A BRIEF TO THE RATEPAYERS

	M.D. of NORTHERN LIGHTS AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARD PROGRAM	Background Information Fusarium Assistance Program Regular Programs ASB Rental Equipmentt ASB Questionnaire VSI Story Wild Boar Policy
Reminder to farmers: protect your hay and feed from deer and elk. It's the time of year for animals to start preparing for winter. Agricultural producers are reminded to take steps to prevent damage to stored hay and feed. Producers can reduce or eliminate ungulate damage over the winter with these preventative measures. Move bales from the field to a feed yard or protected storage area. Use straw bales as a protective barrier for feed stores. Fencing can be more effective if bales are stacked two tiers high. Use fencing or place posts before freeze up to prepare permanent stack-yard sites. Store grain only in protective storage bins. Monitor stored feed and promptly chase ungulates from feed stores. Allow access for hunting. The Alberta government assists producers in protecting stacked and stored feed through the Ungulate Damage Prevention Program. Supplies of temporary and permanent fence are available. For more information, please contact your nearest Fish and Wildlife Office.
ATTENTION M.D. #22 LANDOWNERS ROADSIDE WEED AND BRUSH SPRAYING PROGRAM The Agricultural Service Board for M.D. #22 will be operating a roadside spraying programs this season. The program objective is to control roadside weeds and brush. IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE ROADSIDES OR CORNERS ADJACENT TO YOUR LAND SPRAYED, because of dugouts, shelterbelts, gardens or because you are an organic grower, PLEASE CONTACT THE M.D. OFFICE IN MANNING AT 836-3348 prior to June 1^st 2009. A “VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT” form MUST BE SIGNED and DO NOT SPRAY signs must be posted. If you signed an agreement in 2000- 2008 you do not have to fill one out for 2009. Background Information top The Agricultural Service Board Act, Statutes of Alberta, "provides for extension of agricultural services in association with municipal authorities". The MD of Northern Lights Agricultural Service Board [ASB] came into being Dec 1, 1950. Currently it's composed of five persons with three-year appointments, who meet about eight times a year in the Chambers of the Municipal Building at Manning. The MD's ASB is made up of two farming ratepayers and three MD Councillors. Alberta Agriculture assists rural municipalities who have organized an ASB and hired a full time Ag. Fieldman up to a maximum of 60% of annual program costs. The ASB (1) acts as an advisory body to assist the MD Council and the Minister of Agriculture in matters of mutual concern; (2) assists with direct weed and pest control and soil and water conservation programs; (3) assists in the control of livestock disease under the Livestock Diseases Act; (4) promotes, enhances and protects viable and sustainable agriculture with a view to the improving economic viability of the agricultural producer; and (5) promotes and develops agricultural policies to meet the needs of the municipality. Fusarium Graminearum, Germination, Vigor, and Blackleg of canola Testing Assistance Program top Residents wishing to test cereal or grass seeds for fusarium graminearum, germination, blackleg of canola or vigor may do so by dropping them off at the Manning Co-op Seed Cleaning Plant or the Agricultural Service Board office in the Manning Municipal building. The Agricultural Service Board will cover the courier shipping costs. The producer will be billed through the laboratory for one half (1/2) of the costs. The Municipality will set up an account with BioVision Seeds Lab and will pay the other (1/2) half of the cost of testing under the following conditions: The Municipality, through the Agricultural Fieldman receives a copy of the results, and If the producer wants to test the grain sample for more than the fusarium graminearum, germination, and/or vigor or blackleg of canola, the additional costs will be billed from the testing lab to the producer. 