30 ad Feb. 4-6 in Demmitt). Contact: Stacy 780-835-6799 Jan. 19: FCC Ag Outlook 2016, Centennial Civic Centre, Strathmore. Contact: Farm Credit Canada 1-888-332-3301 Jan. 19-20: Agronomy Update 2016, Sheraton Red Deer Hotel, Red Deer. Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800-387-6030 Jan. 19-20: Irrigated Crop Production Update - 2016, Lethbridge Lodge Hotel, Lethbridge. Contact: Ag-Info Centre 1-800387-6030 Jan. 19-20: Association of Alberta Agricultural Fieldmen conference, Fantasyland Hotel, Edmonton. Contact: AAAF info@aaaf.ab.ca Jan. 20: Fertilizer & Water Workshop, Crop Diversification Centre North, Edmonton. Contact: Mohyuddin Mirza 780-463-0652 Jan. 20: Marketing Made Easy, West River’s Edge, Fort Saskatchewan. Contact: Eileen Kotowich 780-853-8223

Although a heritage breed, Berkshires are common in Britain — and seem to like the weather in Round Hill, too. PHOTOs: COURTESY IRVINGS FARM FRESH Doing their own meat cutting gave them more control over the end product (even doing roasts with skin on, for the traditional ‘crackling’). But raising pigs and running the meat business was getting to be too much. “Ultimately we decided keeping control of our processing was what we had to do,” said Nicola. With the assistance of Alberta Pork, the Irvings connected with Sand Ridge Farm in Barrhead, which supplies them with premium quality Berkshire stock that they feed and finish on their farm in a free-range style. Slaughtering is done at the nearby Tofield plant, with the carcasses cut and processed in their own shop. They also tapped into other resources. ALMA assistance helped with some initial refrigeration equipment, and the Irvings are now planning to double the size of their meat shop and open a retail store. They also used Alberta Agriculture’s Dine Alberta program to connect with chefs. “They have been instrumental in really helping us grow our business, because they proudly put our name on their menus,” said Nicola. “So people go in there and eat, love what they have, and then come and find us at the farmers’ markets. It’s cross-marketing, and it works really well.” Social media, farms tours, and Open Farm Day are also key marketing tools. (They also sell through some independent delis and stores specializing in local foods and make deliveries twice a month to Calgary customers.)

The Irvings enjoyed immediate success when they began selling their sausages, bacon, and other pork products at Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market in Edmonton. “Our customers are our best form of advertising,” said Nicola. “We just try and connect with our customers. People are so looking to know where their food comes from.” It was an Englishman who coined the word ‘serendipity,’ but the family’s success is more than just happenstance. Their business started with a quest to find a food they loved, and it remains squarely focused on the dining experience of their customers, said Nicola. “We have that vision and mission. We want to always offer our customers innovative products with a wow factor, combining excellent taste, quality, and value for money.”

When Alan and Nicola Irving couldn’t find authentic British sausages in Alberta, they decided to make their own. And that was the beginning of a great adventure.

ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

Prepare for a successful future with Selections 2016

BED AND BALE

4-H Alberta release

ttention senior members, registration is open now for Selections 2016! How would you like to partake in a journey of self-discovery? Through small-group discussions, team-building exercises, and large-group presentations, you will investigate your future; how school, career, and personal choices and change can affect your life’s path. Join other 4-H senior members from across Alberta and you’ll experience a ton of fun, share lots of laughs and meet amazing people. At this year’s Selections program, participants will do selfawareness and self-management skill assessments and will learn and practise strategies for future success. Members will go through a series of smalland large-group activities, discussions, and challenges that’ll help them to manage stress, manage their time, and identify who they truly are so that they may take full advan-

Cattle on the Bar Pipe Ranch, west of Okotoks, Alta., feed and bed down in their rows of hay on a sunny south-facing slope. Photo: Wendy Dudley tage of their strengths. Members also learn to think about themselves and how they’re conducting themselves in relation to those around them. There is opportunity to represent 4-H Alberta at a national or international trip or conference or to be chosen as an ambassador for your region. Selections 2016 is for members aged 16 to 20. It will be held at Olds College from May 6-9. The cost is $250 with an early-bird rate of $200 if the registration is received by Feb. 15. 4-H Diaries should also be received by your regional specialist for marking by Feb. 15. To register, go to https:// goo.gl/Mh9n9v.

