nIGHttIme On Now until November 9, AerAtIon 2013 Know when it removes or adds moisture » PAGE 11 ©2013 UFA Co-operative Ltd. All rights reserved. UFA.com Publications Mail Agreement # 40069240 Volume 10, number 22 o c t ober 28, 2013 rancher’s undEr wAtchful EyEs beef plant set to reopen under new management Industry leaders say they are optimistic the new Harmony Beef plant will not just increase kill capacity but offer access to premium niche market man of alberta Cattle feeders’ By Jennifer Blair association. “although it won’t af staff / red deer solve all the ills in the indus- try, it’s a really good step in ich Vesta is about to buy that direction.” himself another beef plant. Western stock Growers’ associa- R the former president tion president aaron Brower also of JBs’s U.s. beef division spent hailed the deal. the ’90s buying slaughterhouses “It’s been a long time com- to grow capacity at his com- ing,” he said. “I think it’s going pany, Packerland Packing, and to be an advantage for the whole now he’s set his sights on the industry here.” deserted rancher’s Beef plant east of Balzac. “It’s an excellent plant,” he said of the $40-million facility, set to be “I think it will do us renamed Harmony Beef. “as I’ve looked at plants across the nation more good open and and North america, there’s not a killing cattle than it did lot of plants that match up to this one in terms of food safety, work shut.” safety, and HaCCP plans.” the deal with the plant’s current owner, sunterra farms, is expected BreNt CHaffee to close Nov. 1, but Vesta will need ACFA to invest over $18 million to bring the plant back into operation after its six-year closure. “We’ve got an awful lot of work “from a producer perspective, to do on the inside. We anticipate it’s going to add another bid- we’ll start production on the first der to our selling,” added doug of June next year.” sawyer, chairman of alberta Beef Once the work is completed, Producers. Vesta expects to run between “any time you get more compe- 725 and 775 head a day through tition, it’s always positive. It adds the facility. capacity to the Canadian industry. the beef industry is just glad that “We’re exporting live cattle into A great horned owl is perfectly camouflaged among an aspen grove, its yellow eyes also matching the the plant will be up and running the U.s., and any time we export golden aspen leaves. this great horned owl, which happens to be Alberta’s official bird, was perched in again. a live animal, we’re also exporting a grove on a farm near Millarville, Alta. it is a young bird, not yet dark in colour. Photo: Wendy dudley “I think it will do us more good the processing of that live animal open and killing cattle than it did shut,” said Brent Chaffee, chair- see ranCHer’s Beef } page 6 AWARDED GM pioneers honoured with world Food prize } pAGe 3 2 news » inside this week OCTOBer 28, 2013 • alBERTAFarmeXPRESs.CA inside » livestock crops columnists transport logjam transport program night-only aeration brenda schoepp boosts oat prices goes national can be risky FIjI needs agrIculture For prosperIty 29 Frustrated buyers bid up old-crop supplies roy Lewis 23 Fall vaccInatIon — preventIon one plus one equals Is cheaper than cure 37 more than two Intercropping provides a bernie peet boost for both crops voluntary program teaches know when it removes people, not systems, 10 livestock handling 36 or adds moisture 11 key to group housIng 39 Grandma proven right Real cowboys show their everyday scientifically — oats are healthy ranch skills at Heritage Ranch Rodeo stAff Rodeo participants don’t have to hold practices — their roping, riding and cattle-sorting skills are honed every day at work ats may deserve the well-earned status of O “supergrain,” accord- this is all stuff we do every ing to research presented at By Alexis Kienlen day,” said thomson. “We just the recent american associa- af staff / edmonton get to go to town and show tion of Cereal Chemists Inter- people what we do.” national annual meeting. f you want to see real cow- It’s a good idea for the public according to an AACC boys in action, head to the to get to see the way things are release, Yifang Chu, a I Heritage Ranch Rodeo at done on a ranch, he said. researcher with the Quaker edmonton northlands. the “perception is that oats Center of excellence, sixteen teams of genuine everything is done with quads said there is evidence to show cowboys from across West- in feed pens, but it isn’t,” he that oats are even more com- ern Canada will showcase said. “We like to show peo- plex than previously