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4 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | October 2024 1-888-248-4893 PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR PAUL NOLAN ext 202 Paul.Nolan@Farms.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LESLIE STEWART ext 265 Leslie.Stewart@Farms.com AGRICULTURAL JOURNALISTS MARY LOGGAN EMILY MCKINLAY PRAIRIE CONTRIBUTORS STACY BERRY RON SETTLER Parkland County, Alta. Lucky Lake, Sask. NATIONAL CONTRIBUTORS MOE AGOSTINO ABHINESH GOPAL DIEGO FLAMMINI EUGENIE OFFICER ADVERTISING TEAM GLENN RUEGG JEFF McKEE JENNY LONGSTREET SCOTT FARHOOD SAMANTHA RENAUD JOAN SPIEGELBERG ANDREW BAWDEN DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM TANYA MYERS GREG MARLOW SHAUN CLARK ANDREA WILLIAMS www.BetterFarming.com Better Farming Magazine, Prairie Edition is mailed to producers in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Next issue: November 2024. 1-888-248-4893 ext 281 Subscriptions@BetterFarming.com ISSN 2563-9803 (Printed) Copyright ©2024 by AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content without written permission of the publisher is forbidden. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services, nor do Better Farming, AgMedia or Farms.com endorse any advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the omission of any scheduled advertising. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 90 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 Mail agreement #0042518524 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Cover: Jordan Tomalty photo, Jordan Feeg - stock.adobe.com Follow us on @PrairieFarming INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE “Winter annuals are strong competitors for water and nutrients in the spring. These weeds have a head start. You want to make sure you’re controlling them from the end of harvest to freeze-up, weather dependent.” - Carmen Prang, Page 15 “When a physician is looking for a job, the financial incentives and overall salary of rural positions must be high enough so that there is a draw of workers from urban to rural.” - Dr. Rithesh Ram, Page 19 “Sheep can save the world. It sounds crazy, but I mean it.” - Jennifer Osborn, Page 26 “I’ve always had a passion for farming as I was growing up. I spent a lot of time riding along with my dad. I would always come home from school and couldn’t wait to get out to the farm and ride along with him.” - Brock Tomalty, Page 28 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR TERRIBLE TIMING FOR TRADE SPAT It’s not the first time Canada’s canola industry has been caught up in an unnecessary and costly international trade dispute with China, but the timing here is not great. We were just chugging along after the drama (again, unnecessary) of the railway labour disputes. You will recall how Canada recently announced a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicle imports and a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum, aligning with similar actions taken by the United States and European Union. In response, China initiated an anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola imports. As Farms.com colleague Diego Flammini wrote in a recent article online, Chinese officials said their probe was based on Chinese commerce industry reports that “Canada’s canola exports to China have increased significantly and are suspected of dumping, reaching US$3.47 billion in 2023, a year-onyear increase of 170 per cent, and prices have continued to fall.” Further: “Affected by Canada’s unfair competition, China’s domestic canola-related industries continue to suffer losses.” Canada’s ag sector is watching the situation closely. And that’s about all we can do at the moment. The Canola Council of Canada is confident any investigation will show Canada’s practices are above board, of course. “China is an important and valued market for Canadian canola,” Chris Davison, president & CEO of the CCC, said in a statement. “We are confident that an investigation into Canada’s canola trade with China will demonstrate alignment with and reinforce our support for rules-based trade.” Most of us will recall how China has targeted Canadian ag in the past. These are not good memories. Following Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on Dec. 1, 2018, for example, China blocked imports of Canadian canola and all Canadian meat, citing impurities and labelling issues, though never outright linking the two issues. We shall look for a more timely resolution here in 2024.
