The Mountain View County agricultural services board has approved a number of the resolutions scheduled to come before the provincial agricultural service board conference this week.
During a regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 20, the MVC board reviewed and OK'd resolutions related to such things as elk population control.
The 2014 provincial conference is scheduled for January 27-30 in Medicine Hat, with members of the MVC board planning to attend.
One resolution approved by the local board last week calls on the provincial government to do more to address "extremely high elk numbers in some wildlife management units in the province.
"This could be done by increasing harvest numbers of antlerless elk, as well as extending the hunting season to allow hunters a longer period of time to bring down the elk population numbers while an impact is being made on stored feed,î the resolution reads.
Board members also approved a resolution calling on the province to "review current staffing levels, program administration, budgets and funding sources of the wildlife damage compensation program to ensure its effectiveness.î
The resolution also called on the government to implement a "monitoring and assessment program to ensure that predators are dealt with proactively.î
Another resolution approved by the local board calls on Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development to work with Alberta Justice, Canadian National Railways and Alberta municipalities to "confirm that CN Rail is bound by the Weed Control Act of Albertaî and that inspectors appointed under the act are considered ëregulators in line of duty' under CN guidelines.î
Each agricultural service board has appointed two of its members to vote on the resolutions at the annual convention.
If passed the resolutions would be used by the agricultural services boards to push for provincial government action.
The MVC board reviewed but did not immediately approve one resolution regarding the proposed eradication of wild boars across the province.
That resolution calls on Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development to "outlaw the raising of wild boar in Alberta and eradicate all remaining wild boars in captivity in Alberta, compensating owners for their losses both in the value of the wild boar, and the value of their capital investment.î
The resolution calls for the total elimination of wild boar in the province within five years.
Wild boars that have escaped captivity have caused no end of problems for Alberta farmers over the years, including crop damage, board members heard. Wild boars at large are considered a pest under the Agricultural Pests Act.
Instead of approving the resolution, board members decided to first seek more information from Municipal District of Smoky River officials (who put forward the resolution) about wild boar populations and the number producers.
Meanwhile, the MVC ag services board will be helping promote Open Farm Day 2014.
Scheduled to be held Aug. 24, 2014, the Open Farm Day is a nationwide initiative to promote rural lifestyle, ag-tourism, and local foods.
Participating farms and ranches host visits during the day, with visitors shown first-hand some of the things that go into farm operations.
The ag services board instructed administration to work with the county's economic development committee to send letters to the various agricultural societies in the region letting them know about the Open Farm Day 2014.
"I think the more people you have involved the better,î said board chairman Eric Iversen.
In other news, the board is asking county council to approve $17,500 in funding for a survey of area agriculture producers.
The survey would evaluate the county current programming and identify any further programming to meet the demands of the modern agricultural producer.
"The intent of this survey will be to identify the needs of producers, seek opportunities for innovative programming and determine if existing resources should be expanding,î the board said in a note to council.
The funding request for the survey is part of ongoing could budget deliberations.
During the Jan. 20 meeting board members also reviewed the various agriculture-related workshops the county will be involved in this year. Those include the ranching opportunities workshop in Olds on Feb. 6, the large carnivore workshop in Cremona on Feb. 21, and a tree care workshop at the county office on Mar. 14.
Agricultural service boards are appointed by municipal councils to advise the municipality and the provincial government on agriculture related issues and concerns.
The 2014 version of the MVC agricultural services board include councillors Duncan Milne, Ken Heck and Jeremy Sayer.
