The Alberta Pulse Growers (APG) and Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) are re-launching the Feed Pea Benchmark with additional feed ingredient comparisons for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

“We are pleased to re-launch the Feed Pea Benchmark with updated information current to today’s feed rations,” said APG Chair Allison Ammeter. “This is a good tool for the marketplace and growers who are looking at a feed option for their field peas.”

The benchmark prices are intended for use as a pricing reference for buyers and sellers of feed peas by providing an indication of the “feeding value” of peas. “The prices represent the point at which peas start to become an economically feasible feed ingredient for swine,” explains Tim Wiens, Chair of SPG. “The reason swine is used to determine the benchmark is because most of the peas that go to feed markets in Western Canada end up in swine diets.”

The Feed Pea Benchmark provides a consistent, unbiased estimate of the feeding value of dry peas in Central Alberta (Red Deer & area), Central Saskatchewan (Saskatoon & area) and Southern Manitoba (Winnipeg & area), based on the value of competing feed ingredients in swine rations. Feed peas trade at various differentials to the benchmark based on local supply/demand, quality differences and other contract terms.

Bi-weekly, tradable prices of the major feed ingredients are collected for the three regions. These prices are then entered into a least cost feed formulation that is typical for grower-finisher swine in Western Canada. A feeding value is then derived for feed peas based on their nutritional characteristics and the prices of the other competing feed ingredients. The least cost feed formulation was reviewed with the assistance of Gibson Capital in consultation with the Prairie Swine Centre and Gowans Feed Consulting.

The Feed Pea Benchmark will be posted every two weeks at www.pulse.ab.ca and www.saskpulse.com, and made available in APG’s bi-weekly e-newsletter Pulse Check and SPG’s monthly Pulse Market Report.

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission represents 5,000 growers of field pea, dry bean, lentil, chickpea, faba bean and soybean in Alberta. APG’s vision is to have Alberta pulses recognized by consumers as environmentally friendly, healthy, nutritious, and recognized by all producers as being an essential element in a sustainable cropping system.

Accountable to and funded by growers, SPG’s strategic direction is guided by a seven member, grower-elected, Board of Directors. SPG’s mission is to provide leadership and create opportunities for profitable growth for the Saskatchewan pulse industry.

For more information, please contact:

Rachel Peterson
Alberta Pulse Growers
T 780.986.9398 ext. 3
E rpeterson@pulse.ab.ca

Rachel Kehrig
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
T 306.668.9988
E rkehrig@saskpulse.com

Alberta Pulse Growers (APG) welcomes Nevin Rosaasen as its new Policy and Program Specialist tasked with strengthening APG through policy development and serving as a resource for pulse producers.

“We are elated to add a Policy and Program Specialist position to better serve growers and the pulse industry,” said APG Executive Director Leanne Fischbuch. “Nevin’s knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for both the policy and extension components of this position will serve him well as APG’s first Policy and Program Specialist.”

Rosaasen is a fourth generation farmer from Preeceville, SK. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Agronomy and minor in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan. He was the principle on-farm manager before returning to graduate school in 2008 where he pursued a Masters in International Trade Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Prior to joining APG, Rosaasen served in various positions with Alberta Agriculture, Canadian Wheat Board, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I’m excited to join an innovative team that is dedicated to growing Alberta’s pulse industry,” Rosaasen said. “Of all the crops produced in the province, I believe pulses have the greatest opportunity for expansion. I intend to help producers use economics to make agronomic decisions on their farms and, ultimately, put more dollars in their jeans. Arming producers with the tools to make these decisions will bring me a sense of accomplishment in my role at APG.”

Rosaasen has always promoted pulses like field peas, dry beans, faba beans, chickpeas and lentils to producers as an important part of crop rotation, as well as including pulses on his family’s farm. In addition to canola, wheat, barley, oats, flax, grass seeds and other specialty crops, the Rosaasen family grows yellow peas, green peas and faba beans which gives APG’s newest staff member insight into the benefits, and sometimes challenges, facing pulse producers.

“Alberta producers have yet to realize the full potential of including pulses in their crop rotation,” Rosaasen said. “There are agronomic benefits of diversifying the crop rotation to break disease and pest cycles of our two main crops. Farmers who include pulses also have the economic advantage of decreased fertilizer bills, reduced risk and diversification of their crop marketing portfolio at the same time.”

