JUNE 2018 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 3

Celebrate the role of Native Prairie PAGE 9

Clubroot surveillance in 2018 | PAGE 5

Summer management strategies for livestock | PAGE 12

Building public trust in agriculture | PAGE 15 Minister’s Message

Lyle Stewart Welcome to the June Edition of Agriview.

The 2018-19 Provincial Budget was introduced in the Saskatchewan Legislature in April by the Honourable Donna Harpauer, Minister of Finance. The budget is focused on keeping our province on track with our plan to meet fiscal challenges while continuing to invest in the services, programs and infrastructure that Saskatchewan people value.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s budget is $378.6 million, including $258.2 million to fully fund the business risk management programs of Crop Insurance, AgriStability, AgriInvest and Western Livestock Price Insurance. These programs give producers confidence to make investments in their operation that improve the overall profitability and long-term sustainability of our industry. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation worked with industry to bring forward enhancements to this year’s Crop Insurance program, including adding fire insurance as a coverage feature for pasture land. These programs give producers The savings in this year’s budget are a result of lower forecast AgriStability costs and decreased Crown land sale incentive costs, due to the conclusion of confidence to make investments the 2015 program that provided a purchasing opportunity for farmers and in their operation that improve the ranchers leasing the land. overall profitability and sustainability. The 2018-19 agriculture budget includes $71.2 million for strategic initiatives under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), the same amount provided in the previous federal-provincial agreement, Growing Forward 2. This year’s budget includes $31.8 million for agricultural research, an increase of $5 million from last year, to support research institutions, project funding through the Agriculture Development Fund and to increase our focus on demonstration and technology transfer.

The budget also contains $3 million to support rehabilitation of irrigation assets in five irrigation districts and irrigation asset transfer, $4.4 million in industry grants to support events and organizations such as Canada’s Farm Progress Show and Agriculture in the Classroom, and $800,000 in annual funding to Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan to support that organization’s work in enforcing The Animal Protection Act.

I am confident this budget will support the continued success of our industry. Table of Contents

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JUNE 2018 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 3 CROPS

Keep it Clean benefits your bottom line and Canada’s brand ...... 4

Consider in-crop fertilizer when weather and crop conditions change ...... 4

Beneficial insects: do you scout before you spray? ...... 5

Clubroot surveillance in 2018...... 5

International irrigation conference coming to Saskatchewan ...... 6

Post-application checks on herbicide performance for herbicide-resistance management ...... 6

RESEARCH

Can group-housing lead to lower energy costs due to reduced barn temperatures? ...... 7 Celebrate the role of Native Prairie PAGE 9 PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Beef producers improve facilities and help the environment ...... 8 Clubroot surveillance in 2018 | PAGE 5

Summer management strategies for livestock | PAGE 12 Building public trust in agriculture | PAGE 15 Celebrate the role of native prairie in sustainable growth ...... 9

Cover: Native Prairie Appreciation Week is LIVESTOCK June 17-23. It’s a time to celebrate the values Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef ...... 10 of native prairie – discover how on page 9. Updated livestock and forage strategy unveiled ...... 10

Bovine tuberculosis investigation over but the industry can’t be complacent ...... 11

Take steps to avoid blue-green algae in your dugouts ...... 11

Summer management strategies for livestock producers to consider...... 12

Pasture management will result in more uniform grazing ...... 12 AGRIVIEW is published by the Communications Branch of Saskatchewan Agriculture for Saskatchewan farmers, ranchers and farm and food organizations. PROGRAMS & SERVICES For more information, call 306-787-5160 or email Seeding isn’t complete until you’ve filed the seeded acreage report ...... 13 [email protected]. To view this publication online, Illegally dumping waste hurts the environment and can result in fines ...... 14 visit www.saskatchewan.ca/agriview. Volunteers needed to survey wildlife ...... 14

Expanding value-added processing in Saskatchewan...... 15

Building public trust with Blair’s family of companies ...... 15

EVENTS CALENDAR

Calendar ...... 16

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Be FireSmart on the farm: fire pits, burn barrels and windrows...... 16

IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING ANY SYMPTOMS OF STRESS, THE FARM STRESS LINE IS THERE FOR YOU 24/7 AT 1-800-667-4442.

Saskatchewan.ca CROPS Keep it Clean benefits your bottom line and Canada’s brand

mycotoxin. DON levels are strictly regulated around the world, so Brenna Mahoney protecting your crop from fusarium and DON will not only improve your Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations bottom line but improve the marketability of the rest of Canadian exports. Cereals Canada Some of the things that farmers can do today to limit the potential for fusarium damage are: As an individual farmer, you can’t control everything that goes into Canada’s • Scout fields regularly for disease reputation of providing quality, consistent symptoms to determine the effectiveness and clean grain. You do, however, have of your management plan; control over some of the most important • Apply fungicide when there is an elevated factors. Adherence to the guidelines in the risk of FHB (e.g. wet conditions during Keep it Clean program is an excellent way to flowering and head emergence); and ensure you are reducing risk on your farm, • Control grassy weeds and straw residue as well as protecting the Canadian brand. that may harbour FHB between cereal Importers are increasingly on the lookout crop years. for unwanted material in grain shipments. The industry must work as a single They always test arriving vessels to ensure Unacceptable residues can sink value-chain in order to protect and that contract specifications are being met, a shipment – know the 2018 products of concern before application. enhance Canada’s reputation for quality and testing levels are becoming and safety. This is why the Canola increasingly minute, often calculated in Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, the parts per billion or even parts per trillion Barley Council of Canada, the Prairie Oat (a part per trillion is the equivalent of one Growers Association and Pulse Canada second in 32,000 years). are making the Keep it Clean program 2018 PRODUCTS OF CONCERN Shipments that contain things like pesticide residues above the importer’s directly related to enhancing your crop CANOLA: Be Informed – Treated crop could createprotection marketing concerns: management plan. Following the Keep it Clean guidelines will maximum residue limits or mycotoxins such as ochratoxin (OTA) and Quinclorac (e.g. Accord, Clever, Facet and Masterline Quinclorac) – consult grain buyer before using. Metconazole (e.g. Quash) – consultenhance grain buyer before using. your business by reducing risk, while also helping the entire deoxynivalenol (DON) can derail exports and damage Canada’s reputation.CEREALS: Special Considerations: Wheat: Glyphosate (e.g. Roundup) industry– only use pre-harvest if greenestdeliver part of the crop on is <30% its moisture. commitments. Countries can turn shipments away if we don’t meet their regulations, Oats: Glyphosate – may not be accepted by grain buyers if treated pre-harvest. Malt Barley: Glyphosate, Sa ufenacil (e.g. Kixor) – will not be accepted by grain buyers if treated pre-harvest. causing millions of dollars in losses and placing future business atPULSES: risk. Up-to-date information is now available at keepingitclean.ca.

A focus for farmers this time of year is fusarium. Every farmer knows the FOR Visit www.keepingitclean.ca; or potential yield and quality losses that come from fusariumThree important steps todamage, avoid unacceptable residues but and protect Canada’s reputationMORE as a quality supplier: Call Cereals Canada at 204-942-2166. Use only registered products. Always follow the label for rate, Con rmINFO market requirements losses in the field are not the only issue. The fungus produces thetiming DON and pre-harvest interval. with your grain buyer.

