A FLOWERING BULLDoZERS BUSINESs bANNED Carolyn Bondy got into daylilies Rancher turns down $1 million, donates by accident, and now sells them land for a provincial park » PG 32 across the country » PG 3 Publications Mail Agreement # 40069240 Volume 12, number 17 A u g ust 17, 2015 Doing the right thing — A FRIEND IN HARD TIMES and getting paid for it ALUS program shares cost of stewardship projects with farmers By JENNIFER BLAIR AF stAFF / sylvAn lAke ike most farmers, kevin Ziola wants to be a good L steward of the land — but it’s been tough for the third- generation farmer to balance his conservation efforts with his bot- tom line. “As a cattle farmer, I believe it’s important to work with nature, not against it,” said Ziola, who runs 200 head of cattle on 10 quarters near sylvan lake with wife Roxanne. “But we don’t make lots of money, so it’s hard to put away a little extra cash for (conserva- When drought sent hay prices soaring, Cindy Wilinski harnessed the power of social media to get affordable hay tion). It wouldn’t be that high on to those who need it most. Read the full story on Page 12. PHOTO: WENDY DUDLEY the list because machinery, cattle, and feed take priority.” But thanks to a national pro- gram called AlUs (pronounced ‘Alice’ and short for Alternative land Use services), farmers like the Ziolas can now get paid to retain or reconstruct natural areas such as wetlands, grasslands, and A golden future for corn? riparian areas. Conceived a decade ago by keystone Agricultural Producers, Ambitious plans to develop early-maturing varieties are Manitoba’s main farm group, the fuelling predictions of millions of acres of corn on the Prairies program spread east to Ontario and P.e.I. and arrived in the County of vermilion River in 2010. research centre in lethbridge to Insufficient heat units in his roller, but he needs higher yields By JEFF MELCHIOR further the development of corn area is the biggest challenge for before greatly expanding his corn sEE RIGHt tHING } page 7 AF COntribUtor hybrids that require less heat Clinton Adams, a mixed grain acres. units. earlier this year, it released producer and feedlot operator “It’s exceptionally more expen- hanks — or no thanks — a limited amount of its P7005AM in the lethbridge area. He typi- sive to grow. We always say if you to routine early frosts and hybrid, which requires 2,000 heat cally plants 300 to 400 acres of don’t get over 15 tonnes per acre T insufficient heat, corn has units. While that’s better than the corn on irrigated land every year, you’re not really making much rarely been considered a profit- usual 2,200 heat units for early- with most going towards silage in money — you’re just breaking able crop in most of Alberta. maturing corn, the company his 5,000- to 6,000-head feedlot. even. We usually get 20 tonnes But that may all be changing. wants to go beyond that, said “I tried grain corn five years ago per acre. Most guys, if they get DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto king. but there weren’t enough heat under 15 tonnes per acre of corn are pouring millions into devel- “to give more confidence to units to make that work,” said they’d rather grow barley silage.” oping new varieties and, they’re producers across a broad geog- Adams, who serves as a director predicting Prairie corn acreage raphy we really need to have for the Alberta Corn Committee. High hopes will soar. hybrids that are 100 to 200 heat “I had 100 bushels of combine Despite these challenges, major “the biggest objective is get- units earlier than that,” he said. corn but you need about 150 hybrid seed developers are bull- ting the corn crop to establish even without earlier-matur- bushels to make some money. I ish on Western Canada’s pros- itself and complete its life cycle ing hybrids, corn production in wound up rolling my corn, crack- pects for becoming a Corn Belt. before the first killing frost in the Alberta has been expanding. In ing it and using it as distillers In 2013, Monsanto pledged fall,” said steven king, evaluation 2014, it reached 40,000 seeded corn.” $100 million to develop early- zone and breeding zone lead with acres, the majority destined to Adams has invested a lot of developing corn hybrids over the DuPont Pioneer. be used for animal feed. money into corn production coming decade. the company the global giant recently But it’s not an easy crop to over the years, including a row opened a 22,000-square-foot grow. planter, corn header and corn sEE CORN IN ALBERtA } page 6 GEARING UP: CP says it’s boosting CaPaCity } PAGE 