Rosaasen will represent the Alberta Pulse Growers at regional and national level working groups advocating for policy that will enable, encourage and enhance the environment for pulse production in Alberta.

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission (APG) is pleased that changes to federal Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) legislation that were supported by the organization received Royal Assent.

The amendments found in Bill C-18, An Act to Amend Certain Acts Relating to Agriculture and Agri-Food (Canadian Agricultural Growth Act), will align PBR with the 1991 Convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties. It offers opportunities for increased investment and delivery of new varieties from plant breeders operating in and outside of Canada, as well as ensuring that farmers have access to new and improved varieties developed in Canada and internationally.

“These are important components of an agricultural sector that is sustainable, innovative and competitive,” said APG Chair Allison Ammeter, noting that APG also supported the legislative changes as a member of Partners in Innovation. “The amendments improve the conditions needed to encourage industry innovation and additional investment to make our sector stronger. This means more and better crop varieties for farmers.”

As a Partners in Innovation member, APG looks forward to working with the federal government on implementing the PBR amendments in the coming months.

Partners in Innovation is a coalition of 20 farmer, industry and value chain organizations representing the vast majority of farmers and accounting for most of Canada’s crop production acres, including grains, oilseeds, pulse crops, vegetables and fruit, potatoes and ornamentals. The members of Partners in Innovation supported amendments to Plant Breeders’ Rights which are critical to the ability of our farmers and our agricultural industry to compete in the global market and make a contribution to the effort to feed, fuel and clothe a rapidly growing world population.

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission has confirmed that pulse growers who paid service fees (check-off) are again eligible for the Scientific Research and Experimental Design (SR&ED) Tax Credit.

The SR&ED Tax Credit can be earned on the portion of the producers’ service fees which were paid to an approved research entity as determined by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Each year, a percentage of the Alberta Pulse Growers investment into research is calculated for the per cent eligible for that tax year. Producers who have paid check-off this past year and have not asked for refunds are eligible claimants for this year’s credit.

For the 2013-14 fiscal year, 17.5 per cent of pulse check-off fees that were deducted from a producer’s cash ticket are eligible for the tax credit.

The SR&ED Tax Credit application form can be downloaded directly from the CRA website. Individual producers need to apply using the form T2038 (IND) and Canadian controlled private corporations should utilize the form T2SCH31. Individuals have 17.5 months from the end of their fiscal year to apply retroactively.

For more detailed information about the SR&ED Tax Credit APG advises you to contact an accountant or the Canada Revenue Agency.

The Alberta Pulse Growers (APG) selected the organization’s founding president, Lud Prudek, as the recipient of the first Alberta Pulse Industry Innovator Award in celebration of APG’s 25 years as a crop commission.

“As APG marked a quarter of a century in 2014, we wanted to recognize a person whose progressive thinking and tireless efforts helped build Alberta’s pulse industry from the ground up,” said outgoing APG Chair Richard Krikke. “I cannot think of a more deserving recipient for the inaugural award than APG’s first president, Lud Prudek. He is truly an industry innovator.”

Prudek was one of Alberta’s first growers of dry edible beans in the 1960s after moving to Bow Island when irrigation first came to the area. He became a partner in Alberta Bean Growers Ltd. He was involved in the formation of the Alberta Pulse Growers Association in 1979, and served as Zone 1 director while guiding the move to becoming a commission in 1989. Prudek then served as APG’s first president. Prudek was known for his passion for research, particularly plant breeding. He also focused on sustainability and the importance of crop sequencing during his career. He was inducted in the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2002.

Prudek travelled from his home in Idaho to attend the award presentation during APG’s Annual General Meeting today at FarmTech 2015 in Edmonton. He said that he was very surprised to hear that he was chosen as the first recipient of the annual Industry Innovator Award sponsored by ATB Financial, and insisted that the great strides made by pulse growers in Alberta were a team effort.

“I’ve had an extraordinarily interesting experience all through my life,” Prudek said. “I’ve been so fortunate to know so many wonderful people and it has been a privilege to be a partner in the Alberta Pulse Growers. In any of these major accomplishments, you can give credit to one individual, but you always have to have an enormous team to make it work. If you don’t have that team and someone to inspire them, you’re not going to get anywhere.”

