Agricultural plastics producers, service boards, commodity groups, producers, municipalities and waste management and recycling organizations can complete an online survey, with its deadline extended to Oct. 3, to share input on using a regulatory approach for managing agricultural plastics waste.

Agricultural plastics, such as baler twine, grain bags, bale wrap and silage plastic, can cause waste challenges for producers and businesses while leaving lasting environmental impacts.

Currently, recycling options for agricultural plastics are limited to certain materials and rely on voluntary approaches or pilot programs.

It’s hoped shifting to a regulatory approach will provide long-term certainty for material management, a level playing field for agricultural plastics producers and economies of scale to better support processing facilities. It would also encourage agricultural plastic producers to develop innovative waste management solutions.

In Alberta, there are currently two regulatory approaches for the end-of-life management of waste materials that can be recycled. The approaches are referred to as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and stewardship. Either of these approaches could be considered to manage agricultural plastics waste, or another regulatory approach could be developed.

Under EPR, material producers are responsible for operating and funding a system to collect, process and recycle the materials they supply into Alberta. The Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation, which came into force in November 2022, provides the framework for EPR systems.

Single-use products, packaging and paper, as well as hazardous and special products, are included in the regulation.

Alberta also regulates end-of-life management of waste materials through regulated stewardship programs.

There are four regulated stewardship programs managed by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority for electronics, paint and paint containers, tires and used oil materials, and one managed by the Beverage Container Management Board for beverage containers.

Under a stewardship program, material producers are responsible for funding, but not managing, a system to collect, process and recycle the materials they supply.

The survey will provide input into:

• Types of agricultural plastics to include.

• Clarifying the description of the obligated plastic producer.

• Material recovery rate targets, service standards for material collection and cost implications.

Input will be considered as part of policy and decision-making on managing agricultural plastics waste through a regulatory approach to provide a long-term solution for agricultural plastics waste.

The survey can be found online. More information can also be requested by e-mail.

The post Alberta looks for ag plastic management input appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Andria Carlyon, manager of GRO and Stacy Murray, extension coordinator for GRO, came up with the idea, and held their first GRO-ing Women in Agriculture event in April 2025.

“Andria and I were talking one day, and we said, we should start something just for women,” said Murray.

“There are an incredible number of women involved in agriculture. More women don’t come from a farm background, so they come into agriculture not knowing what they don’t know, and then they’re somewhat reluctant, maybe, to ask questions in a mixed crowd,” said Murray. “They’re way more relaxed and open if they’re in a group of just women, or at least, that’s our experience,” she said.

Carlyon said women are becoming more prevalent in agriculture, as it has been very male dominated.

“Sometimes with society pressures and the history of it all, (women) are not as comfortable saying ‘I am a farmer,’ or ‘I work in agriculture’ and they’re pressured or a bit quieter in mixed groups,” she said.

“This way, it provides a bit of comfort and connection with other people in the ag industry,” said Carlyon.

Women attendees can discover other attendees with common interests or knowledge.

Each session has a different theme.

The first event was focused on light duty mechanics, and a female mechanic taught the participants about cars.

GRO put a vehicle on their lift and the female mechanic explained how to read the side of the tire, so if the decal is worn off the door, people know how to put air in it. She explained how to torque the tires, as many of the women live on farms with a shop with a torque wrench.

“She went through some basic stuff, like how to change a windshield wiper blade. Lots of women are very capable and know that,” said Murray.

But there are some women who don’t know, and who feel more comfortable asking questions if it’s a group of women.

Every event features a supper, and children are allowed to attend, so women don’t have to worry about childcare.

“That’s because part of networking and socializing and being comfortable, we tend to do that over a meal,” said Murray.

The women are also asked to contribute some of their knowledge at each event. The first event’s tip asked the women their shortcuts on a busy evening, when they have little time to eat, but must prepare a meal for a family, while the second asked attendees to bring their favourite crockpot recipe.

The second event was held August 19, and the theme was testing. Three women experts showed ways to test soil, feed and seed. About 19 women attended the event, and only three of them had attended the first event.

Katelyn Miller, sales consultant with AgroTek360, demonstrated and discussed soil tests.

Miller stressed using the same lab for soil tests. “I don’t care what that lab is, whatever you pick. If you send that soil sample to five different labs, you’re likely to find five separate results,” she said.

Different data points will be generated if multiple labs are used, she said.

Miller said when she is soil testing with a probe, she walks the field in a “W” pattern.

“I try to get an even representation of the field,” she said. Miller pulls anywhere up to 50 samples in the field to try.

Many farmers know the trouble spots in their fields, and Miller recommends taking a handful of samples from the trouble spot.

