Mission Statement

The Agricultural Service Board provides agricultural programs and services to rural residents to address their ever-changing needs and to enhance and protect our viable and sustainable agriculture community.

Vision

The Municipal District of Wainwright Agricultural Service Board will promote and coordinate programs and services in the areas of weeds, pests, soil and water conservation, various rural interests, and related environmental issues. Agricultural producers, rural acreage owners and industry will work together to maintain a vibrant and sustainable rural community. Strong policies, adequate funding and innovative programming will ensure the board's continued success. The Agricultural Service Board will consist of members that have strong community bonds and agricultural interests. They will provide direction for the Agricultural Service Board staff and sound recommendations to Council for input into effective policies.

Guiding Principles

• Assist, advise and direct legislative requirements as set in the following Governing Acts:
     - Agricultural Service Board Act
     - Weed Control Act
     - Livestock Diseases Act
     - Soil Conservation Act
     - Agricultural Pests Act
• Direction and mandates from Municipal Council
• Needs of rural residents, acreage owners and local industry
• Ensure a healthy sustainable environment

Operation of Programs and Services

Financial resources for the operation of programs and services within the Agricultural Service Board Department are accessed through the following grants:

1. Agricultural Service Board Grant through Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development. (Completed and submitted by the Agricultural Fieldman)


2. Alberta Rat Control Grant to Alberta Agricultural Food and Rural Development. (Completed and submitted by the Agricultural Fieldman)


3. Beaver Dam Management Proposal to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. (Completed and submitted by the Agricultural Fieldman by request from a landowner)


4. Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Program. (Completed and submitted by the Assistant Agricultural Fieldman)


5. Additional funding and program proposals (Completed by the Agricultural Fieldman and Assistant Agricultural Fieldmanas required/requested)

2009 AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARD REPORT

Board Composition:

A total of 3 Agricultural Service Board meetings were held in 2009.

Administration:

The ASB received grants from Alberta Agriculture in the amounts of $170,488.59 (Provincial ASB Grant), $57,700.00 (Rat Control Grant), and $45,125.00 (Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Grant). Through the Provincial ASB Grant, the M.D. of Wainwright has qualified and received the full grant amount of $150,000.00/year plus a one time additional grant including of $20,488.59 based on municipal programming. The ASB continued to support the Town of Wainwright’s noxious weed control program in the amount of $4000.00. In addition the ASB also supported Canadian Forces Base Wainwright with their noxious and restricted weed control program in the amount of approximately $7875.50. The Municipal District of Wainwright handled the Emergency Registered liquid strychnine concentrate (LSC) for the producers in 2009 and will continue to handle LSC for producers in 2010. The M.D. hosted the fifth annual Rural Routes Supper and social, which again proved to be a very popular event with 326 ratepayers and their families attending. The 2010 Rural Routes Supper will be held on August 6, 2010. Both the Rural Routes Supper and M.D. calendar projects will be continuing in 2010. The M.D. also participated in the 2009 Wainwright Trade show with Municipal District of Wainwright and Rat Control booths. The Agricultural Service Board Act is being reviewed in 2010.

Vegetation Management and Control:

The M.D. continued to maintain three weed inspectors and three GPS/injection equipped trucks. These trucks were stationed in Irma, Wainwright and Edgerton. In 2009 we again addressed toadflax, scentless chamomile, leafy spurge, tansy, white cockle and canada thistle among the other noxious and restricted weeds found within our boundaries. We also started to address a new concern of escaped ornamental weeds, and worked on projects with Gypsophila panaculata (Baby’s Breath) in the Edgerton and Ribstone areas. We completed the second year of our two year complete roadside spraying program and responded to all submitted weeds calls. The Alberta Weed Control Act was rewritten and will be in place for 2010.

