This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Jenn Walker and Kevin Zaychuk

The 9th Canadian Pulse Research Workshop was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, from November 6 to 9, 2012. This biennial conference was organized by Andrew Burt (AAFC), Chris Gillard (Univeristy of Guelph), Alireza Navabi (AAFC), and Tom Smith (University of Guelph). The conference was attended by researchers from across Canada, the UK, and the United States. A wide range of topics were presented both in oral presentations and posters. It is good to see the amount of pulse research in progress and exciting to see that the APG has a hand in funding some of the very progressive projects.

The conference opened with comments from Dr. Bert Vandenberg, a look back at where pulse consumption has come from and where it is now positioned globally and what the road ahead may look like. Murad Al-Katib followed with a very positive outlook for pulses to expand in the food and ingredient markets.

In the days that followed, presentations focused on five key areas:

1. Nutritional value and human health
2. Pulses and environment
3. Genetics and genomics
4. Pulse breeding
5. Pulses in cropping systems

Some of the highlights were the pathology studies, such as Fusarium species from dry bean and pea fields in Manitoba and insensitivity to pyraclostrobin fungicide in mycosphaerella pinodes on the northern great plains. Very few herbicide studies were presented; however, some exciting results have been generated from Eric Johnson, which examined the potential for group 15 herbicides in managing herbicide resistant weeds in pulses. Mario Tenuta presented his findings on stem and bulb nematode, which was responsible for added fumigation on yellow pea shipments to India. The work that was done to show that the nematode is associated with Canada Thistle and not directly with the peas demonstrated that what appears to be very simple and practical research can have a very big impact and can provide cost savings and the reduction of inputs.

There is a significant amount of Canadian research in the areas of nutrition and genomics; however, basic agronomy research was represented in a much lower number of papers and posters. If this is an indication of current direction, it is important that APG continues to recognize agronomic research and the need to be progressive and constantly involved in farming practices that will improve prod

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Kristen Podolsky

My name is Kristen Podolsky. I’m a current graduate student at the University of Manitoba. My Master’s thesis work is with Dr. Martin Entz and a great group of young and ambitious students who are passionate about working on sustainable agriculture. Between field work, statistics, and coursework, I also had the opportunity to intern at Pulse Canada over the past year. I’d like to share my story on how I got there, what I learned, and why I feel industry collaboration can work for students, growers, and industry stakeholders.

Through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Industrial Post Graduate scholarship, I received matching industry support from the Manitoba Pulse Grower’s Association (MPGA) for my work. As part of this scholarship, students are given the opportunity to spend time at the industry partner’s organization working on issues related to their thesis. Through collaborative efforts between MPGA, Pulse Canada, and the University, we decided the best opportunity for me would be to work with the Sustainability team at Pulse Canada.

My passion for sustainable agriculture began early in my university career, so I knew learning from this team would be a great experience. The main project I started to work on involved carbon footprinting of major agricultural crops in Canada, including canola, wheat, and pulse crops. My job was to report results back to the farmers from Saskatchewan who submitted crop production information for the project.

Carbon footprinting, as part of a broad sustainable agriculture movement, has become a major priority to major industry stakeholders. The world’s largest food companies are addressing environmental responsibility and, in doing so, are interested in sourcing food products with lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The second project I was involved with began as another collaboration between three industry stakeholders: a food company interested in measuring the carbon footprint of their product (H.J. Heinz); an industry consortium aimed at providing sustainable solutions along the supply chain (Sustainable Food Lab); and, of course, Pulse Canada. The goal of this project was to provide insight on the usability of carbon footprint calculators for measuring Canadian navy bean production’s carbon footprint.

Over 80 navy bean producers from Ontario and Manitoba were surveyed on their farm practices related to navy bean production. My role was to take this information and enter it into two separate carbon footprint calculators: the Cool Farm Tool and Holos®. I then summarized the data to better understand which farm practices were contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Both calculators showed that nitrogen fertilizer use was the largest contributing factor to greenhouse gas emissions, which accurately reflects scientific research findings.