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6 Follow us on @PrairieFarming Better Farming | October 2024 Beyond the Barn CSA FUNDS USASK EMISSIONS PROJECT USask researchers are using state-ofthe-art satellite imaging techniques to map agricultural emissions and to plan emission reduction strategies. “We’re not going to be able to see nitrous oxide emissions, but we’re going to be able to quantify areas that will have a higher risk of emissions,” explains Dr. Steve Shirtliffe in a recent USask release. Shirtliffe works with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and is leading a research project to map “hot spots” in growers’ fields where the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide emissions should be the greatest. The project is one of 17 supported by the Research Opportunities in Satellite Earth Observation funding initiative from the Canadian Space Agency. “This will be good for farmers because they would know in what areas of their field they should employ practices to reduce emissions.” Shirtliffe plans to incorporate gathered information from satellite imaging to look at soil moisture. According to the release, he hopes to identify potential high emissions early so they can be mitigated. “We want to map areas that have an increased risk of emissions,” says Shirtliffe “The grant is for us to model in-field variability and the future potential for nitrous oxide emission, which is a greenhouse gas.” The project has the potential to help growers across the country. Mapping potential emission hot spots and predicting their change and development over time with machine learning could help growers make the best decisions for their fields both now and in the future. “It’s a rare win-win situation. It can be good for the productivity of farmers, and it can be good for society. Efficiency is good for everyone,” says Shirtliffe. BF Motorists driving on Highway 2 near Haywood, Man., about an hour west of Winnipeg, will come across a sign directing them to a sunflower field that’s set up as a selfie station and fundraiser. Those sunflowers belong to JP LeFloch, who also grows corn, canola, wheat and other crops. “Planting the sunflowers was a last-minute thing this spring,” he told Farms.com of the 110 acres he dedicated to the crop. LeFloch borrowed the idea of a sunflower selfie fundraiser from another Manitoba farmer, Dean Toews, who farms near MacGregor. Toews uses his sunflower fields to raise money for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. In 2021 he collected $2,000 in cash donations and another $20,000 on the sale of the sunflower crop. Picture seekers stopping at LeFloch’s farm can snap a selfie and are encouraged to make a cash or online donation to Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service, better known as STARS. He’s also asking that visitors don’t touch the crop. STARS provides rapid and specialized emergency care and transportation for critically ill and injured patients in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. LeFloch is giving back to STARS after it provided him with care four years ago. He was doing yard work at his father’s place when the situation became very serious. “I was cutting a tree down and it pinned me,” he said. “It pretty much disintegrated my leg. “I was very fortunate that STARS came out and flew me to the hospital in Winnipeg. I’m doing much better today, and I think STARS coming out to get me as quickly as they did greatly improved my chances of a full recovery.” The community response has been positive with supportive messages online, LeFloch said. Anyone interested in visiting his sunflower selfie setup doesn’t have much time left. “Once the petals start falling off, which could start in the next week or two, and the heads start drooping, the sunflowers won’t look as nice,” he said. LeFloch also wants to remind people that just because he’s allowing visitors in his fields doesn’t mean people can go into any farmer’s field. Entering a farmer’s field without permission is trespassing and risks crop damage, he said. BF - Diego Flammini TURNING SELFIES INTO DONATIONS Wade Kehler - stock.adobe.com
8 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | October 2024 Beyond the Barn Daniel, Lorin and Barry Doerksen of Gem were recently named Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2024 at the Alberta Region’s Recognition Event held in conjunction with Olds Smart. The Doerksen brothers are fourth-generation producers operating a mixed farming and ranching operation along with their father Arno and his brother Tim. According to a recent release from the Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program, the Doerksens’ irrigated land base supports production of cash crops and forage crops grown for winter feed and silage. Along with a commercial cow-herd, the family also raises purebred Hereford and Red Angus cattle, offering bulls and bred heifers for sale annually. They select cattle with fertility and longevity being top priorities. With cattle genetics geared for beef production on forage, the Doerksens ventured into direct marketing of grass finished beef in 2018 under their brand Gemstone Grass Fed Beef. They market their beef directly to consumers through their butcher shop and food kiosk at the Calgary Farmers Market West and online at gemstonegrassfedbeef.com. Their farm-to-table business has given them cause to continue improving the quality of their beef through genetics and regenerative farming practices. Alberta Agriculture Minister R.J. Sigurdson attended the OYF event. Past-president of the National OYF board Steve Cooper commented that the “Alberta OYF did an amazing job with this event. Collaboration with Olds College, alumni representatives from every decade and amazing nominees. An extremely memorable event.” Canada’s OYF program is an annual competition to recognize farmers who exemplify excellence in their profession. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year. Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2024 will be chosen at the program’s “national event” in Lethbridge, which runs from Nov. 27 to Dec 1. BF - Based on release from Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Outstanding Young Farmers photo ALTA. BROTHERS WIN FARMING AWARD NEW TOOL HELPS BOOST PRAIRIE BIODIVERSITY Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has successfully applied a groundbreaking tool that highlights the importance of conservation easements in supporting biodiversity and protecting natural habitats on private lands. Published in Biological Conservation, the Prairie Biodiversity Mapping and Assessment Tool offers valuable insights to help land managers, conservationists, and industry make informed decisions to promote biodiversity, particularly on DUC conservation easements. Conservation easements, voluntary agreements between landowners and DUC, protect the natural integrity of a property by limiting development. The new study shows that land under DUC conservation easements in the Prairies supports 39 per cent more species than adjacent unprotected areas, emphasizing the critical role these agreements play in preserving biodiversity. The Prairie Biodiversity Mapping and Assessment Tool models 329 species using over 1.2 million observations. It identifies biodiversity hotspots, revealing areas where conservation efforts can have the greatest impact. The tool shows that areas with DUC conservation easements support an average of 114 species, compared to 82 species in unprotected sites. “Biodiversity is crucial for healthy ecosystems, and the Prairie Biodiversity Tool will be instrumental in guiding DUC conservation efforts,” says James Paterson, DUC research scientist. “It provides the actionable data needed to support sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation in the prairies.” The study also found that conserving just 20 per cent of a field’s natural habitats can preserve 74 per cent of species in agricultural areas. The tool’s findings will guide conservation professionals and land managers in enhancing prairie biodiversity. BF Lorin, Daniel, and Barry Derksen of Gem, Alta.
