alberta

ORGANIC

SUMMER 2016

ISSUE 02

VOLUME 07

ORGANIC GRAIN PRICE TRENDS

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

OAT PRICES
$9.00
$8.00

PRICE ($/BU)

$7.00
$6.00
$5.00
$4.00
$3.00

OAT PRICES

$2.00
$1.00
$0.00

DEC12 MAR13 JUN13 SEP13

DEC13 MAR14 JUN14 SEP14

MILLING
FEED

DEC14 MAR15 JUN15 SEP15

DEC15 MAR16 JUN16

MILLING (CONV.)
FEED (CONV.)

WHEAT PRICES
$30.00

PRICE ($/BU)

$25.00
$20.00

WHEAT PRICES

$15.00
$10.00
$5.00
$0.00
DEC12 MAR13 JUN13 SEP13

DEC13 MAR14 JUN14 SEP14

MILLING
FEED

DEC14 MAR15 JUN15 SEP15

MILLING (CONV.)
FEED (CONV.)

FEED BARLEY PRICES

DEC15 MAR16 JUN16

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

FEED BARLEY

$12.00
$10.00

PRICE ($/BU)

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

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

$8.00
$6.00
$4.00
$2.00
$0.00

FEED

FEED (CONV.)

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

Mission: To represent and support Albertas

entire organic industry.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT

Vision: A strong, sustainable and united

organic community in Alberta.

Editor/Submissions & Advertising

Editor: Debbie Miller
306-642-0216
editor@organicalberta.org
Copy Editor
Brenda Frick
306-260-0663
organic@usask.ca
Graphic Designer & Publisher
Curio Studio
780-451-2261
www.curiostudio.ca

Executive Director
Becky Lipton:
587-521-2400 | becky.lipton@organicalberta.org
Board Members
Representatives elected by region:
(N) North (S) South (C) Central
(M) Member at Large
President: Ward Middleton (C):
780-939-7549 | midmore@xplornet.ca
Vice President: Tim Hoven (S):
403-302-2748 | timhoven@gmail.com
Treasurer: Heather Kerschbaumer (N):
780-835-4508 | gaseeds@kerbagroup.com
Secretary: Trevor Aleman (S):
403-308-4003 | trevor@busybeasmarketgarden.com
Lawrence Ashmead (M):
403-971-9682 | lawrence.ashmead@
freshdirectproduce.com
Janice Shelton (N):
780-623-7664 | tjshelton@mcsnet.ca
Danny Turner (M)
780-469-1900 | danny@theorganicbox.ca
Dawn Boileau (C)
780-218-2430 | sunrise-gardens@hotmail.com
Abbie Stein-MacLean (M)
780-984-3068 | asteinmaclean@gmail.com
Charles Newell (AB rep at federal level)
780-809-2247 | newellsfarm@gmail.com

Fall 2016 deadline is Friday, September 16th.

Please send comments, suggestions, ads, and/or
articles to editor@organicalberta.org

BECKY LIPTON,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : ORGANIC ALBERTA

The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative is now going

full throttle. And because of it, organic farmers
across Alberta and the Prairies should get ready
to see Organic Albertas programs step up a few
notches. The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative tells
us that the 4 biggest issues facing organic grain
producers profitability are soil fertility, weed
management, crop rotations and grain quality.
Below are just a few of the programs being
rolled out that tackle them.
FIELD DAYS
Our field days this summer had a deliberate
focus on green manures, soil fertility and nutrient
management. We were even able to bring in
Dr Martin Entz from the University of Manitoba
the designer of new innovative on farm nutrient
management tools. Other topics covered included:
weed biocontrol, integrated pest management,
plant disease resistance, crop rotations, innovative
equipment (Sitter Compost Turner, CombCut &
Riteway crimper roller demos), livestock integration,
soil pit and humic, fulvic and compost application.
These field days were jam packed!