For more information on how your application decisions can impact market access for all, visit keepingitclean.ca

AD_KeepItClean_ProductsofConcern_April2018_7.125x9.875_REVISED_FOR_CEREALS_April26.indd 1 2018-04-26 10:10:27 AM Consider in-crop fertilizer when weather and crop conditions change

can also be added to fertilizer to stabilize nutrients for a short time if rain Daphne Cruise, PAg is not in the immediate forecast. In-crop sulphur application can happen Crops Extension Specialist a little later in crop development and still be beneficial. Agriculture Knowledge Centre Leaf burn could be an issue when doing an in-crop fertilizer application. If broadcasting granular fertilizer, do so when leaves are dry so the prills The ideal time for the majority of fertilizer, both economically and from will roll to the ground and reduce leaf burn. If using a liquid, make the a plant development perspective, is at seeding. Applying nutrients at application when leaves are wet from an early dew or light rain so it runs seeding saves an extra pass over the field and allows the crop to access off the plant, and perhaps consider adding extra water and increasing nutrients early. However, there are situations when an in-crop fertilizer pressure. Use dribble nozzles specific to fertilizer application to reduce application makes sense. contact with leaves and crop residue, as pesticide nozzles are designed to increase leaf coverage and could cause plant damage due to fertilizer If conditions are too dry or too wet at seeding, reducing fertilizer burn. Keep in mind that urea ammonium nitrate applied into heavy trash applications at seeding time can be done in response to predictions of a cover can be tied up by crop residue. Therefore, a fertilizer band works decreased yield. This can then be followed up with an in-crop application. better than a full ground cover system. Also, if the seeding implement does not allow for effective and efficient placement of all the fertilizer at the time of seeding, then an in-crop In-crop fertilizer applications are a good risk management tool that application can allow for the remainder of the fertilizer to be applied. producers can use to respond to the constantly changing weather patterns that are often experienced in the short time frame between seeding and The proper time for in-crop nitrogen application ranges from the four- the early stages of crop development. to six-leaf stage for canola and up to the five- to six-leaf stage for cereals. The best time for an application is just before a rainfall, as rain is required to move the fertilizer into the soil where roots can access it and FOR Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377. limit volatilization losses. Nitrogen efficiency products, such as Agrotain, MORE INFO

4 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 CROPS Beneficial insects: do you scout before you spray?

harmful diamondback moth eggs, larvae and cocoons, and developing Victoria Nameth, AAg lacewing larvae can consume 100 to 600 aphids. Similarly, the thirteen- Crops Extension Specialist, Tisdale spotted lady beetle is an aggressive predator that can consume 100 to Regional Services Branch 160 aphids in a 24-hour period. This not only prevents damage to crops, but also provides an economic benefit in that application of an insecticide may not be necessary. Recent studies have shown that canola pollinated As the growing season progresses into the month of June, insects and by insects can see a yield increase of 10 to 15 per cent. Therefore, to keep whether or not to apply an insecticide may be at the forefront of our beneficial insect population healthy, it is important to only spray an minds. While it is important to control the harmful insects that can insecticide when the economic threshold is exceeded. damage the crop, it is also important to consider the beneficial insects that can be harmed in the process. With the goal to increase awareness of these beneficial insects, a campaign called Field Heroes was launched this past summer. This Beneficial insects provide a valuable service to the crop through campaign encourages producers to scout for beneficial insects before predation or pollination. These insects are grouped into three categories: applying an insecticide. Visiting the campaign’s website or following @ predators, parasitoids and pollinators. Predators such as lacewings or FieldHeroes on Twitter will provide information on beneficial insects and ladybird beetles prey on other insects. Parasitoids such as parasitic wasps how to identify and scout for them. The next time you go out to scout or flies lay their eggs inside the harmful insect host, which eventually your fields for insects, remember the Field Heroes’ slogan: “Not all heroes kills the host. Pollinators like honey bees or leafcutter bees collect pollen wear capes: think beneficials before you spray.” and nectar from flowers and, as a result, our crops get pollinated.

Predator and parasitoid insects play an important role in an integrated pest management system. Working as a biological control, these FOR Visit the Field Heroes’ website at www.fieldheroes.ca. MORE beneficial insects are able to keep harmful pest populations below INFO economic threshold levels. For example, beneficial lacewings prey on

Clubroot surveillance in 2018

To raise awareness of the distribution and severity of clubroot in Barbara Ziesman, PhD, AAg Saskatchewan and to encourage informed and proactive clubroot Provincial Specialist, Plant Disease management, a clubroot distribution map will be generated showing Crops and Irrigation Branch the general location (at the RM level) of clubroot-infested fields.

Clubroot is an important soil-borne disease of canola and other brassicas that can cause yield losses of 50 per cent or more under extreme conditions. In 2017, clubroot was confirmed in a limited number of canola fields in Saskatchewan crop districts 9A and 9B. Currently, the distribution of clubroot in Saskatchewan appears to be limited, putting the province in a good position to get ahead of the disease and take precautions to minimize the spread and severity of clubroot. The first step towards this goal is to increase our understanding of the distribution of clubroot in Saskatchewan. To address this knowledge gap, Saskatchewan Agriculture is planning to conduct an extensive clubroot survey in the high-risk regions of Saskatchewan (the blue area in the map).

This survey will take place in the fall, starting in mid-August. One field in each township throughout the survey area will be randomly surveyed. In each field, plants will be pulled to look for clubroot galls on the roots. Soil samples will also be collected at the field entrance for DNA testing to detect the clubroot pathogen at low levels.

When positive fields are found, the landowner and/or producer will be contacted and informed of the finding. Since clubroot is a regulated pest in Saskatchewan, the location of all fields with clubroot will be reported to the rural municipality. Saskatchewan Agriculture is working towards a consistent approach to clubroot regulation in Saskatchewan and is recommending that rural municipalities manage clubroot through a farmer-driven approach. This approach enables the landowner and/or producer to lead on how clubroot will be managed on the farm. Landowners/producers will have the opportunity to work with a professional agrologist to develop a clubroot management plan for the infested fields. If the clubroot management plan meets a minimum set of science-based standards related to canola variety selection, crop rotation and sanitation practices, it will become the formal agreement between FOR Contact Barb Ziesman, Provincial Specialist, Plant Disease, MORE at 306-529-4403 or [email protected]. the landowner and/or producer and the municipal pest control officer. INFO

AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 5 CROPS International irrigation conference coming to Saskatchewan

The theme for this conference will be “Innovative and Sustainable Kelly Farden Agri-water Management: Adapting to a Variable and Changing Climate.” Manager, Agronomy Services The technical portion of the conference will consist of three sub-themes: Crops and Irrigation Branch 1) Competing Water Demands, 2) Resilient Agriculture—Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change, and 3) Irrigation and Drainage in Perspective. Water resource specialists from around the world will This summer, Saskatchewan will host the 69th International Executive present recent findings at these sessions. Council Meeting and Conference of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). The event takes place August 12 to 17, and In addition to the scientific seminars, the conference will also include a will be located at the Teachers Credit Union Place in downtown Saskatoon. trade show, working group sessions, tours and other special events. The It is expected that there will be between 350 to 500 leading experts on conference tours will travel through some of Saskatchewan’s irrigation irrigation and drainage from across the world in attendance throughout districts to highlight innovative and adaptive irrigation and drainage the week. management from the Canadian Prairie perspective.