10 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | October 2024 Research In a new study, physicists from the United States and Israel may have gotten to the bottom of a quirky behavior of growing plants – and a mystery that intrigued Charles Darwin himself during the later decades of his life. For many humans, plants might seem stationary and even a little dull. But green things actually move a lot. If you watch a timelapse video of a sunflower seedling poking up from the soil, for example, it doesn’t just shoot straight up. Instead, as the sunflower grows, its crown spins in circles, twists into corkscrews and, in general, wiggles around – albeit very slowly. Now, researchers co-led by Orit Peleg at CU Boulder and Yasmine Meroz at Tel Aviv University have discovered one role for these chaotic movements, also known as “circumnutations.” In greenhouse experiments and computer simulations, the group showed that sunflowers take advantage of circumnutations to search the environment around them for patches of sunlight. “A lot of people don't really consider the motion of plants because, as humans, we're usually looking at plants at the wrong frame rate,” said Peleg, a co-author of the study and an associate professor in the BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Computer Science. The team published its findings Aug. 15 in the journal Physical Review X. The findings could one day help farmers to come up with new strategies for growing an array of crops in more efficient arrangements. “Our team does a lot of work on social interactions in insect swarms and other groups of animals,” said Chantal Nguyen, lead author and a postdoctoral researcher at BioFrontiers. “But this research is particularly exciting because we’re seeing similar dynamics in plants. They’re rooted to the ground.” Darwin’s cucumbers Nguyen added that plants don’t usually shift around like animals but, instead, move by growing in different directions over time. This phenomenon enchanted Darwin long after he returned from his voyage on the HMS Beagle, according to historical accounts. In the 1860s, Darwin, who was then suffering from a range of ailments that limited his own mobility, spent days observing plants at his home. He planted seeds from cucumbers and other species, then traced how their crowns moved around from day to day – the resulting maps look wild and haphazard. WHY DO PLANTS WIGGLE? New study provides answers. From the University of Colorado at Boulder The findings could help farmers come up with new strategies for growing crops in more efficient arrangements. NSMediaPhoto - stock.adobe.com
11 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | October 2024 “I am getting very much amused by my tendrils – it is just the sort of niggling work which suits me,” he wrote a friend in 1863. Amused or not, Darwin couldn’t explain why some of his tendrils twisted. It’s a mystery that has also perplexed Meroz, a physicist by training. One 2017 study pointed her in the right direction. In it, scientists led by the University of Buenos Aires grew lines of sunflowers under cramped conditions. They discovered that the plants naturally and consistently arranged themselves into a zig-zag pattern, almost like the teeth of a zipper. The arrangement likely helps the plants maximize their access to sunlight as a group. Meroz wondered if plant wiggles could be the engine that drives such patterns in plant growth. “For climbing plants, it’s obvious that it’s about searching for supports to twine on," said Meroz, a professor of plant sciences and food security. "But for other plants, it’s not clear why it’s worth it.” Here comes the sun To find out, she and her colleagues grew five, one-week-old sunflowers in rows. Then, like Darwin before them, they mapped out how the plants moved over the course of a week. Next, Nguyen and Peleg developed a computer program to analyze the patterns behind the sunflower growth. The researchers could also use their computer simulations to see what would happen if the sunflowers moved more or less – in other words, if they wiggled haphazardly or in a slow and steady pattern. If the digital plants didn’t wiggle at all, the group discovered, they would all wind up all leaning away from each other in a straight line. If they wiggled too much, in contrast, they would grow in a random pattern. If they moved with just the right amount of randomness, however, the sunflowers formed that tell-tale zig-zag, which, in real life plants, provides a lot of access to sunlight. Nguyen explained that plants seem to circumnutate to find where the best light is coming from, then grow in that direction. “When you add a little bit of noise into the system, it allows the plant to explore its surroundings and settle into those configurations that allow each plant to find maximum light exposure,” she said. “That happens to lead to this nice zig-zag pattern that we see.” In future experiments, the researchers will test out how sunflowers grow in more complicated arrangements. Meroz, for her part, is glad to see plants get some credit for the movers and shakers they really are. “If we all lived at the same time scales as plants, you could walk down the street and see them moving,” she said. “Maybe we’d all have plants as pets.” BF Research GET IN TOUCH TO START SAVING efficiencyMB.ca/agriculture customsolutions@efficiencyMB.ca 1-844-944-8181 SAVE ENERGY & MONEY IN YOUR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS We offer programs and financial incentives to help you with energy efficiency upgrades. Scan the QR code for more details.
