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June 7th just happens to be when we celebrate it.RECORD CROPS, LOWER PRICES ON THE HORIZON » PagE 16

HIMaRK DEaL BREaKS INTO U.S. BIOgaS MaRKET » PagE 26

great selection!!

By allan DawsonFBC staFF

C ereals sold through the Canadian Wheat Board last year fetched prices ranging

from $7.48 to $15.30 a tonne more than U.s. prices, the board’s final annual report under the single-desk era shows.

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

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

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

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

to measure its marketing per-formance early in the crop year the wheat board sets what it hopes to earn above american grain prices. In 2011-12 it exceeded its targets. the board wanted to earn an aver-age of $6.50 a tonne more for wheat but beat it by $7.48 a tonne or 20 cents a bushel.

the target for durum and desig-nated (malting) barley was $4.50 and $10 a tonne above the U.s., respectively, but came in $7.70 and $15.30 a tonne higher.

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

CWB issues final annual report from single- desk eraOwnership of the board’s assets is still disputed

see cwB } page 6

By laura ranceFBC staFF

T he federal government has joined with the saskatchewan govern-ment and the University of sas-

katchewan to form a new Canadian Wheat alliance dedicated to improving yields and profitability of wheat.

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

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

the Western Wheat Growers associa-tion welcomed the announcement.

“We do need more research to reduce yield losses due to environmental fac-tors,” said president Levi Wood. “this

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

the association commended the fed-eral government, the province and the university for their leadership and com-mitment to research on behalf of wheat farmers.

the Grain Growers of Canada was also pleased.

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

“We can use this model as a starting point to also leverage producer and pri-vate investments to put wheat innovation on a fast track in Canada,” said Phillips. “although we have not been happy with some research cutbacks, making more efficient use of the resources and infra-structure like greenhouses and laborato-

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

the alliance combines resources from the National Research Council of Can-ada, aaFC, with a $5-million contribu-tion from the saskatchewan government that will be used to support CWa activi-ties and leverage contributions from other stakeholders, part of a $10-million commitment the province is making to wheat research over the next five years. the University of saskatchewan is con-tributing $1.4 million per year through in-kind contributions.

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

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

see wHeat } page 6

By Catherine hornByrome / reuters

T he thought of eating beetles, cat-erpillars and ants may give you the creeps, but the authors of a uN

report published earlier this month said the health benefits of consuming nutritious insects could help fight obesity.

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

the authors of the study by the For-estry Department, part of the uN Food and Agriculture organization (FAo), said many insects contained the same amount of protein and minerals as meat and more healthy fats doctors recommend in bal-anced diets.

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

eva muller of the FAo said restaurants in europe were starting to offer insect-based dishes, presenting them to diners as exotic delicacies.

Danish restaurant Noma, for example, crowned the world’s best for three years running in one poll, is renowned for ingre-dients including ants and fermented grass-hoppers.

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

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

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

Want to lose weight? Eat bugs! They are high protein, low fat and environmentally friendly

news » inside this week

Linda Malcolmson spent 30 years improving the market-ability of Canadian crops

Grants available under three programs to enhance water management and availability

Free-run egg Farm a bet on the Future

respected scientist retires From cigi

growing Forward with water

a latE start to sEEding

brenda schoepp take a new Look at pastures and opportunities for Grass-fed beef

phil franz-warkentin weather and seedinG proGress doMinate Markets

roy lewis suMMer is tiMe to be on the Lookout for LunGworM

inside » livestock crops columnists

a Camrose colony hedges on changing consumer demands

but with warm, dry weather, farmers are catching up quickly9 23 11 25

8

24

2 MaY 27, 2013 • aLbertafarMeXpress.Ca

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

More than 1,900 species of

insects are eaten around the

world, mainly in Africa and

Asia, but people in the West

generally turn their noses up

at the likes of grasshoppers,

termites and other crunchy fare.

Staff

swedish researchers who special-ize in studying friction and wear in industrial systems have uncov-ered the secret to why a curling rock curls.

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

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

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

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

However, a team of uppsala university researchers in sweden found that the curved path is due to the microscopic roughness of the stone producing microscopic scratches in the ice sheet.

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

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

However, this has not previ-ously been coupled to the steer-ing mechanism. While work-ing on their model the uppsala researchers experimented with pre-scratching of the ice in vari-ous ways, and could then observe that also non-rotating stones could be guided.

stones with very smooth, pol-ished sliding surface were, how-ever, not affected by the scratches.

why a curling rock curlsOne of curling’s great mysteries has been solved

16

3ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

by Dave beDarDStaff

F ederal food inspectors will now allow a much broader geographic definition in

food marketers’ use of the word “local” while the label claim undergoes regulatory review.

the Canadian food Inspec-tion agency said May 10 it will include that particular label claim, among others, in its broader review of federal food labelling regulations, guidelines and policies.

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

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

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

originating province or terri-tory.

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

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

the agency emphasized that claims such as “local” are volun-tary. the industry is also encour-aged to add qualifiers, such as the name of a city, to provide consumers with addit ional information, CfIa said.

It’s also still the responsibility of the regulated party — that is, the food producer and/or mar-keter — to comply with applica-ble legislation and regulations, the agency said.

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

annual surveys of chefs, pub-lished each april by the Canadian Restaurant and foodservices association, have found “locally produced and locally inspired” to be the top menu trend in each of the past four years.

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

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

by alexis Kienlenaf Staff / ReD DeeR

P ublic relations and communica-tion skills better be in your farm’s tool box, says the head of a U.S.

organization dedicated to building con-sumer trust and confidence in the food system.

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

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

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

farmers need to think about how to regain the trust of those consumers, arnot said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We also have to have objective, mea-surable data to prove the claims we’re making,” arnot said.

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

“each of you has a vested interest in how every one of you operates,” he said.

akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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

aWC release

T he alberta Wheat Commission (aWC) is pleased to welcome Lauren Comin to their management team in the position

of research manager.Having completed her PhD in Bioresource

and food engineering in 2011 at the Univer-sity of alberta, Comin comes to the aWC with a wealth of research knowledge in advanced grain processing, strong project management skills and a keen interest in food science and end-use demand.

“Lauren’s skills, knowledge and enthusiastic attitude will serve us well as we look to invest in innovative research projects that will bring new technologies and best management practices to alberta’s wheat producers,” says Rick Istead, general manager of the aWC.

Comin will be responsible for helping the board establish and implement their strategic direction for wheat research and then working with aWC’s research and extension partners implementing, monitoring and reporting on those projects that are designed to help alber-ta’s wheat producers improve their bottom line.

the aWC also announced it has entered a resource sharing agreement with the alberta Barley Commission.

the two organizations will now share the same office space at the Deerfoot atria in north-eastern Calgary near the airport as of august.

the aWC and the aBC have shared resources before, including booth space at trade shows and partnering in a communications cam-paign to educate farmers on the value of their checkoff dollars.

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

“There’s growing skepticism

about whether or not we care

about the same things that

consumers do.”

CHaRLIe aRnotchief executive officer of the center for food integrity

By will verBovenAlbertA FArmer | editor

R ecent rumblings from ottawa sound ominous for agriculture-related research in Canada. it would seem

that some big cuts will be made and with the largest ag research centre in the coun-try located in lethbridge, that facility is sure to be affected one way or another. Government austerity measures are the usual excuse with cutbacks, and agricul-ture has to take its fair share, or so the spin-doctored story goes. it’s a disingenu-ous excuse, of course, when one hears the federal government plans to continue and even expand its self-promotion advertis-ing campaign to the tune of $100 million over the next three years. the reality is ag research is just not very sexy and doesn’t directly impact all that many voters.

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

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

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

Having said that, the federal Agriculture department could help themselves a bit by getting out of some silly programs that do absolutely nothing for agriculture in the big picture. the prime example is its involvement with promoting and devel-oping organic farming and marketing. i remain astonished about the growth of Ag department fascination with that “lifestyle” production concept. one can only assume that Ag department plan-ners have become captives of trendiness as organic farming has no real redeem-ing values. Such production actually pro-duces lower yields, and provides no bet-ter nutritional benefit and is not safer. on top of that, it can only be afforded by the more privileged in society. Yet Ag Canada deems that important enough to spend tax dollars on developing and promoting its production. even that has a dubious benefit as most organic produce is now imported from other countries. it’s even more absurd in a starving world — when was the last time you heard of “organic” food aid being sent to the starving. one also recalls in the distant past, millions of research dollars wasted on trying to turn sheep into hogs through intensive pro-duction technology, and creating cattalo or was it beefalo from bison and cattle crossbreeding research. maybe selling or leasing out the big onefour research

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

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

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

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

Ag research looks set to suffer more short-sighted cutbacksMore, not less, research is needed in areas such as cereal and forage development, and improving food safety

The reality is ag research is just

not very sexy and doesn’t directly

impact all that many voters.