Alberta 4-H clubs get FCC funding FCC release

ifty-two 4-H clubs in Alberta are beneficiaries of Farm Credit Canada’s 4-H Club Fund. The farm lender donated $122,000 to 251 4-H clubs across Canada to support various local events and activities, with $26,000 going to Alberta clubs. The fund is part of FCC’s $1-million contribution committed over four years to 4-H Canada. This contribution, in addition to supporting local 4-H activities, sup-

ports national as well as provincial 4-H initiatives. “We’re proud to partner with 4-H and strengthen the bond between this industry and young people because they are the future of the industry,” said Todd Klink, the lender’s executive vice-president and chief marketing officer. The FCC 4-H Club Fund awards up to $500 for projects such as achievement days, horse clinics, field trips, public-speaking workshops and purchase of equipment, just to name a few. The next application period opens in fall 2016.

“We are thankful to FCC for its continued support of 4-H in Canada, and the unique and valuable opportunities it helps to provide for our members at the grassroots level,” said 4-H Canada CEO Shannon Benner. To view the list of recipients, go to www.4-h-canada.ca/fcc4hclubfund. 4-H Canada provides young Canadians with the tools and guidance to build leadership skills in a safe, fun and inclusive environment. It has more than 25,000 members and 7,700 volunteer leaders.

Marketplace January 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

a Letter to agricuLturaL Producers on BiLL 6 Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) is extremely disappointed that the Government of Alberta chose to force the amended Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection of Farm and Ranch Workers Act, through the legislature this week over the widespread and vocal opposition of farmers and ranchers across the province. We joined farmers, ranchers, and all agricultural commodity boards and commissions in asking for a delay in the passage of Bill 6 until there had been sufficient consultation with farmers and ranchers about the bill and sufficient clarity about the impact on farms and ranches. Taking time for more consultation and clarity could have made this bill a more acceptable and effective piece of legislation. The

crowds of farmers and ranchers at the town hall meetings and the level of opposition to the bill in rural Alberta exceeded the reaction we have seen to any issue in recent memory. The amendments to Bill 6 that were passed in the legislature this week suggest that this bill is no longer focused on improving the health and safety of all farm and ranch workers, but rather is aimed at making it appear that paid employees on farms and ranches are treated in the same way as in other jurisdictions. Going forward, the government will face a tremendous challenge gaining the trust of thousands of farmers and ranchers who feel that their voices were not heard on Bill 6. The government has promised to listen to input from farmers and ranchers in the development of the regulations for employment standards, labour relations, and

the Occupational Health & Safety Code. However, the producers who so strongly opposed Bill 6 likely will not have much faith in this process. Similarly, commodity organizations that have been criticized by producers for our efforts before and after the introduction of Bill 6 also will face a challenge in convincing producers that future consultations will produce better results. Despite these challenges, ABP will be working with the other crop and livestock boards and commissions to hold the government to its promise and ensure that the regulations respect the unique nature of farm and ranch work and are practical for farmers and ranchers. We have created a task force at ABP to work with our commodity organization partners on the development of proposals for regulations that will address the

requirements of our industry. We also will continue to press for changes in the legislation that will allow farmers and ranchers to select the best insurance coverage for their employees and their operations without being forced into mandatory WCB coverage. ABP encourages agricultural producers to talk to your respective commission or board if you have recommendations for the regulations and codes. We also encourage you to contact your elected officials to make sure the government does listen to input from farmers and ranchers. We have not been as influential as we would hope in the development of the legislation so far, but we will put our best efforts into making sure that future changes are better for farmers, ranchers, their families, their neighbours, and their employees.

