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PAGE 2 NEW TRAILS PAGE 3 BUMPY ROADS PAGE 4 BEEF CODE OF PRACTICE CHANGES PAGE 5 13 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT RESEARCH PAGE 6 COYOTE MATTERS PAGE 7 ABP AGM 2015 RESOLUTIONS PAGE 8 LOYALTY PROGRAM PAGE 9 - 11 DELEGATE DIRECTORY FOR MORE INFORMATION 165, 6815 – 8 Street NE Calgary, AB Canada T2E 7H7 tel 403.275.4400 fax 403.274.0007 www.albertabeef.org famoustaste.albertabeef.org VXV FARMS WINS 2016 ESA Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) presented VXV Farms and the Vandervalk family with the 2016 Environmental Stewardship Award at the Annual General Meeting in December. Each year, ABP recognizes an operation that demonstrates leadership in environmental stewardship – one that contributes to the land while maintaining productivity and profitability. Jack Vandervalk moved to southern Alberta in 1956 and has been managing the ranch situated in the Porcupine Hills ever since. Together with his wife Merry and their son Gerald and his family, they run a cow calf operation with retained ownership to slaughter. “It is my personal desire to make sure the land is better than when I found it. It is a goal of mine to keep trying to make it better. In my opinion, the cow is what we harvest our grass with and the grass harvests the sun,” said Jack. Rotational grazing and unique water management systems have played roles in the stewardship success of the ranch. Throughout the summer they rotational graze their tame grass, moving cattle every two or three days to allow for adequate rest periods. The native grass is utilized during the winter months to lower feed costs. “We are privileged to take advantage of flood irrigation. The landscape that we have allows us to flood our tame grass pastures with minimal costs outside labour,” said Gerald. Numerous dams have been developed which are equipped with water troughs made from recycled mine truck tires. Turning old tires into watering systems has become a secondary business on the ranch. The excess tire materials have been used to build a wind fence to protect the cattle during the colder winter season. The Vandervalk family is actively involved with various community landowner and stewardship groups. Through the Lyndon Creek Conservation Group they worked on projects with neighbouring ranches, Cows and Fish has done riparian area work on their site, and Alberta Conservation Association worked with them on rotational grazing and off-stream watering projects. “We have future generations coming and it’s important to have a place to call home… that they can easily take over and maintain what we’ve started,” said Gerald. 2016 JANUARY FEBRUARY

January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

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Page 1: January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

PAGE 2

NEW TRAILSPAGE 3

BUMPY ROADSPAGE 4

BEEF CODE OF PRACTICECHANGESPAGE 5

13 THINGS YOU DIDN’TKNOW ABOUT RESEARCHPAGE 6

COYOTE MATTERSPAGE 7

ABP AGM 2015RESOLUTIONSPAGE 8

LOYALTY PROGRAMPAGE 9 - 11

DELEGATE DIRECTORY

FOR MORE INFORMATION

165, 6815 – 8 Street NECalgary, AB CanadaT2E 7H7

tel 403.275.4400fax 403.274.0007

www.albertabeef.org

famoustaste.albertabeef.org

VXV FARMSWINS 2016 ESAAlberta Beef Producers (ABP) presentedVXV Farms and the Vandervalk family withthe 2016 Environmental Stewardship Awardat the Annual General Meeting in December.Each year, ABP recognizes an operation thatdemonstrates leadership in environmentalstewardship – one that contributes to theland while maintaining productivity andprofitability.

Jack Vandervalk moved to southern Albertain 1956 and has been managing the ranchsituated in the Porcupine Hills ever since.Together with his wife Merry and theirson Gerald and his family, they run a cowcalf operation with retained ownership toslaughter.

“It is my personal desire to make sure theland is better than when I found it. It is agoal of mine to keep trying to make it better.In my opinion, the cow is what we harvestour grass with and the grass harvests thesun,” said Jack.

Rotational grazing and unique watermanagement systems have played rolesin the stewardship success of the ranch.Throughout the summer they rotational

graze their tame grass, moving cattle everytwo or three days to allow for adequate restperiods. The native grass is utilized duringthe winter months to lower feed costs.

“We are privileged to take advantage offlood irrigation. The landscape that we haveallows us to flood our tame grass pastureswith minimal costs outside labour,” saidGerald.

Numerous dams have been developedwhich are equipped with water troughsmade from recycled mine truck tires.Turning old tires into watering systems hasbecome a secondary business on the ranch.The excess tire materials have been usedto build a wind fence to protect the cattleduring the colder winter season.