By will verBoven

C anadians in big cities will be able to see the latest anti-meat campaign splashed

on the sides of their local transit buses during may and June.

the campaign is sponsored by an organization called mercy for Animals Canada, the north-ern branch of a similarly named American organization. the thrust of the campaign centres around images of a pet and a farm animal with the slogan, “Why love one but eat the other.”

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

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

one wonders where the money comes from for these campaigns. the Canadian branch claims it will receive $25,000 from a donor if that sum is matched by other donors in this country. that donor could well be the mother group back in the U.S., being that these groups are masters at fundraising under very creative and clever schemes. the executive director of the American group sits on the board of the Canadian organiza-tion, so the connection and con-trol is fairly clear.

Upon further research, the American executive director, Nathan runkle, is identified as the person who founded the U.S. group about 10 years ago. it would seem he is a remark-ably good promoter as the orga-nization now has more than 14 employees at three offices across the U.S. and one branch office in toronto. it takes a lot of money to run such an operation, so sophisticated fundraising is usu-ally a big factor. these types of groups face tough competition (think PetA, Greenpeace, WWF, etc.) in the donation business, so to be successful, they have to be very good at what they are doing.

it’s something our own indus-

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

it’s not the first time this would have happened. ralph Nader, the iconic consumer rights activist who also created his own lobby organization, has seen numerous former employees create a num-ber of other self-appointed con-sumer lobby groups who turned those into successful businesses for themselves. i guess the entre-preneurial spirit works in ways we may never have imagined.

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

EDITORWill VerbovenPhone: 403-697-4703Email: will.verboven@fbcpublishing.com

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assOCIaTE pUBlIsHER/ EDITORIal DIRECTORJohn MorrissEmail: john.morriss@fbcpublishing.com

pREsIDENTBob WillcoxGlacier Media Agricultural Information Group bwillcox@glaciermedia.ca 204-944-5751

Printed by Gazette Press, St. Albert, ABThe AlberTA FArmer express is published 26 times a year by Farm Business Communications. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage for our publishing activities.

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The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Alberta Farmer Express and Farm Business Communications assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

4 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

5ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

The following contains excerpts from a letter the Canadian Forage Growers Association sent to the federal government in April.

T he Canadian Forage and Grassland Associa-tion represents farmers

and ranchers that produce, manage and utilize Canada’s largest acreage crop (National Forage and Grassland Assess-ment, June 2012).

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

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

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

The forage industry is a unique part of Canadian agri-culture in that approximately 90 per cent of the production is fed to livestock on farm or ranch. In addition to direct economic value, perennial for-ages deliver significant envi-ronmental benefits includ-ing reducing soil erosion and increasing water infiltration, just to name a few.

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

the past 15 years there remain very few forage research scien-tists in the Science and Tech-nology Branch.

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

I t i s important to note that the vast majority of for-age research is in the public domain requiring public sup-port. As an organization rep-resenting industry we see the need for and benefit from a long-term strategy including a commitment to supporting forage research capacity.

In addition, we would also e n c o u r a g e y o u a n d y o u r department to develop a suc-

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

Without a succession plan where younger and older sci-entists can work through the transition period, a significant amount of research informa-tion and momentum will be lost.

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

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

research needs with industry partners, stakeholders, pro-ducers and colleagues.

The participation of Agri-c u l t u r e a n d A g r i - F o o d Canada scientists in major provincial and federal pro-ducer meetings is critical to ensure the development and transfer of research results is achieved, and to ensure that the research questions under consideration by scientists are the most relevant and impact-ful questions, and stand the highest chance of impacting the resilience and vibrancy of the industry.

The Canadian Forage and G r a s s l a n d A s s o c i a t i o n i s appreciative of the tremen-dous research effort that Agri-culture and Agri-Food Canada has made in the past. Forage management and agronomic information as well as new forage seed varieties have created economic growth and stability for Canada’s forage and grassland industry.

By Sylvain CharleBoiS

T he Canadian Dairy Commission is finally recognizing it needs to change. We may, in fact, be witness-

ing the emergence of a new approach: let’s call it Supply Management 2.0, if you will.

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

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

Supply management, Canada’s pro-duction quota system for dairy and other commodities, was established more than 50 years ago to balance supply and domes-tic demand for dairy products. Prohibi-tive tariffs, coupled with quotas, on dairy product imports sometimes exceed 300 per cent.

Many food processors in Canada, includ-ing the food-service sector, were forced to look for different ways to reduce produc-tion costs. Importers found a way to cir-cumvent current rules to escape duties;

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

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

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

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

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

Essentially, dairy farmers don’t have a

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

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

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

A demand-focused approach to dairy products and research is clearly needed. Supply management once played an important role in our agricultural economy, but those days are long gone.

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

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

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

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

Forage growers write to Agriculture Minister Gerry RitzAAFC scientists should be allowed to attend industry meetings

Off the frOnt MAY 27, 2013 • AlbertAfArMexpress.cA6

T h e f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t announced May 7 it is refocusing the NRC. It says the new structure would bridge the gap between knowledge and discoveries, and industrial innovation.

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

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

“By working in an integrated fashion, and bringing in addi-tional collaborators and con-tributors, the alliance is striving to ensure the global competitive-ness of Canadian wheat farmers and increase the value at the Canadian farm gate by a cumula-tive total of $4.5 billion by 2031.”

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

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

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

WHEAT } from page 1 CWB } from page 1

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

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

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

The CWB sees its differently.“The contingency fund is something built

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

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

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

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

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

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

“It was deemed to be one of those things

that should rightly go to the contingency fund because we hadn’t charged pool accounts pre-viously for it and we didn’t want to lump the last pool account with a large bill,” White said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

allan@fbcpublishing.com

CWB president and CEO Ian White says he’s proud of the wheat board’s returns to farmers during the final marketing year operating under the statutory single desk. photo: AllAn dAwson

AlbertAfArmexpress.cA • mAY 27, 2013 7

By AllAn DAwsonstaff

D rought in Russia and the United states in 2012 boosted world grain prices, and the positive

results are evident in the CWB’s 2011-12 annual report.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gross revenues were just over $1.6 bil-lion for an average of $398.47 a tonne,

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

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

the top five customers were alge-ria (813,000 tonnes), European Union (776,000), Morocco (568,000), United states, (470,000), and Venezuela (318,000).

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

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

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

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

the final pool return for select two-Row barley in store was $312.94 a tonne, compared to $265.74 in 2010-11.

the final pool return for select six-Row barley was $299.29 a tonne, com-pared to $247.98 the previous year.

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

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

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

“the resolution of these matters is

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

allan@fbcpublishing.com

By AllAn DAwsonstaff

T he new CWB, a government-owned grain company cre-ated last aug. 1, continues to

work towards privatization, says its president and CEO Ian White.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nevertheless, White said he’s optimistic about the CWB’s post-monopoly future.

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

“Grain has been moving for export pretty well,” White said. “We’ve been participating in all that movement and we’re not unhappy with the position where we are. and we’re still optimistic about our future.”

allan@fbcpublishing.com

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

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

NEWS » MarkEtS 8 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

I CE Futures Canada canola con-tracts moved higher during the week ended May 16, with tight supplies

and short traders looking to exit the front month underpinning the nearby July, and uncertainty over new crop production helping prop up the more deferred positions. General weakness in the Canadian dollar added to the strength in the futures.

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

From a chart perspective, the July canola contract settled above $625 per tonne for the first time since Septem-ber, but ran into resistance to the upside around $632 and will need a bullish shot in the arm to keep the uptrend intact. That shot may have come May 17, with a one-cent drop in the Canadian dollar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For three-times-daily market reports from Resource News

International, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates”

at www.albertafarmexpress.ca.

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

U.s. cattle placements RiseChiCAgo / REuTERS The number of cattle placed in u.S. feedlots last month was up 15 per cent from a year earlier as reduced feed costs encouraged fattening cattle for slaughter, a u.S. government report said. The uSDA reported April placements at 1.750 million head, or up 15 per cent from 1.521 million in April 2012. Chicago Board of Trade corn futures last month averaged $6.70-3/8 per bushel, down from $7.14-3/4 in March. in August 2012 corn set a record high of $8.43-3/4.

9ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

WE’RE READY TO RAZE

THE CURTAIN

Coming June 2013

morris-industries.com

BY VICTORIA PATERSONAF STAFF / LETHBRIDGE

P roducers and other groups can get their feet wet with water-related Growing For-

ward 2 grant programs.“It’s about strategic intent,”

Jamie Wuite, head of Alberta Agriculture’s farm water supply branch, said at the recent Water, Agriculture and Environment con-ference in Lethbridge.

