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Alberta Grains confirms executive leadership transitions following summer board meetings

Alberta Grains is pleased to confirm leadership transitions within the executive of its board of directors following recent board meetings in Calgary.

Scott Jespersen, a farmer from the Spruce Grove area, will formally transition from acting chair to chair of Alberta Grains. Jespersen has served as acting chair since May 2025, when former chair Tara Sawyer took a leave of absence following her nomination in the Olds–Didsbury–Three Hills by-election.

Devin Hartzler, a farmer from the Carstairs area and current Region 2 director, will move from acting vice-chair to vice-chair. Stewart Oke, a farmer from the Delburne area and current Region 3 director, has been elected to the vacant second vice-chair position.

“I’m honoured to officially take on the role of chair and continue serving Alberta’s wheat and barley farmers,” said Jespersen. “We have a strong board and leadership team, and I look forward to building on the progress we’ve made in research, market development, agronomy and policy advocacy.”

“We’ve made real strides in advocating for farmers and strengthening our industry, and I look forward to what we’ll accomplish together,” said Hartzler. “I’m excited to continue supporting the work Alberta Grains is doing to deliver value back to the farm gate.”

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Turning Better Feed Into Better Herds: Innovation in Forage Harvesting

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What happens when a dairy farmer gets frustrated with equipment that isn’t doing its job? In this episode, we sit down with Horning Manufacturing founder Leon Horning to hear how a problem in the feed bunk led to a globally recognized forage equipment company.

Born out of a third-generation dairy operation in Pennsylvania, Horning Manufacturing started with one goal: helping cows get more nutrition from silage. Leon shares how his father, Leon Sr., built the first kernel processor rolls in the family farm shop after seeing whole corn kernels pass through cows undigested — costing valuable feed efficiency and milk production.

We explore the company’s journey from a side project on the farm to an international manufacturer serving dairy farmers, beef operators, and custom harvesters around the world. Along the way, Leon discusses the evolution of pull-type forage harvesters, the engineering behind Horning’s “plug-and-play” kernel processor kits, and why reducing downtime during harvest can make or break a season.

The conversation also dives into Horning’s row-independent corn heads, practical equipment design, real-world customer stories, and how innovations born in the field continue to shape the company today.

Whether you’re a producer, equipment enthusiast, or simply love stories of grassroots innovation, this episode offers a fascinating look at how one farm family turned necessity into industry-changing technology.

Contact Horning Manufacturing today at 717-354-5040
https://www.horningmfg.com/