More than 80 countries are members of the ICID, which has a mandate Although, at 250,000 acres, Saskatchewan’s irrigation sector is relatively dedicated to sustainable irrigated production and food security. Canada small, this conference presents a great opportunity to showcase the is a member of the ICID through its association with the Canadian Water province’s potential to an international audience. Having this conference in Resources Association (CWRA) and the Canadian Committee for our backyard is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Saskatchewan irrigators Irrigation and Drainage (CANCID). and industry stakeholders to learn from and network with world-renowned exerts in the fields of irrigation and water management. Through its network of professionals spread across the world, the ICID has facilitated the sharing of experiences and transfer of water management technology for more than 60 years. Due to the global nature FOR Visit the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage’s of the organization, ICID is dedicated to addressing agricultural water MORE website at www.icid2018.org. management issues across a broad spectrum, ranging from rain-fed INFO agriculture and drainage to full-scale intensive irrigation.

Post-application checks on herbicide performance for herbicide-resistance management

potential problems with the spray process (rain-wash, shadowing, Clark Brenzil, PAg boom-sway, etc.) and dismissed without further investigation. This is why Provincial Specialist, Weed Control it is important to scout fields after the in-crop herbicide has been applied. Crops and Irrigation Branch Scouting a field after herbicide application will allow the producer to catch any potential resistance at an early stage of development. The key The prevalence of herbicide resistance continues to rise in Saskatchewan. distinction to look for is a single weed escaping. It is highly unlikely that Weeds resistant to either Group 1 or Group 2 herbicides were found on 57 more than one weed will develop resistance at any one moment in time, per cent of crop fields surveyed in Saskatchewan during 2014 and 2015. so if there are several weed types (species) surviving in a patch, it is Herbicide resistance can be managed effectively if addressed early in its likely a result of a herbicide miss, rather than resistance. development; therefore, post-herbicide scouting can help to catch emerging problems quickly. If a single weed species is found to survive a herbicide application, testing can be conducted at the Saskatchewan Crop Protection Lab to confirm Herbicide resistance develops slowly at first, multiplying from a single resistance. If multiple species have survived, it is more likely a result of plant to millions over several years, but the rate of increase is fastest as an application miss. the transformation of the field to full-blown herbicide resistance nears completion. That is why it is important to monitor fields for weed survivors and eliminate these individuals before they build up to overtake FOR Contact a Regional Crops Extension Specialist at a nearby large portions of the field. MORE Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office; INFO Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377; or Single weed plants surviving a herbicide application are difficult to see on Visit saskatchewan.ca and search for ‘herbicide resistance.’ casual observation and, when seen, are often chalked up to other

6 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 RESEARCH Can group-housing lead to lower energy costs due to reduced barn temperatures?

Changes to the Canadian Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of savings at reduced temperatures were assessed. Phase 3 was a feasibility Pigs have the hog industry shifting from stalls to group housing system study to determine costs and requirements for proper implementation of for sows, and all sow farms are expected to have fully transitioned to the this technology in a typical swine production facility. new system by 2024. Two fully instrumented, controlled-environment chambers at the PSC barn The advantage of group housing systems is that sows can interact with each facility in Saskatoon were used in Phase 1 of this study. In one chamber, the other and exhibit more ‘natural’ animal behaviour. In addition to improved temperature was pre-set; in the other, it was controlled by the sows using an animal welfare, one significant economic benefit to producers is the operant mechanism, which included a heater installed in the fresh air potential to lower their production costs by reducing barn temperatures. supply duct to warm the air when activated. By flicking a switch, a sow Sows housed in groups can huddle together for warmth and maintain a could turn on the supplementary heating system, warming the room for comfortable environment even when the temperature in the barn is lowered. three minutes, after which the switch was deactivated for five minutes. A small radiant heater was installed immediately above the heat switch, giving The current temperature setting in typical barns (16.5 C) is slightly above the animal an immediate reward and making the connection in its mind the lower critical temperature of 15 C, the temperature at which the sow between the switch and warmth. A ‘dummy’ switch that did not operate a will require additional feed to maintain its body condition and weight radiant heater (i.e., unrewarded activity) was also installed close to the real gain over the gestation period. It is assumed that sows housed in groups switch to distinguish between deliberate behaviour by the sows to control may have lower critical temperature values significantly lower than 15 C, the room temperature and random interaction with the mechanism. thanks to their ability to thermo-regulate their environment. Thus, if group-housed sows can maintain body condition and weight gain at Subsequent trials in actual gestation rooms allowing the sows to control temperatures lower than currently maintained in sow barns without the their own environmental temperature resulted in approximately a need for additional feed, the potential exists to significantly reduce 75-per-cent reduction in natural gas consumption and an 11-per-cent energy costs for heating and ventilation.a reduction in electricity consumption for heating and ventilation compared to a conventional room with the temperature pre-set at 16.5 C. The sows However, some issues anticipated with group-housed sows include higher allowed their own environmental temperature to fall as low as 7 C, when activity levels and increased aggression among sows. These problems are the supplemental heater kicked in automatically. In total, this translated exacerbated when sows are put on a restricted feeding regime, which is a into a saving of about $4.78 per sow, which readily offset the cost of the common practice to maintain optimal body condition in gestating sows. high-fibre diet—composed mainly of barley, beet pulp, canola meal, pea The sensation of feeling “full” is improved with high-fibre diets; these diets fibre and wheat—and the equipment. As well, carbon dioxide levels were are also known to reduce the urge to feed continuously, as well as overall lower in the sow-controlled room, resulting in relatively better air quality activity and repetitive behaviour in sows. Moreover, dietary fibre increases than in the pre-set room. heat production in sows without increasing digestible energy. As such, adding fibre to the diet can be a means of reducing activity and limiting Growth performance and physiology were unaffected by the exposure to aggression in group-housed sows under reduced barn temperature. colder temperatures. No significant behavioral differences were observed between the sow-controlled room and the pre-set room, which implies With the financial support of the Saskatchewan Agriculture Development that sow welfare is not a concern. Fund (ADF) and the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, Dr. Bernardo Predicala and his team from the Prairie Swine Centre set This project confirmed that feeding group-housed sows a high-fibre/ out to determine the temperature requirements of group-housed sows heat-increment diet and allowing them to express natural thermoregulatory fed a high-fibre (high heat-increment) diet to reduce energy costs. behaviour (i.e., huddling), allowed them to tolerate temperatures significantly lower than the current industry set-point temperature without The specific objectives were to: compromising their welfare or productivity. This translates into a significant reduction in winter energy use, thereby contributing to the • Track metabolic rate, body temperature and thermoregulatory overall sustainability of the operation. Ultimately, the findings demonstrate behaviour to determine the environmental temperature preferred by the additional benefits that can be realized from group-housing and sows fed high-fibre diets; facilitate the conversion of the industry to the new system. • Assess the energy savings from reduced ventilation and heat requirements when sows are housed in groups at lower environmental The Agriculture Development Fund provides funding to institutions, temperatures; and companies and industry organizations to help them carry out research, • Evaluate the impact on general activity, aggression, body condition and development and value-added activities in the agriculture and agri-food weight gain of sows fed high-fibre diet and housed in groups at their sector. The results produce new knowledge, information and choices in preferred environmental temperature. technologies, techniques and varieties for farmers, ranchers, processors and input suppliers, to improve the competitiveness of Saskatchewan’s Ultimately, the researchers wanted to establish management practices that agricultural sector. would allow pig producers to benefit economically from the new rules regarding group housing. In 2018, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada committed $17.3 million in new funding for 55 ADF Dr. Predicala and his team split the project into three phases. In Phase 1, research projects through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial- they developed the instruments and training protocols to teach the sows to territorial initiative. control their environmental temperature and then tracked the physiological effects of high-fibre diet on sow metabolism and thermoregulatory behaviour. Phase 2 involved actual room-scale experiments in which the FOR Visit Saskatchewan.ca and search for ADF; then enter the report preferred environmental temperature of sows was determined and energy MORE number 20130263 into the search function. INFO