The carbon footprint of navy bean production at the farm gate ranged from 150-944 kg C02 equivalent per tonne of navy beans. To put these values into perspective, a 400 kg straw bale contains 180 kg of carbon, which if kept in the soil contributes to soil organic matter and overall soil quality. Farms with the lowest carbon footprints practiced reduced tillage, used optimum nitrogen fertilizer practices, and utilized red clover cover crops to reduce synthetic N inputs. Reduced pesticide use, shelterbelts, and alternative energy sources can also reduce a farm’s carbon footprint.

Results from the survey also highlighted differences in production practices between Ontario and Manitoba. For example, rotations with double seeded red clover cover crops were common in Ontario and reduced nitrogen fertilizer input compared to rotations without red clover. I know from my research that red clover seeded after winter wheat harvest the year before navy bean production can contribute 150 lbs of nitrogen in Southern Ontario growing conditions.

While the nitrogen contribution will be less in the Prairie Provinces due to the shorter growing season, this is still a valuable management practice. On the other hand, tillage and pesticide use were substantially less in Manitoba compared to Ontario. On average, a legume crop (soybeans or dry beans) was included once every three years in rotation.

My experience at Pulse Canada has re-enforced two major themes: first, sustainable agriculture is the new paradigm; and second, collaboration among growers, researchers, and industry is extremely important. As a result of this work, it’s interesting to think that one day, our food products could be labelled with carbon footprint indices.

Pulse Canada has shown me that the Canadian pulse crop industry has an exciting story to tell and is positioning itself well for the future. I look forward to being part of a sustainable Canadian agricultural industry.

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

A new five-year policy framework for the agriculture and agri-food sector comes into effect April 1, 2013, and with it will come changes to the government’s suite of business risk management programs, including AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance, and AgriRecovery.

Approved by federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers on September 14, Growing Forward 2 has received mixed reviews from industry stakeholders and producers, but despite any challenges with the new agreement, producers still need to understand how the changes will affect them, according to Leanne Fischbuch, Alberta Pulse Growers’ Executive Director.

“We understand that producers are concerned about some of the changes that Growing Forward 2 will bring, but as the program will be moving forward in April, producers need to be aware of how the changes will impact them directly,” said Fischbuch, who added that the consultation process over the summer included some of APG’s Commissioners.

While Growing Forward 2 will bring a number of changes, producers will see greatest change in two key areas: Business Risk Management Programs and government investment in innovation, competitiveness, and market development.

Business Risk Management Programs

The federal-provincial-territorial partnership remains committed to offering Business Risk Management Programs for producers, but when Growing Forward 2 comes into effect, producers will undoubtedly notice some changes to some programs – specifically to AgriStability and AgriInvest.

AgriStability is a risk management program that helps protect producers from large declines in farm income. Under AgriStability, a payment is triggered when a producer’s margin (allowable income minus allowable expenses) falls below the historical average margin. Previously, the payment would trigger once a producer’s margin fell below 85 per cent of the historical margin; now, the payment will not trigger until the margin falls below 70 per cent. Essentially, that means a producer will have to see a greater loss (30 per cent instead of 15 per cent) before a payment is triggered.

Another change to AgriStability will make it so a producer will receive payment based solely on that 70 per cent, regardless of how great the loss was. Previously, payments were tiered, and different levels of loss would receive different levels of support. Additionally, reference margins will be limited to the lower of historical reference margins or allowable expenses from previous years.

AgriStability’s fee will also be reduced to make the program more affordable for producers.

While this is not new for the program, producers should take note that, if you want to opt out of AgriStability, you must go to the AFSC web site at www.afsc.ca and fill out the AgriStability Opt Out Form by April 30 of the program year. Without receiving that form, AFSC administration will consider you an active participant in the program, and fees for that year will remain due.

AgriInvest allows producers to put money into a producer-government savings account and receive matching government funds. Money can be withdrawn at any time, helping offset small income losses. Previously, producers were able to deposit 1.5 per cent of Allowable Net Sales (sales of allowable commodities less purchases of allowable commodities); that number has now dropped to 1 per cent. The limit on matching government dollars has also decreased from $22,500 to $15,000.