ON FARM NUTRIENT
MANAGEMENT CONSULTATIONS
This one is a whopper of a success. Within 24
hours of announcing the program, so many
farmers called in that we had almost filled our
quota of subsidized spaces. Having sufficient
amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium and
other nutrients is key to good yields, grain quality
and long term sustainability. Through this program
farmers get access to an agronomist who comes
out to your farm, samples your soil and your
green manures, and helps you build a nutrient
management plan. Spots are now filled for this
year, but sign up for next year! Call Iris Vaisman
at 587-521-2400.
CALL AN ORGANIC EXPERT
This one is just starting to take off. If you are
wondering about soil testing, crop rotations that
match your soil type and region, cover crops, or
anything else related to organic production, you
can call and leave a message, and the right expert
will call you back. Free of Charge!
It is amazing what can happen when you get
some government and industry investment in
the organic sector. If you are not sure how
the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative, or Organic
Albertas programs can benefit you, give us a
call at 587-521-2400. Now is the time to get
connected to the resources out there!

ORGANIC ALBERTA SUPPORTERS

Big thank you to the following people and organizations who sent in donations and/or became
members over the last few months! It is your contributions that keep us going!
Grain Millers USA, Gillian Hurst, LeAnne Furoy, Marvin Nakonechny, James Bozarth, Lackawanna
Products Corp, Growers International, FW Cobs, Fresh Direct Produce, Community Natural Foods
Ltd. Centre for Systems Integration, Best Cooking Pulses Inc., Associated Grocers, Shafer Commodities,
Richardson Milling, AOPA, Natures Path, PHS Organics, Signature Truck Lines, Simply Fish, Sunnyside
Natural Market, Sunrise Foods, Westaqua Commodity Group, Ecocert Canada, Joanne Gilbertson,
Michael Dorian, Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (SPUD), Robert Jensen, Earths General Store,
Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. Terralink Horticulture, Jean-Francois Gingras, Wilfred Petherbridge,
Harmonic Herbs, Angela Greter, Mary Lou Planer and Judy McFarlen.
Are we missing your name? If you havent sent in your donation yet, please do it soon!
We depend on you!

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

QUICK AND EASY

SALADMASTER
FRUIT SALAD
TOOLS:

Saladmaster Food Processor or Knife

INGREDIENTS:

SALADMASTER FOOD PROCESSOR

1 Cantaloupe
(Quartered & Cleaned)
1 Honey Dew Melon
(Quartered & Cleaned)
1 Miniature Watermelon
(Quartered)

rganic
roducers
ssociation
Certification
with TCO Cert

2 3 Oranges, Depending on Size

1 Pkg Strawberries
(Cleaned and Hulled)
1 Pkg Blueberries
6-10 Kiwis (Peeled)

1.

Using a knife cut the kiwis into s depending on the size of the fruit.

2.

Using the #3 Cone on the Saladmaster Food Processor, cut up the

cantaloupe, honey dew melon and watermelon. Or, use a knife and
cut up into cubes.

3.

Using the #5 Cone on the Saladmaster Food Processor, cut up the

strawberries. Or, use a knife and cut into slices.

4.

Using the #1 Cone on the Saladmaster Food Processor (or zester),

zest the oranges into the salad. Then quarter the oranges. Keeping the
peel side facing up, turn the food processor until you are at the rind of
the orange. This will give your salad great flavor and help keep your fruit
from oxidizing.

5.

Mix and enjoy!

6.

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

Recipe compliments of Wellness Concepts Ltd, promoting delicious, healthy

cooking for you and your family. For more quick and easy recipes find them
at wellnessconcepts@live.ca, or call 780-919-5666.
Do you have a recipe you would like to share? Contact Debbie
at debbie.miller@organicalberta.org, or call 587-521-2400.

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

OCIA International - Canada

OCIAThe Root of Organic Integrity
Leading the Way in Organic
Certification for Over 25 Years
Contact us today regarding discounts
for new members!

Marg Laberge, Member Services T: 780-851-9482

Email: mlaberge@ocia.org www.ocia.org

We clean cereals,
oilseeds, and
pulse crops.
Contact Glen Hartel at 403-578-3810
or coroseed@xplornet.com

ORGANIC GRAIN INDUSTRY

MONTHLY TELECONFERENCE
Growing the Organic Community through Exchange
Second Wednesday of
Every Month
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM MDT.

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

Access Code: 9817492

The goal of the calls is to build community and grow capacity through
exchange and learning. The who's who in the prairie organic sector
will be on this call. Don't miss it!

Seeking

timely & efficient

organic certification?
Minimize and Simplify Your Paperwork
Connections to Local and Global Markets:
Canadian Organic Regime

Highlight Cross-Provincial Updates

Hear what has been happening with everyone: updates, learnings shared
by everyone on the call.

