Help offered for starting dairy
Alberta Milk’s New Entrant Assistant Program offers a quota loan at no cost to successful applicants who want to be dairy farmers. Applications are accepted until March 31.
The quota purchased by the new entrant is matched with a loan of quota from Alberta Milk, up to 25 kilograms per day, at no cost.
The loan translates to enough quota to milk 20 to 25 additional cows. It gradually expires beginning in the seventh year and reduces to zero at the end of year 10.
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The program has accepted 15 new dairy farms into the province since 2011.
To qualify, applicants must submit a two-year financial business plan, a 10-year implementation plan, a risk mitigation plan and a signed letter from the applicant’s financial institution agreeing to finance their operation.
For more information, visit albertamilk.com or 877-361-1231.
Outstanding Young Farmer named in British Columbia
Gary Baars, 33, has been named British Columbia and Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer for 2017.
The Chilliwack dairy producer and his wife, Marie, operate TNT Hay Sales and sell mainly to dairy farms. He started a dairy farm and bought quota for 15 cows in 2011.
The Baars also manage Marie’s grandmother’s 160-cow, 80-acre dairy farm in east Abbotsford.
Gary recently bought additional hay-growing acreage in Greendale and joined with two partners to buy a 472-acre, 100-cow dairy in Manitoba.
Baars has served as a director of the Mainland Young Milk Producers and the BC Young Farmers. The couple will represent B.C. at the national OYF competition in Penticton, B.C., in November.
Ag Canada surveys farmers
Farmers can take part in an on-line survey by Agriculture Canada on precision agriculture to help advance innovation.
The survey, which takes place from Jan. 9 to March 4, will examine the use of precision agriculture in Western Canada.
Results will be available in April.
The survey covers all components of precision agriculture, from GPS guidance to “big data” systems.
It will look at the precision agriculture tools being adopted and identify the barriers to technology and innovation that farmers face across the Prairies.
Farmers are asked to include the various tools and technologies they currently use and are considering using in 2017.
Results from the survey will help promote the use of innovation and competitiveness in agriculture and inform the development of future policies and programs.
The survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/precision-ag-western-canada.
Call made for photos
Ag for Life is creating a digital #WeAreAbAg photo book to help Albertans showcase and share agriculture’s story during Canadian Ag Day. The aim of the book is to highlight the more than 89,200 people who are employed by the agri-food industry.
The project is looking for a range of photos related to agriculture including farms, ranches, families, livestock and equipment.
Participants can share their agriculture story at agricultureforlife.ca/wearealbertaag.
The book will be posted on Ag for Life’s website, social media channels and emailed to those who submit images.
For more information visit agricultureforlife.ca.
