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| Awards of Distinction |
2008 Award of Distinction for Innovation AFAC’s Award of Distinction for Innovation honours those who have developed a new process, product or source of knowledge that has made a significant impact on improving the welfare of livestock and the industry. The honourees are saluted for their efforts to work collectively with industry to share their innovations. This year, AFAC’s Award of Distinction for Innovation goes to Red Deer County Agriculture Services Board.
In 2002, Art Preachuk, the Agricultural Manager for Red Deer County and other staff from Red Deer County attended a Livestock Emergency Care Response course taught by Jennifer Woods. From that and subsequent trainings, the idea was born to obtain a stock trailer and outfit it with tools and materials that would assist emergency response workers in managing crisis situations involving livestock. While they had heard of a similar trailer else where in North America, they have never seen one. The Red Deer County Council, Red Deer County Protective Services (Fire Department) and the Agriculture Services Board believe in this project and are committed to it. Together, they developed a 10 point Emergency Response Plan for Livestock. In the summer of 2006, Art Preachuk notes that Red Deer County and community are growing rapidly. He said the board considered the number of livestock estimated to be on Alberta highways on a daily basis, the county’s livestock population, the number processed by local livestock industries (auction marts, meat plants, etc.) that operate 6 days a week and realized that potentially over 6 million head travel through their jurisdiction every year. “The odds are that there will be accidents.” That being said, traffic is not the only risk. Weather related events (extreme winds, fires, floods, droughts, ice storms), petroleum and agriculture industry chemical events and disease outbreaks are rare but still potential risks. “It is a benefit to the public motorist and to the animals.” It enables emergency response personnel to handle an accident involving livestock more safely and efficiently.” Bob Boulton, who runs a family-based cattle operation in the Red Deer County area said, “This (emergency trailer) is something I strongly believe in. It’s needed, and everyone in the County will benefit.” Boulton went on to add, “We are a mobile society. Years ago we fed out our cattle at home; we used to herd our cattle into the local town stockyards. From there they went on rail to Calgary to be processed. Now cattle are on trucks at least 3 and up to 6 times in their life time. We’ve become specialized cow calf operators, feeders, and finishers with maybe a community pasture trip thrown in.” Bob was one of the first to come forward and contribute to this initiative. However, Art notes that it has been hard to find sponsorship. They have had to go outside the community to solicit involvement and this has taken time. In the summer of 2007, Art made a presentation to the board of the Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) Association. From that presentation came support for point #2, the training of the county’s emergency response staff and volunteers in the use of the contents of the trailer and in the care and handling of any livestock that may be involved in an accident and who can be called on to put the trailer into action. It has been a lot of work getting all the materials and subsequently getting them installed into the trailer and Art compliments their foreman for his efforts in this task. Boulton stated, “You never need it until you need it, and by that time the damage is done and it’s too late!” Congratulations from AFAC to Red Deer County Agriculture Services Board for leading the way in Alberta to be prepared for livestock emergencies.
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Red Deer County Agriculture Services Board
they kicked off a fundraising initiative to fund the first point on their plan ... the acquisition of the equipment for the Livestock Emergency Response Trailer and its contents.