The Vandervalk family is actively involvedwith various community landowner andstewardship groups. Through the LyndonCreek Conservation Group they workedon projects with neighbouring ranches,Cows and Fish has done riparian area workon their site, and Alberta ConservationAssociation worked with them on rotationalgrazing and off-stream watering projects.

“We have future generations coming andit’s important to have a place to call home…that they can easily take over and maintainwhat we’ve started,” said Gerald.

2016

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After making the theme of our 2014Annual Report, A Year of Change, thetheme of our 2015 Annual Reportwas Travelling New Trails. The cattleand beef producers of Alberta andAlberta Beef Producers (ABP) havecertainly been travelling new trails forthis past year, especially last fall. Thefirst new trail was set when thepeople of Alberta elected a newgovernment for the first time inalmost 44 years last May. Then, thepeople of Canada elected a newgovernment after almost 10 years ofConservative Party government. Nowwe are travelling a trail that is beingblazed by an NDP government inAlberta and a Liberal government inCanada.

At ABP, we will have new travellingpartners with us on the trails thisyear. We pride ourselves on being ademocratic and representativeorganization of producers and we seeelections and renewal of ourrepresentatives as critical elementsof our connection to grassrootsproducers and our work done ontheir behalf. Although good weatherand strong prices do not normallylead to high attendance at our fallmeetings, we had close to 900producers attend our 23 meetingsacross the province last fall. Inaddition to delegate elections and areview of ABP activities over the year,producers at the meetingsparticipated in good discussions ofindustry issues, and focused on theneed for increased industry fundingfor critical research and marketingwork.

We were happy to have elections fordelegates in five of our nine zonesand we welcomed 12 new producerdelegates to ABP. At the Annual

BOB LOWEABP Chair

General Meeting (AGM), ourdelegates elected five new directorsto the ABP Board. With theseelections, almost a quarter of ourdelegates and directors are new totheir positions. There is always somesadness when colleagues leave anorganization and we thank them fortheir contribution to our industry, butwe are excited to have new and someyounger faces in our delegate bodyand at the board table. We value thewisdom and experience that ourexperienced delegates and directorsbring to the organization, but thenew ideas and fresh perspectiveshelp ABP grow and adapt to theopportunities and challenges of thefuture.

After successful fall meetings anddespite the turmoil created by Bill 6,we enjoyed one of our best AnnualGeneral Meetings (AGM) in years atthe beginning of December. OurBoard of Directors and senior staffhad attended a meeting facilitationworkshop in the fall and we had greatsuccess using one of the interactivetechniques from the workshop tostimulate discussion among thedelegates about Bill 6 and theindustry funding issue. The renewalof our organization continued at theexecutive level as we celebrated GregBowie’s two years of strong andeffective leadership as ABP Chair. Ihad the honour of being electedChair of ABP by our new Board ofDirectors and I am glad to be joinedon the Executive by Roland Cailliauand new executive member CharlieChristie.

With our new board and the work ofour strong staff, we will be dealingwith a number of excitingdevelopments in 2016. This marksthe year when McDonald’s will beginsourcing verified sustainable beef fortheir restaurants. I have beeninvolved in the McDonald’s VerifiedSustainable Beef Pilot Project, alongwith other ABP directors anddelegates, and this project will becompleted at the end of March. Atthat time, the process for verifyingsustainable beef will be turned overto the Canadian Roundtable for

Sustainable Beef (CRSB). The CRSBhas worked hard over the past yearto produce a sustainabilityassessment for our industry, a set ofsustainability indicators that will becompatible with the McDonald’sindicators, and a verification processthat will be acceptable forMcDonald’s and all other retail andfoodservice customers.

We will also be dealing with industryfunding. After making the need forincreased industry funding a majortopic of our conversations withproducers over the past two years,we decided to more formally seekdirection on this issue during our fallmeetings this year. We presented thecase for more industry funding andoptions for increasing fundingthrough the National Check-off andprovincial service charge to the near900 producers at 23 meetingsacross the province. There was gooddiscussion at these meetings,consistent support for increasedindustry funding, and clear directionin the form of resolutions and strawvotes. After further discussion amongthe delegates at the AGM, we nowhave direction to pursue an increasein the National Check-off to $2.50per marketing and continue workingwith the Alberta Cattle Feeders’Association and the Albertagovernment for a return to someform of a non-refundable provincialservice charge.

As you see, our new trails willcertainly be interesting andchallenging. With the support of thecattle and beef producers in Alberta,I am confident that the board andstaff at ABP can meet thesechallenges and find newopportunities for producers and ourindustry. Have a Happy New Year andbest wishes for a productive andprofitable year in 2016.

