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Athabasca County Agricultural Services supports farmers and producers by encouraging production, profitability, and sustainability. We offer a number of programs and provide information on crop protection, including vegetation management, insect and pest control, and wildlife management.
County staff are also available for services such as soil and feed sampling, field inspections, specialty crops consultation, weed, insect and disease monitoring and control, and marketing recommendations.
For 50 years, farm families from northern and central Alberta communities have been recognized as the recipients of the BMO Farm Family Award. The award honours both their farming business practices and community involvement. Winners receive a commemorative gate sign and are honoured at the BMO Farm Family Awards Gala.
Athabasca County’s Agricultural Services Board advertises for nominations and forwards the names of those to be considered every two years. The winner is selected according to eligibility guidelines set out for the award.
They are as follows:
Each year Athabasca County and members of the Farm Women’s Committee work to organize the the Rural Women’s Conference (formerly the Farm Women’s Conference & Awards). The event celebrates the accomplishments of rural women through the presentation of two awards – the Pioneer Farm Woman of the Year and the Modern Farm Woman of the Year.
Each year a call for nominations is made and a selection committee reviews the information pertaining to each individual. If a nomination is made, and the nominee is not selected, their name can stand for nomination again the following year.
The one-day conference moves around the municipality each year and hosts both local and provincial speakers and entertainers to make the conference a great place to network or say hello to a friends while gathering to pay tribute to the hard-working farm women of our region.
Farming and ranching consists of hard work and sacrifice, combined with a healthy dose of energy and unrelenting faith. This spirit and vision, complemented by a new land of limitless natural resources is what brought our forefathers to Alberta. They settled the land to build the family farm or ranch — the place many of you continue to call home today.
Keeping the farm or ranch from generation to generation and actively operating it is an impressive achievement for any Alberta family. Athabasca County wishes to salute those families who have owned and operated the same land for a minimum of 100 years.
Farming and ranching consists of hard work and sacrifice, combined with a healthy dose of energy and unrelenting faith. This spirit and vision, complemented by a new land of limitless natural resources is what brought our forefathers to Alberta. They settled the land to build the family farm or ranch — the place many of you continue to call home today.
Keeping the farm or ranch from generation to generation and actively operating it is an impressive achievement for any Alberta family. Athabasca County wishes to salute those families who have owned and operated the same land for a minimum of 100 years.
Criteria have been set to identify the families eligible to receive this award. It includes the following:
If you meet these requirements, please contact Athabasca County Administration Office or your local councilor about two months prior to your 100-year anniversary date or your family celebration date. Eligible applicants will be presented with the Athabasca County Centennial Award gate sign.
Your family will receive a steel powder-coated gate sign (size: 36″ wide x 29.750″ tall) commemorating this 100-year milestone. This award, which can be placed at the gate or hung on a building, symbolizes your family’s perseverance and their ability to keep farming or ranching in the face of change.
Criteria have been set to identify the families eligible to receive this award. It includes the following:
The Selection Process
If you meet these requirements, please contact Athabasca County Administration Office or your local councilor about two months prior to your 100-year anniversary date or your family celebration date. Eligible applicants will be presented with the Athabasca County Centennial Award gate sign.
What do families receive?
Your family will receive a steel powder-coated gate sign (size: 36″ wide x 29.750″ tall) commemorating this 100-year milestone. This award, which can be placed at the gate or hung on a building, symbolizes your family’s perseverance and their ability to keep farming or ranching in the face of change.
The Athabasca County Agricultural Service Board encourages local high school students and mature students to choose a career in agriculture or a related field and to financially support them while attending a post-secondary institution. The support of the $1500 bursary is intended for students to enhance their knowledge and return to Athabasca County to apply it.
Applications and all supporting documentation must be received by the Manager of Agriculture Services no later than September 15th in each year and must include:
Applications are to be submitted to:
Athabasca County, Agricultural Service Board
3602-48th Avenue
Athabasca, AB T9S 1M8
Phone: 780-675-2273 Fax: 780-675-5512
Email: AG-Env@athabascacounty.com
These award celebrate the incredible farm families who are the backbone of Northern Alberta. These awards shine a light on families who demonstrate excellence in farming, leadership in their communities, and a lasting legacy on the land.
All nominations for the 50 year farming awards must be received by June 30, 2026. You can nominate online OR download a PDF and email to info.aadas@gmail.com by June 30, 2026.
Tank loading facilities are operational at the following locations:
The tank loading facilities will provide water at a cost of $1.00/200 gallons and $2.00/400 gallons for agricultural use. the stations only accept $1 and $2 coins.
These stations only use non-potable water. The filling of spray tanks at tank loading stations is not permitted.
Please remove the hose from the tank before driving away.
Our Agricultural Services Staff is available to assist producers with a variety of services that could benefit their farm management and productivity. Services include soil and feed sampling, field inspections, specialty crops consultation, weed, insect and disease monitoring and control.
Athabasca County Agricultural Services Department is joined in partnership with other local municipalities to provide extension programs such as the grain bag roller blitz, workshops and seminars, the tree seedling sale, and we can rent out a plastic mulch applicator to any landowners who request to use it.
We proudly partner with Gateway Research Organization – a local non-profit research association focused on improving crop, forage, soil, and livestock production through locally relevant research.
We also partner with ALUS to provide grant opportunities and funding for land stewardship projects. We can also provide support in setting up an Environmental Farm Plan, for more information please reach out to the Agricultural Services Department at 780-675-2273.