thought. their roping, milking and sort- ple how stuff is done out on they possess a wide spec- ing skills during the farmfair the open range, and how we trum of biologically active International event held treat cattle, sort cattle and compounds including carot- nov. 3-5. brand cattle.” enoids, tocols (vitamin e), fla- the rodeo, in its ninth year, Branding is the most chal- vonoids and avenanthrami- features six events — team lenging event, he said. des, a class of polyphenols. sorting, team branding, team “You have to know your cat- “the polyphenols, avenan- doctoring, wild cow milking, tle, work the pen properly, and thramides, are unique to oats wild horse racing, and bronc be able to rope as well,” he said. and have been widely used in riding. each team participates “It’s horsemanship and cow- skin-care products because of in three events the first night manship and you have to take their anti-inflammatory and and three more the follow- everything that you know to be anti-itching effects,” said ing night, with the top teams good in the branding pen.” Chu. “as scientists continue going on to the finals. The event helps keep western heritage alive and showcases team members develop to link inflammation to “It’s pretty well attended real-life ranching skills. PHOTo: thInkstock their skills by helping each chronic diseases, they are and is gaining popularity,” other out in their regular oper- also investigating whether said amanda frigon, Heritage north of Pincher Creek and Pharis is a skilled horseman, ations throughout the year. bioactivities produced by Ranch Rodeo event manager have competed for six years. while thomson’s and Chris- “all the guys on our team the polyphenols in oats can with northlands. “It’s nice Last year they won handmade tie’s strengths lie in roping. work together on and off all be as beneficial from within because it’s in cohesion with silver bits, coats and other nelson rides the broncs and year round,” thomson said. the body as they are on farmfair, and Canadian finals merchandise. milks the wild cows. “Just neighbours helping the skin.” Rodeo is right after it, so that “our team is made up of “every year, it’s a big each other out more than oats and oat-containing works well.” local guys who all have cattle reunion,” he said. “We get to anything.” products that meet a mini- the event helps keep west- in this grazing co-operative,” see guys we know from all over most of the teams that par- mum level of oat beta-glu- ern heritage alive and show- said thomson. “It’s all friends Western Canada and rekindle ticipate in the event come can are allowed to bear a cases real-life ranching skills, and neighbours.” friendships. It’s a real social from larger, heritage ranches. U.s. food and drug admin- she said. Participants range in t e a m m e m b e r s b r i n g thing, as well. It’s very com- the north fork Grazing Co-op istration-approved health age from 16 to 60 years. horses that are best suited for petitive, but it’s friendly.” has been in existence since the claim for cholesterol-low- Kirk thomson is team cap- each event. all the skills featured at the turn of the century. for ticket ering benefits. studies also tain of last year’s winning “everybody on our team rodeo are used in everyday information go to http://farm- suggest oats can enhance team — the north fork Graz- specializes in different events ranch work, such as branding fairinternational.com/event- satiety — the feeling of full- ing Co-op — along with nolan and we have horses that we and treating cattle. info/tickets. ness — and may also help Pharis, Bruce Christie and use in different events,” said “It’s mostly riding and rop- reduce the risk of other mike nelson. they hail from thomson. ing skills and cattle sorting. [email protected] Salford_SFM13-10_02-10.25x3-AFE.qxdchronic conditions. 9/26/13 1:02 PM Page 1 I-5100 High Speed Primary Tillage Ask your Salford dealer about spring 2014 program discounts SFM13-10_02-10.25x3-AFE and retail financing options. Client: Farm Salford Machinery Alberta Express/ Famer Size: 10.25” x 3” Ad#: Precision Disc Drills & Carts Call your Salford dealer today, or visit www.salfordmachine.com Ontario, Canada • 1-866-442-1293 SFM13-10_02-10.25x3-AFE ALBERTAFARMEXPRESS.CA • OCTOBER 28, 2013 3 Genetically modified crop pioneers honoured with World Food Prize Talk of protesters baffles local farmers and residents of this Midwestern city dell Chilton, founder of syngenta by Laura rance Biotechnology inc., and robert Co-operator editor /des moines, iowa Fraley, the chief biotechnology officer for monsanto.