NEW TRAILS

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In his article, new ABP Chair BobLowe described the new trails thatABP and our industry will travel thisyear and introduced our newtravelling partners. Not all of thesetrails will be easy going. With newgovernments in Edmonton andOttawa, we can expect some bumpsin the road as we develop a workingrelationship based on mutualunderstanding of our interests andpriorities.

With the prolonged federal electioncampaign, the Alberta governmentdid not move quickly to implementdrastic changes people wereexpecting to see from the NDP.However, the time since the federalelection has seen a flurry of activity.Alberta now has increased personaland corporate income taxes, asubstantially increased minimumwage, a Climate Leadership actionplan that includes a carbon tax and arather rapid move away from coal-fired electrical generation, an energyroyalty review, and sweeping changesin labour legislation affecting farmand ranch workers. ABP made apresentation to the Climate ChangeAdvisory Panel that highlighted thesteps our industry has taken toreduce greenhouse gas emissionsand the positive impact of cattleoperations on rangelands,biodiversity and carbonsequestration. We are pleased thatour sector was not made an obvioustarget for further reductions in theClimate Leadership plan, but wedon’t know what the impacts of theplan will be for cattle and beefproducers.

The government certainly rocked thefarmers and ranchers of Alberta withthe introduction of Bill 6, the

RICH SMITHExecutive Director

Enhanced Protection for Farm andRanch Workers Act, in November.The Act will create significantchanges for farmers, ranchers, andtheir employees in the areas ofoccupational health and safety(OH&S), workers’ compensation(WCB), employment standards, andlabour relations. ABP has beenworking on farm and ranch safetywith industry partners and thegovernment for six years and we havebeen involved in extensiveconsultations on farm and ranchlabour legislation for the past year.We were very disturbed that theseconsultations did not have moreinfluence on the direction of thelegislative changes. ABP joinedfarmers, ranchers, and all livestockand crop boards and commissions inasking for a delay in the passage ofBill 6 until there was sufficientconsultation with farmers andranchers and clarity on the impact ofthe bill on farms and ranches.

Bill 6 created uproar in rural Albertathat was greater than anything wehave seen in recent memory. Evenafter the government introducedamendments to Bill 6 that exemptfarm and ranch owners, familymembers, friends and neighboursfrom the OH&S and WCB parts of thebill, thousands of farmers andranchers swamped town hallmeetings, drove highways withtractors and farm equipment inprotest, and demonstrated at thelegislature. With a large number offarm and ranch workers now exemptfrom OH&S standards, the bill nolonger seems to be focused onimproving the safety of all farm andranch workers, but rather seemsaimed at making it appear that paidemployees on farms and ranches aretreated in the same way as in otherjurisdictions. The amendments willnot improve farm and ranch safety orprovide clarity for those farms andranches with paid employees, theywill create unwelcome divisions inrural communities.

Bill 6 was forced through the Albertalegislature over the widespread andvocal opposition of producers and

MLAs from across the province. ABPwas extremely disappointed that thecalls for a delay in passage of the billwere not heeded. Going forward, ABPwill be working with the crop andlivestock boards and commissions tohold the government to its promiseto consult with producers on theregulations for employmentstandards, labour relations, and theOH&S Code. We will be working tomake sure that these regulationsrespect the unique nature of farmand ranch work and are practical forfarmers and ranchers. We willcontinue to press for changes in thelegislation that will allow farmers andranchers to select the best insurancecoverage for their employees andtheir operations without being forcedinto mandatory WCB coverage.

We have new staff members helpingus to negotiate theses bumpy roads.After setting an objective this year ofenhancing our level of contact andinfluence with the provincialgovernment, we were pleased toenter an agreement with CCA to haveTom Lynch-Staunton take a jointposition working on issuesmanagement for CCA andgovernment relations for ABP. Theretirement of Barb Sweetland, ourMarketing and Education Manager,and Claudia Young, our Receptionist,brought us sadness because we willmiss them, but it also gives us anopportunity for renewal of our staff.Now, both our Board of Directors andour staff have an excellentcombination of experience and newperspectives to help us work on theopportunities and the challenges thatthe New Year will bring to producersand our industry.

BUMPY ROADS

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The Code of Practice for the Care andHandling of Beef Cattle was updatedand released in early 2013. It containssome changes that producers shouldbe aware of with regards to castrationand dehorning.

Code requirements: Castration• Castration must be performed by

competent personnel using proper,clean, well-maintained instrumentsand accepted techniques.

• Seek guidance from yourveterinarian on the optimummethod and timing of castration,as well as the availability andadvisability of pain control forcastrating beef cattle.