Through these partnerships we also organize and sponsor seminars and workshops that provide valuable knowledge and skills to producers and landowners alike.
The Athabasca County Agricultural Service Board encourages local high school students and mature students to choose a career in agriculture or a related field and to financially support them while attending a post-secondary institution. The support of the $1,500 bursary is intended for students to enhance their knowledge and return to Athabasca County to apply it.
Applications and all supporting documentation must be received by the Manager of Agriculture Services no later than September 15th in each year and must include:
Applications are to be submitted to:
Athabasca County, Agricultural Service Board
3602-48th Avenue
Athabasca, AB T9S 1M8
Phone: 780-675-2273 Fax: 780-675-5512
Email: AG-Env@athabascacounty.com
The Agricultural Service Board promotes the planting of trees and the many benefits that tree planting projects provide.
Our Agricultural Services Department partners with ALUS to provide an annual tree seedling sale to promote shelterbelt formations across the county.
Athabasca County holds an annual tree sale. Trees can be purchased here.
Click below to read the provincial acts (laws) and regulations (rules to address details and applications of the law) in agriculture:
The Agricultural Pests Act directs that Agricultural Pests (Norway Rat, Blackleg and Clubroot of Canola, Dutch Elm Disease, Warble Fly, etc.) must be controlled, and that Agricultural Nuisances (coyotes, skunks, Richardson’s Ground Squirrel, Northern Pocket Gopher, etc.) may be controlled.
The Agricultural Service Board (ASB) works under Alberta Agriculture’s directive on these issues and have programs for pest control. It should be noted that where there are urban and human interactions with coyotes, Alberta Fish and Wildlife are legislated to deal with these situations. ASB may assist with coyote control as it relates to agricultural production and where a proven case of predation has occurred.
The potential impact of insects and disease varies from year to year and the Ag Service Board has a monitoring program to predict outbreaks.
The Service Board has Electrostatic sprayer available for the control of Blackflies as well as two Bran Bait applicators available for localized treatments of Grasshoppers.
Under the mandate of the Agricultural Land Flood Control Program the County Problem Wildlife Specialists respond to agricultural flooding problems, requiring the destruction of beaver dams and the removal or relocation of beavers. The department also installs Beaver Stop culvert protection devices that provide long-term protection of road crossings from beaver damage.
The department also conducts a Coyote Predation Control program and an intensive Pocket Gopher Management program in the Rochester area.
Athabasca County’s Agricultural Service Department has a variety of equipment available to lend and rent. The equipment is located at the County’s Public Works yard in Athabasca. For booking arrangements, please call the Agriculture Service Department office at 780-675-2273.
Each year Athabasca County and members of the Farm Women’s Committee work to organize the the Rural Women’s Conference (formerly the Farm Women’s Conference & Awards). The event celebrates the accomplishments of rural women through the presentation of two awards – the Pioneer Farm Woman of the Year and the Modern Farm Woman of the Year.
Each year a call for nominations is made and a selection committee reviews the information pertaining to each individual. If a nomination is made, and the nominee is not selected, their name can stand for nomination again the following year.
The one-day conference moves around the municipality each year and hosts both local and provincial speakers and entertainers to make the conference a great place to network or say hello to a friends while gathering to pay tribute to the hard-working farm women of our region.
The next conference will be held on February 4th, 2027 at the Rochester Senior’s Centre.
The Rural Women’s Conference Committee is accepting new volunteer members, if you are interested in joining, please call 780-675-2273 or email info@athabascacounty.com
Under the Weed Control Incentive Program, Athabasca County offers landowners incentives to help to stop the spread and reduce the number of noxious weeds in the region.
As a measure to address the potential economic impact of the spread of weeds, landowners who treat large infestations may qualify for a rebate on the herbicide products that they use.
Under the program, landowners can apply to be reimbursed for a portion of the costs for the application. Participants in the program are required to apply prior to work being done, and have their land inspected before and after the chemical application. Proof of chemical purchase must be submitted to qualify for reimbursement.
Those interested in becoming part of the program can download and fill out the application and bring it into the County office to arrange an inspection.
Weed Control Brochure
Athabasca County Agricultural Services has a helpful brochure to identify and understand the goals for weed control in Alberta.
Athabasca County offers a fenceline spray program that has two components: we can spray noxious weeds along fencelines adjacent to County roads for no cost to the landowner. This typically involves a UTV with boom sprayers driving along the inside of the fence and spraying into the fenceline as well as spraying into the ditch. The second component is spraying internal fencelines at a rate of $75/half mile.
This program is for non-fenceline, privately-owned areas, such as yards, driveway edges, and headlands, not adjacent to county roads. The rate for this spraying is $100/acre with a minimum charge of one acre.
Under the Weed Control Incentive Program, Athabasca County offers landowners incentives to help to stop the spread and reduce the number of noxious weeds in the region.
As a measure to address the potential economic impact of the spread of weeds, landowners who treat large infestations may qualify for a rebate on the herbicide products that they use.
Under the program, landowners can apply to be reimbursed for a portion of the costs for the application. Participants in the program are required to apply prior to work being done, and have their land inspected before and after the chemical application. Proof of chemical purchase must be submitted to qualify for reimbursement.
Those interested in becoming part of the program can download and fill out the application and bring it into the County office to arrange an inspection.
For those residents who wish not to have roadsides along their property treated with herbicides, they may enter into a signed agreement with the County whereby they assume responsibility for weed control in the ditch. For details on the Terms of Agreement and our Roadside Weed Control Program, call Agricultural Services.
