source: Farm and Food Report
The Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association will focus on understanding the factors that affect their industry at this year’s conference in Saskatoon on January 27-29, according to General Manager Jamie Blacklock.
“We want all our players to gain insight into the big picture,” Blacklock said. “We want them to see how international politics and those other market influencers affect the cattle feeder industry, so that they can acquire perspectives that will allow them to make better decisions about their operation and the choices they face.”
Some of the speakers are operators themselves. Take Rick Pascal of the Picture Butte/Iron Springs area in Alberta. Active in the Canadian Cattlemen for Fair Trade initiative, Pascal will look at made-in-Canada solutions to the BSE crisis and talk about exercising the feeders’ right to claim damages incurred to their operations under NAFTA Chapter 11.
To get a sense of how issues are playing out, the organizers have invited well-known Canadian pollster Allan Gregg of The Strategic Council. In his presentation titled Looking Beyond the Polls, Gregg will review the effects of the recent U.S. presidential election, public opinion trends over the last 20 years, and how the Canadian mindset has evolved and changed over that period of time.
Market influences will be explored in depth with financial services industry expert Michael L. Levy of Custom House Global Foreign Exchange. By interpreting economic analysis in plain English, Levy will engage participants in discussions on finance, foreign exchange markets, and the market environment, in a way that will help them understand all influential factors, allowing them to better prepare for the situations they may face.
SCFA’s Jamie Blacklock believes this is all very timely. “Cattle feeders need to be aware of the industry developments more than ever at this time to make smart business decisions, especially in light of BSE. But you know, cattle feeders are also very much a different breed of people — they are very resilient in the face of hardship.”
They also take pride in celebrating their unique business culture, as they will demonstrate at the Cattleman’s Feast and Festivities event on Friday night. Blacklock promises a SCFA celebration that is next to none.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Short Rail Line Brings Southwest Communities Together
source: Farm and Food Report
It takes determination to raise enough capital to acquire over 300 miles of short rail line, engines and maintenance equipment, and to cover operational costs that includes the salary of 14 employees in southwestern Saskatchewan. Yet, that is precisely what a group of agricultural producers and investors have managed to do in Ponteix, Gravelbourg, Bracken, Admiral, Kincaid, Shaunavon, Eastend, Climax, Frontier, Neville, Vanguard and Lafleche when they acquired Great Western Railway Ltd. recently.
Leo Legault is a farmer and, now, a Director of the company. “In three weeks, our group of 15 raised $3.8 million. We had to deal with complex legal issues and we had much to learn. We wanted to keep all the staff because they have so much knowledge about how to run this operation. We made a formal offer to Westcan a year ago and, on November 2, 2004, it became a done deal.”
Ponteix’s Legault and his partners knew that the stakes were high. In recent years, over $18 million was invested in various grain handling infrastructures along the line. Around 40 jobs depended on this deal coming through. Had the bid been unsuccessful, the future of these new facilities would have been jeopardized.
“We were well aware that the only way to ensure that producers get a greater share of revenues from our agricultural activities would be for us to own the transportation network that links all our towns and villages in the Southwest,” Legault said.
Legault believes that everyone wins as a result of this deal — from those who hold jobs along the line, to taxpayers, governments, producers and municipalities — in savings alone.
“Our studies indicate that our rail transportation system saves $5.4 million in road maintenance costs annually. Our roads simply are not designed to sustain the kind of heavy traffic they are subjected to because of agricultural transportation needs.”
And this traffic is likely to keep on putting additional pressure on highways, as Shaunavon looks at building a $90 million ethanol plant that would require around 10 to 15 million bushels of wheat to produce 150 million litres of ethanol a year.
Conrad Johnson owns a mixed farm in Bracken. He is also the new Chair of the Board of Great Western Railway Ltd. “Look at any country in the world today — look at how closely economic development and diversification are associated with the availability of a rail transportation service. It is phenomenal and particularly relevant to the geography of the Southwest. We want our children to have a future here. We want to ensure the economic prosperity of our region for our grandchildren, and we are taking the means to do just that.”
Putting his beliefs into practice, Johnson and three partners recently acquired an old Wheat Pool elevator along the line and converted it into a state-of-the art field pea cleaning plant. His Whitewater Coulee Cleaners has processed 120 rail car loads of peas in the last two years, plus 300 cars of cereal grains. Johnson is the first to admit that his success and that of the Great Western Railway and other projects along the line now hinges on communities working more closely together than ever before.
“It is funny how, when you look back 20 to 30 years, we had these rivalries between towns in this part of the province about hockey teams, schools and all those divisive issues,” Johnson said. “Things have changed quite a bit since then. I believe we now realize that we must work together for the good of the entire area. We are all proud of what we have accomplished so far and we look forward to the future.”
As far as Leo Legault is concerned, every new day that comes breaks new ground and breeds hope for the economic outlook of the whole region.
“You know, this is the longest short line in Canada,” Legault beams with pride. “Fifty-two per cent of all the grain moved on short lines in Saskatchewan is moved on our railway. When you think of it, there is no end to what we can accomplish — just keep watching us.”
It takes determination to raise enough capital to acquire over 300 miles of short rail line, engines and maintenance equipment, and to cover operational costs that includes the salary of 14 employees in southwestern Saskatchewan. Yet, that is precisely what a group of agricultural producers and investors have managed to do in Ponteix, Gravelbourg, Bracken, Admiral, Kincaid, Shaunavon, Eastend, Climax, Frontier, Neville, Vanguard and Lafleche when they acquired Great Western Railway Ltd. recently.
Leo Legault is a farmer and, now, a Director of the company. “In three weeks, our group of 15 raised $3.8 million. We had to deal with complex legal issues and we had much to learn. We wanted to keep all the staff because they have so much knowledge about how to run this operation. We made a formal offer to Westcan a year ago and, on November 2, 2004, it became a done deal.”
Ponteix’s Legault and his partners knew that the stakes were high. In recent years, over $18 million was invested in various grain handling infrastructures along the line. Around 40 jobs depended on this deal coming through. Had the bid been unsuccessful, the future of these new facilities would have been jeopardized.
“We were well aware that the only way to ensure that producers get a greater share of revenues from our agricultural activities would be for us to own the transportation network that links all our towns and villages in the Southwest,” Legault said.
Legault believes that everyone wins as a result of this deal — from those who hold jobs along the line, to taxpayers, governments, producers and municipalities — in savings alone.
“Our studies indicate that our rail transportation system saves $5.4 million in road maintenance costs annually. Our roads simply are not designed to sustain the kind of heavy traffic they are subjected to because of agricultural transportation needs.”
And this traffic is likely to keep on putting additional pressure on highways, as Shaunavon looks at building a $90 million ethanol plant that would require around 10 to 15 million bushels of wheat to produce 150 million litres of ethanol a year.
Conrad Johnson owns a mixed farm in Bracken. He is also the new Chair of the Board of Great Western Railway Ltd. “Look at any country in the world today — look at how closely economic development and diversification are associated with the availability of a rail transportation service. It is phenomenal and particularly relevant to the geography of the Southwest. We want our children to have a future here. We want to ensure the economic prosperity of our region for our grandchildren, and we are taking the means to do just that.”
Putting his beliefs into practice, Johnson and three partners recently acquired an old Wheat Pool elevator along the line and converted it into a state-of-the art field pea cleaning plant. His Whitewater Coulee Cleaners has processed 120 rail car loads of peas in the last two years, plus 300 cars of cereal grains. Johnson is the first to admit that his success and that of the Great Western Railway and other projects along the line now hinges on communities working more closely together than ever before.
“It is funny how, when you look back 20 to 30 years, we had these rivalries between towns in this part of the province about hockey teams, schools and all those divisive issues,” Johnson said. “Things have changed quite a bit since then. I believe we now realize that we must work together for the good of the entire area. We are all proud of what we have accomplished so far and we look forward to the future.”
As far as Leo Legault is concerned, every new day that comes breaks new ground and breeds hope for the economic outlook of the whole region.
“You know, this is the longest short line in Canada,” Legault beams with pride. “Fifty-two per cent of all the grain moved on short lines in Saskatchewan is moved on our railway. When you think of it, there is no end to what we can accomplish — just keep watching us.”
FarmTech 2005: Best to Know Your Competitors
source: Farm and Food Report
Alberta’s premier crop production and farm management conference will put global perspectives at the forefront again this year as it focuses on two major international competitors to Canada’s agriculture industry: China and Australia.
Rick Taillieu is Chair of the FarmTech 2005 Conference that takes place in Edmonton on January 26-28, 2005.
“Every year, we ask our delegates what topics they would like addressed at the following year’s conference. Last year, they expressed strong interest in what was happening in those two countries. We take delegates’ requests very seriously, and I think we’ve come through with this year’s selection of 40 speakers.”
Agricultural producer Peter Treloar will talk about Australia and Canada, and their affinities in agriculture. Treloar farms 7,000 acres in a family partnership in South Australia, growing wheat, barley, canola and pulse crops. He will be sharing his experiences as a recipient of a 2002 Nuffield Farming Scholarship. The scholarship allowed him to travel for four months throughout countries of South East Asia, the U.K. and France, along with the United States and Canada.
Another highly anticipated presentation will feature challenges and prospects around Chinese agriculture, with Agriteam Canada Vice President Alex Schumacher. With 30 years of experience in agricultural development, Schumacher has worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America with a wide range of crops, cropping systems, cultures and languages. He regularly consults for the World Bank on project preparation, and has conducted workshops for the Bank on project design and management.
Chinese agriculture has grown at an annual rate of about six per cent, providing steadily improving nutrition and health to approximately 1.2 billion people, as well as employing about 70 per cent of that population. It now faces multiple challenges, including rapid loss of farmland to urbanization, depletion of major aquifers, rising fertilizer costs, external competition under WTO, and a growing urban-rural income divide. How will China respond? What are the prospects for Canada? This will be addressed at the Conference.
According to Rick Taillieu, about 1,200 delegates came last year from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Idaho and the State of Washington to attend FarmTech.
“I think our success can be attributed to how we mix research developments, knowledge, extension resources and farmers’ experiences to enrich the conference program,” Tallieu said. “For instance we will address soils issues around the world. The presentation on the role of oil and water resources in the rise and demise of civilizations with Daniel Hillel, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts currently residing in Israel, is bound to be very popular.” The connection between humans and the world’s soil and water resources; the way early civilizations grew in intimate association with their environments; and, the vital role of soil and water resource availability and their sustainable use all played a pivotal role in allowing societies to thrive over extended periods.
Even in planning the future, lessons can be learned from the past. And planning the future of agriculture is what FarmTech 2005 is all about.
Alberta’s premier crop production and farm management conference will put global perspectives at the forefront again this year as it focuses on two major international competitors to Canada’s agriculture industry: China and Australia.
Rick Taillieu is Chair of the FarmTech 2005 Conference that takes place in Edmonton on January 26-28, 2005.
“Every year, we ask our delegates what topics they would like addressed at the following year’s conference. Last year, they expressed strong interest in what was happening in those two countries. We take delegates’ requests very seriously, and I think we’ve come through with this year’s selection of 40 speakers.”
Agricultural producer Peter Treloar will talk about Australia and Canada, and their affinities in agriculture. Treloar farms 7,000 acres in a family partnership in South Australia, growing wheat, barley, canola and pulse crops. He will be sharing his experiences as a recipient of a 2002 Nuffield Farming Scholarship. The scholarship allowed him to travel for four months throughout countries of South East Asia, the U.K. and France, along with the United States and Canada.
Another highly anticipated presentation will feature challenges and prospects around Chinese agriculture, with Agriteam Canada Vice President Alex Schumacher. With 30 years of experience in agricultural development, Schumacher has worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America with a wide range of crops, cropping systems, cultures and languages. He regularly consults for the World Bank on project preparation, and has conducted workshops for the Bank on project design and management.
Chinese agriculture has grown at an annual rate of about six per cent, providing steadily improving nutrition and health to approximately 1.2 billion people, as well as employing about 70 per cent of that population. It now faces multiple challenges, including rapid loss of farmland to urbanization, depletion of major aquifers, rising fertilizer costs, external competition under WTO, and a growing urban-rural income divide. How will China respond? What are the prospects for Canada? This will be addressed at the Conference.
According to Rick Taillieu, about 1,200 delegates came last year from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Idaho and the State of Washington to attend FarmTech.
“I think our success can be attributed to how we mix research developments, knowledge, extension resources and farmers’ experiences to enrich the conference program,” Tallieu said. “For instance we will address soils issues around the world. The presentation on the role of oil and water resources in the rise and demise of civilizations with Daniel Hillel, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts currently residing in Israel, is bound to be very popular.” The connection between humans and the world’s soil and water resources; the way early civilizations grew in intimate association with their environments; and, the vital role of soil and water resource availability and their sustainable use all played a pivotal role in allowing societies to thrive over extended periods.
Even in planning the future, lessons can be learned from the past. And planning the future of agriculture is what FarmTech 2005 is all about.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Plant Breeders Keep Diseases at Bay
source: Farm and Food Report
Dr. Geoff Hughes has spent much quality time in a greenhouse injecting Fusarium Head Blight spores in water solution straight into the head of wheat plants at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“Because Fusarium is not as well established in central Saskatchewan as it is in areas like the Red River Valley in Manitoba, we don’t actually conduct field screening experiments here, so we don’t create a problem for the industry where there isn’t one,” Hughes said.
Dr. Hughes is one of many plant breeders in Western Canada whose fundamental purpose it is to seek new sources of genetic resistance to diseases in plants that are grown as commercial crops in the province.
“There will always be mutations in disease strains that will stunt plant growth eventually. There is always that potential for change — pathogens mutate regularly. But change will occur less frequently with some diseases than with others. In some instances, the resistance to disease factors has lasted for up to 30 years for some crops in Canada. In Australia, the lifespan of disease resistance, on average, has a longevity of less than five years.”
In the case of Leaf and Stem Rust, these are diseases that have the potential to virtually wipe out crops where they occur. Yet in Saskatchewan, we haven’t seen a major outbreak of the Rust in 50 years. Most young farmers have never had to deal with an outbreak of Stem Rust.
Rick Holm is the director of the University’s Crop Development Centre. As such, he is well aware of plant breeders’ contribution to our industry.
“Staying ahead of diseases through screening and breeding research programs still remains the cheapest method of protection against diseases. The only other alternative available right now to producers is the use of commercial fungicides, which must often be applied more than once per season. It can become very costly.”
Holm emphasizes that the work being done on breeding and diseases in the province make sense because of the unique microclimates that exist in the Saskatchewan environment. “Factors such as genetics, weather, landscapes, soils and host plants all combine to play a role in creating the need for made-in-Saskatchewan solutions.”
Not only is plant breeders’ work invaluable, the way they go about finding the new sources of resistance they seek could be described as collaborative research at its best, according to Holm.
“Plants breeders are constantly exchanging genetic material and sources of resistance from colleagues around the world who work on wheat, barley and other grains. It is like a quest for the missing link or for a genetic Holy Grail in a way.”
Researchers will frequently seek these sources of resistance in wild relatives of plants developed for crop production. However, they are often confronted with the reality that the farther the distance between wild and domesticated species, such as between wheat grasses and wheat, the more difficult it will be to find precious sources of resistance.
That doesn’t stop Dr. Hughes and his colleagues from investing countless hours and energy in the task.
“It is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the kind of success our work is achieving. But when you think of it, perhaps the real measure can be drawn from the fact that outbreaks of crop diseases don’t happen that often. I would say our record speaks for itself. We have been pretty good at keeping diseases under control because of our plan breeding efforts over the years, wouldn’t you say?”
Dr. Geoff Hughes has spent much quality time in a greenhouse injecting Fusarium Head Blight spores in water solution straight into the head of wheat plants at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“Because Fusarium is not as well established in central Saskatchewan as it is in areas like the Red River Valley in Manitoba, we don’t actually conduct field screening experiments here, so we don’t create a problem for the industry where there isn’t one,” Hughes said.
Dr. Hughes is one of many plant breeders in Western Canada whose fundamental purpose it is to seek new sources of genetic resistance to diseases in plants that are grown as commercial crops in the province.
“There will always be mutations in disease strains that will stunt plant growth eventually. There is always that potential for change — pathogens mutate regularly. But change will occur less frequently with some diseases than with others. In some instances, the resistance to disease factors has lasted for up to 30 years for some crops in Canada. In Australia, the lifespan of disease resistance, on average, has a longevity of less than five years.”
In the case of Leaf and Stem Rust, these are diseases that have the potential to virtually wipe out crops where they occur. Yet in Saskatchewan, we haven’t seen a major outbreak of the Rust in 50 years. Most young farmers have never had to deal with an outbreak of Stem Rust.
Rick Holm is the director of the University’s Crop Development Centre. As such, he is well aware of plant breeders’ contribution to our industry.
“Staying ahead of diseases through screening and breeding research programs still remains the cheapest method of protection against diseases. The only other alternative available right now to producers is the use of commercial fungicides, which must often be applied more than once per season. It can become very costly.”
Holm emphasizes that the work being done on breeding and diseases in the province make sense because of the unique microclimates that exist in the Saskatchewan environment. “Factors such as genetics, weather, landscapes, soils and host plants all combine to play a role in creating the need for made-in-Saskatchewan solutions.”
Not only is plant breeders’ work invaluable, the way they go about finding the new sources of resistance they seek could be described as collaborative research at its best, according to Holm.
“Plants breeders are constantly exchanging genetic material and sources of resistance from colleagues around the world who work on wheat, barley and other grains. It is like a quest for the missing link or for a genetic Holy Grail in a way.”
