ORGANIC GRAIN PRICE TRENDS · The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative is now going full throttle. And...

alberta

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

SUMMER 2016 ISSUE 02 VOLUME 07

O R G A N I C

ORGANIC GRAIN PRICE TRENDS

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OAT PRICES

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Organic prices have generally seen an upward trend over the past few years, due to the strong growth in the organic marketplace, as well as a shortage of supply. Summer student Ryan Barkwell assembled the data and created charts for the price trends of several top crops in Alberta. Experts share their thoughts on these trends.

OAT PRICES

Scott Shiels, Grain Millers: As you look at the oat price chart, Organic milling oats have been relatively flat for the past 4 years save for a spike from about April of 2013 to November/December of that year. That spike was based on a very tight supply which pushed the price up over $8 through the summer and fall until the new crop harvest hit the market. The baseline of $6 a bushel has been the norm for the past few years, however, it would now appear that we have moved that to $7. Markets are robust for finished oat products and that is going to increase demand and give us a higher starting point for new crop oats.

WHEAT PRICES

Scott Shiels, Grain Millers: Organic milling wheat prices have continued to climb over the past few years on steadily increasing demand. Prices were holding in the mid teens over a number of years, but in 2014 we saw smaller crops, coupled with less than average quality, which propelled wheat prices into the high $20’s for most of the year. Those producers that were hoping for $30 missed the boat, and many of them took $18 when the buyers filled their needs in the late spring and summer. As organic bread products continue to expand their sales, we will continue to see high teens as our new norm.

FEED BARLEY

Scott Shiels, Grain Millers: Feed barley is purely demand driven, and this is where this graph gets confusing. We have seen a steady demand increase over the past few years, with more feedlots, dairies, and feed mills using increasing quantities of organic barley. This market should continue to grow, but pricing will be tempered by organic corn prices in the US, as well as conventional feed prices up here. If feed prices get too high, livestock producers will go back to conventional markets, and drop their organic certification.

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

Mission: To represent and support Alberta’s entire organic industry.

Vision: A strong, sustainable and united organic community in Alberta.

Editor/Submissions & AdvertisingEditor : Debbie [email protected]

Copy EditorBrenda [email protected]

Graphic Designer & PublisherCurio Studio780-451-2261www.curiostudio.ca

Executive DirectorBecky Lipton: 587-521-2400 | [email protected]

Board MembersRepresentatives elected by region:(N) North (S) South (C) Central (M) Member at Large

President: Ward Middleton (C): 780-939-7549 | [email protected]

Vice President: Tim Hoven (S): 403-302-2748 | [email protected]

Treasurer: Heather Kerschbaumer (N): 780-835-4508 | [email protected]

Secretary: Trevor Aleman (S): 403-308-4003 | [email protected]

Lawrence Ashmead (M): 403-971-9682 | [email protected]

Janice Shelton (N): 780-623-7664 | [email protected]

Danny Turner (M) 780-469-1900 | [email protected]

Dawn Boileau (C) 780-218-2430 | [email protected]

Abbie Stein-MacLean (M) 780-984-3068 | [email protected]

Charles Newell (AB rep at federal level) 780-809-2247 | [email protected]

Fall 2016 deadline is Friday, September 16th. Please send comments, suggestions, ads, and/or articles to [email protected]

The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative is now going full throttle. And because of it, organic farmers across Alberta and the Prairies should get ready to see Organic Alberta’s programs step up a few notches. The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative tells us that the 4 biggest issues facing organic grain producer’s profitability are – soil fertility, weed management, crop rotations and grain quality. Below are just a few of the programs being rolled out that tackle them.

FIELD DAYS Our field days this summer had a deliberate focus on green manures, soil fertility and nutrient management. We were even able to bring in Dr Martin Entz from the University of Manitoba – the designer of new innovative on farm nutrient management tools. Other topics covered included: weed biocontrol, integrated pest management, plant disease resistance, crop rotations, innovative equipment (Sitter Compost Turner, CombCut & Riteway crimper roller demos), livestock integration, soil pit and humic, fulvic and compost application. These field days were jam packed!