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

The On-farm Water Manage-ment Program is similar to one in the first Growing Forward pro-gram, Wuite said. The program, already open to applications, pro-vides technical assistance to pro-ducers to help them make a long-term water management plan, as well as sharing some of the costs of enhancements for on-farm water supply management.

Those who completed one of the plans under the previous Growing Forward program, but didn’t get to implement it, can apply again under one of two project categories, said Wuite. The first category covers stan-dard projects, including wells, dugouts, dams, buried pipelines and similar items, with funding available for up to one-third of eligible expenses (to a maximum of $5,000). The second category is special incentive projects, which includes specific water conversion measures such as water-use meters and well-pit conversions by a contractor. Special incentive project appli-cants could receive up to one-half of their eligible costs, with maximum funding depending on the type of project.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This program is not yet open for applications.

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

F i n a l l y , t h e A g r i c u l t u r a l Watershed Enhancement Pro-gram allows groups to foster adoption of best management practices by producers in areas where surface water quality is at risk.

victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

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

The Irrigation Efficiency Program is now open for applications. PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

10 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

BY VICTORIA PATERSONAF STAFF /CAROLINE

L ong-term monitoring of groundwater around the province is essential to

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

In addition to long-term moni-toring, Hayashi recommended other ways to protect creeks in Alberta. Those included recog-nizing the connection between ground- and surface water, considering the groundwater recharge rates during land-use planning and determining sus-tainable pumping rates.

Population is growing in the Edmonton-Calgary corridor and with it grows demands for water. “We really need to be planning ahead on how we’re going to sus-tain groundwater use in this area,” Hayashi said. The recharge of groundwater occurs in areas that can range from 10 kilometres to 100 kilometres in size, he said. The rate of recharge tends to depend on climate, and in southern Alberta, potential evaporation of water tends to outstrip precipitation.

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

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

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

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

“It is simply wrong to apply this infinite theory to these kinds of aquifers.” Instead, in Alberta we should be using a watershed-based approach, Hayashi said. Groundwater should be evalu-ated using an integrated surface water and groundwater model, he told the crowd.

victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

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

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

Send agriculture-related meeting and event announcements to: will.verboven@fbcpublishing.com

May 28/29: Alberta Milk Next Generation Forum, Sheraton Capri, Red Deer. Call: Karlee 780-577-3305

May 29: Understanding Septic Systems, Withrow Gospel Building, Clearwater County. Call: Brooke 403-845-4444

May 31/June 1: Watershed Restoration Workshop, Big Meadow Hall, Enilda. Call: Karlah 780-523-4033

June 1/3: 4H Expo, Lloydminster Exhibition Grounds, Lloydminster. Call: Corinne 306-825-5571

June 12: Medicine River Watershed Info, Community Hall 5:30 pm, Gilby. Call: Gary 403-845-4444

June 13: Alta Sheep Breeders Association Barn Burner, Cow Palace 7:30 am, Olds. Call: Rod 403-843-3032

June 14/16: Alberta Provincial Plowing Match, Community Sportsgrounds, Wanham. Call: Stacey 780-694-2080

June 18: Beef Symposium, Banff Park Lodge 8:30 am, Banff. Email trevor.alexander@agr.gc.ca

June 19/22: 2013 International Clubroot Workshop, Delta South Hotel, Edmonton. Call: Clint 306-821-2935

June 20: All Crops Tour, Lethbridge Research Centre, Lethbridge. Call: ACPC 800-551-6652

June 20: UCVM Beef Conference 2013, Coast Plaza Hotel, Calgary. Call: Brenda 403-210-7309

June 26: CTF & Precision Ag Field Day, Durango Farms 1:00 pm, Lacombe. Call: ACPC 800-551-6652

July 10: 2013 International Livestock Congress, Deerfoot Inn, Calgary. Call: Chantelle 403-686-8407

July 19/20: 2013 World Plowing Championship, Olds College, Olds. Call: Kerry 403-556-4762

WHAT’S UP

11ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

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PR350_Corn_AB_CPS_v3.indd 1 13-01-21 3:09 PM

SEEDED U.S. CORN TOPS RECORDCHICAGO / REUTERS U.S. farmers planted corn at a blistering pace last week, pushing progress to 71 per cent, from 28 per cent a week earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its weekly report May 20. The increase of 43 percentage points indicates that farmers in the world’s biggest corn producer seeded a single-week U.S. record of 41.8 million acres to the grain as of May 19, topping the previous record of 34.1 million acres set in June 1992. Planting in the U.S. Corn Belt this year got off to the slowest start in decades due to cold and rainy weather, with snowfall recorded in some states as late as early May.

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BY VICTORIA PATERSONAF STAFF / CALGARY

C rop producers across the province were thoroughly taking advantage of the

warm, dry weather to catch up on seeding.

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

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

Things were looking up in most parts of the province.

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

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

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

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

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

Matt Sawyer, who farms north-east of Calgary and serves as chair-man of the Alberta Barley Commis-sion, said he’s seeding into mois-ture, although some rain would be handy.

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

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

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

And no one is panicking yet, Istead added.

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

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

“If we are not seeding we are

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

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

victoria.paterson@fbcpublishing.com

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

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

12 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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BY LAWRENCE HURLEYWASHINGTON / REUTERS

I n a ruling that drew sighs of relief from the biotechnology industry, the U.S. Supreme

Court ruled May 13 that an Indi-ana farmer violated agribusiness company Monsanto Co.’s patent for a type of soybean.

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

Justice Elena Kagan wrote on behalf of the court that Mon-santo’s patent protect ions were not, in legal terminology, “exhausted” when Bowman used the seeds without the com-pany’s permission.

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

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

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

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

“It’s very important for the inno-vation economy,” she said.

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

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

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

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

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

Roundup ReadyAs a result of the ruling, Bow-man will have to pay Monsanto

$84,456 for infringing on the company’s patent. Bowman’s attorney, Mark Walters, said the ruling “makes infringers out of 95 per cent of America’s soybean farmers.” Small farmers may need to “organize and lobby Congress for a clarification of the law,” he added.

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

principles of patent law apply to breakthrough 21st century tech-nologies.”

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

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

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

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

Bowman kept the seed gener-ated from the successful crop and used it the following year. He repeated the pattern until 2007.

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

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

Indiana soybean farmer Vernon Bowman speaks to the media outside the Supreme Court in Washington, February following arguments in his case against global seed giant, Monsanto. Bowman lost. PHOTO: REUTERS/JASON REED

13ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

BY CAREY GILLAM / REUTERS

T he U.S. Department of Agriculture said May 10 it will extend its scrutiny of

controversial proposed biotech crops developed by Dow Agro-Sciences, a unit of Dow Chemi-cal, and Monsanto Co. after receiving an onslaught of oppo-sition to the companies’ plans.

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

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

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

Unexpected Monsanto issued a statement calling the development “unex-pected,” and saying it would co-operate with the government in the assessment. The company said farmers need its new tech-nology to maximize crop pro-duction.

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

and cotton to be used in combi-nation with its new Enlist her-bicide that combines the weed killers 2,4-D and glyphosate.

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

Likewise, Monsanto, in con-junction with BASF, wants regu-latory approval for new geneti-cally altered soybeans and cot-ton that resist a new dicamba-based herbicide.

Both the Enlist system and the dicamba system are seen as

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

The USDA has received thou-sands of comments on both of the new cropping systems that laid out a variety of concerns. In addition to increasing weed resistance, many farmers fear increased use of the new herbi-cides that would come with the new crops would cause damage to fruits, vegetables and other crops as dicamba and 2,4-D have been known to travel on the wind far from the fields where they are sprayed.

Many also worry that the new biotech crops will contaminate conventional and organic crops. And Dow’s Enlist herbicide is

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

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

The Center for Food Safety had threatened to sue the govern-ment if it approved Enlist.

Monsanto’s dicamba-tolerant cropping system is of particular

concern to farmers, said Steve Smith, chairman of the Save Our Crops farming interest coalition. The group petitioned USDA last month to prepare just such an EIS because of the concerns about dicamba’s potential to drift and damage other crops.

But Cathleen Enright, execu-tive vice-president at the Bio-technology Industry Organi-zation (BIO), said the USDA’s action sets a “bad precedent for future consideration of safe and beneficial genetically engi-neered plant products.