Investment in research and market access

The new policy framework brings some positive changes to government support for research and market access. Growing Forward 2 will invest $3 billion into programming specifically related to innovation, competitiveness, and market development, which includes an increase of 50 per cent for cost-shared initiatives like the Agricultural Innovation Program and Agri-Science Clusters. This could be good news for organizations like the Alberta Pulse Growers, according to Fischbuch.

“So much of what we do relates to research and innovation to increase the sustainability and profitability of pulse growers,” she said. “A significant portion of our members’ levy dollars goes to research, and expanding this government funding may allow us to expand our research interests even further.”

Moving forward

While the new agreement seems to bring both positive and negative changes to the former policy framework, many producers remain concerned about the consultation process undertaken by the Government. Fischbuch encourages producers to look beyond the challenges of the process and focus on working with the new framework over the next five years.

“Ultimately, that’s what agriculture – and, indeed, Growing Forward – is about: moving forward to overcome challenges and seize opportunities for the betterment of the industry. As this new program unfolds, we will continue to offer our feedback to the government to ensure our members’ voices are heard.”

For more information about Growing Forward 2, please visit www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1294780620963&lang=eng

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

The Classroom Agriculture Program (CAP) is a non-profit initiative that teaches grade four students the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. CAP began in 1985, and since that time, more than 550,000 students have participated in the program. This year, there are already over 15,500 students registered to receive a presentation. CAP helps children learn about the food they eat, where it comes from, and the importance of agriculture in Alberta. CAP also highlights the vast opportunities in agriculture and the people, producers, and industries that drive this trade.

Alberta Pulse Growers is a member and supporter of CAP. As a not for profit organization, CAP is provided free of charge to grade four classes across Alberta. This is possible thanks to membership support.

As a CAP member, Alberta Pulse Growers helps the organization achieve its objectives through financial support, distributing information about the program, partnering, and cooperating with CAP where possible, and promoting a positive public representation of the program. CAP members are also a great source of program volunteers.

CAP is dedicated to preserving and promoting agriculture. CAP is a multi-commodity initiative supported by the Alberta Pulse Growers Commission, Agrium, Alberta Barley Commission, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Alberta Chicken Producers, Egg Farmers of Alberta, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, Eastern Irrigation District, Olds College, Alberta Institute of Agrologists, and the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association. New this year, Alberta Milk, CropLife Canada, and Agriculture for Life have also joined the organization. Agriculture for Life joins CAP as a substantial partner, and will provide up to $150,000 of funding annually for the next three years.

CAP recently completed two significant projects that will increase both the quality and reach of the program. CAP now has a website where both teachers and volunteers can register for the program and submit evaluations and potential members and partners can learn more about opportunities. The website address is www.classroomagriculture.com. CAP is also launching a new classroom DVD this year. The updated DVD will be used by volunteers in their classroom presentations and will also be available for viewing on our website in the next month. Along with these highlights, CAP continues its core effort, reaching out to grade four students across Alberta and sharing positive messages about agriculture.

CAP volunteers go directly into classrooms to discuss farming and agriculture with grade four students. The volunteers all have unique presentations because each volunteer focuses on their own specialty, whether it be animals, crops, or the environment. In the end, they share a common message – that agriculture plays a very important role in our daily lives and in Alberta’s economy. This network of volunteers delivers the program between February and June of each year.

Presentations are one hour long and include story-telling, hands-on props and fun activities. CAP provides training, resources, ideas, and guidance to all volunteers. Last year, over 14,000 students registered for CAP. Each classroom that registers receives a package including an activity booklet and stickers for each student, and a teacher kit with follow-up learning resources. The activity booklets are directed at the grade four curriculum and include fun facts and games on commodities in Alberta.

Presentations are delivered based on volunteer availability. Typically, it will take new volunteers about five hours to deliver their first CAP presentation; this includes training, preparation, and the one hour in the classroom. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or know of a school who may be interested in registering for the program, please call 403-710-1959 or email capcoordinator@albertabeef.org.

This initiative is supported by the Minister of Education and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. By supporting CAP, Alberta Pulse Growers is helping to ensure students continue to learn about agriculture in Alberta.

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

With both Gerry Good and Barry Grabo finishing their terms on the Alberta Pulse Growers Provincial Board, Zone 2 has elected by acclamation two new Commissioners. Read on to learn more about Douglas Sell and Allison Ammeter, who will be representing Zone 2 at the Board level as of January 2013.