Researchers will frequently seek these sources of resistance in wild relatives of plants developed for crop production. However, they are often confronted with the reality that the farther the distance between wild and domesticated species, such as between wheat grasses and wheat, the more difficult it will be to find precious sources of resistance.
That doesn’t stop Dr. Hughes and his colleagues from investing countless hours and energy in the task.
“It is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the kind of success our work is achieving. But when you think of it, perhaps the real measure can be drawn from the fact that outbreaks of crop diseases don’t happen that often. I would say our record speaks for itself. We have been pretty good at keeping diseases under control because of our plan breeding efforts over the years, wouldn’t you say?”
Friday, January 21, 2005
The Cutting Edge in Precision Farming Technology
source: Farm and Food Report
The Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation will be sharing new developments in precision farming with producers on January 19, 2005, as it holds its Winter Seminar and Annual Meeting at Indian Head Memorial Hall.
"Since 1994, The Foundation has sought to bring producers research findings that would not otherwise make their way to them," according to IHARF Executive Manager Judy McKell, "and we are particularly looking forward to this year's program."
McKell adds that, among other topics, local Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Guy Lafond will provide an agronomy research update on winter wheat, as well as on new mapping and fertilizer technologies.
"Optical sensor-based systems that can be mounted on sprayers, such as Greenseeker™, allow the measurement of crop biomass through the amount of light reflected from the crop. We are still developing the technology necessary to provide accurate snapshots of the plants' nitrogen needs, but the systems provide a diagnostic tool that might not otherwise be available, and give producers the opportunity to add nitrogen when the plant needs it."
In addition, Ron Palmer of Regina-based Accutrak Systems Ltd. will bring participants an update on equipment guidance systems for agriculture.
"GPS-based guidance systems are playing an increasingly important role in improving efficiencies in agricultural production. They can have a real impact on fuel costs; seed input and herbicide costs; and labour. Plus, the units available now can easily be moved from one piece of equipment to another," explains McKell.
Other presenters include: researcher Bill May, who will discuss the issues surrounding oilseed, oat and canaryseed agronomy; SAFRR's livestock development specialist Lorne Klein will compare and recommend crops for swath grazing; and finally, market analyst Larry Weber will provide an information session on issues to consider before signing a contract to sell your crop.
The Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation will be sharing new developments in precision farming with producers on January 19, 2005, as it holds its Winter Seminar and Annual Meeting at Indian Head Memorial Hall.
"Since 1994, The Foundation has sought to bring producers research findings that would not otherwise make their way to them," according to IHARF Executive Manager Judy McKell, "and we are particularly looking forward to this year's program."
McKell adds that, among other topics, local Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Guy Lafond will provide an agronomy research update on winter wheat, as well as on new mapping and fertilizer technologies.
"Optical sensor-based systems that can be mounted on sprayers, such as Greenseeker™, allow the measurement of crop biomass through the amount of light reflected from the crop. We are still developing the technology necessary to provide accurate snapshots of the plants' nitrogen needs, but the systems provide a diagnostic tool that might not otherwise be available, and give producers the opportunity to add nitrogen when the plant needs it."
In addition, Ron Palmer of Regina-based Accutrak Systems Ltd. will bring participants an update on equipment guidance systems for agriculture.
"GPS-based guidance systems are playing an increasingly important role in improving efficiencies in agricultural production. They can have a real impact on fuel costs; seed input and herbicide costs; and labour. Plus, the units available now can easily be moved from one piece of equipment to another," explains McKell.
Other presenters include: researcher Bill May, who will discuss the issues surrounding oilseed, oat and canaryseed agronomy; SAFRR's livestock development specialist Lorne Klein will compare and recommend crops for swath grazing; and finally, market analyst Larry Weber will provide an information session on issues to consider before signing a contract to sell your crop.
Feeding Frost-Damaged and Sprouted Grain to Livestock
source: Farm and Food Report
Frost damaged and sprouted grain can be a valuable resource as livestock feed. Bryan Doig is a Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization:
"Because of the cold wet weather in July, the early frost in August and the late harvest in the fall, there were many thousands of acres of affected crops across the province in 2004 that represent a real opportunity as a livestock food source now."
To encourage producers to take advantage of this opportunity, SAFRR has just produced an information sheet that gives clear directives and helps evaluate the relative feed values of damaged cereal grains.
"Frozen or sprouted grain, for instance, will often comparatively higher protein levels than normal, unaffected grain, but contains less carbohydrates or energy. Producers might want to take advantage of this inexpensive feed for backgrounding rations and wintering cows. The trick is to measure feed by the pound rather than by the bushel, or by weight rather than volume."
According to Doig, livestock fed frost-damaged and sprouted grain perform similarly to livestock fed undamaged grain. It just requires a 5 to 10% increase in the amount fed to compensate for the slightly lower energy content.
In the case of canola, frost damage generates a lower feed value than undamaged canola, but it can still be incorporated into many livestock rations.
When unsure about the feed value of damaged grain, the best and most accurate method to find out is to have the feed analyzed at a feed testing laboratory.
Doig points out that other limitations may apply to the use of frost-damaged or sprouted grain:
"The difference in kernel size, shape and hardness should be taken into account and adjustments to milling equipment might be necessary. It might also be advisable to test mouldy grain for mould type and toxins.
For more information, you can access the Feeding Frost-Damaged and Sprouted Grain to Livestock online document.
Frost damaged and sprouted grain can be a valuable resource as livestock feed. Bryan Doig is a Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization:
"Because of the cold wet weather in July, the early frost in August and the late harvest in the fall, there were many thousands of acres of affected crops across the province in 2004 that represent a real opportunity as a livestock food source now."
To encourage producers to take advantage of this opportunity, SAFRR has just produced an information sheet that gives clear directives and helps evaluate the relative feed values of damaged cereal grains.
"Frozen or sprouted grain, for instance, will often comparatively higher protein levels than normal, unaffected grain, but contains less carbohydrates or energy. Producers might want to take advantage of this inexpensive feed for backgrounding rations and wintering cows. The trick is to measure feed by the pound rather than by the bushel, or by weight rather than volume."
According to Doig, livestock fed frost-damaged and sprouted grain perform similarly to livestock fed undamaged grain. It just requires a 5 to 10% increase in the amount fed to compensate for the slightly lower energy content.
In the case of canola, frost damage generates a lower feed value than undamaged canola, but it can still be incorporated into many livestock rations.
When unsure about the feed value of damaged grain, the best and most accurate method to find out is to have the feed analyzed at a feed testing laboratory.
Doig points out that other limitations may apply to the use of frost-damaged or sprouted grain:
"The difference in kernel size, shape and hardness should be taken into account and adjustments to milling equipment might be necessary. It might also be advisable to test mouldy grain for mould type and toxins.
For more information, you can access the Feeding Frost-Damaged and Sprouted Grain to Livestock online document.
Re-Establishing Alfalfa Can Be Dfficult
source: Farm and Food Report
Producers concerned with old alfalfa stands dying out after several years of production should avoid reseeding directly back to alfalfa. Mature alfalfa plants produce toxins that result in a form of autoxicity in the soil, which prevents the establishment of new seedlings.
Trevor Lennox is a Forage Industry Development Specialist with SAFRR. "The specific toxin produced is called medicarpin. It is present mostly in the leaves and stems, rather than in the root system itself. The toxin leaches into the ground surrounding old alfalfa plants up to a radius of 16 inches."
Lennox points out that this autoxicity will affect seed germination and decrease plant density over time. "As forage resource-people, we are often asked if reseeding directly into an old alfalfa stand is an option. It is not a recommended practice."
According to Trevor Lennox, "the most effective way to deal with autotoxicity is to rotate to another crop for a year or two. It is recommended that producers seed an annual cereal crop for a minimum of 1 year to give the soil a chance to cleanse itself and to take advantage of the nitrogen-rich soil nutrients the broad-leafed legume has synthesized over the years."
While there is no real consensus on how long it takes for the toxicity to disappear, there are variables that can affect the return of conditions more conducive to seedling vigour.
"The toxin is water soluble, which means that heavier soils with reduced drainage ability will exhibit the problem longer than lighter soils which are more permeable. Tillage can help reduce the autoxicity effect. In fact, producers are advised to remove top growth before tillage to help reduce leaching risks," says Lennox.
Producers should also be aware that higher temperatures are known to break down the toxic compound more rapidly and that heavier rains can move them away from the root zone faster.
An important point to note is that toxins are not produced in the first year of new seedlings. Therefore, seeding failures or new seedlings that were winterkilled can be reseeded without any autotoxicity affect.
Producers concerned with old alfalfa stands dying out after several years of production should avoid reseeding directly back to alfalfa. Mature alfalfa plants produce toxins that result in a form of autoxicity in the soil, which prevents the establishment of new seedlings.
Trevor Lennox is a Forage Industry Development Specialist with SAFRR. "The specific toxin produced is called medicarpin. It is present mostly in the leaves and stems, rather than in the root system itself. The toxin leaches into the ground surrounding old alfalfa plants up to a radius of 16 inches."
Lennox points out that this autoxicity will affect seed germination and decrease plant density over time. "As forage resource-people, we are often asked if reseeding directly into an old alfalfa stand is an option. It is not a recommended practice."
According to Trevor Lennox, "the most effective way to deal with autotoxicity is to rotate to another crop for a year or two. It is recommended that producers seed an annual cereal crop for a minimum of 1 year to give the soil a chance to cleanse itself and to take advantage of the nitrogen-rich soil nutrients the broad-leafed legume has synthesized over the years."
While there is no real consensus on how long it takes for the toxicity to disappear, there are variables that can affect the return of conditions more conducive to seedling vigour.
"The toxin is water soluble, which means that heavier soils with reduced drainage ability will exhibit the problem longer than lighter soils which are more permeable. Tillage can help reduce the autoxicity effect. In fact, producers are advised to remove top growth before tillage to help reduce leaching risks," says Lennox.
Producers should also be aware that higher temperatures are known to break down the toxic compound more rapidly and that heavier rains can move them away from the root zone faster.
An important point to note is that toxins are not produced in the first year of new seedlings. Therefore, seeding failures or new seedlings that were winterkilled can be reseeded without any autotoxicity affect.
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Private Water Supplies: A Little Testing Goes A Long Way
source: Farm and Food Report
We are cautious about drinking tap water while visiting developing countries. Yet at home with our private water supplies, we can sometimes be a little lax about applying the same care and consideration. Just because the water tastes okay does not necessarily mean it’s safe to drink.
Nolan Shaheen is Director of Groundwater Management for the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. “Anyone with a private water supply that is being used as a drinking water source should have the water tested for health-related parameters such as nitrates, fecal coliforms, heavy metals such as arsenic, uranium and selenium, and major ions like sulphates, potassium, bicarbonates, calcium, magnesium, sodium and chlorides. Water should also be tested for hardness, especially if it is used for agricultural purposes. For instance, if you use herbicides like glyphosates, the hardness of the water can affect performance.”
“Many heavy metals occur naturally, and toxicity will vary according to concentrations and quantity consumed,” Shaheen explains. “We encourage you to consult health professionals to find out more about how these levels relate to the Provincial Drinking Water Guidelines, which are set to protect human health. As you can imagine, high concentrations could have some health-related effects. Consumers who draw water from wells that yield higher concentrations might want to consider drinking bottled water and using their well water for purposes other than drinking.”
Nitrates are another parameter that requires care and attention. Although they can occur naturally in the environment, the presence of nitrates is often associated with improper management of sewage or over-application of fertilizers.
Bacteriological testing should be carried out, as well as testing for iron and manganese, two metals that are commonly found in higher concentrations in Saskatchewan water supplies.
“Some parameters will only affect taste and colour, as in the case of iron which will stain laundry and impart a metallic taste to the water, but it will not harm you. That is what we refer to as more of an aesthetic consideration. In the case of other parameters, consequences can be much more serious,” says Shaheen.
Private water supplies’ stewards have a few options for testing. They can access one of a number of private labs in the province. There is a provincial health laboratory in Regina. The Saskatchewan Research Council has its own lab in Saskatoon. Any of Saskatchewan’s Health Districts will be able to provide a hand-sized water sample container.
“If you collect your own sample, due care and attention should be given to preventing sample contamination,” says Shaheen. “For instance, touching the inside of the container with your fingers could ruin the bacteriological component of the test.”
And remember, most water can be treated, and there are always a number of options to address unsafe water challenges. The first step, of course, is to be aware of the water’s quality.
For more information, contact:
Nolan Shaheen
Director, Groundwater Management
SaskatchewanWatershed Authority
(306) 694-3963
Dr. Joanne Sketchell
Manager, Water Quality Unit
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority
(306) 933-7434
We are cautious about drinking tap water while visiting developing countries. Yet at home with our private water supplies, we can sometimes be a little lax about applying the same care and consideration. Just because the water tastes okay does not necessarily mean it’s safe to drink.
Nolan Shaheen is Director of Groundwater Management for the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. “Anyone with a private water supply that is being used as a drinking water source should have the water tested for health-related parameters such as nitrates, fecal coliforms, heavy metals such as arsenic, uranium and selenium, and major ions like sulphates, potassium, bicarbonates, calcium, magnesium, sodium and chlorides. Water should also be tested for hardness, especially if it is used for agricultural purposes. For instance, if you use herbicides like glyphosates, the hardness of the water can affect performance.”
“Many heavy metals occur naturally, and toxicity will vary according to concentrations and quantity consumed,” Shaheen explains. “We encourage you to consult health professionals to find out more about how these levels relate to the Provincial Drinking Water Guidelines, which are set to protect human health. As you can imagine, high concentrations could have some health-related effects. Consumers who draw water from wells that yield higher concentrations might want to consider drinking bottled water and using their well water for purposes other than drinking.”
Nitrates are another parameter that requires care and attention. Although they can occur naturally in the environment, the presence of nitrates is often associated with improper management of sewage or over-application of fertilizers.
Bacteriological testing should be carried out, as well as testing for iron and manganese, two metals that are commonly found in higher concentrations in Saskatchewan water supplies.
“Some parameters will only affect taste and colour, as in the case of iron which will stain laundry and impart a metallic taste to the water, but it will not harm you. That is what we refer to as more of an aesthetic consideration. In the case of other parameters, consequences can be much more serious,” says Shaheen.
Private water supplies’ stewards have a few options for testing. They can access one of a number of private labs in the province. There is a provincial health laboratory in Regina. The Saskatchewan Research Council has its own lab in Saskatoon. Any of Saskatchewan’s Health Districts will be able to provide a hand-sized water sample container.
“If you collect your own sample, due care and attention should be given to preventing sample contamination,” says Shaheen. “For instance, touching the inside of the container with your fingers could ruin the bacteriological component of the test.”
And remember, most water can be treated, and there are always a number of options to address unsafe water challenges. The first step, of course, is to be aware of the water’s quality.
For more information, contact:
Nolan Shaheen
Director, Groundwater Management
SaskatchewanWatershed Authority
(306) 694-3963
Dr. Joanne Sketchell
Manager, Water Quality Unit
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority
(306) 933-7434
Tired Of Wading Out Into Your Sloughs To Pound Pickets Into The Mud?
source: Farm and Food Report
It is one of these small challenges Punnichy’s Schlosser family had been wrestling with for years: how to lay fence across sloughs without getting wet and covered in mud?
According to Kevin Schlosser, “this is something everyone dreads in the spring — venturing out there in boots or hip waders to fix fence and realizing that they are not quite high enough to keep you dry. If you have a slough you must lay fence across, posts rot, wires rust out. It is a problem that just doesn’t go away. What if we could actually come up with posts that float?”
Kevin, his brother Dan, their father and mother went to work on this eight months ago, after many years of accumulated frustration. Easier said than done. Coming up with fencing structures that are buoyant, yet stable enough to prevent tipping in high winds, requires all the patience in the world.
“There was a lot of experimentation involved,” explains Kevin Schlosser. “We figured that the base would have to be made with urethane foam, but designing the shape the moulds should have was very much a trial and error process. We came up with several widths into which a fibreglass rod would be inserted, to which different types of fencing tapes and wires would be attached, using regular fencing clips. Then we took our prototypes to the sloughs to test them.”
Eventually, they found the right configuration. They launched a company: Jaddak Creations Inc. They prepared a business plan with the help of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization. The Schlosser family came up with a name for their product: they call them Slough Sticks. They even went through the patent process, successfully.
“I can’t believe no one had thought about it before,” Schlosser says. “The idea is to actually lay the fence and posts in the winter when the sloughs are frozen. It is much easier. We recommend a maximum distance of six meters between posts for increased stability. When the ice melts in the spring, the floating fence posts just float in their position on the water, and they’ll freeze in the same spot the following winter. It really is a low maintenance solution to a perennial headache.”
The company recently acquired the old Punnichy community theatre and town hall to manufacture their product, which should hit the market at any time.
“Right now, we are working with the local Co-op store. We went around to show our product. The posts will be made available on pallets for shipping and sales purposes. Other potential distributors across Canada have also expressed interest. This is all pretty exciting for us,” Schlosser says.
Apparently, the local population is just as interested in what the Schlossers are working on.
“There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t to go to the local hardware store to pick up one thing or another. People are always asking us what we are up to. I was born and raised in Punnichy,” says Kevin Schlosser, “and there used to be five restaurants in town. Like many, I had to move away for a few years, but I’m really glad to be back now. Just looking at people’s expressions, you get a sense they are thinking that perhaps there is a future for Punnichy.”
If fencing through water can be made easier, it may be that anything is possible, after all, in a small town where creativity is allowed free expression.