JAS Organic Equivalency

USDA NOP Equivalency
EU Organic Equivalency
Bio Suisse Verification

9:009:15 AM

9:259:35 AM

Welcome and Introductions

Guest presenter
(topic relevant to Prairie organic grain sector)
Questions for the presenter

9:3510:15 AM

Cross-Provincial Updates

10:1510:30 AM

Update and closing

9:159:25 AM

More than 15 Years of Experience in Delivering

a CFIA Quality Assurance Program

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

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

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

HEMP PRICES

MARKET PRICES

Darrell McElroy, Hemp Oil Canada/Manitoba Harvest: Organic hemp

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

The following prices are compliments of OrganicBiz.ca. They gather and post
monthly prices as well as detailed market trend information on their website.
OrganicBiz.ca is also a good place to check for all kinds of organic news and
information. If you havent registered for their e-newsletter yet, we would highly
recommend it!

Organic Price Quotes: Late June 2016

All prices are CAD unless otherwise noted

ORGANIC HEMP PRICES

$2.00
$1.80

Crop

Bushels (tonnes)

Organic
Premium

Wheat - red spring

$17.21-$17.85 (Minnesota)
($632-$656)

291%

Wheat - feed

$11 ($404)

198%

Wheat - durum

$21(Minnesota)($606)

275%

Wheat - soft white

$20 ($735)

Barley - milling

$10 ($459)

Barley - malt

$12 ($551)

230%

Barley - feed

$7.50 ($344)

200%

Oats -milling

$8 ($519)

307%

Flax - brown

$35-39 ($1378-$1535)

332%

Flax - yellow

$40 ($1575)

359%

Corn - Feed

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

Soybeans - Feed

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

Peas - yellow

$16-$18 ($588-$661)

179%

Peas - green

$18 ($661)

209%

Lentils - large green

$0.92/lb

161%

Lentils - french green

$0.80/lb

320%

Lentils - black

$0.85/lb

Lentils - red

$0.89/lb (US)

214%

Lentils - pinto

$0.95/lb

316%

Lentils - fava

$0.95/lb

Lentils - black

$0.95/lb

Hemp

$1.75-$1.80/lb

Mustard

$0.90/lb

265%

Crop

Bushels (tonnes)

Organic
Premium

Wheat - red spring

$17-$18 (Minnesota)
($625-$661)

291%

Oats -milling

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

231%

Flax - brown

$34-36 ($1338-$1417)

318%

Flax - yellow

$36-38 ($1417-$1496)

336%

Spelt

$7.20 (Ontario)

Rye

$4.50 (Ontario) ($177)

Hemp

$1.80/lb

PRICE ($/LB)

$1.60
$1.40
$1.20
$1.00
$0.80
$0.60
$0.40
$0.20
$0.00
JUN13

SEP13

DEC13

MAR14

JUN14

HEMP

SEP14

DEC14

MAR15

JUN15

SEP15

DEC15

MAR16

PRICE TRENDLINE

ORGANIC MARKET
OPPORTUNITIES
CLASSIFIED ADS
Grower's International is buying all kinds of wheat, durum,
barley, oats, flax, spelt, peas, mustard and lentils. Call one of
our buyers today! Mark Gimby: 306-652-4529, Braden Neuls:
204-918-5822, Lorne Lix: 204-924-7050.
F.W. Cobs is buying HRSW and feed grains, including Barley,
Peas, Rye, Screenings, and more. We buy FOB the farm,
delivered to Loreburn, SK or loaded rail. Call 888-531-4888
ext 7 or 8.
Are you looking for a consistent supply of Organic
Soybean meal? Shafer Commodities can assist you with all
of your organic needs, we are also buying HRS, durum, flax,
barley & peas 403-328-5066.
Wanted: finished certified organic cattle and feeder cattle.
For Sale: Certified organic alfalfa seed, feeder hogs, and
milking cows. Also Freezer pork, lamb and beef. Contact
Peter Lundgard at Nature's Way Farm 780-338-2934
Trade and Export Canada is buying all grades of organic
grains. Call 1-306-433-4700.

JUN16

380%

New Crop

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

SCOTT OLSEN'S STORY

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

TELL US WHAT YOU DO.