Douglas Sell

Married with three adult children, Doug Sell and his wife of 28 years, Gayle, have a mixed farming operation near Beiseker that includes cow/calf, wheat, canola, barley, and, of course, pulses. Doug and his family have been growing pulses for over 12 years, and last year, pulses accounted for 500 acres on his farm.

“Peas are our staple, but I have experimented with lentils the last three years,” said Doug. “The first year was not so successful, but the last two seasons, I was very satisfied. Now if only the price would cooperate! I had a test plot of fababeans last season as well, which was an interesting learning experience.”

After becoming a Zone 2 Advisor a year ago, Doug participated this past summer in a crop walk, where he had plots of lentils and fababeans surrounded by peas. Wanting to learn and hoping to contribute to agriculture and pulses in particular led Doug to become more involved in the Commission, as he feels pulses are a very good part of a crop rotation.

“The mineralization of the pulse residue for the follow-up crop is, in my opinion, really quite invaluable,” said Doug. “The overall tilth of the soil is improved with pulse rotations.”

Doug says he has enjoyed getting to know the APG staff, Advisors, and Commissioners during his year as an Advisor and is now looking forward to working more closely with everyone in exploring new opportunities for the pulse industry. “The area of research and development interests me in that other commodity groups have made some really significant gains in yield and quality when private industry got involved, and I hope some of that private type investment can help move pulse breeding ahead more quickly.”

Welcome aboard, Doug!

Allison Ammeter

Allison Ammeter and her husband of 25 years, Michael, have raised three children on a third-generation grain farm southwest of Sylvan Lake. The Ammeters crop approximately 2,000 acres in a rotation of canola, wheat, barley, and peas, with occasional oats or hay in the mix. Last year, Allison and Michael grew 300 acres of yellow peas, continuing a long tradition of pulse production on the farm.

“We have grown peas off and on for about 20 years,” said Allison. “My father-in-law tried peas and fababeans in the mid-seventies for hog feed, with mixed results. We plan to try fababeans again in the next two to three years.

Though Allison’s family responsibilities did not allow her to have extra participation in the Commission until her children were older, as they are now, Allison kept well-informed about the industry prior to becoming an Advisor last year.

“I’ve always attended all of the farm fairs, commodity group meetings, and agricultural conventions with my husband, so I am not a stranger to agricultural research and change mechanisms,” said Allison. Over the past year, she has gained greater understanding of the Commission through her work on the Communications Committee, where she played an integral role in defining Alberta Pulse Growers’ brand and upgrading the Commission’s website.

All of her efforts on behalf of the organization are a result of the benefits she sees in growing pulses. “Pulses have allowed us to diversify our crop sales, improve our land through the nitrogen fixing, and help our crop rotations.”

And she feels that these benefits are not only limited to pulse producers.

“I’m very interested in being part of the future of pulses in Alberta,” said Allison. “I believe as consumers recognize more fully the benefits of pulses in their diet for protein, fibre, nutrition, and taste, our industry can only benefit. I hope to see not only increased production and improved varieties, but increased value-added industry within our province as well.”

Welcome, Allison!

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Right around the time that Alberta’s pulse producers were beginning their growing season, Alberta Pulse Growers’ staff began growing a few things of their own: namely, the organization’s new brand and website. And after months of work and collaboration with AdFarm, a Calgary-based ad agency hired to help with the project, Alberta Pulse Growers is almost ready to unveil its efforts.

Brand

The branding component of this project was an important first step toward determining how we, as an organization, want to be viewed by growers, consumers, and key stakeholders. AdFarm worked closely with the Alberta Pulse Growers Board, Communications Committee, and staff to refine our logo, visual identity, and brand identity.

New logo

After much deliberation and debate, Alberta Pulse Growers will have an updated logo that reflects what we do in a more contemporary way. The new logo will also be more versatile: for producer communications, the logo will include the word “Growers,” but the “Growers” will be dropped from the logo for communications to consumers. The Commission felt that including “Growers” in producer communications was vital to show the work APG does on behalf of producers, but for consumer communications, including “Growers” was not necessary, as most communications to consumers focus on pulses as a food product, not on the growers themselves. This change will make it easier for both producers and consumers to recognize the work APG does.

