Members and non-members alike invited to AFA’s 2020 Conference & AGM

AFA’s Board and Executive is mixing it up this year by asking both AFA members and non-members to join them in Nisku, Alberta for the organization’s annual Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) on January 21 & 22, 2020.

To bring Alberta producers up-to-date on industry developments – like seed royalty proposals, soil carbon, crop and beef sustainability and more – AFA’s Conference & AGM will begin with a first-day emphasis on information sharing and agricultural learning, with official AGM business taking place the second day.

All Alberta producers – whether they are AFA members or not – can attend their choice of one or both days for a fuller understanding of Alberta’s current agriculture policy landscape, key issues AFA is working on, and how individual producers can help shape policy.

“We’re changing the format of our AGM by placing the information sessions on one day and the AGM business on the second day,” says Lynn Jacobson, AFA president. “We want to encourage members and non-members alike to come have a dialogue, discuss the issues that impact us all and be part of the solutions going forward.”

Here are just a few of the speakers that will present on the first day of the AGM:

• Edward Bork, Professor of Agricultural Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta, will present on soil carbon and the impact of grazing
• Ted Menzies, Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops, will present on sustainability in our industry
• Filmmakers Sarah Wray and Ben Wilson wil show their award-winning documentary Guardians of the Grasslands and talk about cracking the code of stroytelling in agriculture
• other topics will include presentations on sustainable beef, a Western Farm Leaders Panel on seed royalties and an update on AFA’s development of a remote sensing platform.

Sneak peek at new AFA-Aquanty remote sensing platform

AFA has partnered with Aquanty, a company that specializes in computer simulation technology, to offer Canadian producers an exciting new online tool. This tool will provide producers with a low-cost option for accessing remote sensing and terrestrial sensor data plus several ground-measured characteristics for their farm in one easy-to-use online platform.

AFA Conference & AGM attendees will be among the first producers to get a detailed look at the current development of this new online tool, the type of information that farmers can access and information on when the tool will be available.

Currently in Canada, there are commercially available, subscription- or fee-based remote sensing and drone-based data products which can add to the wealth of information for producers. Often, however, specialized software and data-management specialists are required to understand and use the raw data. Producers can subscribe to data feeds from agri-tech service providers, often on a per acre basis, and the cost of this can really add up.

While AgSat doesn’t compare to these types of services on a feature-by-feature basis, AgSat does provide an entry level access to the farm data revolution and gives all producers data essentials for farm decision-making. For a modest yearly investment, the new AFA-Aquanty tool will help farm producers make informed decisions on weather, moisture and other characteristics that impact a farm’s bottom line. This lower-cost tool aligns with AFA’s mandate to bring benefits to all producers, regardless of their size and ability to pay for more expensive satellite options.

 Updates to seed royalty proposals and survey

An important issue AFA and our partner general farm organizations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been involved in since our last AGM is the federal government’s proposed changes for royalties on farm-saved seed.

“Western Canadian producers that took a survey this fall said they are not happy with either of the federal government’s proposed models,” Jacobson noted. “At the AGM, we’ll share the survey results and discuss how we move forward to make sure producers are consulted in any options that may be put forward.”

For more background on the seed royalty issue, see our news release here.

Have a say in agriculture’s most pressing issues

Jacobson points out that the seed royalty issue, first discussed at the 2019 AFA AGM, is just one example of why it’s important for Alberta producers and AFA members to attend the AGM: to be updated on critical developments in Canadian agriculture and to ensure their voice is heard.

At the 2020 AFA AGM on January 22, members will hear presentations and vote on a variety of resolutions. AFA members can propose a resolution for the AGM by sending an email to info@afaonline.ca by January 13, 2020. Non-members can attend the AGM to listen to the discussions, but producers must be a member to vote on the proposed resolutions.

Membership in AFA costs only $150 per year – or just over $12 a month – and comes with a wide variety of benefits, as outlined on our website.

Producers attending the AFA AGM directly impact policy in agriculture for the year ahead since the resolutions agreed upon at the AGM are shared with policy makers in government and within provincial and national agriculture organizations.

Jacobson says AFA wants to see producers from all sectors at the AGM, whether they grow crops, raise livestock or produce value-added food. He points out that if AFA doesn’t hear from producers, it’s hard to fight for what they want.

“Sometimes, producers don’t attend an AGM because they aren’t sure how they fit into these activities if they’re not that involved,” explains Jacobson. “Whether you’re interested in the speakers and the topic areas, or if you’re interested in being a non-voting observer at our AGM, you are more than welcome to be involved in this meeting to find out more about what we’re focused on today.”