Radiant heater Operant switch Dummy switch

A B Figure 1. Circuitry of the developed operant controller system (A) and associated Figure 2. Sow activation of the operant switch, which triggered the operation of the components (B) including the operant activation and dummy switches, the radiant infrared heat lamp above the switch as immediate feedback reward as well as the main heater, and the main room supplemental gas heater (not shown). room supplemental gas heater until the air temperature in the room was increased by 1 deg C above the current temperature at the time the switch was activated. AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 7 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Beef producers improve facilities and help the environment

Bryce Sundbo, PEng Regional Engineer, Saskatoon Livestock Branch

Tim and Chris McDougall run a beef cow/calf operation in the Rural Municipality of Wilton, on land homesteaded by Tim’s grandfather in 1918. The family will be celebrating the farm’s centennial this year.

For a number of years, the McDougalls had wanted to relocate the corrals to a better, more convenient location, but cost was an issue. They were able to access funding under the Growing Forward 2 federal-provincial- territorial initiative, and that allowed them to achieve their relocation goal. The funding process was smooth and problem-free, according to Tim. The couple did most of the work themselves to keep costs down. The old site decommissioned.

The old site will be leveled and seeded back to native grass.

The New Site Tim chose a site that slopes to the southwest/west with good drainage, which meant that he did not have to do any earthwork at the new site. He consulted with Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Agricultural Operations staff and decided to build more than 300 metres from the creek so he would not have to apply for an approval under The Agricultural Operations Act while still ensuring that he did not negatively impact the creek. Tim bought steel paneling and welded T-posts on to make free-standing and continuous fencing. The fencing is not dug into the ground so it can be easily moved. Tim chose this design so that, if he wanted, he could change his pens easily. He has always had an interest in sustainable Aerial photo of the McDougall’s farm. power, and the cost of running power to the new site was going to be high, so the new well is powered by solar and wind energy. Tim The McDougalls had a number of reasons for wanting to relocate the corrals. estimated that he spent about 300 hours, or six weeks, building the new 1. They were concerned about the environmental impact of the old location. The majority of this work was completed with the use of a front facilities on the adjacent creek. They knew there was runoff from the end loader and a welder. pens that would enter the creek and possibly have a negative impact on the creek or downstream users. 2. Drainage at the old site was poor. The pens would get very muddy in the spring due to the location. 3. The old site was difficult to access. The road to the site was steep and would get icy in the winter.

Decommissioning Three buildings were moved from the old to the new site: a small barn, a pump house and a feed house containing the grain-rolling equipment. Tim estimated that he spent about 200 hours, or over a month, working on decommissioning the old site which was a requirement for accessing the GF2 funding. All the pen fencing was removed and Tim hired a backhoe to dig out the old well casing and decommission the old well. The new site

Tim and Chris McDougall are proud of their relocation project because they can see the environmental benefit. Relocating the livestock out of a sensitive area and away from the creek helps to protect water resources. This has also allowed Tim and Chris to improve the cattle pen environment by locating it on higher ground with better site drainage. The new cattle facility site has significantly better all-season access and supports the sustainability of the livestock industry.

Growing Forward 2 has ended but new programming has been established under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) to continue this important work.

FOR Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377. The old site MORE INFO

8 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Celebrate the role of native prairie in sustainable growth

• RAISE AWARENESS: Share your experiences with native rangelands on Nadia Mori, PAg, MSc social media with #NPAW20. Visit the Prairie Conservation Action Plan Range Management Extension Specialist (PCAP) website for events taking place during this week of celebrating Regional Services Branch native rangelands.

Temperate grasslands, which include our Canadian Prairies, are considered one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. In Saskatchewan, it is estimated that approximately 20 per cent of native prairie remains intact. Our remaining native prairie is a valuable resource that touches many lives and interest groups. Ranchers rely on the sustainable use of prairie for their livelihoods. For others, native prairie may be of cultural, spiritual or recreational importance. Many landowners, government and non-government agencies play a role in the stewardship and protection of native prairie. In recognition of the importance of native rangelands to sustainable growth in our province, Saskatchewan’s ministries of agriculture and environment declared the third week of June as Native Prairie Appreciation Week (NPAW). The purpose of the week is to raise awareness and appreciation of native prairie ecosystems and their importance to Saskatchewan’s people as well as to the environmental and agricultural sectors.

Native rangelands play many important roles. Some are visible, like • PASS IT ON: Contact a friend or two who have never spent time on a providing forage for livestock, habitat for wildlife and recreational areas rangeland pasture and offer to take them out on a walk. Teach them on for everybody to enjoy. Others may be invisible at first glance, such as the importance of these unique ecosystems and how sustainable regulating water flow, cycling nutrients and preserving biodiversity. grazing management maintains the function of these landscapes.

Some fun things to do in June to celebrate native rangelands:

• IDENTIFY IT: Search for needle-and-thread, our provincial grass. You can identify it through its distinctive twisted awn and big pointed ligule.

As well, join us June 21 and 22 in Beechy for one of the main events held during the 20th NPAW: “The Missouri Coteau: 10,000 Years in the Making”, a tour organized by the Prairie Parkland Chapter of the Society for Range Management and the PCAP. The event will kick off with a social event and surprise keynote presentation on Thursday evening. Friday will • TREASURE IT: Find a slope in a pasture that has good litter cover and “race” water down the hill. Notice how quickly the water infiltrates into feature a full day of touring and hands-on learning on native prairie of the soil. Now race water down a slope with little or no litter and the Matador area. The deadline for registration is June 14 and people are observe how the water travels much faster and farther. Litter is an encouraged to register early to secure a spot. important part of keeping moisture in the soil and supporting forage There will be lots of other activities planned across the province during growth during dry spells. Native Prairie Appreciation Week. Follow them on social media, #NPAW20, or visit the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan website.