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

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

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

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14 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Helvetica Neue LT Std (77 Bold Condensed, 55 Roman, 97 Black Condensed, 87 Heavy Condensed, 57 Condensed; OpenType)

Bayer Crop Science

Insertion Date: May 27, 2013

BCS13012

CALMCL-DMX8127 Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

None

SBC13059.FOLPRS.4.4CAlberta Farmer, DPS5-16-2013 3:12 PM

Marsha Walters

100%

SAFETY: None TRIM: 21.6” x 15.5” Bleed: None21.6” x 15.5”

SPEC ORIGINALLY GENERATED: Marianne PAGE: 1

SBC13059.FOLPRS.4.4C.indd

Production Contact Numbers:403 261 7161 403 261 7152

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

BayerCropScience.ca/ItPaystoSpray or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.Always read and follow label directions. Folicur® and Prosaro® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada. C-51-05/13-BCS13012-E

TO SPRAY NOT TO SPRAY

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

If your crop doesn’t look good, but you are in an FHB area, a fungicide application can still pay for itself and safeguard the yield and quality of your grain. Do some calculations and if your potential disease risk and ROI exceed the cost of application – you should protect your crop with a fungicide.

If your crop looks good, you will de� nitely want to protect your investment with a fungicide application. Which product will provide the most bang for your buck? It depends on crop staging, current disease pressure and potential disease risks. Here is a quick chart to help make your fungicide decision easier.

NO

YES

NO

YES

NO

YES

No visible disease present

No visible disease present

Leaf disease on upper leaves and/or � ag leaf

Leaf disease on upper leaves and/or � ag leaf

Leaf disease only (lower to mid leaves)

Leaf disease only (lower to mid leaves)

No visible disease present

Leaf disease only

Leaf disease only

–

–

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

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

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

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

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

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

FHB AREA

FL

AG LEAF TIMING HEAD TIMING

WHAT SHOULD YOU SPRAY? GAIN IN YIELD*

+ 1.8 bu./ac.Folicur EW full rate, head

OR

+ 3.1 bu./ac.Prosaro, head

+ 9.8 bu./ac.Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

+ 4.4 bu./ac.Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

OR

+ 8.5 bu./ac.Prosaro, head

+ 7 bu./ac. Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

OR+ 7 bu./ac.

Folicur EW full rate, headOR

+ 10 bu./ac.Prosaro full rate, head

+ 5.8 bu./ac.Folicur EW full rate, head

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T:21.6”

T:15.5”

F:10.8”

FS:10.55”

F:10.8”

AlbertAfArmexpress.cA • mAy 27, 2013 15

Helvetica Neue LT Std (77 Bold Condensed, 55 Roman, 97 Black Condensed, 87 Heavy Condensed, 57 Condensed; OpenType)

Bayer Crop Science

Insertion Date: May 27, 2013

BCS13012

CALMCL-DMX8127 Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

None

SBC13059.FOLPRS.4.4CAlberta Farmer, DPS5-16-2013 3:12 PM

Marsha Walters

100%

SAFETY: None TRIM: 21.6” x 15.5” Bleed: None21.6” x 15.5”

SPEC ORIGINALLY GENERATED: Marianne PAGE: 1

SBC13059.FOLPRS.4.4C.indd

Production Contact Numbers:403 261 7161 403 261 7152

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

BayerCropScience.ca/ItPaystoSpray or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.Always read and follow label directions. Folicur® and Prosaro® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada. C-51-05/13-BCS13012-E

TO SPRAY NOT TO SPRAY

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

If your crop doesn’t look good, but you are in an FHB area, a fungicide application can still pay for itself and safeguard the yield and quality of your grain. Do some calculations and if your potential disease risk and ROI exceed the cost of application – you should protect your crop with a fungicide.

If your crop looks good, you will de� nitely want to protect your investment with a fungicide application. Which product will provide the most bang for your buck? It depends on crop staging, current disease pressure and potential disease risks. Here is a quick chart to help make your fungicide decision easier.

NO

YES

NO

YES

NO

YES

No visible disease present

No visible disease present

Leaf disease on upper leaves and/or � ag leaf

Leaf disease on upper leaves and/or � ag leaf

Leaf disease only (lower to mid leaves)

Leaf disease only (lower to mid leaves)

No visible disease present

Leaf disease only

Leaf disease only

–

–

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

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

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

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

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

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

FHB AREA

FL

AG LEAF TIMING HEAD TIMING

WHAT SHOULD YOU SPRAY? GAIN IN YIELD*

+ 1.8 bu./ac.Folicur EW full rate, head

OR

+ 3.1 bu./ac.Prosaro, head

+ 9.8 bu./ac.Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

+ 4.4 bu./ac.Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

OR

+ 8.5 bu./ac.Prosaro, head

+ 7 bu./ac. Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

OR+ 7 bu./ac.

Folicur EW full rate, headOR

+ 10 bu./ac.Prosaro full rate, head

+ 5.8 bu./ac.Folicur EW full rate, head

OR

+ 8.5 bu./ac.Prosaro, head

*Gai

n in

yie

ld b

ased

on

mul

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Dem

onst

ratio

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f unt

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+ 4.6 bu./ac.Folicur EW 3/4 rate, � ag leaf

OR

+ 9.4 bu./ac.Prosaro, head

No visible disease present

T:21.6”

T:15.5”

F:10.8”

FS:10.55”

F:10.8”

16 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

By Charles aBBottwashington / reuters

R ecord-large u.s. corn and soybean crops will end three years of punishingly

tight domestic supplies, the gov-ernment said May 10 in a report that offered the brightest outlook in years for world food supplies.

one year after a brutal Midwest drought revived fears of grain shortages and higher prices, the u.s. agriculture Department projected the largest-ever global wheat, corn, rice and oilseed crops in its first projections for the 2013-14 crop year. global grain stocks would rise more than analysts expected, with corn zooming 23 per cent to a 13-year high, it said.

the forecasts tipped Chicago grain prices lower, but losses were limited by concerns that condi-tions may change dramatically in the five months before the crops are in the bin. July weather conditions are critical for u.s. crops. a cold, rainy and snowy spring has farm-ers weeks behind in sowing corn.

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

if the forecasts are realized, how-ever, they could help quell a suc-cession of food-price spikes and

supply fears triggered by extreme weather conditions, strong Chi-nese demand and an influx of investor funds into commodities.

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

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

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

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

158 bushels an acre, down 5.6 bushels, or three per cent, from a projection made at its outlook Forum in February.

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

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

Worldwide surgeBigger wheat crops are projected in all of the world’s major export-ing nations, with a record 701.1 million tonnes expected, up seven per cent. europe and the former soviet states would see the larg-est increases, said usDa. ending stocks would rise by three per cent.

europe, the former soviet states and China would reap larger corn crops, along with the record u.s. crop, for a world record 965.9 mil-lion tonnes, up 13 per cent from 2012-13. even with record con-sumption, stocks would reach a 13-year high of 154.6 million tonnes, usDa projected.

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

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

the world’s largest soybean importer, China was forecast to buy 69 million tonnes, up 10 mil-lion tonnes from this marketing year and two-thirds of the world total. Chinese farmers are shift-ing land to more profitable crops and growing fewer soybeans. “if realized, harvest area of 6.6 mil-lion hectares would be down 28 per cent in four years,” said usDa.

the u.s. winter wheat crop was forecast at 1.49 billion bush-els, down 10 per cent from last year, mostly due to freeze and drought damage in the central and southern Plains, the heart of the crop.

winter wheat, the lion’s share of u.s. output, is projected to be 2.057 billion bushels this year.

Record world crops on horizon, USDA says as grain prices dipDespite a late start to planting, the USDA says 2013 could be a bin-buster

U.S. farmers are poised to harvest record yields of corn and soybeans, the USDA says — provided farmers can overcome the cold, wet spring to get them planted. PhoTo: REUTERS/DARREn hAUCk

By lorraine stevensonstaFF /winniPeg

C olleagues are lining up to bid farewell to food scientist Linda Malcolmson who retires at the end of May with

the Canadian international grains institute (Cigi) — and it’s a long line.

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

Prior to joining Cigi in 1998, she was a professor of food and nutritional sciences at the university of Manitoba and director of the george weston Limited sensory and Food research Centre at the university of Manitoba.

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

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

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

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

in 2005, the institute opened its pulse-pro-

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

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

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

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

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

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

elaine sopiwynk, Cigi’s head of analytical services, whose first association with Malcolm- son was as a graduate student in the mid-1990s says she’s always valued Malcolmson’s perspective and often sought her advice.

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

Trends look goodMalcolmson says she leaves feeling espe-cially proud of the pulse program, the sup-port it’s received from government, grower associations and Pulse Canada, and the skill-ful staff who will carry on its work.

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

it’s also good to end a career focused on

healthier foods just as consumer interest and desire to eat more nutritiously has never been stronger, Malcolmson said.

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

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

towards the end of my career there’s a strong desire for that. it’s a good time to be step-ping away.”

