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Saskatchewan couple named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2017

Saskatchewan couple named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2017

Derek and Tannis Axten farm in Minton, Sask.

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Grain producers located near Regina, Sask. have been named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for this year.

Derek and Tannis Axten, who own and operate 6,000-acre Axten Farms in Minton, Sask., received the honour along with Véronique Bouchard and François Handfield of Ferme aux petits oignons from Mont-Tremblant, Que. during an event in Penticton, B.C. last week.

Being honoured with the award while surrounding by other Canadian farmers was a great feeling, says Derek.

“It was an absolute honour – especially when you consider the company we were among,” he told Farms.com today. “We were just glad to be part of the process but to win is definitely icing on the cake. It’s hard to look at your own operation from a different perspective until someone suggests you do.”

The Axtens’ presentation to the judges focused on their farm’s challenges, including soil health issues, and how they navigated those difficulties.

“We live in one of the lowest rainfall zones in the province,” he said. “We also live on a century farm and a lot of farming practices from the past degraded some of the resources. Our soil biology was almost non-existent. Our water wasn’t infiltrating the soil and it was running off.”


Derek and Tannis Axten

When implementing no-till practices on their farm didn’t show results, the Axtens began using intercrops and cover crops, all with the goal of increasing their soil quality.

After noticing marginal results, the farmers started creating their own compost to put nutrients back into the soil.

“Within the last few years we started a composting program with relatively low-cost ingredients like wood chips, beef manure, grain screenings, flax straw, wheat straw and hay,” Derek said. “Obviously there’s nutrients in (this compost) but we also use the compost as a biological inoculant in furrow and on the crops. We just started trying things to see what worked and to restore the soil food web.”


The Soil Food Web
Photo: USDA

Judging by what Derek saw in B.C., Canada’s farmland is in good hands.

“It was really interesting to be around other farmers and appreciate how many facets of agriculture there are,” he said. “We came home energized based on everybody’s excitement for farming. Everything was really eye-opening.”

Top photo: Derek and Tannis Axten
Photo: Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

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In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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