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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• Minimum charge — $15.00 per week for first 25 words or less and an additional 60 cents per word for every word over 25. Additional bolding 75 cents per word. GST is extra. $2.50 billing charge is added to billed ads only. • Terms: Payment due upon receipt of invoice. • 10% discount for prepaid ads. If phoning in your ad you must pay with VISA or MasterCard to qualify for discount. • Ask about our Priority Placement • Prepayment Bonus: Prepay for 3 weeks and get a bonus of 2 weeks; bonus weeks run consecutively and cannot be used separately from original ad; additions and changes accepted only during first 3 weeks. • If you wish to have replies sent to a confidential box number, please add $5.00 per week to your total. Count eight words for your address. Example: Ad XXXX, Alberta Farmer Express , Box 9800, Winnipeg, R3C 3K7. • Your complete name & address must be submitted to our office before publication. (This information will be kept confidential & will not appear in the ad unless requested.)

• Advertising copy deviating in any way from the regular classified style will be considered display and charged at the display rate of $34.30 per column inch ($2.45 per agate line). • Minimum charge $34.30 per week. • Illustrations and logos are allowed with full border. • Advertising rates are flat with no discount for frequency of insertion or volume of space used. • Terms: Payment due upon receipt of invoice. • Price quoted does not include GST.

Published by Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 WINNIPEG OFFICE Alberta Farmer Express 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 Toll-Free in Canada 1-800-665-1362 FAX 204-954-1422 Mailing Address: Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7 AGREEMENT •

The publisher reserves the right to refuse any or all advertising for any reason stated or unstated.

•

Advertisers requesting publication of either display or classified advertisements agree that should the advertisement be omitted from the issue ordered for whatever reason, the Alberta Farmer Express shall not be held liable. It is also agreed that in the event of an error appearing in the published advertisement, the Alberta Farmer Express accepts no liability beyond the amount paid for that portion of the advertisement in which the error appears or affects. Claims for adjustment are limited to errors appearing in the first insertion only.

•

While every endeavor will be made to forward box number replies as soon as possible, we accept no liability in respect to loss or damage alleged to a rise through either failure or delay in forwarding such replies, however caused, whether by negligence or otherwise.

(2 weeks prior)

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_ PEDIGREED SEEDS Cereal Seeds Barley_ Durum_ Oats_ Rye_ Triticale_ Wheat_ Cereals_Various_ Forage Seeds Alfalfa_ Annual_Forage_ Clover_ Forages_Various_ Grass_Seeds_ Oilseeds Canola_

COMMON SEED Cereal_Seeds_ Forage_Seeds_ Grass_Seeds_ Oilseeds_ Pulse_Crops_ Common_Seed_Various_ SEED/FEED/GRAIN Feed_Grain_ Hay_&_Straw_ Feed_Wanted_ Grain_Wanted_ Hay_&_Feed_Wanted_ Seed_Wanted_ Sewing_Machines_ Sharpening_Services_ Silos_ Sporting_Goods_ Stamps_&_Coins_ Swap_ Tanks_ Tarpaulins_ Tenders_ Tickets_ Tires_ Tools_ TRAIlERS Grain_Trailers_ Livestock_Trailers_ Trailers_Miscellaneous_ Travel_ Water_Pumps_ Water_Treatment_ Welding_ Well_Drilling_ Well_&_Cistern__ Winches_ CAREERS Career_Training_ Child_Care_ Construction_ Domestic_Services_ Farm/Ranch_ Forestry/Log_ Health_Care_ Help_Wanted_ Management Mining_ Oil_Field_ Professional_ Resume_Services_ Sales/Marketing_ Trades/Tech_ Truck_Drivers_ Employment_Wanted_

MAiL TO: Alberta Farmer Express, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7 FAx TO: 204-954-1422 PhOnE in: Toll-Free in Canada 1-800-665-1362

NAME_ ___________________________________________________________ ______PHONE_#_______________________________ ADDRESS_____________________________________________ ______TOWN_____________________________________________ PROVINCE____________________________ _____POSTAL_CODE__________________________