She demonstrated how to collect soil using GRO’s truck, which contained a hydraulic probe.

“Soil testing is so variable,” she said.

If you’ve got all these samples as a producer, combining them all together is not giving you a true tale of what’s in the field, said Miller.

Murray demonstrated how to use a penetrometer, which measures soil compaction.

“We generally measure how deep we can go before we hit 300,” she said. “Nine to 12 inches is the average of what we’ve found here.”

Women were invited to try out the probe and the penetrometer and examine cores and samples.

Sarah Elliott, a dairy nutritionist and consultant with Cargill, demonstrated how to probe a bale using a drill.

Sarah Foster, the third speaker of the event, is the founder, president and senior seed analyst of 20/20 Seed Labs. Her company includes crop inspectors, geneticists, disease diagnosticians and agronomists, among others. Offices are in Winnipeg and Nisku.

When a grower or seed distributor brings a sample to 20/20 Seed Labs, the team verifies the crop guide, variety, crop certificate, lot number and all required tests such as germination.

Foster said being a seed analyst appeals to a lot of women.

“We can do detailed stuff. We’re very nimble. That is a big part of the job. There isn’t anything in the tech world yet that has been able to replace us, and they’re working on it,” she said.

Her team includes 35 people, including 26 women and nine men. 20/20 also has a lab in Chile, and some team members go to Chile in January to spend three months working with a Chilean agronomist.

The third event is tentatively planned for October and will be about bookkeeping, taxes and accounting. The event will be a workshop, and women are encouraged to bring their own books. The fourth session will take place in January 2026 and will have a focus on calving and lambing.

The post Alberta women GRO-ing the farm appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture on Friday announced its Hay West 2021 initiative is “now operational and seeking applicants to both receive and supply hay.”

Applicants interested in either supplying or receiving hay via Hay West should visit the program website and provide details, the CFA said.

The Ottawa-based general farm organization said it has received enough contributions — including funding to cover freight costs — from “different parties” to begin moving substantial amounts of hay.

According to CFA representatives, those include financial donations from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Prince Edward Island government and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The CFA’s program had been on the drawing board since last month but awaited confirmation of sufficient funding to cover freight costs.

Expected demand means the Hay West program “cannot and does not guarantee the provision of hay,” the CFA said on the program’s website, but “best efforts will be made” to make hay available to applicants.

The 2021 program will operate on a break-even basis, buying hay from suppliers in the East for resale, at cost, to applicants in the West. The price will be 10 cents per pound for all hay supplied, the CFA said.

Round and square bales of “varying dimensions” will be supplied as available, and net weights of loads will be provided, the organization said.

Hay West follows a similar westbound drought relief effort launched in 2002, which in turn was reciprocated with a “Hay East” program to supply feed to drought-damaged regions of Eastern Canada in 2012.

“Farmers are donating thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars worth of hay to support those struggling from the drought,” CFA president Mary Robinson said in a release Friday.

“It’s incredibly heartening to see the response that we have from those farmers that have been more fortunate this year.”

The CFA’s Hay West program is not to be confused with a similar program recently launched by Mennonite Disaster Service, to move hay from Ontario to eligible producers in Saskatchewan. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post CFA’s Hay West program up and running appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Drought and grasshoppers have hindered crops to the point that hay production is about 25 to 30 per cent of average.

“We’ve moved cows out of pastures because the grasshoppers ate everything faster than the cows,” said Mike Duguid, who has farmed ar Arnes, Man., for about 60 years.

Duguid said he finished last year with “not one bale left in the yard” due to consecutive years of lower-than-average hay yields.

“Lots of guys are in the exact same position, with no reserves,” he said. “Not 100 bales or anything in your yard to start with.”

Cattle producers in the Interlake have reduced their herds to match feed supply as cattle were turned out onto pastures that weren’t producing as much hay as expected.

“Hay prices are too high to maintain a herd,” said Duguid. “You’ll go broke just trying to feed them.”

Currently, a 1,000-lb. round bale of hay costs about $100 — up considerably from the typical $30 per round bale.

“I doubt prices will drop until we see an oversupply again,” he said.

With the state of emergency, producers in the Interlake are hoping for freight assistance to ship in hay from elsewhere in the province.

Grain farmers in the area have aided livestock producers by baling straw to use to supplement hay stocks.

“That’ll stretch hay supplies way further,” said Duguid. “We’re happy they have come through for us.”

— Marlo Glass writes for MarketsFarm, a Glacier FarmMedia division specializing in grain and commodity market analysis and reporting.

