By Nick Dunn

The agricultural community in Alberta is voicing concerns over Bill C-293, the Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act. While the bill is intended to bolster Canada’s ability to respond to future pandemics, producers fear it could have unintended consequences for the livestock and food production industries.

Bill C-293 was introduced as a proactive measure to enhance Canada’s response to global health crises. The legislation proposes frameworks for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response by identifying potential risks and vulnerabilities within various sectors, including agriculture. While ensuring public health is undeniably important, the bill’s broad language has raised alarms among Alberta’s farmers, ranchers, and Agricultural Service Boards. During the last Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation fall Town Hall meeting with Minister RJ. Sigurdson, boards were asked to write their Senators and voice the opinion of Albertan producers. With an increased volume of letters, these mutual concerns will have a greater impact in the Senate and ensure nothing is pushed under the rug.

While attending our annual Agricultural Service Board Conference last January, the provincial committee expressed that many Albertan municipalities have written letters to the Senators of Canada expressing the concerns of the bill’s criteria if passed. This includes a letter from Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Service Board Chairman that was sent in December 2024.

The primary concern with Bill C-293 among Alberta’s agricultural industry is the possibility of increased restrictions and hindrance on industrial animal agriculture. Although the Bill has good intentions, as it is worded today, it imposes significant risks due to broad statements such as: “regulate commercial activities that can contribute to pandemic risk, including industrial animal agriculture”; “promote commercial activities that can help reduce pandemic risk, including the production of alternative proteins” and “phase out commercial activities that disproportionately contribute to pandemic risk, including activities that involve high-risk species”. The creators of the bill have not considered what Canadian Producers currently have in place for risk management today. We have an effective biosecurity system that monitors zoonotic diseases – which can spread between animals and humans – such as the Canadian On-Farm Beef Cattle Biosecurity Standard. The bill has been brought forward from our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, a foreign disease that does not resemble how livestock is handled in Canada. Many Albertan producers will be impacted by this bill; about 40% of Alberta’s farm cash receipts are from livestock production contributing over $10 billion in 2023.

While disease prevention is crucial, many farmers worry that overly strict policies could disrupt traditional farming practices, impose unnecessary restrictions on livestock movement, and negatively impact food production. The wording in the Bill threatens Canada’s agricultural industry and increases the control the federal government has over our producers and their livelihood.

Currently the bill is at the second reading in the Senate. The most recent activity was the debate on October 22, 2024, and it has yet to be rescheduled for discussion.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

We asked you to complete our 2026 Business Plan Survey online or in print by February 4, 2025. Now here’s a look at what we heard.

Scroll down for survey results, or click HERE to download a PDF.

(Please keep in mind that these survey results, along with the ideas submitted to our online Brainstorm Board and all feedback from our Coffee with your Councillor event, will be evaluated by Council during the review of the Program and Services Priorities on March 24 and will be considered by Council in the development of the 2026 Business Plan and Budget.)

By Nick Dunn

Shelterbelts are a lot like border protection – they provide security and stability, standing as a barrier against the elements while supporting everything within. Just like borders help safeguard a region, shelterbelts shield farmland, livestock, and ecosystems, offering a wide range of benefits.

Winter may be here, but it’s never too early to start thinking about planting trees for spring. Flagstaff County is once again accepting applications for our Shelterbelt Establishment Program, an initiative that makes planting trees more affordable by covering half the cost for rural residents. Applications are open until the end of January, so there’s still time to plan your shelterbelt project. By purchasing trees in bulk, the county can secure discounted rates for the tree order.

Flagstaff County also offers rental equipment including tree planters and a plastic mulch applicator for weed control, making the process even easier. The county recognizes how valuable trees are for the prairie landscape, offering countless benefits that go beyond aesthetics.

So, what makes planting shelterbelts and windbreaks so worthwhile? The benefits are as diverse as they are practical. For farmers, shelterbelts can boost crop yields by capturing snow in the winter and reducing evapotranspiration losses. In a dry year, that added moisture can make a world of difference. They also create a more stable microclimate, reducing wind speeds across fields and helping crops like winter wheat, barley, rye, and hay stand tall, even in strong winds. And when it comes to spraying, shelterbelts help limit spray drift, keeping inputs right where they’re needed.