FOR Visit www.pcap-sk.org/NPAW , or contact MORE [email protected]. INFO

AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 9 LIVESTOCK Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

Grant Zalinko, PAg Executive Director Livestock Branch

On April 10 and 11, 2018, the Canadian livestock industry met in Regina for the semi-annual meeting of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).

The CRSB is a national, multi-stakeholder initiative established in 2014 to advance sustainability efforts in the beef industry. The CRSB leads a national forum that connects local, regional and national leaders and stakeholders in the beef industry who are interested in and committed to beef sustainability. The CRSB is a collaborative effort. CRSB members Minister Stewart listens to Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, Chair of CSRB at their semi-annual are asked to remove their personal interests and focus on the goal of AGM in April. establishing sustainability initiatives as the pre-competitive advantage • Enabling consumers to purchase sustainably sourced product. for the entire beef industry. Consumers want to know more about where their food comes from. The activities of the CRSB are divided into three committees: Assurance programs have been developed to maintain public trust by Communications and Marketing; Certified Sustainable Beef Framework helping value chains market products that meet certain criteria. Marty and Scientific Advisory. Committee activities are overseen by the CRSB Seymour, Director, Industry and Stakeholder Relations, at Farm Credit council, which is selected from member representatives. Canada, spoke about “Chasing Public Trust” during the dinner keynote. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the advancement of the Mr. Seymour highlighted the importance of the consumer when marketing Certified Sustainable Beef Framework. The framework has been in agricultural products to the world. It is important to deliver simple, clear development since 2015 and was officially launched at the CRSB annual messages that focus on branding products in ways that appeal to customers. meeting in December 2017. The mission of the framework is to drive the This means that the message needs to resonate with the customers and advancement and recognition of beef sustainability in Canada through their families and not rely solely on facts and science to sell the product. a world-class operation-level certification program. Some of the purposes Beef industry stakeholders are encouraged to check out the framework of the framework include: at www.crsbcertifiedsustainablebeef.ca. • Recognizing leadership and best practice within the beef industry; • Ensuring that a consistent, robust and meaningful definition of sustainable production in Canada is available; FOR Monica Hadarits, CRSB Programs and Certification Director, MORE at [email protected] or 306-221-6227. • Supporting the understanding of sustainable beef production in Canada; and INFO

Updated livestock and forage strategy unveiled

The Ministry works to enable industry to identify, access and serve both Shelley Jones new and existing markets by responding effectively to market demands. Manager, Agriculture Knowledge Centre Critical to this objective is providing effective business and production Regional Services Branch risk management tools. Programming to enhance on-farm stewardship and enhancing and maintaining the integrity of the Saskatchewan ‘brand’ will help to build trust that we are ‘doing the right thing’ in both Saskatchewan Agriculture recently ‘refreshed’ its Livestock Strategy and domestic and international markets. broadened its scope to include forage as an input integral to sector growth. With a vision to realize prosperous and sustainable sectors, the mission of Protecting human, animal, environmental and industry health falls under the Livestock and Forage Strategy 2.0 is to support competiveness under the third pillar, Assurance Systems. Ensuring all stakeholders are three broad pillars. confident that livestock and food production systems are safe and sustainable is the goal. Public and industry confidence is built by Under the Science, Research and Innovation pillar, the Ministry sees our promoting a robust food safety system and regulating responsibly. It also role as a partner with industry in the development and application of requires us, as partners, to promote animal codes of practice and technologies and practices. Together, we do this by supporting research, biosecurity standards and to lead livestock disease surveillance and development and commercialization programs. As partners, industry and response. Improving public understanding of what happens in animal government build and invest in research capacity and infrastructure agriculture, and why, is a mutual area of focus for government and through projects like the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at industry, and one of high priority. the University of Saskatchewan. We also team up to enhance technology transfer and adoption through learning events like Feedlot School and, The Ministry believes the sector could grow to $2.5 billion in livestock cash on our own, through extension services delivered through the Ministry’s receipts by 2025. The strategy serves as the Ministry’s plan of action to get modernized Regional Services Branch. The outcome we seek is to have there and is adjusted as circumstances change or opportunities arise. As the sector adopting innovative practices that improve production and, in always, industry feedback and input to it is encouraged and appreciated. turn, profitability.

The Market Readiness pillar is focused on ensuring Saskatchewan FOR Contact Shelley Jones, Manager, Agriculture Knowledge Centre remains a trusted supplier of high-quality livestock and forage products. MORE at 1-866-457-2377. INFO

10 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 LIVESTOCK Bovine tuberculosis investigation over but the industry can’t be complacent

0.1 per cent. TB eradication areas were established throughout the 1970s Betty Althouse, DVM and, in the early 1980s, slaughter surveillance replaced on-going herd Chief Veterinary Officer testing. In order to achieve eradication, all animals in contact with or Livestock Branch exposed to TB reactor cattle had to be destroyed. TB can lie dormant in animals as a latent infection, and evade detection through testing. Eradication cannot be ensured without destruction of all exposed animals. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced in February that bovine tuberculosis (TB) trace-in testing had been completed and We can expect a new bovine TB case to be detected every three to five that all associated quarantines had been released. A few final laboratory years in Canada. Continued diligence in slaughter detection, traceability cultures still need to be completed (because TB is very slow growing), and disease response, including destruction of all exposed cattle, will but it looks like no further cases have been found. This is great news. help assure our TB-free status. CFIA veterinarians are completing the investigation report to be presented to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and trading partners to support recognition of Canada’s status as free of bovine TB. This maintains market access for meat, hides and offal, and live animals. TB investigation 2016-17 by the numbers:

The investigation started in fall 2016 following the detection of TB lesions in • 11,500 ANIMALS ordered destroyed, with $39 MILLION paid a Canadian cow slaughtered at a United States plant. After an 18-month in compensation. investigation, bovine TB was confirmed in six cattle, all at one premises. The • $17 MILLION in additional support for unplanned feed costs strain of TB was one previously found in Mexico. Although the infection and cleaning and disinfection. source has not been identified, the thorough investigation has proven that • bovine TB risk in Canada remains extremely low. Surveillance testing has 15,000 ANIMALS that had moved from infected or presumed eliminated initial concerns about infection of wild elk in the area. infected herds (trace outs) and 15,000 animals that had moved into the infected herd (trace-ins) were traced in an attempt to That does not mean the livestock industry can be complacent, however. identify the source of the infection. The road to reach bovine TB freedom was a long and expensive one. When • the national bovine TB control program started in the 1920s, prevalence of 79 CONTACT and TRACE-OUT herds were tested. the disease was estimated at four per cent. TB spread through animal • 71 TRACE-IN herds were tested. movements and within herds. Occasionally, people were infected through contact with live cattle or by consumption of infected milk or meat.

Through the control program, herds were tested and individual positive FOR Visit the CFIA website at www.inspection.gc.ca and search animals (reactors) were removed. In 1961, when the first complete general MORE for ‘tuberculosis.’ test of the national herd was completed, prevalence was down to INFO

Take steps to avoid blue-green algae in your dugouts

increased bacteria and algae growth. The best way to limit nutrient Leah Clark, MSc, PAg addition to dugouts is to restrict livestock’s access to the dugout. This not Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist only extends the life of the dugout by reducing damage to the banks, it Regional Services Branch allows forage growth which, in turn, helps to trap nutrient run-off and keep feces and urine out of the water.