There is a cost to attend the first day of the AGM, which includes a pre-event President’s Reception from 7 pm to 9 pm on January 20, plus breakfast, lunch, dinner and sessions on January 21. Attendance at the January 22 AGM from 8:30 am to noon is free to all. To attend, register here.

“We hope producers take this opportunity to attend the presentations and the AGM, spend a few days with us and see what agriculture policy is all about,” says Jacobson. “We invite all Alberta producers to be part of the change they want to see.”

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Join AFA today for great benefits and a voice in AG policy

With benefits that include significant discounts for insurance, vehicles, travel costs and farm safety courses, an AFA membership offers great value for Alberta producers and agribusinesses.

We’ve streamlined our membership pricing, so producers in Alberta pay only $150 a year for an AFA membership, while commodity organizations, non-profits, businesses and/or co-operatives that serve the needs and interests of agricultural producers pay only $500 per year.

Not only will you or your company get access to great benefits, but if you have an interest in shaping agricultural policy in the province, this is the place to be. As an AFA member, you’ll have a chance to vote on policy decisions that impact agriculture and participate in helping to set the direction of our organization each January at our annual general meeting.

AFA Member Benefits

Check out these AFA membership benefits from our corporate partners that – when used – will earn your AFA membership fees back in no time:

• significant Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA Canada) fleet discounts on new vehicles, which can translate into savings of thousands of dollars
• enhance your farm insurance coverage from The Co-operators Insurance for a fraction of the retail price
• AFA members also receive discounts on farm, home and travel insurance from The Co-operators Insurance
• NEW AFA Travel Discount Program gives members an exclusive worldwide travel discount service, saving you an average of 10-20% below-market price on all hotels and car rental suppliers around the world – anywhere, anytime. We’ll negotiate the best deals and provide a comparison price for you
• save between 10-20% on St. John Ambulance’s public rates for first aid classes and get a special discount on their ‘Safety on the Farm’ module
• members receive 10% off purchases made at Mark’s Work Wearhouse

AFA producer members (active or retired commercial agricultural producers, farming partners, or farming corporations) also receive these additional benefits:

• special consideration for yourself or a family member for AFA’s annual $500 scholarship for post-secondary studies in agriculture or a related field at universities and colleges throughout Alberta
• a $150 discount on a new one-year Farmers of North America (FNA) membership; a $400 discount on a new three-year FNA membership; a $650 discount on a new five-year FNA membership.

Agriculture Advocacy

AFA has been busy working on many developments in agriculture both provincially and federally this year. We advocate broadly for agriculture, not just for one group or commodity. Whether at the regional, provincial or national level, we represent our members on these producer-related agricultural issues:

• trade and taxation
• transportation and infrastructure
• grain movement, grading and handling
• plant breeding
• energy, carbon capture and storage
• surface rights
• water-related risk
• animal care
• labour and employment standards
• agricultural safety
• business risk management

“We’re always looking for new and returning members who are passionate about agriculture,” says Shannon Scofield, Executive Director of AFA. “We are a collaborative organization that wants input from Alberta’s farm and ranch producers, commodity groups, agri-business and anyone who wants to have a say in how agriculture will develop and grow in Alberta and across Canada. There’s never been a better time to become an AFA member.”

Signing up for an AFA membership is easy!

AFA’s annual membership year runs from November 1st to October 31st.  You can join online in minutes or download and print your application form by visiting our website: http://www.afaonline.ca/membership. A summary of benefits is listed below.

Helping the next generation of agriculture in Alberta

Do you know a person studying agriculture who would be a good candidate for our Alberta Federation of Agriculture scholarship? If so, encourage them to apply by the August 1, 2018 deadline.

AFA is seeking students who are attending a post-secondary institution in Alberta who want to use their talents to make a contribution to agriculture. The AFA Scholarship annually awards $500 for one student to use towards their studies in a post-secondary agriculture or related program.

To be eligible for the AFA scholarship, an applicant must be:

• a Canadian Citizen, a Permanent Resident and be an Alberta resident (visa students not eligible)
• attending a designated post-secondary institution in Alberta
• enrolled full-time in the second or subsequent year of undergraduate post-secondary study in a program related to the field of agriculture.

AFA producer members, their children and grandchildren will be given preference for this scholarship. This is just one benefit to having an AFA membership, but you don’t have to be an AFA member to apply for the scholarship.

Apply by this year’s deadline Wednesday, August 1, 2018 by following this link to the online application. The recipients will be selected based on academic achievement in an agricultural program. AFA members will form the review committee and make the selection.

