Agricultural Service Board Agenda
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AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARD AGENDA The Agricultural Service Board will hold a meeting on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers, 1408 Twp. Rd. 320, Didsbury, AB and live streamed via Zoom Cloud Meetings. 1. Call to Order 2. AGENDA 2.1 Adoption of Agenda 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES 3.1 Agricultural Service Board Meeting Minutes of September 21, 2020 4. BUSINESS ARISING 5. DELEGATIONS Nil. 6. OLD BUSINESS 6.1 ALUS Update & Projects November 2020 6.2 REEP Projects November 2020 6.3 Do More Ag – Mental Health Session 7. NEW BUSINESS 7.1 Agricultural Service Board Appointments 7.2 Carcass Composting Grant Application 8. REPORTS 8.1 a. Seed Plant Updates (verbal report) b. Workshop Updates c. 2020 Resolution Report Card d. Alberta Crop Report – Final Report for 2020 9. CORRESPONDENCE 9.1 a. Foothills Forage and Grazing Association 2021 Funding Request b. Strychnine Update 10. CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS Nil. 11. ADJOURNMENT NEXT MEETING DATE – December 14, 2020 1 UNADOPTED MINUTES AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARD MEETING Mountain View County Minutes of the Agricultural Service Board Meeting held on Monday, September 21, 2020, live streamed via Zoom Cloud Meetings. PRESENT: B. Rodger; Chairman Councillor P. Johnson Councillor D. Milne Councillor D. Fulton B. Buschert, Vice Chairman S. LaBrie T. Jackson ABSENT: Nil. IN ATTENDANCE: J. Fulton, Assistant Director of Legislative, Community and Agricultural Services C. Chrenek, Assistant Agricultural Fieldman L. Grattidge, Sustainable Agricultural Specialist D. Archer, Administrative Support CALL TO ORDER: B. Rodger, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m. J. Fulton advised of the following amendments to the agenda: 8.1 g. Weed Control Rebate Program AGENDA Moved by Councillor D. Milne ASB20-037 That the Agricultural Service Board adopt the amended agenda of the Agricultural Service Board Meeting of September 21, 2020. T. Jackson joined the meeting at 9:07 a.m. Carried. MINUTES Moved by S. LaBrie ASB20-038 That the Agricultural Service Board adopt the Minutes of the Agricultural Service Board Meeting of August 17, 2020. Carried. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES Nil. OLD BUSINESS ALUS Projects September 2020 L. Grattidge provided a short overview of the Riparian & 1 September 21, 2020 2 UNADOPTED Ecological Enhancement Projects. Project located SW 36-29-02-W5; 100 cow/calf operation. The project is for a fence line and watering system in the amount of $7,066.25 as outlined in the project spreadsheet. Moved by S. LaBrie ASB20-039 That the Agricultural Service Board approves funding for 50% of the materials for the riparian fencing project to a maximum of $1,500.00 and 25% of the watering system materials to a maximum of $1,697.50 on the SW 36-29-02-W5 and additionally $2,368.75 to annual payments for the maintenance of this project from the 2020 ALUS budget. Carried. Moved by Councillor D. Milne 9:32 am ASB20-040 That the Agricultural Service Board re-visit project funding limits, for REEP participants at the end of 2020 who complete projects in 2020 but do not receive CAP funding approval. Carried. Draft 2020 Report Card on the Resolutions J. Fulton provided information to the Board regarding responses and reviewed the resolutions. Moved by Councillor D. Milne ASB20-041 That the Agricultural Service Board forward their input on the 2020 Resolutions Responses Grading. Carried. NEW BUSINESS FarmTech 2021 Cancellation J. Fulton briefly reviewed the information provided. Moved by B. Buschert ASB20-042 That the Agricultural Service Board receive for information the FarmTech Sponsorship of a young farmer will not be offered due to the cancellation of FarmTech 2021. Carried. Living in the Natural Environment 2021 Cancellation J. Fulton informed the Board on the current status of the event. Moved by B. Buschert ASB20-043 That the Agricultural Service Board receive for information the cancellation of Living in the Natural Environment for 2021. Carried. REPORTS Seed Plant Updates S. LaBrie did not have any updates. 2 September 21, 2020 3 UNADOPTED B. Rodger updated the Board on the Mountain View Seed Cleaning Plant who met and has put expansion plans on hold until the end of harvest 2020. Workshop Updates L. Grattidge provided the following information regarding upcoming workshops: • GWFA – Grazing for Soil Carbon workshop • FFGA – Marginal Areas on Your Land workshop • EFP Workshops are still in the planning stage • Do More Ag – Free Webinars on domore.ag The Board requested a workshop be organized about the new on-farm slaughter regulations in Alberta. Central Region ASB Conference J. Fulton reviewed the information provided in the RFD. Agricultural Plastics Recycling Pilot Update J. Fulton provided an update on the Provincial program; 526.35 tonnes of grain bags and twine have been collected and recycled under the pilot program since October 1, 2019; of this, 501.87 tonnes were grain bags while 24.48 tonnes