Livestock can also benefit from shelterbelts by providing shade from the heat and protection from biting winds, improving cattle health and productivity. They also cut down on dust, noise, and odors, reducing respiratory issues in animals. And let’s not forget the original reason for shelterbelt planting: preventing wind erosion, which remains an issue in many areas.

On the biodiversity front, shelterbelts provide habitat for pollinators, boosting oilseed yields. They also attract birds and beneficial insects, which can help keep pest populations in check.

But for all their benefits, we’ve seen shelterbelts disappearing over the years and ageing. Thankfully, many in our county are still committed to planting and preserving them. Alberta tree expert Toso Bozic recommends planting a diverse mix of tree species in shelterbelts to avoid the risks posed by disease or pests wiping out an entire row. Mixing species can serve as a natural barrier, making it harder for pests or diseases to spread.

If you’re ready to plant trees and reap these incredible benefits, don’t forget to submit your application by January 31, 2025. This program is open to rural residents of the county, and you can apply HERE, or visit the County office to fill out an order in person.

Take advantage of this great program, plant some trees, and give back to the land!

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

For years, farmers faced a tough question: how to handle agricultural plastic waste. Often, the solution was to bury it, burn it with other farm waste, or stash it away in a shed. But with growing awareness around environmental stewardship, recycling initiatives have become a key priority. Thanks to Cleanfarms’ Bring ’em All Back program that was launched in 2022, farmers have a streamlined way to recycle their agricultural plastics efficiently and responsibly. We are now closing on the Bring ’em All Back pilot project with Flagstaff transitioning to retail jug collection in 2023 and all municipalities to be completed by December 31, 2024.

Cleanfarms, a national non-profit organization, is dedicated to helping Canadian farmers manage their plastic waste sustainably. Their work is tailored to each province, meeting unique recycling needs and addressing logistical challenges across Canada. Partnering with local governments, agricultural groups, and producers, Cleanfarms offers collection and recycling solutions at little to no cost, and for some producers they have turned it into profit.

By participating in this program, you’re actively reducing environmental impact, conserving natural resources, and supporting the production of recycled plastic goods. Shifting away from traditional disposal methods like burning and burying waste cuts down greenhouse gas emissions and keeps our landscapes free of litter. Producers are a major component to the recycling process and when waste materials are handled appropriately, there is circulation that benefits all.

Products can be refilled or re-manufactured like in Nobleford, Alberta. The southern Alberta town is home to Full Circle Plastics, that recycles agricultural plastics by converting them into building materials such as synthetic deck boards, planters, or parking curbs. PolyAg Recycling LTD, a leading Canadian mechanical recycler of agricultural film is in Bashaw, Alberta. Most grain bags in central Alberta are recycled here even if producers bring them to their local landfill.

Cleanfarms accepts a range of agricultural plastics, but it’s essential that the materials be as clean as possible to prevent contamination during the recycling process. To keep it simple, here’s how and where you can recycle agricultural plastics in Flagstaff:

Grain Bags: Completely empty, remove debris, mechanically roll or bale, and return to Flagstaff Waste.

Twine: Remove debris, bag, and return to local 4-H club or Flagstaff Waste.

Silage Wrap and Bale Wrap: Remove debris, compact material, and return to Flagstaff Waste.

Containers up to 23L: Triple rinse, remove cap and label, bag in new Cleanfarms bags provided by retailers, return to ag retailer.

Totes and Drums: Thoroughly rinse, rinse, return to ag retailer.

Seed, Pesticide & Inoculant Bags: Completely empty, remove debris, bag in new Cleanfarms bags provided by retailers, return to ag retailer.