Post-Harvest Cleanup Sask Wheat photo REFLECT ON THIS YEAR’S RESULTS TO MAKE NEXT YEAR’S CROP BETTER. POSTHARVEST FIELD CLEANUP BY EMILY MCKINLAY
13 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | October 2024 Post-Harvest Cleanup The end of harvest often feels like a finish line for the growing season. As crops come off and the busy season ends, it is an opportunity for grain and oilseed farmers to look ahead and set up their fields for success in 2025. Carmen Prang, agronomy extension specialist at the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, suggests that producers review the decisions they made for the 2024 growing season while the results remain fresh. “We have put in a ton of work to finish the current crop year, but there are always more decisions that can be made to set up your farm for the next year,” says Prang. “We can take time to evaluate our decisions from the last year, like weed, insect, and nutrient management, and we can begin addressing our plans for the next year.” Dr. Breanne Tidemann, a research scientist with a focus on weeds at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, adds, “After harvest is a good opportunity to look back at the outcome of the management decisions for that year and decide how you want to manage things differently next year.” What steps should producers take to clean up their fields post-harvest as they reflect on the current year? Managing residue There are several options for managing straw and residue after harvest. The handling of residue can affect weed control, soil moisture, and soil nutrients in the subsequent year’s crop. Each farm will have its own goals and needs, which will be a factor in this decision. Prang notes that 1.66 lbs of residue is typically created for every 1 lb of grain harvested. She says producers can manage their straw well before harvest in several ways. “There are some things farmers might want to consider before they even think about harvest,” says Prang. “Are you selecting a variety that will have lots of straw? If it’s looking like a heavy crop, you can consider a plant Take a soil sample and meet with an agronomist after harvest. Enjoy Today Photography photo Baling is an option to clean up your straw. Darya Prokapalo - stock.adobe.com
14 Follow us on @PrairieFarming Better Farming | October 2024 growth regulator (PGR), which will shorten the straw and create less residue.” At the time of harvest, if baled straw is not needed for livestock, chopping the straw out of the combine is another alternative. “Most combines have straw choppers, but there are after-market options as well,” says Prang. “This cuts residue into smaller pieces and evenly distributes it behind the combine, so that you don’t have to rely on other methods as much. The key here is the even distribution of that material.” Baling, swath grazing, harrowing, tillage, and burning straw are all options used in the Prairies for removing or incorporating residue. When reviewing these options, it is important to consider the nutrients that will be removed from the field by baling, grazing or burning residue. “Straw has organic matter potential,” says Prang. “As it breaks down, it eventually becomes organic matter, which plays a role in soil moisture and water holding ability and is important for soil structure, which affects compaction and erosion. Straw contains nutrients as well, so producers should consider that nutrient value of the straw they may be removing and look at fertilizer value.” When incorporating residue through tillage, Prang says that this year’s management can have a significant impact on the following year’s crop. “If we are leaving residue, make it smaller so it’s easier and faster to break down. It should be properly distributed as well, so that there are no areas with heavy residue,” explains Prang. “And you have to keep in mind that straw-bound nutrients will go back into the soil as it breaks down, but it will not all be available for next year’s crop. It takes a while, so it not only impacts next year’s crop, but the years following as well.” Tillage has benefits but can also create challenges. It can increase soilto-straw contact to increase the rate of break down, and it can help dry and warm up the soil faster in the spring. Conversely, it can increase soil erosion and damage soil aggregates. If the farm is in a dry region, tillage can release valuable soil moisture. Each farm has unique characteristics which will influence how they clean up residue and get their fields ready for the fall. Cleaning up weeds During and after harvest is also a good time to review wins and misses with weed control for the current crop year. In the fall, perennial and winter annual weeds begin to emerge and should be managed before they cause problems in the next crop. Tidemann says that dealing with these weeds might not be as effective in the spring. “Winter annuals are the first that Post-Harvest Cleanup ™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2024 Corteva. What’s next happens here... At Pioneer® brand seeds, innovation drives everything we do. From the scientists in the lab to your local teams with boots on the ground, we collaborate tirelessly, gathering and analyzing billions of data points annually. All to ensure we’re delivering industry-leading solutions to the farmers and families who count on us every day. Visit Pioneer.com/WhatsNext to see how we’re innovating the future of farming.