BECKY LIPTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : ORGANIC ALBERTA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

ON FARM NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT CONSULTATIONS This one is a whopper of a success. Within 24 hours of announcing the program, so many farmers called in that we had almost filled our quota of subsidized spaces. Having sufficient amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium and other nutrients is key to good yields, grain quality and long term sustainability. Through this program farmers get access to an agronomist who comes out to your farm, samples your soil and your green manures, and helps you build a nutrient management plan. Spots are now filled for this year, but sign up for next year! Call Iris Vaisman at 587-521-2400.

CALL AN ORGANIC EXPERT This one is just starting to take off. If you are wondering about soil testing, crop rotations that match your soil type and region, cover crops, or anything else related to organic production, you can call and leave a message, and the right expert will call you back. Free of Charge!

It is amazing what can happen when you get some government and industry investment in the organic sector. If you are not sure how the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative, or Organic Alberta’s programs can benefit you, give us a call at 587-521-2400. Now is the time to get connected to the resources out there!

ORGANIC ALBERTA SUPPORTERSBig thank you to the following people and organizations who sent in donations and/or became members over the last few months! It is your contributions that keep us going!

Grain Millers USA, Gillian Hurst, LeAnne Furoy, Marvin Nakonechny, James Bozarth, Lackawanna Products Corp, Grower’s International, FW Cobs, Fresh Direct Produce, Community Natural Foods Ltd. Centre for Systems Integration, Best Cooking Pulses Inc., Associated Grocers, Shafer Commodities, Richardson Milling, AOPA, Nature’s Path, PHS Organics, Signature Truck Lines, Simply Fish, Sunnyside Natural Market, Sunrise Foods, Westaqua Commodity Group, Ecocert Canada, Joanne Gilbertson, Michael Dorian, Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (SPUD), Robert Jensen, Earth’s General Store, Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. Terralink Horticulture, Jean-Francois Gingras, Wilfred Petherbridge, Harmonic Herbs, Angela Greter, Mary Lou Planer and Judy McFarlen.

Are we missing your name? If you haven’t sent in your donation yet, please do it soon! We depend on you!

3WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

rganicroducersssociation

Certi�cation with TCO Cert

TOOLS:

Saladmaster Food Processor or Knife

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cantaloupe (Quartered & Cleaned)

1 Honey Dew Melon (Quartered & Cleaned)

1 Miniature Watermelon (Quartered)

2 – 3 Oranges, Depending on Size

1 Pkg Strawberries (Cleaned and Hulled)

1 Pkg Blueberries

6-10 Kiwi’s (Peeled)

1. Using a knife cut the kiwi’s into ¼’s depending on the size of the fruit.

2. Using the #3 Cone on the Saladmaster Food Processor, cut up the cantaloupe, honey dew melon and watermelon. Or, use a knife and cut up into cubes.

3. Using the #5 Cone on the Saladmaster Food Processor, cut up the strawberries. Or, use a knife and cut into slices.

4. Using the #1 Cone on the Saladmaster Food Processor (or zester), zest the oranges into the salad. Then quarter the oranges. Keeping the peel side facing up, turn the food processor until you are at the rind of the orange. This will give your salad great flavor and help keep your fruit from oxidizing.

5. Mix and enjoy!

6. Optional – any other fruit you would like to add: bananas #3 Cone, Apples #3 Cone, Seedless Grapes, etc.

Recipe compliments of Wellness Concepts Ltd, promoting delicious, healthy cooking for you and your family. For more quick and easy recipes find them at [email protected], or call 780-919-5666.

Do you have a recipe you would like to share? Contact Debbie at [email protected], or call 587-521-2400.

QUICK AND EASY SALADMASTER FRUIT SALAD

SALADMASTER FOOD PROCESSOR

About CSIThe Centre for Systems Integration, a division of the Canadian Seed Institute, is a proven service provider of quality assurance programs in the agriculture sector.

Minimize and Simplify Your Paperwork

Connections to Local and Global Markets:

Canadian Organic Regime

JAS Organic Equivalency

USDA NOP Equivalency

EU Organic Equivalency

Bio Suisse Verification

More than 15 Years of Experience in Delivering a CFIA Quality Assurance Program

organic certification?timely & efficient

Seeking

Contact us:Toll-free: (800) 516-3300 Phone: (613) 236-6451 www.csi-ics.com

OCIA International - Canada

OCIA…The Root of Organic Integrity Leading the Way in Organic

Certification for Over 25 Years

Contact us today regarding discounts for new members!