For more information, contact:
Kevin Schlosser
Jaddak Creations Inc.
(403) 852-1510
It is one of these small challenges Punnichy’s Schlosser family had been wrestling with for years: how to lay fence across sloughs without getting wet and covered in mud?
According to Kevin Schlosser, “this is something everyone dreads in the spring — venturing out there in boots or hip waders to fix fence and realizing that they are not quite high enough to keep you dry. If you have a slough you must lay fence across, posts rot, wires rust out. It is a problem that just doesn’t go away. What if we could actually come up with posts that float?”
Kevin, his brother Dan, their father and mother went to work on this eight months ago, after many years of accumulated frustration. Easier said than done. Coming up with fencing structures that are buoyant, yet stable enough to prevent tipping in high winds, requires all the patience in the world.
“There was a lot of experimentation involved,” explains Kevin Schlosser. “We figured that the base would have to be made with urethane foam, but designing the shape the moulds should have was very much a trial and error process. We came up with several widths into which a fibreglass rod would be inserted, to which different types of fencing tapes and wires would be attached, using regular fencing clips. Then we took our prototypes to the sloughs to test them.”
Eventually, they found the right configuration. They launched a company: Jaddak Creations Inc. They prepared a business plan with the help of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization. The Schlosser family came up with a name for their product: they call them Slough Sticks. They even went through the patent process, successfully.
“I can’t believe no one had thought about it before,” Schlosser says. “The idea is to actually lay the fence and posts in the winter when the sloughs are frozen. It is much easier. We recommend a maximum distance of six meters between posts for increased stability. When the ice melts in the spring, the floating fence posts just float in their position on the water, and they’ll freeze in the same spot the following winter. It really is a low maintenance solution to a perennial headache.”
The company recently acquired the old Punnichy community theatre and town hall to manufacture their product, which should hit the market at any time.
“Right now, we are working with the local Co-op store. We went around to show our product. The posts will be made available on pallets for shipping and sales purposes. Other potential distributors across Canada have also expressed interest. This is all pretty exciting for us,” Schlosser says.
Apparently, the local population is just as interested in what the Schlossers are working on.
“There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t to go to the local hardware store to pick up one thing or another. People are always asking us what we are up to. I was born and raised in Punnichy,” says Kevin Schlosser, “and there used to be five restaurants in town. Like many, I had to move away for a few years, but I’m really glad to be back now. Just looking at people’s expressions, you get a sense they are thinking that perhaps there is a future for Punnichy.”
If fencing through water can be made easier, it may be that anything is possible, after all, in a small town where creativity is allowed free expression.
For more information, contact:
Kevin Schlosser
Jaddak Creations Inc.
(403) 852-1510
Crop Production Week Is An Opportunity For Renewal
source: Farm and Food Report
The next edition of Crop Production Week, January 10 to 15 in Saskatoon, could take on some therapeutic virtues for many in the industry who will want to forget about last year’s crop performances.
Ray McVicar is Special Crops Provincial Specialist for SAFRR. “It is an opportunity to start fresh. Crop Production Week and the Western Canadian Crop Production Show are big events for grain producers because, for many, it will set the wheels in motion for the new crop year. What they experience during the week will influence their seeding plans for the coming production cycle.”
Central to this are all the production associations that hold Annual General Meetings during Crop Production Week: the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission; Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ Pulse Days, which can draw over 1,000 participants; the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association; the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission; Canola Days; the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association; the Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers Association; and the Canaryseed Association of Canada, a newcomer this year.
“What is remarkable about Crop Production Week,” according to SAFRR Business Development Specialist Brian Sim, “is the simple fact that the Production Week and Show, that take place simultaneously at the Saskatoon Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Prairieland Park, are solely dedicated to grain production. This event is geared toward producers who can access in one spot all the latest news and developments in crops and technology that is available and useable on the farm now. The quality and depth of knowledge there is absolutely fantastic.”
One of the highlights of this edition of Crop Production Week will surely be the Wednesday night Special Session titled What Do Consumers Really Want? with Andrew Benson of the International Food Information Council in Washington, D.C..
Rick Holm is President of Crop Production Saskatchewan Inc. “We invited Andrew Benson to come share with us some of his latest consumer research findings.” Holm says. “Consumers are more concerned than ever about food safety issues, production practices on the farm, and the impact they have on the environment. They need to be comfortable not only with the food but also with the entire production process that has allowed it to be made available on the market. Andrew has conducted surveys around the world to find out what consumer expectations are in markets that Saskatchewan producers seek to access.”
In a world where agricultural production seems increasingly guided by consumer expectations, it pays to know what assurances they require. Crop Production Week just seems like a good place to start.
For more information, contact:
Kevin Hursh
Crop Production Week
(306) 933-0138
kevin@hursh.ca
or visit:
http://www.cropweek.com/
The next edition of Crop Production Week, January 10 to 15 in Saskatoon, could take on some therapeutic virtues for many in the industry who will want to forget about last year’s crop performances.
Ray McVicar is Special Crops Provincial Specialist for SAFRR. “It is an opportunity to start fresh. Crop Production Week and the Western Canadian Crop Production Show are big events for grain producers because, for many, it will set the wheels in motion for the new crop year. What they experience during the week will influence their seeding plans for the coming production cycle.”
Central to this are all the production associations that hold Annual General Meetings during Crop Production Week: the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission; Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ Pulse Days, which can draw over 1,000 participants; the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association; the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission; Canola Days; the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association; the Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers Association; and the Canaryseed Association of Canada, a newcomer this year.
“What is remarkable about Crop Production Week,” according to SAFRR Business Development Specialist Brian Sim, “is the simple fact that the Production Week and Show, that take place simultaneously at the Saskatoon Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Prairieland Park, are solely dedicated to grain production. This event is geared toward producers who can access in one spot all the latest news and developments in crops and technology that is available and useable on the farm now. The quality and depth of knowledge there is absolutely fantastic.”
One of the highlights of this edition of Crop Production Week will surely be the Wednesday night Special Session titled What Do Consumers Really Want? with Andrew Benson of the International Food Information Council in Washington, D.C..
Rick Holm is President of Crop Production Saskatchewan Inc. “We invited Andrew Benson to come share with us some of his latest consumer research findings.” Holm says. “Consumers are more concerned than ever about food safety issues, production practices on the farm, and the impact they have on the environment. They need to be comfortable not only with the food but also with the entire production process that has allowed it to be made available on the market. Andrew has conducted surveys around the world to find out what consumer expectations are in markets that Saskatchewan producers seek to access.”
In a world where agricultural production seems increasingly guided by consumer expectations, it pays to know what assurances they require. Crop Production Week just seems like a good place to start.
For more information, contact:
Kevin Hursh
Crop Production Week
(306) 933-0138
kevin@hursh.ca
or visit:
http://www.cropweek.com/
Friday, January 14, 2005
Value Chains: Strength Depends On Partners’ Commitment To Success
source: Farm and Food Report
Hands on the wheel, speaking into his cell phone, Gordon Schroeder drives up the Qu’Appelle Valley near Craven shortly before dawn, on his way to yet another meeting:
“We have Mediterranean lamb sausage, cooked lamb in Moroccan orange sauce, Parmesan and Greek Feta cheese meatballs… and yes, marinated lamb kabobs,” Schroeder says.
Just listening to this exotic list of dishes makes one want to go for lunch right away. Schroeder is a man on a mission, you see. He is both Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board and now General Manager of Canadian Prairie Lamb — the producers’ latest bid toward industry development.
“Saskatchewan racks and lamb chops are moving well,” he says, “but we need to get the trim, shoulders and legs to the market somehow. We figure that, by preparing dishes that are fully cooked and ready from frozen to hot on the plate in four minutes, our partners and Canadian Prairie Lamb, together, can generate significant revenue through increased consumption of lamb.”
After incorporating in 2003 and issuing shares earlier this year, Canadian Prairie Lamb entered into a promising alliance with Sunterra Meats and the Saskatchewan Food Centre in Saskatoon. Their goal is to develop a new line of frozen lamb dishes out of Saskatchewan. These frozen meals are currently being marketed through small outlets such as butcher shops in the province, but the potential is great when looking at markets where lamb consumers abound in Eastern Canada. To harness that market,
Canadian Prairie Lamb has developed a value chain — a new approach to revenue generation.
Sherri Dobbs is a Value Chain Development Specialist at SAFRR:
“Call it a business philosophy or a business development tool, a value-chain does not simply mean that value is added to a product. It is much more than that. A value chain is developing alliances with different components of the supply chain, who work collaboratively for mutual benefits,” says Dobbs.
Dobbs explains that one of the greatest challenges in promoting the value chain concept is to ensure the audience has an accurate picture of how they work and how they differ from the traditional supplier/buyer business relationships. In the case of Canadian Prairie Lamb, primary producers have entered into an alliance with a processor that readies the meat for transformation at a food preparation facility, where the meat is cooked, the sauces are prepared, and the meals packaged for shipment and distribution to targeted markets.
“It takes work to put an arrangement like this into place. There has to be rewards for all members of the value chain — its strength is in the relationships built between the links themselves and the rewards that ensue from these relationships,” Dobbs says.
Prairie Berries’ Sandra Purdy knows it very well. The Keeler-based company grows, processes, and markets Saskatoon berries and Saskatoon berry value-add products nationally and internationally. Recently, Prairie Berries played a key role in the development of a new company comprised of 16 other independent Saskatoon berry growers who collectively market their Saskatoon berries through Saskatoon Berry Partners Inc.
“Our consortium of producers has committed to providing Saputo all the Saskatoon berry puree it requires to produce its Saskatoon berry-flavoured yogurts, through Prairie Berries’ processing facilities,” Purdy says. “Saputo will, in turn, distribute the yogurts through its own channels. This generates revenue opportunities much beyond those available for syrups, pie fillings and jams on their own.”
Purdy adds that the commitment between value chain partners goes much beyond simple volume deliveries. It actually touches on something much more fundamental: information-sharing at all levels.
“To give Saputo the exact product that it needs, we need to know what texture of berry puree works best for their processing needs. It is to Saputo’s advantage to share this with us. They know it; we know it. There has to be a collective commitment to increasing efficiencies at each step of the process, for it can reduce costs and eventually contribute to increasing each value chain partner’s share of the revenue.”
For instance, “if Prairie Berries knows that it is more convenient for Saputo to work with five-gallon pails of puree, rather than puree delivered in bags, steps can be taken to facilitate everyone’s tasks, and everyone will reap the benefits of this arrangement.”
Clearly, then, value chains are a long-term business development tool to seize new market opportunities. Purdy and all value chain converts are quite confident of the potential of this approach.
“It has to be a win/win situation for everyone from the start. As for the rest, the market will tell us in due course. We’re banking that markets will like our move in the long run.”
For more information, contact:
Sherri Dobbs
Value Chain Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-8537
Hands on the wheel, speaking into his cell phone, Gordon Schroeder drives up the Qu’Appelle Valley near Craven shortly before dawn, on his way to yet another meeting:
“We have Mediterranean lamb sausage, cooked lamb in Moroccan orange sauce, Parmesan and Greek Feta cheese meatballs… and yes, marinated lamb kabobs,” Schroeder says.
Just listening to this exotic list of dishes makes one want to go for lunch right away. Schroeder is a man on a mission, you see. He is both Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board and now General Manager of Canadian Prairie Lamb — the producers’ latest bid toward industry development.
“Saskatchewan racks and lamb chops are moving well,” he says, “but we need to get the trim, shoulders and legs to the market somehow. We figure that, by preparing dishes that are fully cooked and ready from frozen to hot on the plate in four minutes, our partners and Canadian Prairie Lamb, together, can generate significant revenue through increased consumption of lamb.”
After incorporating in 2003 and issuing shares earlier this year, Canadian Prairie Lamb entered into a promising alliance with Sunterra Meats and the Saskatchewan Food Centre in Saskatoon. Their goal is to develop a new line of frozen lamb dishes out of Saskatchewan. These frozen meals are currently being marketed through small outlets such as butcher shops in the province, but the potential is great when looking at markets where lamb consumers abound in Eastern Canada. To harness that market,
Canadian Prairie Lamb has developed a value chain — a new approach to revenue generation.
Sherri Dobbs is a Value Chain Development Specialist at SAFRR:
“Call it a business philosophy or a business development tool, a value-chain does not simply mean that value is added to a product. It is much more than that. A value chain is developing alliances with different components of the supply chain, who work collaboratively for mutual benefits,” says Dobbs.
Dobbs explains that one of the greatest challenges in promoting the value chain concept is to ensure the audience has an accurate picture of how they work and how they differ from the traditional supplier/buyer business relationships. In the case of Canadian Prairie Lamb, primary producers have entered into an alliance with a processor that readies the meat for transformation at a food preparation facility, where the meat is cooked, the sauces are prepared, and the meals packaged for shipment and distribution to targeted markets.
“It takes work to put an arrangement like this into place. There has to be rewards for all members of the value chain — its strength is in the relationships built between the links themselves and the rewards that ensue from these relationships,” Dobbs says.
Prairie Berries’ Sandra Purdy knows it very well. The Keeler-based company grows, processes, and markets Saskatoon berries and Saskatoon berry value-add products nationally and internationally. Recently, Prairie Berries played a key role in the development of a new company comprised of 16 other independent Saskatoon berry growers who collectively market their Saskatoon berries through Saskatoon Berry Partners Inc.
“Our consortium of producers has committed to providing Saputo all the Saskatoon berry puree it requires to produce its Saskatoon berry-flavoured yogurts, through Prairie Berries’ processing facilities,” Purdy says. “Saputo will, in turn, distribute the yogurts through its own channels. This generates revenue opportunities much beyond those available for syrups, pie fillings and jams on their own.”
Purdy adds that the commitment between value chain partners goes much beyond simple volume deliveries. It actually touches on something much more fundamental: information-sharing at all levels.
“To give Saputo the exact product that it needs, we need to know what texture of berry puree works best for their processing needs. It is to Saputo’s advantage to share this with us. They know it; we know it. There has to be a collective commitment to increasing efficiencies at each step of the process, for it can reduce costs and eventually contribute to increasing each value chain partner’s share of the revenue.”
For instance, “if Prairie Berries knows that it is more convenient for Saputo to work with five-gallon pails of puree, rather than puree delivered in bags, steps can be taken to facilitate everyone’s tasks, and everyone will reap the benefits of this arrangement.”
Clearly, then, value chains are a long-term business development tool to seize new market opportunities. Purdy and all value chain converts are quite confident of the potential of this approach.
“It has to be a win/win situation for everyone from the start. As for the rest, the market will tell us in due course. We’re banking that markets will like our move in the long run.”
For more information, contact:
Sherri Dobbs
Value Chain Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-8537
Cranking Out Top Teams Starts With Recruiting The Right Horses
source: Farm and Food Report
Like many parents with children in minor hockey, Bill Aulie spends a fair bit of time around arenas. A hockey scout once asked him what he did for a living. He answered: “I do what you do… with Clydesdales.”
“These scouts go around and look for the best athletes that will fit their team, and I travel Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba — get a little bit out in Ontario — I just find the best athletes that are going to fit into our program, and bring them in, and hopefully they’ll work out.”
Aulie farms 2,800 acres of grain land at Rouleau. He also raises and trains Clydesdale horses for a living.
“If they do work, they stay until they are four year-olds, and they move on to the big leagues down in the U.S. or to some other big hitches in Canada. Or if they don’t work, they stay in the semi-pros or the junior leagues at somebody else’s farm, or with somebody who wants a nice show horse or pleasure horse — that’s where they’ll go.”
This love of Clydesdales started a long time ago. “Back when I was a young kid, my dad had Clydesdales, but he got rid of them when I was four or five years old. I got back into them when I was 13 — got my first team and just kept on driving them.”
Then Aulie found out that his grandfather, who had passed away at an early age, had also had the bug. “Everything he had was Clydesdales. He brought horses up from the States in rail cars, and would train them and sell them in Saskatchewan. Funny thing is, now, I’m gathering horses in Canada, training them and sending them down to the U.S. That’s my business.”
Indeed, Aulie has shown horses to international audiences at Canadian Western Agribition since 1985. In 1995, a buyer from the States came up and asked him to put together a hitch for him. “And since 1995, I’ve sent down 175 horses to the United States based on that connection. I have trained for him, and set up a world-class hitch for him and his operation down there.”
How did Aulie get so good at what he does? “It’s all about looking for the right attitudes; get them to work the right way; and get them to just perform at a top level. I’ve been lucky so far. We have had some good horses. We ended up with a U.S. National Champion six-horse hitch and eight-horse hitch from a bunch that I sent down. Budweiser has four of my horses off my breeding down there. And Budweiser Clydesdales are a pretty big hitch.”
Of course, nothing gets rewarded without effort. “As soon as I put the combine away, I start driving the horses. Every morning, they get hitched to haul their feed in for the 50 head and I drive all day long in the wintertime. I usually start by 7:00 a.m., I harness by 9:00 and drive through to supper time. I switch teams and start with the next team. I clean the barn with them everyday. When there is snow on the ground I use the sleigh, and a horse drawn manure spreader. I enjoy doing it, and every now and then you just get a good horse - you get a real thrill out of working with him. The next horse maybe is not so good, and he is not going to make you any money.”
Aulie is passionate not only about his horses, but also about the equipment he uses as well. “A good show harness costs between $5,000 and $6,000 dollars per horse. We have a source for it with the Amish farmers in Ontario. There are a couple of manufacturers there that specialize in making harness and tack for draft horses. I order all my harness from there and I spend the extra money to get the extra good stuff. Consequently, it’s been holding up real well.”
