4
Safety Officer may occur. The
hotline is free to use and is available
24/7, year-round. For more
information regarding the hotline,
check out mdlsr.ca/AgSafe.
Jimsonweed
Phragmites
Ventenata Grass
Please note that as of December 1,
2019, antibiotic treatments will
require a prescription from a licensed
veterinarian. To learn more, visit
mdlsr.ca/Agriculture-and-Forestry.
AgSafe Introduces a
new Confidential Hotline
In June, AgSafe announced its new
confidential hotline for Incident
Assistance for Alberta farmers and
ranchers: 1.833.9AG.SAFE. Calling
the hotline is voluntary and all
information is kept confidential.
Producers can use the hotline to
determine if an incident is
reportable. Should a farm or ranch
experience a serious incident
such as an injury, fatality, property
damage or near-miss, a response
from an Occupational Health and
Bill 26: Farm Freedom
and Safety Act
Bill 26 — also known as the Farm
Freedom and Safety Act — comes
into effect on January 31, 2020.
The changes brought forth in this
Act aim to replace the Enhanced
Protection of Farms and Ranch
Workers Act (Bill 6) with practical
workplace rules and a framework
for a common-sense farm safety
regime. The new legislation will
allow employers to have a choice
when it comes to workplace
insurance; yet ensures basic safety
standards on all farms. Bill 26
minimizes red tape and reduces the
regulatory burden on farmers, while
recognizing the fact that farmers
require flexibility in meeting labour
and employment standards. Some
changes include reinstating the
farm and ranch sector exemption
from the Labour Relations Code
and protecting family farms from
legislated and regulatory cost
increases. Other changes include
defining nurseries, mushroom and
sod as farms or ranches.
Farms and ranches with five or
fewer employees (not including
family members) and employees
who work less than six months
consecutively will be exempt
from all employment standards.
Operations with five or more
workers who are paid, non-family
members, will have to follow
employment standards with some
exemptions. Farms and ranches
with five or more paid employees
will still be required to meet basic
safety standards under OHS, and
must have workplace insurance.
Producers will, however, be able to
choose which workplace insurance
option best suits their business. For
rules on Bill 26 and how your farm
will be impacted, visit mdlsr.ca/FFSA.
Gearing up to
Help Producers Face
a Late Harvest
Agriculture Financial Services
Corporation (AFSC) hosts numerous
Business Risk Management
programs, and they claim they are
ready to help producers face the
challenges that the 2019 farming
season has presented. With trade
disputes, bad weather and high
input costs this year, AFSC offers
several options to help their clients
with cash flow challenges such as
post-harvest advance or preliminary
payment plans. AFSC has stated
that as always, when harvest is
delayed due to winter, they will
extend production insurance
coverage to unharvested crops until
the crop can be combined in the
spring or managed by other means.
Contact your AFSC Relationship
Manager or AFSC Client Service
Centre at 1.877.899.2372 to find a
solution. Determine your eligibility
by visiting mdlsr.ca/AFSC.
What’s Growing
on in Your Backyard?
There are numerous new pests to
keep an eye on this next growing
season, such as Jimsonweed,
Phragmites and Ventenata to
name a few. Watch when buying
seed mixes. Always ask for
the certificate, as it will list the
percentage by weight of what is