3. The Municipality will pay ½ the cost for testing up to the following limits: A. Grain/grasses being cleaned for seed: B. Grain not necessarily being cleaned for seed (upgrades or used for feed), but producer is concerned about the lot being Fusarium Graminearum free: 4. The Municipality will pay ½ the cost for testing up to the following limits: A. Canola /peas/flax has not been found as a carrier of fusarium graminearum, but samples can be sent out for germination and/or vigor tests as part of this program. Canola can also be tested for blackleg of canola 5. In total, the Municipality will pay for a limit of 10 samples per Farm Unit per calendar year. (A Farm Unit may be a single operator, several family members cooperatively working as one unit or a company) This program has been initiated in order to financially assist local producers with testing their grains, oilseeds and grasses for fusarium graminearum/blackleg of canola and seed viability. Early results from the seed testing labs. indicate that there tends to be good germination and good vigor in seeds being tested from the 2008 crop year. Please have all seed grains tested for germination and/or vigor prior to seeding. Also understand that seed testing takes time, so send out your samples two to three weeks before you need the results, example for seeding or seed cleaning. All cereal crops have to be tested for fusarium graminearum prior to being cleaned by a seed cleaning plant. Regular Programs Wild Boar Incentive Program A recently approved effort under the Wild Boar Program will consider paying bounties ($50.00/pair of ears) for wild boar, however there is specific criteria which applies to this program, please contact Terry Schamehorn at the MD office for details. View the Wild Boar Policy ASB Equipment Rental Program Gives ratepayer’s access to equipment for which a limited need exists and is too costly for individuals to purchase. The ASB equipment rental is available at the MD's Services Building - contact Terry @ 836-3348. View the 2009 Rental Rates. . . Backsloping/Brush Incentive Program Encourages adjacent landowners to improve the backslope and remove the trees to produce a smooth transition from the field onto the ditch backslope so it can be worked or mowed, maintaining control of the trees and weeds. Cost shared 50/50, must be approved by the ASB Board prior to commencement. Applications can be picked up at the MD office, ask for the Ag. Fieldman. Backsloping Approved applicant will be reimbursed 50% of the cost of the backsloping up to a maximum $1000.00/mile or $500.00 per ½ mile. View the Application Form . . . Brushing Compensation for brush removal will not exceed $1000.00/mile or $500.00 per ½ mile. There are specific criteria, which applies to the reimbursement amount. This is cost shared 50/50 between the applicant and the Agriculture Service Board. Drainage Ditches There are approximately 106 miles or 170 kms of drainage ditches in the municipality. The drainage channels have to be constructed to drain the land so that the land could be cultivated. Most of the drainage channels are in the east Manning and Keg River areas due to the topography of the land being so level. The drainage channels must be maintained due to vegetation growth and siltration. The maintenance is cost shared with Alberta Environment (65%) and the municipality (35%). The Municipality can request a drainage system be rehabilitated if the ditch was constructed prior to 1978. The cost is totally covered by Alberta Environment – Approvals and allocations Northern Region if they agree to do the ditch. Beaver Control Incentive Program A recently approved effort under the Beaver Control Program will consider paying bounties ($10.00/tail) for beaver tails, however there is specific criteria which applies to this program, so please contact the MD office for details or application forms. The limit has been set at 35 tails per applicant. Weed/Brush Control Program Roadside Spraying: The ASB will be operating a roadside spray program this season. The program objective is to control roadside weeds and brush. It is up to those who do not want the roadsides or corners adjacent to their land sprayed, because of dugouts, shelterbelts, gardens or because you are an organic grower, to contact the MD office at 836-3348 prior to June 1^st. Those who do not want any spraying on the roadsides must sign a Roadside Vegetation Management Agreement and post No-Spray signs. Field Inspections Field inspections are carried out to identify those fields with above normal infestations of noxious weeds. The objective is to have the owner/renter carry out control measures to prevent the weeds from spreading onto neighboring property. Please contact the Manning office for applications or details. VSI Story top A program that offers subsidized veterinary fees for producers of livestock for food. Producers must register with and apply to the MD for a VSI card that would entitle them to these services. View the VSI Card Application. . . Costs currently shared 50/50 between VSI and the producers are as shown in the Tariff of Fees as of January 1, 2007. To date, this program does not cover horses, bison, elk or wild pigs.