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission is joining forces with Partners in Innovation, a coalition of farmer and industry organizations, bringing the active coalition’s partnership total to 20.

“The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission is pleased to become a member of Partners in Innovation, supporting the important work of encouraging the Canadian government to amend the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act to be compliant with the UPOV ’91 convention,” says APG Chair Richard Krikke. “Industry innovation and additional investment that may result from the amendments to the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act will make our sector stronger.”

The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food is expected to review Bill C-18: the Agricultural Growth Act and the proposed amendments to Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights within the legislation as soon as Parliament resumes in September.

An important part of a Canadian agriculture innovation agenda are the changes to Plant Breeders’ Rights within Bill C-18, which will bring Canada’s outdated legislation into compliance with an international convention, the Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV ’91). These changes will give both private and public plant breeders the confidence and ability to invest in research for new and improved varieties needed by farmers. Expanded protection for plant breeders, will promote further investment in research and innovation, meaning more and better crop varieties for farmers; it will be a big boost for the Canadian agriculture industry and the broader economy.

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission represents over 5,000 growers of field pea, dry bean, lentil, chickpea, faba bean and soybean in Alberta. Their vision is to have Alberta pulses recognized by consumers as environmentally friendly, healthy, nutritious, and recognized by all producers as being an essential element in a sustainable cropping system.

Partners in Innovation is a coalition of farmer, industry and value chain organizations bringing together 20 organizations representing the vast majority of farmers and accounting for most of Canada’s crop production acres; including grains, oilseeds, pulse crops, vegetables and fruit, potatoes and ornamentals. The members of Partners in Innovation support amendments to Plant Breeders’ Rights which are critical to the ability of our farmers and our agricultural industry to compete in the global market and to make a contribution to the effort to feed, fuel and clothe a rapidly growing world population.

Qualified Alberta Pulse Growers can apply for Tax Credit.

Leduc, AB (April 10, 2014) – Alberta Pulse Growers Commission (APG) confirms that pulse growers who paid service fees (check-off) are eligible for the Scientific Research and Experimental Design (SR&ED) Tax Credit.

The SR&ED Tax Credit can be earned on the portion of the producers’ service fees which were paid to an approved research entity as determined by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Each year, a percentage of the Alberta Pulse Growers investment into research is calculated for the per cent eligible for that tax year. Producers who have paid check-off this past year and have not asked for refunds are eligible claimants for this year’s credit.

For the 2012-13 fiscal year, 9.20 per cent of pulse check-off fees that were deducted from a producer’s cash ticket are eligible for the tax credit.

The SR&ED Tax Credit application form can be downloaded directly from the CRA website. Individual producers need to apply using the form T2038 (IND) and Canadian controlled private corporations should utilize the form T2SCH31. Individuals have 17.5 months from the end of their fiscal year to apply retroactively.

For more detailed information about the SR&ED Tax Credit APG advises you to contact an accountant or the Canada Revenue Agency.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Gerry Ritz showed strong support for Canada’s pulse industry today when he announced an investment of up to $15 million in funding for strategic pulse-based research through the federal government’s AgriInnovation Program.

Alberta Pulse Growers’ President Richard Krikke feels this funding sends a clear message about the important role of pulses in the future of Canada’s agriculture and food industry.

“As one of the world’s largest producers of pulses, Canada relies on growers to produce top-quality pulse crops, and in turn, we as growers rely on research to make pulse crops easier to grow and market,” says Krikke. “We are pleased that the important research we undertake on behalf of our growers will continue thanks to this generous funding.”

A Canada-wide partnership between all pulse organizations, the five-year Pulse Science Cluster supports a variety of projects, with an emphasis on improving pulse variety development; disease and pest management; new crop agronomy and management; processing and utilization of pulses and pulse fractions in food products; and health knowledge for increased pulse consumption.

Each project has been carefully selected by the pulse industry to increase the sustainability, profitability, and competitiveness of Canadian pulse producers, according to Krikke.

“By investing in this research, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has truly invested in our growers – the men and women in the field feeding the world with their high-quality pulse crops,” Krikke says. “With that in mind, Alberta Pulse Growers will work closely with our industry partners over the next five years to ensure our growers receive the best possible return on that investment, through new varieties, new production best practices, and new marketing opportunities.”