15 Follow us on @PrairieFarming Better Farming | October 2024 come to mind. These are weeds that emerge in the fall, survive the winter and continue growing in the spring,” says Tidemann. “The problem is that by your pre- seeding burn-off, some of those weeds will be out of the stage of control because they’ve been growing since fall.” These winter annual weeds include cleavers, shepherd’s purse, and stinkweed. Prang adds, “Winter annuals are strong competitors for water and nutrients in the spring. These weeds have a head start. You want to make sure you’re controlling them from the end of harvest to freeze-up, weather dependent.” For perennials, Canada thistle, quackgrass, and perennial sow-thistle are just a few of the weeds that producers should be watching for. Prang says that fall is also an ideal time to control perennial weeds. “If we have a really nice, long fall it will be crucial to manage these weeds. Usually, they are best controlled from mid-September to mid-October and you need the weeds to be growing after harvest to get control,” explains Prang. Tidemann adds that this is because the plant’s energy sink will move as it prepares for winter. “A lot of systemic herbicides will move from source to sink. That means they will move from where they are applied to where the sink is in that part of their cycle. If they are growing it will move to the stem; if they are flowering it will go to the flower,” says Tidemann. “In the fall, most plants start to put their resources to the roots to be able to regrow from the root system the next spring. “So, to get control of the plant and not just the top growth, applying in the fall to get into the root system will be more effective.” During and after harvest is also an ideal time to identify which weed species are present in the fields, as well as any challenges with the current year’s weed control. As producers combine, they have a chance to see the whole field from above. They can evaluate how the crops yielded, and see problem patches and spray escapes as they drive. They can also determine if there are specific species which appear to be escaping control. These would be candidates for herbicide resistance testing. “Scouting is a big part of it. The best way is to have boots on the ground, seeing how many weeds are in the field and what kinds there are,” says Tidemann. “Weeds in environmental stress conditions can change colour. Some of those weeds will go almost purple in colour, so you won’t see the field green up and might not notice the weeds from a drive-by or an image.” Prang also encourages producers to keep their crop rotation in mind and consult their agronomist when selecting control options. Post-Harvest Cleanup ...when flexibility and yield unite ™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2024 Corteva. Optimum® GLY is the highest yielding glyphosate-tolerant trait on the market, created to unlock agronomic excellence. Pioneer® brand canola hybrids with the Optimum GLY trait allow you to make the herbicide applications you need without impacting the yield potential of the hybrids you love. Learn more at Pioneer.com/ca
16 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | October 2024 Gathering information With the fields clean of residue and weeds, grain growers can take time post-harvest to reflect on the current year and start making decisions for the next year. “It is a good time to reflect on the decisions you made and review how that turned out at harvest,” says Tidemann. Prang recommends reviewing weed, insect, and nutrient management outcomes. The easiest place to start is soil sampling. “You can plan which fields you want to do, or look at the whole farm. To reach yield and quality goals, it’s important to learn which nutrients are adequate, deficient, or marginal,” says Prang. “In the fall, there is more time than in the spring to get a sample, go to an agronomist, come up with a plan, and order products.” Prang also explains that in the fall, insects like sawfly and midge are overwintering, but it is a good time to review damage and control options for the following year. Producers should look for cut stems that are not the result of wind or rain. This could indicate sawfly damage. The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network has resources to identify damage from sawfly. Producers should also discuss the year’s crop stand, diseases challenges, and what comes next for their crop rotation. Tidemann says, “Look at the story that the field tells you about the past year or two and what it means for the next chapter in that field’s story.” BF Reflect and plan ahead for the next year at the end of harvest. Enjoy Today Photography photo BAUMALIGHT.COM Adair Sales & Marketing Company Inc. 306-773-0996 | info@adairreps.com MANUFACTURING MINI SKID STEERS AND A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS INCLUDING BRUSH MULCHERS | ROTARY BRUSH CUTTERS | STUMP GRINDERS | PTO GENERATORS | DRAINAGE PLOWS | EXCAVATOR ADAPTERS | TREE SAWS & SHEARS | BOOM MOWE TRENCHERS | TREE PULLERS | FELLER BUNCHERS | TREE SPADES | SCRE MANITOBA AG DAYS FARM SAFETY BREEDING DECISIONS GLYPHOSATE UPDATE MARCH 2023 $9.50 SEEDBED PREP IN ’23 Tillage Technology GENE EDITING Improving Crops CANOLA FLOWERING Emergence Issues 16 26 24 20 TELL US HOW WE’RE DOING: Paul.Nolan@BetterFarming.com We thank our loyal readers for making Better Farming the Prairie producer’s trusted source for insight and analysis. We know we need to earn your trust every month, with every magazine. It’s our assurance and pledge to the farmers of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba – and the agricultural industry across Canada. EMILY MCKINLAY Emily lives on a beef farm, raising Red Angus and Simmental cattle. She holds a Master of Science in Animal Biosciences, with a focus on ruminant nutrition. Post-Harvest Cleanup
