Crop agronomy research funded
The Western Grain Research Foundation has received more than $7.6 million in funding for the second phase of the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster.
More than $4 million comes from the AgriScience Clusters under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, more than $1.9 million from the WGRF and $1.5 million from industry partners.
The Agronomy Cluster consists of seven projects that will be funded between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2028.
Research will focus on agronomic issues to improve sector profitability, increase carbon sequestration, reduce nitrous oxide emissions and enhance resilience to climate change and herbicide resistance.
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Collaborating research organizations include Agriculture Canada, Alberta Agriculture, the University of Alberta, Brandon University, the University of Manitoba, Manitoba Agriculture and the University of Saskatchewan.
Mentorship program announced
The Wheat Growers Association has launched a young farmer mentorship program with the support of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail.
The program is intended to encourage young farmers to get informed and involved within agriculture policy.
The association will support two young farmers from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia’s Peace River District.
Applicants must be grain farmers in Western Canada and younger than 35.
Applications will be open from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1, and the successful candidates will be announced Nov. 15.
College offers new programs
Assiniboine Community College in Brandon will be offering two new programs: mechatronics engineering technology and horticulture production.
Mechatronics is the study of mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering systems, and Assiniboine’s program will support evolving manufacturing, processing, and food development sectors in Manitoba.
The three-year diploma program will welcome 24 students in September 2024.
The college’s horticulture production program, which has been delivered in Brandon, will expand to the college’s Parkland campus in Dauphin, welcoming an additional 14 students in September 2024 to receive training to work in jobs such as junior growers, greenhouse gardeners and warehouse supervisors.
For more information, visit assiniboine.net/mechatronics or assiniboine.net/hortproduction.
4-H Canada makes leadership changes
David Hansen has been elected chair of 4-H Canada after serving two three-year terms on the board as a director.
He has an extensive background in the agriculture industry.
Amy McConchie joins the board as a newly elected director. She has been involved in 4-H for most of her life and had previously sat on the board as a youth representative.
McConchie continues to be involved in 4-H as a leader.
Continuing in their roles as directors are Danielle Chu, Valerie Stone Grech, Fawn Jackson, Shelley Jones, Tyler McCann and Carlie Whetter.
New trustees join 4-H Foundation
Two new members have joined the Canadian 4-H Foundation’s board of trustees.
Ashwin Ramesh leads the sustainability and impact strategy team at McDonald’s Canada, where his responsibilities include strategies and cross functional programs relating to food and planet impacts.
Nicole McAuley has 15 years of experience working for BASF, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, Hatch and Vale in the communications field.
Alta. names Outstanding Young Farmers
Second generation grain producers Greg and Sara Stamp of Stamp Seeds and Stamp Farms from Enchant, Alta., are Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2023.
The couple, along with Greg’s two brothers, Nathan and Matthew, and parents, Richard and Marian, operate Stamp Seeds and Stamp Farms in the Bow River Irrigation District.
With 5,000 acres under irrigation and 2,000 acres of dryland farming, they produce pedigreed seed such as wheat, barley, spelt, fababeans, peas, lentils, flax, hybrid rye, grass, and hybrid seed canola.
Greg is the seed sales manager while Nathan is the farm manager and Matthew is the business operations manager. They are all responsible for production of high-quality seed and overseeing 19 full-time and nine seasonal employees.
Stamp Farms participates in Canadian Foodgrains Bank harvests and has been involved in a wildlife habitat restoration and creation project that planted thousands of trees around fields and enhanced wetland and grassland areas between fields for habitat.
The couple are also involved in their community and have six children.
The other nominees in Alberta this year were:
- Joe and Matt Hamill of Hamill Farms and Red Shed Malting in Red Deer
- Kenleigh and Drew Pasay of Bentgrove Farm in Red Water
- Alex Villeneuve of Cere Solutions Ltd. in Crossfield
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2023 will be chosen at the program’s national event in Laval, Que., Nov. 22-26.