All classified ads are non-commissionable.

advertising deadline tHuRsday noon

ORGANIC Organic_Certified_ Organic_Food_ Organic_Grains_ Outfitters_ Personal_ Pest_Control Pets_&_Supplies_ Photography_ Propane_ Pumps_ Radio,_TV_&_Satellite_

Flax_ Oilseeds_Various_ Pulse Crops Beans_ Chickpeas_ Lentil_ Peas_ Pulses_Various_ Specialty Crops Canary_Seeds_ Mustard_ Potatoes_ Sunflower_ Specialty_Crops_Various

AD ORDER FORM

adveRtising Rates & infoRmation

RegulaR Classified

Livestock_Equipment_ Livestock_Services_&_Vet_Supplies_ Miscellaneous_Articles_ Miscellaneous_Articles_Wanted_ Musical_ Notices_ On-Line_Services_

Even if you do not want your name & address to appear in your ad, we need the information for our files.

PLEASE_PRINT_YOUR_AD_BELOW_ ______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CAUTION The Alberta Farmer Express, while assuming no responsibility for advertisements appearing in its columns, exercises the greatest care in an endeavor to restrict advertising to wholly reliable firms or individuals. However, please do not send money to a Manitoba Co-operator box number. Buyers are advised to request shipment C.O.D. when ordering from an unknown advertiser, thus minimizing the chance of fraud and eliminating the necessity of a refund where the goods have already been sold. At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer Information Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1. Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call (204)-954-1456. The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communication assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CLASSIFICATION__________________________ ❏ I would like to take advantage of the Prepayment Bonus of 2 FREE weeks when I prepay for 3 weeks. _

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ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • JANUARY 4, 2016

BUILDINGS

TRACTORS Various

BUILDINGS

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Grain Wanted

Big Tractor Parts, Inc. Geared For The Future

STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

RED OR GREEN 1. 10-25% savings on new replacement parts for your Steiger drive train. 2. We rebuild axles, transmissions and dropboxes with ONE YEAR WARRANTY. 3. 50% savings on used parts.

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

$29,418 When you go with steel you get the right deals!

Pioneer One Steel Buildings

1-800-982-1769

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

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Building Supplies

Go public with an ad in the Manitoba Co-operator classifieds. Phone 1-800-782-0794.

TRACTORS Various

BUSINESS SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

FARM CHEMICAL / SEED COMPLAINTS We also specialize in: agricultural complaints of any nature; Crop ins. appeals; Spray drift; Chemical failure; Residual herbicide; Custom operator issues; Equip. malfunctions. Licensed Agrologist on Staff. For assistance and compensation call

Back-Track InvesTIgaTIons

1-866-882-4779. www.backtrackcanada.com

Wheat, Barley, Oats, Peas, etc. Green or Heated Canola/Flax

1-877-641-2798

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

BUYING:

HEATED CANOLA & FLAX

1-877-250-5252

TRAILERS

The Icynene Insulation System®

www.penta.ca

TRAILERS Trailers Miscellaneous

1999 GMC T8500 DSL tow truck, 20-ft tilt & wheel lift, $14,500; 1977 IHC 1700 SER w/Tyler fertilizer spreader $4,000; MF 2675, cab, dsl, w/Degelman dozer, A1; Sewer pump & tank for a truck; Ford Major dsl loader, snowblade, 3pth & bale spear. 1960 Edsel for re-building; Field Marshall & Bull Dog tractors, running. Phone:(306)236-8023.

1-800-587-4711

SEED/ FEED/GRAIN Grain Wanted

ACREAGE EQUIPMENT: 3-PT. CULTIVATORS, Discs, Plows, Blades, Harrows, Etc. (780)892-3092, Wabamun, AB.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted WANTED: NH BALE WAGONS & retrievers, any condition. Farm Equipment Finding Service, P.O. Box 1363, Polson, MT 59860. (406)883-2118 WANTED: USED LOW HR self propelled forge harvester. Please contact Gord @ (780) 831-6872

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

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

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

SPRAYING EQUIPMENT Sprayers

Advertise in the Manitoba Co-operator Classifieds, it’s a Sure Thing!