was twine. An addition of six collection sites have been announced for year two of the Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It! in Alberta. L. Grattidge provided an update on the MVC Ag Plastics Recycling Program. There have been 20 participants in 2020 with 114 bags brough in to date. There are two more collection dates in October (2nd and 16th), 2020. Drop offs are arranged by appointment only. Land Stewardship Centre Annual Report 2019-2020 L. Grattidge summarized the information provided in the agenda. ASB Grant Update J. Fulton updated the Board on the status for 2020 funding. Moved by Councillor P. Johnson 10:21 ASB20-044 That the Agricultural Service Board recommend to Council a co- signed letter from the ASB and Council inquiring about the status of the ASB Grant sent to the Minister. Carried. Weed Control Rebate Program J. Fulton informed the Board on the options to continue funding this project from other unspent budget lines for 2020. Moved by Councillor P. Johnson ASB20-045 That the Agricultural Service Board support an increased budget for the 20% Regulated Weed Control Rebate from 3 September 21, 2020 4 UNADOPTED existing unspent budget lines to a total of $20,000 for 2020 to be funded from existing budgets. Moved by B. Buschert ASB20-046 That the Agricultural Service Board receive the following as information: a. Seed Plant Updates (verbal report) b. Workshop Updates (verbal report) c. Central Region ASB Conference d. Agricultural Plastics Recycling Pilot Update (verbal report) e. Land Stewardship Centre Annual Report 2019-2020 f. ASB Grant Update g. Weed Control Rebate Program Carried. CORRESPONDENCE 2021 ASB Summer Tour Cancellation Letter J. Fulton introduced the letter provided for the Board’s information. GWFA Weevil Project Letter L. Grattidge forwarded the letter to the Board for information. Moved by S. LaBrie ASB20-047 That the Agricultural Service Board receive the following correspondence for information: a. 2021 ASB Summer Tour Cancellation Letter b. GWFA Weevil Project Letter Carried. NEXT MEETING DATE October 19th, 2020. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Councillor D. Milne ASB20-048 That the Agricultural Service Board Meeting of September 21, 2020 be adjourned at 10:31 a.m. Carried. Chair I hereby certify these minutes are correct. Assistant Director of Legislative, Community and Agricultural Services 4 September 21, 2020 5 Agricultural Service Board Meeting Request for Decision Date: November 16, 2020 SUBJECT: ALUS Update & Projects RECOMMENDATION: That the Agricultural Service Board approves additional funding to equal 25% of the materials for the watering system project to a maximum of $1,359 on the SE 25-32-06-W5 and an additional increase to $2,827.50 for annual payments for the maintenance of this project which equates to a difference of $1,593.56 from the 2020 ALUS budget, in addition to what was previously approved under the 2018 ALUS budget. That the Agricultural Service Board approves funding for 100% of the materials for the riparian fencing project to a maximum of $2,200 on the NW 12-29-04-W5 and $1,140 to annual payments for the maintenance of this project from the 2020 ALUS budget. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS: That the Agricultural Service Board receives for information the ALUS project applications as presented. BACKGROUND: In 2020, seven landowners have been approved for ALUS projects in Mountain View County impacting 269 acres of wetland, riparian and upland areas. Additional projects will be presented for approval consideration. Project Decision Consideration Guidelines are attached for reference purposes. Applications have been scored using the project rating form and funding recommendations are based on the rating. Agricultural Services has developed a funding spreadsheet based on these evaluations for review. ALUS Program Highlights ALUS Canada’s Trailblazers series showcases farmers and ranchers who are doing an outstanding job producing cleaner air, cleaner water, increased biodiversity, and other valuable ecosystem services for their communities through their ALUS projects. Two ALUS farms in Mountain View County have been highlighted: ALUS Alberta Trailblazers - Lisa Kennedy and Joey Halter ALUS Alberta Trailblazers - Sean and Holly LaBrie The County of Vermilion River is celebrating their 10th Anniversary of ALUS in the county and to celebrate they created the online ALUS Vermilion River Project Showcase. Project 10 completed by Five L Farms is unique as they converted field approaches into permanent perennial cover to help mitigate the spread of clubroot. While small in footprint, these welcome mats for cleaning mud, dirt, and loose vegetation off farm equipment will have a positive impact not only for their farm operation but also for adjacent wetlands and birds, pollinators, and wildlife. The 1-acre clubroot mitigation projects are the first of their kind in the County of Vermilion River. They were jointly funded by ALUS and The CVR Ag 6 Page 1 of 2 Department as demonstration sites for other producers who are interested in proactively managing clubroot on their farms.