b"further along than others. Some are in the planning stages while others had their projects done by Christmas 2021.In Westwoods own irrigation district, SMRID, they are working on a pipeline project that had originally been designed 15 years ago but was shelved due to challenges receiving approvals and agreements with landowners for construction. I know, talking personally to some of those impacted irrigators on that particular project, they are very excited that they're finally getting a pipeline. Their old conveyance channels were one of the oldest ones that we had in the district, and were dirt conveyance in some cases, he says.The irrigation modernization project means what is already an extremely diversified growing region can become even more diversified, Trevor Lewington, the CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge, which is located in the irrigation region, says.It adds new storage capacity, so that's good news. Expanding the Chin reservoir system means there's more water made available, he explains in a phone interview. That does add more acres under irrigation, which again allows either more production of the same crops or potentially more specialized crops than we currently do today.Lewington says there is everything from haskap berries to The eight mile lateral irrigation modernization pipeline project in the St. Marymustard seed grown which is then ready to be made into wasabi River Irrigation District was completed in winter 2019/2020.and shipped overseas. Theres often years where we have either a bad crop of some particular commodity or there's geopolitical pressures that impact exports, he explains. It's important that we have the ability to switch crops and grow a wide range of things that are going to add most dollars to our growers.The expansion also helps with the threats of future droughts. Glen Logan runs Wheatcrest Farms, a pedigreed seed farm near Lomond, Alta., and is on the board of the Bow River Irrigation Three Hills, ABDistrict. He has 3,500 acres of irrigated land and says he was able to get through the dry 2021 growing season with flying PulsesHRS WheatBarleycolours.CDC Spectrum PeasParataCDC Austenson If it werent for irrigation, we wouldn't have any (seeds) to Garde Green PeasAAC Redberry sell. You might have crop insurance, but you wouldn't have any Flaxproduct actually to sell had it not been for irrigation, he says in Snowbird FababeansAAC Brandon CDC Rowlanda phone interview.Soft White WheatCDC SKRushLogan says access to irrigation is critical for seed growers in AAC ParamountAAC Wheatland southern Alberta. He also says its important for potato, sugar beet and vegetable farmers in the area. The largest cattle feeding area in Canada happens to be in southern Alberta, so that depends on irrigation for forage and Call 403-443-9599 or email [email protected] inputs, that kind of thing. So it's relied on heavily for food to book your seed and treatment today!security, Logan adds. Ashley RobinsonVisit www.AlectSeeds.ca Follow on Twitter @sweigum 10seed.ab.ca"