1-800-782-0794

RURAL & CULTURAL TOURS

CAREERS

Italy Villa/Cruise ~ April 2016 Ireland & Scotland ~ June 2016 Newfoundland/Maritimes ~ Multiple Dates Yukon/NWT & Alaska ~ July 2016 Switzerland & River Cruise

CAREERS Help Wanted

*Portion of tours may be Tax Deductible

Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds. Place your ad in the Manitoba Co-operator classifed section. 1-800-782-0794.

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

COMBINES Accessories

80 MISC FLAT DECK semi-tailers; also 4 pindle hitch sprayer/equipment trailers. Pics & prices at www.trailerguy.ca Phone:(306)222-2413. Sasktaoon, SK.

Select Holidays 1-800-661-4326

www.selectholidays.com

WANTED: PERMANENT FT EMPLOYEE for potato farm. Applicants should have previous potato farm experience. Must be reliable, detailed oriented, have Class 3 driver’s licence & mechanical experience an asset. Duties include working on & around potato handling equipment & other farm equipment, directing seasonal employees, irrigation duties. Family housing available. Salary depends upon experience. www.norbestfarms.com Send resumes to norbest@albertacom.com

KING SALMON

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

Combines

“ON FARM PICK UP”

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

JD 1840 with loader 3 pth JD 3150 FWA, with loader 3 pth JD 4430 comes with loader JD 4440 comes with loader JD 4455, FWA, loader available JD 7600, FWA, loader available JD 7710 FWA, loader available JD 7720 FWA, loader available Clamp on Duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38 FINANCE, TRADES WELCOME 780-696-3527, BRETON, AB

STEEL STORAGE CONTAINERS, 20-ft & 40-ft. Wind, water & rodent proof. 1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722 magnate@telus.net

• Competitive Prices • Prompt Movement • Spring Thrashed

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

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

TracTors

WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN

www.bigtractorparts.com

HAYING & HARVESTING Baling Equipment

YEAR END SALE: Ardox nails & fence staples 5016 Case, $30 plus tax or 4/$100, no tax. Phone:(780)542-5667.

BOW VALLEY TRADING LTD.

BUILDINGS

S670/680/690 JD Combine low hrs 4730 JD Sprayer, 100 ft. 854 Rogator SP Sprayer, complete with JD auto steer, swath pro Special 450 CIH Quadtrac with big pump 554 Rogator Sprayer SP 4840 JD 2WD, low hours, new tires

CHESAPEAKE CHARTERS

**ALL INCLUSIVE** 3 & 4 DAY CHARTERS 250-600-2055 or 778-983-2018

GOOD SELECTION OF JD & CASE SP SPRAYERS AND 4WD TRACTORS

claudegourlin@hotmail.com www.salmoncharters.ca

“LIKE MANY BEFORE, WE’LL HAVE YOU SAYING THERE’S NO DEAL LIKE A KEN DEAL” • Phone: (403)330-7847 • Cell: (403)504-4929 • Email: kendeal@shaw.ca

PRINCE RUPERT BRITISH COLUMBIA BEST PRICES: NO fISH, NO PAY

Prairie-Wide Display Classifieds

MORE OPTIONS TO SAVE YOU MONEY

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

Contact Sharon

Email: sharon.komoski@fbcpublishing.com

JANUARY 4, 2016 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

USED FARM EQUIPMENT *For commercial use only. Offer subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. See your New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. standard terms and conditions will apply. Depending on model, a down payment may be required. Offer good through December 31, 2015, at participating New Holland dealers in Canada. Offer subject to change. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in price. © 2015 CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Capital is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