Synthetic, it seems, is the best. “Nylon and Biothane materials are a little tougher than the leather, more durable, easier to clean, easier to work with. The same with halters - very seldom do you ever see a leather halter anymore. It’s nylon… so the tack is relatively easy to find right now. Thanks to the Amish.”
Aulie has a soft spot for his training outfit. “At the farm, my dad rebuilt a dray wagon that was used in Assiniboia. It is a delivery wagon that was used to deliver goods — like a semi-truck 80 years ago, pulled by a team of horses. It would pick up goods at the rail car or the railway station and deliver to the various businesses around town, whether it would be lumber, salt or flour. This wagon was left rotting away when we found it. I took it home to my dad, with a load of steel, and told him I needed a real tough wagon. These horses are young and pretty anxious — we’re going to have some pretty fast rides. So, that’s my main training piece, this big dray wagon.”
Next time you drive around Rouleau, just remember to keep an eye out for Bill Aulie’s hot teams. Or you can always wait and watch them on TV, when they enter the world of professional athletes.
For more information, contact:
Bill Aulie
Aulie Farms
(306) 776-2275
Like many parents with children in minor hockey, Bill Aulie spends a fair bit of time around arenas. A hockey scout once asked him what he did for a living. He answered: “I do what you do… with Clydesdales.”
“These scouts go around and look for the best athletes that will fit their team, and I travel Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba — get a little bit out in Ontario — I just find the best athletes that are going to fit into our program, and bring them in, and hopefully they’ll work out.”
Aulie farms 2,800 acres of grain land at Rouleau. He also raises and trains Clydesdale horses for a living.
“If they do work, they stay until they are four year-olds, and they move on to the big leagues down in the U.S. or to some other big hitches in Canada. Or if they don’t work, they stay in the semi-pros or the junior leagues at somebody else’s farm, or with somebody who wants a nice show horse or pleasure horse — that’s where they’ll go.”
This love of Clydesdales started a long time ago. “Back when I was a young kid, my dad had Clydesdales, but he got rid of them when I was four or five years old. I got back into them when I was 13 — got my first team and just kept on driving them.”
Then Aulie found out that his grandfather, who had passed away at an early age, had also had the bug. “Everything he had was Clydesdales. He brought horses up from the States in rail cars, and would train them and sell them in Saskatchewan. Funny thing is, now, I’m gathering horses in Canada, training them and sending them down to the U.S. That’s my business.”
Indeed, Aulie has shown horses to international audiences at Canadian Western Agribition since 1985. In 1995, a buyer from the States came up and asked him to put together a hitch for him. “And since 1995, I’ve sent down 175 horses to the United States based on that connection. I have trained for him, and set up a world-class hitch for him and his operation down there.”
How did Aulie get so good at what he does? “It’s all about looking for the right attitudes; get them to work the right way; and get them to just perform at a top level. I’ve been lucky so far. We have had some good horses. We ended up with a U.S. National Champion six-horse hitch and eight-horse hitch from a bunch that I sent down. Budweiser has four of my horses off my breeding down there. And Budweiser Clydesdales are a pretty big hitch.”
Of course, nothing gets rewarded without effort. “As soon as I put the combine away, I start driving the horses. Every morning, they get hitched to haul their feed in for the 50 head and I drive all day long in the wintertime. I usually start by 7:00 a.m., I harness by 9:00 and drive through to supper time. I switch teams and start with the next team. I clean the barn with them everyday. When there is snow on the ground I use the sleigh, and a horse drawn manure spreader. I enjoy doing it, and every now and then you just get a good horse - you get a real thrill out of working with him. The next horse maybe is not so good, and he is not going to make you any money.”
Aulie is passionate not only about his horses, but also about the equipment he uses as well. “A good show harness costs between $5,000 and $6,000 dollars per horse. We have a source for it with the Amish farmers in Ontario. There are a couple of manufacturers there that specialize in making harness and tack for draft horses. I order all my harness from there and I spend the extra money to get the extra good stuff. Consequently, it’s been holding up real well.”
Synthetic, it seems, is the best. “Nylon and Biothane materials are a little tougher than the leather, more durable, easier to clean, easier to work with. The same with halters - very seldom do you ever see a leather halter anymore. It’s nylon… so the tack is relatively easy to find right now. Thanks to the Amish.”
Aulie has a soft spot for his training outfit. “At the farm, my dad rebuilt a dray wagon that was used in Assiniboia. It is a delivery wagon that was used to deliver goods — like a semi-truck 80 years ago, pulled by a team of horses. It would pick up goods at the rail car or the railway station and deliver to the various businesses around town, whether it would be lumber, salt or flour. This wagon was left rotting away when we found it. I took it home to my dad, with a load of steel, and told him I needed a real tough wagon. These horses are young and pretty anxious — we’re going to have some pretty fast rides. So, that’s my main training piece, this big dray wagon.”
Next time you drive around Rouleau, just remember to keep an eye out for Bill Aulie’s hot teams. Or you can always wait and watch them on TV, when they enter the world of professional athletes.
For more information, contact:
Bill Aulie
Aulie Farms
(306) 776-2275
Owner Of “Affordable Barns” Attributes Success To Know-How
source: Farm and Food Report
Jack Taylor has been manufacturing metal structures since the age of 14. More than 30 years later, he figures he has gained some pretty valuable insight into the art of crafting reliable, competitively-priced horse and calving barns that are built to last.
“The design is a bit of a trade secret -- you can’t share everything, you know. I will tell you this: we pre-make the components at our own factory, and then we take them out to our clients’ yard and set them up. Our success can be attributed to the system we use for building them. In essence, we’ve been able to really cut down the labour cost of these buildings. That is why we call them affordable barns.”
Taylor and his family have set up shop at their Melfort farm, where they also keep about 150 bison, and 10 horses that they train and work with. They rent out the cropland, and have invested most of their energy into this manufacturing endeavour. They sell their barns just about anywhere in Western Canada.
“We’ve been selling these buildings for three years now. They are all steel framed. They tend to appeal to acreage and farm people. It seems that the majority in the last couple of years have gone to acreages, for people who have horses and livestock — they’re busy people, professional people and they want us to put up a barn real quick so they don’t have to do a bunch of work. We just come and do the whole thing. We pull up in the yard and in a couple of days they have a nice barn they can start to use.”
Taylor believes that his own experience with horses plays a considerable role in the concepts he puts forward in his designs.
“The stalls are made so there are no exposed edges of the wood for the animals to start chewing on, because horses sometimes will do that. Structurally, we use metal, which makes the barn extremely strong. It really contains everything nicely. Everything is customizable: from the stalls, to the colour of the barn itself.”
Above all, Jack Taylor likes the new relationships this business venture has allowed him to establish since he started Affordable Barns. “We like selling to horse people because we are horse people. We have met a lot of really nice folks over the last few years selling barns. Some people have even invited us to stay with them. It’s pretty neat.”
Taylor figures that making new friends while doing business is a pretty good indicator that his barns and their competitive advantage will keep him going for a while yet.
For more information, contact:
Jack Taylor
Affordable Barns
1-866-500-2276
http://www.affordablebarns.com
Jack Taylor has been manufacturing metal structures since the age of 14. More than 30 years later, he figures he has gained some pretty valuable insight into the art of crafting reliable, competitively-priced horse and calving barns that are built to last.
“The design is a bit of a trade secret -- you can’t share everything, you know. I will tell you this: we pre-make the components at our own factory, and then we take them out to our clients’ yard and set them up. Our success can be attributed to the system we use for building them. In essence, we’ve been able to really cut down the labour cost of these buildings. That is why we call them affordable barns.”
Taylor and his family have set up shop at their Melfort farm, where they also keep about 150 bison, and 10 horses that they train and work with. They rent out the cropland, and have invested most of their energy into this manufacturing endeavour. They sell their barns just about anywhere in Western Canada.
“We’ve been selling these buildings for three years now. They are all steel framed. They tend to appeal to acreage and farm people. It seems that the majority in the last couple of years have gone to acreages, for people who have horses and livestock — they’re busy people, professional people and they want us to put up a barn real quick so they don’t have to do a bunch of work. We just come and do the whole thing. We pull up in the yard and in a couple of days they have a nice barn they can start to use.”
Taylor believes that his own experience with horses plays a considerable role in the concepts he puts forward in his designs.
“The stalls are made so there are no exposed edges of the wood for the animals to start chewing on, because horses sometimes will do that. Structurally, we use metal, which makes the barn extremely strong. It really contains everything nicely. Everything is customizable: from the stalls, to the colour of the barn itself.”
Above all, Jack Taylor likes the new relationships this business venture has allowed him to establish since he started Affordable Barns. “We like selling to horse people because we are horse people. We have met a lot of really nice folks over the last few years selling barns. Some people have even invited us to stay with them. It’s pretty neat.”
Taylor figures that making new friends while doing business is a pretty good indicator that his barns and their competitive advantage will keep him going for a while yet.
For more information, contact:
Jack Taylor
Affordable Barns
1-866-500-2276
http://www.affordablebarns.com
Encouraging Beneficial Practices In Grazing And Riparian Area Management In The North West
source: Farm and Food Report
Environmental sustainability has always been front and centre to the way Herschel’s Leam Craig practices agriculture. Two years ago, Craig joined the Herschel Grazing Club, a group of cattle producers who meet regularly to share solutions and, at times, stories about wrecks.
Recently, the Club welcomed Glenn Barclay, a Forage Industry Development Specialist from Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, and Jeremy Brown, a Range Ecology Technician from the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.
“We used them as resource people to learn from,” explains Craig. “I used to continuous crop 2,500 acres every year. Then we started to seed 300 to 400 acres a year back to grass. For the first two years, things went great. The grass just grew as it was supposed to. But the two next years were something else. We were hit by drought — we had to reseed everything. After that, I realized we needed all the knowledge we could get access to.”
That is where the North West Environmental Stewardship Project comes in. Jeremy Brown has been employed to deliver this multi-agency approach to promoting the adoption of beneficial management practices on rangelands and riparian areas. It is funded under the Greencover Technical Assistance Component, which falls under the Agricultural Policy Framework’s environment chapter. Besides SAFRR and SWA, Ducks Unlimited, Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association, Western Applied Research Corporation and Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration are all active partners.
“During the next four years,” explains Brown, “we will conduct field days and winter extension meetings to help producers learn more about sustainable land-use practices in North West Saskatchewan. We will also conduct grazing schools to assist producers in developing a management plan for their farm or ranch; and we will address riparian, rangeland and tame forage issues with a view to increasing productivity and general carrying capacity in those pastures.”
SAFRR’s Glenn Barclay supports the initiative. “Production issues often have an associated environmental stewardship component, especially where riparian areas are involved.”
“ Society and the media are very concerned with having cattle near water sources, but the solution need not be complete exclusion,” explains Brown. “Providing alternative watering sources, combined with rotational grazing programs that give vegetation located in riparian zones a rest — particularly during sensitive periods like spring — can alleviate some of the less beneficial impacts on the environment.”
It has long been established that riparian areas produce above average amounts of biomass; they play a key role in sediment trapping, nutrient filtration, stream and wave energy dissipation — not to mention erosion control, streambank stabilization, and groundwater recharge.
Cattle producers are increasingly aware of these functions; as they are also aware of how rangelands, woodlands, and perennial cover contribute to soil moisture conservation, nutrient cycling and erosion control. When these functions are occurring, benefits in the form of improved livestock performance, opportunities for herd expansion, improved water quality and the provision of wildlife habitat are realized.
Grazing clubs provide an ideal forum to share and seek knowledge. The North West Environmental Stewardship Project partners can make this knowledge more accessible, but a good place to start is from within.
At the Herschel meeting, Jeremy Brown suggested to Grazing Club members that each make a presentation to the group about their own successes and failures as graziers. As grazier Leam Craig said himself, “we can all learn from our collective experience and improve our skills that much faster if we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”
For more information, contact:
Jeremy Brown, AAg
Range Ecology Technician
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority
(306) 446-7460
Glenn Barclay, PAg
Forage Industry Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 446-7650
Environmental sustainability has always been front and centre to the way Herschel’s Leam Craig practices agriculture. Two years ago, Craig joined the Herschel Grazing Club, a group of cattle producers who meet regularly to share solutions and, at times, stories about wrecks.
Recently, the Club welcomed Glenn Barclay, a Forage Industry Development Specialist from Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, and Jeremy Brown, a Range Ecology Technician from the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.
“We used them as resource people to learn from,” explains Craig. “I used to continuous crop 2,500 acres every year. Then we started to seed 300 to 400 acres a year back to grass. For the first two years, things went great. The grass just grew as it was supposed to. But the two next years were something else. We were hit by drought — we had to reseed everything. After that, I realized we needed all the knowledge we could get access to.”
That is where the North West Environmental Stewardship Project comes in. Jeremy Brown has been employed to deliver this multi-agency approach to promoting the adoption of beneficial management practices on rangelands and riparian areas. It is funded under the Greencover Technical Assistance Component, which falls under the Agricultural Policy Framework’s environment chapter. Besides SAFRR and SWA, Ducks Unlimited, Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association, Western Applied Research Corporation and Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration are all active partners.
“During the next four years,” explains Brown, “we will conduct field days and winter extension meetings to help producers learn more about sustainable land-use practices in North West Saskatchewan. We will also conduct grazing schools to assist producers in developing a management plan for their farm or ranch; and we will address riparian, rangeland and tame forage issues with a view to increasing productivity and general carrying capacity in those pastures.”
SAFRR’s Glenn Barclay supports the initiative. “Production issues often have an associated environmental stewardship component, especially where riparian areas are involved.”
“ Society and the media are very concerned with having cattle near water sources, but the solution need not be complete exclusion,” explains Brown. “Providing alternative watering sources, combined with rotational grazing programs that give vegetation located in riparian zones a rest — particularly during sensitive periods like spring — can alleviate some of the less beneficial impacts on the environment.”
It has long been established that riparian areas produce above average amounts of biomass; they play a key role in sediment trapping, nutrient filtration, stream and wave energy dissipation — not to mention erosion control, streambank stabilization, and groundwater recharge.
Cattle producers are increasingly aware of these functions; as they are also aware of how rangelands, woodlands, and perennial cover contribute to soil moisture conservation, nutrient cycling and erosion control. When these functions are occurring, benefits in the form of improved livestock performance, opportunities for herd expansion, improved water quality and the provision of wildlife habitat are realized.
Grazing clubs provide an ideal forum to share and seek knowledge. The North West Environmental Stewardship Project partners can make this knowledge more accessible, but a good place to start is from within.
At the Herschel meeting, Jeremy Brown suggested to Grazing Club members that each make a presentation to the group about their own successes and failures as graziers. As grazier Leam Craig said himself, “we can all learn from our collective experience and improve our skills that much faster if we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”
For more information, contact:
Jeremy Brown, AAg
Range Ecology Technician
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority
(306) 446-7460
Glenn Barclay, PAg
Forage Industry Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 446-7650
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Maple Creek Horsewoman Is First Miss Rodeo Canada From Saskatchewan In 21 Years
source: Farm and Food Report
She’s 18 years old; a veritable ball of fire on a horse; and, since November 12th, Christa Lawrence is also Miss Rodeo Canada 2005 — crowned Queen of the Canadian Rodeo tradition at the recent Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton.
“A lot of my friends are kind of shocked because I was known as the tomboy in school. They are quite shocked to see me all glitzy the way I am today, but they are extremely proud and support me all the way,” admits the enthusiastic Maple Creek native.
And really, this is a pleasant development for the province. “I’m the third Miss Rodeo Canada from Saskatchewan, but there hasn’t been one in 21 years, since 1983 when Kathleen Kornelson was Miss Rodeo Canada.”
Becoming Miss Rodeo Canada is no small achievement. “You first have to win at a Pro Rodeo. I was Miss Rodeo Maple Creek in 2003. Then the Rodeo Queen Committee sends you on to Rodeo Canada. There is a horsemanship part of it, public speaking, and modelling, personal interview. You are judged on personality and appearance every day.”
The process is a tad more demanding than your regular pageant. “Horsemanship is the most important part. If you can’t ride a horse, you can’t be Miss Rodeo Canada. You are handed between five and seven different horses you have never been on before and you must go through patterns to demonstrate your skills as a rider,” explains Lawrence.
“I grew up on a ranch southwest of Maple Creek, strictly cattle, so my expertise I would say is in the cattle industry. I’m fifth generation on my ranch actually. I was brought up with horses. My grandpas were great teamsters; my dad was a jockey.”
Above all, Lawrence dearly loves these beautiful creatures that play such a central part in ranching activities. “Horses are extremely bright; they are a willing animal; they want to work for you and that’s the best part about them. I consider them as a partner or friend, not as my tools…they are my tools to get the job done. But they are a friend also more than a machine.”
Ms. Lawrence now has a world of opportunities ahead of her, as she will get to travel over the next year much beyond the Great Plains region she is familiar with. “To me it’s a privilege and an opportunity for my skills to grow during the year. I just graduated from high school, so this could open millions of doors for me. Plus I’ll get better with the public. It’ll just help me in the future, in whatever job or career I decide to do.”
On that particular topic, Miss Rodeo Canada 2005 is currently weighing her options. They certainly will include honing her horse skills. “I possibly want to continue in College Rodeo and also take a farrier course or animal health technology. I’m considering a farrier’s course because I’ll hopefully go on to train horses. Their feet have to be taken care of. It is crucial to looking after horses.”
There is no denying Lawrence’s passion for her chosen sport: “I want Rodeo to grow and I want Rodeo to carry on its traditions the way it is right now. I thought why not come out and be the ambassador of Rodeo.”
