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40 FEBRUARY 21, 2013 | WWW.PRODUCER.COM | THE WESTERN PRODUCERNEWSFOLLOW THE FEEDERIt’s dinner time for cattle west of Cayley, Alta., as they gather round a tractor pulling a hay feeder. | MIKE STURK PHOTOORGANICS | INFORMATION SHARINGManitoba gov’tto help organizeorganic clubsBY ROBERT ARNASONBRANDON BUREAUPROTECT MORE ACRESPER HOURNew Guardian sprayers from New Holland allow you to take full control of your sprayingschedule. With the industry’s highest horsepower, largest tank size, smoothest suspension,highest ground clearance and tightest turning radius, Guardian sprayers quickly protectmore of your acres per hour for maximum productivity.THREE FRONT BOOM MODELS FROM 240 TO 365 HPTWO REAR BOOM MODELS - 240 AND 275 HPBOOM WIDTHS UP TO 120 FEETTANK SIZES UP TO 1,600 GALLONSQUIET, ROOMY, COMFORTABLE CABRocky Mountain DealershipsEdmonton, Barrhead, Westlock,Camrose, Red Deer, AB ................. 855-463-1427Vanee Farm Centre Inc.Lethbridge, AB ............................... 403-327-1100Linden Agri Centre Ltd.Linden, AB ..................................... 403-546-3814Moody’s EquipmentLloydminster, Calgary,High River, Olds, AB ....................... 306-825-6141Milliken Farm SuppliesTaber, AB ........................................ 403-223-4437Tri-Ag Implements Ltd.Wainwright, St. Paul,Consort, AB ................................... 780-842-4408©2012 CNH America LLC. New Holland is a registered trademark of CNH America LLC.Mazergroup Shoal LakeShoal Lake, MB .............................. 204-759-2126Lazar Equipment Ltd.Meadow Lake, SK .......................... 306-236-5222Novlan Brothers SalesParadise Hill, SK ............................ 877-344-4433E. Bourassa & SonsRadville, Pangman, Assiniboia,Weyburn, Estevan, SK ................... 877-474-2456Moody’s EquipmentSaskatoon, Kindersley,Perdue, Unity, SK ........................... 306-934-4686John Bob Farm Equipment Ltd.Tisdale, Outlook, SK ...................... 306-873-4588An organic specialist in Manitobaplans to help farmers create organicproduction clubs in the province.Manitoba’s organic community issmall and many producers alreadyknow each other, but the clubs wouldbe a forum to share knowledge andadvance organic agriculture, saidLaura Telford, Manitoba Agriculture’sbusiness development specialistfor organics.The clubs are needed becauseorganic relies on a different extensionmodel than conventional farming,she said from Portage la Prairie.“In the mainstream world, a lot ofthe extension comes from input suppliers… but in the organic world wedon’t have a lot of inputs.”Provincial agents have historicallybeen the principal source of agriculturalinformation in Canada, butcorporations now play a prominentrole in ag extension, said Jodi Koberinski,Organic Council of Ontarioexecutive director.“Now the person educating the(conventional) farmer is comingfrom a seed company or a chemicalcompany. They’re visiting them onthe farm or meeting them at the farmshows.”As a result, the Organic Council ofOntario has helped foster productionclubs in the province, includingdairy, beef, egg and grain.Telford said the production clubs inOntario and Quebec inspired her toconsider similar clubs in Manitoba.Telford sent a survey to 300 producersin Manitoba to determine if growerswant the clubs and how theyshould be organized.She hasn’t reviewed the survey yetLAURA TELFORDORGANIC SPECIALISTbut suspects the clubs will be organizedby to region rather than bysector.“From speaking with producers,they recognize that you can learn alot across commodities and there arehuge benefits to be gained, just bybringing farmers together,” she said.“I think, at the beginning, we’regoing to start with a couple of genericregional clubs that (cut) across allcommodities.”As an example of potential benefits,Manitoba lacks organic chicken productionbecause the province doesn’thave a farmer who grows organicchicken feed.Telford said a new businessarrangement might result if a poultryproducer and organic grain growerjoin the same club.Producers sharing knowledge overcoffee may be constructive, but shesaid talking within a circle does havelimitations.“You also need to bring experts intothe mix at some point because producersdon’t know everything. Therecan be a danger that they’re transferringbad knowledge to each other.”Telford hopes the clubs cometogether quickly and expects to hostan initial meeting in the near future.The clubs are expected to be free atfirst, but the provincial governmentwould likely pay half the costs if clubswanted to host expert speakers in thefuture, she added.