The post Hay shortage in Manitoba Interlake reaches tipping point appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“Over the course of a winter, bales weather and lose both weight and quality,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “This poses the key question of what kind of value losses occur when storing the bales outside unprotected from the elements.”

A study on overwinter outdoor bale storage done in the Westlock area found a 5.7 per cent reduction in bale weight over the first winter. That means a 1,400-pound bale would lose about 80 pounds.

But other studies have found weight loss can be as high as 15 per cent (or 210 pounds for a 1,400-pound bale).

“Increased losses are expected if snow is trapped between the bales and during the spring melt if the water does not run off, resulting in increased water damage,” said Yaremcio.

Losses from damaged hay also affect how much is wasted later on.

“Cows will reject or waste up to eight per cent more feed from bales stored unprotected outdoors, as compared to bales placed under a tarp or stored under a shed,” he said.

Bales stored outdoors tend to squat or flatten out during storage.

“The total surface area of the bale in contact with the ground and exposed to rain increases, adding to the weather damage over time. Digestibility of the weathered hay can drop 10 per cent compared to hay protected from the elements.”

This loss in consumption and digestibility is further compounded by leaching losses of protein and soluble sugars, or energy.

“Nutrient losses are greater from the leaf portion of the plant compared to the stems. Weathered hay can test two to three per cent lower in protein. Hay that tested 14 per cent after baling can be 10 to 11 per cent the following spring. Energy can be 20 to 50 per cent lower. TDN value of 63 per cent after baling can be as low as 45 to 55 per cent. If the winter is variable with many freeze and thaw cycles, damage will be greater than in winters that are constantly cold.”

Bales made with net wrap withstand weather damage better than those made with twine.

“Net-wrapped bales can have 10 per cent damage whereas bales made with twine can have 18 per cent damage,” said Yaremcio. “Hard core bales with high density — heavier bales — are packed tighter and shed water better than bales with lower density, or lighter bales. So, soft core bales sustain more damage than the heavier ones.”

Weather damage to the outer layers of the bale significantly impact overall bale quality.

“A five-foot-diameter bale with four inches of deterioration affects 23 per cent of the total bale weight. Overall quality is reduced significantly even if it appears that a small layer of the bale is damaged.”

All of this adds costs.

“If a 1,400-pound bale is valued at nine cents a pound — $180 per ton or $146 per bale, weight loss of 5.7 per cent, a reduction in acceptance (increased waste) by eight per cent, and a 10 per cent loss in digestibility increases the cost of providing the same amount of nutrients to the cow to be equivalent to $161 per bale.”

A 1,400-pound cow fed 40 pounds of hay for 125 days, will require 3.6 bales of non-damaged or protected hay for the wintering period at a cost of $525.60.

“It works out to $300 per cow more this year than the feed costs experienced last winter,” noted Yaremcio.

But that extra cost could jump by another $150 if the hay was stored outdoors and not protected, he said.

The post Hay losses will be especially costly this year appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“Storage losses from improperly stacked bales can be anywhere from 15 to 20 per cent of the dry matter yield while protein and energy losses can be anywhere from five to 10 per cent,” said beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “You spend a lot of time putting up a good-quality hay, so why risk losing 10 to 15 per cent of your productivity by just not stacking the bales properly?”

Before bringing bales into the yard, mow the grass to reduce both moisture on the ground and soil-to-bale contact. The storage site should be on higher ground to prevent run-off from accumulating at the base.

Yaremcio recommends leaving two to three feet between rows of bales and stacking them from northwest to southeast (or wherever prevailing winds come from).

“This way, when the snow comes, the wind will be able to blow away the moisture so it’s not between the bales come spring.”

When stacking bales in the field, the poorest method is the pyramid style (three bales on the bottom, two in middle, and one on top).

“If it rains after the stacks are made, or if snow melts during the winter, all that moisture will works its way through the stack from the top down, and cause spoilage wherever the bales contact each other,” said Yaremcio.

The mushroom stack (with the bottom bale flat and the second one on top) is better but still will end up with a lot of damage.

“The best method, however, if you have the space, is to put single bales in rows with the individual bales in the rows separated by about six to 10 inches so they don’t touch.”

If using a tarp, leave the ends open so air can blow between the tarp and bales.

“That way, the wind can carry any moisture that has evaporated out of the bales and condensed on the inside of the tarp away before it drops back onto the bales and causes damage.”

This article was originally published on Canadian Cattlemen.

The post Don’t stack the deck against yourself appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Adequate moisture conditions in most of the province have resulted in larger-than-normal yields resulting in bigger stacks and rows of hay bales. If the winter is normal and cow numbers remain static, there could be a large surplus of hay carried over into the summer of 2017 and fed in the winter of 2017-18.