But she’s not putting her feet up yet.geddes said he plans to keep her on con-

tract for projects. “Losing Linda is a bit of a challenge for Cigi as we’re doing this transi-tion, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to still count on her to do some of the project work that requires her level of knowledge,” he said.

lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

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

Linda Malcolmson, Cigi’s manager of special crops, oilseeds and pulses says the establishment of a pulse-processing facility and the skilled team operating it is one of the things she’s most proud of from her time at Cigi. That team includes technologist (l) Gina Boux, and project managers Peter Frolich and Heather Maskus. Lindsay Bourre, a technical specialist (not pictured) is also part of Cigi’s pulse team. PhoTo: LoRRAinE STEvEnSon

17ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

By Carol Shwetz, DVM

H eavy horse often implies a draft bred horse, yet any horse of a body weight

over 550 kg (1,200 pounds), exceeding 15 hands classifies as a “heavy” horse. These large creatures share similar statures and genial personalities, as well as tendencies towards common health matters, heightened nutri-tional concerns, and metabolic differences, not as widespread in light horse types.

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

Heavy horses are ‘easykeep-ers,’ requiring simple diets of 12 to 23 kg (25 to 50 pounds) of quality grasses and grass hay daily. Overnutrition and lack of exercise quickly escalate into obesity, laminitis and meta-bolic dysfunctions. The most common metabolic dysfunction of the heavy horse is a sensitiv-ity to high carbohydrate diets. Their muscles are metabolically unable to process starches and sugars as fuel sources. The most widely accepted term for this condition is Equine Polysaccha-ride Storage Myopathy (EPSM).

Confusing disorder Considerable confusion sur-rounds this disorder due to its varied presentation. Muscle weakness and damage occurs with exercise. Symptoms may include mild to severe muscle pain, muscular stiffness and cramping, trembling, hindlimb lameness/weakness, perfor-mance troubles, recumbency, and discoloured urine. Azoturia, tying up, and Monday morning disease are likely various presen-tations of EPSM.

Diagnosis is based on elevated muscle enzymes and muscle biopsies. There is no cure for EPSM. Afflicted horses respond remarkably to dietary modifi-cations which limit starches, primarily by eliminating grains and sweet feed. If extra calories are required, fat is added to the diet. Clinical signs are further alleviated through consistent daily exercise and proper con-ditioning.

Balanced mineral support becomes imperative for sound-ness as the body becomes larger. Youngsters are particularly prone to developmental bone diseases and arthritis when pushed too hard nutritionally or when lack-ing mineral support.

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

Two neuromuscular disorders seen more frequently in heavy horses is stringhalt and shivers. Both diseases result in abnormal movement of the hind limbs and their causes remain speculative. With stringhalt one or both hind legs flex higher and faster than usual when the horse moves. It

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

Symptoms Shivers is distinguished by symptoms of unexpected shak-ing and trembling of the hind-quarters and tail. Symptoms intensify with backing up. Most of these horses struggle when asked to pick up their hind feet. Symptoms worsen with stress or excitement.

Chronic progressive lymph-edema (CPL) is a disease identi-fied in Shires, Clydesdales, Bel-gians and Gypsy Vanners. It is a progressive swelling, thickening and eventually fibrosis of the lower limbs. The thick feathers characteristic of these breeds are suspected to play a role in its development. It is often mis-taken for pastern dermatitis or scratches yet it does not respond

to conventional therapy. Studies are currently underway to deter-mine the hereditary component of this disease.

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

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

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

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

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

tend to be ‘late bloomers’ requir-ing ample time to mature both behaviourally and physically.

As with other horses, medi-cations such as antibiotics, dewormers, and pain relievers are given on a body weight basis. Vaccines are administered as per horse. Sedatives and tranquiliz-ers have a more profound effect on draft breeds requiring sub-stantially lower doses to achieve effect. General anesthetic is problematic with complications inherent in managing a large, recumbent animal.

A final nuance of the heavy or draft horse is their life expectancy which is typically 18 to 24 years. In comparison, their lighter-bred cousins are expected to live up to a decade longer.

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

Anything special I need to know about my heavy/draft horse?Keep it simple. Heavy horses have distinctive dietary needs for sound health

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18 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

Persistently dry MoSCow / REuTERS Lack of rain persists in some Russian grain-growing regions, an analyst said May 19, while Russia’s state forecaster warned of a danger of wildfires.Traditionally the world’s third-largest wheat exporter, Russia needs to replenish stocks this year after it lost one-third of last year’s wheat crop due to drought during the second half of May and early June. The possibility of wildfires remained very high in the Voronezh region of the Central Federal District and in the Volgograd region of the Southern District, the Federal Hydrometeorological Centre said.}

fir

e r

isk

by daniel bezte

E ach year I like to re-hash some of my weather arti-cles because, well, they

tend to discuss some of the most important weather events that affect our part of the world. When we think of late spring and early summer our thoughts start to migrate towards thun-derstorms. With the return of some heat and humidity to the Prairies we are beginning to see thunderstorms develop.

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

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

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

One of the first questions I get

asked about hail is: Can it be too warm for hail? The answer is — yes. If the upper atmosphere is warm, then the freezing level in the atmosphere is very high up. If a thunderstorm does develop, and if hail forms in the storm, chances are that the hail will melt well before it ever reaches the ground. So, the key ingredi-ents for hail to form are to have plenty of cold air aloft and to make sure it is not too high off of the ground.

Large enough?Most thunderstorms will pro-duce hail, the question is, whether or not the hail will grow large enough to make it to the ground without com-pletely melting. As we have already discussed, a very low freezing level helps this hap-pen, because the hailstone only has a short distance to fall through the relatively warm air. Another way to keep a hailstone from melting before it hits the ground is to start off with a really big hailstone. This is one of the main reasons Alberta sees so much hail (compared to everyone else in Canada). The topography of Alberta is such that, while ground tempera-tures can be really warm, the freezing layer is not that high up relative to what it might be in Manitoba.

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

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

When it comes to hail, size really does matter.

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

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

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

In the next issue we’ll con-tinue our look at severe summer weather.

How does hail form?Wild swings in the jet stream point to the potential for some big storms

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

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

Pea 5 mmMarble 10 mmGrape 15 mmPing-pong ball 40 mmGolf ball 45 mmEgg 50 mmPool Ball 60 mmTennis ball 65 mmBaseball 70 mmGrapefruit 100 mmSoftball 115 mm

OBJECT diaMeteRS

AlbertAfArmexpress.cA • mAy 27, 2013 19

By Bernie peet

L ike their counterparts around the world, Dan-ish pig producers face

the challenge of high feed c o s t s a n d m o d e r a t e h o g prices, but the tone of the latest annual report of the Pig Research Centre (PRC), w h i c h r e v i e w s i n d u s t r y developments, is modestly confident.

This is despite the ongo-ing problem of increasing e x p o r t s o f f e e d e r p i g s t o Germany, which has left the producer-owned processing companies with a shortage of pigs. On top of that, Danish producers face increasingly strict welfare and environ-mental legislation and huge pressure to reduce the use of antibiotics.

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

Over the last 20 years, there have been massive structural changes in the industry, with the number of farms with pigs falling from over 20,000 t o a b o u t 4 , 5 0 0 l a s t y e a r . There has also been increas-ing special ization in pro-duction, with the traditional farrow-to-finish model being replaced by two- or three-site production. There are now about 1,800 farrow-to-finish farms, averaging 255 sows per farm, but also 600 specialist sow farms with an average of 950 sows and 2,100 dedicated finisher units with an average annual produc-tion of 6,800 market hogs.

The requirement to change to group sow housing has-tened these changes, with many smaller farrow-to-fin-ish producers choosing either to increase sow numbers and specialize in piglet produc-tion or convert to finishing. The PRC report notes that the industry was able to carry out the conversion to group hous-ing without a dramatic drop in overall production.

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

However, Danish proces-sors continue to look for ways to derive more value from each carcass through improving quality and add-ing value. The weekly hog price is determined by the

v a l u e o f p r o d u c t s o l d b y the processor, so producers receive strong signals from the marketplace. Producers are also board members of the processors, so can influ-ence changes in response to market conditions. Over the last five years, the hog price has moved up from a range of 9DKK/kg to 10DKK/kg (about $1.82) to 11DKK ($2) in 2011. At the end of 2012, both pro-cessing companies, Danish C r o w n a n d T i c a n , p a i d a bonus of 0.90DKK ($0.16) per kg, effectively representing a dividend for the producer owners of these businesses.

German feeder demandThe thorn in the side of Dan-ish processors is the expan-sion in the export of 30-kg feeder pigs to Germany for finishing. This arose because German processors were pay-ing more for market hogs and so finisher producers could pay more for Danish wean-ers than they were worth in Denmark. Currently, there appears no end to this trend. During 2012, weaner exports increased by 14 per cent to 9.16 million from 8.04 mil-lion in 2011, and have gone up from from just over 3.5 million in 2006. Short of a sudden reversal of this trend, exports are on track to repre-sent about one-third of total production this year.

