A harvest of 160 acres of canola has netted more than half a million dollars for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
A team of nine volunteer harvesters took to the field Saturday afternoon as part of the Central Alberta Foodgrains project. The project has run for 22 straight years, one of the oldest in the foodgrains bank.
The field was located northeast of Lacombe.
Doug Maas, a member of the project’s committee, said they harvested 10,440 bushels of canola from the field and sold it to the Richardson Pioneer elevator in Lacombe for $110,088.27.
However, due to the federal government matching the donated funds at four to one, the total donation to the foodgrains project becomes $550,441.35. The Canadian Foodgrains Bank works to end hunger in 40 different countries. They offer food assistance, work with farmers to increase yields and try to reduce malnutrition through education, clean water and special feeding programs. They work with non-government organizations to determine where there is the greatest need for the money.
Maas said the event is always a community effort and they can rely on tremendous support from local producers. The field was swathed by three area farmers about three weeks ago.
“We’re very effective in getting the aid where it’s needed,” said Maas. “We have a high effective ratio, we’re mostly volunteers, and our administrative costs are very low, less than 10 per cent.
“No matter where the farm is, local farmers rally to help us in the spring with seeding and harvesting in the fall.”
Prior to the harvest, they served up a free lunch that was attended by about 100 people.
Last year, the project raised about $93,000.
The Ponoka Foodgrains project harvested its crop on Friday. Active for 20 years, the group of volunteer farmers harvested about 175 acres of wheat south of Ponoka.
mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
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