“When hay is carried over the course of a winter, bales weather and lose both weight and quality,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “This poses the key question of what kind of value losses occur when storing the bales outside unprotected from the elements?”

Research on over-winter outdoor bale storage done in the Westlock area found a 5.7 per cent reduction in bale weight over the first winter. A 1,400-pound bale in July would weigh 1,320 pounds the following spring. (The bales were stored in an area that was higher in elevation compared to the surrounding area and the grass was mowed prior to bringing the bales onto the site.)

Other research reports indicated that weight loss can be as high as 15 per cent (210 pounds for a 1,400-pound bale). If snow is trapped between the bales and if the water does not run off during spring melt, there can also be significant water damage.

“Weathering also affects the acceptability of hay to livestock,” says Yaremcio. “Cows will reject or waste up to eight per cent more feed from bales stored unprotected outdoors as compared to bales placed under a tarp or stored under a shed.”

Bales stored outdoors tend to squat or flatten out during storage. The total surface area of the bale in contact with the ground and exposed to rain increases, adding to the weather damage over time. Digestibility of the weathered hay can drop 10 per cent compared to hay protected from the elements.

This loss in consumption and digestibility is further compounded by leaching losses of protein and soluble sugars (energy).

“Nutrient losses are greater from the leaf portion of the plant compared to the stems,” said Yaremcio. “Weathered hay can test two to three per cent lower in protein (hay that tested 14 per cent after baling can be 10 to 11 per cent the following spring), and energy 20 to 50 per cent lower (TDN value of 63 per cent after baling can be as low as 45 to 55 per cent).

“If the winter is variable with many freeze/thaw cycles, damage will be greater than in winters that are constantly cold.”

Protecting hay

Bales made with net wrap withstand weather better than those made with twine. Net-wrapped bales can have 10 per cent damage whereas bales made with twine can have 18 per cent damage. Hard core bales with high density (heavier bales) are packed tighter and shed water better than bales with lower density (lighter bales). Soft core bales sustain more damage than hard core bales.

Weather damage to the outer layers of the bale significantly impacts overall bale quality. A five-foot-diameter bale with four inches of deterioration affects 23 per cent of the total bale weight. Overall quality is reduced significantly even if it appears that a small layer of the bale is damaged.

“Spending time to prepare a bale storage site, covering the bales with a tarp or plastic, or placing bales under a shed will provide an economic advantage especially if a portion of this year’s crop will be carried over into next winter’s feeding period,” said Yaremcio. “If a 1,400-pound bale is valued at five cents a pound or $70 per ton, weight loss of 5.7 per cent, a reduction in acceptance (increased waste) by eight per cent, and a 10 per cent loss in digestibility increases the ‘cost’ of providing the same amount of nutrients to the cow at $89.65 per bale.”

If a 1,400-pound cow is fed 40 pounds of hay for 125 days it requires 5,000 pounds (3.6 bales) of “non-damaged/protected” hay for the wintering period. The cost of the undamaged hay at $70 per bale is $252 per head for the 125 days.

“Using the values mentioned above, unprotected hay with the associated weight loss, reduction in quality and increased waste, the cost of providing the equivalent amount of nutrients from the hay and accounting for the losses increases the cost to $322.74 per head,” said Yaremcio.

“The difference in feeding cost is $70 per cow when associated quality and yield losses are considered when storing hay outdoors unprotected from the weather. Harlan Hughes from North Dakota State University calculated that a $1 reduction in winter feeding costs would improve overall profitability of the operation by $2.48.”

The post Ample hay supplies increase the benefits of storing bales properly appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“We’ve got a mixed bag this year,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “Some people cut their hay early, got caught with the rains and had it discolour before it even got into the bales. Others are cutting now and may be looking at plants that are more mature than optimum. In both cases, quality may be down a bit.”

No matter what the case, feed test to know what you’re starting with, and work from there, he said.

“If the hay was baled tough, and you notice the bales are slumping, have a slight tobacco smell, or a moisture probe reads over 40 C, some of the protein will be tied up with the fibre and unavailable to the animal. In that case, a secondary analysis of acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) needs to be done as well.”

Bales should be left in the field for seven to 10 days to cool off and for moisture to equalize throughout the bale before being put in the shed or feed yard.

“When the hay does get stacked in the shed, you’ll still need some air movement through the shed to keep the bales cool.”

When it comes to stacking bales in the field, there are a number of different methods for stacking.

One method is the pyramid style, with three bales on the bottom, two in the middle and one on the top.