 AFA scholarship winners

Some of our previous AFA scholarship winners studied at the University of Alberta and the University of Lethbridge. We’d love to add your name to the list of winners. Apply today!

Want to give back to agriculture in our province?

Are you a business, group or individual who would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the AFA Scholarship Fund to ensure its sustainability for future years? To donate in the name of the AFA Scholarship, call our AFA head office in Lacombe: 1-855-789-9151.

AFA Summer Meeting: a chance to discuss challenges and opportunities in agriculture

The Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA) will hold their 2018 Summer Meeting on June 26 and 27, 2018 in Camrose, Alberta.

AFA Members – and those interested in agricultural policy – are invited to attend the working session on June 26 to participate in discussions about the emerging issues that will most affect farmers in the coming year. There will also be a presentation on sustainable agriculture.

AFA Director Humphrey Banack says he always looks forward to challenging debate and discussion when those passionate about agriculture get together.

“During the AGM, we gather with producers to debate and discuss top issues in agriculture, then use those policy directions to draw the future of agriculture forward,” says Banack. “The June Summer Meeting is an important way to check in on how we’re doing for the year and discuss emerging issues that have developed since January.”

After the day of discussions on June 26, the meeting will conclude with a networking barbeque to give those in attendance an opportunity to connect with each other and share good food, good company and discuss issues in agriculture in a more informal way.

Here’s the agenda for the Tuesday, June 26, 2018 meeting:

10 am – noon:  Issue Update & Policy Development: What AFA has been up to this year

Noon: Lunch at Camrose Resort Casino

1 – 3 pm: Discussion on the top emerging issues facing our industry in the coming year

3 – 3:15 pm: Break

3:15 – 4:30 pm: Sustainable Agriculture Panel

4:30 – 5 pm: Issue/Debate Wrap Up

5:30 pm: Steak BBQ at the Park Pavilion, Camrose Exhibition Trail RV Park

On Wednesday, June 27, AFA will hold their regularly-scheduled board meeting, of which AFA Regional Directors and former AFA board members are welcome to attend.

Please RSVP for this event so we can assess attendance and plan for our barbeque. Contact AFA’s Executive Director Shannon Scofield by email at shannon.scofield@afaonline.ca, or call us toll-free at 1-855-789-9151 or contact the AFA Director in your area.

Humphrey Banack, who farms near Camrose, Alberta, reminds producers that it’s never been more important to speak up and drive agricultural policy decisions. He stresses that meetings like this are a direct channel for producers to let their voice be heard.

“At AFA, our people are working for a stronger industry for all,” says Banack. “Past discussions like this have laid the foundation for some significant changes in agriculture. It’s great to know you can have such an impact at a grassroots level.”

Farm Safety Update

Marion Popkin, an Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA) Director since 2012, says agriculture safety is her personal mission. She’s passionate about advocating for improved farm safety, and attends industry meetings to keep current.

Popkin recently attended the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) Annual General Meeting in Prince Edward Island in October (pictured here in the yellow jacket). The meeting put her in touch with new research and resources to share with others concerned about farm safety in Alberta.

“There is so much research going on with agricultural safety, and so many seriously bright people working on this issue,” Popkin says. “One of the challenges, though, is getting this information out to organizations that can help make a difference.”

Popkin points to two initiatives presented at the meeting. These safety solutions address two of agriculture’s most pressing safety challenges: children’s welfare and roll overs.

1. The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety

Popkin was thrilled to hear about this organization’s guidelines for adults who assign farm tasks to children aged 7 to 16 years. The guidelines are based on an understanding of childhood development, agricultural practices, principles of childhood injury, and agricultural and occupational safety.

“The age-appropriate guidelines are voluntary, but incredibly helpful because they are specific to agriculture, which can have many unique scenarios,” Popkin says. “The information deals with the competency of children based on their age, weight and height. So many of the questions we have are answered, and it’s available online for free.”

2. Roll Over Protection

According to Alberta’s Injury Prevention Centre, farm machine roll overs cause the highest number of agricultural deaths in the province. Rollover Protection Structures (ROPS), in the form of roll bars or cages, are available for farm machines but can be expensive or hard to find, especially for older tractors.

At the meeting, Popkin discovered that the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) helps farmers source after-market structures. She also heard that Agrivita Canada Inc. is helping to create low-cost plans for farmers with basic welding skills to build and install their own ROPS. The Agrivita project aims to provide an alternative to the high cost of retrofitting tractors with ROPS.

“These meetings not only deliver great information, they provide opportunities for partnerships for AFA,” says Popkin. “Farm safety has long been a key area for AFA. It’s great to hear about workable, practical solutions that we can share for the benefit of our farm communities.”

