About CAIC
The Canadian Alfalfa Insight Committee was founded in 2006 by members of the Irrigated Alfalfa Seed Producers Association (IASPA), the Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers Association (SASPA) and the Manitoba Forage Seed Association (MFSA). Two representatives were appointed from each association to represent their organization on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Alfalfa Insight Committee.
2007 Board of Directors
Chairperson: Miles Wendell (SASPA)
Phone: 306.783.3390
Email: milesw@alfalfainsight.com
Larry Weins (IASPA)
Phone: 403.378.4142
Email: lweins@eidnet.org
Weldon Hobbs (IASPA)
Phone: 403.320.1500
Fax: 403.345.2299
Murray Pask (SASPA)
Phone: 306.745.2571
Email: murray.paskfarms@imagewireless.ca
Wayne Burke (MFSA)
Phone: 204.762.5758
Email: wayneb@alfalfainsight.com
Kurt Shmon (MFSA)
Phone: 800.263.7425
Email: kshmon@pickseed.com
CAIC Office:
Guenette Bautz
Administrator & Promotions Director
Box 24
Middle Lake, Sask.
S0K 2X0
Phone: 306.367.2140
Fax: 306.367.2403
Email: gbautz@alfalfainsight.com
Mission Statement, Objectives and Goals
The Canadian Alfalfa Insight Committee's Mission Statement is to increase the use of alfalfa by working in conjunctions with our partners everywhere "alfalfa makes sense".
Objectives: The Canadian Alfalfa Insight Committee is dedicated to working cooperatively with industry stakeholders to increase public awareness of how alfalfa can benefit farmers, ranchers, livestock, the environment and wildlife.
The Canadian Alfalfa Insight Committee's goals are to deliver valuable information to agricultural producers regarding methods of utilizing forages and alfalfa in particular, with regard to:
- improving grazing practices to minimize bloat risk and optimize growth potential.
- improving forage production without increasing input costs.
- improving fertility using alfalfa to fix nitrogen, while reducing the use of commercial nitrogen fertilizer.
- reducing nitrogen leaching in the ground water with appropriate crop rotations that include alfalfa.
- reducing the use of fossil fuels by introducing short term alfalfa rotations and livestock partnerships into the grain industry.
- improving soil management (i.e. wind erosion, zero till practices, salinity management) through the use of alfalfa.
