The Association of Alberta Agricultural Fieldmen: Central Region Directory

• Weed control to control provincially designated noxious and restricted weeds and Wild Caraway a municipal classified noxious weed.
• Our annual "Living in the Natural Environment" conference, featuring speakers on environmental issues and a full course evening meal.
• Annual range and range plant identification workshops.
• "Up the Creek With a Paddle" quarterly newsletter as well as contributions to the MD newsletters.
• Woodlot management workshops, partnering with the Woodlot Association of Alberta, Sustainable Resource Development, PFRA and Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
• Active membership in the Little Red Deer River Watershed Initiative, Red-Bow Regional Watershed Alliance and partnering with Alberta Environmental Sustainable Agriculture to preserve our natural environment and farm lands.

• Scentless Chamomile Weed Control Program -- the municipality actively eradicates all infestations of Scentless Chamomile.
• Comparative Varietal Testing -- the ASB is involved in field scale plot trials to assist producers in their crop production decisions.
• Roadside weed control by-law making the producer responsible for weed control to the centre of the road has been very effective in reducing the cost of roadside weed control.
• Cooperative programming with the local AAFRD Office and producer groups such as Local Agribusiness and the Pulse Commission.
• Extension: Crop consultant service to assist with all aspects of crop production, variety selection, inputs, weed, disease, insects, harvesting and markets.
• Actively involved in precision farming
• G.I.S. and G.P.S. technology applied to agricultural activities such as weed mapping and record keeping.

• Agricultural education for schools
• Weed Free Hay inspection and certification
• Community based pasture weed control equipment and custom pasture spraying services
• Eradicable Weeds Category for species that the ASB will take responsibility
• Commodity sales of herbicides not readily available locally
• Cooperative weed control efforts on private and public lands
• Self-help workshops teaching farmers how to control their own wildlife damage caused by beavers and control of their own weed infestations
• Coordination of municipal roadside vegetation management including grass seeding, grass mowing, weed control, brush clearing and control
• Cooperative projects with Grey Wooded Forage Association, Rocky Mountain House Agricultural Society and Rocky Riparian Group
• Cattle data management and age verification services
• Integrated environmental extension into all programming

• Joint program with Counties of Camrose and Beaver for the control of Scentless Chamomile along northern borders.
• Biological control of Leafy Spurge in sensitive areas along the Battle River.
• Field shelterbelt program has been responsible for over 55 miles of field shelterbelts being planted since 1991.
• Soil conservation program has been successful in reducing tillage across the County.
• Blackleg of Canola program has increased awareness of control and generally decreased the incidence of blackleg.
• Intensive roadside weed and brush control program.
• Offer custom spraying to ratepayers for control of persistent perennial weeds.

Agricultural Service Board
Box 400, Three Hills, Alberta, T0M 2A0
Phone: 403-443-5541
Toll Free: 1-866-443-5541
Fax: 403-443-5115

Bruce Sommerville, Agricultural Fieldman
E-mail: asb@kneehillcounty.com

Successful programs:

• Intensive Roadside Weed Control Program
• Reverse Fence Line Spraying Program
• Effective Weed Enforcement Program through Education and Awareness
• Urban weed inspections for towns and villages
• PFRA Shelterbelt Tree Program
• Rental Equipment: Insecticide and herbicide skid sprayers, Hay Land Leveler, 1590 John Deer No Till Drill and Brillion grass seeder, Tree Planters, Portable Cattle Scale, Portable Livestock Loading Shute and grasshopper bait spreaders
• Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture program
• Partnership in the Red-Bow Regional Watershed Alliance
• Member of the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance
• Formation of Kneehill Watershed Advisory Council (KWAC) watershed group
• Environmental Farm Plan program
• 3rd Party Livestock Age Verification

Lacombe County runs a very successful Roadside vegetation management program. Utilizing two roadside application units equipped with GPS in combination with mowing, they have adopted an integrated vegetation management philosophy that is progressive and effective. All spraying operations are logged on the go allowing for an increased confidence in the roadside spraying program and better decision making in future programming. In addition we also run the following programs:

• Weed control on both private and public lands
• Beaver control on public lands
• Brush control on public lands
• Predator control for livestock
• Soil conservation progam, including shelterbelt planning and planting assistance.
• Work closely with two soil conservation clubs to assist members with projects, tours and field days
• River Rat program utilizes summer students to hand pick Scentless Chamomile on rivers in the County
• Beginning a major awareness effort to deal with Canada Thistle and Yellow Toadflax problems
• Provide assistance in the form of information and some resources to deal with pests

• Specially designated program for control of Toadflax and Tall Buttercup. Scentless Chamomile designated as restricted and Wild Caraway designated as noxious by County By-Laws.
• County wide weed control program on County land as well as an education program on private land.
• Every County road is grass mowed annually.
• Brush control program using herbicide and two (2) Boom brush mowers.

• Control of noxious weeds such as Scentless Chamomile, Toadflax, etc.
• Strong Soil and Water Conservation Program.
• Effective roadside weed and brush control program.

• Pocket Gopher control research program initiated by the Counties of Ponoka, Lacombe and Red Deer with support from CAESA, Pest Management Alternative Office of Agriculture Canada, and 19 other A.S.B.'s and Producer Groups.
• Early detection and control of newly-introduced noxious weeds, such as Tansy, Ox-Eye Daisy, Field Scabious and Orange Hawkweed.
• Rental of livestock equipment.
• Providing advice and rental sprayers for Weed Control.