Marg Laberge, Member Services ● T: 780-851-9482 Email: [email protected] ● www.ocia.org

ORGANIC GRAIN INDUSTRY MONTHLY TELECONFERENCE

9:00–9:15 AM Welcome and Introductions

9:15–9:25 AM Guest presenter (topic relevant to Prairie organic grain sector)

9:25–9:35 AM Questions for the presenter

9:35–10:15 AM Cross-Provincial Updates

10:15–10:30 AM Update and closing

Growing the Organic Community through Exchange

Second Wednesday of

Every Month

9:00 AM to 10:30 AM MDT.

Dial-In Number: 1-866-613-5223

Access Code: 9817492

The goal of the calls is to build community and grow capacity through

exchange and learning. The who's who in the prairie organic sector

will be on this call. Don't miss it!

Highlight – Cross-Provincial Updates Hear what has been happening with everyone: updates, learnings shared

by everyone on the call.


We clean cereals, oilseeds, and pulse crops.

Contact Glen Hartel at 403-578-3810 or [email protected]


HEMP PRICES

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ORGANIC HEMP PRICES

HEMP PRICE TRENDLINE

MARKET PRICESThe following prices are compliments of OrganicBiz.ca. They gather and post monthly prices as well as detailed market trend information on their website. OrganicBiz.ca is also a good place to check for all kinds of organic news and information. If you haven’t registered for their e-newsletter yet, we would highly recommend it!

Organic Price Quotes: Late June 2016 All prices are CAD unless otherwise noted

Crop Bushels (tonnes) Organic Premium

Wheat - red spring$17.21-$17.85 (Minnesota) ($632-$656)

291%

Wheat - feed $11 ($404) 198%

Wheat - durum $21(Minnesota)($606) 275%

Wheat - soft white $20 ($735)

Barley - milling $10 ($459)

Barley - malt $12 ($551) 230%

Barley - feed $7.50 ($344) 200%

Oats -milling $8 ($519) 307%

Flax - brown $35-39 ($1378-$1535) 332%

Flax - yellow $40 ($1575) 359%

Corn - Feed$9.25-$12.12 (USDA) ($364-$477)

Soybeans - Feed$20.42-$23.61 (USDA) ($750-$868)

Peas - yellow $16-$18 ($588-$661) 179%

Peas - green $18 ($661) 209%

Lentils - large green $0.92/lb 161%

Lentils - french green $0.80/lb 320%

Lentils - black $0.85/lb

Lentils - red $0.89/lb (US) 214%

Lentils - pinto $0.95/lb 316%

Lentils - fava $0.95/lb

Lentils - black $0.95/lb 380%

Hemp $1.75-$1.80/lb

Mustard $0.90/lb 265%

Darrell McElroy, Hemp Oil Canada/Manitoba Harvest: Organic hemp production has not kept pace with the continual increase in demand, which has caused the uptrend in organic prices. Recent spikes of $1.70 and $1.80 have been because of new buyers entering the marketplace, further increasing demand. However, moving forward, you can expect the price to plateau over the next few years. This is because the increase in supply from farmers transitioning will stabilize the price.

New Crop

Crop Bushels (tonnes) Organic Premium

Wheat - red spring$17-$18 (Minnesota) ($625-$661)

291%

Oats -milling$5.25-$6.50 (Ontario) ($340-$421)

231%

Flax - brown $34-36 ($1338-$1417) 318%

Flax - yellow $36-38 ($1417-$1496) 336%

Spelt $7.20 (Ontario)

Rye $4.50 (Ontario) ($177)

Hemp $1.80/lb

ORGANIC MARKETOPPORTUNITIES CLASSIFIED ADS

Grower's International is buying all kinds of wheat, durum, barley, oats, flax, spelt, peas, mustard and lentils. Call one of our buyers today! Mark Gimby: 306-652-4529, Braden Neuls: 204-918-5822, Lorne Lix: 204-924-7050.

F.W. Cobs is buying HRSW and feed grains, including Barley, Peas, Rye, Screenings, and more. We buy FOB the farm, delivered to Loreburn, SK or loaded rail. Call 888-531-4888 ext 7 or 8.

