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 One of the major issues facing the Agriculture industry right now is the ever-growing presence of Clubroot. Clubroot is a soil-borne disease which can lead to major problems in cole crops such as mustard and canola.
Some symptoms found in early seedling stages can be wilting, stunting or yellowing of canola plants in the late rosette to early podding stage. Symptoms that occur in the later crop stages may not show plant wilting, stunting or yellowing. Infected plants may ripen prematurely and seeds will shrivel, thus reducing yield and oil content.
Lamont County now has a policy in place for the control of Clubroot disease. This policy is in place to prevent the establishment and spread of Clubroot within the boundaries of Lamont County. Random field inspections will be conducted by the inspectors appointed by the Agriculture Service Board. A minimum of 25 fields will be inspected where Canola, Mustard and Cole crops are currently being grown. Testing methods will exactly follow standard protocols provided by the Alberta Clubroot Management Committee. Landowners will be notified in writing if their land tests positive for Clubroot.
To learn more about Clubroot as well as methods of prevention and management of the disease please go to Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development or the Alberta Clubroot Management Plan. Please forward any questions or concerns to the Lamont County Agriculture Service Board Department at 780.895. 2585.
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Weed Control: Lamont County ASB Department has 2 weed inspectors, one full time and one seasonal, who assist rural residents in identifying and managing noxious weeds. Our weed inspectors enforce the Alberta Weed Control Act through one on one contact with rural residents. Do your part by controlling noxious weeds on private land and seek out the aid of the weed inspectors should you require assistance.
Roadside Spraying: Every year, the ASB Department sprays about 670 miles of roadside to control noxious weeds and brush re-growth. Covering about 670 miles per year allows for a 3 year rotation covering all roadsides in the County. New methods of spraying and controlling roadsides, municipal holdings, and sensitive areas from weeds and brush are always being considered for the future to protect our County’s natural landscape while controlling unwanted vegetation.
Lamont County provides the option for rural residents to opt out of roadside chemical control adjacent their residences by entering into a No Spray Agreement. This agreement must be renewed annually.
Mowing and Brushing Programs: The ASB Department mowing program runs all summer long and into the fall months to keep roadside vegetation controlled, especially roadsides that are not on the current year’s spraying rotation. The mowers are also used to control sensitive areas that cannot be sprayed. Brushing usually begins after the mowing season ends, selecting roadside brush that interferes with visibility, infrastructure and snow drifting.
Rural residents are able to obtain Hay Permits from Lamont County allowing the haying of County right-of-ways instead of mowing. These permits are valid from July 1 to August 1 and must be received by June 1 of the calendar year.
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Gopher Control: Damage caused by Richardson's ground squirrels ranges from an occasional headache for some to a significant loss of crop production to others. The most common types of ground squirrel damage are crop loss through direct consumption and reduced production due to plant injury and trampling. In addition, downtime and repair costs due to damage to hay binds as well as physical injury to livestock with ground squirrel burrows and those of badgers are also major concerns.
Rural residents in Lamont County are able to purchase 2% strychnine products to aid them in controlling gophers directly from the ASB office at an affordable cost.
Predation Control: Coyotes cause over 75 per cent of the predation losses of livestock in Alberta. Livestock producers can prevent or reduce coyote predation with fencing, good herd management, guardian animals, frightening devices and various lethal control methods.
Lamont County ASB provides valuable information on coyote control strategies and also dispenses 1080 coyote control tablets through the ASB office. More information on pest control is also available on the Alberta Agriculture and Food website.
Grasshopper Control: Grasshopper numbers vary from year to year. When grasshopper numbers are low, damage is minimal. When numbers are high, damage can be significant and producers should consider management options.
Lamont County offers compensation to producers treating their fields for grasshoppers. Detailed information can be found in our Grasshopper Control Policy.
Beaver Control: In Alberta, beaver problems occur wherever there are trees and water. In these areas, beaver cause problems by flooding cultivated land, hay fields, pasture land, roadways and often detour or restrict water flow in stream ways.
Lamont County conducts beaver control to protect County infrastructure. Information for beaver control on private land on behalf of the County can be found in the Beaver Dam Flood Control Policy.
Additional Pest Control: There are additional pest control policies for pests such as Blackleg and Fusarium.
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Lamont County ASB offers a wide variety of equipment available for rent to County residents. Phone the ASB office to reserve equipment. Deposits and rental payments can be made by cash or cheque only.
| Equipment Name |
Rental Charge |
Deposit
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| Trailer Sprayer |
$50.00/day |
$300.00 |
| Hoof Trimming Turntable |
$30.00/day |
$150.00 |
| Paul Scale |
$20.00/day |
$150.00 |
| Cattle Squeeze |
$15.00/day |
$150.00 |
| Tree Planter |
$15.00/day |
$150.00 |
| Magpie Traps, Skunk Traps, Soil/Feed Sampler, Backpack Sprayer |
Free for 10 days. Deposit is non-refundable if not returned within 10 days. |
$100.00 |
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The ASB Department, in conjunction with the Public Works Department, accepts approximately 10 backsloping applications per year. Sites that have a negative impact on developed road allowances or County infrastructure are given priority.
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Lamont County ASB Office is a yearly drop point for the delivery of both PFRA Shelterbelt Trees and Alberta Shelterbelt Program Trees. As such we have forms and literature available to assist you in ordering your trees and planning your shelterbelts.
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Lamont County Agricultural Service Board is a third party agent for the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA).
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