By Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

26th charity crop for the Central Alberta Foodgrains goes in the bin this weekend

Sep 24, 2021 | 2:51 PM

RED DEER, Alta. – The Central Alberta Foodgrains Growing Project (CAFGP) is getting ready to harvest their 26^th charity canola crop.

The 120 acres of canola will be taken off this Saturday, Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. This year’s field is located about 10 minutes southeast of Lacombe, just north of the Prentiss landfill.

Once the crop is harvested and sold it’ll be sent to the Foodgrains Bank, which helps feed hungry people all over the world.

Committee member with the CAFGP Doug Maas says he’s grateful for all the people who have donated land to them throughout the years all across Lacombe County.

“It’s a great community project. It’s obviously rural based, but it informs urban people as well who sponsor an acre for us and come out to watch the harvest, and it creates a lot of enthusiasm, and energy, and helps feed a lot of hungry people in the world.”

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Farmers swathing the canola field for the Central Alberta Foodgrains Growing Project on Sept. 1, 2021(Sydelle Zukowski)

Maas says they have trucks lined up to haul the canola away, but they are asking for any local farmers who might have some free time on Saturday to come help them take the crop off.

Money raised from the sale of the crop and donations are then matched 4-1 by the federal government.

“The Canadian government has always believed in what the Foodgrains Bank does. We’re basically all volunteers so our administration costs are low. We make sure the food assistance gets to the people who need it, we watch it very carefully. So for those reasons, the Canadian government says, “well for every dollar you raise we’ll add 4 more” and that helps a lot of people in the world with food.”

For more information or to get involved with the harvest this Saturday, you can follow the Central Alberta Foodgrains Growing Project on Facebook, or give them a call at 403-782-1860.