Final Winners Announced in The Great Twine Round-Up Contest in Alberta (2024-2025)

Lethbridge, AB – July 30, 2025 – Cleanfarms is excited to announce the final winners of The Great Twine Round-Up contest (2024-2025), celebrating Alberta farmers and 4-H clubs that took action to collect and return used agricultural plastic baler twine for recycling.

Celebrating their dedication to agricultural recycling, the winners of the 2024-2025 Great Twine Round-Up contest gathered. Pictured (L-R): Representatives from Rocky South 4-H Beef Club, Hanna Rangeland 4-H Multi Club, Lethbridge Northern 4-H Beef Club, and a ranch in Special Areas 2.

The contest which ran for seven months, wrapped up on May 31, 2025, saw an impressive total of 660 entries and 33 unique participants across all categories. This strong community engagement resulted in the collection of an estimated 16,500 kg of twine, demonstrating significant environmental impact.

The contest featured two prize draws throughout the collection period. Prizes are distributed to winning 4-H clubs, and an additional independent entrant who will direct their prize to an Alberta-based charity. Participants who didn’t win in an early-bird draw conducted in January 2025 were automatically eligible for the final draw.

Let’s celebrate our final draw winners:

Individual Category ($3,000)

  • The individual prize was awarded to a ranch in Special Areas 2

4-H Club Category ($3,000 each)

  • Rocky South 4-H Beef Club
  • Hanna Rangeland 4-H Multi Club

Early-bird 4H Club ($3000)

  • Lethbridge Northern 4-H Beef Club

Every participant stood out for their commitment to sustainability, helping divert agricultural twine from landfills and ensuring it was recycled properly.

“This contest shows the real impact Alberta’s farm communities can make when they come together to protect the environment,” said Barry Friesen, Executive Director, at Cleanfarms. “We’re pleased with the participation and proud to support these leaders in agricultural recycling.”

This initiative was led by the multi-stakeholder Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG), with funds granted by the Government of Alberta and administered by Alberta Beef Producers.

“The Great Twine Roundup was a success, both in terms of increased twine collection volumes but more importantly, in encouraging farmers to try twine recycling,” says Assar Grinde, cow/calf producer and Chair of the APRG. “Taking that first step, of putting your clean twine in a recycling bag rather than the garbage for the first time, is often the most difficult part. The strong participation from 4-H clubs and individual entrants shows the Great Twine Roundup is a model for how targeted engagement can translate into positive environmental outcomes in Alberta.”

The Great Twine Round-Up is part of Cleanfarms’ national effort to help Canadian farmers manage ag plastics responsibly. With the positive outcomes observed this year, the return of the contest in 2025–2026 would be welcomed, should government funding become available.

To learn more about ag plastic recycling programs and how to participate next year, visit cleanfarms.ca.

-30-

About APRG

The Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG) formed in 2016 to find solutions for agricultural plastics. The APRG is made up of partners including commodity groups, retailers, municipalities, academic institutions, recyclers, and farmers. It is now focused on the transition of the pilot into a permanent program as well as exploring solutions for other ag plastics such as bale wrap and silage plastic. aprg.ca.

About Cleanfarms

Cleanfarms is an agricultural industry stewardship organization that contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future by recovering and recycling agricultural and related industry plastics, packaging and products. It is funded by its members in the crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics, and maple tubing industries. Its team members are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

Media Contact

Margot Beverley, Director, Communications (and media) | beverleym@cleanfarms.ca | 647-557-1801

Farmers Across Five Provinces: Get Ready for Cleanfarms’ Fall Unwanted Agricultural Pesticides & Obsolete livestock and Equine Medication Collection

A Cleanfarms collection event provides a safe way for farmers to drop off unwanted pesticides and old livestock medications.

Etobicoke, ON – July 23, 2025 – Again this fall, farmers in five provinces will be able to safely dispose of unwanted agricultural pesticides and obsolete livestock and equine medications (UPLM) through Cleanfarms’ collection program.

The UPLM program is one of Cleanfarms’ longest-standing programs, having helped farmers protect their land and communities by ensuring unused or expired pesticides and medication are managed safely for over 15 years.

An important milestone this year, UPLM collection events in Newfoundland will also feature the first-ever collection of used pesticide and fertilizer containers (under 23L), providing a new convenience for Newfoundland farmers.