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18 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | October 2024 Rural Healthcare “Rural healthcare continues to be ignored, under-resourced, and is a very different healthcare than is delivered in urban areas. Rural medicine and urban medicine are very different, and present different challenges.” That statement comes from Dr. Rithesh Ram, Rural Generalist Medicine specialist and president and founder of Riverside Medical in Drumheller, Alta. Indeed, some farm families continue to grapple with limited healthcare options across the Prairies. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), rural and remote areas continue to have fewer physicians per capita compared to urban centres. In 2022, some 27 per cent of rural Canadians reported difficulty accessing a family doctor, compared to 13 per cent in urban areas. The shortage of physicians in these regions often results in longer wait times and reduced access to necessary services. Ram sees the shortage of medical professionals as related to “the false notion that urban experience is more valuable than rural experience, and that physicians only practice in rural areas because they are unable to ‘make it’ in the city.” Ram also takes issue with any assumption that “in rural areas we have the exact same resources and availability of services that they do in urban areas.” The CIHI points out that geographic isolation poses one of the most significant issues for rural Canadians. Many farmers must travel long distances to access healthcare services, which can be particularly burdensome for those with chronic conditions or mobility issues. Emergency healthcare services in rural areas are frequently under strain as well. Many rural communities have fewer emergency medical services (EMS) and hospitals equipped to handle complex cases. “The current system funnels investigations funding to the urban centres, where you have 200 hundred times the number of specialists roaming the hallways who have been trained to diagnose problems without specialized tests,” Ram explains. “Rural and remote areas should be provided the ability to perform tests and get answers that would either prevent patients from being transferred to the city needlessly or identify patients that must be sent to the city immediately to prevent morbidity and mortality. “For example, in our town, it makes no sense why our CT scan is available only Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “Which means every patient who comes at 4:30 on a weekday, or any patient who comes on the weekend, must be transported to the city for a scan. “The majority of those scans result in non-urgent results, which means the patient and ambulance were inconvenienced for many hours when they could have – within minutes – received the scan in our centre. “Not to mention the significantly higher cost of continuing with the STEPS STILL NEED TO BE TAKEN, SAYS ALBERTA PHYSICIAN RURAL HEALTHCARE: STILL UNDER-RESOURCED BY MARY LOGGAN Leslie Stewart photo
19 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | October 2024 status quo.” The CIHI points out that rural hospitals are more likely to face closures or service reductions compared to urban hospitals. This can lead to delays in emergency care and increased risk for patients in critical situations. Mental health services in rural areas are often limited due to a shortage of professionals and the stigma associated with mental health issues. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, rural communities face challenges such as fewer psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors, resulting in longer wait times and reduced access to care. The lack of local resources can contribute to increased rates of untreated conditions. So are there any solutions? Telehealth – the use of digital information and communication technologies to access healthcare services – has emerged as a potential solution to some rural healthcare challenges in recent years. It allows patients to consult with healthcare providers remotely, reducing the need for lengthy travel. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telehealth in Canada expanded rapidly. According to the Canadian Medical Association, telehealth consultations increased significantly during the pandemic and helped reach underserved populations. They point out that continued investment in digital infrastructure and internet connectivity is necessary to maximize the benefits of telehealth. But Ram warns of limitations. “Virtual and telehealth cannot replace the physical exam. If we wanted to expand the number of tests – labs, investigations, et cetera – then virtual and telehealth would do just that, which of course increases use of the ERs and healthcare spending. “Virtual and telehealth are important patient safety tools for very remote areas, but there should be near zero use in cities and towns that should have a sustainable patient medical home.” According