• Castrate calves as young aspractically possible.

• EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2016:Use pain control, in consultationwith your veterinarian, whencastrating bulls older than ninemonths of age.

• EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2018:Use pain control, in consultationwith your veterinarian, whencastrating bulls older than sixmonths of age.

Code requirements: Dehorning• Dehorning must be performed

only by competent personnel usingproper, well-maintained tools andaccepted techniques.

• Seek guidance from yourveterinarian on the availabilityand advisability of pain control fordisbudding or dehorning beef cattle.

KARIN SCHMIDBeef ProductionSpecialist

• Disbud calves as early aspractically possible, while horndevelopment is still at the hornbud stage (typically 2-3 months).

• EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2016:Use pain control, in consultationwith your veterinarian to mitigatepain associated with dehorningcalves after horn bud attachment.

The Beef Code of Practice is availableonline at www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/beef-cattle, or hard copiescan be requested from the ABP office.The Beef Cattle Research Council alsohas a new video and section on theirwebsite specifically dealing with painmitigation at www.beefresearch.ca/pain.

A number of products exist that canhelp you meet the code requirementsif you are castrating after six monthsof age or dehorning after the hornbuds have become attached to theskull. However, some of these mayhave to be used extra-label and allrequire a veterinary prescription.A new type of meloxicam is nowavailable (administered orally, butnot labelled for in-feed use) and islabelled to provide pain relief for bothcastration and dehorning. Consultwith your veterinarian about whichproduct would work best for youroperation.

If you are castrating/disbuddingduring the first few weeks of life,these changes to the Code do notaffect you. Remember - do it early,and count to two.

BEEF CODE OFPRACTICECHANGES

1. ABP funds research in the areasof beef quality, food safety, feedgrains and feed efficiency, animalhealth and welfare, forage andgrassland productivity andmanagement, genetics and breeding,and economics and trade.

2. ABP funds both individualprojects and larger initiatives, suchas the feed grains and annual foragebreeding program at the Field CropDevelopment Centre in Lacombe,and the Beef Cattle Industry ScienceClusters I and II.

3. Since 2007, ABP has funded or iscurrently funding 46 individualprojects.

4. The $1.7 million dollar investmentin feed grains and annual foragebreeding program at Lacombe, whichbegan in 2008, has aided in thedevelopment of 10 new barley andthree new triticale varieties to date.This investment also ensured thecontinuation and expansion of thisprogram, which was in danger ofshifting its focus to ethanolproduction at the time theinvestment was made.

5. Since 2009, ABP has invested $1million in the Beef Cattle IndustryScience Clusters as stand-alonecontributions, thereby indirectlyfunding 58 completed and ongoingprojects.

6. From 2007-2010 ABP was able toinvest $3.88 million in researchactivities (roughly $1 million/year).From 2011-2015 ABP was able toinvest $1.08 million (roughly$200,000 per year). In 2011 and2012, ABP had a reserve fund todraw upon for research funding. TheABP research budget in 2014 and2015 has been $50,000 per year.

13 THINGS YOUDIDN’T KNOWABOUT RESEARCHABP FUNDS

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7. ABP has been able to maintain itscommitment to research byleveraging outside (largelygovernment) funds. However, heavyreliance on outside funds leavesbeef research increasinglysusceptible to government policyand budget decisions.

8. From 2007-2010, each dollarinvested by ABP in individualprojects was matched by $5.66 fromother funding sources. From 2011-2015, each dollar invested by ABPwas matched by $8.09 from otherfunding sources. However, totalresearch funding from all sourceshas been steadily declining duringthat time frame, so even though weare able to stretch our limiteddollars further, the overall pool ofdollars available for research isshrinking.

9. By investing in both individualprojects and larger program funding,ABP is able to extend the benefitsfrom shorter-term project fundingresults to producers, and able tosupport longer term, incrementalresearch under a wider portfolio ofresearch areas.

10. Research funded by ABP hasled to a new forage oat variety, amore accurate diagnostic test forvibrio, demonstrated that 99.9% ofanimals transported arrive at theirdestination safely, determined thatevery dollar generated by the beefindustry generates $4.20 elsewherein the Canadian economy, developedbest management practices forJohne’s disease in beef cattle, foundthat certain forages can suppressthe growth of foxtail barley anddowny brome on saline soils,increased the understanding ofresidual feed intake (feed efficiency)in pasture situations, provided fielddata to suggest that antimicrobialdrugs most commonly used inhuman medicine are rarely used inbeef production, and much more.