Contrary to what the name blue-green algae suggests, it is not actually algae, There are other ways to decrease nutrients in dugouts. A group of it is a bacterium whose scientific name is Cyanobacteria. The combination of chemicals called coagulants can be used in the fall to clear water of summer heat, nutrients and sitting water is the perfect recipe for algae organic matter that could decay in the water over the winter. growth in dugouts. This may be a concern, as blue-green algae/ cyanobacteria produce toxins that have the potential to cause sickness and, Algae can also be easily prevented with the addition of an aeration in some cases, death when consumed by livestock. Toxins are produced in system or with the use of a registered copper sulphate treatment. small amounts throughout the lifespan of the cyanobacteria but are released Growth of algae occurs as water warms, so prevention entails an initial at high concentrations when they die. Therefore, it is recommended to limit dose, followed by a visual inspection, followed by a second treatment if livestock’s access to a dugout when the cyanobacteria are dying off, either algae growth is observed. It is important to note that correct doses naturally or due to the addition of algaecides. should be used as copper sulphate is toxic to animals in sufficient amounts. After dugout treatment for cyaobacteria, livestock access Cyanobacteria tend to grow in still water with nutrients present. Sources should be restricted for 10 to 14 days. of nutrients include animal feces and urine or decaying organic matter in the water. Cyanobacteria need sunlight and, therefore, they are found floating near or on the surface of water. FOR Visit: Saskatchewan.ca/agriculture; or MORE Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377. To prevent the establishment of cyanobacteria in a dugout, the issue of INFO dugout nutrient loading has to be addressed. Nutrient loading leads to

AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 11 LIVESTOCK Summer management strategies for livestock producers to consider

time to watch them out on pasture, and make some notes on heifers/ewe Jenifer Heyden, MSc, PAg lambs you may want to keep. Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist, North Battleford Regional Services Branch Monitor herd/flock health, watch for signs of footrot and pink eye so you can catch them early and treat accordingly. Review the different fly control options available, decide what is best for your operation and apply As summer approaches and cattle head out to pasture, there are a number the control as necessary. Many producers implement insecticide ear tags of management strategies to consider. Check water sources regularly to and use cattle back-rubbers, dusters and oilers. Others use mineral ensure adequate clean water. Watch for high concentrations of total products with garlic additives. Some companies are offering products dissolved solids and sulphate, especially in areas affected by low with feed-through fly control products in them such as ALTOSID®. moisture. Be watchful for blue-green algae in dugouts and other water Consider internal parasite load and control methods for different classes sources. All animals are at risk of poisoning from blue-green algae, but of livestock. Consult with your veterinarian or industry professional to sheep are more likely to be affected than cattle, as they tend to drink determine the proper product, application and timing. from the shoreline, while cattle often wade in further. Make sure livestock have access to trees and/or other forms of shade. Vaccinate cattle against anthrax if the disease has been a historical or current concern in your area. Sheep are not particularly susceptible to anthrax, but it Monitor bulls/rams for breeding activity, mobility, and injury. Cows/ewes can be devastating if flocks are infected. Consult with your veterinarian as to should be evaluated for body condition, lameness and udder problems, your farm’s particular risk factors and make an informed decision. and keep records of potential culls. Catch and treat sick calves/lambs as soon as possible, and record all treatment protocols and any death losses. Finally, monitor pasture growth and condition; keep an eye out for Work with your veterinarian to develop branding vaccination protocols problem weeds and poisonous plants; and watch for bloat in pastures for your calves and administer vaccines at appropriate times. with alfalfa, especially alfalfa in the pre-bud and bud stage.

The herd/flock should have access to adequate salt and vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure reproductive success. If you keep back FOR Contact your local Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office; or replacement heifers/ewes, revisit your heifer/ewe lamb selection, take the MORE Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377. INFO

Pasture management will result in more uniform grazing

Lorne Klein, PAg Range Management Extension Specialist, Weyburn Regional Services Branch

When livestock are given a choice, they normally seek and graze the most lush and actively growing plants. In relatively large fields where animals are grazing for months or the whole season, preferred plants are often grazed repeatedly, while other less-desirable plants may be left un-grazed.

Repeated grazing of the same plants is more likely to occur during May and June. Normally, plentiful moisture and nutrients and long daylight hours combine to produce rapid initial growth and rapid regrowth after grazing. As an initial target, size paddocks during May and June to achieve Regrowth from July to the end of the grazing season is usually much slower. uniform grazing in two weeks, leaving behind approximately 40 to 50 per cent of the plant material. If you are achieving this, consider yourself a When done properly, management-intensive grazing systems enable very good grazing manager. Plan your fence and water system desirable forage plants to survive and produce to their potential; however, infrastructure so further subdivisions can be easily added, if desired. intensive management comes with a cost in time, water system development and more fences. For producers who wish to get started, Size paddocks during July to October for a month of grazing. Smaller focus initially on the fields where livestock will be grazing during the paddocks offer advantages, but they are less necessary during this period months of May and June. The more rapid the plant growth, the more since re-growth is slow and there is less opportunity for plants to be often livestock should be moved to reduce repeated grazing of plants. grazed twice over the month-long period. Also, about 40 to 50 per cent of the plant material should be left untouched to collect sunlight and initiate re-growth as quickly as possible. Management-intensive grazing is a trade-off between the added cost of time and resources necessary to achieve increased forage production and There is considerable debate about the number of days livestock should grazing harvest efficiency. remain on a given paddock. A one-month rotation is better than season- long grazing. During periods of rapid growth, a weekly rotation is better than a monthly one, and a three-day rotation is better than a weekly one. FOR Contact a Range Management Extension Specialist at a nearby On the high end of intensive management, some producers move their MORE Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office; or INFO livestock daily. Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

12 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Seeding isn’t complete until you’ve filed the seeded acreage report