Are you looking for a consistent supply of Organic Soybean meal? Shafer Commodities can assist you with all of your organic needs, we are also buying HRS, durum, flax, barley & peas 403-328-5066.

Wanted: finished certified organic cattle and feeder cattle. For Sale: Certified organic alfalfa seed, feeder hogs, and milking cows. Also Freezer pork, lamb and beef. Contact Peter Lundgard at Nature's Way Farm 780-338-2934

Trade and Export Canada is buying all grades of organic grains. Call 1-306-433-4700.


HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO TRANSITION INTO ORGANICS?

We are hoping that going organic will be a good decision because we will be working with fewer acres. Previously, we managed a large acreage and although I’m used to the management of something big, I’m hoping that when we go smaller, with more micro management I will do a better job, and make more money on less acres.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED THROUGH THE TRANSITION?

Getting started was the hardest part, but it worked out perfect. We went to the Organic Alberta conference and were starting within the year. They [Organic Alberta] answered every question and it was easy. Finding a Certifying Body was also pretty easy. After a few phone calls and some questions, we really just had to pick one.

Production will be a challenge but we will be trying different things. Weed control is our biggest worry, and we bought some special equipment, including a Yetter rotary hoe, and bought some nice older equipment including a six inch spacing box drill, and tine harrows for weeding. I hope this will work for weeding.

WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT REALLY SEEMED LIKE A CHALLENGE AT THE OUTSET BUT IT ENDED UP BEING EASILY OVERCOME?

Getting the land certified seemed like a challenge. I thought it was going to be a big production with the inspector there for days. They were really nice to deal with and spent quite a bit of time on each field. We were fine with the cost; you have to pay people to do this. We have no problem paying yearly fees.

SCOTT OLSEN'S STORY

TELL US WHAT YOU DO.

I am a grain farmer now but I went to school for forestry and then did land reclamation and learned about forages. My wife has a bachelor of science. We started farming with her parents 7 years ago in Fairview. We were growing canola, wheat and 800 acres of forage seed. We had 1200 acres of our own, out of a total of 7,000 acres owned by the family farm.

We are handing this over to my brother-in-law and moving to Mayerthorpe where my family is. I am renting land from my uncle and neighbours, all of which has been hay land with a history of no inputs. So the opportunity is there for us to transition it into organic production. We worked it all up last fall and it was seeded to peas, oats, barley and wheat this spring. In this first year, about half will be in organic transition and half will be conventional.

The following is a conversation between Melisa Zapisocky, the New Grower Program Manager of the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative and Scott Olsen, a transitioning producer from Mayerthorpe Alberta.

continued on page 7


The biggest thing to overcome is everyone telling you it’s a bad idea saying, “You won’t get any grain; you might get 15 bushel of grains and nothing but weeds”. My father-in-law has been helpful because he’s been farming since the ’70s and now he’s reminiscing about how things were. My dad was old school and I pushed him to grow canola and use fertilizer, and we didn’t have success, and now I’m paying for that decision. He’s very involved now and likes it. I am always probing the old guys for knowledge.

The hardest part is getting enough land base. Ideally, 1,000 acres of organic would be right on. Then it would match our existing equipment. We have almost too much machinery, which I guess is a good problem to have.

WHAT IS THE BEST TOOL OR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ON YOUR FARM?

I’m really excited to use the rotary hoe (Yetter) but haven’t got to use it yet. YouTube has been a good source. I watched Gabe Brown videos after seeing him present at the

Soil Health Conference put on by ARECA in December, 2015. I watch lots of videos on how the machines work. I love machinery and driving tractors, so this is awesome for me because there are lots of hours driving tractor with organic farming!

WHO DO YOU LOOK TO (REGIONAL OR GLOBAL) WHEN YOU ARE STUCK ON A PROBLEM OR NEED SOME OUTSIDE ADVICE?

I am looking to the older guys and guys who have recently transitioned like Trevor Kerschbaumer. They just got into it 4 years ago and he helped me get seed. He has shared his knowledge about what works. He said he likes plowing more than the discing, so I did half and half to see if there is a difference.

ARE THERE ANY BOOKS OR RESOURCES THAT YOU FREQUENTLY USE TO HELP YOU MAKE DECISIONS?