• Population 18,700
• 1.5 million acre municipality
• Tax base 31% residential, 31% commercial/industrial, 30% power/pipeline, 8% farm
• 60% of land is under cultivation
• 240,000 cattle
• County is 4,042 kilometres^2, 1,575 miles²
• 2,665 kilometres of roads

• Pest and disease monitoring research.
• Roadside weed and brush control, herbicide application and roadside seeding programs.
• Co-operative weed control programs and extension publications with adjacent municipalities.
• Resource conservation demonstration and extension programs.
• Comprehensive Scentless Chamomile control program on public and private lands, towns, villages and watercourses.
• Plant, insect, and disease identification service to ratepayers.
• Water management and erosion control programs.
• Education and Awareness including CATS - Community Ag Talk Seminars and our Enterprising Ag Tour.
• Biogas feasibility study
• Agricultural Viability Strategy: Agricultural Profile, County Neighbourhood Report and Viability Strategy.
• Oil and gas information sessions and resource distribution.

Agricultural Service Board
911 - 32nd Avenue N.E., Calgary, Alberta, T2E 6X6
Phone: 403-230-1401
Direct: 403-520-1271
Fax: 403-276-2134

Tim Dietzler, Agricultural Fieldman
E-mail: tdietzler@rockyview.ca



Kim Butler, Supervisor of Agricultural Services
E-mail: kbutler@rockyview.ca



Jeff Fleischer, Agricultural Services Officer
E-mail: jfleischer@rockyview.ca



Laura Poile, Agricultural Services Officer
E-mail: lpoile@rockyview.ca



Successful programs:

• Complete In House Roadside Weed Control. Roadside Grass Seeding Programs. Effective weed enforcement policy on private land with a total of 4 weed inspectors annually.
• Strong awareness programs with annual Agricultural Service Board Tour, involvement in community fairs, weekly newspaper features, etc.
• Involvement with neighbouring municipalities and organizations in the Bow River Project (weed control and riparian management of Bow Corridor and Bow River Valley and its feeding tributaries)
• Utilizes Bow River Project staff as watershed co-ordinators for the Municipality.
• Extensive Joint Municipal involvement in Nose Creek, Elbow River, Rosebud River, Serviceberry Creek Watersheds.
• Extensive shelter belt distribution program with planter rentals.

Agricultural Service Board
Box 249, Morrin, Alberta, T0J 2B0
Phone: 403-772-3793
Fax: 403-772-3807
Cell: 403-820-0550

Alan Hampton, Agricultural Fieldman
E-mail: ahampton@starlandcounty.com



Other interests:
I am currently involved in a mixed farming operation at Rowley, Alberta. I am an avid curler in the winter, play baseball in the summer and I like to support the "Barley" industry in my spare time.

Lindsay Cherpin, Assistant Agricultural Fieldman
E-mail: lindsay@starlandcounty.com

Successful programs:

• Noxious weeds program which is aimed at controlling Scentless Chamomile, Toadflax, Tansy, Leafy Spurge, and Canada Thistle along roadsides and in farmers' fields.
• Effective weed enforcement program which deals with noxious weed problems on private land.
• Effective public relations programs which are run throughout the year to educate or enlighten ratepayers about various topics such as weed control methods, marketing strategies, soil conservation issues, food safety, etc.
• Conservation shelterbelt program which has seen over 60 miles of field shelterbelts being planted and maintained in the past 3 years.
• Rental equipment program which provides such items as a dugout pumping system, shelterbelt insecticide spraying equipment, livestock weigh scale, hoof trimming chute, cattle squeeze, backpack sprayers, skunk and magpie traps, etc., which are available to ratepayers at a nominal charge.

• Roadside Spraying - Roadside spraying for control of brush growth and weed control is provided. The County sprays approximately 1500 miles of roadside annually. The roadside sprayer doubles as a hydro-seeder for grass seeding on roadsides and reclamation sites.
• Weed Control - Weed control along watercourses is provided. The County operates a program of spraying and removal of Scentless Chamomile along a 26-mile stretch of the Red Deer River.
• Shelterbelt Tree Planting Program - The County participates in the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration Conservation Tree Program. Applications are available at the County of Stettler Office.
• Pesticide Container Collections Sites - The Agricultural Service Board has established and operates five temporary container collection sites and one permanent collection site.
• Stettler Seed Cleaning Plant - The Stettler Seed Cleaning Plant is inspected annually. For further information, please call 742-2905 or 742-4441.
• Predator Control - Assistance with predator control is available upon request.
• Insect Survey - Relevant surveys are conducted annually.
• Pest Traps and Weed Control Equipment - Services and equipment available that the County provides at no cost include live traps for nuisance wildlife, Portable Pasture Renovation Equipment and Sprayers. Weed and disease identification and noxious weed control is provided at a minimal cost.
• Conservation Projects - Various conservation projects are undertaken annually. Information is available upon request.

• Tree Distribution and Planting
• Soil Conservation and Awareness Activities and On-Farm Demonstrations
• Crop protection
• Pest Control, including Beaver Flood Control (roads)
• Agricultural Bursaries
• Roadside Vegetation Management including spraying, mowing, backsloping and weeding
• Weed Inspections
• Weed Control Plots

Equipment rentals:
The following equipment is available for rent from the County of Wetaskiwin No. 10:

• Cattle Squeeze
• Cattle Hoof Trimming Chute
• Cattle Scale
• Weighwagon for Cereal and Oilseed Crops
• Postpounders
• Pocket Gopher Machine (mole)
• Weed Sprayer
• Magpie and Skunk Traps

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