Filing a seeded acreage report is the final step to complete the seeding insurable crops. The map provides dates based on townships and rural season. Without it, a producer’s crop insurance coverage is not complete. municipalities, using first frost dates. It is important to note that some The Seeded Acreage Report enables SCIC to verify the number of acres crops have absolute final seeding dates that are earlier than June 20. seeded, seeding dates and the type of land seeded—such as stubble, summerfallow or irrigation—and determines the coverage and premium. The Ministry of Agriculture’s Varieties of Grain Crops 2018 contains maturity ranges by crop, variety and first fall frost. Customers who The stored grain declaration is where producers record all the production require more information should contact their local Customer Service from the previous crop year still stored on their farms. If this production Office for assistance in determining the final seeding date. is not declared on the seeded acreage report form, it will be considered new production. This can be problematic if the producer is ever in a claim Crops seeded too late to be reasonably expected to mature may have situation. Assessing loss becomes challenging when old grain is mixed coverage reduced or denied. with new grain, so take a moment to complete both forms carefully in order to reduce errors in premium coverage and calculations. Establishment Benefit The Establishment Benefit is available for crops that suffer significant The deadline to submit the Seeded Acreage Report and Stored Grain damage or fail to adequately establish before June 20, due to insurable Declaration is June 25. Producers have until July 5 to report seeded causes of loss. greenfeed acres. A producer who believes it necessary to reseed or work down a portion A step-by-step instruction guide is available and will be mailed to of insured crop prior to June 20 should contact SCIC immediately. An producers to assist in completing the Seeded Acreage Report and Stored adjuster must inspect those acres prior to them being reseeded or Grain Declaration. Both the Seeded Acreage Report and Stored Grain destroyed. To qualify for an Establishment Benefit claim, the land area Declaration can be completed through CropConnect. must be five acres or more in one parcel (not scattered) per legal land description. A producer must have the lesser of 10 acres or 10 per cent Unseeded Acreage of the affected crop seeded before a claim is paid. Enrolment in Crop Insurance automatically includes coverage for land that is too wet to seed due to excessive spring moisture under the If a customer chooses to reseed the acres, insurance may be purchased Unseeded Acreage feature. However, land that is prone to flooding is not on the reseeded acres even if the crop was not previously selected for eligible for coverage under the Unseeded Acreage feature. This includes insurance coverage. If the reseeded crop was previously selected for sloughs in the field that are traditionally wet or remain underwater in a insurance, those acres will continue to be insured. To be eligible for year of normal moisture. insurance, the reseeded crop must be planted by the seeding deadline.

Newly drained land can be eligible for unseeded acreage coverage. To be CropConnect eligible, the producer would have had to prepare the seed bed and get the Producers who appreciate the convenience and ease of online banking land to a seedable condition. will enjoy CropConnect. CropConnect makes it easy to complete and Producers’ experience discount/surcharges are affected by their unseeded submit Crop Insurance forms at a producer’s own pace, from wherever acreage claims. Any claim and subsequent payment from the Unseeded they want, whenever they want. Not registered? No problem. Enrol by Acreage feature will now affect the experience discount/surcharge. calling an SCIC representative at 1-888-935-0000. Customer service can help producers log in, provide an authorization number and walk them The deadline for reporting unseeded acres is June 25. Please note the through using the tool. It is a fast and efficient way to conduct Crop completion of a Seeded Acreage Report does not guarantee a claim has Insurance business. Once signed up, producers can report seeded acres been filed. To ensure a claim is registered, use CropConnect or contact and stored grain, file claims, complete declarations, view accounting a Customer Service Office and request an inspection on acres so claim information, choose endorsements, calculate premiums and view all past payments are timely. Claims received after the June 25 deadline will be information and transactions conducted with SCIC. subject to a 25-per-cent reduction to a maximum of $1,000. Claims received after July 2 are not eligible for compensation. For customers using their smart phones, CropConnect comes in a mobile application. With CropConnect completing Crop Insurance information Seeding Deadlines can be easily conducted from the field or home. Crop Insurance customers are reminded SCIC will not provide coverage on crops seeded after June 20. Although this is the general final date for FOR Visit a local Saskatchewan Crop Insurance office; seeding across the province, most crops need to be seeded earlier, MORE Call SCIC toll-free at 1-888-935-0000; or INFO depending on crop, variety and area of the province. Go to saskcropinsurance.com.

The Seeding Date Tool available on the SCIC website will help producers determine the final date on which full liability will be accepted on

AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 13 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Illegally dumping waste hurts the environment and can result in fines

abandoned waste is often recyclable at no charge or returnable for cash. There are options to illegal dumping and all residents should be aware of Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment proper waste disposal techniques and the importance of the three Rs of waste management—reduce, reuse and recycle.

Over the last number of years, Saskatchewan has made significant strides Saskatchewan is well known for its majestic scenery and landscapes. All in reducing waste, with industry-led programs for used tires, oil, paint residents and visitors play a role in preserving this natural beauty. Most and electronics. The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council’s website people properly dispose of waste, recycle and make good use of municipal (saskwastereduction.ca) can help you locate the recycling resources garbage containers or local landfills. However, some choose to haul their available in your community. garbage out to the country and leave it near roads, farms and private property. Disregarding those opportunities and illegally dumping garbage or other waste can also land someone in a pile of trouble. Every year, Government Some common items illegally discarded include appliances, electronics, of Saskatchewan conservation officers investigate incidents of illegal demolition waste and household trash. These materials can pose serious dumping and those caught can face harsh penalties, including hefty fines. environmental risks by polluting water supplies and contaminating soil, The minimum fine for littering is $500 and, in more severe cases, a court which can potentially cause health issues for humans and wildlife. Even appearance may be necessary. innocuous items, such as bags of branches and leaves, can become fire hazards. Discarded litter poses the threat of unintentionally or If you witness someone dumping garbage or other waste, contact deliberately set fires, an illegal practice that carries with it potential Saskatchewan Environment through the TIP line at 1-800-667-7561, threats to humans and the environment. or online at saskatchewan.ca/tip.

The disposal of waste by illegal dumping and littering is a serious issue, and, while it occurs far too often, it is easily preventable. A lot of this

Volunteers needed to survey wildlife

• ELK – September 1 to February 28; • WILD TURKEY – December 1 to March 1. Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment A key period for sharp-tailed grouse is in spring, when active lek (or dancing ground) locations can be documented. Sharp-tailed grouse leks are most active during the first few hours of daylight during the spring months. Do you enjoy spending time on native prairie in the spring and summer? Congregations of sharp-tailed grouse in the fall may also be indicative of an Have you noticed any sharp-tailed grouse in your travels? active lek in the area and observers are encouraged to revisit the area the Are you interested in contributing to wildlife management in Saskatchewan? following spring, if possible. Observation of sharp-tailed grouse chicks in summer can provide an indication of annual productivity. If so, the Saskatchewan Co-operative Wildlife Management Survey (CWMS) is for you! The CWMS is a volunteer-based survey that asks Key observation periods for big game species occur during fall and winter, participants to provide wildlife observations across Saskatchewan. which are opportune times to record and evaluate herd structure. Similarly, Formerly the Co-operative Deer Management Survey, this survey has wild turkeys are often congregated and easier to count in winter. expanded beyond deer to include moose, elk, sharp-tailed grouse and wild turkey. Observations of these species provide the government with All observations can be recorded by downloading the SK CWMS mobile important population assessment information. Observations can be application to your Apple or Android device. Once you have downloaded collected throughout the year, but there are key periods for each species the app, call 1-800-567-4224 or email [email protected] for your when it is particularly important to record observations: participant number and activation code.

• SHARPTAILED GROUSE – March 1 to July 15; • WHITETAILED DEER AND MULE DEER – September 1 to November 30; FOR Visit saskatchewan.ca/residents/parks-recreation-heritage-and-arts/ MORE hunting-trapping-and-angling/wildlife-population-surveys. • MOOSE – September 1 to December 31; INFO

14 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Expanding value-added processing in Saskatchewan

Robert Brodner Manager, Program Delivery Programs Branch

One of the main Growing Forward 2 (GF2) rebate programs that will continue under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) framework is the Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing program or SLIM. The aim of the SLIM program is to give Saskatchewan value-added companies an incentive to adopt best practices, state-of-the-art technologies or processes that will result in significant improvements in productivity and efficiency.