I am a grain farmer now but I went to

school for forestry and then did land
reclamation and learned about forages.
My wife has a bachelor of science. We
started farming with her parents 7 years
ago in Fairview. We were growing canola,
wheat and 800 acres of forage seed. We
had 1200 acres of our own, out of a total
of 7,000 acres owned by the family farm.
We are handing this over to my brother-inlaw and moving to Mayerthorpe where my
family is. I am renting land from my uncle
and neighbours, all of which has been hay
land with a history of no inputs. So the
opportunity is there for us to transition it
into organic production. We worked it all
up last fall and it was seeded to peas, oats,
barley and wheat this spring. In this first year,
about half will be in organic transition and
half will be conventional.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE

TO TRANSITION INTO ORGANICS?

We are hoping that going organic will be a

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

Production will be a challenge but we will

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

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE

YOU FACED THROUGH THE TRANSITION?

WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT

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

Getting started was the hardest part, but it

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

Getting the land certified seemed like a

challenge. I thought it was going to be a
big production with the inspector there
for days. They were really nice to deal with
and spent quite a bit of time on each field.
We were fine with the cost; you have to
pay people to do this. We have no problem
paying yearly fees.
continued on page 7

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

Scott Olsen's Story contined from page 6

The biggest thing to overcome is everyone

telling you its a bad idea saying, You wont
get any grain; you might get 15 bushel
of grains and nothing but weeds. My
father-in-law has been helpful because hes
been farming since the 70s and now hes
reminiscing about how things were. My dad
was old school and I pushed him to grow
canola and use fertilizer, and we didnt have
success, and now Im paying for that decision.
Hes very involved now and likes it. I am
always probing the old guys for knowledge.
The hardest part is getting enough land
base. Ideally, 1,000 acres of organic would
be right on. Then it would match our
existing equipment. We have almost too
much machinery, which I guess is a good
problem to have.
WHAT IS THE BEST TOOL OR PIECE
OF EQUIPMENT ON YOUR FARM?

Im really excited to use the rotary hoe

(Yetter) but havent got to use it yet.YouTube
has been a good source. I watched Gabe
Brown videos after seeing him present at the

Soil Health Conference put on by ARECA

in December, 2015. I watch lots of videos on
how the machines work. I love machinery
and driving tractors, so this is awesome for
me because there are lots of hours driving
tractor with organic farming!
WHO DO YOU LOOK TO (REGIONAL OR
GLOBAL) WHEN YOU ARE STUCK ON A
PROBLEM OR NEED SOME OUTSIDE ADVICE?

I am looking to the older guys and guys

who have recently transitioned like Trevor
Kerschbaumer. They just got into it 4 years
ago and he helped me get seed. He has
shared his knowledge about what works.
He said he likes plowing more than the
discing, so I did half and half to see if there
is a difference.
ARE THERE ANY BOOKS OR RESOURCES
THAT YOU FREQUENTLY USE TO HELP YOU
MAKE DECISIONS?

I just Google a lot, for example, I have been

looking at intercropping. Manitoba Research
Council comes up often. I also tend to just
phone people up.

WHATS ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW

WHEN YOU STARTED TRANSITIONING
INTO ORGANICS?

I wish I knew where to market this stuff

already. This is the biggest hurdle for me,
I can grow stuff, but I hate marketing. So
far I just called Richardson in Barrhead for
oats and found a buyer for malt barley for
micro breweries. It has been helpful to have
friends with lots of contacts.
I have lots to learn about cover crops.
My plan was alsike clover, but every old guy
I talk to says dont do this. I might try a test
plot and see if we can build up nitrogen.
WHATS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU
WOULD GIVE TO A NEW FARMER GETTING
INTO ORGANICS?

Dont listen to all the naysayers; its fun and

its not expensive. Thats why we chose to
do it. It fits with what we want to do and
has been relatively inexpensive so far. I look
forward to see how it will work!

For this and more

farmer profiles, check out
www.pivotandgrow.com

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

GRAIN QUALITY FROM A BUYERS PERSPECTIVE

the last 10 years, and with the market trend for
gluten free organic products, understanding best
management practices is essential.

