More than half Alberta’s ag land is forage
OLDS, Alta. — Forage may be one of the most underrated crops in Alberta.
A new report estimates that the direct and indirect economic value of the forage industry in Alberta is $2.1 to $3.8 billion.
Stephanie Kosinski, a forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture who wrote the report, said the direct value of native range, hay and grass and legume seed and indirect benefits such as erosion control, water purification and wildlife habitat make forage one of province’s most valuable crops.
In 2006, Statistics Canada estimated that 28.5 million acres, or more than half of the province’s agricultural land, was in forage.
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“We really need to start putting a value on it,” Kosinski said. “It should be right up there with other crops.”
Instead, forage, hay, seed production and grassland seem to be the forgotten crops, said Don McLennan, chair of the Alberta Forage Industry Network, which formed recently to promote the forage industry.
“It’s never been recognized how important it is and how many acres and what its value is.”
McLennan said he hopes publishing the report will help people realize the value of the industry.
“It’s really important to quantify it in standpoint of acres and value,” he said.
“This will highlight the value of it. We have to work together to have a better handle on our industry.”
Kosinski made the following observations in her report:
- unlike cereals and canola, there are not a lot of statistics collected on forages
- domestic forage seed sales are $23.8 million
- export forage seed sales are $36 million
- southern Alberta has the largest intensive leaf cutter beef production in North America. Alfalfa seed sales are estimated at $13.5 million and leafcutter bee sales another $2.5 million
- Alberta produces an estimated 7.7 million tonnes of forage worth $620 million domestically and $4 million for export
- the compressed timothy hay market is estimated to be worth $78 million. Eighty-eight percent of Canada’s compressed hay is processed in Alberta
- processed alfalfa cubes and pellet exports are valued at $21 million and another $3.7 million in domestic markets
- an estimated 635,000 acres of greenfeed are harvested annually and valued at $91.5 million
- an average of 660,000 acres of silage are harvested each year and valued at $25.8 million
- the value of straw as cattle feed is estimated to be $77 million
- native range land is worth $163 million
- tame pasture is estimated at $186 million
- Alberta’s 46 sod farms have 9,402 acres with $30 million in receipts
- Kosinski estimates the direct value of forages to Alberta at $1.5 to $1.6 billion.
“A lot of people don’t recognize value of forages.”
She said forages also provide erosion control and act as a filter for surface water. They also provide a place for wildlife related activities.