She has other interests as well, among which is basketball during the winter; and, she is also an artist with a fondness for pencil and watercolour works. But there is no ambiguity as to where her loyalty lies. She absolutely adores Rodeo: “The excitement, the thrill of it; watching everybody compete; the timed events; rough stock; I like both ends of the arena. I love the barrel racing. I think it is the speed of the event that I like. I like to go as fast as I can. That’s why I like to do a presentation lap, where you fly around and wave. That’s the part I enjoy most. Then I also carry the Canadian flag.”
As to future dreams, guess what: “One day, I’d really like to be a pro barrel racer right here. That’s kind of a goal I’ve set for myself. I don’t know if I’ll reach it but I’ll work on it.”
Long may you ride, Christa Lawrence.
She’s 18 years old; a veritable ball of fire on a horse; and, since November 12th, Christa Lawrence is also Miss Rodeo Canada 2005 — crowned Queen of the Canadian Rodeo tradition at the recent Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton.
“A lot of my friends are kind of shocked because I was known as the tomboy in school. They are quite shocked to see me all glitzy the way I am today, but they are extremely proud and support me all the way,” admits the enthusiastic Maple Creek native.
And really, this is a pleasant development for the province. “I’m the third Miss Rodeo Canada from Saskatchewan, but there hasn’t been one in 21 years, since 1983 when Kathleen Kornelson was Miss Rodeo Canada.”
Becoming Miss Rodeo Canada is no small achievement. “You first have to win at a Pro Rodeo. I was Miss Rodeo Maple Creek in 2003. Then the Rodeo Queen Committee sends you on to Rodeo Canada. There is a horsemanship part of it, public speaking, and modelling, personal interview. You are judged on personality and appearance every day.”
The process is a tad more demanding than your regular pageant. “Horsemanship is the most important part. If you can’t ride a horse, you can’t be Miss Rodeo Canada. You are handed between five and seven different horses you have never been on before and you must go through patterns to demonstrate your skills as a rider,” explains Lawrence.
“I grew up on a ranch southwest of Maple Creek, strictly cattle, so my expertise I would say is in the cattle industry. I’m fifth generation on my ranch actually. I was brought up with horses. My grandpas were great teamsters; my dad was a jockey.”
Above all, Lawrence dearly loves these beautiful creatures that play such a central part in ranching activities. “Horses are extremely bright; they are a willing animal; they want to work for you and that’s the best part about them. I consider them as a partner or friend, not as my tools…they are my tools to get the job done. But they are a friend also more than a machine.”
Ms. Lawrence now has a world of opportunities ahead of her, as she will get to travel over the next year much beyond the Great Plains region she is familiar with. “To me it’s a privilege and an opportunity for my skills to grow during the year. I just graduated from high school, so this could open millions of doors for me. Plus I’ll get better with the public. It’ll just help me in the future, in whatever job or career I decide to do.”
On that particular topic, Miss Rodeo Canada 2005 is currently weighing her options. They certainly will include honing her horse skills. “I possibly want to continue in College Rodeo and also take a farrier course or animal health technology. I’m considering a farrier’s course because I’ll hopefully go on to train horses. Their feet have to be taken care of. It is crucial to looking after horses.”
There is no denying Lawrence’s passion for her chosen sport: “I want Rodeo to grow and I want Rodeo to carry on its traditions the way it is right now. I thought why not come out and be the ambassador of Rodeo.”
She has other interests as well, among which is basketball during the winter; and, she is also an artist with a fondness for pencil and watercolour works. But there is no ambiguity as to where her loyalty lies. She absolutely adores Rodeo: “The excitement, the thrill of it; watching everybody compete; the timed events; rough stock; I like both ends of the arena. I love the barrel racing. I think it is the speed of the event that I like. I like to go as fast as I can. That’s why I like to do a presentation lap, where you fly around and wave. That’s the part I enjoy most. Then I also carry the Canadian flag.”
As to future dreams, guess what: “One day, I’d really like to be a pro barrel racer right here. That’s kind of a goal I’ve set for myself. I don’t know if I’ll reach it but I’ll work on it.”
Long may you ride, Christa Lawrence.
Saskatchewan Christmas Trees: If You Plant That Seedling And Wait A While… They Will Come
source: Farm and Food Report
When Bob Mason and Cora Greer planted the first row of Scots Pine seedlings on their Kenaston-area farm in 1990, they knew they were embarking on a long-term project.
“We had to wait seven years before we could start selling them, and we had to cull a few where we had planted them too densely,” admits Mason. “This has been a learning experience and quite a ride.”
At first, Mason would sell the trees from the back of his truck at a Moose Jaw mall, then in Regina, from another mall. Then he discovered the “joys” of competitive marketing arrangements. When the anchor tenant grocer decided to sell Christmas trees as well, the contract with Mason Family Farm was terminated.
“I asked myself if this was really what I wanted to do. I was away from my family for the whole month. I found that difficult. Let’s see if there isn’t another way to do this?
”Welcome to Mason Family Farm’s you-choose Christmas tree operation, where 15 acres of trees await you, four kilometres north of Kenaston. Just look for the signs on Highway 11. You’ll find about 1,000 trees per acre in the plantation. All those ready to cut are Scots Pine. There is also a generation of Balsam Fir in the works that is not quite mature enough yet. As Mason will tell you, there are several obstacles to growing trees commercially in a Plains setting:
“The wide open spaces are not your friend, because wind desiccation takes such a toll on the trees during winter — but Scots pines do remarkably well,” Mason says. “As a result of the recent drought, we have felt compelled to set up drip irrigation for all new plantings. Balsam fir require special mycorrhizae fungi that takes some time to establish itself, as they are not endemic to southern prairie soils. They grow, but it takes longer initially.
”However, the rewards are satisfying at many levels. “Christmas time is generally a happy time for everyone. People come to your farm with big wide smiles. They’re in good spirits, and they’ve come here for the whole experience of cutting their tree as a family.”
Mason explains how many will easily spend a couple of hours at a time on their property on a weekend. “They bring the whole family out; they drive to the plantation and they start looking for the right tree. We tell them what to look for and they use the bow saw we loan them. Sometimes they’ll even bring refreshments and a snack with them, and they will have their own tail-gate party at our place.”
“When they have their tree, we invite them into the kitchen for cocoa and cookies. We even take their photographs. We realize that what we sell them is a lot more than the tree — it is the whole experience of being out here for a while. They take home the tree and the memories of great family outing.”
One might say that the Mason Family Farm is in the business of joy and not be too from the truth. Most of their guests come from a 60-kilometre radius, so this appeals not only to city dwellers, but to everyone.
“If you look at it this way, there is a lot more room for growth in this industry.” Mason also happens to be the President of the Saskatchewan Christmas Tree Growers’ Association Co-Operative, a small group of industry enthusiasts who hope this business will really take off over the next few years.
“This is not for everybody. You have to love trees and people. The required capital investment is not that great. But there is a fairly high attrition rate among our members because they might not have realized how long it takes to get a crop.”
For Bob Mason and Cora Greer, there is no turning back. They have just moved a barn into the farmyard to accommodate the weekend crowds enjoying the cocoa and cookies event, says Mason:
“The place turns into a bit of a zoo around this time of the year, but we love every bit of it.”
When Bob Mason and Cora Greer planted the first row of Scots Pine seedlings on their Kenaston-area farm in 1990, they knew they were embarking on a long-term project.
“We had to wait seven years before we could start selling them, and we had to cull a few where we had planted them too densely,” admits Mason. “This has been a learning experience and quite a ride.”
At first, Mason would sell the trees from the back of his truck at a Moose Jaw mall, then in Regina, from another mall. Then he discovered the “joys” of competitive marketing arrangements. When the anchor tenant grocer decided to sell Christmas trees as well, the contract with Mason Family Farm was terminated.
“I asked myself if this was really what I wanted to do. I was away from my family for the whole month. I found that difficult. Let’s see if there isn’t another way to do this?
”Welcome to Mason Family Farm’s you-choose Christmas tree operation, where 15 acres of trees await you, four kilometres north of Kenaston. Just look for the signs on Highway 11. You’ll find about 1,000 trees per acre in the plantation. All those ready to cut are Scots Pine. There is also a generation of Balsam Fir in the works that is not quite mature enough yet. As Mason will tell you, there are several obstacles to growing trees commercially in a Plains setting:
“The wide open spaces are not your friend, because wind desiccation takes such a toll on the trees during winter — but Scots pines do remarkably well,” Mason says. “As a result of the recent drought, we have felt compelled to set up drip irrigation for all new plantings. Balsam fir require special mycorrhizae fungi that takes some time to establish itself, as they are not endemic to southern prairie soils. They grow, but it takes longer initially.
”However, the rewards are satisfying at many levels. “Christmas time is generally a happy time for everyone. People come to your farm with big wide smiles. They’re in good spirits, and they’ve come here for the whole experience of cutting their tree as a family.”
Mason explains how many will easily spend a couple of hours at a time on their property on a weekend. “They bring the whole family out; they drive to the plantation and they start looking for the right tree. We tell them what to look for and they use the bow saw we loan them. Sometimes they’ll even bring refreshments and a snack with them, and they will have their own tail-gate party at our place.”
“When they have their tree, we invite them into the kitchen for cocoa and cookies. We even take their photographs. We realize that what we sell them is a lot more than the tree — it is the whole experience of being out here for a while. They take home the tree and the memories of great family outing.”
One might say that the Mason Family Farm is in the business of joy and not be too from the truth. Most of their guests come from a 60-kilometre radius, so this appeals not only to city dwellers, but to everyone.
“If you look at it this way, there is a lot more room for growth in this industry.” Mason also happens to be the President of the Saskatchewan Christmas Tree Growers’ Association Co-Operative, a small group of industry enthusiasts who hope this business will really take off over the next few years.
“This is not for everybody. You have to love trees and people. The required capital investment is not that great. But there is a fairly high attrition rate among our members because they might not have realized how long it takes to get a crop.”
For Bob Mason and Cora Greer, there is no turning back. They have just moved a barn into the farmyard to accommodate the weekend crowds enjoying the cocoa and cookies event, says Mason:
“The place turns into a bit of a zoo around this time of the year, but we love every bit of it.”
Small Town Resourcefulness Handles Potentially Messy Challenge
source: Farm and Food Report
Upgrading sewage facilities is a formidable expense for any municipal government. But when a village of 200 is faced with the prospect of building a new lagoon, or paying some hefty fines, the task becomes even more daunting. Yet this is what Shell Lake faced. It was time to call up a few cards, according to local councilor Paula Stalwick:
“The Village of Shell Lake is adjacent to Memorial Lake Regional Park, and we both use the same sewage disposal facility. Over the years, the park has been growing — visitors want to come here because it’s a beautiful resort and we’re so close to Saskatoon and P.A. I would say there are up to 2,000 extra people here in the summer when the Park is in full swing. But the problem is we’re now at a point where the village sewage facility cannot handle all the extra sewage.”
Stalwick says the initial quotes to upgrade the Shell Lake sewage system have come in around $600,000. “If it was just for Shell Lake, we could look at a smaller facility, but then the park would be excluded. We raised the sewage tax for Shell Lake citizens, but with only 80 households, it’s not enough. The majority of our residents are on fixed income — seniors and young families. As a small village, we can’t ask a bank for $600,000 — we don’t have the assets. We met with the park board and discussed options to work something out.”
And work it out they did. Memorial Lake Regional Park donated a leased lot within park boundaries and Park Board members — along with citizens from Shell Lake and surrounding area — formed the Cabin Lotto Committee. The Committee sent out tenders, hired contractors and built a 1,500 square-foot, all-season cabin on the lot. It acquired a lottery license and started selling tickets in local malls, at open houses and public events.
“The park board has kept an employee on staff, and there are drop boxes where people can drop off their money and registration form, which their gal picks up twice a week,” says Stalwick. “Also, there’s a 1-800 number where people can phone in for tickets. All the businesses in town have registration forms, and we all have them loaded in our cars, so we’re ready to sell a lotto ticket at any time,” she laughs.
They’ve also advertised through the newspaper and radio. Their story was even covered on CBC Radio’s As It Happens. “After the interview, we had lots of response,” explains Stalwick. “People called from the States, and from different provinces. We even had an engineer from Waterloo, Ontario call to give us
some suggestions on doing a cheaper upgrade. We are now looking at the idea of a wetland lagoon, which would save us a bit of money, but we’ll see. We have an engineer driving out from Saskatoon in the near future to see if that’s feasible.”
Michael McMurray is an Environmental Project Officer with Saskatchewan Environment. He explains how most small communities in the province have a two-cell facultative lagoon, which is a biological way of treating sewage:
“In the primary cell, bacteria break down the sewage; the end result is the effluent. The primary cell needs a big enough surface area to get the oxygen necessary for the breakdown process. You need a certain number of hectares of surface area for a certain number of people. In the case of Shell Lake, the community has outgrown both its cells.”
The secondary cell is used for storage of the effluent, so that it can be discharged gradually without upsetting the environment. In effect, a community must be able to accommodate a minimum of 180 days of storage, as it is not legal to discharge the effluent from November 1, through to spring runoff. “Basically it means you cannot discharge throughout the winter, because the effluent would have nowhere to go when the ground is frozen,” adds McMurray.
This project has been quite a learning experience for councilor Stalwick and her community:
“I’ve learned how lottery licenses work, I’ve learned a lot about sewage lagoons; what’s needed for them to operate properly; what are environmentally-friendly options. But mostly I’ve seen how people come together when we need to cooperate. It’s an immense project when you look at it, and it’s reassuring how everyone pulls together.”
Only 4,000 tickets for the cabin - valued at $150,000 - will be sold, at $100 each. Together with an early bird draw for $5,000 cash, the Cabin Lotto is expected to raise $200,000 for the sewage upgrade. At that point, depending on its success, the committee will look at building another cabin and hosting another lottery to bring in more money to ensure Shell Lake remains as attractive a place to visit, as ever.
Upgrading sewage facilities is a formidable expense for any municipal government. But when a village of 200 is faced with the prospect of building a new lagoon, or paying some hefty fines, the task becomes even more daunting. Yet this is what Shell Lake faced. It was time to call up a few cards, according to local councilor Paula Stalwick:
“The Village of Shell Lake is adjacent to Memorial Lake Regional Park, and we both use the same sewage disposal facility. Over the years, the park has been growing — visitors want to come here because it’s a beautiful resort and we’re so close to Saskatoon and P.A. I would say there are up to 2,000 extra people here in the summer when the Park is in full swing. But the problem is we’re now at a point where the village sewage facility cannot handle all the extra sewage.”
Stalwick says the initial quotes to upgrade the Shell Lake sewage system have come in around $600,000. “If it was just for Shell Lake, we could look at a smaller facility, but then the park would be excluded. We raised the sewage tax for Shell Lake citizens, but with only 80 households, it’s not enough. The majority of our residents are on fixed income — seniors and young families. As a small village, we can’t ask a bank for $600,000 — we don’t have the assets. We met with the park board and discussed options to work something out.”
And work it out they did. Memorial Lake Regional Park donated a leased lot within park boundaries and Park Board members — along with citizens from Shell Lake and surrounding area — formed the Cabin Lotto Committee. The Committee sent out tenders, hired contractors and built a 1,500 square-foot, all-season cabin on the lot. It acquired a lottery license and started selling tickets in local malls, at open houses and public events.
“The park board has kept an employee on staff, and there are drop boxes where people can drop off their money and registration form, which their gal picks up twice a week,” says Stalwick. “Also, there’s a 1-800 number where people can phone in for tickets. All the businesses in town have registration forms, and we all have them loaded in our cars, so we’re ready to sell a lotto ticket at any time,” she laughs.
They’ve also advertised through the newspaper and radio. Their story was even covered on CBC Radio’s As It Happens. “After the interview, we had lots of response,” explains Stalwick. “People called from the States, and from different provinces. We even had an engineer from Waterloo, Ontario call to give us
some suggestions on doing a cheaper upgrade. We are now looking at the idea of a wetland lagoon, which would save us a bit of money, but we’ll see. We have an engineer driving out from Saskatoon in the near future to see if that’s feasible.”
Michael McMurray is an Environmental Project Officer with Saskatchewan Environment. He explains how most small communities in the province have a two-cell facultative lagoon, which is a biological way of treating sewage:
“In the primary cell, bacteria break down the sewage; the end result is the effluent. The primary cell needs a big enough surface area to get the oxygen necessary for the breakdown process. You need a certain number of hectares of surface area for a certain number of people. In the case of Shell Lake, the community has outgrown both its cells.”
The secondary cell is used for storage of the effluent, so that it can be discharged gradually without upsetting the environment. In effect, a community must be able to accommodate a minimum of 180 days of storage, as it is not legal to discharge the effluent from November 1, through to spring runoff. “Basically it means you cannot discharge throughout the winter, because the effluent would have nowhere to go when the ground is frozen,” adds McMurray.
This project has been quite a learning experience for councilor Stalwick and her community:
“I’ve learned how lottery licenses work, I’ve learned a lot about sewage lagoons; what’s needed for them to operate properly; what are environmentally-friendly options. But mostly I’ve seen how people come together when we need to cooperate. It’s an immense project when you look at it, and it’s reassuring how everyone pulls together.”
Only 4,000 tickets for the cabin - valued at $150,000 - will be sold, at $100 each. Together with an early bird draw for $5,000 cash, the Cabin Lotto is expected to raise $200,000 for the sewage upgrade. At that point, depending on its success, the committee will look at building another cabin and hosting another lottery to bring in more money to ensure Shell Lake remains as attractive a place to visit, as ever.
