b'Working With the CommunityThe larger capacity has also allowed the Bashaw plant to expand its work within the community. When Rahr Malting, an international malting facility located only about 30 km from the plant, first heard about the expansion, they were interested.The folks at Rahr had been noticing more Ergot was turning up in grain loads trucked to the facility. The general seed cleaner system Rahr had onsite was unable to separate Ergot out, however a colour sorting machine could clean the grain.We were rejecting them and (the loads) were going back to the farmer, Kevin Sich, supply chain director for Rahr Malting, says in a phone call. So, the farmer had to haul it home or haul it somewhere else to get it seed cleaned.Rahr reached out Sinclair, asking if they could forge a partnership between the two. In the end it was decided the Bashaw plant would leave bin spaceEmployees (l-r) Leroy Quapp, Ashley Rindero and Bill Sinclair stand in the Bashaw Seed Cleaning available for Rahr, which would allowCo-operative plant. Rahr customers to come and drop offPHOTO: BASHAW SEED CLEANING CO-OPERATIVEloads to be cleaned right after theyre rejected at the malting facility.We might be sending a truck within 20 minutes of the phone call. And in the industry, a lot of times you dont doWe might be sending a truck within 20 that kind of stuff, its supposed to be planned, Sich says. minutes of the phone call. And in the While Bashaw doesnt sell otherindustry, a lot of times you dont do that products besides its seed and grain cleaning services, the plant is an integralkind of stuff, its supposed to be planned. part of its community and supports Kevin Sichagriculture related causes there.We have always tried to support small things in the community, especially youth and 4-H kind of things, Sinclair says. I guess thats what it is, we live in aIts been a bit strange. We dont havenew business or management situation small town Alberta.the direct, close personal contact withI think to adapt to this right now. I our customers right now, Sinclair says.think were pretty fortunate that Im at Making it Through It was a matter of us making sure wethe stage where I am here where our It hasnt been easy for the plant overcould get the seed out last spring. Andcustomers know what to expect here.the last year as theyve had to adapt toIm not sure where its going to go (now). Sinclair works with two other the ever changing COVID-19 pandemicSinclair has been manager of theemployees at the plant, Leroy Quapp reality. In March 2020 as the first waveBashaw plant for 26 years. With theand Ashley Rindero. Usually there are lockdown hit Alberta, Bashaw Seedreduced customer contact hes thankfulfour employees at the plant, but they are Cleaning Co-op put away its coffee potof the relationships hes built with themcurrently looking for another employee and had customers stay in their trucks asover the last quarter of a century. for the plant.they dropped off loads. It would be much, much harder on a Ashley RobinsonSpring 2021 19'