As I have reported before, l a s t O c t o b e r t h e p r o c e s -sors announced a plan to encourage increased finish-ing capacity in Denmark, but this is unlikely to have a major impact, certainly in the short term.

Herd recordingProduct ion and f inancial records for Danish produc-e r s a r e d e r i v e d f r o m t h e herd-recording scheme run by the national advisory ser-vice, which is operated by the farmers’ unions. Production

data is from 664 sow farms, with 425,000 sows, 574 nurs-ery farms with total produc-t ion of 9 .4 mil l ion wean-ers, and 746 finisher farms with total production of 4.9 million finishers. In the 12 months to mid-2012, sows farms weaned an average of 28.8 pigs/sow/year, a 0.7 pig increase compared with the previous year. The top 25 per cent of farms weaned 31.5 piglets.

Such high breeding herd productivity is tempered by a range of problems, notably high sow mortality, which i s b e i n g i n v e s t i g a t e d b y the research and develop-ment programs run by the PRC. Another issue being addressed is the nutritional and feeding requirements of highly prolific sows.

Very high l i tter size has resulted in a reduction in birth weight and a recent trial evaluated the impact of feed level in the last four weeks of gestation on litter weight. Sows were fed either 2.5, 3.5 or 4 .5 Danish Feed Units (equivalent to about 2.3, 3.2 and 4.1 kg of gestation feed in Canada) and there was a significant improvement in l itter weight from feeding 3.5FU/day, which was not increased by feeding 4.5FU.

In the finishing herd, the requirement to phase out castration by 2018 has stim-ulated extensive research by PRC. The Danes believe that a genetic route to removing boar taint by avoiding andro-stenone in the meat is the only way forward and have been looking at the genetic correlations between traits for boar taint and the eco-nomically most important traits included in the breed-ing objectives.

P r e l i m i n a r y r e s u l t s f o r Landrace pigs suggest that these correlations are ‘faint’ or slightly favourable, which means that selection for pigs free of taint will not nega-tively impact performance. They are also making full use of genomics and, once the preliminary work has been completed, will be able to identify, and select against, boars with the genes that lead to boar taint. Interestingly, Danish processors refuse to accept pigs immunized against boar taint because taste panels detected more boar taint than in castrates.

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

Danish pork producers confident despite feeder pig exoduspeet on pigs } Danish finishers need to compete against German weaner buyers

Danish processors continue to look for ways to derive more value from each carcass through improving quality and adding value.

Interestingly, Danish

processors refuse to

accept pigs immunized

against boar taint

because taste panels

detected more boar

taint than in castrates.

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Combines

FARM MACHINERYCombine – Various

COMBINE WORLD located 20 min. E of Saskatoon, SK on Hwy. #16. 1 year warranty on all new, used, and rebuilt parts. Canada’s largest inventory of late model combines & swathers. 1-800-667-4515 www.combineworld.com

Combine ACCessories

FARM MACHINERYCombine – Accessories

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

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

JD 9430, 9530, 9630. JD 9410R, 9460R, 9560RJD 9400, 9420, 9520, 8970JD 7810 & 7210, FWAJD 9860, 9760, 9750, 9650, 9600JD 9430, 9530, 9630CIH 8010 w/RWD, lateral tilt, duals 900 hrs.Case STX 375, 425, 430, 450, 480, 500, 530CIH 8010-2388, 2188 combineCIH 435Q, 535Q, 450Q, 550Q, 600Q pto avail.535 Quad track w/PTO920 Fendt 3500Hrs, Excellent Condition

8100 Wilmar SprayerJD 4710, 4720, 4730, 4830, 4920, 4930 SP sprayersJD 9770 & 9870 w/CM & dualsCIH 3185, 3230, 3330, 4430, 4420 sprayers

lateral tilt, duals 900 hrs.

“LIKE MANY BEFORE, WE’LL HAVE YOU SAYINGTHERE’S NO DEAL LIKE A KEN DEAL”

•Phone: (403)526-9644 •Cell: (403)504-4929•Greg Dorsett (403)952-6622 •Email: kendeal@shaw.ca

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

Many Other 4WD’s Available!

BUILDINGS

FARM MACHINERYParts & Accessories

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

Spraying EquipmEnt

FARM MACHINERYSprayers

MELROE 116 SPRA-COUPE 51FT w/15” spacings for better chemical coverage, � oatation tires, eco-nomical VW engine w/4spd. trans. shedded, $6,250. (403)666-2111

Tillage & Seeding

FARM MACHINERYTillage & Seeding – Tillage

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

FARM MACHINERYTillage & Seeding – Various

48FT BOURGAULT PACKER BAR. series 4000 wing up model, heavy P30 packers. tandem wheels on centre section. very little use. like new condition. over $50,000 new. $17,500. (403)666-2111

48FT WILLRICH CHISEL PLOW, HD, 5plex w/mounted harrows. original harrow tines still measure 12in. walking tandems on centre section. heavy trip shanks on a very well built machine, no welds, $18,500. (403)666-2111

TracTors

FARM MACHINERYTractors – John Deere

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

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

FARM MACHINERYTractors – Various

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

FARM MACHINERYSprayers

FARM MACHINERYSprayers

Double LL Industries780.905.8565 Nisku, Alberta

Case Ih 585

52 HP, 1745 Hours, Diesel, 3PTH, With Ezee-on 60 Loader

$8,800www.doublellindustries.com

1986 John Deere 410B

Extendahoe, 4x4, 6255 Hours

$28,500

983 Kubota L245 Offset Tractor

High Clearance, 1368 Hours, 3PTH, Mid Mount Cultivators

$8,800

2009 Massey Ferguson 1533

FWA, 33 Hp Diesel, 498 Hours, 3PTH

$13,500

FARM MACHINERYTractors – Various

JD 3140, 3pth loaderJD 4020, loader available

JD 4440, 158 loader JD 4560, FWA, 280 loaderJd 6300 FWA, 3pth, loader JD 7410, FWA, C/W LoaderJD 7610, FWA, C/W loader

JD 746 loader, newCat Skidsteer, 256C, 1000 Hrs.

Mustang 2044 Skidsteer, 1300 Hrs.Kello 10ft. Model 210 disc.

Clamp on Duals, 20.8x38-18.4x38158 & 148, 265, 740.280, JD loaders

FINANCE, TRADES WELCOME780-696-3527, BRETON, AB

Big Tractor Parts,Inc.

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

STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

Geared ForThe Future

1. 10-25% savings on new replacementparts for your Steiger drive train.

2. We rebuild axles, transmissions and dropboxes with ONE YEAR WARRANTY.

3. 50% savings on used parts.

RED OR GREEN

FARM MACHINERYMachinery Miscellaneous

3 BUNNING MANURE SPREADERS for rent, Custom corral cleaning, call Lawrence (403)588-4787; Bunning spreaders on trucks. Call Shane 403-588-1146

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

JD 568 ROUND BALER, loaded. Low bales. JD 336 Square baler; Case IH 8380 Haybine; 41-ft Flexicoil chisel plow/air seeder W/harrows; 43-ft chisel plow w/harrows; IH 12 bottom/plow. Also calf tipping squeeze, stock trimming/calving chute. Phone:(780)623-1008.

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

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

Adapter available to unroll new barb wire off of wooden spool

The Level-Wind Wire Roller rolls wire evenly across the full width of the spool

automatically as the wire is pulled in

- Hydraulic Drive (roll or unroll wire)- Mounts to tractor draw bar, skidsteer or

bobcat, front end loader, post driver, 3pt. hitch or deck truck

(with receiver hitch & rear hydraulics)- Spool splits in half to remove full roll

- Shut off/ Flow control valve determines speed

- Works great for pulling out old wire(approx. 3--5 minutes to roll

up 80 rod or 1/4 mile)

Ken Lendvay (403) 550-3313Red Deer, AB

email: kflendvay@hotmail.comWeb: www.levelwind.com

Barb Wire & Electric High Tensile

Wire Spooler

FARM MACHINERYTractors – Various

FARM MACHINERYMachinery Miscellaneous

2005 STX CIH 450 Tractor, P/S, deluxe cab, triples, 520x85-46 good, Serviced and ready to go ........$185,000

Flexicoil 6 run seed treater ................................ $2,00060’ Flexicoil S95 harrow packer draw bar, tandem wheels,

P30 packers, fair shape ......................................... $6,500134’ Flexicoil S68XL sprayer, 2007, suspended boom,

auto rate, joystick, rinse tank, triple quick jets, auto boom height, electric end nozzle & foam marker .............$39,500