AIR DRILL

Bourgault 3310, 2009 .................. $148,000 Bourgault 3310, 2011 .................. $158,000 Bourgault 3710, 2013 .................. $198,000 Bourgault 3710-50, 2012 ............. $159,000 Bourgault 5710, 2002 .................... $55,800 Bourgault 5710, 2008 .................. $108,000 Bourgault 5710, 1997 .................... $48,000 Bourgault 5710, 1998 .................... $59,900 Flexi-Coil 5000/3450, 2003 ........... $89,000 Flexi-Coil 6000 / 3450, 2002 ....... $115,000 Flexi-Coil P2060, 2010 .................. $68,000 New Holland SD550, 2008 ............ $59,000

AIR TANK/CART

Bourgault 3225, ............................. $13,500 Bourgault 3320/L6550, 2013 ....... $289,000 Bourgault 5440, 2001 .................... $48,000 Bourgault 6450, 2012 .................. $125,000 Bourgault 6450, 2010 .................. $108,000 Bourgault 6650, 2010 .................. $115,000 Bourgault L6550, 2009 ................ $105,000 Bourgault L6550, 2011 ................ $105,000 Bourgault L6550, 2009 ................ $105,000 Bourgault LFC2000, 2000 ............... $8,200 Case IH ATX700/3430, 2007 ......... $79,000 Flexi-Coil 2320, 1995 .................... $13,500 Flexi-Coil 3450, 2000 .................. $115,000

BALER/ROUND

Case IH RBX562, 2004, 12 600 Bales ......................................... $13,800 New Holland BR7090, 2009 .......... $29,800 New Holland BR780, 2003 .............. $7,900 New Holland BR780, 2005 ............ $13,500 New Holland BR780, 2003 ............ $11,800 New Holland BR780A, 2006 .......... $14,500

BLADE

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

COMBINE

AGCO Gleaner S77, 2012 Eng Hrs: 423 Sep Hrs: 323 ............. $298,000 AGCO Gleaner S77, 2012 Eng Hrs: 446 Sep Hrs: 346 ............. $298,000 Case IH 2388, 2000 Eng Hrs: 1986 $58,000 Case IH 8010, 2000 Eng Hrs: 1728 Sep Hrs: 1322 ................ $189,000 Claas 760, 2013 Eng Hrs: 361 Sep Hrs: 233 ........................... $389,000 John Deere 9860STS, 2007 Eng Hrs: 1627 Sep Hrs: 1161 ......... $208,000 John Deere 9860STS, 2005 Eng Hrs: 1497 ................................. $148,000 New Holland CR8090, 2012 Sep Hrs: 480 ................................... $339,000 New Holland CR9070, 2009 Sep Hrs: 920 ................................... $239,000 New Holland CR9070, 2007 Eng Hrs: 1710 Sep Hrs: 1253 ......... $179,000 New Holland CR9070, 2008 Eng Hrs: 1434 Sep Hrs: 1023 ......... $189,500 New Holland CR9070, 2007 Eng Hrs: 948 Sep Hrs: 780 ............. $198,000

