b'suppliers, and associated service providers is so important. Its also why, as chair of both the B.C. Seed Potato Growers Association and the Canadian Potato Council, he actively promotes producer uptake of safe ag chemical disposal and other environmentally and socially conscious initiatives. Cleanfarms is Canadas ag recycler. Operating in every province, Cleanfarms is a non-profit environmental stewardship organization that strives to keep recyclable materialsespecially plasticsout of landfills and burn piles, Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen explains. Cleanfarms currently operates multiple permanent ag recycling programs across the country. Its primary programs include recycling small plastic pesticide and fertilizer containers up to 23 litres and plastic totes and drums up to 1,000 litres. To expand the range of ag plastics that can be recycled, Cleanfarms also conducts pilot programs to collect and manage baler twine, seed, pesticide and inoculant bags, and bale wrap and silage plastic in various jurisdictions. In Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and soon Prince Edward Island, it also operates programs to Barry Friesen, executive director of Cleanfarms. collect and recycle used grain bags.Cleanfarms other service is collecting and safely disposing of unwanted hazardous ag chemicals and livestock and equine medications.There are all kinds of reasons smalland sometimes largequantities of ag chemicals might end up unused and unwanted. Deregistered and outdated products make up most of the chemicals requiring disposal, but changing farm plans contribute a share as well. Very frequently, larger quantities of product are delivered to Cleanfarms collection events for disposal when farms change hands. A lot of what we get is 30, 40, 50 years old. Often, its not until theres a new owner of a farm who opens up an old chem shed and finds all kinds of stuff that needs safe disposal, Friesen says. We offer a really important service, particularly for that very old and at times dangerous stuff. Last year, Cleanfarms collected 323,000 kgs of chemical for disposal, most of which was liquid product. In addition, they collected 10,000 kg of livestock and equine medication. Some farmers might come in with a litre or less in a container and thats all theyve got. Others come in with pickup trucks 36SPUDSMART.COMFall 2023'