8 2 news » InsIde thIs week AUGUST 17, 2015 • aLbeRTAFARmexpRESs.Ca inside » livestock crops columnists HARVEST BRIGHT IDEA FOR THIS PUTS MONEY Laura rance DILEMMA TESTING TIMES IN YOUR JEANS COOL bOxing matCh heads intO the next round 4 Knowing when to swath canola is just a nightmare this year 20 Brenda Schoepp it’s time tO talk abOut the ReaL issues in suppLy management 5 INTENSIVELY PRODUCTIVE SyLvain charLeBoiS Rotational grazing Cindy Wilinski has a hit on not understanding how WhiLe the groceRy seCtor innOvates, advocates say you can her hands matching up hay grading works can cost food processing fades aWay 5 triple carrying capacity 29 buyers and sellers 12 you serious dollars 17 Watch what you spray — or the entire grain industry could pay Grain buyers are testing pesticide residues like never before “As countries choose to fol- growth regulators such as head moisture is going to be By JENNIFeR BlAiR low Codex limits or choose to Engage Agro’s Manipulator.) retained in the seed,” said Smo- AF STAFF / OLDS follow their own, we have to be “With chlormequat, one of lik. “If you’re spraying, even cognizant that the more we’re the issues is that it just hasn’t though the majority of the crop finding as far as residues in got the approvals in the United is 30 per cent or under, those hen it comes to pes- grain, the more that they’re States yet, so that’s why these areas that are green are certainly ticide residues, the aware of it as well,” said Smo- companies are asking that you not under 30 per cent. W world is watching like lik. “They have the testing sign that waiver,” said Smolik. “The application rates and never before. capabilities, and they’re going “If they start shipping into crop maturity are key if you’re “Everybody is looking more to continue to test.” the United States and it’s not going to be applying that.” at food safety and health safety In countries that don’t have approved there, it becomes a And Canada’s trade partners — there’s more scrutiny all the a maximum residue limit for market access issue.” may start pushing maximum time with all the chemicals that certain chemicals, the default Glyphosate is also facing residue limits lower and lower we’re using,” said Jim Smolik, will be zero, he said. heavier scrutiny after the if they see increases in resi- assistant chief commissioner Increased residue testing “Zero means zero, and it can World Health Organization dues, said Smolik. of the Canadian Grain Com- means Canadian grain is facing become hugely costly to the issued a claim that it is “prob- “These are the things that mission. increased scrutiny abroad, says industry if we get locked out ably” a carcinogen. are going to start to impact He cited China as an exam- Canadian Grain Commission of certain countries.” Because of that, producers our ability to sell grain into the ple. The grain commission assistant chief commissioner Jim “have to read and follow label world markets,” he said. randomly samples grain Smolik. PHOtO: JENNIFER bLAIR In the spotlight instructions,” said Smolik. “These are all tools that you vessels leaving the country This year, producers delivering Like other chemicals, glypho- guys use that are registered in for more than 120 different And what’s allowed — called grain may be asked to declare sate enters and remains in the Canada, but if they don’t have chemicals, but China is test- maximum residue limits — is in writing whether they’ve plant at low levels, and early approvals in other countries at ing imports for more than 400 also in flux. Some nations use used quinclorac (the active application of the chemical this point, it becomes a market chemicals, Smolik said at the the internationally recognized ingredient in several different can compound that. access issue.” Making the Grade workshop in standard called the Codex Ali- herbicides) or chlormequat “Monsanto’s instruction is late July. mentarius, but others don’t. (the active ingredient in plant that anything over 30 per cent [email protected] A big test for Alberta’s wild horses Advocates who want to save the animals hope DNA testing will prove they qualify as native to the province Since domestic horses have been released over the years, By Alexis Kienlen the wild horses will have bred with them, making their AF STAFF genetic makeup even harder to determine. “That’s why we’re getting the genetic specialist, to figure re Alberta’s wild horses native to the province or just out where they go back to. Clearly there had to be horses domestic horses gone feral? here before mining and logging.