Join Flagstaff in this sustainable step forward by bringing your used plastics to participating collection sites. Your involvement helps reduce your carbon footprint, keeps our farmlands clean, and supports a growing recycling industry that’s making tangible products from recycled agricultural plastics. With local support, this initiative will continue to enhance sustainable waste management in our community.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

Our governing bodies wanted to help producers to become more sustainable, so they launched a partnership in 2023. This partnership, a joint federal, provincial, and territorial effort, represents a new chapter in Canada’s commitment to sustainable agriculture. The vision behind Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) has been built and enhanced from the previous framework Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). SCAP has a purpose to create an agricultural system that is not only economically viable but also environmentally responsible and socially inclusive. This vision aligns with Canada’s broader commitments to combat climate change, protect natural resources, and support rural communities. Sustainability is the ability to maintain or support a process continually over time. Sustainability can lead to conservation which will support our producers with their efforts to feed the world. From an agronomy background, soil conservation is key. Our relationship with our soils is still relatively early, and we have had many changes with new technologies and inputs over the past 100 years. Being aware of our soil health is essential for long-term food security; our soil is our foundation, and our foundation is life itself.

In April 2023, Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) was launched with $500 million in new funds, representing a 25% increase in the cost-shared portion. This five‐year (2023-2028), $3.5 billion investment includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities by federal-provincial-territorial governments. The SCAP framework represents a cost-shared federal-provincial investment of $508 million over five years towards strategic programs and services for the agriculture and agri-food industry in Alberta. 

These SCAP grant programs are accessible to Albertan farmers, ranchers and processors and include the following streams: Emerging Opportunities, On-Farm Efficiency, On-Farm Value-Added, Resiliency and Public Trust, Resilient Agricultural Landscape, Value added, Water, Accelerating Agricultural Innovations and Business Risk Management Programs such as Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC). It’s safe to say there are many opportunities under SCAP for producers to address challenges, seize new opportunities and open new markets (diversification), and strengthen their resilience. Take advantage of them; it is competitive for the limited funding.

One striking new program is the On-Farm Efficiency Program that opened for applications on August 14, 2024. The program has funding streams that include energy efficiency, farm security, efficient grain handling and smart farm technology, all of which seems fitting and current for eligible Flagstaff farmers, ranchers, and processors. The overall program funding maximum per applicant is $150,000 which also presents ample opportunities for increasing efficiencies within agribusinesses. For program eligibility, more information, and how to apply, visit their website at: www.alberta.ca/sustainable-cap. Environmental Farm Plans do act as a pre-requisite for SCAP funding, and we can support you by developing those plans which have also moved to the online format. There are two upcoming virtual workshops for EFP on September 18 and 26, 2024. To register, you can email info@albertaefp.com or call 587-200-2552. Under SCAP, there are sources to help with risk management and financials that AFSC can provide. This can include crop and livestock insurance, income stabilization and lending. It’s important to stay updated with current programming as it can change year to year depending on the needs of Albertan producers.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

Learn from tree expert Toso Bozic on a wide variety of topics!

• Poplars’ Underground Connections
• Frost Crack Damage
• Fireblight
• Spruce Beetle
• Caragana Aphids
• Cytospora Canker on Coniferous
• Site Preparation for Tree Planting
• Frost Crack Damage
• Black Knot

By Nick Dunn

This year’s spring started with drought being the top of conversations as we were all concerned about the current moisture levels and their potential impact on the upcoming crop season. This year’s winter again, lacked a snowpack and led to minimal run-off. The Battle River was running well below normal flow rate as it peaked in May at 7.5 cubic metres/second, when normal flow for May is around 15 cubic metres/second. The Battle River starts in Battle Lake and flows east throughout the plains of Alberta and into North Battleford, Saskatchewan, where it connects with the North Saskatchewan River. Water within the Battle River is fed from run-off, which makes this river unique and a tell-tale for run-off conditions. This year’s spring sub-surface soil moisture was rated moderately low to near normal. Meteorologists also forecasted El Nino to affect Canadian prairies throughout our most precipitated month of June. El Nino is a weather pattern that we typically see every 2-7 years and can last 9-12 months. It is naturally caused by oceans being warmer than normal by more than half a degree and lasting for several months. This delivers warmer temperatures and drought to Canada and northern states, as we were experiencing. Our sponge (soil) was empty, and we needed moisture to seed into.