I just Google a lot, for example, I have been looking at intercropping. Manitoba Research Council comes up often. I also tend to just phone people up.

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU STARTED TRANSITIONING INTO ORGANICS?

I wish I knew where to market this stuff already. This is the biggest hurdle for me, I can grow stuff, but I hate marketing. So far I just called Richardson in Barrhead for oats and found a buyer for malt barley for micro breweries. It has been helpful to have friends with lots of contacts.

I have lots to learn about cover crops. My plan was alsike clover, but every old guy I talk to says don’t do this. I might try a test plot and see if we can build up nitrogen.

WHAT’S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO A NEW FARMER GETTING INTO ORGANICS?

Don’t listen to all the naysayers; it’s fun and it’s not expensive. That’s why we chose to do it. It fits with what we want to do and has been relatively inexpensive so far. I look forward to see how it will work!

For this and more farmer profiles, check out www.pivotandgrow.com

Scott Olsen's Story contined from page 6


Producers need to know what qualities a

grain buyer looks for in a product. In a recent

teleconference hosted by the Prairie Organic

Grain Initiative, Bruce Roskens from Grain Millers,

Alex Galarneau, PHS Organics, Jason Freeman

from Farmer Direct Co-op and Mark Gimby from

Growers International discussed issues they see

in the industry today and provided tips to help

alleviate those issues.

Proper management is required throughout the

growing season. Most famers are concerned with

test weight, moisture, contamination and seed

quality. Contamination is a special concern for

buyers who are interested in purchasing food grade

oats. Regulations have become more stringent in

RYAN BARKWELL, ORGANIC ALBERTA

the last 10 years, and with the market trend for

gluten free organic products, understanding best

management practices is essential.

For oats, it is important to seed as early as possible

in order to establish a strong root stem and

good ground cover for weed control. It is also

recommended to clean oats, as buyers only accept

2% wild oats. However, one must be careful to not

de-hull the oats when cleaning them. This hastens

grain degradation, and makes the product less

attractive to buyers. The panel also encouraged

the scalping of crops (a quick cleaning that

removes larger debris). This practice can decrease

dockage by nearly 30%. Finally, it is important for

a farmer to understand proper crop rotation for

their farms in order to find the balance between

agronomic viability and market preferences.

Proper storage is a critical issue. Roskens noted

that more grain is ruined in harvesting and storage

than in improper field management. Aflatoxins,

other mycotoxins, mold and pest infestation can

occur in grain bins. Moldy grain is often a result

of moisture that comes from wet falls, harvesting

grain before it is dry, harvesting grain with

immature weeds, or condensation that results

from changing temperatures. Both Roskens and

Galarneau stressed that they are buying a food

ingredient, not a commodity. For this reason, the

quality of the grain is of the utmost importance.

Bin maintenance is a must to reduce storage

problems! Bins should be cleaned before new

product is stored to prevent any carryover of

contaminants. Prevention is 90% of the solution.

If the crop is not sufficiently dry, aeration can

reduce moisture and minimize conditions for

mold. Bins should be mouse, insect and water

tight. Buyers also recommend farmers rotate

grain during winter months to prevent and

remove moisture pockets that may form.

Farmers must take steps to prevent and

eliminate mold. If moldy grain is noticed during

loading or grain handling, it should be removed.

Gone are the days when simply diluting moldy

grain with healthy grain goes unnoticed. Moldy

grain is a food safety hazard. Buyers will discount

yields that contain moldy grain as regulations

become ever more stringent.

In summary, organic grain producers should be

concerned with proper management practices and

maintaining sustainable storage facilities in order to

produce high quality products and increase their

own profitability. For more information, check out

the fact sheets at www.pivotandgrow.com.

GRAIN QUALITY FROM A BUYERS PERSPECTIVE


Scott Shiels, Grain Millers: We saw a very small organic flax crop in 2013

and 2014, followed by record flax acres both conventionally and organically in

2015. You can see the peak up near the $60 mark that again plummets in the

summer of 2014, late in the year once all buyers were covered. Normally with

most crops that have hit record high prices due to shortages, you will see a

severe decline once those shorts get covered.

