KINGMAN, Alta. – It was a meeting of the new and the experienced.
Students from the University of Alberta’s Rural Economy Graduate Student Association recently joined farmers from the Kingman Marketing Group for their annual farm tour.
The two groups didn’t have much in common except their interest in agriculture. For many students, it was their first time on a Canadian farm.
John Pattison, organizer and member of the graduate student association, thought tagging along on the tour would be a great way for the students to meet producers and see agriculture outside of a classroom. For producers it was a way to meet the agriculture researchers and policy members of the future.
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Ximena Amoroso of Ecuador is doing research on the effectiveness of hedging to reduce price risk in canola. The tour was the first time she’s seen canola in the field.
“I have studied canola, but just in books. I have never been in a field,” said Amoroso.
The Department of Rural Economy is a mix of graduate programs in agricultural economy, resource economy, environmental economy, forest economy and rural sociology.
Catalina Solano of Colombia is studying the economics of cold tolerant crops like winter wheat and ways to increase farmers’ adoption of practices that improve nesting habitat for mallard ducks.
When she asked farmers what they thought about migrating birds in farm fields, she got an earful.
Round Hill farmer Bernie Von Tettenborn said urban people always want wildlife preserved, but never think of how it impacts agriculture production.
“If urban people want wildlife preserved, they should have to pay for it,” said Von Tettenborn.
Jim Otto of Kingman said wildlife is only a small part of what damages farm crops: there are also insects, disease and four-wheelers driving through fields.
“They’re the biggest disease we have. They won’t leave our grain land alone,” he said.
Yingchuan Dai of China said it was clear from the stops on the tour – an expanding dairy operation, grain handling equipment, beef cattle and grain land – what’s important to farmers.
“This trip is an opportunity. It’s a real experience and it’s very vivid what farmers are concerned about. They are concerned about price and the cost of fuel,” she said.
“This is very important for our research.”
Dai, who is studying trade barriers in the hog and pork industry, has toured Chinese farms, but it was her first in Canada.
“It’s important we learn from the perspective of farmers. Our research is just a game if it’s not implemented,” said Dai.
Kingman farmer Doug Horte said it is important for farmers to have connections with people in agriculture other than their neighbours.
“It’s important for us to have ties beyond our small area,” he said.
Horte said he hoped the students saw how farms operate and appreciated the importance of the family farm.
