Bridging the gap: Alberta-based aGRO Systems connects craft breweries and ranchers

Since 2018, 1 Alberta-based institution has been moving with trade breweries successful Calgary to forestall spent atom from ending up successful landfills oregon being nether utilized astatine composting facilities.

Instead, aGRO Systems which was founded by Victoria Ross takes that atom and provides it to section ranchers arsenic a macromolecule affluent provender additive for livestock.

“Spent atom itself successful its bedewed signifier is lone similar 5 to six per cent crude protein,” explained Ross. “But if you adust it down to its full form, past it would beryllium astir 25 per cent crude protein, whereas astir cattle are for lawsuit finished connected 12 to 13 per cent.”

As a mode to trim discarded and costs associated with ranching, Ross was inspired by her begetter John Ross, who, successful bid to support their ain ranch afloat, took connected a 2nd occupation to marque ends meet.

“When I started moving connected the archetypal conception of aGRO backmost successful university, I really was truly alarmed to larn that astir 50 per cent of Canadian farmers request an off-farm job,” Ross said. “So wanting to find antithetic products, services, methods of farming and ranching, collaborating that would let these farmers and ranchers to destruct the necessity of that job.”

88 Brewing is 1 of the 33 Calgary-based breweries aGRO Systems works with. Since the beginning, Brendan Barnett says the thought of reducing their c footprint by moving with Ross was a no-brainer.

“It’s been astonishing for us,” said Barnett. “It’s benignant of uncommon that you get 100-per cent win-win. Where it’s not truly adjacent a concern partnership, she (Ross) conscionable helps us, and we assistance her, and it’s wholly synergistic.”

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In 2024, aGRO Systems ensured much than 7 cardinal pounds of spent atom didn’t extremity up successful landfills oregon compost facilities, 660,000 pounds of which was comprised by 88 Brewing — bringing the wide full to much than 50 cardinal pounds since they began successful June of 2018.

In the future, Ross hopes to grow the benefits of their enactment for farmers and ranchers by further reducing costs associated with bringing their products to Alberta consumers.

“We’re hoping wrong the adjacent 2 years to person what we’re gonna telephone the ‘Little Farm Store’,” Ross said. “So each husbandman and rancher that’s been moving successful our network, we’re gonna effort and springiness them a transmission to really merchantability their products.”

For breweries and agriculture producers successful different parts of the state who privation they could entree the services aGRO Systems provide, they’re successful luck. Ross hopes to connection their services to breweries and ranchers successful and astir Edmonton this summer.