Rancher receives forage leadership award
Graeme Finn has been awarded the 2018 AFIN Leadership Award from the Alberta Forage Industry Network.
Finn and his family run a cow-calf operation near Madden, Alta., and have incorporated intensive rotational grazing and winter grazing strategies into their management system.
The award is designed to recognize leadership in Alberta’s forage and grasslands sectors in the areas of research, extension or promotion of the economic or environmental benefits of native rangeland, seeded pasture or hayland.
Finn has lived in Canada for more than 25 years after emigrating from Australia. He is involved in a number of organizations and is a mentor for the young cattleman’s leaders program and for the beef council researcher mentorship program.
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Variety resistance is getting more specific on crop disease pathogens, but that information must be conveyed in a way that actually helps producers make rotation decisions.
Animal care recognized
The Alberta Farm Animal Care Awards of Distinction have been presented to the East Olds Dairy Farmers group and Lakeland College.
The awards recognize exceptional contributions in livestock welfare by advancing the mandate of AFAC.
The Award of Distinction for Communication was presented to the East Olds Dairy Farmers group for its Breakfast on the Dairy Farm initiative, which helps the public learn about what dairy farmers do and hosts more than 1,000 people a year.
The Award of Distinction for Industry Leadership went to Lakeland College for its educational leadership and commitment to animal welfare.
Board of directors wanted
Nominations for the Farm Management Canada board of directors are open until April 26.
FMC seeks three nominees with directors expected to serve a three-year term. Directors are permitted to serve a maximum of three consecutive three-year terms.
The candidates may belong to any membership category: farmer, member at large, academic institution, association/organization, or corporation.
It is preferred nominees have experience in at least one of the following areas:
- business development
- not for profit sector
- farm business skills development
- farm business advisory services
- government relations and policy
For more information, call 888-232-3262 or email info@fmc-gac.com.
Dutch elm prevention encouraged
The pruning ban for dutch elm disease in Alberta is in effect from April 1 to Sept. 30.
To help eliminate beetle habitat, residents must properly prune all dead wood out of elms and dispose of all pruned elm wood and elm firewood by burning, burying, or chipping by March 31.
Stored elm wood can harbour the elm bark beetles that can carry the dutch elm disease fungus, which feeds on healthy elms and breeds in dead and dying elm trees.
Once an elm tree is infected, it will die in a year.
Aphid manager app launched
The Cereal Aphid Manager app has been launched to help grain producers and crop advisers control cereal aphid populations in wheat, barley, oats, and rye.
Agriculture Canada’s new smartphone app predicts what the aphid population will be in seven days and the best time to apply insecticide.
It still requires proper scouting, but allows people to record the number of aphids and performs the math.
It can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.
