Producers from across the region travelled to Fort Kent to celebrate an important milestone for the Lakeland Agricultural Research Association.
Last week, LARA marked 25 years of researching various aspects of agriculture to benefit producers in the Lakeland.
The association was formed by a group of farmers who wanted research to better reflect regional conditions and provide more accurate information on what works and what doesn't.
“There had been a lot of research done in the south at some of the bigger centres and it tells you what is good in that region, but the varieties that are tested there might not be suitable for farther north where we are,” explained Alyssa Krone, manager at LARA.
Following incorporation in 1991, LARA moved to its current site just outside of Fort Kent the following year in 1992. Since then, their operations have grown to 50 acres at their main office, as well as small sites a couple of acres each in the County of St. Paul, Lac La Biche County, and their most recent addition, Smoky Lake County.
The five full-time and one part-time staff, along with summer students, oversee close to 50 trials with all of the sites combined.
“There's been so much that's happened in the last 25 years,” said Krone. “One of the biggest things is the regional variety trials that we do conduct and we've done them since 1991. We test varieties for three years in the region that have been newly developed and they're tested against a check variety that has been commonly used.”
The LARA research site also regularly hosts fertility tests as part of the agronomic trials to determine optimal amounts of fertilizer. Trials have also expanded to include forage and livestock research, an environmental program, and a horticulture program.
“LARA is where the farmers get their information. We used to have a liaison in each town from the provincial government and they took that away, so now we have groups like LARA and the nine other associations in Alberta provide information for farmers – showing crops that grow in the area, what's good, what's not, and recommendations,” said LARA board chair Louis Dechaine from St. Lina.
Given the organization is producer directed and driven, the exact tests that are performed each year are based on surveys and input from farmers in the region. The information they gather is then compiled and available to local producers whenever they need.
“Last year was the issue of drought. This year, we have a little more moisture so you might have some disease issues. It's more of yearly changes based on the weather and the different issues that are coming to producers,” noted Krone.
This year, LARA is conducting their regional variety trials, as well as a couple corn demonstrations to look at spray timing. With corn growing in popularity, Krone explained that they're furthering research that has found if you spray too early or too late it could cause yield loss in the crop. They will also be conducting perennial forage trials, focusing on grasses, legumes such as alfalfa, and mixtures.
Moving forward, both Krone and Dechaine can only see LARA continuing to grow.
“I think it's getting stronger. There are less places to get information unless you're willing to pay,” said Dechaine. “What we do at LARA is all unbiased, so whether it's good or not it still gets published, we don't take money from any groups to promote their stuff.”
Krone added, “We have great support from the local producers and as long as we continue to work toward the vision that we have to be that producer directed and driven organization, I think that the opportunities are limitless.”
To help celebrate LARA's 25th anniversary in agricultural research, over 60 producers from across the Lakeland turned up at the research farm to take part in a tour of the grounds, hear about the research trials, and listen to guest speakers.