New visual identity

Another way we’re making it easier for producers and consumers to recognize the work we do is through our new visual identity guidelines. Previously, none of APG’s marketing materials shared a consistent look, making it difficult for people to recognize our work. Now, all of APG’s marketing materials – including the website, publications, tradeshow booths, brochures, advertisements, and presentations – will all have a similar look and feel, with consistent colours, fonts, and images, which will help us reach producers and consumers more easily with our messages.

Refined brand identity

Alberta Pulse Growers’ brand is more than a logo or matching colour schemes; our brand also encompasses our purpose, our values, and our commitments to the people we serve. The intrinsic qualities that make up who we are as an organization have now been put to paper in our refined brand identity. We haven’t changed who we are or what we do; rather, we’ve fine-tuned it so that staff, Commissioners, Advisors, partners, and growers all receive the same message about what Alberta Pulse Growers stands for and represents.

Website

Redeveloping the Alberta Pulse Growers’ website went hand-in-hand with refining our brand and updating our visual identity. The new website encompasses easier navigation, enhanced producer information, and improved consumer focus to ensure the people who come to our website are able to find what they need quickly and easily.

Easier navigation

Whether you’re a producer or a consumer, finding the information you need will be easier on APG’s updated website. The new site will be divided into two sections: one for consumers, and one for producers. This division will make it easier to provide each group with the information most relevant to them. For consumers, recipes and health information are front and centre; for producers, agronomy information for each crop type is easy to find on the new site.

The new website also makes it easy to access producer information from the consumer section, and vice versa. An enhanced search function and sensible site layout make the updated website much quicker to navigate and easier to use both for growers and consumers.

Enhanced production information

The updated website will also include a more comprehensive pulse agronomy section for producers. APG’s previous website didn’t have a lot of information about how to grow pulses, and the new website remedies that through easy-to-navigate pages that describe pulse crop production from start to finish.

Much like the hard-copy pulse manual many are familiar with, APG’s new website will cover production information for each of the pulse crops commonly grown in Alberta. This information will be useful both for new pulse growers and long-time growers.

Improved consumer focus

In order to get consumers to eat pulses – driving up demand for the pulses you grow – APG provides easy, delicious recipes on printed recipe sheets and through the website. The new website puts those recipes front and centre, right on the home page in an eye-catching way. On the previous website, finding recipes could be challenging, and sharing those recipes on social media and in advertising was difficult, as most of the recipes were featured in recipe sheets. Now, each recipe has its own page on the site, making them easier to find and share.

The health information provided to consumers has also been enhanced. The old website offered some technical sheets designed for healthcare professionals to explain how pulses help with various diseases and conditions; the updated website offers the same information but in less technical terms. And because this information is easier to find on the website, people searching for that information on the internet are more likely to be driven to APG’s site.

These enhancements to Alberta Pulse Growers’ brand and website will help the Commission reach both producers and consumers more effectively. For a first look at our new brand and website, join APG at our upcoming Annual General Meeting on January 30 at Northlands in Edmonton.

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Alberta Pulse Growers has made it easier for our members and stakeholders to find the information they need about the commission’s activities, through the newly launched Alberta Pulse Growers’ 2011-12 Annual Report. Jennifer Blair, Communications Coordinator for Alberta Pulse Growers, feels that developing an Annual Report is another positive change in the way the commission communicates with its members.

“APG’s Annual Report will continue to showcase the progress the organization has made over the past year on our steering committees and in our zones,” said Blair, “but this information will now be presented in a much more useable format.”

In past years, the commission’s financial statements were posted on APG’s website and included in the annual winter edition of Pulse Crop News, along with reports from APG’s zones and Board Steering Committees. Blair believes that a formal Annual Report is a better way to provide the information to growers. “The Annual Report will make it easier for our members and other interested parties to find important information about the state of our organization. Historically, that information was difficult to find on our website because of its placement in Pulse Crop News. Now, growers can find a complete overview of our activities and financial statements in an easy-to-find location.”