RYAN BARKWELL, ORGANIC ALBERTA

Producers need to know what qualities a

grain buyer looks for in a product. In a recent
teleconference hosted by the Prairie Organic
Grain Initiative, Bruce Roskens from Grain Millers,
Alex Galarneau, PHS Organics, Jason Freeman
from Farmer Direct Co-op and Mark Gimby from
Growers International discussed issues they see
in the industry today and provided tips to help
alleviate those issues.
Proper management is required throughout the
growing season. Most famers are concerned with
test weight, moisture, contamination and seed
quality. Contamination is a special concern for
buyers who are interested in purchasing food grade
oats. Regulations have become more stringent in

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

in order to establish a strong root stem and
good ground cover for weed control. It is also
recommended to clean oats, as buyers only accept
2% wild oats. However, one must be careful to not
de-hull the oats when cleaning them.This hastens
grain degradation, and makes the product less
attractive to buyers.The panel also encouraged
the scalping of crops (a quick cleaning that
removes larger debris).This practice can decrease
dockage by nearly 30%. Finally, it is important for
a farmer to understand proper crop rotation for
their farms in order to find the balance between
agronomic viability and market preferences.
Proper storage is a critical issue. Roskens noted
that more grain is ruined in harvesting and storage
than in improper field management. Aflatoxins,
other mycotoxins, mold and pest infestation can
occur in grain bins. Moldy grain is often a result
of moisture that comes from wet falls, harvesting
grain before it is dry, harvesting grain with
immature weeds, or condensation that results
from changing temperatures. Both Roskens and
Galarneau stressed that they are buying a food

ingredient, not a commodity. For this reason, the

quality of the grain is of the utmost importance.
Bin maintenance is a must to reduce storage
problems! Bins should be cleaned before new
product is stored to prevent any carryover of
contaminants. Prevention is 90% of the solution.
If the crop is not sufficiently dry, aeration can
reduce moisture and minimize conditions for
mold. Bins should be mouse, insect and water
tight. Buyers also recommend farmers rotate
grain during winter months to prevent and
remove moisture pockets that may form.
Farmers must take steps to prevent and
eliminate mold. If moldy grain is noticed during
loading or grain handling, it should be removed.
Gone are the days when simply diluting moldy
grain with healthy grain goes unnoticed. Moldy
grain is a food safety hazard. Buyers will discount
yields that contain moldy grain as regulations
become ever more stringent.
In summary, organic grain producers should be
concerned with proper management practices and
maintaining sustainable storage facilities in order to
produce high quality products and increase their
own profitability. For more information, check out
the fact sheets at www.pivotandgrow.com.

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

Need a location to drop off your

products to your customers?
We want to work with you!

Locations available in
Wetaskiwin, Brooks, Stettler
Contact:
780.604.2634
slava@e-equities.ca
enduranceequities.ca

ORGANIC
AGRONOMISTS
After two extremely successful rounds of organic
agronomist training in Alber ta and Saskatchewan,
that saw us training almost 60 people, we are
happy to begin sharing the names of organically
trainedagronomists. One more training was
held in Manitoba at the end of June, and names
were not available at time of publication. Please
contactiris.vaisman@prairieorganicgrain.orgfor
further information.

Name

Email

Phone Number Town/City

Province

Greg Rekken

grekken@oldscollege.ca

403-507-7979 or
403-672-0852

Olds

Alberta

Sherri Roberts

sherri.roberts@gov.sk.ca

306-848-2856

Weyburn

Saskatchewan

Gary Smith

gary.smith@sasktel.net

306-280-6325

Saskatoon

Saskatchewan

Carl E. Lynn

clynn@bioriginal.com

306-975-9295

Saskatoon

Saskatchewan

Bernice Kadatz

bernice.kadatz@gmail.com

587-988-2319

Tofield

Alberta

Cathy Halonen

cathalonen@gmail.com

780-203-8062

Radway

Alberta

Marilyn Kot

greenacrestech@gmail.com

306-535-2763

Francis

Saskatchewan

Marjorie Harris

mh2953@telus.net

250-546-2953

Armstrong

British Columbia

FLAX PRICES

FLAX PRICES

$60.00

PRICE ($/BU)

Scott Shiels, Grain Millers: We saw a very small organic flax crop in 2013
and 2014, followed by record flax acres both conventionally and organically in
2015. You can see the peak up near the $60 mark that again plummets in the
summer of 2014, late in the year once all buyers were covered. Normally with
most crops that have hit record high prices due to shortages, you will see a
severe decline once those shorts get covered.