130’ Flexicoil 67XL PT sprayer, 2006,trail boom, autorate, rinse tank, hyd. pump, combo jets, nice shape ....$26,50030’ 8230 CIH PT swather, PU reel, nice shape,..$10,00025ft Hesston 1200 PT swather, Bat reel,

nice shape .......................................................... $7,50021’ 4600 Prairie Star PT swather, UII pu reel,

nice shape .............................................................$500016’ NH 2300 hay header & conditioner

from NH 2450 swather, nice cond. ......................... $5,0001372 MF 13’ swing arm discbine 4yrs, like new $20,000MATR 10 wheel V-Hayrake, hyd. fold, as new .... $5,250New Sakundiak 10x1200 (39.97’) 36HP Kohler eng., E-Kay mover, Power steering, electric belt tightener, work lights, slimfi t, 12 gal. fuel tank ......................$18,500New Sakundiak 7x1200 (39.97’), 22HP Robin-Subaru

eng.,w/Winter Kit, battery & fuel tank, new tires ..... $7,500New E-Kay 7”, 8”, 9” Bin Sweeps .........................CallFlexicoil 10”x 50’ Grain auger ......................... $2,5007721 JD PT combine, decent cond. ....................... $5,0007701 JD PT combine, new concaves & rub bars ..... $4,000Jiffy feed wagon, like new, hardly used ....................$9,25018.4”x30” tractor grip tires on rims ..........................CallNew Outback Max GPS Guidance

Monitor Available ...................................................CallNew Outback MAX, STX, STS, E-Drive TC’s ...................CallNew Outback STS, E drive TC’s ...............................In StockNew Outback E drive X c/w free E turns .....................CallNew Outback S-Lite ................................................$900Used Outback 360 mapping...................................$750Used Outback S guidance .......................................$750Used Outback S2 guidance ................................. $1,000Used Outback E TC drive Hyd. Kits.

(JD,Case, Cat & NH) .................................................$500WANTED: 8820 JD Combine, nice condition

** NuVision, Sakundiak & Farm King Augers, Outback GPS Systems, EK Auger Movers, Belt Tighteners, Sweeps, & Crop Dividers, Kohler Robin

Subaru engines, Degelman, Headsight Harvesting Solutions**

(403) 540-7691ronsauer@shaw.ca

RON SAUER MACHINERY LTD.

FARM MACHINERYMachinery Wanted

WANTED: NH 8500 ROUND bale wagon. Phone (406)883-2118

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

WANTED: POST POUNDER, PREFER trailer type. (403)886-4285

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

1-888-413-3325

Advertise in the Alberta Farmer Express Classifieds,

it’s a Sure Thing!

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

1-888-413-3325

We know that farming is enough of a gamble so if you want to sell it fast place your ad in the Alberta Farmer Express classi§ eds. It’s a Sure Thing. Call our toll-free number today. We have friendly staff ready to help. 1-888-413-3325.

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

22 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

DEINES! 1st to PerfectThe FLIP UP DECK

To See What A DEINES Mower Can Do For You.Visit: lairdmowers.ca

* Deines is a Zero-turn FRONT MOUNT mower first designed and built in 1970.

* Deines mowers have a welded construction 11 guage steel, flotation design deck available in 50, 60 & 72” sizes.

* Excepitonal maneuverability lets you trim right around trees, under shrubs and fence lines wih ease. Cut your mowing time in half.

* Standard sizes belts, bearings, etc. Simple easy maintenance.

* Kohler 18, 20 & 23 H.P.O.V.H. series engines.* Demos, delivery and referances avaiable.

Also Sell*Smucker Foam Markers*NO-DRIFT Lawn Chemical Applicators

DEAN EBBERT SALES

403-347-2797 Red Deer1-800-886-9429

LANDSCAPINGLawn & Garden

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

The Icynene Insulation System®

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

www.penta.ca 1-800-587-4711

IRON & STEEL

Oil Field Pipe: 2 3/8, 2 7/8 & 3 1/2 inch pipe for sale.Contact David at (250)308-4106

LIVESTOCK

LIVESTOCKCattle – Angus

LIVESTOCKCattle – Angus

PB RED & BLACK Angus yearling bulls for sale. Canadian pedigrees, semen tested. Phone (780)336-4009, Kinsella, AB.

“PUREBRED- BLACK ANGUS AND Polled Here-ford bulls. 2yr olds. Buyer’s choice $2,500. Double N Ranch Sundre. Gerald & Shelley 403-638-2356

RED ANGUS SIMMENTAL CROSS yearling & 2-yr old bulls, priced for the commercial Cattleman, guaranteed breeders, delivered. Phone (403)783-2745, cell (403)783-1936.

YEARLING RED/BLACK ANGUS heifer bulls, light birth weight, $1,800. (780)888-2123, or (780)384-2354, (780)888-7585 Sedgewick, Alberta

LANDSCAPINGLawn & Garden

REGISTERED RED & BLACK ANGUS YEARLING bulls, quiet, various birthweights 70lb and up, se- men tested, delivered, $2,500. Bellshill Angus, Lou- gheed Ab. (780)386-2150, 780-888-1374

UNREGISTERED RED ANGUS BULLS for sale, born April, Light birthweights, semen tested, $1800. Bellshill Angus (780)386-2150, (780)888-1087, Lougheed, Ab.

LIVESTOCKCattle – Red Angus

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

LIVESTOCKCattle – Hereford

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

POLLED HEREFORD YEARLING BULLS for sale by private treaty. Moderate birth weights, ultra- sound carcass data, docile, semen tested. CHES- TERMERE HEREFORDS, D.J. Bricker & Sons Didsbury, AB. Home:(403)335-8571 Mobile: (403)815-9038

LIVESTOCKCattle – Shorthorn

Thick, Easy Fleshing Shorthorn Cowmakers: Yearling& 2-yr old Shorthorn Bulls for Sale. Semen Tested,Delivery can be arranged.Monty Thomson, HatfieldShorthorns Gladstone, MB. 204-870-0089

LIVESTOCKLivestock Equipment

5’X10’ PORTABLE CORRAL PANELS, 6 bar. New improved design. Storage Containers, 20’ & 40’ 1-866-517-8335, (403)540-4164, (403)226-1722

ORGANIC

ORGANICOrganic – Grains

For more information,please contact Sandy at:

306-975-9251306-975-1166

sjolicoeur@bioriginal.com

Bioriginal Food & Science Corp., based in Saskatoon, is actively buying

Organic Flax from the 2012 crop year.

If interested, please send a 5lbs sample* to the following address:

Attn: Sandy JolicoeurBioriginal Food & Science Corp.

102 Melville StreetSaskatoon, Saskatchewan

S7J 0R1*Please state the Variety & Quantity for Sale

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATEMobile Homes

CANADA SINGLE FAMILY HOME NEW 16 wide & 20 wide MODULAR HOMES at GREAT prices. (218)751-7720 frontierhomesonline.com

REAL ESTATELand For Sale

320 ACRES BORDERING THE town of Crossfield, huge development potential, half mile to golf course, 15 minutes to Balzac Racetrack and Iron- cross mall, 20 minutes to Calgary airport. Would make great equestial centre with miles of dirt trails connected to property. $4,200,000. (403)224-2265

3/PARCELS LAND FOR sale, one 72/ac, one 71/ac, one 153/ac parcel, all seeded to hay, within 4 miles of Meadow Lake, call after 7PM (306)236-6746

REAL ESTATELand For Rent

PASTURE AVAILABLE FOR CATTLE, large or small groups, Cando, Saskatchewan, (306)937-3503

PEDIGREED SEEDSpecialty – Various

Bioriginal Food & Science Corp., based in Saskatoon, are looking to contract Borage acres for the upcoming 2013

growing season.

� Great profit potential based on high yields, high prices and low input costs.

� Attractive oil premiums and free on-farm pick-up.

� Flexible contracting options available as well.

For more information,please contact Bioriginal at:

306-229-9976 (cell)306-975-9271 (office)crops@bioriginal.com

SEED / FEED / GRAIN

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUSFeed Grain

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

NOWBUYINGOATS!

ALL GRADESCompetitive Rates

Prompt Payment

PAUL MOWER403-304-1496

DAVE KOEHN403-546-0060

LINDEN, ALBERTA CANADA

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUSHay & Straw

150 LARGE ROUND TIMOTHY/GRASS mix, $50/Bale, 75 no rain, 75 little rain. (403)888-9714

TIRES

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

TRAVEL

Rural & Cultural ToursIreland ~ June 2013

International Plowing Match/ Canadian Rockies ~ July 2013

Alaska Land/Cruise ~ August 2013Italy/Greek Isle Cruise ~ Oct 2013

Mississippi Cruise ~ Oct 2013Smoky Mountains/

Nashville Tour ~ Oct 2013Branson/Tennessee Tour ~ Oct 2013

Australia/New Zealand Grand Tour ~ Jan 2014

*Portion of tours may be tax Deductible

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

CAREERS

CAREERSEmployment Wanted

Agricultural Collateral Inspection and Appraisals Ag background required. Training course available. visit www.amagappraisers.com or Call 800-488-7570

Specialty PEDIGREED SEED

Buy and Sell anything you

need through the

1-888-413-3325FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

1-888-413-3325

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

Stretch your advertising dollars! Place an ad in the classifieds. Our friendly staff is waiting for your call. 1-888-413-3325.

23ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

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

By Alexis Kienlenaf staff / rosalind

T hink Hutterites are slow to embrace technological advancements and mar-

ket changes?think again. one of Canada’s

three organic, free-run egg farms is located at rosalind Colony near Camrose.

“i think this barn provides some great examples of innova-tive things egg farmers are doing to meet consumer demands,” Ben Waldner, chair of the Egg farmers of alberta, said during a recent tour of the facility.

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

Waldner was part of a delega-tion from the colony that trav-elled to Europe to see free-run operations in Holland and Ger-many.

“What we saw in Europe really encouraged us,” he told those on the tour, which included agri-culture Minister Verlyn olson.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“they have a small head but there’s a lot in there,” he said. “and once they have something in there, you can’t change it. so you have to train them when they’re small.”

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

“i’ve never run a caged barn, but i think this is a more stress-free environment. i just love this barn,” said stahl.

Maintaining a clean environ-ment takes up the majority of his time. He spends at least half an hour a day looking at com-puterized records that include temperature, humidity, egg collection and monitors every-thing closely, including lighting, ammonia levels, and chlorine levels in the water.

the colony has its own on-farm feed mill and processes organic wheat, barley, peas, canola and soy meal. in order to increase biosecurity, rosa-lind Colony tries to do as much

on farm as possible. the barn is certified organic, which means no pesticides are allowed in the entire facility. stahl only uses one kind of disinfectant in the entire barn, and doesn’t use disinfectant around the birds. the colony has a very low bird mortality rate, losing about 0.2

per cent of the birds for the life of the flock.

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

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

perature and time of the day. in addition, the barn has two layer rooms, each contain-ing 7,000 birds, as well as a pullet barn where 7,000 pul-lets are kept until they’re 17 weeks old.

akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

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

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

“You work together

with your processor

and your breeder, and

find out what you

think the market is.”

Ben Waldner chair of Egg farmErs of albErta

Ben Waldner, chair of Egg Farmers of Alberta, holds up an egg inside the Rosalind Colony’s cage-free barn.

Agriculture Minister Verlyn Olson enjoyed the calm, well-socialized laying hens during a tour at the Rosalind Colony egg barn.

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

24 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

AFSC’s Revolving Loan ProgramTake the driver’s seat with flexibility and control.

www.AFSC.ca1-877-899-AFSC (2372)

• Quickaccesstofinancingthatmeetsshortandmediumtermneeds• Competitivebaserateswithfixedtermoptionsof1,2or3years• Optiontorenewatexpiry

Takethewheel.

Takecareofbusiness.

Alberta Sheep Breeders Association

3rd AnnuAlBArn Burner

Pen Show & Private Treaty SaleSaturday June 15th, 2013 • 9:00 - 4:00 pm

Cow Palace in Olds, Alberta

For more information or to become a member and exhibit sheep contact the ASBA office at

office@albertasheepbreeders.ca or call us @ 1-866-967-4337.

www.albertasheepbreeders.ca

Guest Speaker: Gord Schroeder of the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board VAriOuS

EquiPmEnT will bE On diSPlAy. FrEE lunCh & dOOr PrizES.

By Brenda schoepp

T he dairy cows grazing kale on pasture in the United Kingdom are a beautiful

sight. Kale is an experimental crop being tested because of reduced yields from last sum-mer’s poor crops. It doesn’t have as much punch as some traditional grazing mixes, so animals requiring less, and the lower-yielding bovines, are here. They stand in a nice, solid line behind a portable electric wire.

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

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

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

In Manitoba, grass-fed beef producers have also formed an association to promote their product. The Manitoba Grass Fed Beef Association is a col-lection of Verified Beef produc-ers who promote their product and support the health benefits of grass-fed beef. Canada has a similar percentage of pas-ture land as the U.K., so this is an opportunity for many. This past month, the Cattle Council of Australia launched a Pasture-fed Cattle Assur-ance Program that will allow for producers to have “Certi-fied Pasture-fed” cattle for the market and the shelf. This new branding initiative allows producers to make a claim and for processors and retailers to apply their own brand with a high degree of confidence. The growing trend toward certifica-tion is proof that we can har-vest in terms of income, what the cattle eat.

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

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

costs, sustain the environ-ment and create a great prod-uct. Their work with early for-ages, annuals and perennials, intercropping, and stockpiling along with a host of other tech-niques has boosted profits for their members. Forage associa-tions are the greatest invest-ment a government can make when you consider that nearly three-quarters of our land base is forage/grass based.

Provincial entities such as ARECA and the Alberta Forage Network are leading the effort to find new ways to increase, main-tain or enhance forage, along with the accompanying biodiversity. What about the plant that deliv-ers health benefits through the animal? This will come from the collaboration between research and application.

For those who do not have a love affair with the land, it may be difficult to make the switch from continuously grazed and overused pastures to a long-term plan to build the soil and increase produc-tion. A simple calculation on a per-calf basis may change your mind. Research has shown us that the difference between the most and least profitable cow in terms of feed is 1.8 tonnes. At $80 a tonne that is $144. The extension of the grazing season by a short 60 days at $1 per head day is $60. Collectively, that is $204 per calf or $37 cwt on a 550-pound calf. That is strong evidence to pay attention to the ground on which you walk!

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

production so far without the use of herbicides, pesticides or fertilizer. But that does not mean we stop there, nor does it mean we would not incorpo-rate enhancers in the future. It is simply a reflection of our willingness to change and to learn.

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

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

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

A forage strategy is a

must for every farm.

  PHOTO: THinkSTOCk

25ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • MAY 27, 2013

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

BY ROY LEWIS, DVM

E very year in later summer we see a few outbreaks with lungworms on pas-

ture. This is especially true in a wet year where the life cycle of the lungworm can be completed. But much like we see with anthrax outbreaks in drier years, where cattle can pasture low-lying areas we will see flare-ups of this para-sitic disease as well.

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

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

These larvae are one of the ways veterinarians can diagnose the condition by examining a manure sample. It takes a differ-ent test than looking for the intes-tinal worm eggs. The baermann technique is done on a handful of fresh manure and takes a few hours to run. We have samples arrive in the morning so we can give you an answer the same day. Most clinics are set up to run this test in house. The finding of even one larval lungworm is significant and necessitates deworming, so if you’re worried, have several samples checked.

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

in spite of good grass conditions. There is often a number with very prominent coughing. Some may have varying degrees of diarrhea. With herd involvement there is always great variation with some doing very poorly, others just a bit rough-haired and still others looking almost normal. Gener-ally the younger cattle (calves and yearlings) are most susceptible as any previous exposure yields some immunity.

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

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

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

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

When treating clinical cases the symptoms such as cough-ing or respiratory problems will actually increase for a few days. This is because all the dead worms need to be coughed up and swallowed. The killing of all the adult worms may cause a reaction but the animal must be dewormed so you have to treat. Any pneumonia compli-cations may need to be treated with antibiotics at this time. Pastures that have had previ-ous problems on are the ones we really concentrate on. Over a few years the treatment possi-

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

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

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

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

The finding of even

one larval lungworm

is significant and

necessitates deworming,

so if you’re worried, have

several samples checked.

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26 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

BY TONY KRYZANOWSKIAF CONTRIBUTOR / VEGREVILLE

I t’s been a dream that Alberta’s Chrapko and Kotelko families have been pursuing for more

than a decade — development of a closed-loop cattle, biogas and ethanol production system that they can market globally.

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

The main selling point of

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

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

the Kotelko family near Vegre-ville.

The project showcases his company’s technology, said Shane Chrapko, co-CEO of Himark BioGas.

“With all the trouble that digesters have had stateside alongside open-pen feedlots or with any kind of manure contaminated with sand, rock, grit and dirt, we elected to stay focused on a potential site that would be able to use that dirty manure and be integrated with an ethanol plant,” says Chrapko.

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

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

Construction of the West-ern Plains Energy installation began last summer and the sys-tem began ramping up in Janu-ary. Operation of the feedlot in Kansas was very similar to how open-pen feedlots are managed in Alberta, with the pens typi-cally scrapped once or twice a year and the manure land applied.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kansas installation that uses the Himark BioGas system is about twice the size of a similar system in Vegreville.

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28 MAY 27, 2013 • ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA

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