New Holland CR9070, 2008 Eng Hrs: 1489 Sep Hrs: 1020 ......... $195,000 New Holland CR9070, 2010 Eng Hrs: 1654 Sep Hrs: 1240 ......... $189,000 New Holland CR9070, 2010 Eng Hrs: 1616 Sep Hrs: 1190 ......... $189,000 New Holland CR9070, 2010 Eng Hrs: 1655 Sep Hrs: 1239 ......... $189,000 New Holland CR9070, 2008 ........ $179,000 New Holland CR9080, 2011 Eng Hrs: 945 Sep Hrs: 692 ............. $309,000 New Holland CR9080, 2009 Eng Hrs: 1347 Sep Hrs: 980 ........... $249,000 New Holland CR9080, 2011 Eng Hrs: 1067 Sep Hrs: 824 ........... $289,000 New Holland CR9090, 2012 Eng Hrs: 546 ................................... $369,000 New Holland CR9090, 2012 Eng Hrs: 677 Sep Hrs: 542 ............. $369,000 New Holland CR9090, 2011 Eng Hrs: 1069 Sep Hrs: 827 ........... $308,000 New Holland CR9090, 2010 Eng Hrs: 1165 Sep Hrs: 796 ........... $318,000 New Holland CR9090, 2012 Eng Hrs: 860 Sep Hrs: 630 ............. $359,000 New Holland CR9090, 2012 Eng Hrs: 635 Sep Hrs: 458 ............. $369,000 New Holland CR970, 2006 Eng Hrs: 1861 Sep Hrs: 1300 ......... $169,500 New Holland CR970, 2006 Eng Hrs: 1547 Sep Hrs: 1219 ......... $189,500 New Holland CR970, 2005 .......... $138,000 New Holland CR970, 2006 Eng Hrs: 1400 Sep Hrs: 1100 ......... $178,000 New Holland CR970, 2005 Eng Hrs: 2459 Sep Hrs: 1821 ......... $138,000 New Holland CX8080, 2007 Eng Hrs: 1002 Sep Hrs: 785 ........... $189,000 New Holland CX8080, 2012 Eng Hrs: 977 Sep Hrs: 790 ............. $289,000 New Holland CX8080, 2008 Eng Hrs: 2009 Sep Hrs: 1522 ......... $238,000 New Holland CX8080, 2008 Eng Hrs: 2005 Sep Hrs: 1538 ......... $238,000 New Holland CX8080, 2012 Eng Hrs: 1029 Sep Hrs: 836 ........... $289,000 New Holland CX840, 2002 Eng Hrs: 3700 Sep Hrs: 2500 ........... $78,000 New Holland TR98, 1997 Eng Hrs: 2740 Sep Hrs: 1934 ........... $48,000 New Holland TR98, 1997 Eng Hrs: 3058 Sep Hrs: 2357 ........... $28,000 New Holland TR98, 1996 Eng Hrs: 2931 Sep Hrs: 2211 ........... $39,000 New Holland TX36, 1993 Eng Hrs: 3079 ................................... $25,000 New Holland TX66, 1996 Eng Hrs: 2796 Sep Hrs: 2188 ........... $48,000 New Holland TX66, 1997 Eng Hrs: 3754 Sep Hrs: 2781 ........... $38,500 New Holland TX66, 1998 Eng Hrs: 3438 Sep Hrs: 2643 ........... $39,500 New Holland TX66, 1999 ............... $48,000

New Holland H7560, 2012 ............ $28,000 Mandako MT3620RB, 2013 .......... $65,000 New Holland HS18, 2006 .............. $24,500 Salford I-2141, 2013 ............................... $0 SPRAYER Salford I-4141, 2014 ............................... $0 Flexi-Coil S65, 1993 ........................ $7,900 Flexi-Coil S67, 2003 ...................... $19,500 DISK Kello-Bilt 225, 2004 ....................... $16,500 New Holland SF115, 2008 ............. $24,900

DEEP TILLAGE

FEED WAGON

SPRAYER/HIGH CLEARANCE

Cattlelac 330, 2002 ....................... $18,500 Case IH Patriot 3320, 2008 Eng Hrs: 3030 ................................. $148,000 FIELD CULTIVATOR Valmar 3255, 2014 ......................... $12,800 John Deere 4830, 2011 Eng Hrs: 1820 .. $0 New Holland SP240F, 2011 Eng GRAIN AUGER Hrs: 747 Spray Hours: 542 ...... $268,000 Brandt 1390, 2001 ........................... $9,000 RoGator 1396, 2011 Eng Hrs: NuVision 5395, 2010 ..................... $21,000 900 .......................................... $288,000