Just as anxiety reached its all-time high, we welcomed the early precipitation and to date we have received between 6-9 inches of rain within our borders. Crops are doing better than forecasted with many producers in the area applying fungicides to help suppress disease pressure from the warm moist conditions. Some pastures have rebounded from last year’s drought conditions with many producers completing their first cut of hay. We have also seen a slight increase in roadside haying due to the vigor within our roadsides. There are still variations within Flagstaff and across the province in terms of crop maturity and quality.

Producers know that nothing is guaranteed until it’s in the bin, or pile. We need continued precipitation throughout the rest of this year to help combat the heat and allow our crops to continue to mature. Some of the southern areas of our county are losing moisture rapidly with the heat and winds. Pictured in the map you will see that the Southwest corner of Flagstaff is experiencing extremely low precipitation accumulation once in 25 to 50 years.  

We are also in need of future years of good snow pack and run-off, as the last 3 years have seen very little.

Drought management needs to be implemented on all levels so we can be better prepared to face it in the future. Flagstaff County started a draft drought management plan when municipalities were warned this winter from Alberta Environment and Protected Areas that they need to have a plan and review active water licenses and diversions. We are currently at Stage 4 out of 5 on the Alberta Water Shortage Management Plan, with Stage 5 being severe drought. For the first time since the drought of 2001, major water license holders were asked to reduce their consumption to ensure all users get water. Most large water license holders are from the south and are related to the irrigation districts throughout the province.

So, what can producers do?  Producers need a plan specific to their operation that addresses soil and water conservation. Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation has created a template for Albertan producers to utilize and create their own Drought Management Plan that can be accessed through their website. Drought mitigation can be challenging and on a larger scale for land without irrigation, it can lead to adopting new soil management practices such as no-till, minimum till, variable rate applications, and crop rotation adjustments. Soil testing and improving soil organic matter will also help with retaining soil moisture.

For surface water, adding infrastructure like dugouts (1 per quarter), dams, pumps, wetlands, drainage systems, pipelines, tanks, water hauling equipment, and even shelterbelts are just some to list. Additional water wells to help feed infrastructure or fill reserves will also help to provide water when we need it most. For livestock producers, not only do you need to have water reserves but also feed reserves to get through dry spells.

Flagstaff County has 7 water loading stations, 5 of them open year-round that could be part of producers’ Drought Management Plan as a water source. These stations accept coins with $1 delivering approximately 150 gallons. The water is for agricultural purposes only.

Aside from infrastructure and equipment, producers also need to know their rights and the Water Act that falls under Alberta Environment and Protected Areas. Water is technically owned by the Crown, when it is frozen for winter, it is Crown land. Every human has the right to water, as human and livestock consumption is the priority. Producers can access 275,000 gallons of water per year without a license and can pull this from a creek or slough if the land around it is grazed. Water licenses and diversions can be permitted.

Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation also has a Water Pumping Program that includes satellite pumps throughout the province that can be rented to producers to help fill rural water reserves. More information on the Water Pumping Program can be found on their website.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

Wild boar in Alberta have been gaining ground and starting to invade the province quite rapidly in some regions. Their invasion can result in some of the most damaging from a species in North America. Wild boars are not native to the province and were introduced as livestock in the 1980s as a diversification method and due to their intelligence and our lack of containment, some escaped. In 2008, under the Alberta Agricultural Pest Act, wild boar was designated as a pest where it is ‘at large’ (meaning wild or feral) in Alberta. Under this act, landowners are required to control and destroy pests and prevent them from establishing on their land. In 2013, the province released minimum containment standards to help mitigate risks associated with livestock operations.

