Picture Butte & Area Food Grains Project underway in 2024

Posted on May 2, 2024 by Sunny South News

Submitted by Tony Kok

Great news for the Picture Butte Growing Project, as a quarter section of land has been rented from VRP just east of Picture Butte on Highway 519.  

The board is planning to grow a barley crop again this year, with the intention of selling the grain and straw to local buyers. Last year the project raised $210,000 which was matched 4:1 by the government to make a great difference of nearly $1 million sent towards food security projects. 

Canadian Food Grains strives to partner locally in disaster or drought regions and is rated in the top ten of charities for their stewardship and financial accountability. Whether it be teaching farmers better methods to grow sustainable, profitable crops, or building schools, clinics or repairs, the funds are used in extremely responsible ways. Most funds are not used as simple handouts but instead invested to help mitigate poverty and hunger through education helping to support individuals and  families in need. Many of these people are in situations beyond their control. CFGB is there today and into the future to help support displaced people in times of war, displacement, drought or other natural disasters. 

The Canadian Food Grains Bank has over 200 projects or community events like Picture Butte’s spread all across Canada. We are very excited and proud to be part of this well run, made in Canada, solution to the needy in our world.

Locally we love to see the community get involved through financial donations or volunteering in tillage, planting, spraying, swathing, threshing or baling. We encourage the community to come out to watch the harvest bee at the end of August. Growing the crop generally costs around $500 an acre but through donations, time and resources we hope to have the cost of this completely covered off. 

The Harvest Day will be advertised and this is one unique and inspiring event to take in as a participant or a spectator. There will be a BBQ at the harvest bee that the public is welcome to attend and potentially contribute to the donation jar at that time.

You can help this project this year by donating any amount by cheque, e-transfer or gifts. Our email is pbfoodgrains@gmail.com or Box 725 Picture Butte, AB, T0K 1V0.  

FOOD GRAINS AUCTION: We will be holding the auction during the Spring Video Cattle sale on May 10 at Cattlemen’s Chophouse where 10 lots of 40T Barley and 15 lots of 20 Bales will be on auction.

Keep up to date with us on Facebook: Picture Butte Food Grains Bank.