MD on top of Grasshoppers, Clubroot & Beavers

The Municipal District of Bonnyville’s Agriculture & Waste Department is preparing for another dry farming season. It’s way too early in the season to call for another drought; however, they can say that dry conditions are expected.

Director of Agriculture & Waste Services, Matt Janz, explains, “obviously, we have very dry conditions, out there. We are going to continue monitoring through the Federal Government and the Provincial Government; give them feedback on what’s happening locally.” The MD will continue to monitor the situation as the warmer weather continues, as well as, monitor the grasshopper population. “We have money in the 2016 Budget for [the grasshopper] program,” Janz says Agriculture & Waste will work on a plan and bring it back to Council in the first part of June.

After a couple cases of Clubroot were found in the Municipal District of Bonnyville, the MD instated a Clubroot policy, which will continue into this year to protect farmers against the disease. Janz says the policy is in effect and people need to be aware of the procedures when using the MD’s rental equipment.  “Our Clubroot Policy is in place and all of our equipment is being sanitized, so we do not transport the Clubroot spores,” Janz explains that thanks to frost lifting the MD is able to rent out equipment to residents. “Rental equipment has started to go out, this past week. Post Pounders, we allowed to go out because frost being out of the ground.”

“Beaver control is slower than previous years, maybe due to lack of run-off,” Janz explains the MD is typically busier with beaver control this time of year. He explains what the unusually small number of pesky beaver could be, “we had a few days of run-off and it slowed right down, now. We are still working on a few problems, but it is definitely not the problems we have seen in the past.”