The cattle industry, including in Central Alberta, is already facing a number of challenges this summer, the Mountain View County agricultural service board (ASB) was told during its recent monthly meeting.
Grant Lastiwka, with Alberta Agriculture in Olds, gave his regular update to the board, outlining the state of the industry so far in 2018.
“There are a number of things that have certainly put stress on the beef community,” said Lastiwka. “We’ve come through a cold winter that was drawn out, with the amount of feed that was used and the challenges we had with the shortage of vitamins and some of the calf illnesses caused by stress situations, and the late turnout to pasture.
“There has also been a shortage of early spring growth in pastures and coupled with the feed inventory being pulled down (over the winter) to very little, it is putting pressure on.
“The productivity we get this summer is really going to be crucial to how we go through the year with grazing and the feeds we have on hand as we head into next year.”
The ASB advises the county and the province on agriculture-related issues and concerns.
The challenges are affecting the bottom line of the industry, he said.
“We’re afraid that people are going to be moving cattle and at a time when the U.S. herd is growing and Canada’s herd has held pretty stable,” he said.
“We were counting on the moisture in summer to try to catch up, and at present we have been disappointed. We are sitting at a situation where the price of feed, the quantity of feed, and the quantity of pasture are all lacking.
“It’s another one of those intriguing years in this province on the crop side of things and one of big challenges to agriculture as we see it unfold.”
The ASB is made up of county councillors and members of the public.
In other news, the board was told that 10 Mountain View County farms are scheduled to participate in this summer’s Open Farm Days.
“The plan is to move around the county and highlight the various participants in a different area of the county every year through a bus tour,” administration said in a briefing note to the board.
“However, all participants in Open Farm Days that are within the county will be promoted in conjunction with promoting the tour buses to certain locations.”
Open Farm Days, which allows visitors to tour farm operations, takes place Aug. 18-19.
The county farms-operations taking part in 2018 are Akesi Farms, Bergen Farmers’ Market and Culinary Event (Feast of Bergen), Fallentimber Meadery, Shirley’s Greenhouses, Pasu Farm, Happiness By The Acre, Reese Cattle Company, VandenBroek Farm, Huntcliff Dairy, and HGB Bison Ranch.
“The buses to the various host farms have been booked,” administration said. “The tour will take place on Aug. 18 with a barbecue lunch at the county office being planned.
“Once more details are established, preparation for promotion of the event throughout the county and towns will be developed.”
The county’s agricultural service board Open Farm Days budget is $10,000.
Meanwhile, Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) is now seeking nominations for the 2019 Environmental Stewardship Award, members heard.
“The award recognizes cattle producers whose natural resource stewardship practices contribute to the environment and enhance productivity and profitability,” the ABP said in a letter received by the board.
“Take this opportunity to share your environmental practice with other producers and to present the positive story about cattle producers’ contribution to the environment.”
For more information, call ABP at 1-403-451-1183.
