The money raised from the harvest will benefit the Canadian Foodgrains Bank
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Farmers about 10 miles (16 km) east of Lacombe, Alta. helped grow crops for a national charity.
Producers operated eight combines and four trucks to harvest 100 acres of Canada Prairie Spring wheat for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The organization is made up of 15 churches hoping to end hunger in about 40 countries around the globe.
The 2018 harvest marks the 23rd consecutive year that farmers from Alberta have participated in the initiative.
Canada should always try to help countries in need, said Doug Maas, a member of the local Foodgrains committee.
“We have so much when you compare Canada to other parts of the world,” he told Farms.com. “We should always try to help those in need, and this is one way we can do that.”
The crop averaged about 78 bushels per acre and received a No. 2 grade which, given the challenging growing conditions, is a good yield, Maas said.
“We never really had a fall,” he said. “We originally planned to do the harvest in September, but the snow came and kept pushing everything back.”
But without the commitment from local farmers, the harvest wouldn’t be possible.
“The local farming community has always been very supportive, whether it’s trying to find land, planting or harvesting,” Maas said. “Farmers are always generous with their time and equipment. And they help the Foodgrains Bank make a difference around the world.”
The crop raised $48,000, which the federal government will match four-to-one, for a grand total of about $192,000.