2025 UPLM collection events:

  • Ontario: September 15th – 26th
  • Peace Region (Alberta & British Columbia): October 14th – 16th
  • Northern Alberta: October 6th – 10th
  • Newfoundland: October 21st – 24th
  • Manitoba: October 27th – 31st

Accepted materials include:

  • Unwanted agricultural pesticides (with Pest Control Product number)
  • Commercial pest control products used on golf courses or industrial sites
  • Livestock/equine medications (with DIN, serial, notification, or Pest Control Product number).

The program does NOT accept:

  • Treated seed
  • Fertilizer, diluted solution, large quantities of unopened product
  • Full and unopened jugs of adjuvant or surfactant
  • Needles or sharps, medicated feed, aerosol containers, premise disinfectants and sanitizers, veterinary clinic waste and medications, and ear tags
  • Domestic pesticides, fertilizers and animal health products
  • Other household hazardous waste.

“Farmers continue to show their commitment to protecting the environment by taking part in the UPLM collection program year after year,” said Barry Friesen, Executive Director of Cleanfarms. “It’s a reliable solution to safely manage materials that accumulate over time, and it gives peace of mind knowing they’re handled with care.”

The program is funded by Cleanfarms’ crop protection industry members and the Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI).

“CAHI members take great pride in our long-standing partnership with Cleanfarms. This important program highlights our members’ unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.  Ensuring that unwanted or expired livestock medications are safely collected and disposed of protects animal health, supports on-farm biosecurity, and helps safeguard our environment,” said Dr. Catherine Filejski, President & CEO of the Canadian Animal Health Institute.

In 2022, when Cleanfarms last ran collection events in these regions, the program recovered 323,524 kg of unwanted pesticides and 9,656 kg of obsolete livestock and equine medications.

Find maps and details at:
cleanfarms.ca/materials/unwanted-pesticides-animal-meds

-30-

About Cleanfarms 

Cleanfarms is an agricultural industry stewardship organization that contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future by recovering and recycling agricultural and related industry plastics, packaging and products. It is funded by its members in the crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics, and maple tubing industries. Team members are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

Media Contact  

Margot Beverley, Director, Communications (and media) | beverleym@cleanfarms.ca | 647-557-1801

Passion in Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship

Read more

Cleanfarms to Launch Recycling Program for Pesticide and Fertilizer Containers in Newfoundland

Triple-rinsed and bagged pesticide and fertilizer containers 23L and under, ready to be picked up for recycling.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — July 15, 2025. New this year, Newfoundland farmers can bring their empty pesticide and fertilizer containers 23L and under to Cleanfarms collection events to be recycled. This update will provide Newfoundland farmers the opportunity to manage these containers responsibly and keep them out of landfills and the environment.

In Newfoundland, triple-rinsed and bagged containers 23L and under will be accepted at collection events for the Unwanted Pesticides and Old Livestock Medications (UPLM) program happening this October. Farmers can obtain free collection bags from their local Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Pest Management Specialist.

Collection events for containers 23L and under and unwanted pesticides and livestock medications will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Depots in:

  • Foxtrap, October 21
  • Lethbridge, October 22
  • Lewisporte, October 23
  • Deer Lake, October 24

“Bringing this program to Newfoundland has been a long-standing goal of ours, and we’re thrilled to be adding it to our suite of collection programs during our 15th anniversary year,” says Barry Friesen, Cleanfarms’ Executive Director. “Every three years, farmers on the island have welcomed collection events for unwanted pesticides and livestock medications to safely dispose of their unused products. We’re confident they’ll do the same for this new avenue to embrace sustainable agriculture.”

Cleanfarms works closely with experts on the island from the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture to bring recycling opportunities to local farmers. These Pest Management Specialists are big contributors to the success of the UPLM program and have been integral to launching the program for containers 23L and under this year.

“Many farmers have been storing their empty containers in search of an alternative to landfilling them,” says Leah Madore, Pest Management Specialist. “Knowing they’ll now be able to return these containers to be recycled into new useful products makes us proud to be part of this exciting project.”

More information about the collection program for pesticide and fertilizer containers 23L and under is available at cleanfarms.ca/newfoundland-recycling-pesticide-and-fertilizer-containers/ including what materials are accepted and how to prepare them.

-30-

About Cleanfarms

Cleanfarms is an agricultural industry stewardship organization that contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future by recovering and recycling agricultural and related industry plastics, packaging and products. It is funded by its members in the crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics, and maple tubing industries. Its team members are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

Media contact

Margot Beverley, Director, Communications (and media) | beverleym@cleanfarms.ca | 647-557-1801