11. ABP has also financiallysupported the Rangeland ResearchInstitute, and the Alberta Beef,Forage and Grazing Centre.

13 THINGS YOUDIDN’T KNOWABOUT RESEARCHABP FUNDS

12. In 2015, ABP partnered with theAlberta Livestock and Meat Agency todeliver a $1 million research call onforages, which will be funding sevenconfirmed projects in the areas ofbreeding, quantification of varietaland species differences in differenteco-zones, and pasture management.

13. More information can be found atwww.albertabeef.org/page/researchand www.beefresearch.ca.

The 2016 Executive was elected. Bob Lowe (Nanton) was elected Chair, RolandCailliau (Valleyview) was elected Vice Chair, and Charlie Christie (Trochu) joins theExecutive as Finance Chair. Greg Bowie (Ponoka) will continue to provide guidanceto the Executive as Past Chair.

ABP welcomes the newly elected 2016 Board of Directors (T-B L-R): Lyndon Mansell(Innisfree), Bryan Thiessen (Strathmore), Howard Bekkering (Vauxhall), JohnBuckley (Cochrane), Norm Hennigar (Grande Prairie), Rick Friesen (Vauxhall), TimSekura (Rocky Rapids), Tim Smith (Coronation), Cecilie Fleming (Granum), MelanieWowk (Beauvallon), Charlie Christie (Trochu), Bob Lowe (Nanton), Roland Cailliau(Valleyview), Kelly Fraser (Red Deer County), and Chris Israelson (Didsbury). Notpictured: Colin Campbell (Bon Accord).

ABP 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

COYOTE MATTERS...continued from page 6

In a study of central Alberta in thelate 1960s carrion provided half ofthe coyotes’ food and was especiallyimportant in winter. Coyotes alsohunt mice, rabbits, gophers, volesand deer in some areas that helpkeep these species in an ecosystembalance. Leaving deadstock in thefield for disposal assuming coyoteswill do some of the clean up createsa dependence on carrion, as foodtends to draw more coyotes into an

area to find continued supplies, thepopulation cycle spirals upward.

In summary, ABP’s recentresolutions at the AGM dealing withlivestock predation provided gooddiscussion and considerabledirection. Poor cattle fieldmanagement and lack of governmentsupport to increase funds were theABP delegate’s reasoning not to getinto the politics of changing theWildlife Act’s list of predators.

Management information can befound in Alberta government coyotecontrol literature at http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/general/progserv.nsf/all/pgmsrv403.

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Many beef producers continue tohave coyote issues on their property.The Miistakis Institute review donelast year based on producer surveysindicated that about 65 percent of allbeef producers in Albertaexperienced coyote impacts in a yearincluding financial and managementtime. Total predation loss for allpredator species, including coyotes,was about $2 million per year.Alberta Agriculture and Forestry“Coyote Predation of Livestock”manual estimates about 75 percentof all predation losses in the provinceare due to coyotes.

ABP’s WildlifeCommitteecontinues to workon projects throughgovernments, MDsand counties to tryto reduce theselosses for producers- it is an ongoingissue. During thelast Annual General Meeting inDecember four resolutions wereinitiated to address this problem.Some will move forward but onewould not.

Producer support of wildlife isviewed, in part, as a service to thecommunity. Society wants to supportwildlife populations as a contributionto the aesthetics of the countryside,and producers use the land to earntheir livings. They can participate inproviding wildlife habitat withacknowledgment of this contribution.

Wildlife predation continues to be asore point with some producers.Livestock losses go on the expense

FRED HAYSPolicy Analyst

side of the ledger and little seems tobe done on the revenue side tomaintain their contribution to wildlife.Increased reports of wolf and coyotepredation in parts of the provincecontinue while wildlife officers cannotalways address these in a timelymanner, or have difficultydetermining the cause of theproblem. One resolution encouragedincreased provincial governmentfunding for wildlife predation and wassupported.

In Alberta coyotes are not consideredto be predators under the WildlifeAct, but pests under the AgriculturalPests Act. Other provinces, such asB.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba andOntario include coyotes as part oftheir predator package andcompensate livestock losses for thatreason. The general thinking is thatcoyotes, similar to predators such aswolves, cougar, grizzly bear, blackbear and eagles, are causing majorproblems and should becompensated for accordingly fromthe Alberta Conservation Associationhunting tag fund.

Predator payouts determined byAlberta Fish and Wildlife andprocessed through AlbertaConservation Associationadministration are shown in the table.These range between $141,000 to$340,000 for the past five years, orup to five percent of hunting tagsales.

Two of ABP’s resolutions involved anincrease in funding for wildlifepredation, increasing the number ofwildlife officers for predation actionand providing compensation forpredation by coyotes. Part of theresolve lies with the government’sview on increasing support of present

programs and the interpretation ofpredation and pests.