For producers and stakeholders who would still prefer hardcopy documentation of the organization’s yearly activities, print copies will also be available at the Annual General Meeting, at zone meetings, and by request to the APG office. These printed copies will offer a higher quality format of displaying the year-end information.

This shift will also allow the organization to place greater emphasis on crafting timely articles, rather than organizational data, for the winter edition of Pulse Crop News.

“Providing informative articles to our members is the real intent of Pulse Crop News – one that we’ll be better able to focus on by providing a new home for the organizational information we used to include in the magazine,” said Blair, who added that mailing the Annual Report alongside the winter edition of Pulse Crop News will ensure members have them in their hands prior to the Annual General Meeting, held this year at Northlands in Edmonton on January 30, 2013.

Publishing a formal Annual Report brings APG in line with other commodity groups, including Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Alberta Canola, who also produce first-rate yearly reviews of their activities. When combined with other new initiatives like APG’s updated website, set to launch next month, the Annual Report will offer members a better way of accessing the information they need in a format that makes sense.

According to Blair, increasing producer profitability was a primary focus of the projects APG has undertaken in the past year, and that focus will continue in the new year, with projects like an updated online pulse manual. By making improvements to the way the organization shares information, Alberta Pulse Growers will have the tools in place to respond quickly to producer needs, ensuring the competitiveness of our members now and into the future.

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Leanne Fischbuch, Executive Director

We are excited to provide an update to the membership of the activities that we’ve undertaken this year. Some of the highlights included…

• An excellent revenue position thanks to good, consistent pricing of pulses over the year;
• Investment of over $1.2 million in research activity, including market development, research, and agronomy, extension, communication, and policy projects;
• A stronger organization as a result of new committee oversight for Audit and Finance and Communications;
• Hard work within our Zones to showcase pulses to the membership through demos, crop walks, and extension projects;
• Effective partnerships with our provincial counterparts through bilateral funding of projects, as well as working together at the national level through Pulse Canada; and
• Opportunities to learn more about our international position in the world through travel experiences for Commissioners to India, our largest trading partner, and Dubai, the world headquarters for the international pulse trade, as well as hosting delegates from our second largest trading partner, China.

Annual General Meeting – January 30, 2013

Commissioners and staff are also preparing for our Annual General Meeting (AGM). This is another way that members can join us to learn more about what we have been doing this past year. On January 30 from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the FarmTech Conference held in Edmonton at Northlands Expo Centre, APG will be on stage, front and centre. We will be conducting elections for two Commissioner-at-large positions – for Bean and Non-Bean growers. These one-year term positions are a terrific way to get involved with the organization and give back to the industry.

Additionally, in advance of the AGM, we are accepting resolutions. Resolutions can be brought forward in writing to the APG office by no later than January 15 to be considered during the APG AGM; there will be no resolutions accepted from the floor. Please contact the office at office@pulse.ab.ca or at 780-986-9398 if you are interested in putting forward a resolution for the organization to consider.

Our AGM will feature Richard Phillips of Grain Growers of Canada, who will be providing an update of GGC activities. In addition, APG is pleased to feature and launch our new web site and rebranding effort, which Commissioners and staff have been working on since the summer.

Pulse Organizations Across Canada Work to Prepare for the Next Opportunity for Federal Research Funding

This fall, APG has been developing our own research and development strategy, and we’ve also been working with our provincial and national partners in creation of a national strategy for pulse research. About five years ago, the Government of Canada provided Growing Forward funding through the Pulse Science Cluster, which enabled grower organizations to leverage support to invest in research projects that moved the genetics and agronomic knowledge forward for the industry.

With the Government of Canada’s Growing Forward 2 announcement, it is expected that industry will have this opportunity once again. APG invested over $880 thousand in the first Growing Forward Pulse Science Cluster, and we are looking to invest even more this round. For a robust pulse industry, there continues to be a need for research. The value that this opportunity provides is the chance to leverage funding.

Researchers will be contacted soon and asked to provide proposals to the coordinators of the Pulse Science Cluster for review by partners and inclusion in the Pulse Science Cluster Application in anticipation of the start date of April 1, 2013 – the target date for Growing Forward 2 implementation. APG is looking forward to reviewing and providing comment on the proposals as we prepare for the next five-year research cycle.

