Winter 2022 and our IPM Team!

Our field research program at Beaverlodge hinges on technical support - these are people who implement the science we are fortunate to be supported to do in the Peace River region!

This winter, our program has new people hired who are rapidly learning a LOT about how to process and begin to identify the more than 110 arthropod species that are active in annual and perennial field crops  grown throughout the region. Learn more about Jordon, Vicky, Tessa, and Tanya. They join Shelby, Amanda, and me and we're the IPM Team for the winter of 2022!

Field sanitation protocol to manage soil-borne diseases

The distribution of clubroot in the Peace River region again increased in 2018 from the Big Lakes County (August 2017) to include additional sites in northwestern Alberta:
• Please access the current clubroot map here to learn more about where this disease occurs within Alberta.
• Refer to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry's website for more information on clubroot. 

The IPM Program has, since 2004, used booties and sterilized field equipment using bleach and ethyl alcohol.  From 2017-2018, field sanitation involved the use of Virkon and bleach and since 2019 involved bleach only.  As of May 2021, our field sanitation protocol includes:

* AAFC staff continue to operate marked vehicles when visiting fields to identify ourselves.

* AAFC vehicles continue to park on the road OR on pull-ins – we NEVER drive into a field!

* We reduce field work activities on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.

* We are using sodium hypochlorite or bleach (2%) to sanitize both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Rubber boots are worn and sterilized using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Disposable booties are worn over sterilized rubber boots prior to exiting the vehicle.

* All booties are bagged then sterilized using an autoclave.

* Vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells are sanitized using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Any equipment in contact with the soil (eg trowels, soil samplers) is sanitized using bleach.

* We carry multiples of our small field equipment to allow for soaking in bleach and/or sterilization using an autoclave.
* All field equipment (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) is soaked in bleach after use in each field.

* AAFC vehicles are washed intermittently at commercial car washes to prevent the introduction of clubroot onto our research field plots at Beaverlodge AB.

Please contact us if you have questions or concerns!  If you wish to personally see our sanitization efforts in action, we can arrange it!  You can reach Amanda Jorgensen, Shelby Dufton, or Jennifer Otani by e-mail.

We appreciate the value of all agricultural fields and thank our growers for allowing us to conduct  research in their fields. We appreciate their ongoing support and commitment to insect pest management.  We also want the agricultural industry to be aware and confident that we continue to do our utmost to ensure every field is protected now and in the future. 

Field sanitation protocol in place to continue to manage clubroot and other soil-borne diseases

We are updating you on a new situation: Clubroot was confirmed in August 2017 within the Peace River region (in Big Lakes County). Refer to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry's website for more information on clubroot. 

The IPM Program has, since 2004, used booties and sterilized field equipment using bleach and ethyl alcohol but we have now updated and implemented increased our sanitation methods for every field as of August 31, 2017:

* AAFC Staff continue to operate marked vehicles when visiting fields to identify ourselves.

* AAFC Vehicles continue to park on the road OR on pull-ins – we NEVER drive into a field!

* NEW -  We will reduce field work on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.

* NEW – We are using Virkon (2%), a disinfectant tested and routinely used by Albertan pathologists to manage clubroot, to sanitize both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* NEW – Rubber boots are worn and sterilized using Virkon both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Disposable booties are worn over sterilized rubber boots prior to exiting the vehicle.

* All booties are bagged then sterilized using an autoclave.

* NEW – Vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells are sanitized using Virkon both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Any equipment in contact with the soil (eg trowels, soil samplers) is sanitized using Virkon following usage.

* All field equipment (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) are soaked in Virkon after use in each field.

* NEW – We are purchasing multiples of our equipment to allow for soaking in Virkon and/or sterilization using an autoclave.

* NEW – AAFC vehicles will be washed intermittently at commercial car washes to prevent introduction of clubroot onto our research field plots at Beaverlodge AB.

Please let us know if you have questions or concerns!  If you wish to personally see our sanitization efforts in action, please let us know so we can arrange it!  You can reach us by e-mail at Amanda.Jorgensen@canada.ca or Jennifer.Otani@agr.gc.ca. 

We appreciate the value of all agricultural fields and thank our growers for allowing us to conduct  research in their fields. We appreciate their ongoing support and commitment to pest management.  We also want the agricultural industry to be aware and confident that we continue to do our utmost to ensure every field is protected now and for the future. 

2016 BC Wildfire Interactive Map

A large wildfire is burning near Fort St. John BC.  Check out the interaction map showing the BC Peace. 


We are hoping the best for our growers!