Monday, January 10, 2005
Brand Management Helps Give Livestock Breeders An Edge Competitive Markets
source: Farm and Food Report
Out on the Great Plains, the word itself may be more closely associated with the mark on a cow’s hip or shoulder, but “brands” are much more than that, and gaining increasing recognition among purebred livestock operators in Saskatchewan as something that warrants special attention.
“We hope that people associate our name with integrity, honesty and hopefully, some good cattle.”
Carmen Jackson is co-owner of the Jackson Cattle Company, a family owned and operated ranch just north of Sedley that specializes in purebred Red Angus.
“We have been in operation for 18 years. People need to be able to relate to us in how we represent ourselves with our logo and everything. It has to stand for what you believe in,” explains Jackson. “We are a family unit and we believe in the strengths that stem from that. We are just like everybody else, just trying to earn a living at what we like to do.”
Louise Yates is Director of Brand Management at Regina-based Farm Credit Canada.
“In the business world, the brand encompasses everything about a company from the quality of the product itself, to the customer experience, to the way you package and sell your product,” says Yates. “A brand is a personality — an opportunity to explain to your customers how your company and products are different from anyone else’s. It symbolizes your credibility.”
And a brand can be articulated in innumerable ways. Take the Soo Line Land and Cattle Company owned by Roger and Michelle Hardy of Midale.
“We were building a Red Angus herd and we figured we needed a herd name,” says Roger. “The Soo Line railway runs right through the middle of our ranch. The trains are there all the time. We decided to use that name and to visually figure Soo Line trains prominently in our advertising campaigns: Keeping Your Program on Track or Soo Line Genetics to Keep Things on Track. So we use the analogy with railways and moving in a constant line or moving forward, as part of our program.”
Brand development need not be a monumental project to make a difference. Here is what FCC’s Louise Yates suggests:
“Take the time to explore the messages you want your operation to convey. How is your product and operation different from your competitors’? What do you want your brand to stand for? Then make sure you deliver on what you promise. There have been many cases of great products that have failed on the market because of poorly communicated brands, and many examples of not so great products that have been extremely successful on the market because of their attention to branding.”
Kerrie and Warren Girodat of Gull Lake formed the Rocking G Land and Cattle Company last year, literally to create an investment vehicle for the future.
“The Rocking G is a three-generational brand from my husband’s side of the family,” says Kerrie. “His grandfather was the originator of the Rocking G. When we decided to form the company, it was based around the thought of having our children be able to take over the farm and form a company gives the idea that maybe one - or more than one - of our children will be able to buy into shares and make agriculture their life.”
The Rocking G logo is a stylized Hereford bull integrated into a G on a rocker, which is the Girodat’s actual brand, applied on the left hip. The logo is used on business cards, stall displays, the cattle trailer, and it should go up on their pick up truck next. Every time they put it out there, they become more aware of all the meaning a brand carries with it.
For additional information, contact:
Carmen Jackson
Jackson Cattle Company
(306) 885-4418
http://www.jacksoncattle.com
Soo Line Land and Cattle Company
Roger and Michelle Hardy
(306) 458-2359
Rocking G Land & cattle Co.
Warren and Kerri Girodat
(306) 672-3986
Louise Yates
Director, Brand Management
Farm Credit Canada
(306) 780-8612
http://www.fcc-fac.ca/
Out on the Great Plains, the word itself may be more closely associated with the mark on a cow’s hip or shoulder, but “brands” are much more than that, and gaining increasing recognition among purebred livestock operators in Saskatchewan as something that warrants special attention.
“We hope that people associate our name with integrity, honesty and hopefully, some good cattle.”
Carmen Jackson is co-owner of the Jackson Cattle Company, a family owned and operated ranch just north of Sedley that specializes in purebred Red Angus.
“We have been in operation for 18 years. People need to be able to relate to us in how we represent ourselves with our logo and everything. It has to stand for what you believe in,” explains Jackson. “We are a family unit and we believe in the strengths that stem from that. We are just like everybody else, just trying to earn a living at what we like to do.”
Louise Yates is Director of Brand Management at Regina-based Farm Credit Canada.
“In the business world, the brand encompasses everything about a company from the quality of the product itself, to the customer experience, to the way you package and sell your product,” says Yates. “A brand is a personality — an opportunity to explain to your customers how your company and products are different from anyone else’s. It symbolizes your credibility.”
And a brand can be articulated in innumerable ways. Take the Soo Line Land and Cattle Company owned by Roger and Michelle Hardy of Midale.
“We were building a Red Angus herd and we figured we needed a herd name,” says Roger. “The Soo Line railway runs right through the middle of our ranch. The trains are there all the time. We decided to use that name and to visually figure Soo Line trains prominently in our advertising campaigns: Keeping Your Program on Track or Soo Line Genetics to Keep Things on Track. So we use the analogy with railways and moving in a constant line or moving forward, as part of our program.”
Brand development need not be a monumental project to make a difference. Here is what FCC’s Louise Yates suggests:
“Take the time to explore the messages you want your operation to convey. How is your product and operation different from your competitors’? What do you want your brand to stand for? Then make sure you deliver on what you promise. There have been many cases of great products that have failed on the market because of poorly communicated brands, and many examples of not so great products that have been extremely successful on the market because of their attention to branding.”
Kerrie and Warren Girodat of Gull Lake formed the Rocking G Land and Cattle Company last year, literally to create an investment vehicle for the future.
“The Rocking G is a three-generational brand from my husband’s side of the family,” says Kerrie. “His grandfather was the originator of the Rocking G. When we decided to form the company, it was based around the thought of having our children be able to take over the farm and form a company gives the idea that maybe one - or more than one - of our children will be able to buy into shares and make agriculture their life.”
The Rocking G logo is a stylized Hereford bull integrated into a G on a rocker, which is the Girodat’s actual brand, applied on the left hip. The logo is used on business cards, stall displays, the cattle trailer, and it should go up on their pick up truck next. Every time they put it out there, they become more aware of all the meaning a brand carries with it.
For additional information, contact:
Carmen Jackson
Jackson Cattle Company
(306) 885-4418
http://www.jacksoncattle.com
Soo Line Land and Cattle Company
Roger and Michelle Hardy
(306) 458-2359
Rocking G Land & cattle Co.
Warren and Kerri Girodat
(306) 672-3986
Louise Yates
Director, Brand Management
Farm Credit Canada
(306) 780-8612
http://www.fcc-fac.ca/
Experts Hope To Curb Attitudes Towards Farm Safety By Focusing On Children
source: Farm and Food Report
Every second or third week, John Saum, an Occupational Health and Safety Officer with Saskatchewan Labour, hits the road to meet up with farm operators.
“I plan on visiting three or four farm businesses, maybe their machinery dealers, and then visit specific farm units to talk to individual farmers about safety,” says Saum. “They may be a dairy farm, a cattle feedlot, PMU operation, chicken or egg producers. We try to inform employers and employees on their rights and obligations according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations in Saskatchewan.”
Saum finds his hosts generally receptive to his observations.
“The farm sector is quite different from what you might see in a city,” he says. “Farmers often have two or three employees whom they work alongside. If there is a safety issue on the farm, the farmer is faced with that safety issue as well. The informed farmer takes action quickly, because if it is a safety issue for his or her employee, it is also an issue for him or her.”
But there is still a perception among the public on and off the farm that it is normal for accidents to happen on the farm, according to Saskatchewan Labour’s Executive Director of Occupational Health and Safety, Allan Walker.
“Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations one can choose,” Walker says. “An agriculture operation is one of the few industrial environments — one where chemicals and heavy machinery are present daily — in which people both work and live. Children live and grow up in this environment. Around 125,000 Saskatchewan people live in this industrial setting.”
Every year, more than 300 injuries severe enough to require hospitalization occur on the farm; 20 deaths occur annually across all ages. The Farm Health and Safety Council and Occupational Health and Safety staff have been working closely with other stakeholders to break this acceptance of the normality of accidents on the farm. This starts with children, right at school, with Grow Up with Safety, an Agriculture in the Classroom project that provides health and safety resources for Grade 1-6 school children.
“We would like to see farm safety become part of farming culture. All accidents are predictable and preventable. At the same time, we are also well aware of the pressures the cost/price squeeze of farming imposes.”
Most injuries take place between May and October, during the busy time of the year. People take risks they shouldn’t. They get fired up to get the job done and they take shortcuts. John Saum sees unnecessary hazards and risk-taking on his field trips.
“Quite often you will find safety shields off of pulleys; the guard off the auger itself; you can find safety shields off of balers; power take-off shafts may not be covered with safety shields. You may find some of the farmers will go up on bins using ladders without cages and they fall. Falling is one of the most critical accidents that can happen.”
As John Saum drives across the province, he often wonders about the risks people on the farm take. But he also knows how the changes that have affected agricultural industries over the years have had other, more perverse effects.
“Safety may be a common sense issue if you have grown up on a farm. If you have not grown up on a farm, there is no such thing as common sense on the farm. You have to actually experience the farm component of it before you actually understand what is going on. It is like anything else. And more and more, in the agribusiness sector especially, it is difficult to recruit employees who have had a broad range of farm experience.”
Saum and his colleagues believe it is time now to work on the safety education component of agriculture and to curb our common sense “false friend.”
For more information on Grow Up With Safety, visit this link.
For additional information, contact:
Allan Walker
Executive Director
Occupational Health and Safety Division
Saskatchewan Labour
(306) 787-4481
Every second or third week, John Saum, an Occupational Health and Safety Officer with Saskatchewan Labour, hits the road to meet up with farm operators.
“I plan on visiting three or four farm businesses, maybe their machinery dealers, and then visit specific farm units to talk to individual farmers about safety,” says Saum. “They may be a dairy farm, a cattle feedlot, PMU operation, chicken or egg producers. We try to inform employers and employees on their rights and obligations according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations in Saskatchewan.”
Saum finds his hosts generally receptive to his observations.
“The farm sector is quite different from what you might see in a city,” he says. “Farmers often have two or three employees whom they work alongside. If there is a safety issue on the farm, the farmer is faced with that safety issue as well. The informed farmer takes action quickly, because if it is a safety issue for his or her employee, it is also an issue for him or her.”
But there is still a perception among the public on and off the farm that it is normal for accidents to happen on the farm, according to Saskatchewan Labour’s Executive Director of Occupational Health and Safety, Allan Walker.
“Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations one can choose,” Walker says. “An agriculture operation is one of the few industrial environments — one where chemicals and heavy machinery are present daily — in which people both work and live. Children live and grow up in this environment. Around 125,000 Saskatchewan people live in this industrial setting.”
Every year, more than 300 injuries severe enough to require hospitalization occur on the farm; 20 deaths occur annually across all ages. The Farm Health and Safety Council and Occupational Health and Safety staff have been working closely with other stakeholders to break this acceptance of the normality of accidents on the farm. This starts with children, right at school, with Grow Up with Safety, an Agriculture in the Classroom project that provides health and safety resources for Grade 1-6 school children.
“We would like to see farm safety become part of farming culture. All accidents are predictable and preventable. At the same time, we are also well aware of the pressures the cost/price squeeze of farming imposes.”
Most injuries take place between May and October, during the busy time of the year. People take risks they shouldn’t. They get fired up to get the job done and they take shortcuts. John Saum sees unnecessary hazards and risk-taking on his field trips.
“Quite often you will find safety shields off of pulleys; the guard off the auger itself; you can find safety shields off of balers; power take-off shafts may not be covered with safety shields. You may find some of the farmers will go up on bins using ladders without cages and they fall. Falling is one of the most critical accidents that can happen.”
As John Saum drives across the province, he often wonders about the risks people on the farm take. But he also knows how the changes that have affected agricultural industries over the years have had other, more perverse effects.
“Safety may be a common sense issue if you have grown up on a farm. If you have not grown up on a farm, there is no such thing as common sense on the farm. You have to actually experience the farm component of it before you actually understand what is going on. It is like anything else. And more and more, in the agribusiness sector especially, it is difficult to recruit employees who have had a broad range of farm experience.”
Saum and his colleagues believe it is time now to work on the safety education component of agriculture and to curb our common sense “false friend.”
For more information on Grow Up With Safety, visit this link.
For additional information, contact:
Allan Walker
Executive Director
Occupational Health and Safety Division
Saskatchewan Labour
(306) 787-4481
Producers Should Have Their Seed Tested To Avoid “Seeding In The Dark”
source: Farm and Food Report
Experts are inviting producers to give special consideration to the quality of the seed stock they plan to use in the spring, given the cool growing conditions in 2004 that resulted in delayed seeding and slow crop development.
“Much of this year’s crop was immature when impacted by the frosts in mid-August,” explains Dale Risula, an Integrated Cropping Management Specialist at Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization’s (SAFRR’s) Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Moose Jaw. “Consequently, seed quality could be adversely affected, and good quality seed may be in short supply for 2005. It is advisable to secure your seed supply as soon as possible and test for seed quality.”
With the weather not being as warm as usual in term of Growing Degree Days (GDD), crops were particularly vulnerable to frost in 2004, which can impact the quality of seed germination and seedling vigour.
“Research conducted at the University of Saskatchewan and elsewhere shows that frozen seed exhibits poor germination quality and poor vigour.” In Risula’s opinion, “seed that is likely to have suffered frost damage should be either tested before it is used, or producers should implement a seeding management program that will compensate for the lower performance of affected seed stock.”
Producer may wish to seed at a higher seeding rate than they normally would to compensate for poor germination and vigour. They may also wish to reduce seeding depth, as research has shown that seeding deeply can have adverse effects on emergence.
“I would encourage producers who plan to use their own seed to verify the germination quality of their stock, using a Pre-Indicator Test for Germination,” said Risula. “This will ensure the seed is suitable for further tests at an accredited seed testing lab, where a satisfactory sample can also be tested for seed borne diseases such as Fusarium and Ascochyta blight.”
When purchasing seed, make sure to ask for a Certificate of Analysis from an accredited lab. Any seed sold as Canada Certified No. 1 will have one.
Growers who know that they are working with inferior quality seed as a result of tests will be able to make the necessary adjustments that will help keep their crop development program on track.
Instructions for the Pre-Indicator Test for Germination can be found online here.
Seed Quality For The 2005 Season
For more information, contact:
Dale Risula
Integrated Cropping Management Specialist
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 694-3714
Experts are inviting producers to give special consideration to the quality of the seed stock they plan to use in the spring, given the cool growing conditions in 2004 that resulted in delayed seeding and slow crop development.
“Much of this year’s crop was immature when impacted by the frosts in mid-August,” explains Dale Risula, an Integrated Cropping Management Specialist at Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization’s (SAFRR’s) Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Moose Jaw. “Consequently, seed quality could be adversely affected, and good quality seed may be in short supply for 2005. It is advisable to secure your seed supply as soon as possible and test for seed quality.”
With the weather not being as warm as usual in term of Growing Degree Days (GDD), crops were particularly vulnerable to frost in 2004, which can impact the quality of seed germination and seedling vigour.
“Research conducted at the University of Saskatchewan and elsewhere shows that frozen seed exhibits poor germination quality and poor vigour.” In Risula’s opinion, “seed that is likely to have suffered frost damage should be either tested before it is used, or producers should implement a seeding management program that will compensate for the lower performance of affected seed stock.”
Producer may wish to seed at a higher seeding rate than they normally would to compensate for poor germination and vigour. They may also wish to reduce seeding depth, as research has shown that seeding deeply can have adverse effects on emergence.
“I would encourage producers who plan to use their own seed to verify the germination quality of their stock, using a Pre-Indicator Test for Germination,” said Risula. “This will ensure the seed is suitable for further tests at an accredited seed testing lab, where a satisfactory sample can also be tested for seed borne diseases such as Fusarium and Ascochyta blight.”
When purchasing seed, make sure to ask for a Certificate of Analysis from an accredited lab. Any seed sold as Canada Certified No. 1 will have one.
Growers who know that they are working with inferior quality seed as a result of tests will be able to make the necessary adjustments that will help keep their crop development program on track.
Instructions for the Pre-Indicator Test for Germination can be found online here.
Seed Quality For The 2005 Season
For more information, contact:
Dale Risula
Integrated Cropping Management Specialist
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 694-3714
Area Committees Ensure Local Experience Guides Transportation Planning Decisions
No one knows the volume of traffic that roads around Cudworth sustain better than Louis Kolla, Reeve of the R.M. of Hoodoo and a member of the North Central Area Transportation Planning Committee (NCATPC).
“With us being located more in the north, logging activities have a real impact on our road surfaces,” Kolla says. “Our area extends westward as well, so the Lloydminster traffic brings wear and tear on our road network there also.”
Started in 1995, Saskatchewan’s network of Area Transportation Planning Committees was established to ensure road upgrades and other transportation decisions made by Saskatchewan Highways were based on sound information.
Allan Carpentier is a Senior Transportation Planner with Saskatchewan Highways. He provides technical expertise for the Transportation Planning Committees in the southern third of the province.
“Our goal is to make sure those who use the highways and road networks have a means to provide us with some input on their priorities,” says Carpentier. “It is more of a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. Instead of having decisions being made out of Regina, the whole idea is to consult locally on the issues and solutions to transportation challenges.”
One of the most important issues Saskatchewan road authorities are facing today is the rapidly changing grain handling network. Grain elevator consolidation and rail line abandonment are placing an increased burden on our roads in an era of government restraint and debt reduction. It is what motivated this investment in a strategic partnership.
“The Committees consult with Health Boards, School Boards, Regional Economic Development Authorities,” said Carpentier. “They deal also with ferries, airports, short line railways, and with how economic development, tourism, access to schools and hospitals are affected by the transportation network.”