FLAX PRICES

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FLAX PRICES

BROWN FLAX (CONV.) YELLOW FLAXBROWN FLAX

We want to work with you!

Locations available in Wetaskiwin, Brooks, Stettler

Contact: 780.604.2634 [email protected]

Need a location to drop o� your products to your customers?

Name Email Phone Number Town/City Province

Greg Rekken [email protected] or 403-672-0852

Olds Alberta

Sherri Roberts [email protected] 306-848-2856 Weyburn Saskatchewan

Gary Smith [email protected] 306-280-6325 Saskatoon Saskatchewan

Carl E. Lynn [email protected] 306-975-9295 Saskatoon Saskatchewan

Bernice Kadatz [email protected] 587-988-2319 Tofield Alberta

Cathy Halonen [email protected] 780-203-8062 Radway Alberta

Marilyn Kot [email protected] 306-535-2763 Francis Saskatchewan

Marjorie Harris [email protected] 250-546-2953 Armstrong British Columbia

ORGANIC AGRONOMISTS

After two extremely successful rounds of organic

agronomist training in Alberta and Saskatchewan,

that saw us training almost 60 people, we are

happy to begin sharing the names of organically

trained agronomists. One more training was

held in Manitoba at the end of June, and names

were not available at time of publication. Please

contact [email protected] for

fur ther information.


Grain Millers, Inc. is privately held family company that has been a leader in Organic milling for over 25 years. Our business is built on strong partnerships with our farmers. We offer competitive, farmers. We offer competitive, farm gate pricing, agronomy and sustainability advice and strong markets for your grains.

• OATS• FLAX• BARLEY• MUSTARD• WHEAT

ORGANIC

PyGanic Crop Protection EC 1.4 II is an organic-compliant product containing Pyrethrins, a botanical insecticide derived from chrysanthemums. It delivers quick knockdown and kill of crop-damaging pests, such as beetles, aphids, leaf hoppers and caterpillars.

• No pre-harvest interval• No residual activity. • Excellent IPM rotation product• Controls both soft and hard

bodied insect pests, fast!

Contact us today at 1-800-661-4559 for more info, or visit our website at www.tlhort.com!

©2012 MGK®. MGK® - Registered trademark of McLaughlin Gormley King Company.

Got Armyworm? Get Pyganic.

www.tlhort.com


This year we were fortunate enough to have three students join us for a short time over the summer. Chances are you either emailed or spoke with one or all of them over the last several weeks, whether it was to discuss one of our many field days, to plan an Organic Week activity, to connect with an agronomist over a nutrient management plan for your farm, to discuss getting your information into the B2B Directory, or maybe you are a vegetable grower wondering how to get your product to the consumers who would like to buy it. Our students dived into all of our projects with enthusiasm. We were grateful for their expertise, their willingness to take on any task and especially their passion for organic food and farmers!

THANK YOU TO OUR SUMMER STUDENTS!

Stephanie joined our team in April as Administrative Assistant. She has been working in the field of agriculture since 2007. Stephanie completed her M.Sc. at the University of Guelph, and has many years of experience working in and around the agri-food system. Most recently, Stephanie spent two years studying the intricacies of dairy bacterial cultures and producing dairy products. She recently returned to Alberta, and is excited to bring her experience in agriculture, writing, and systems administration to the Organic Alberta office.

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST STAFF MEMBER: STEPHANIE BACH

Tierra Stokes, Summer Student

Ryan Barkwell, Summer Student

Amanda Rooney, Summer Student

Stephanie Bach, Newest Staff Member

TIERRA STOKES

Tierra is a 3rd year university student majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a minor in Geography at Mount Allison University. She also has a lot of experience organizing functions and events. As an Events Coordinator with Organic Alberta she put her expertise to good use helping to organize the many field days held as well as providing logistical support to the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative on their projects, especially the Nutrient Management Program.

RYAN BARKWELL

Ryan is entering his 4th year at the University of Alberta and is working on a Bachelor of Sciences degree with a double major in Statistics and Mathematics. He grew up on a hog farm near Camrose and worked with the Agricultural service board for the County of Wetaskiwin for the past two summers. Ryan thrives on statistics and numbers – and we took full advantage of that by putting him to work on our various databases, helping to compile statistics, as well as helping out with the B2B Directory.

