Insect monitoring provides important information about established pest populations and emerging invasive threats to Alberta’s cropping industry. The M.D. conducts annual agricultural pest surveys in partnership with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation.
Local and provincial survey results are incorporated into the Government of Alberta’s Alberta Insect Pest Monitoring Network, where users can view current maps, annual survey results, and forecast information. Pests surveyed by M.D. staff include:
- Diamondback moths: pheromone trapping at one location
- Bertha armyworms: pheromone trapping at three locations
- Wheat midge: soil sampling at five locations
- Canola flower midge: pheromone trapping at one location
- Swede midge: pheromone trapping at one location
- Grasshoppers: sweep-net sampling at one location per township
Provincial staff also conduct surveys for cabbage seedpod weevil and cutworms.
Monitoring crop pests and diseases supports local and provincial decision-making and helps identify emerging production risks. M.D. staff assist with sample collection for the provincial wheat head survey, which monitors the occurrence of bunt, smut, ergot, and fusarium.
Provincial staff also conduct:
- A pea health survey for root rot, ascochyta, and bacterial blight
- A canola health survey for blackleg, clubroot, and verticillium stripe
The M.D. conducts a clubroot inspection program in accordance with the Agricultural Pests Act. Each year, two canola fields per township are selected for inspection using a third-party canola rotation risk-mapping program.
Satellite imagery and historical crop data are used to identify canola fields and assess relative risk. Fields are prioritized based on factors such as canola rotation length and proximity to known clubroot-positive fields.
Inspections are conducted only after fields have been swathed or harvested. Staff follow strict biosecurity procedures when entering and leaving each site. Suspected clubroot infestations are confirmed through laboratory analysis of plant tissue and soil samples.
Below are common vertebrate nuisances and what actions the M.D. undertakes with each:
Beaver: beaver are part of the local landscape and can occasionally affect drainage and municipal infrastructure. The M.D. does not provide private beaver or dam removal services. Municipal beaver control may be considered where activity directly affects municipal infrastructure, such as blocked culverts or road flooding, and where the issue cannot reasonably be resolved from within the municipal right-of-way.
Coyotes & Livestock Predation: the M.D. does not provide routine coyote control services. Coyote management on private land is the responsibility of the landowner. In cases of confirmed livestock predation where all other management options have been exhausted, eligible landowners may be considered for access to Compound 1080, subject to all applicable requirements and approvals.
Requirements may include:
- A valid Farmer Pesticide Certificate
- Completion of approved Compound 1080 stewardship training
- Documentation demonstrating livestock predation
- Any additional requirements established by the applicable program and product label
Contact Agricultural Services to discuss eligibility and current requirements.
Learn more about coyote management from the Government of Alberta resource.
Skunks, Racoons & Magpies: The M.D. does not provide control services for skunks, raccoons, or magpies. Trap rentals are available to eligible M.D. landowners. View the Rental Equipment section for availability, rental periods, and responsibilities
Richardson’s Ground Squirrel (Gophers):The M.D. does not provide Richardson’s ground squirrel control services. Producers are encouraged to use an integrated pest management approach that combines regular monitoring, habitat and vegetation management, exclusion where practical, and the targeted use of approved control products. A coordinated, multi-year approach can help reduce populations, limit crop and pasture damage, and support responsible agricultural land stewardship. View the current strychnine information section for details.
Rats and Wild Boar: Visit the Invasive Species page for information about rats and wild boar, including reporting and management resources.
Under Alberta’s Animal Health Act, suspected or confirmed cases of provincially reportable animal diseases must be reported to the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian within 24 hours.
The Government of Alberta also identifies notifiable diseases, which have separate reporting requirements. Visit the provincial Reportable and Notifiable Animal Diseases webpage for current information and reporting instructions.
Provincially reportable diseases include:
- Avian influenza
- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
- Chronic wasting disease
- Classical swine fever
- Foot and mouth disease
- Infectious laryngotracheitis
- Newcastle disease
- Porcine epidemic diarrhea
- Rabies
- Salmonella serovars: Enteritidis, Gallinarum, Pullorum, Dublin, Typhimurium, Heidelberg
- Scrapie
- Swine delta coronavirus
- Toxic substance diseases like lead toxicity
- Transmissible gastroenteritis