Just recently, it was reported that a wild boar was seen southeast of Lougheed roaming throughout a field. Wild boar have been seen in the County in previous years including an incidence in 2021 near Killam, which brought into Council Bylaw 06/21 A BYLAW OF FLAGSTAFF COUNTY, IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING PROHIBITED ANIMALS WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES OF FLAGSTAFF COUNTY. This bylaw was brought into place to address the issues of raising wild boar as livestock and to list them as a prohibited animal. Also noted is no person shall keep, either on a temporary or permanent basis, any prohibited animals on any properties or premises within Flagstaff County. Any prohibited animals located within the County must be euthanized or removed from the County within seven days of receiving an order from a bylaw enforcement officer or designated officer.

Wild boars are unique in adapting to their environment for survivability. There are two types of boars we could potentially see in Alberta including the Eurasian and hybrids crossed with domestic. As the name suggests, they originate from Europe and Asia. Identifying them can be hard as they can be mistaken for domestic species, but they will have long black and brown stringy hair with hairs on their undercoat to protect them in the winters and sharp tusks. They will eat anything as they are omnivores and have adapted to be a nocturnal species. Hunting them hasn’t been successful due to their ability to adapt and educate their offspring. In the summer, they will nest near water and in the winter, they will nest within deep snow near food sources. Sows mature after 6-8 months, and have a gestation period of 114 days, averaging 4-6 piglets per litter, leaving the species highly reproductive over their 5-to-8-year lifespan.

The province has provided funding in efforts to help eradicate wild boar, but legislation needs to be changed to make that possible. As mentioned, there are minimum containment standards for livestock producers and other hobbyists. These standards are more used as guidelines as there is no enforcement or penalization. Resolution 5-24 WILD BOAR AND THE ALBERTA AGRICULTURAL PESTS ACT addresses the legislation, asking Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation to invoke a moratorium on expansion of wild boar farming until the province decides on the future of wild boar in Alberta. This has resulted in pushing municipalities to prohibit the species through a bylaw like Flagstaff County passed in June of 2021.

Although it ended in March 2024, the province did have a bounty program that paid landowners and hunters $50 for a pair of ears. The province also has traps set out to try to catch larger groupings known as sounders, in the denser areas. Catching wild boar at large is only effective when the entire sounder is captured simultaneously. Currently, the province hasn’t released any information regarding the future of wild boar eradication. Alberta Invasive Species Council has the Squeal on Pigs Campaign that helps promote the eradication of wild boar in Alberta, in addition to mapping through their EDDMapS application.

If you see wild boar within Alberta, it is asked that you safely take pictures, note the location, and fill out the online reporting form. You can also call 310-FARM (3276) or email af.wildboar@gov.ab.ca.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

Many landowners in Alberta are facing challenges with abandoned oil leases that no one seems to know whose responsibility they are. What once put dollars in landowners’ pockets is now adding to their financial burden and potentially placing our environment at risk. According to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), the last decade of oil production has left us with hundreds of thousands of wells throughout the province. Various energy maps within Alberta can be accessed through the AER website at www.aer.ca. Here are some of the many classifications throughout the well process of well drilling to know:

Active oil leases – do not pose a threat for financial burden as they are usually managed and upkept or have an entity claiming ownership and responsibility. Oil leases that have been properly reclaimed are also not a threat and set the example of provincial and landowner expectations. I give credit to the oil producing organizations that do have reclamation plans and implement those plans within their business strategy. Leaving the land in better condition than when they developed it so the land can go back to its original state, which in our area is dominantly cultivation but also in native pasture lands.  

Inactive oil leases – pose a threat to be a financial burden for the landowner and place our environment at risk. When an oil lease becomes inactive it goes through a suspension period which includes plugging and temporary lockouts. Once it has been deemed that it is no longer needed, it must go through the abandonment process that includes permanently sealing and taking the well out of service. Once the well has been properly closed it will then be reclaimed to its original state. According to the AER, licensees (oil and gas companies) will always be held accountable for what’s beneath the surface to help ensure that sites have been properly shut down to protect our environment. Well sites pose a risk to the environment by acting as an entry point to our resources below ground if not properly capped. Whether it’s for water or oil, well sites need to be properly managed to reduce possible contamination of our underground resources.