Farm & Ranch Legislation Update

AFA’s 2nd VP, Humphrey Banack, is a participant of one of the technical working groups reviewing the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. Banack is helping review existing requirements and exceptions for the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code. The working group has met several times since June 2016.

AFA’s 2nd VP, Humphrey Banack

“Overall, our group is looking at health-specific parts of the Code and whether or not these aspects should apply to farms and ranches, with or without modifications,” says Banack. “We are also sharing ideas about training and support for the agriculture community to successfully implement the OHS practices.”

Banack says some examples of areas being reviewed include worker competencies, emergency preparedness, hazard assessment, first aid, ventilation systems, fixed and portable ladders, plus other practical modifications to legacy buildings and equipment.

“Ultimately, it’s about making sure there is a safe working environment while also ensuring that these regulations allow businesses to operate profitably,” notes Banack.

Your chance to spend some time on the farm this summer

Open Farm Days visitors learn about, and see, the grains grown on the Banack farm.

Consumers continue to be tremendously interested in how their food is grown. Getting farm producers and consumers together is one of the goals of Alberta’s Open Farm Days. This annual event provides an important connection for rural producers and their urban neighbours.

Open Farm Days also continues to be a popular event for farm producers, with a 28% increase in host farm participation when compared to last year. For 2016, a total of 90 host farms will provide real-world farm experiences for visitors on Sunday, August 21.

Once again, our Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA) Vice President, Humphrey Banack and his family will be participating as a host farm. Humphrey and wife Terry Banack will welcome visitors to their Camrose-area homestead and will provide information and demonstrations for those who attend.

“Open Farm Days is a very important event in Alberta,” says Humphrey Banack. “People come with questions and a real open interest in agriculture. Traceability and social license are hot topics for today’s consumer, and Open Farm Days allows us to have that important conversation with members of the public.”

Humphrey and Terry say that Open Farm Days lets them provide visitors with a ‘mini-adventure’ with a hands-on look at how food is produced nearby in Alberta communities. This year, the Banacks hope to take visitors out harvesting and send them home with a bag of peas straight from the field that they can use in recipes at home. Check out this video for more information.

Host farms that offer Open Farm Days “Farm Experiences” showcase a wide range of farm businesses including honey and berry farms, petting zoos, flower farms, plus more traditional agricultural enterprises like livestock, crop and vegetable farms.

Open Farm Days also includes farm-to-table “Culinary Experiences” taking place on August 20 and 21. These events feature local chefs and producers that team up to provide unique field dinners, brewery tasting tours, cowboy gatherings and barbecues. Most of these events require ticket purchases in advance. Information can be found at http://www.albertafarmdays.com/.

“We understand how important it is to connect with the consumers of our product,” Banack says. “Open Farm Days gives us the opportunity to allow visitors to see exactly what we do, where we fit into their food system and how we are part of what they put on their tables everyday.”

This AFA video taken during Alberta’s 2015 Open Farm Days event on the Banack Homestead shows what visitors can expect from a farm visit.

We encourage you to make this fun event part of your summer plans!

Calling agriculture students: apply for the AFA scholarship today!

AFA is proud to help students who are using their talents to further their studies in agriculture with our annual scholarship. We’d love to add your name to the list!

Each year, the AFA Scholarship awards $500 for one student to use towards studies in a post-secondary agriculture or related program. The deadline to apply for this year’s scholarship is August 1, 2016. The scholarship is awarded each November.

To be eligible for the AFA scholarship, an applicant must be:

• a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and an Alberta resident
• attending a designated post-secondary institution in Alberta
• enrolled full-time in the second or subsequent year of post-secondary study in a program related to the field of agriculture.

Applications are available online, but students can also call Student Aid Alberta Service Centre at 1-855-606-2096 for more information.

Students don’t have to be an AFA member to apply for the scholarship, but it helps since preference is given to applications submitted by AFA producer members, their children and their grandchildren. This is just one benefit to being an AFA producer member.

Congratulations to recent AFA scholarship winners!

Here is a brief overview on AFA’s last two scholarship winners. We are proud to help these students with their education!

• Wilson Leung of Edmonton, Alberta was the 2015 recipient of our annual AFA scholarship. Wilson completed his degree in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Alberta, and is now pursuing a degree in Environmental Health at Concordia University of Edmonton. Wilson is studying strategies related to agriculture including food safety inspection, risk assessment and environmental management.
• The 2014 scholarship was awarded to Nadine Jensen of Claresholm, Alberta, then in her third-year pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology at the University of Lethbridge.