Transportation plans are developed and submitted to the provincial government, which analyses them and goes back to the ATPCs to validate their findings.
“We have a solid discussion to establish where the strategic corridors are, as an example, for grain routes, economic development, and intensive livestock operations,” explains Carpentier.
“What happens is in the municipal system, there is a set amount of dollars for applications brought in under the federal Prairie Grain Roads Management Committee to assess and see if there is a real need for these roads. One of the key roles of these Area Transportation Planning Committees is that when these applications are submitted, the federal committee approaches the ATPCs and asks them if they are necessary, strategic routes. Is there any other information that can be provided to make this a good application? The ATPC provides their input and it just enhances the opportunities for these municipalities to get these roads upgraded or clay-capped.”
Louis Kolla has been a member of his Area Committee for two and a half years only, and already he sees an impact.
“This year, through the Federal Government, we got a three-mile long road clay-capped in our region through an application that had been submitted,” he says. “We know which roads are needed. Being on a committee like this enables us to share our knowledge with decision-makers. It is a win/win situation.”
For more information on Area Transportation Planning Committees, visit this link.
“With us being located more in the north, logging activities have a real impact on our road surfaces,” Kolla says. “Our area extends westward as well, so the Lloydminster traffic brings wear and tear on our road network there also.”
Started in 1995, Saskatchewan’s network of Area Transportation Planning Committees was established to ensure road upgrades and other transportation decisions made by Saskatchewan Highways were based on sound information.
Allan Carpentier is a Senior Transportation Planner with Saskatchewan Highways. He provides technical expertise for the Transportation Planning Committees in the southern third of the province.
“Our goal is to make sure those who use the highways and road networks have a means to provide us with some input on their priorities,” says Carpentier. “It is more of a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. Instead of having decisions being made out of Regina, the whole idea is to consult locally on the issues and solutions to transportation challenges.”
One of the most important issues Saskatchewan road authorities are facing today is the rapidly changing grain handling network. Grain elevator consolidation and rail line abandonment are placing an increased burden on our roads in an era of government restraint and debt reduction. It is what motivated this investment in a strategic partnership.
“The Committees consult with Health Boards, School Boards, Regional Economic Development Authorities,” said Carpentier. “They deal also with ferries, airports, short line railways, and with how economic development, tourism, access to schools and hospitals are affected by the transportation network.”
Transportation plans are developed and submitted to the provincial government, which analyses them and goes back to the ATPCs to validate their findings.
“We have a solid discussion to establish where the strategic corridors are, as an example, for grain routes, economic development, and intensive livestock operations,” explains Carpentier.
“What happens is in the municipal system, there is a set amount of dollars for applications brought in under the federal Prairie Grain Roads Management Committee to assess and see if there is a real need for these roads. One of the key roles of these Area Transportation Planning Committees is that when these applications are submitted, the federal committee approaches the ATPCs and asks them if they are necessary, strategic routes. Is there any other information that can be provided to make this a good application? The ATPC provides their input and it just enhances the opportunities for these municipalities to get these roads upgraded or clay-capped.”
Louis Kolla has been a member of his Area Committee for two and a half years only, and already he sees an impact.
“This year, through the Federal Government, we got a three-mile long road clay-capped in our region through an application that had been submitted,” he says. “We know which roads are needed. Being on a committee like this enables us to share our knowledge with decision-makers. It is a win/win situation.”
For more information on Area Transportation Planning Committees, visit this link.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
A Theatre Experience Tailor-Made For Rural Saskatchewan
source: Farm and Food Report
“Farmer Joe is tired of losing his shirt on the farm so he plants the ultimate cash crop….” Talk about an attention-grabber. Farmer Joe and the Money Trees is Dancing Sky Theatre’s latest offering and yet another collective creation that is likely to hit home like no other, according to Meacham resident, actor and director Angus Ferguson.
“We stage entertainment that is tailor-made for rural Saskatchewan,” Ferguson says. “Our plays reflect what rural people experience. When you look at most television programming today, 90 per cent of what is aired targets urban audiences. There is very little out there that addresses rural life. We wish to change that.”
Ferguson explains that Farmer Joe and the Money Trees is a humorous and thought provoking look at priorities and values. The play is performed in the style of old English pantomime and loosely based on the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
“Pantomime lends itself extremely well to stories such as fairytales because it is a form of theatre that is extremely accessible,” explains Ferguson. “It’s great fun really. Think of it along the same lines as harlequin, burlesque and sketches. Its roots are hundreds of years old, but it is still relevant today because it speaks to the people and is clearly identified with the Christmas season back in England. Except that we are really creating our own rural Saskatchewan version in this case.”
The artists and the community behind Dancing Sky Theatre have much to be proud of. The company was started 10 years ago. The plays are staged in the old Ukrainian Orthodox Hall completed in 1925 and moved to its current location from four miles away in the early 1950s. The place is equipped with a traditional proscenium stage, but seating can be arranged in a variety of configurations, depending on production requirements. Up to 115 guests at a time have attended performances there.
An evening with Dancing Sky may involve a home-cooked meal served right in the hall.
“We are well aware of the needs of rural people who must drive long distances to go places,” Ferguson says. “Between 60 and 70 per cent of our audience is rural, with about 30 per cent who drive 40 minutes from Saskatoon. People who come from Watrous, Bruno or Lanigan appreciate having a meal before the performance.”
The Meacham-based professional theatre company prides itself in hiring only Saskatchewan actors. Farmer Joe and the Money Trees may well be the perfect Christmas present for rural families, but really, everyone is invited as long they want to have fun and their heart is in the right place. Performances will take place December 3 to 19. Tickets are available by calling (306) 376-4445.
For more information, contact:
Angus Ferguson
Dancing Sky Theatre
(306) 376-4445
www.dancingskytheatre.com
“Farmer Joe is tired of losing his shirt on the farm so he plants the ultimate cash crop….” Talk about an attention-grabber. Farmer Joe and the Money Trees is Dancing Sky Theatre’s latest offering and yet another collective creation that is likely to hit home like no other, according to Meacham resident, actor and director Angus Ferguson.
“We stage entertainment that is tailor-made for rural Saskatchewan,” Ferguson says. “Our plays reflect what rural people experience. When you look at most television programming today, 90 per cent of what is aired targets urban audiences. There is very little out there that addresses rural life. We wish to change that.”
Ferguson explains that Farmer Joe and the Money Trees is a humorous and thought provoking look at priorities and values. The play is performed in the style of old English pantomime and loosely based on the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
“Pantomime lends itself extremely well to stories such as fairytales because it is a form of theatre that is extremely accessible,” explains Ferguson. “It’s great fun really. Think of it along the same lines as harlequin, burlesque and sketches. Its roots are hundreds of years old, but it is still relevant today because it speaks to the people and is clearly identified with the Christmas season back in England. Except that we are really creating our own rural Saskatchewan version in this case.”
The artists and the community behind Dancing Sky Theatre have much to be proud of. The company was started 10 years ago. The plays are staged in the old Ukrainian Orthodox Hall completed in 1925 and moved to its current location from four miles away in the early 1950s. The place is equipped with a traditional proscenium stage, but seating can be arranged in a variety of configurations, depending on production requirements. Up to 115 guests at a time have attended performances there.
An evening with Dancing Sky may involve a home-cooked meal served right in the hall.
“We are well aware of the needs of rural people who must drive long distances to go places,” Ferguson says. “Between 60 and 70 per cent of our audience is rural, with about 30 per cent who drive 40 minutes from Saskatoon. People who come from Watrous, Bruno or Lanigan appreciate having a meal before the performance.”
The Meacham-based professional theatre company prides itself in hiring only Saskatchewan actors. Farmer Joe and the Money Trees may well be the perfect Christmas present for rural families, but really, everyone is invited as long they want to have fun and their heart is in the right place. Performances will take place December 3 to 19. Tickets are available by calling (306) 376-4445.
For more information, contact:
Angus Ferguson
Dancing Sky Theatre
(306) 376-4445
www.dancingskytheatre.com
Nativity Story Takes On Farm Flavour Near Regina Beach
source: Farm and Food Report
At the Two Spirit Guest Ranch and Retreat near Regina Beach, good ideas are harvested by the bushel.
Co-owner Denise Needham had always been curious about the one big story that moves everyone around Christmas. Her partner, Lee Tennyson, who also works as a United Church Chaplain at the palliative care unit of a Regina hospital, undertook to re-write the Nativity story in a reverent way and then interpret it in a contemporary setting. Thus, the “Christmas in a Barn Pageant” was born.
Last year, the two business women, who also operate a senior care home on the farm, welcomed 400 guests over 10 evenings to relive the story right in their facilities, with their livestock.
“Depending on the arrangements we make, people come to Homestead Hall. We can feed them a whole turkey dinner with all the trimmings, salads and vegetables,” explained Denise Needham. “We invite people to dress in Nativity scene outfits we provide. We then move over to the barn as a group.”
The whole yard has been specially decorated with lights in an arrangement that helps create the right atmosphere. Tennyson then proceeds to narrate the story while Needham cues the improvised re-enactors.
“Mary gets tapped on the shoulder in an improvised manner (she doesn’t have to say any lines); all of a sudden our pony appears and she is invited to get on his back. Soon after, Joseph is handed the halter… and so the story goes.”
Guests are invited to dress warmly and to bring an old blanket, as the temperature in the barn is the same as outside. At the end, guests are invited back to the house for hot chocolate. Blankets are often donated to people in need. Last year, the pair collected over a hundred for the Carmichael Outreach Project.
“We find that this is an opportunity for people to reconnect with the real meaning of Christmas. Someone loaned us a miniature donkey for the event this year. Last year, one of our sheep had a late lamb, which we were able to produce to be held in someone’s arms in December. We also had a very pregnant cow at the time,” quips Needham.
Asked if there were some special challenges in recreating the Christmas story with a multitude of animals, Needham recalls one performance in particular:
“Lee usually trains the sheep to go straight to a pile of strategically located oats a couple of days before we stage the pageant. Last year, one night, someone forgot to put out the oats. The four sheep were let loose and they went running around like crazy looking for their missing reward. Our guests thought this was a cleverly orchestrated choreography. I guess now… they know it wasn’t.”
The pageant also features musical pieces from artists like Manheim Steamroller, Reba McEntire and Jerry Vale… even Bob Marley’s Go Tell It On The Mountain is featured.
Tickets are available for nights between November 26 and December 31st on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Other nights are available for larger groups upon request. Just call (306) 731-2200 for more information or to make reservations.
For more information, contact:
Denise Needham
Two Spirit Guest Ranch and Retreat
(306) 731-2200
http://tinyurl.com/5dn6n
At the Two Spirit Guest Ranch and Retreat near Regina Beach, good ideas are harvested by the bushel.
Co-owner Denise Needham had always been curious about the one big story that moves everyone around Christmas. Her partner, Lee Tennyson, who also works as a United Church Chaplain at the palliative care unit of a Regina hospital, undertook to re-write the Nativity story in a reverent way and then interpret it in a contemporary setting. Thus, the “Christmas in a Barn Pageant” was born.
Last year, the two business women, who also operate a senior care home on the farm, welcomed 400 guests over 10 evenings to relive the story right in their facilities, with their livestock.
“Depending on the arrangements we make, people come to Homestead Hall. We can feed them a whole turkey dinner with all the trimmings, salads and vegetables,” explained Denise Needham. “We invite people to dress in Nativity scene outfits we provide. We then move over to the barn as a group.”
The whole yard has been specially decorated with lights in an arrangement that helps create the right atmosphere. Tennyson then proceeds to narrate the story while Needham cues the improvised re-enactors.
“Mary gets tapped on the shoulder in an improvised manner (she doesn’t have to say any lines); all of a sudden our pony appears and she is invited to get on his back. Soon after, Joseph is handed the halter… and so the story goes.”
Guests are invited to dress warmly and to bring an old blanket, as the temperature in the barn is the same as outside. At the end, guests are invited back to the house for hot chocolate. Blankets are often donated to people in need. Last year, the pair collected over a hundred for the Carmichael Outreach Project.
“We find that this is an opportunity for people to reconnect with the real meaning of Christmas. Someone loaned us a miniature donkey for the event this year. Last year, one of our sheep had a late lamb, which we were able to produce to be held in someone’s arms in December. We also had a very pregnant cow at the time,” quips Needham.
Asked if there were some special challenges in recreating the Christmas story with a multitude of animals, Needham recalls one performance in particular:
“Lee usually trains the sheep to go straight to a pile of strategically located oats a couple of days before we stage the pageant. Last year, one night, someone forgot to put out the oats. The four sheep were let loose and they went running around like crazy looking for their missing reward. Our guests thought this was a cleverly orchestrated choreography. I guess now… they know it wasn’t.”
The pageant also features musical pieces from artists like Manheim Steamroller, Reba McEntire and Jerry Vale… even Bob Marley’s Go Tell It On The Mountain is featured.
Tickets are available for nights between November 26 and December 31st on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Other nights are available for larger groups upon request. Just call (306) 731-2200 for more information or to make reservations.
For more information, contact:
Denise Needham
Two Spirit Guest Ranch and Retreat
(306) 731-2200
http://tinyurl.com/5dn6n
Migrant Workers Help Producers Deliver On Their Contracts
source: Farm and Food Report
Looking to Mexico to recruit farm labourers might not have been Shawn Hansen’s natural choice, but it sure has made a whole lot of difference in his ability to deliver on his Craven Riverside Gardens’ contracts.
“It is like an insurance policy to make sure that we get our crops off the field in time and shipped off to the markets,” Hansen says. “You never know what the weather is going to be like in the fall. We couldn’t do this without these employees. It really does give us the added flexibility at crucial stages.”
Hansen is one of a handful of producers who are taking advantage of the Commonwealth Caribbean and Mexican Seasonal Workers Program, a temporary work visa program for farm jobs in Canada. The program is administered through Human Resource Development Canada as a pilot project, with the active participation of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization (SAFRR).
Scott Wright is SAFRR’s Director of Crop Development: “Our growers have expressed how pleased they are with the pilot project so far. We are going into our third year of the three-year pilot. We expect to bring in between 30 and 40 workers from Mexico next year to Saskatchewan, after which we will evaluate results for the whole project.”
“Typically, these are skilled or semi-skilled workers who have worked before in agricultural operations in Mexico or in programs such as this elsewhere,” says Wright. “The intent is to use this additional workforce to help grow our fruit, vegetable, nursery and apiary sectors, and to create new opportunities for employment in Saskatchewan agriculture through that growth.”
Before they enrol in the program, the sector undergoes a diagnostic to examine the challenges their particular operation faces, and affirm the labour constraints. They must assume a number of responsibilities. For instance, they must pay the travel costs of these employees and provide them accommodations while they are in Saskatchewan.
Craven Riverside Gardens has recruited six employees through the program this year:
“They have been busy lately packing potatoes and trimming cabbages for our Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba clients,” explains Shawn Hansen. “One of them speaks English reasonably well, so he supervises the others. Two of them came in June; two at the beginning of July; and, two more at the end of August. They go off in the fields, they are shown what to do and they catch on really quick because they have done this kind of work before.”
Two of Hansen’s Mexican employees worked with him last year, which makes it easier for them to get rolling when they arrive. They generally ask for 60 hours a week of guaranteed work to make it worth their while. They have families back home that depend on this income, and they earn considerably more here than they would back in Mexico.
“They all live in a house on the farm,” says Shawn Hansen. “They look after their own needs and we tend to give them their space and some privacy when they are not at work, which is normal under the circumstances. We take them to Regina every two weeks so they can get some groceries. If one needs to see a physician, we look after that and costs are covered by Saskatchewan Health under this arrangement.”
Hansen notes that, since he started to participate in the pilot project, he has experienced much less of a turnover among his regular Canadian employees —a development that can be directly attributed to the ability of these workers to fill in the gaps in a timely manner.
Given the role they play in helping ensure the success of the operation, it is not surprising that growers consider these migrant workers somewhat of an extended family. Viva Mexico!
For more information, contact:
Scott Wright, Director
Crop Development Branch
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-4661
Looking to Mexico to recruit farm labourers might not have been Shawn Hansen’s natural choice, but it sure has made a whole lot of difference in his ability to deliver on his Craven Riverside Gardens’ contracts.
“It is like an insurance policy to make sure that we get our crops off the field in time and shipped off to the markets,” Hansen says. “You never know what the weather is going to be like in the fall. We couldn’t do this without these employees. It really does give us the added flexibility at crucial stages.”
Hansen is one of a handful of producers who are taking advantage of the Commonwealth Caribbean and Mexican Seasonal Workers Program, a temporary work visa program for farm jobs in Canada. The program is administered through Human Resource Development Canada as a pilot project, with the active participation of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization (SAFRR).
Scott Wright is SAFRR’s Director of Crop Development: “Our growers have expressed how pleased they are with the pilot project so far. We are going into our third year of the three-year pilot. We expect to bring in between 30 and 40 workers from Mexico next year to Saskatchewan, after which we will evaluate results for the whole project.”
“Typically, these are skilled or semi-skilled workers who have worked before in agricultural operations in Mexico or in programs such as this elsewhere,” says Wright. “The intent is to use this additional workforce to help grow our fruit, vegetable, nursery and apiary sectors, and to create new opportunities for employment in Saskatchewan agriculture through that growth.”
Before they enrol in the program, the sector undergoes a diagnostic to examine the challenges their particular operation faces, and affirm the labour constraints. They must assume a number of responsibilities. For instance, they must pay the travel costs of these employees and provide them accommodations while they are in Saskatchewan.
