SSGA and SCA Team Up To Help Food Banks

May 20, 2020

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association helped to provide a boost to Food Banks in Saskatchewan as they hold their annual Beef Drive. This year, they received an extra bit as the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association provided $10,000 above and beyond the beef donated to the food banks.

General Manager of the SSGA, Chad MacPherson, explained the program started in 2016 and has been working to help the 32 food banks in the province each year with donations of beef.

“The beef drive consists of beef producers donating animals to the program, and they take them to local abattoirs and have them processed into ground beef that is then donated to the 32 food banks across Saskatchewan,” MacPherson said. “In return for that, the beef producer receives a charitable tax receipt for the number of pounds that the animal dresses.”

With the backlog in the beef industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is something MacPherson indicated more producers are looking at.

“There is definitely an opportunity for producers if you have some different animals that might not fit into the marketplace, that you could extract more value for yourselves and help get some different cull caps through the system at this time.”

MacPherson added food banks can also use the donations of the beef, as it is something they often struggle with having in stock.

The SSGA has received positive feedback, with the Food Banks of Saskatchewan being appreciative of the support form beef producers across the province.

Chair of the SCA, Arnold Balicki, said it is important to remember the most vulnerable, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

“Saskatchewan beef producers hold the communities they live and work in close to their hearts,” Balicki said in a written statement. “The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association is proud to partner with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association with a $10,000 donation to help with the cost of processing the beef that is donated to Saskatchewan’s local food banks.

“During this pandemic, it is very important to us all to pull together to ensure everyone, including our most vulnerable, are looked after.”

The meat is distributed as one-pound packages of frozen ground beef by the 32 food banks in the province.

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Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

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.