BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead Agricultural Service Board (ASB) staff removed 55 beavers from various properties last year as the rodents negatively impacted municipal infrastructure.
That is according to agricultural fieldman Don Medcke's 2024 ASB Business Plan Status Report.
Under the Agricultural Services Board (ASB) Act, council must review their local ASB Business Plan Status Report annually. The first time councillors reviewed the plan was in 2019.
Medcke presented the report at the May 20 county council meeting, which councillors unanimously approved.
"The vision of the ASB is to strengthen the agricultural industry within the County of Barrhead. Our mission is to provide guidance, learning opportunities, and programs to assist our residents," he said.
Medcke said while it is the act that governs and guides local ASB activities, it also falls under the auspices of Alberta's Municipal Government Act (MGA).
"The main purpose of ASBs," he said. "Is to carry out the responsibilities outlined in provincial legislation, such as in the Weed Control, Pest Control and Soil Conservation acts."
County manager Debbie Oyarzun agreed, stating that municipalities risk losing provincial funding if an ASB fails to enforce the acts.
2024 ASB highlights
In 2024, the ASB met nine times, appointed a weed inspector and inspected 150 properties.
"Out of those, we worked with landowners to achieve compliance, managing almost 100 per cent," Medcke said.
He added 17 landowners also asked for assistance in private weed control spraying on their land and that the municipality sprayed roughly 2,334 kilometres of right of way.
Medcke said ASB staff were also responsible for giving the Barrhead District Seed Cleaning Co-op Plant its annual inspection, giving it an 86 per cent passing grade.
Medcke said the ASB also surveyed 72 fields for clubroot and fusarium, black leg and grasshoppers in conjunction with the province.
The ASB also dealt with two coyote complaints for predation, which required 1080 bait.
"That was in early 2024," he said, adding later in the year, Canada restricted the product.
Coun. Bill Lane asked how many beaver dams the ASB destroyed in 2024, saying he knew of five alone on Thunder Lake.
Medcke said zero, noting the ASB generally doesn't destroy beaver dams unless they impact municipal infrastructure and are on county land.
"If they are not, it is up to the private landowner to make arrangements to get rid of the beaver dam," he said.
Medcke said the grain bag recycling project has been very popular, with the ASB's grain bag roller being rented out several times through its partnership with Clearfarms, collecting over 37,700 kilograms of recycled grain bags.
He also noted that the municipality had started collecting hay bale twine at the public works shop.
"There has been pretty good uptake on that," Medcke said.
Walter Preugschas asked how the number of grain bags compared to other years, adding he was especially interested in comparing the 2023 and 2024 numbers.
Barrhead has been recycling grain bags since 2021, partnering with Athabasca, Westlock, and Woodlands. The collection of twine collection began in 2024.
"It is difficult to compare," Medcke said. "Last year, we just kept the stats on the total number of bags; this year, it was done by weight. There were a couple of larger sites, and they were rolling steadily for two days."
Deputy reeve Marvin Schatz asked if the ASB knew how much of the bags were collected by the county.
Medcke said he did not know, adding Cleanfarms weighed the bags when they collected them from each site.
However, he suspects the bulk of the 37,700 kilograms of bags collected in 2024 was from the County of Barrhead.
He added that they moved to just keeping track of the weight of the bags and how much money the county can redeem in kilograms.
"Athabasca does a fair bit as well, but I would have to say we are leading the pack," Medcke said. "We are trying to promote it more, but one of our partners hasn't rolled a grain bag yet."
Schatz asked if the ASB collected any silage bags.
Medcke said no, adding that they had to be taken to the landfill.
"It is not as easy because the bags are made of a different type of plastic," he said.
Promoting agriculture and bridging the rural-urban gap
Medcke said the other role the ASB takes on is education, specifically linking rural with urban to increase the awareness of the importance of agriculture to our community.
"We do this in numerous ways," he said, referring to Pond Days.
Pond Days is an annual event for Grade 5 students to teach about wetlands, riparian ecosystems, watersheds, and wilderness safety at Lac La Nonne and Thunder Lake. This past year, four schools and 200 students participated.
He noted the municipality provided equipment and labour to the 4-H, helping them weigh their animals during their annual achievement days.
"We also hosted and sponsored extension events for working with drought, agriculture funding workshops, two environmental farm workshops, and ones on native bees and tree staking," Medcke said.
He also noted that the ASB also worked with the Rural Woman's Conference organizers and installed a pond leveller near the Nakamun store.
Medcke said the ASB raises awareness about the importance of agriculture in the greater Barrhead community through its annual agricultural tour and by supporting two local producers who participate in the province's Open Farm Days.
Environmental sustainability
Medcke said another vital role the ASB takes is ensuring environmental sustainability by assisting area producers in undertaking projects to help protect sensitive ecological areas, noting in 2024, the ASB completed five new environmental farm plans, sold 5,000 seedlings as part of its shelterbelt program, as well as 1,440 hemp squares.
"They help with tree establishment and weed control for young seedlings."
Medcke added the ASB also installed three aerators in Peanut Lake in 2024 in an effort to increase oxygen levels in the water.
Another notable project in 2024, and one the ASB plans to continue this year, is the release of leafy spurge beetles as a way to control the toxic plant with the same name.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
