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Alberta Reduced Tillage LINKAGES News Release
206 JG O'Donoghue Bldg.
7000 113 Street
Edmonton, AB T6H 5T6
(780) 422-7922 Fax: 780 422-0474
http://www.reducedtillage.ca
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alberta Reduced Tillage LINKAGES to shut down extension program
EDMONTON, AB – At the Alberta Reduced Tillage LINKAGES (RTL) Annual Meeting on Jan 26, 2009, the Steering Committee announced the decision to wind down operations by August 31, 2009. The decision was made to close the successful, grassroots sustainable agricultural extension program after 15 years of helping Alberta farmers adopt sustainable seeding systems that reduced soil erosion and increased economic viability.
“In light of on-going funding uncertainty, we felt the organization had no choice but to wind down,” explains Peter Gamache, Team Leader with RTL in Edmonton. “We have accomplished much more than anyone would have envisioned, but funding issues over the last few years have made it difficult to plan for future staffing requirements, and diverts our efforts away from our core mission of improving sustainable direct seeding systems.”
Alberta RTL traces its roots back to a direct seeding initiative developed in early 1992. The Alberta Reduced Tillage Initiative (ARTI) was established in 1994, and subsequently was renamed RTL in 2000. The programs were funded by five, three-year funding agreements from the Provincial and Federal governments, as well as a consortium of industry and grower associations. With uncertainty in funding from all sources continuing to make program continuity difficult, the Steering Committee felt the best option for the organization was to close operations.
“We had the option to continue to operate on a very limited basis, but felt that we would not be able to deliver the type of program that our remaining funders deserve,” says Gamache. “We felt an obligation to our staff and funders to celebrate our achievements and close on a positive note rather than continue to lose energy, waste resources, and become irrelevant.”
RTL employed five extension agronomists to develop and implement extension programs that provided high value counsel for farmers and ranchers through one-on-one consultation, on-farm demonstrations, and annual conferences such as the Direct Seeding Advantage.
RTL hopes to keep their Farmer-to-Farmer Network and comprehensive website operating to provide farmers with information and an archive of Beneficial Management Practices on sustainable farming practices. The closure will mean the loss of four extension agronomists and one management position. A fifth agronomist position is vacant.
Since 1996, the number of farmers using no-till seeding practices in Alberta has grown dramatically. The 1996 data showed 7.8% of farmers no-tilling 10.3% of the annually seeded acres. The 2006 Census of Agriculture shows that 27% of farmers no-till 48% of the annually cropped acres. No-till acres have gone from about 1.9 million in 1996 to nearly 9 million in 2006.
“Our research shows that on 9 million acres, the total value of no-till for Albertans is over $200 million per year,” says Gamache. “This combination of environmental, economic and agronomic values adds up to far more than the dollar value, many of the environmental and landscape improvements can’t easily be measured.”
The Alberta Reduced Tillage LINKAGES (RTL) program was developed as a sustainable production initiative. The unique partnership had broad-based farmer, industry, educational, wildlife and government support. The partners pooled their expertise and resources to provide an extension program focused on improving the environmental and economic sustainability of farming in Alberta. RTL operated with five extension agronomists located throughout Alberta.
Platinum partners included Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, and Ducks Unlimited Canada. Silver partners included the Alberta Canola Producers Commission, BASF, Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto. Bronze partners included the Alberta Pulse Growers and Agrotain International. In-kind partners include Alberta Conservation Tillage Society II, Olds College and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration). Sponsors included EnCana, 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. and the Soil Conservation Council of Canada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Peter Gamache P. Ag.
Team Leader
Reduced Tillage LINKAGES
206 JG O'Donoghue Bldg.
7000 113 Street
Edmonton, AB T6H 5T6
(780) 422-7922 Fax: 780 422-0474
peter@reducedtillage.ca
http://www.reducedtillage.ca
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RTL Agronomists
Roger Andreiuk
West Region
220, 5906 – 50 Street
Leduc, AB T9E 0R2
Phone: 780 980-9815
Cell: 780 913-7463
Email: roger@reducedtillage.ca
Ron Heller
North Region
Box 24, 4701 - 52nd Street
Vermilion, AB T9X 1J9
Phone: 780-853-8262
Cell: 780-853-3697
E-mail: ron@reducedtillage.ca
Nick Underwood
Peace Region
10502 - 108th Avenue
Grande Prairie, AB T8V 1P8
Phone: 780-814-1232
E-mail: nick@reducedtillage.ca
Don Wentz
South Region
100, 5401 - 1st Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6
Phone: 403-381-5845
Cell: 403-382-8545