Significant Reinvestment in Pulse Canada for 2012-13

APG is pleased to announce that in November at our Provincial Board Meeting, the Commissioners voted unanimously to provide elevated support to Pulse Canada of $750,000 per year for five years. This was the result of discussion and review of the new Pulse Canada plan. APG looks forward to working with our partners supporting the industry.

The decision to move to $750 thousand per year for five years will help support the new Strategic Plan and Work Plans that the organization is developing. Pulse Canada works on key areas to maximize revenue and optimize costs for the pulse industry. Areas of focus include transportation, market access, sustainability, nutrition, and functionality of pulses. APG is really excited about this investment.

Of Note

The APG office has moved locations. Effective December 1, we’ve moved our office to 5007-49 Street in Leduc. The new location provides us with additional space and storage, with a better working environment for staff. We are excited to be in the new space and look forward to getting unpacked.

There are many more terrific stories that we can share, and they are highlighted in our Annual Report 2011-12. Please enjoy a copy of our Annual Report, included in this edition of Pulse Crop News, and if you have any questions, feel free to drop us a line. We’d be happy to share our story with you.

This article appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Gerry Good, APG President

All good things must come to an end.

For the past six years, I have been privileged not only to represent Zone 2 as a Commissioner on the Alberta Pulse Growers Provincial Board but also to act as President of the Board for the past three years. As my term on the Board comes to an end, I am reminded of the wonderful experiences I’ve had and the great people I’ve met through my involvement with Alberta Pulse Growers.

I joined the Commission six years ago because I believe in the potential of pulses. The peas we grow on our operation – and, to a lesser degree, the lentils we’ve tried – have fit beautifully in our rotation. Reduced input costs and improved soil tilth are often mentioned as the main benefits of growing pulses, but one thing often gets overlooked: profitability.

The fact is no one would grow pulses if they weren’t profitable to some degree. We saw strong prices for peas this past year, even for those that didn’t make human grade. And while demand for lentils has dropped, international market demand for Canadian pulses in general continues to grow, specifically for established Alberta pulse crops like peas and beans. Year after year, we’ve seen on our farm that there’s money to be made growing pulses.

We also saw some exciting work being done on emerging pulse crop types – specifically fababeans and soybeans – over the past year. Though our acres for fabas and soybeans are limited right now, we saw good yield, good quality, and good prices for these relative newcomers. As we work to increase the markets for Alberta-grown fababeans and soybeans, I expect that profitability will be a driving force behind growers trying these crops in their rotations. Increased markets for these crops will only benefit pulse producers, as our industry continues to grow and change to adapt to the changing world in which we work.

As a member of the Alberta Pulse Growers Board, I’ve seen first-hand how the industry has grown and changed over the past half-dozen years. My role took me as far as China on a trade mission back in 2009 (a definite perk of being involved with the Board), but most of my work has been done here at home, building relationships with partner organizations, government officials, and growers themselves. Though challenging at times, working with the Commission has been rewarding beyond description, and I look forward to continuing my Zone 2 involvement as an Advisor.

With my departure from the Board, along with the departure of Zone 2 Commissioner Barry Grabo, Zone 2 was in need of two new Commissioners. At our Zone AGM back in November, the zone elected by acclamation two new Commissioners to represent the zone at the Board level: Allison Ammeter and Douglas Sell. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know both Allison and Doug through their involvement with the zone and the organization, and I know that these two new Commissioners will serve Alberta Pulse Growers well, both here in Alberta and wherever their participation in APG may take them.

Though the advisor and Commissioner elections were completed in November and December, we soon will have two other positions to fill on our Board: those of Commissioners-at-Large. At our upcoming Provincial Annual General Meeting on January 30, 2013, our members will elect one bean grower and one non-bean grower as Commissionersat-Large for a one-year term. We hope that members interested in environmental policy, communications, education, governance, or culinary arts will consider throwing their name into the hat for these integral roles.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone I’ve worked with during my term on the Alberta Pulse Growers’ Board. Our shared experiences and efforts on behalf of the pulse industry have left a lasting mark on me, and with your continued work and support, I have no doubt the industry is in good hands.