Another resolution dealt with havingcoyotes placed on the predator listunder the Wildlife Act. Somediscussion from the floor includednot wanting to provide publiccompensation for poor coyotemanagement. Some revolved aroundquestioning the sustainability ofcompensation payouts from theprovince for something that can bemanaged by producers with the helpof the municipalities and counties.

Control through the Wildlife Act couldinvariably mean the loss of somecontrol tools such as help withpoisons, traps and eradication bycounty staff. Having coyotes on thepredation list under the Wildlife Actwas defeated.

In 2007, Alberta reintroducedcarnivore bounties, but mostjurisdictions do not support wildlifebounties. About 20 percent of theland in Alberta is covered by coyotebounties. Official numbers show20,000 to 30,000 coyotes aretrapped in Alberta each year, andover the past five years about 25,000coyotes were removed under bountyprograms in six different countiesshown in the table above.

A recent scientific review in thejournal ANIMALS indicated thatbounty programs don’t really work tomanage coyote problems all that well.Biologists recommend destroyingdominant resident animals comingfrom outlying territories rather thanbroad destruction of all coyotes inthe local region. The aggressive,dominant animals seem to be theones causing most of the problems.

continued on page 5

COYOTEMATTERS

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AGM REPORT:RESOLUTIONS

“Be it resolved that ABP support theNational Check-off Levy increase to$2.50.”Zone 1, 2, 3, 4 5, 6, 8 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theProvincial government to return to a$2 non-refundable Service Charge ofwhich 60 cents will be put towards arestricted fund for marketing,research and collaboration.”Zone 1, 2, 3, 5 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theProvincial government to return to a$2 non-refundable Service Charge ofwhich 60 cents will be put towards arestricted fund for marketing,research and collaboration, but if thatfails go to a $5 check-off.”Zone 3 – Defeated

“Be it resolved that we approve anon-refundable check-off of $3 perhead with a portion of the check-offbe dedicated to marketing andresearch.”Zone 5 – Redundant

“Be it resolved that ABP work on anon-refundable Service Charge with aportion being put in a restricted fundto be negotiated with industrypartners.”Zone 4 – Redundant

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government for the ServiceCharge be made non-refundable.”Zone 4, 5, 6, 8 – Redundant

“Be it resolved that any increase incheck-off must be approved by amajority of Alberta cattle producers.”Zone 3 – Defeated

“Be it resolved that only one memberof a family or ranch unit should sit as adelegate or board member in a zone.”Zone 6 – Defeated

“Be it resolved that ABP ask foractions of the Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Animals to bemore transparent and accountable.”Zone 6 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP ask theSociety for the Prevention of Crueltyto Animals that food animals not beassessed with the same scrutiny aspets.”Zone 6 – Defeated

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theProvincial government and AlbertaFinancial Services Corporation tochange the pricing methodology usedwhen determining foragecompensation rates for productionshortfalls and apply the same pricediscovery methods as are used byAgriStability to establish a marketprice for forage.”Zone 6 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government to permanentlyhonor the grazing allotments/preference quotas in the EasternSlopes.”Zone 2 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP continue towork with Alberta Grazing LeaseAssociation, Western Stock GrowersAssociation and the Northern AlbertaGrazing Association to lobby andinfluence present government policyconcerning grazing lease matters.”Zone 1 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government for morefunding for testing of all contaminantsin fresh farm water wells”Zone 8 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government to increase thepayout for cattle submitted for BSEtesting from $75 per head to $225.”Zone 8 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government for an increasein funding for wildlife predation.”Zone 8 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government for morewildlife officers for predation action.”Zone 8 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theAlberta government to provide beefproducers’ compensation forpredation by coyotes.”Zone 2 – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theprovincial government to put coyoteson the Predator list along withwolves.”Zone 9 – Defeated

“Be it resolved that ABP lobby theAlberta government to restorediagnostic veterinary pathology labfacilities for food producing animalsin Northern Alberta (Fairview) in lightof the fact that southern and centralAlberta have such a service throughthe Veterinary College in Calgary.”Zone 9 – Carried

“Be it resolved that the 2014-2015ABP audited financial statements andauditor’s report be accepted.”Board – Carried

“Be it resolved that the firm ofKingston Ross Pasnak charteredaccountants be appointed as auditorsfor 2015-2016 year-end audit.”Board – Carried

“Be it resolved that we continue towork on a plan that embracesbeneficial outcomes for both ABP andthe Alberta Cattle FeedersAssociation in our efforts to advancethe industry.”Board – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP move ourproducer meetings to the end ofNovember and our AGM into January.”Floor – Defeated

