The new chairman of the Mountain View County Agriculture Service Board says there are a number of issues facing the county that the board will be interested in seeing addressed over the next year.During last week's monthly meeting of the board, producer-at-large Eric Iversen was elected as chairman by acclamation by his fellow board members.Finding ways to continue to recycle plastics used in area farming operations is one big issue facing the region, he said.The current operator used to recycle plastics will be discontinuing the service next year, board members heard.“I think finding a home for the plastic is going to be a big issue,” said Iversen. “We've won awards for plastic recycling and now the place that was the home for it is no longer going to be accepting them or processing the plastics. The big thing is to find a home for that.“Before it was going into the landfill and now people have the option of recycling it. I know it is nice to get rid of that way (recycling). I think it is a very valuable program for area producers.”Plastics currently recycled include grain bags and silage tarps, he said.“The baler twine, as far as I know, is still going to be going to the States to a place that makes baler twine, so they are going to recycle some of it. I think they are going to test market that to see what producers thought of that versus the original,” he said.Iversen has been on the board for two years. He owns a dairy farm, Innis Lake Dairy Farm, west of Olds.The Agriculture Service Board is comprised of four area producers-at-large and three members of the MVC council. The board makes recommendations and provides information to council regarding agricultural issues and concerns.As well as plastic recycling, there are a number of other things the board will be dealing with over the next year, he said.“There is the ongoing issue of weeds and clubroot. These are all things we will be keeping an eye on,” he said.As well as acting as an advisory body to the MVC council, the board also provides advice on weed and pest control, water and soil conservation programs, assists in control of livestock disease under the Livestock Disease Act, and promotes sustainable agriculture in the county.Before his appointment last week, Iversen had been the board's vice-chairman, with Bill Sheehan as chairman.Former MVC councillor and current board producer-at-large Everett Page was appointed vice-chairman of the board during last week's meeting.Both the chair and vice-chair positions are one-year appointments. Board members are appointed for three-year terms.