to the CIHI, to attract and retain healthcare professionals in rural areas, financial incentives and support are crucial. Programs such as the Rural, Remote, and Northern Recruitment and Retention Strategy offer financial support to healthcare providers who work in underserved regions. Additionally, increasing funding for rural health programs and providing financial support to rural hospitals can help sustain essential services and improve care availability. Ram also explains the importance of “adequately funding equipment and healthcare personnel for the work that they have been doing so that we can retain our healthcare workforce.” He says “there need to be rural modifiers as a start for everything provided. When a physician is looking for a job, the financial incentives and overall salary of rural positions must be high enough so that there is a draw of workers from urban to rural.” Improving rural health requires addressing broader social determinants such as education, transportation, and housing. Investments in community development, transportation infrastructure, and educational opportunities can contribute to better health outcomes. Collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, community organizations, and policymakers are vital in creating a holistic approach to rural health, the CIHI says. Many steps still need to be taken. Enhancing public health education and outreach can empower rural residents to manage their health proactively. Tailored health education programs, preventive screenings, and community health initiatives can improve health literacy and encourage early intervention. Programs such as the Canadian Public Health Agency's Rural Health Strategy aim to increase awareness and understanding of health issues in rural communities. Ram advises rural Canadians to speak up about healthcare issues. “Be loud and repetitive. Force involvement by your municipal governments and provincial politicians. If they do not hear the message repeatedly, nothing will happen.” BF MARY LOGGAN Mary was raised on a dairy farm and currently operates an equestrian facility. Rural Healthcare Rural medicine presents different challenges, says Dr. Rithesh Ram. Rithesh Ram photo
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Jodie Aldred photo WOOL PELLETS & SOIL Leanna Maksymiuk photo THIS COMMON SHEEP BYPRODUCT COULD BE A VALUABLE SOIL AMENDMENT ONE PELLET TO ‘WOOL’ THEM ALL BY STACY BERRY
23 Follow us on @PrairieFarming Better Farming | October 2024 WOOL PELLETS & SOIL If annual drought conditions have been making you feel baaahd, then you should know that there is a sustainable solution that might be closer (and older) than you think – wool pellets. When asked what you can use wool for, most people will assume it is yarn for knitting and textiles. Same for Karri Munn-Venn of Leystone Farms, in Luskville, Que. “We got into sheep because I love knitting,” explains Munn-Venn. “I love wool – it’s a fantastic product.” On the other hand, Jennifer Osborn of Ecowool Canada near Guelph, Ont. was gifted two sheep over 20 years ago. “I had trouble with the idea of just raising meat sheep – it seemed wasteful not to use the wool.” Osborn took her wool to a mill, and they turned her down since the wool wasn’t yarn quality. “And so began a nearly 20-year journey of what to do with wool, besides knitting, because to this day, I still don’t knit.” Osborn began to educate herself on how to felt, since “felt is a good option for rugs and landscaping material,” which opened up a whole new world. So what can you use wool for, besides felting and knitting? “Wool is amazing,” says MunnVenn. “It can be used in textiles, insulations, as a fire retardant, bedding, and as a soil amendment. And in terms of Canadian wool, we have more quality wool here than people realize. We have such a variety here, and people don’t embrace it; they just assume you have to get the good stuff from far away.” Leanna Maksymiuk of Waste Not Wool in the Okanagan Valley, B.C., noticed that “there are a lot of meat sheep around, and all the wool either goes to the landfill, or is burned or buried.” That seemed like too much of a waste of potential – and no farmer wants to waste anything, be it time, money, or resources. So Maksymiuk opted to import a shredder and pellet machine from Europe and collects wool from local farmers for pelletizing. Maksymiuk takes all the wool she can get her hands on. “Sometimes it sits for a long time, but I don’t want to say no.” Because she’s pelletizing, Maksymiuk doesn’t need to worry about the cleanliness of the wool – within reason, of course. “There can be hay, straw, manure in the wool. I run it through the shredder first, where it gets chopped into fine pieces. Then it goes into the pellet mill, which is essentially an extruder. This presses the wool through a mill head. “The lanolin in the wool is a natural binder, so the pressure of the roller melts the lanolin, binding the pellets together. Boom, you have pellets.” For those who raise sheep and deal with wool as a waste product, you might scoff at the thought of using wool as a soil amendment, since it’s difficult to burn and doesn’t break down while sitting in piles or totes. However, wool is a biodegradable product, and when pelletized, wool can biodegrade within a reasonable time frame. Why do the pellets break down, whereas wool doesn’t? Maksymiuk explains: “The wool is shredded and chopped so fine, and then compacted tightly into the pellet. The compacted pellets expand and contract with moisture, and that speeds up the breakdown process – the pellets will totally disappear in six to nine months.” Why else might one consider using wool pellets as a soil amendment? For Maksymiuk’s customers, the biggest benefit is “water retention. Everyone is looking for a reason to water less, and wool pellets can hold up to three times their weight in water.” Wool pellets can hold up to three times their weight in water. Leanna Maksymiuk photo