$70.00

$50.00
$40.00
$30.00
$20.00
$10.00
$0.00
FEB13

JUN13

OCT13

BROWN FLAX

FEB14

JUN14

OCT14

FEB15

BROWN FLAX (CONV.)

JUN15

OCT15

YELLOW FLAX

FEB16

JUN16

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

Got Armyworm? Get Pyganic.

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

No pre-harvest interval
No residual activity.
Excellent IPM rotation product
Controls both soft and hard
bodied insect pests, fast!

Contact us today at 1-800-661-4559 for more info, or visit

our website at www.tlhort.com!
2012 MGK. MGK - Registered trademark of McLaughlin Gormley King Company.

www.tlhort.com

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

OATS
FLAX
BARLEY
MUSTARD
WHEAT

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

11

THANK YOU TO OUR

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

TIERRA STOKES

AMANDA ROONEY

Tierra is a 3rd year university student majoring

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

Amanda is a 2nd year Environmental Studies

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

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

Tierra Stokes, Summer Student

Ryan Barkwell, Summer Student

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

Amanda Rooney, Summer Student

Stephanie Bach, Newest Staff Member

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST STAFF MEMBER: STEPHANIE BACH

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

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

OATS

COATED GRAINS
& CLUSTERS

LESSONS FROM STOCKMANSHIP SCHOOL

MELISA ZAPISOCKY

Participants at the two Stockmanship

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

and stupid, when they are neither. Emotional

stress can cause as much or more damage
to production as the physical stress of poor
feed, bad weather, or rough handling. Over
two days the participants learned better
strategies for communicating with their
livestock; instincts of humans and livestock;
predator/prey relationships; positioning
and movement; training the herd; at the
gate and working in the corral; sorting,
weaning, receiving and loading; and how
our own attitudes affect our livestock.
Organic Alberta appreciates the support
of Growing Forward 2s Livestock Delivery
Agent Program which allowed us to bring
these Schools to Alberta.

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

13

SUMMER 2016 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 07

Prairie Heritage Seeds

Proud supporter of organic agriculture.

Wishing all organic growers a productive 2016 crop year.
Currently contracting Kamut and other grains.
WWW.PHSORGANICS.COM | 1.306.869.2926

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

15

APPLY TODAY FOR OUR ORGANIC GRAIN MENTORSHIP (ALBERTA) PROGRAM

The Organic Grain mentorship program
will pair experienced organic producers
with aspiring, new and transitioning producers
wishing to gain experience in organic grain
and field crop production. Feedback and
guidance will happen through phone calls
and emails, and when possible, farm visits.
Mentor farmers work one-on-one to build
the skills, network and community that will
strengthen the organic sector.
Mentees pay $200 to participate in the
program, and receive up to seven hours
of consultation with their mentor.

DO YOU WANT TO BE MENTORED?

Contact info@organicalberta.org or call
587-521-2400 for an application form. Eligible
mentees will be contacted by a coordinator,
who will select an organic grain mentor who
best matches your learning goals and interests.
Efforts will be made to coordinate mentorships
within a geographic region. Space is limited,
and it is not first come first served. You must
complete an application to be considered.
Deadline to apply is August 7, 2016.
THEN WHAT?
Both mentors and mentee will sign a contract
to initiate the mentorship. The coordinator will

introduce you to each other through an email

or phone call. After that, you will communicate
regularly with your mentor through phone and
email, receiving advice, suggestions and insights
into their farming experience. When desirable,
or possible, you may organize farm visit(s)
to address specific issues, and look at on-site
recommendations.
THE FINAL STEP?
Both you and your mentor will submit a
summary of the experience, telling us what you
learned, to the coordinator. The mentorships
must be completed by November 30th, 2016.

#1, 10329-61 AVE NW

EDMONTON, AB
T6H 1K9

FIRST NAME LAST NAME

COMPANY NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, PROVINCE
POSTAL CODE

Organic Grain Marketing

Feed Grains
Food Grade
Oilseeds
Pulses
Screenings

Contact:
Jake, Kelly, Tom or Glen@ 306-931-4576
sales@sunrisefoods.ca
Sunrise Foods International Inc. - Saskatoon, SK
Licensed and Bonded by the Canadian Grain Commission