“That’s actually the poorest way to do it,” said Yaremcio. “If it rains after the stacks are made, or if snow melts during the winter, all that moisture will work its way through the stack from the top down, and cause spoilage wherever the bales contact each other.”

The mushroom stack, with bottom bale flat and the second one on top, is better than the pyramid but still will end up with a lot of damage.

“The best method, however, if you have the space, is to put single bales in rows with the individual bales in the rows separated by about six inches so they don’t touch.”

If bales are weathered over winter, they can potentially lose from 100 to 200 pounds due to deterioration, protein content may drop one to two per cent, and digestibility, if used in the second year, can be down 10 to 15 per cent.

“For outside storage, hard-core bales are better than soft bales, and the tighter you can get them the better, and net wrap is preferable to twine.”

A hay shed is still the best solution.

“Considering the losses you can get with having bales stored outside, it can take about four years of retained nutrients and dry matter to pay for the shed.”

The post Don’t spoil your hay — store it properly appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“To increase the safety of baling procedures while ensuring the job gets done, look for hazards related to baler operation, handling, transporting, and stacking,” said farm safety coordinator Kenda Lubeck.

Here’s a list of potential hazards.

Handling:

• Ensure no children play near hay balers, carriers, and stackers.
• Properly train operators handling tractors, front-end loaders, or forklifts.
• Tractors with cabs, FOPS (falling object protective structure) or four-poster ROPS (roll-over protective structure) are highly recommended. Two-poster tractor ROPS offer no operator protection from bales falling back off of forks or bale-loading frames.
• Ensure bale-loading attachments on tractors and forklifts are secure and well fitted.
• Carry bales as low to the ground as possible.
• Ensure sufficient counterbalance on a tractor or forklift vehicle.
• Hydraulic control valve should be specific to the front-end loader attachment.

Baler operation:

• Ensure baler is properly connected to the tractor.
• Make certain adequate safety guards are fitted.
• No one should ever be allowed to ride on the baler.
• Watch for and clear any build-up of loose, combustible material in the baler.
• Ensure an updated fire extinguisher is fitted to the machine.
• Stop engine, disengage PTO, and apply flywheel brake (on square balers) prior to making adjustments or repairs.
• Take extra care when reversing or turning the machine.
• Work during the day when there is adequate lighting.

Stacking:

• Land stack on even ground.
• Stacks should be clear of overhead powerlines.
• Stacked round bales should be adequately chocked and the borders posted.
• Watch for damaged bales at base of stack.
• Stack bales tightly and at a stable height.
• Do not stack bales higher than safe operating height of farm tractor or forklift.
• Never allow children to play on stacked bales.
• Do not handle more bales than is safe for the loader.

Transporting:

• Carry heavy loads of bales with a sturdy trailer.
• Ensure proper restraining frames on the back and front of trailer.
• Use fitted hooks so ropes can be used to secure load.
• Watch for overhead powerlines on or near roads.
• Avoid rough terrain that can cause bales to become unstable.
• Travel at safe speeds at all times.
• People should never ride on loaded hay trailers. This is highly dangerous.

“After making this list, check each hazard that has been spotted to assess how likely this hazard is to injure someone, and how severe that injury would be,” said Lubeck. “After this hazard assessment, take the list of hay baling and stacking hazards and number them in order of priority, so that those most likely to cause injury or harm can be addressed first.”

The post For safety’s sake, read this list and check it twice appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

There is always a risk when buying hay from unknown sources, including poor nutritional quality; a different species mixture than you expected; excessive dust or mould; or a high proportion of weeds.

Here are some questions to ask when purchasing hay, especially from an unknown source:

• How long has the hay been stored, and was it stored under cover or outside? More storage losses will occur with hay stored
• Where was it cut? Ditch hay tends to contain more weeds and garbage.
• Did it get rained on? If so, how much? If the hay was not dried properly before baling it will likely be overly mouldy.
• Was the hayfield fertilized and/or sprayed for weeds? If so, this likely indicates good management, and herbicides sprayed on hayfields are safe for cattle as long as label restrictions regarding harvest times are followed.
• Are there weeds in the hay? How many and what type?
• How mature is the hay? This affects nutritional quality.
• What species are present in the hay? Legume or legume/grass mixtures will have different nutritional quality than pure grass hay.
• What is the average weight of the bales? This is important when buying hay by the bale.

If you end up with hay you suspect may have inadequate nutrition, make sure to get it tested. (For more information on feed testing, go to beefresearch.ca.)

If hay is excessively weedy try to feed it in a confined segregated area, and avoid spreading the manure from cows fed that hay on other areas to limit the spread of weed seeds.

The post What to ask when purchasing hay appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.