24 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | October 2024 WOOL PELLETS & SOIL Munn-Venn: “Wool pellets also act as a slow-release fertilizer, increase soil organic matter, reduce soil compaction (by increasing soil pore space through that expansion and contraction), and repel bugs and slugs.” Osborn adds that, “Wool pellets could be an excellent alternative to peat moss. “Peat moss is effective, but extractive, and peat bogs are crucial parts of an ecosystem. Wool is being grown all the time, and currently is just being thrown away.” Further, Munn-Venn says that wool could be “part of the climate solution. There are so many places we use synthetics where wool could be the alternative. Processing (wool products) produces few greenhouse gases (GHGs) and wool itself can sequester GHGs. “It’s a circular product that can stay local. Sheep eat grass to grow wool, then the wool can be used to grow vegetation. This prioritizes local biomass being kept in local areas.” On the surface, it seems like wool pellets are an easy, obvious answer to so many potential problems. So what stops everyone from using wool pellets as a soil amendment? “Lack of knowledge,” says Maksymiuk. “It’s another expense, and people can be hesitant to take a chance. It feels like a new and scary option, working against so many other options that people know about – like peat moss – that everyone has been using forever. They feel safer using the old methods. I’m finding that people are opening up to the new ideas, and willing to try more, as more people are using it.” Osborn agrees. “Lack of education. When I say ‘I process wool,’ the first thing you think of is yarn. “People don’t know anything about wool products, but once they see how much water wool holds compared to peat moss, there is no comparison. The people – the gardeners and the farmers – need to see it before they’ll trust it, though.” The education around wool is coming. Munn-Venn is a representative of the Canadian Wool Collective, “a grassroots-registered nonprofit with a mission to promote wool as a valuable renewable commodity in Canada.” It started as monthly coffeehouse chats and was registered as a national nonprofit in 2023.” Have questions about what to do with your wool? Look no further than the Canadian Wool Collective. As always, too, money talks for all involved in the pelleting process. Maksymiuk supplies mostly to gardeners because “the cost of production is just too high for the amount that is needed for a conventional-sized farm.” Unfortunately, as it stands right now, wool pellets as a soil amendment product are only cost-effective on small scales. It could be cost-prohibitive for a crop farmer to add a meaningful amount of wool pellets onto their fields, although Osborn would love to partner with a crop farmer and try it out. “We need more research and more data to prove that these wool products can truly work as a soil amendment. Just imagine what wool pellets could do to the tops of knolls where the organic matter is low and water is the limiting yield factor.” The other side to pelleting is the “uncertainty of markets for starting pelleting. Pelleting is an old process, and wool is, well, wool, yet there are conversations on patenting certain pelleting processes. Can you patent a technology that is hundreds of years old? I don’t know, but it’s certainly a concern to someone considering importing equipment from another country,” says Osborn. Maksymiuk agrees, and understands why people might be wary of getting into this particular business. “I got my equipment from Europe. There are some available in the States, but I’m not aware of a Canadian supplier. It’s an expense, for sure. You need the time to run the equipment and you need to market your products, and then actually sell them.” Osborn is hopeful and optimistic about the future of the wool market in Canada. “Wool is not worthless; it might just call for some creativity and you know who’s great at finding creative solutions? Farmers. Wool pellet mills can successfully run as a smallscale business that doesn’t need much infrastructure. “My dream would be to see a wool pellet mill every 100 kilometres. That way, smaller communities would share the costs and the success.” Osborn’s dream is broader and more complex than just community economy. “Wool products can build rural resilience. Economically and socially, most pellet mills are small womenowned-and-ran businesses and have a conscientiousness that just doesn’t seem to exist in large businesses.” For Osborn, the access that sheep can grant women in agriculture is crucial. “There is a reason they were domesticated. You’ll always win in a disagreement with a sheep.” On top of As farmers, you’re on the front lines of our industry. If you want coverage of an ag issue or trend, email: Paul.Nolan@Farms.com
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