January 4, 2006:
Five more Alberta producers have joined the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company (AEFP) as local co-ordinators in the delivery of Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) across the province.
Russ Kowtun of St. Paul, Carol Rempel of Warburg, Gordon Ellis of Olds, Glen Smith of Vermilion and Elaine Lysons of Ponoka have joined a network of 21 other facilitators. Serving as front-line contacts in the delivery of EFPs, their job is to make producers aware of the program, organize workshops and act as primary contacts to facilitate the completion of plans.
An EFP is a voluntary, confidential tool producers can use to assess the environmental strengths and weaknesses on their farms and ranches. Offered at no cost to producers, the process recognizes good management practices and flags practices that should be changed to reduce risk.
"The facilitators play a very fundamental and important role in the overall delivery of Environmental Farm Plan services," says Mike Slomp, Executive Director of AEFP. "For farmers and ranchers, they often represent the first impression of the EFP program. Being producers themselves helps them speak convincingly to other farmers about the value of this good stewardship program."
Russ Kowtun, AEFP facilitator for the St. Paul area, is a recently retired owner of a mixed grain and cattle farm. He developed an EFP because he wanted to know more about his operation and the aspects he could improve.
"One of the things developing an EFP forced me to do is take an inventory of my farm," says Kowtun. "It made me take a closer look at what was happening in the operation so I could identify a few issues that should be looked at." Producers can contact Kowtun at (780) 645-6960.
Carol Rempel, AEFP facilitator for Leduc County, has a wide range of experience in the facilitation field. She and her husband live on a small acreage in Warburg that they have turned into a small agritourism operation.
"I think we should all be stewards of the environment," says Rempel. "I'm excited to work with farmers in Leduc County on an action plan that will help provide environmental sustainability for future generations." Producers can contact Rempel at (780) 848-7787.
Gordon Ellis, AEFP facilitator for Starland County and Kneehill County, operates a 2,700-acre grain operation east of Olds, where he and his brother have farmed for the past 19 years. He produces wheat, barley and canola. Ellis was drawn to the EFP program out of a desire to create more environmental awareness in his own operation.
"I think that land and the environment is a farmer's greatest resource," he says. "Taking steps to protect those resources is a beneficial management practice." Producers can contact Ellis at (403) 556-1258.
Glen Smith, AEFP facilitator for the Vermilion area, runs a cow-calf operation and mixed farm. He completed his EFP in 2003, which was a "very positive and painless" process that will benefit his farm for years to come. "Farmers are basically all environmentalists at heart," he says. "We work with the environment every day so we have a true appreciation and passion for it." Producers can contact Smith at (780) 853-2194.
Elaine Lysons, AEFP facilitator for Lacombe County, runs a custom grazing operation near Ponoka. She completed her EFP in 2004 and was impressed by the ease of the EFP process and the advantages available to producers who complete them. "Not only is an EFP a great educational tool, but it also provides producers with the financial tools to help make environmental improvements." Producers can contact Lysons at (403) 783-8245.
AEFP was established in 2002 as an industry-run, non-profit corporation that delivers EFP services to Alberta farmers. Through the Agricultural Policy Framework, the Government of Canada provides major funding to the EFP program in Alberta, with the Government of Alberta providing additional in-kind support services to help the agricultural sector develop and implement EFPs.
Additional support has been provided by the Agriculture and Food Council, through the Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Initiative, the Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Council and various ministries of the Government of Alberta. Contributions have also come from more than 100 local municipalities, businesses and agricultural organizations.
More information on AEFP is available by calling the company head office in Edmonton toll free at 1-866-844-2337 or by visiting the Web site at: www.albertaEFP.com.
For more information contact:
Mike Slomp, Executive Director
Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company
Edmonton, AB
Phone: (780) 436-2339
Toll-free: 1-866-844-2337
www.albertaEFP.com
Carol Rempel, facilitator for Leduc County, has a wide range of experience in the field of facilitation. She has been active in the fields of business development and education and has worked extensively with the Drayton Valley and Leduc Chambers of Commerce. She has also done work in the fields of community development, health and community outreach. Carol and her husband have recently entered the agritourism industry by offering horse and sleigh rides on their acreage in Warburg. She describes herself as a "people person" and is excited to be involved in the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company.
Recently retired mixed farmer Russ Kowtun of St. Paul has a long history of environmental education and facilitation behind him. With Alberta Disaster Services, he developed emergency management plans for municipalities. He presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lakeland Industrial Community Association, an environmental public awareness organization. He is the recipient of the Premier's Bronze Award of Excellence for his role in fighting forest fires in the Wood Buffalo and Fort McMurray areas. His involvement with AEFP is a natural extension of his passion for making people aware of things they can do to prepare for the future.
Gordon Ellis and his family crop 2,700-acres on their grain operation east of Olds. They have farmed in the area for the past 19 years. He has worked in agribusiness in many capacities, including research and development in the hybrid canola industry, sales of canola seed and contract marketing for the Canadian Wheat Board. Ellis holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Lethbridge and an Agricultural Production diploma from Olds College. He believes the environment is a farmer's greatest resource and protecting that resource is an important management practice.
Glen Smith operates a primarily cow-calf mixed farm with 1,500 forage acres near Vermilion. Born and raised in Vermilion (parts of his farm have been in his family since 1906), Smith is a graduate of the University of Alberta agriculture program. He taught at the Lakeland College Vermilion Campus in the agriculture department for eight years, where he received a staff appreciation award from his students. Smith believes all farmers are "environmentalists at heart" because of their ties to the land.
Elaine Lysons, facilitator for Lacombe County, comes from a marketing background, with a Business Development diploma from NAIT and experience as a representative for the Business Development Bank of Canada. She and her husband Don Lysons, who serves as an AEFP facilitator for the County of Ponoka, have been running a custom grazing operation since selling their cattle two years ago. She says she would like to concentrate on marketing the benefits of the EFP program and is excited over the opportunity to introduce producers to the value of developing an EFP.