Want to give a hand to the next generation in agriculture?

Tax-deductible donations are welcome and encouraged! AFA welcomes contributions from any business, group or individual to help keep the AFA Scholarship fund sustainable for years to come.

For more information, or to donate in the name of the AFA Scholarship, call the Alberta Scholarships Program at 780-427-8640. As we mentioned earlier, donations are tax deductible.

AFA members take their business on the road

We love to give a shout out to our AFA members! Here’s a great story on what can happen when you are willing to look at things in a different light. Congratulations to the Morris family on the new addition to their business!

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Arnie and Shirley Morris have been successful quail egg producers for the last three decades. From their Ardrossan, Alberta farm, they supply western Canadian retailers with about 10,000 of these delicate eggs each day.

When the opportunity to sell quail meat arose, they knew ramping up their production would be no problem. Finding a processing facility for the tiny birds was another matter.

Quails raised by the Morris family

“Processing plants don’t really have the equipment to handle small birds,” says Shirley Morris. “We made so many calls, and just couldn’t find a plant to do it. We knew we weren’t the only producers looking for this, and that there was demand for it.”

Where others saw closed doors, the Morris family saw potential. They decided to buy a custom mobile processing plant and became quail processors themselves. Inside the 28-ft. trailer, they can process quails, game birds and chickens plus create packaged meat for consumers.

Inside the Morris family mobile processing plant trailer

“For other farmers that raise chickens or pheasants, we’ll bring the processor to them,” Shirley says.  “It can also be a way to bring this great-tasting, high-quality meat to chefs and restaurants.”

As Shirley explains, the mobile plant gives them a unique way to take advantage of new markets, like the farm-to-table movement. They can process up to 600 birds a day, plus vacuum-seal the meat and sell it either fresh or frozen.

Fresh Bry-Conn Quail (10 pack)

Growing this side of their farm business has not been all smooth sailing, but Shirley notes they have some terrific support both on and off the farm. Their children are now involved in the processing business.

The Morris family also works closely with provincial meat inspectors to ensure the product meets the highest quality standards plus regulations for food safety, packaging and labelling. Shirley also credits Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) and Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA) staff as being instrumental in helping get this venture off the ground.

“This was a new area for us, so we had a lot of questions,” says Shirley. “AFA staff spent so much time helping us find the information we needed. We are so grateful for everyone’s help. It’s great to see what you can do with just 30 acres.”

The Morris family farm was also recently featured in The Western Producer. Click here to see the story and a video tour of the trailer!

Giving thanks this weekend

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving. We honor all who work to make this weekend an abundant one, filled with good food, family and friends. Thanks to all those in Alberta’s agriculture industry that make this weekend special!

CleanFARMS Obsolete Pick Up

Ever wondered if there is an environmentally-responsible way to dispose of old or unwanted agricultural products in Alberta?

Now there is! The Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI) is working with CropLife Canada/CleanFARMS to collect unwanted, obsolete and expired agricultural pesticides and livestock/equine medications from Alberta’s agri-business and equine industries.

This program is offered for free to the province’s farmers, ranchers and producers. Products accepted at the collection sites include:

• Obsolete or unwanted agricultural pesticides (identified with a Pest Control Product number on the label).
• Livestock medications that are used by primary producers in the rearing of animals in an agricultural context (identified with a DIN number, Serial Number or Pest Control Product number on the label). Needles not accepted.

For 2015, the collection will take place from Monday, October 26 through Friday, October 30 at 20 different sites across southern Alberta. Once obsolete materials are dropped off at a designated collection site, the products are then transported to a high-temperature incineration facility where they are safely disposed of.

This poster from CleanFARMS shows the collection sites, but you can also view this information online.

For producers outside southern Alberta, the collection program will be offered in the northern half of Alberta at approximately 20 ag-retail locations in the fall of 2016. The obsolete collection program is typically delivered in each region of the country every three years.

CleanFARMS is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that is committed to environmental responsibility through the proper management of agricultural waste. We all want safe, healthy and sustainable environments. The CleanFARMS programs help environmentally-conscious farmers, ranchers and producers manage the waste generated by their rural-based businesses.

The last time the obsolete collection program was delivered in Alberta in 2012 and 2013 a total of 96,381 kgs of obsolete pesticide were collected. Since the program was first launched in 1998, CropLife Canada/CleanFARMS have collected over 300,000 kgs of obsolete pesticide. 2015 marks the first time that livestock/equine medications will be collected as part of the CleanFARMS program in Alberta.

For more information on the program or the collection campaign, visit the CleanFARMS website at http://www.cleanfarms.ca.