“Be it resolved that we continue tolobby the provincial government toguarantee farmers and ranchersaccess to crown land for grazingpurposes.”Floor – Carried

“Be it resolved that ABP continue tolobby the Government of Alberta toensure that Occupational Health &Safety inspectors for farmingoperations are knowledgeable in allaspects of livestock and farmequipment, preferably with practicalhands on experience.”Floor – Carried

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Page 8: January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

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2016-01-056:15PM

Page 9: January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

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2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY

Garth PorteousBow Island

403-952-1569

Brodie HauganOrion

403-580-9534

ZONE 1 INCLUDES: Vulcan County; County of Newell No.4; County of Forty Mile; Cypress County; M.D. of Taber; Special Area No.2 Southof the Red Deer River.

Rick FriesenVauxhall

403-654-2941

Brad OsadczukJenner

403-898-2132

Jake MeyerWelling

403-393-8022

Cecilie FlemingGranum

403-687-2288

ZONE 2 INCLUDES: County of Warner No. 5; County of Lethbridge No.26; Cardston County; M.D. of Pincher Creek; M.D. of Willow Creek;M.D. of Ranchlands; Improvement District No. 4 (Waterton); Kananaskis Improvement District.

Bob LoweNanton

403-646-0051

Darren BevansRaymond

403-752-4551

Tyler SawleyNanton

403-549-2201

Kevin KrebsDidsbury

403-335-9116

Brian EdgeCochrane

403-932-3763

ZONE 3 INCLUDES: Wheatland County; Mountain View County; M.D. of Bighorn; M.D.of Foothills; M.D. of Rockyview; Improvement DistrictNo. 9 (Banff); Calgary.

Jeff HavensMadden

403-899-2639

Chris IsraelsonDidsbury

403-335-9667

John BuckleyCalgary

403-932-2486

Howard BekkeringZone 1 CFC

Vauxhall403-634-4449

Jimmy NelsonZone 2 CFC

Stirling403-635-7075

Bryan ThiessenZone 3 CFCStrathmore

403-934-6122

Cattle FeederCouncil (CFC)Representatives

Kevin StopanskiJenner

403-898-2373

RestoreTM II provides next-generation, broad-spectrum control of invasive plants and broadleafweeds. Get more grass, and improve thesustainability of your permanent pastures –all in an easy, co-formulated solution. It’s part ofan integrated pasture management strategy.

For more information visit dowagro.ca

NEXT GENERATIONWEED CONTROL.

FORGENERATIONSTO COME.

® TM Trademark of The DowChemical Company (“Dow”) oran affiliated company of Dow.0115-41819

41819_Restore II 4.25x5.5_a-Duluth.indd 1 2/27/15 10:49 AM28771_Unicom_96329_AlbertaBeef_Newsletter.indd 9 2016-01-05 6:15 PM

Page 10: January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

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Walt SuntjensHanna

403-779-2212

Craig FerenceZone 4 CFCKirriemuir

403-552-3755

ZONE 4 INCLUDES: County of Paintearth; Flagstaff County; M.D. of Acadia; M.D. of Provost; M.D. of Wainwright No. 61; Special AreaNo.2 North of the Red Deer River; Special Area No. 3; Special Area No. 4.

2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY

Judy FentonIrma

780-754-2257

Tim SmithCoronation

403-575-2246

Kelly FraserRed Deer County403-598-4323

Rob SomervilleEndiang

403-579-2406

Charlie ChristieZone 5 CFC

Trochu403-588-8384

ZONE 5 INCLUDES: County of Stettler; Lacombe County; Red Deer County; Starland County; Kneehill County; Clearwater County.

Stuart SomervilleEndiang

403-579-2565

Cam McLerieRed Deer County403-505-3059

Dick WymengaLeslieville

403-729-2360

Assar GrindeBluffton

403-843-6779

ZONE 6 INCLUDES: Ponoka County; Beaver County; County of Wetaskiwin; Strathcona County; County of Camrose; Leduc County;Parkland County; Brazequ County; Improvement District No. 13; Edmonton.

