Alfalfa Clouds
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FTLComm - Tisdale/Arborfield - Monday, June 1, 1998
Dale Davis CEO of Tisdale
Dehydration said that they aim for having their operation ready to run for June
1 and usually do not get going until June 7. But, in 1998 the plant West of Tisdale
was making fog today. Andy Casavant, manager of |
Arborfield Dehy Ltd. said they did their
first batch on Tuesday, May 26 but their plant began full operations on Wednesday.
Parkland Alfalfa is ready to cook and will
begin full operations tomorrow, Martin Chabot discussed
the start up process and said his staff was working flat out and SaskTel's
Internet server was holding up the transfer of the latest software upgrade that will
bring Parklandís plant up to speed as soon as it is installed in the complex
and automated system used in their operation.
In talking with the three managers of these nearby plants only Andy Casavant was
expressing concerns over the adverse weather which threatens production.
Canada has only twenty-seven alfalfa companies producing |
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products for export five are located in this part of the province at Hudson
Bay, Carrot River, Arborfield, |
Tisdale's plant at 5:30 PM today.
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Parkland Alfalfa located mid way between Tisdale and Nipawin, and Tisdale Dehydration.
A sixth small plant is located near outlook processing alfalfa produced by irrigation.
These five plants produce 56% of Canadaís total export product. |
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Parkland Alfalfa's operation at 6:30 PM today
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Had we started earlier today we would have been able to visit all five local plants
as they are within easy driving distance of each other. Employing a large number
of people this industry is highly efficient and extremely sensitive to environmental
concerns. When this reported referred to "smoke"
one manager promptly pointed out that the emission is water vapour as the field alfalfa
is brought down to its 7% moisture level as it is processed. The burnt grass smell
that sometime is noticable is from very low moisture content alfalfa that is scorched
in the dehydration process. Tisdale Dehydration proudly proclaims that they adhere
to industrial air quality standards as opposed to Agricultural standards. |
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Arborfield Dehy Ltd at 7:30PM today
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Above and to the right you can see the complexity of these plants,
these shots of the Arborfield operation.
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First cut harvesting operations are in full swing East of Tisdale, South of Arborfield
and in the immediate area of the Parkland plant. The heavy trucks are running almost
around the clock so motorists are once again cautioned to be aware of these vehicles
coming off of side roads onto the highways. |