Craven Riverside Gardens has recruited six employees through the program this year:
“They have been busy lately packing potatoes and trimming cabbages for our Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba clients,” explains Shawn Hansen. “One of them speaks English reasonably well, so he supervises the others. Two of them came in June; two at the beginning of July; and, two more at the end of August. They go off in the fields, they are shown what to do and they catch on really quick because they have done this kind of work before.”
Two of Hansen’s Mexican employees worked with him last year, which makes it easier for them to get rolling when they arrive. They generally ask for 60 hours a week of guaranteed work to make it worth their while. They have families back home that depend on this income, and they earn considerably more here than they would back in Mexico.
“They all live in a house on the farm,” says Shawn Hansen. “They look after their own needs and we tend to give them their space and some privacy when they are not at work, which is normal under the circumstances. We take them to Regina every two weeks so they can get some groceries. If one needs to see a physician, we look after that and costs are covered by Saskatchewan Health under this arrangement.”
Hansen notes that, since he started to participate in the pilot project, he has experienced much less of a turnover among his regular Canadian employees —a development that can be directly attributed to the ability of these workers to fill in the gaps in a timely manner.
Given the role they play in helping ensure the success of the operation, it is not surprising that growers consider these migrant workers somewhat of an extended family. Viva Mexico!
For more information, contact:
Scott Wright, Director
Crop Development Branch
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-4661
On The Importance Of Making Quality Time For Farm Succession Planning
source: Farm and Food Report
There is just never enough of it, yet so much depends on setting time aside to think and plan for the future — farm transfers can be smooth or bring families to the verge of self destruction.
If Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization’s (SAFRR’s) Lyle Darwent has learned one thing in his long career providing advice to producers in the province, it is that making time to talk about succession is as important as anything else in the business of agriculture.
“From the moment a farmer starts to acquire assets and build equity into their operation, questions about succession need to be asked,” Darwent says. “Farm families should start exploring how they will integrate their children in the operation as early as possible.”
Of course, even the best-laid plans may not come to fruition. Children may develop other career interests. But planning may contribute to engendering interest in a farming career as well, explains Darwent.
“Typically on a family farm, children may be invited by their parents to rent additional land or to buy some livestock. Parents are in a position to offer their kids the use of machinery and facilities to help them out. They may be willing to consider “sweat equity” as payment through a machinery-labour exchange.”
As parents get older, they no longer want to expand the farm. They pull back.
“The children will be more willing to invest in additional assets. Generally the farm size will have to increase if the goal is to develop a farm operation that will support two or three families, depending on the number of children who decide to farm.”
But succession planning also involves some serious psychological challenges, as well.
“There are three aspects that come into play. First, there is the ownership decision-making process for the operation. Then, there is the labour and management factor. A parent who has run the farm for years has a wealth of experience and wisdom. On the other hand, a child brings new ideas and a fresh look at the operation. It’s all good,” Darwent says.
But the third aspect is what makes or breaks the whole thing, according to Lyle Darwent. It is the human factor and it tends to get overlooked in succession planning.
“Very often, it is the mother who gets caught in the middle, for example, between a son and a father. In working toward a successful farm transfer, zero tolerance is nobody’s friend. Everyone must accept that there is more than one way of getting positive results. Sometimes parents find it difficult to accept that. Understandably so, because parents are employers and partners — and kids are employees and junior partners. All partners come with their own sets of values.”
In essence, the only way to address the issue in a meaningful way is to discuss everyone’s goals, and how they harmonize with the goals of the family as a whole. Sitting down and taking the time to discuss issues at length with a clear head is the only route to success. Darwent has this advice for those who face such a challenge:
“Look at successful farms in your area. Normally, family members and partners in these operations have learned to work together. And when families have gone through this process, they get a real sense of accomplishment when things work. On the other hand, when you see family farms break up, the efficiencies of the whole intact operation disappear. There is always a measure of sadness when that happens.”
If farm operators are serious about succession planning and are willing to invest in ensuring a smooth farm transfer, the new Federal-Provincial Renewal Program laid out in the Agricultural Policy Framework makes matching funds of up to $8,000 available under Specialized Business Planning Services (SBPS) through the Canadian Farm Business Advisory Services (CFBAS). The money can be used to hire a consultant to prepare for the future.
For more information, contact:
Lyle Darwent
Renewal Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 446-7479
There is just never enough of it, yet so much depends on setting time aside to think and plan for the future — farm transfers can be smooth or bring families to the verge of self destruction.
If Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization’s (SAFRR’s) Lyle Darwent has learned one thing in his long career providing advice to producers in the province, it is that making time to talk about succession is as important as anything else in the business of agriculture.
“From the moment a farmer starts to acquire assets and build equity into their operation, questions about succession need to be asked,” Darwent says. “Farm families should start exploring how they will integrate their children in the operation as early as possible.”
Of course, even the best-laid plans may not come to fruition. Children may develop other career interests. But planning may contribute to engendering interest in a farming career as well, explains Darwent.
“Typically on a family farm, children may be invited by their parents to rent additional land or to buy some livestock. Parents are in a position to offer their kids the use of machinery and facilities to help them out. They may be willing to consider “sweat equity” as payment through a machinery-labour exchange.”
As parents get older, they no longer want to expand the farm. They pull back.
“The children will be more willing to invest in additional assets. Generally the farm size will have to increase if the goal is to develop a farm operation that will support two or three families, depending on the number of children who decide to farm.”
But succession planning also involves some serious psychological challenges, as well.
“There are three aspects that come into play. First, there is the ownership decision-making process for the operation. Then, there is the labour and management factor. A parent who has run the farm for years has a wealth of experience and wisdom. On the other hand, a child brings new ideas and a fresh look at the operation. It’s all good,” Darwent says.
But the third aspect is what makes or breaks the whole thing, according to Lyle Darwent. It is the human factor and it tends to get overlooked in succession planning.
“Very often, it is the mother who gets caught in the middle, for example, between a son and a father. In working toward a successful farm transfer, zero tolerance is nobody’s friend. Everyone must accept that there is more than one way of getting positive results. Sometimes parents find it difficult to accept that. Understandably so, because parents are employers and partners — and kids are employees and junior partners. All partners come with their own sets of values.”
In essence, the only way to address the issue in a meaningful way is to discuss everyone’s goals, and how they harmonize with the goals of the family as a whole. Sitting down and taking the time to discuss issues at length with a clear head is the only route to success. Darwent has this advice for those who face such a challenge:
“Look at successful farms in your area. Normally, family members and partners in these operations have learned to work together. And when families have gone through this process, they get a real sense of accomplishment when things work. On the other hand, when you see family farms break up, the efficiencies of the whole intact operation disappear. There is always a measure of sadness when that happens.”
If farm operators are serious about succession planning and are willing to invest in ensuring a smooth farm transfer, the new Federal-Provincial Renewal Program laid out in the Agricultural Policy Framework makes matching funds of up to $8,000 available under Specialized Business Planning Services (SBPS) through the Canadian Farm Business Advisory Services (CFBAS). The money can be used to hire a consultant to prepare for the future.
For more information, contact:
Lyle Darwent
Renewal Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 446-7479
Common Sense Works Best In Protecting Feed From Wildlife
source: Farm and Food Report
They may be a pretty sight in the yard when the sun rises, but deer can also be a bit of a nightmare when it comes to keeping them away from stacked hay and grain stored in the open.
Lindsey Leko is a Conservation Officer at Saskatchewan Environment’s (SE) Weyburn Field Office. “Every year, producers have come to expect some amount of damage. It is not so much what the deer eat that is a problem, but what they soil. Cattle won’t eat the feed once deer have urinated on it. In some areas, the damage is considerable and recurring. Our officers will work with producers to minimize damage, and there are a number of strategies we employ.”
One of the most common techniques is the use of intercept feed. SE will buy a bale from the producer and move it to a location away from feed storage areas. The deer will be drawn to the high quality feed at a non-threatening location and leave critical stacks alone.
Unprotected grain piles are always a challenge. Even a tarp will eventually break apart from the trampling action of deer hooves. Leko’s advice is to move the grain to a more secure location as quickly as possible.
If one must absolutely leave bales in the field, it is always best to create multi-bale stacks in order to minimize the total surface exposure of the feed to wildlife. Bales may be harder to pick up when they are stacked, but the overall protection is greater that way.
Where problems persist, the use of cenoflex, a nylon mesh that comes in a roll and can be wrapped around the stack, provides a viable solution to exposed feed.
Closer to home, building a fence with straw or slough hay bales using a building as an additional wall will give the necessary protection for feed stored in the yard. A gate may even be built to facilitate regular access. Key to success will be the periodic removal of snow near the fence to preserve the integrity of the protective structure. You might want to even blow the snow on top of the bales to add height to your fence and provide an additional deterrent.
Conservation officers recommend a combination of protective measures to ensure maximum success. Scarecrows will assist in keeping deer away. A couple of 2 x 4s assembled as a cross with some old clothes will do. Moving it around regularly will prevent deer from getting used to it.
Scare cannons that run on propane are another option, although perhaps not the wisest solution when used near a home.
Lindsey Leko recommends stringing pie plates, installing strobe lights or using motion sensor-activated yard lights, coupled with perhaps a transistor radio blaring out tunes.
Hungry whitetails that come out at night will quickly lose their fear of humans, but they will always keep an eye out for dogs. A male dog of any thick-coated, naturally territorial breed that is trained to patrol will work wonders. Just remember that under the law, dogs can be shot if they chase deer. Making sure they don’t stray too far from the yard is crucial.
SERM’s deer depredation mitigation tactics are most effective when agricultural producers show a willingness to find long term solutions. This may involve even the erection of a permanent fencing structure paid for by SE using the producer’s labour to build it as equity, in the case of particularly vulnerable operations.
A partnered, commonsense approach makes a world of difference.
They may be a pretty sight in the yard when the sun rises, but deer can also be a bit of a nightmare when it comes to keeping them away from stacked hay and grain stored in the open.
Lindsey Leko is a Conservation Officer at Saskatchewan Environment’s (SE) Weyburn Field Office. “Every year, producers have come to expect some amount of damage. It is not so much what the deer eat that is a problem, but what they soil. Cattle won’t eat the feed once deer have urinated on it. In some areas, the damage is considerable and recurring. Our officers will work with producers to minimize damage, and there are a number of strategies we employ.”
One of the most common techniques is the use of intercept feed. SE will buy a bale from the producer and move it to a location away from feed storage areas. The deer will be drawn to the high quality feed at a non-threatening location and leave critical stacks alone.
Unprotected grain piles are always a challenge. Even a tarp will eventually break apart from the trampling action of deer hooves. Leko’s advice is to move the grain to a more secure location as quickly as possible.
If one must absolutely leave bales in the field, it is always best to create multi-bale stacks in order to minimize the total surface exposure of the feed to wildlife. Bales may be harder to pick up when they are stacked, but the overall protection is greater that way.
Where problems persist, the use of cenoflex, a nylon mesh that comes in a roll and can be wrapped around the stack, provides a viable solution to exposed feed.
Closer to home, building a fence with straw or slough hay bales using a building as an additional wall will give the necessary protection for feed stored in the yard. A gate may even be built to facilitate regular access. Key to success will be the periodic removal of snow near the fence to preserve the integrity of the protective structure. You might want to even blow the snow on top of the bales to add height to your fence and provide an additional deterrent.
Conservation officers recommend a combination of protective measures to ensure maximum success. Scarecrows will assist in keeping deer away. A couple of 2 x 4s assembled as a cross with some old clothes will do. Moving it around regularly will prevent deer from getting used to it.
Scare cannons that run on propane are another option, although perhaps not the wisest solution when used near a home.
Lindsey Leko recommends stringing pie plates, installing strobe lights or using motion sensor-activated yard lights, coupled with perhaps a transistor radio blaring out tunes.
Hungry whitetails that come out at night will quickly lose their fear of humans, but they will always keep an eye out for dogs. A male dog of any thick-coated, naturally territorial breed that is trained to patrol will work wonders. Just remember that under the law, dogs can be shot if they chase deer. Making sure they don’t stray too far from the yard is crucial.
SERM’s deer depredation mitigation tactics are most effective when agricultural producers show a willingness to find long term solutions. This may involve even the erection of a permanent fencing structure paid for by SE using the producer’s labour to build it as equity, in the case of particularly vulnerable operations.
A partnered, commonsense approach makes a world of difference.
The Prairie Swine Centre Lends A Helping Hand To The Media
source: Farm and Food Report
How the media can influence public perception of agricultural activities is increasingly being recognized among producers as a domain that warrants special care and attention.
Inviting journalists on one’s premises, however, brings with it risks that often go well beyond those of “not getting the message across” while attempting to generate positive media coverage. The real financial implications of bio security issues can just not be ignored.
Organizations like the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon will often lend a helping hand to the industry by making its resources available to the media. Lee Whittington is Manager of Information Services at the Centre. He regularly takes media through the barns:
“The hog sector is one that finds itself in the news fairly often. It is in our best interest to not only establish a rapport with journalists who cover the stories that are generated, but also to make sure they have access to fresh support materials such as still photographs or video footage,” says Whittington.
He adds: “We are all surprised at times to see grainy old footage on television to illustrate a particular news story. We ask ourselves, why are these pictures being used when we know they do not reflect recent developments in barn management practices? It is probably because that was the only footage the television station had.”
The Prairie Swine Centre makes a point of allowing media organizations in to refresh their “stock shots” whenever it gets a request. The pork interpretive gallery makes this a whole lot easier because it is a specially-designed facility built right on top of the Swine Centre’s barns, with windows set into the floor to allow viewing of the various stages of hog development. The interpretive displays feature information on the actual stages in the life of a pig. It allows visitors to see just how much hog production methods have evolved over the years.
Special treatment of the media is warranted for the good of the industry. Whittington actually will allow videographers in the barns, provided they agree to certain precautions:
“When a TV crew or a journalist — no matter who — makes a request to film inside our facility, he or she must agree to take a shower when they come in. And then we provide them with a complete set of clean clothes — including even underwear — in order to preserve the biological integrity of the unit. The same principles apply to the equipment they bring in.”
Whittington explains that cameras, microphones and recorders must be disinfected with alcohol swabs before they are allowed inside. It takes a little time, but this is something journalists generally understand because of the consequences that potential infectious diseases could have on the operation.
He points out that “in many ways, this brings home to journalists - to anyone who is allowed inside our facility - that agricultural production is an extremely sophisticated activity; that those who choose agriculture as a way of life must acquire a significant body of knowledge on complex issues if they want to be successful in today’s increasingly competitive world. We certainly feel that the time we spend taking the media behind-the-scenes helps us fulfill our public education mandate.”
In the same breath, Whittington adds:
“For a private production facility to allow media representatives to penetrate into its most vulnerable units would be too high a risk to take. At the Swine Centre, we have well established procedures that enable us to be gracious hosts, yet effective from a bio security stand point.”
For more information on the Prairie Swine Centre, contact Lee Whittington at (306) 667-7447 or visit the Centre’s Web site at www.prairieswine.com.
How the media can influence public perception of agricultural activities is increasingly being recognized among producers as a domain that warrants special care and attention.
Inviting journalists on one’s premises, however, brings with it risks that often go well beyond those of “not getting the message across” while attempting to generate positive media coverage. The real financial implications of bio security issues can just not be ignored.
Organizations like the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon will often lend a helping hand to the industry by making its resources available to the media. Lee Whittington is Manager of Information Services at the Centre. He regularly takes media through the barns:
“The hog sector is one that finds itself in the news fairly often. It is in our best interest to not only establish a rapport with journalists who cover the stories that are generated, but also to make sure they have access to fresh support materials such as still photographs or video footage,” says Whittington.
He adds: “We are all surprised at times to see grainy old footage on television to illustrate a particular news story. We ask ourselves, why are these pictures being used when we know they do not reflect recent developments in barn management practices? It is probably because that was the only footage the television station had.”
The Prairie Swine Centre makes a point of allowing media organizations in to refresh their “stock shots” whenever it gets a request. The pork interpretive gallery makes this a whole lot easier because it is a specially-designed facility built right on top of the Swine Centre’s barns, with windows set into the floor to allow viewing of the various stages of hog development. The interpretive displays feature information on the actual stages in the life of a pig. It allows visitors to see just how much hog production methods have evolved over the years.
Special treatment of the media is warranted for the good of the industry. Whittington actually will allow videographers in the barns, provided they agree to certain precautions:
“When a TV crew or a journalist — no matter who — makes a request to film inside our facility, he or she must agree to take a shower when they come in. And then we provide them with a complete set of clean clothes — including even underwear — in order to preserve the biological integrity of the unit. The same principles apply to the equipment they bring in.”
Whittington explains that cameras, microphones and recorders must be disinfected with alcohol swabs before they are allowed inside. It takes a little time, but this is something journalists generally understand because of the consequences that potential infectious diseases could have on the operation.
He points out that “in many ways, this brings home to journalists - to anyone who is allowed inside our facility - that agricultural production is an extremely sophisticated activity; that those who choose agriculture as a way of life must acquire a significant body of knowledge on complex issues if they want to be successful in today’s increasingly competitive world. We certainly feel that the time we spend taking the media behind-the-scenes helps us fulfill our public education mandate.”
In the same breath, Whittington adds:
“For a private production facility to allow media representatives to penetrate into its most vulnerable units would be too high a risk to take. At the Swine Centre, we have well established procedures that enable us to be gracious hosts, yet effective from a bio security stand point.”
For more information on the Prairie Swine Centre, contact Lee Whittington at (306) 667-7447 or visit the Centre’s Web site at www.prairieswine.com.
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