Tim SekuraRocky Rapids780-542-3174

Ralph BuhlerArmena

780-893-0274

Gary SeutterMillet

780-387-4832

Cecil AndersenZone 6 CFC

Drayton Valley780-542-2787

Cattle FeederCouncil (CFC)Representatives

Mark CrowleHanna

403-857-9607

Garth JohnsonKillam

780-385-2180

Kolton KasurBashaw

780-387-8376

28771_Unicom_96329_AlbertaBeef_Newsletter.indd 10 2016-01-05 6:15 PM

Page 11: January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

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2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORYZONE 7 INCLUDES: County of Thorhild No. 7; County of Barrhead; County of Athabasca; Lac Ste. Anne County; Woodlands County; M.D.

of Opportunity No. 17; Sturgeon County; Westlock County; Yellowhead County; M.D. of Lesser Slave River;Improvement District No. 12; Municipality of Jasper.

Rick McKnightJarvie

780-681-2165

Colin CampbellBon Accord

780-921-2180

Les GeierTwo Hills

780-603-8211

Mike LutzakHairy Hill

780-768-3774

Lyndon MansellInnisfree

780-592-2262

ZONE 8 INCLUDES: Smoky Lake County; County of St. Paul; County of Two Hills No. 21; County of Vermilion River No. 24; County ofMinburn No. 27; Lamont County; Lakeland County; M.D. of Bonnyville; Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo;Improvement District No. 24.

Melanie WowkBeauvallon

780-210-2500

Gordon GravesIron River

780-826-2796

Ken StanleyZone 7 CFC

Westlock780-349-4840

Roland CailliauValleyview

780-524-4402

Ron WielerFort Vermilion780-927-4255

Linda MessnerBerwyn

780-338-2281

ZONE 9 INCLUDES: M.D. of MacKenzie No. 23; M.D. of Northern Lights; North of Chinook Valley Road; M.D. of Clear Hills; NorthernSunrise County; M.D. of Peace; M.D. of Fairview; Birch Hills County; Saddle Hills County; M.D. of Smoky River; M.D.of Spirit River;County of Grande Prairie; M.D. of Greenview; M.D. Big Lakes Zone; Improvement District No. 25.

Maarten BraatFort Vermilion780-927-3800

Norman HennigarGrande Prairie780-814-3595

Cattle FeederCouncil (CFC)Representatives

Cody MillerWestlock

780-349-0644

Philip AmyotteZone 8 CFC

Mallaig780-635-4010

John MacArthurZone 9 CFC

Fairview780-835-5862

Penny PattonAthabasca

780-954-2134

Stan SmigelskiNiton Junction780-693-2270

28771_Unicom_96329_AlbertaBeef_Newsletter.indd 11 2016-01-05 6:15 PM

Page 12: January | February | 2016 · January | February | 2016 PAGE 9 2016 DELEGATE DIRECTORY Garth Porteous BowIsland 403-952-1569 Brodie Haugan Orion 403-580-9534 ZONE 1 INCLUDES: VulcanCounty;CountyofNewellNo.4;CountyofFortyMile;CypressCounty;M.D.ofTaber;SpecialAreaNo.2South

WARM SOCKSCALF SLEDMATERNITY PENCOLOSTRUMLOVE FOR THIS JOB

4th trip tonight. Won’t be the last.

UFA.com

2016 Calving Webinar Seriespresented by industry experts.

• PREPARING FOR CALVING SEASON | January 11 | March 2

• MITIGATING DYSTOCIA CHALLENGES | January 18 | March 9

• EVALUATING MILK REPLACERS | January 25 | March 16

Please go to UFA.com/CalvingWebinarsfor more information and to register.

© 2015 UFA Co-operative Ltd. All rights reserved. 12736

Our 2016 Webinar Series will help ensure you’re ready togreet your newborn calves. UFA will present three differentwebinars this winter that you’re not going to want to miss.

WARM SOCKSCALF SLEDMATERNITY PENCOLOSTRUMLOVEFORTHISJOB

4th trip tonight.Won’t be the last.

UFA.com

2016 CalvingWebinar Seriespresented by industryexperts.

•PREPARING FORCALVINGSEASON|January 11|March2

•MITIGATINGDYSTOCIACHALLENGES|January 18|March 9

•EVALUATING MILK REPLACERS|January 25|March 16

Please go toUFA.com/CalvingWebinarsformore information andto register.

©2015 UFA Co-operative Ltd.All rightsreserved.12736

Our 2016Webinar Series will help ensure you’re readytogreet your newborn calves. UFA will present three differentwebinars thiswinter that you’re notgoing to w ant tomiss.

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:Alberta Beef Producers 165, 6815 – 8 Street NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7H7

PM 40069160

© 2016 Alberta Beef Producers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means whatsoever, without writtenpermission from Alberta Beef Producers. Made in Canada. January, 2016. For further information contact Alberta Beef Producers at 403.275.4400.

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28771_Unicom_96329_AlbertaBeef_Newsletter.indd 12 2016-01-05 6:15 PM