Orphan wells – can be in any state, whether it’s active, inactive, suspended, or even abandoned; and are the heart of the problem. Wells are classified as orphans when there is no responsible party to take care of the reclamation. Orphan wells are then the responsibility of the Orphan Wells Association (OWA) and are handled in a triage manner. The OWA is a nonprofit funded by an annual levy paid by industry based on a calculation of their share in liability. The pace of OWA seems to be behind the pace of orphaned wells being added to the list.  

If you are a landowner and are experiencing issues with orphaned wells, unfortunately it’s true, that the process involves reporting the issue and then relying on regulatory bodies to take appropriate action. The AER has a reporting page to get you added to the list. After that, it is in their hands. I believe we are experiencing issues with abandoned wells because there are not enough boots on the ground to enact enforcement.

Some other ways to bring attention to your orphan wells might include seeking legal advice regarding debt collection or reclamation, and contacting local MLAs and other elected officials to share concerns and experiences. This problem is common to Albertan producers and is only going to get worse if accountability isn’t enforced. Increasing public awareness can lead to greater pressure on regulatory bodies and collaboration with others can amplify your voice. Additionally, staying informed and documenting issues relating to orphan wells is crucial.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

The world has been evolving with technology for many years and the agricultural industry has changed to adopt these new technologies in many accelerated ways. With crop production, our equipment has evolved to include the latest technology at our fingertips. This allows us to be more efficient and ultimately enables us to implement the 4R stewardship model, which is applying the Right source, at the Right rate, Right time and Right place. This same implementation is starting to hit the livestock sector and I believe it is going to change the industry, like how GPS changed the cropping sector, in due time. The reason we have adopted these changes to how we crop land is for an obvious reason: to save time and money. Now that tech companies have been establishing themselves in the livestock industry, if they can prove they can save ranchers’ time and money, then they will have a permanent seat at the table.

If you ask a producer what the most utilized piece of equipment is on the farm, he/she is going to tell you that it’s all of it. It takes the full fleet and then some to produce crops and livestock. It’s the same reason why you have more than one wrench in your toolbox or screwdriver; you need many tools. Another tool that has a big role on the farm is drones, and that’s not only to do with crop scouting and taking elevated photos or videos. Drones can be utilized for many daily activities to manage livestock such as infrastructure inspection, herd counts, reading tags, livestock recovery, thermal imaging (disease and stress detection), temperature measurements and more to come with continued software development. A drone equipped with an optical zoom and thermal imaging camera will have the capability to achieve all that you would need to with livestock and on the lower side costs around $7,000. With the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) there is funding available for producers to cover 50% of the costs of purchasing a drone for your farm.

I went to a conference last December and they had a speaker who spoke on new smart ear tags. These ear tags were equipped with GPS, and thermal reading capabilities. This gave producers the benefit of tracking their livestock from time spent in feeding and watering locations and if there were any sudden changes to body temperature.

He also spoke on virtual fencing, which in my mind has some major trust issues, but if you could overlook that, would provide a major benefit and allow producers to do something that seems impossible. Each animal is equipped with a GPS collar like the shock collars we have on our pets. The boundaries can be set with any device and can be done in seconds just like drawing border lines on satellite imagery.  The collars will work directly with the map boundaries you have drawn. Producers can make changes so fast that they can actually herd their animals with this process. The possibilities are endless when you can put up gates and fences and take them down in seconds, and virtually anywhere. I could even see this going to the next level with autonomous herding and organizing.

Another device he mentioned were the boluses that were swallowed and sit in the reticulum of cattle. This provides more data in terms of feed efficiency and heat detection, which will also change the way we manage cattle and provide us with more data that can be used to make inclined decisions.

Technology does have many benefits, but like everything there are also challenges and the biggest one is the high costs. Luckily there are some grants available through SCAP, but still, efficiency isn’t free. I believe these costs will come down in time just like we have seen with other technologies that we use day-to-day like computers, TVs and cellphones. Technology will be integrated further into the livestock industry to help producers enable their stewardship, which is managing the Right animal, Right feed, at the Right time and at the Right place. We are pioneers of technology integration into the agricultural industry.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.