The program is targeted at companies that take one or more of our raw Saskatchewan agricultural commodities and physically transform it into an enhanced product. This could be anything from making honey out of nectar, making distilled products out of grain or transforming livestock into food products.

During GF2, there were 52 companies that undertook an efficiency analysis on how they could process more product, process their product faster or simply have less waste in their current processes. This resulted Blair’s Lanigan food farm planting with Grade 3 students, May 2017. in more than 40 infrastructure projects that invested more than $34 million dollars into Saskatchewan’s value-added sector. Saskatchewan value-added companies are able to receive 50 per cent of the The goal of the SLIM program for the next five years remains the same. cost of their efficiency analysis and infrastructure project, up to $500,000, It will continue to support agricultural value-added companies’ efforts under the SLIM program. Saskatchewan agri-businesses looking to expand to become more efficient and to process more of the province’s raw or become more efficient and facing a project cost of $200,000 or more commodities here in Saskatchewan. should contact program administrators to see if they qualify for SLIM.

One of the first programs being rolled out under the CAP framework is the Application forms for SLIM can be found online on the Government of new SLIM program. The new program has also become more efficient. Saskatchewan website. There is a simplified application process, and a ministry specialist will work with applicants to ensure they are aware of all of the other programs and options for improvement that are open to them. The streamlined FOR Visit www.saskatchewan.ca/business and search for ‘Saskatchewan MORE Lean Improvements in Manufacturing.’ application and review processes are more responsive to SLIM clients. INFO

Building public trust with Blair’s Family of Companies

practices and products that Saskatchewan farmers use help to sustainably Shayla Hertz, BSA, AAg and responsibly grow food. Provincial Agriculture Awareness Specialist Regional Services Branch Blair’s is also involved in educating youth on the importance and diversity of agriculture. In 2017, Blair’s hosted two Food Farms, which are interactive, curriculum-linked educational experiences that help children Everyone in agriculture has a role to play in building public trust, and develop a connection to their food. Students plant and harvest the crops, Blair’s Family of Companies, an agri-business headquartered in Drake, and learn about livestock that contribute to some of their favorite meals. has embraced the opportunity to become an industry leader in agvocacy. Employees of Blair’s have also actively participated in Agriculture in the Classroom’s Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month for the past two years. This agvocacy focus resulted from regular conversations with farmers, during which employees of Blair’s noticed the recurring discussion Along with helping to deliver agricultural education, Blair’s encourages its around public pushback against modern food and farming practices. staff to get public trust training. The company has also hosted events for Blair’s began determining its role in building public trust, deciding that its customers to learn about the vital role they can play in building public its duties began with working alongside customers in holding each other trust and how they can engage others in their community to join them. accountable for “doing the right things” in farming. Blair’s Family of Companies is helping to pave the way for others in the Blair’s became a participant in the Land O’ Lakes SUSTAIN program, agricultural industry to become agvocates, to find their roles in building a partnership between farmers and companies that aligns on-farm public trust, to speak up for the food producers of Saskatchewan and to conservation agronomy and company-led sustainability targets to share their love for agriculture with the people of Saskatchewan. maximize the efficiency of crop inputs and farm practices while gaining a positive environmental outcome for communities and farmers. Blair’s also developed a short film, entitled “I Am Your Farmer,” in response to FOR Contact Shayla Hertz, Provincial Agriculture Awareness Specialist, feedback from producers enrolled in the SUSTAIN program who wanted MORE at 306-787-9298 or [email protected]; or INFO help telling their farm stories. The film highlighted how the technology, Contact Kayla Hordos, Talent Development and Marketing Specialist, Blair’s Family of Companies, at 306-746-7766 or [email protected].

AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018 15 EVENTS | PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Events calendar

Date Event Location Phone Internet

June 10-12, 2018 Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) 105th AGM Kinetic Park, 306-569-8799 www.skstockgrowers.com/event Swift Current

June 19, 2018 Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC) 2018 Summer Field Day Termuende 306-365-3366 www.wbdc.sk.ca/producer_events Research Ranch near Lanigan, SK

June 20, 2018 Under the Forage Establishment Benefit Option, this is the deadline Saskatchewan 1-888-935-0000 www.saskcropinsurance.com to seed forage acres. Deadline to submit Establishment Benefit claims. SCIC will not accept yield-loss liability for spring crops seeded after this date. Deadline to submit a gopher claim on crops that fail to establish due to gopher damage

June 20-22, 2018 Canada's Farm Progress Show Evraz Place, 306-781-9200 www.myfarmshow.com Regina, SK

June 21, 2018 Saskatchewan Outstanding Young Farmers (SK OYF) regional Queensbury Centre, 306-239-4263 [email protected] event and luncheon Regina, SK

June 25, 2018 Deadline to submit Seeded Acreage Reports on all crops (excluding Saskatchewan 1-888-935-0000 www.saskcropinsurance.com greenfeed). Deadline to submit Unseeded Acreage claims. Deadline to report stored grain. Deadline to submit Hive Reporting form. Deadline to submit Stored Honey Report. Deadline to endorse overwintering insurance for the Bee Mortaility Insurance Pilot Program.

June 30, 2018 Deadline to seed greenfeed crops insured as forage. Establishment and Saskatchewan 1-888-935-0000 www.saskcropinsurance.com gopher damage clains on greenfeed must be submitted by this date.

Be FireSmart on the farm: fire pits, burn barrels and windrows

When burning in spring or summer—whether an entire field or a small smudge—clear or cultivate down to mineral soil around the area to be Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment burned to help prevent your fire from escaping. If you’re burning brush piles or windrows, make sure they’re tightly packed, dry and free of dirt. If you can, place windrows at right angles to prevailing winds, so they’ll burn more efficiently and with less smoke. Keep windrows less When used appropriately, fire can be both a useful than 60 metres long, with at least eight metres tool and the centrepiece of many relaxing summer between the ends of windrows and at least 15 metres evenings. Whatever part fire plays in daily life on between windrows. Be mindful of the smoke that your farm, keep these tips in mind to stay safe. will result from your burning. Choose days when If you have, or plan to build or use, an outdoor wind speed and direction take smoke away from fireplace, burning barrel or fire pit, ensure that it is highways and neighbours. When the burn is located on mineral soil or a cement foundation with finished, check to ensure your burn sites are out. at least a one-metre clearance from any combustible Make sure you can control your fire. Have a material. No flammable buildings, branches or supply of water and basic firefighting tools, such other debris should be within 15 metres of your as shovels and rakes, and the required assistance burning site. To prevent embers escaping, use available—just in case. Check the weather forecast heavy-gauge screening with a mesh size between and do not burn during high hazard conditions. eight and 16 millimetres. Burn only clean, woody The time you spend preparing and having these things ready can make debris and yard waste, such as leaves and branches. Burning other all the difference. materials, including plastic, cardboard, garbage and painted or treated wood, will give off toxic smoke that can have serious health effects.

FOR Visit www.saskatchewan.ca/firesmart. MORE INFO

16 AGRIVIEW | JUNE 2018