SCOTT — The Western Applied Research Corporation, known as WARC, held their Scott Field Day July 12 at the Scott Research Farm, located on Highway 374 past the village of Scott.
Morning and afternoon sessions were held including six different sessions ranging from drone vs conventional sprayer use and crop experiences as well as test trial discussions. The team from WARC and Scott Experimental Farm hosted 130 guests through the two sessions. Attendees included ag producers, agronomists and other people from the ag industry.
The Western Applied Research Corporation is a non-profit organization that is governed by a board of directors consisting of northwest Saskatchewan producers. They partner with the Saskatchewan Agri-ARM network and work in partnership with Agriculture and Agrifood Canada. In 2023, WARC celebrates their 20th anniversary.
Small plot field research trials and demonstrations are part of what WARC does, with a focus on current issues and concerns addressed by local producers.
“The entire staff of WARC and the AAFC Scott Research Farm work together to host the Field Day – approximately 27 people in total help out in a variety of ways,” Stacey Hawkins, executive administrator of WARC, says.
The 2023 staff component at WARC includes two full-time, two part-time employees joined by three summer students.
“WARC does the majority of the planning, advertising, taking registration, soliciting for sponsorship and covering the costs of hosting as well as highlighting several of our trials. AAFC highlights several of their trials, provides the facility, assists with set up, provides help on field day as well as clean up after,” adds Hawkins.
Hawkins also notes, “It is WARC’s mandate to pass the results of our trials on to producers and interested persons and the field day is an excellent venue for people to see first-hand what we do.”
“I think it can be summarized by our mandate which is to transfer technology from research to Saskatchewan producers and evaluate the economic implications of technology for Saskatchewan producers," adds Hawkins.
During the noon luncheon, WARC chairperson Mike Palmier, spoke about their 20th anniversary noting that the first meeting was held in March of 2002 and on April 7, 2003, the committee officially incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. Guests were given a handout outlining the history of WARC.
WARC has grown from renting land and equipment, conducting around 10-20 trials a year to now renting land and purchasing some of their own equipment, conducting anywhere from 30-50 trials, depending on the year. WARC purchased their first quarter of land in 2022 and in 2023, a 10-acre parcel of land in the town of Scott was purchased for storage and research land expansion.
The 20th year brought exciting news and investments in their future growth, as outlined by Palmier.
Also, during the lunch, a special presentation was made to WARC employee, Herb Schell, for serving 10 years with the corporation. Schell previously worked many years with the Scott Experimental Farm.
“As we reflect back on 20 years of WARC history, we hope we have served producers with sound, relevant research to help improve all aspects of their farming operations and we will strive to do so into the future," was stated by WARC in their material distributed to those in attendance.
You can find more details on this corporation from their website – www.warc.ca
