LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The four winners of the 2026 Great Twine Round-Up contest have just been selected! This contest awards Alberta farmers and 4-H clubs that take action to collect and return used agricultural plastic baler twine for recycling.
The Great Twine Round-Up is part of the ‘Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It!’pilot program. These initiatives are 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 contest, which ran for five months and ended on May 31, 2026, saw a total of 76 entries and 17 unique participants across all categories. Each entry equals one bag of used agricultural baler twine that is being kept out of the environment and recycled into new products like car parts, dimensional lumber, and more.
One early-bird prize was drawn in February, and a final prize draw occurred at the end of the contest period to select the final winners. With four total prizes up for grabs, three are distributed to winning 4-H clubs, and the fourth prize goes to an independent entrant’s Alberta-based agricultural non-profit or charity of choice.
Let’s celebrate our final draw winners:
Individual Category ($3,000)
- The individual prize was awarded to the MTM Agricultural Society
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
“The continued engagement from the Alberta ag community in this contest reflects the value Albertans place on taking care of their environment,” said Shane Hedderson, Cleanfarms Interim Executive Director. “Every individual who took time to collect and drop off bags of used baler twine for recycling is a leader in agricultural recycling, and we’re thrilled to have been able to give back with cash prizes for good causes thanks to our partnership with the APRG.”
“The 2026 edition of the Great Twine Round-Up continued to provide opportunities for farmers to conveniently participate in agricultural recycling,” says Assar Grinde, cow/calf producer and Chair of the APRG. “It’s inspiring to see so many members of the Alberta ag community of all ages doing their part to keep twine out of the environment. We look forward to continuing the Great Twine Round-Up contest with Cleanfarms again in the fall of 2026.”
The Great Twine Round-Up and ‘Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It!’ program are part of Cleanfarms’ broader national efforts to help Canadian farmers manage ag plastics responsibly, keeping them out of landfill and the environment.
To learn more about ag plastic recycling programs and how to participate next year, visit cleanfarms.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 producer responsibility 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 Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.
Contact
Margot Beverley, Director, Communications, Cleanfarms
[email protected] | (647) 557-1801
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eef0bd0a-7cfb-4bf2-b99b-d9f58cbc87bd