The M.D. also participated in research projects with BASF involving the herbicide Overdrive, and Dow AgriSciences research plot with a herbicide called ClearView. These research and trial plots are in an effort to find effective alternative control options for the noxious weeds within the M.D. Canadian Forces Base Wainwright continues to map and control Spotted Knapweed and conduct their weed control program in an effort to meet the requirements under the Provincial Weed Control Act. The Landowner No-Spray Zone/Haying Option Agreement was rewritten for 2010.

In 2009 the M.D. had a contractor complete approximately 640 miles of roadside shoulder mowing. This initiative resulted in many positive comments and there will be approximately 685 miles of roadside mowing completed in 2010. The mowing program will be evaluated in the fall of 2010.

The M.D. continued with a number of pest monitoring initiatives which included setting up Bertha Army Worm and Diamondback Moth traps, and found count numbers to be lower than average. The annual grasshopper survey was completed with one site per township being inspected; counts were average to lower than usual. The M.D. of Wainwright also completed the second year of random Clubroot inspections on 40 canola fields; there were no fields found to show symptoms positive for Clubroot. Bertha Army Worm, Diamondback Moth, grasshoppers and Clubroot will all be surveyed again in 2010. A Fusarium graminearum policy and random field inspections may be on the horizon for 2010.

Municipal Projects, Demonstrations and Extension Activities:

This year we received $45,125.00 from the Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Program. The focus for this money was to provide information and programs within three priority management areas: Water for Life, Climate Change, support for the EFP process (Environmental Farm Plan). Weekly radio ads, called “Municipal Agri-minute” were voiced every week starting in March and ending in December. These airings quickly promoted sustainable agriculture messages to rural farmers and ranchers, and also spread word on upcoming events. There were also 6 newsletters published and mailed out to an average of 574 rural households each edition. We provided projects to producers that included a Silage Barley plot trial with pancake breakfast (in partnership with the Wainwright Seed Cleaning Plant), showcasing 7 barley varieties between 4 partners: Pare Seed Farm with CDC Cowboy and Stander, Wainwright Viterra with Xena and Champion, Dalton Seed Farm with AC Ranger and CDC Trey, and Andrukow with CDC Coalition. Seminars held this past year included the 26th Anniversary of Spring Break Conference, held in Chauvin, with 140 participants, Grazing School for Women with 34 participants and the Scott Research Field Day with 15 participants. A Compost meeting was held with 35 participants, and also a Water Well Maintenance Workshop with 28 participants. A PFRA tree meeting was held with 30 farm and acreage owners attending. The annual Horticultural Tour attracted 50 avid gardeners and stopped at Holes Greenhouse in Edmonton and Greenland Garden Center in Sherwood Park. The Municipal Photo Contest was another popular event with over 350 photograph entries. The decision to choose the top 13 photos to showcase in the Municipal Calendar was extremely difficult as always, but the finished project turned out to be the best ever with updated formatting to include the glossed photo style and local noxious weed pictures; local ratepayers quickly picked up all 750 copies.

If you are interested in becoming involved in any of our workshops or if you have ideas for an event or newsletter article, please contact the Assistant Agricultural Fieldman, Aimee Wonsik at 780-842-4454.

Pest Control:

In 2009 there were no rat infestations in the M.D. of Wainwright or R.R. of Manitou in Sask. There seems to be a slight decrease in rat numbers for Sask. overall but the numbers are very close to the same as last year along the Alberta and Saskatchewan border. The Rat Control team still has to remain vigilant to help Alberta keep its rat free status. The coyote problems are about the same as last year but the bounty in Sask. has helped us out a bit with more coyotes being harvested along the border. The beaver problems have been somewhat lower due to the drier conditions we have been seeing.

If you have any questions or concerns about “RATS”, please feel free to contact Rod Gabrielson at (780) 842-7285 or the M.D. office at (780) 842-4454.

The above is a brief report on the activities of the Agricultural Service Board in 2009.

We extend our thanks to the Municipal Council, Administration, staff and the members of the Agricultural Service Board for their cooperation, guidance and assistance in 2009.

Respectfully Submitted,

James Schwindt
Agricultural Fieldman

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