GRAIN VAC

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

HARROW

Bourgault 6000, 2007 .................... $25,000

HARROW HEAVY

Bourgault 7200, 2011 .................... $47,000 Degelman 7000, 1995 ............................ $0 Riteway 8100, 2010 ....................... $36,000 Header Combine Honey Bee HB36, 2008 ................. $48,000 Honey Bee SP25, 1996 ................. $18,500 Honey Bee SP36, 1994 ................. $19,500 John Deere 936D, 2008 ................. $39,900 MacDon 960, 1998 ........................ $25,000 MacDon 960, 1998 .......................... $9,500 MacDon FD70-45, 2011 ................ $75,000 MacDon FD70-45, 2012 ................ $78,000 MacDon FD75 -35, 2013 ............... $78,000 Massey Ferguson 5100-35, 2010 .. $58,000 New Holland 88C-36, 2006 ........... $58,000 New Holland 88C-42, 2009 ........... $68,000 New Holland 94C-30, 2008 ........... $39,500 New Holland 94C-30, 2009 ........... $39,800 New Holland 94C-36, 2008 ........... $49,500 New Holland 94C-36, 2003 ........... $39,500 New Holland 994-30, 2000 ............ $38,000 New Holland 994-30, 1999 ............ $29,500 New Holland 994-36, 1998 ............ $19,000 New Holland 994-36, 1998 ............ $19,000 New Holland HB30, 2006 .............. $26,000 New Holland SP30, 1992 ................ $5,800 New Holland SP30, 1998 .............. $28,500 New Holland SP30, 1994 ................ $9,800

SWATHER

MacDon M105, 2013 Hours: 170 $138,000 MacDon M150, 2010 Hours: 950 $109,500 MacDon M150, 2009 Hours: 911 .. $89,000 MacDon M150, 2011 Hours: 871 $125,000 Massey Ferguson 9740, 2012 ....... $98,000 New Holland H8060, 2010 ............ $89,000 Premier 2952, 2003 Hours: 2098 .. $48,000 Westward 9352, 2005 Hours: 1450 $69,000

TILLER

Buhler C2540, 1988 ......................... $1,600

TRACTOR

Case IH 7240, 1995 Eng Hrs: 5863 $49,500 John Deere 4850, 1986 Eng Hrs: 11460 ........................................ $58,000 McCormick TTX230, 2009 Eng Hrs: 1640 ................................... $99,000 New Holland T6030 - LDR, 2009 Eng Hrs: 4550 ........................... $89,000 New Holland T7.170 - LDR, 2011 Eng Hrs: 1850 ................ $119,000 New Holland T7.270 AutoCommand - LDR, 2011 Eng Hrs: 2360 ........................................ $178,000 New Holland TG210, 2004 Eng Hrs: 5845 ................................... $84,500 New Holland TM125 - LDR, 2001 Eng Hrs: 7435 .................. $48,000 New Holland TV6070 - LDR, 2009 Eng Hrs: 4660 .................. $95,000 New Holland TV6070 - LDR, 2009 $89,000 New Holland TV6070 - LDR, HEADER DRAPER 2008 Eng Hrs: 4555 .................. $79,500 MacDon D60, 2009 ................................ $0

LAWN TRACTOR

TRACTOR 4WD

Buhler Versatile 500, 2012 Eng Husqvarna 2754GLS, 2008 Hour Hrs: 925 ................................... $285,000 Meter: 99.9Hours ........................ $2,200 Case IH STX535Q, 2009 Eng MOWER CONDITIONER Hrs: 3103 ................................. $278,000 John Deere 1600, 1992 ................... $5,800 New Holland T9.615, 2014 Eng MacDon 5010, 2000 ...................... $12,000 Hrs: 1263 ................................. $338,000 MacDon R85, 2012 ................................ $0 New Holland 1475, 2006 ............... $21,500 New Holland T9.615, 2012 Eng Hrs: 2706 ................................. $259,000 New Holland 2216, 1995 ................. $7,500 New Holland TJ450, 2002 Eng New Holland 2216, 1995 ................. $9,500 Hrs: 9000 ................................. $138,000 New Holland 2300, 2000 ............... $10,500 New Holland H7150 / HS16, 2010 ......... $0 VERTICAL TILLAGE New Holland H7460, 2013 ............ $37,500 Salford 570 RTS, 2010 .................. $68,000

BOX 89, PARADISE HILL, SK. S0M 2G0

1-306-344-4448 • 1-877-344-4433