The Great Twine Round-Up Comes to Alberta with $12,000 in total Cash Prizes

LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cleanfarms, in partnership with the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group is excited to announce the launch of ‘The Great Twine Round-Up’, a new province-wide initiative designed to promote used plastic baler twine recycling. This exciting contest offers substantial cash prizes to the winners’ 4-H club or district or an Alberta-based nonprofit organization or charity of their choice that supports agriculture.

Highlights:

• Entry Period: November 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025
• Participants: Alberta-based 4-H club/district members and independent entrants
• Prizes: Four prizes of $3,000 each
• Beneficiaries: Winners’ 4-H club or district or an Alberta-based not-for-profit organization or charity of their choice that is involved in agriculture

The Great Twine Round-Up tackles the environmental impact of plastic baler twine on Alberta farms by incentivizing recycling with cash prizes. Participating helps reduce landfill waste, prevents harmful burning, and protects soil, water, and air.

“Individual contest participants can win a $3,000 prize, all while helping the environment. Every year, Alberta farms use thousands of rolls of plastic baler twine,” said Barry Friesen, Cleanfarms’ Executive Director. “By rerouting the used plastic for recycling, we can significantly reduce its footprint on our environment and work towards a more sustainable future for our farming communities and future generations in the province.”

The more bags of twine each person drops off, the greater the chances of winning.

The contest is a component of the ‘Alberta Ag Plastic. Recycle It!’ pilot program through which Alberta farmers recycle used plastic baler twine and grain bags. Last year, Cleanfarms recycled 673,000 kg of grain bags and 95,400 kg of twine through this pilot. It is led by the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG); funds were granted by the Government of Alberta and are administered by Alberta Beef Producers. For details: https://cleanfarms.ca/alberta-ag-plastic-recycle-it-program-details/.

“We’re very proud of what the ‘Alberta Ag Plastics. Recycle It!’ pilot has already achieved,” stated Assar Grinde, Chair of the APRG. “And we’re especially excited about this contest because we know many people that are invested in the 4-H program, and this gives them another way to demonstrate their commitment to farm sustainability and agriculture.”

For details about The Great Twine Round-Up and how to participate, please visit GreatTwineRoundUp.ca.

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. It has staff located in Alberta; Saskatchewan; Manitoba; Ontario; and Quebec.

Media Contact:
Margot Beverley, Director, Communications, Cleanfarms
Beverleym@cleanfarms.ca | 647-557-1801