AMANDA ROONEY

Amanda is a 2nd year Environmental Studies student at the University of Alberta, who was born, raised and went to school in North West Edmonton. She has a special interest in food systems and hopes to one day have a career in the non-profit sector. Amanda is organizing our Organic Week projects, as well as exploring programs that could support the organic vegetable sector.

NEW PROGRAM FOCUSES ON LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION

In partnership with The Organic Box and Big Sky Organics Amanda worked on a local market development program funded by the Government of Alberta’s Growing Forward 2 initiative. She contacted both producers and distributors of local food and gathered information on what local products can be supplied and what is being demanded. The Organic Box’s facilities in Edmonton will serve as a food hub to distribute local products, increasing the capacity of local producers to meet the demand for local products at prices that better suit both farmers and buyers. Watch for more information on this project in the Fall magazine!


OATS

COATED GRAINS& CLUSTERS

LESSONS FROM STOCKMANSHIP SCHOOL

Participants at the two Stockmanship Schools put on by Tina Williams and Richard McConnel of Hand ‘n Hand Livestock Solutions last June learned that good stockmanship is not about having “tame” animals you can pet or trick into the corral with grain or just not yelling. It means having the tools to keep your livestock in the proper mental state as they go through the entire production process. By reducing stress overall, cattle are easier to handle, and additional benefits include improved disease resistance, better weight gain and carcass performance. The emotional element of livestock is often ignored or misunderstood. They appear to be (and are often treated as) unemotional

and stupid, when they are neither. Emotional stress can cause as much or more damage to production as the physical stress of poor feed, bad weather, or rough handling. Over two days the participants learned better strategies for communicating with their livestock; instincts of humans and livestock; predator/prey relationships; positioning and movement; training the herd; at the gate and working in the corral; sorting, weaning, receiving and loading; and how our own attitudes affect our livestock. Organic Alberta appreciates the support of Growing Forward 2’s Livestock Delivery Agent Program which allowed us to bring these Schools to Alberta.

MELISA ZAPISOCKY


Prairie Heritage Seeds

WWW.PHSORGANICS.COM | 1.306.869.2926

Proud supporter of organic agriculture. Wishing all organic growers a productive 2016 crop year.

Currently contracting Kamut and other grains.


The Organic Grain mentorship program will pair experienced organic producers with aspiring, new and transitioning producers wishing to gain experience in organic grain and field crop production. Feedback and guidance will happen through phone calls and emails, and when possible, farm visits. Mentor farmers work one-on-one to build the skills, network and community that will strengthen the organic sector.

Mentees pay $200 to participate in the program, and receive up to seven hours of consultation with their mentor.

DO YOU WANT TO BE MENTORED?

Contact [email protected] or call 587-521-2400 for an application form. Eligible mentees will be contacted by a coordinator, who will select an organic grain mentor who best matches your learning goals and interests. Efforts will be made to coordinate mentorships within a geographic region. Space is limited, and it is not first come first served. You must complete an application to be considered. Deadline to apply is August 7, 2016.

THEN WHAT?

Both mentors and mentee will sign a contract to initiate the mentorship. The coordinator will

introduce you to each other through an email or phone call. After that, you will communicate regularly with your mentor through phone and email, receiving advice, suggestions and insights into their farming experience. When desirable, or possible, you may organize farm visit(s) to address specific issues, and look at on-site recommendations.

THE FINAL STEP?

Both you and your mentor will submit a summary of the experience, telling us what you learned, to the coordinator. The mentorships must be completed by November 30th, 2016.

APPLY TODAY FOR OUR ORGANIC GRAIN MENTORSHIP (ALBERTA) PROGRAM

#1, 10329-61 AVE NWEDMONTON, AB

T6H 1K9

FIRST NAME LAST NAMECOMPANY NAME

ADDRESSCITY, PROVINCEPOSTAL CODE

Organic Grain Marketing

Jake, Kelly, Tom or Glen@ [email protected]

Contact:

Sunrise Foods International Inc. - Saskatoon, SKLicensed and Bonded by the Canadian Grain Commission

Feed GrainsFood GradeOilseedsPulsesScreenings

ORGANIC GRAIN PRICE TRENDS · The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative is now going full throttle. And...

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