Mark Olson, B.Sc., M.Ag., P Ag.

Pulse & Special Crops Specialist, Extension Agronomist  
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
CDC North
R.R. #6, 17507 - Fort Road
Edmonton, Alberta   T5B 4K3
Phone: 780- 422-3825
Fax: 780 -422-6096

Employment 

• Special Crops Technician - AAFRD - CDC South - Brooks - Summer 1984  
• Assistant District Agriculturist - AAFRD - Barrhead - Summer 1985 
• Champion Fertilizer - Sherritt Gordon - Barrhead - March 1/86 - October 1/86 
• District Agriculturist - AAFRD - Sangudo - October 2/86-October 1/91 
• Regional Crop Specialist - AAFRD - Fairview/Airdrie - October 2/91 - April 1/94 
• Pulse and Special Crops Specialist - AAFRD - Olds - April 2 /94 - Nov 1/97 
• Alberta Reduced Tillage Initiative - Leduc - Nov 2/97 - Aug 31/2000 
• Pulse and Special Crops Specialist - AAFRD - Lacombe - Sept 1/2000 to present day 

Education 

• Bachelor Science in Agriculture - General - University of Alberta 1986  
• Masters of Agriculture - Rural Economy - University of Alberta 1994 
• International Training Program - Special Crops - Purdue University 1997 

Awards 

• 2001 Premier’s Award of Excellence - Alberta Reduced Tillage Initiative
• 2001 Group Achievement Award - Pulse Production Manual Team
• 2001 Group Achievement Award - InfoSynergy Team
• 2000 Premier's Award of Excellence - Special Crops Product Team 
• 2000 American Society of Agronomy Award - contributor to Pulse Crops in Alberta publication 
• 1993 Co-recipient of the Travis Manning Award for highest Grade Point Average in Rural Economy Masters program  

Pubications and Conference Proceedings 

• 2001 Nutritive value of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) straw in south central Alberta - Cdn Journal of Plant Science
• 2001 Evaluation of Pulse Crop diversification Potential in south Central Alberta - report in progress
• 2001 Evaluation of Special Purpose Field Pea Cultivars - report in progress
• 2001 Evaluation of Soil and Foliar Micronutrients on Field Pea Yield - report in progress
• 2001 Field Pea Straw As An Alternate Feedstuff - district Newsletter; Lacombe. GrainNews and Western Producer
• 2001 Visit Your Local Research Trials - district Newletters, Stettler and Coronation
• 2001 Crop Diversification on the Farm; What About The Essential Oils ?
• 2001 Pulses in the Crop Rotation Pay Dividends
• 2000 Comparison of Seeding Systems in Various Geographical Locations in NW Alberta - RT Linkages 
• 2000 How to Maximize Pea Yields - District Newsletter, Lacombe , Leduc, Wetaskiwin and Vegreville December 2000 
• 2000 Sampling is Key to marketing Field Peas for Highest Net Return in Pulse Crop News - Fall 2000  
• 2000 Heavy harrows-a direct seeding tool - District Newsletter, Leduc, Wetaskiwin, and Vegreville October 2000 and Alberta Beef and Crops, November issue, pp 38 & 39 
• 2000 Seeding Equipment; the next step in the move to direct seeding - Prairie Steward Spring edition 
• 2000 Nutritive value of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) straw in south central Alberta  
• 2000 Straw and Chaff Spreaders 2000- information sheet - Alberta Reduced Tillage Initiative 
• 2000 Residue Management - This fall take the bull by the horns - Seeding Today June edition Flexicoil 
• 1999 Comparison of Seeding Systems in Various Geographical Locations in NW Alberta -ARTI 
• 1999 Comparison of Seeding Systems into Silage Oat Stubble and Hayland - ARTI 
• 1999 Pedigree Seed Growers Focus Groups on Direct Seeding - ARTI 
• 1999 Crop Diagnostics in Direct Seeding Systems - AGRIFUTURE Conference Proceedings 
• 1998 Controlling Field Pea Diseases in Direct Seeding Systems - AAFRD, Agdex 519-23 
• 1998 Piecing Together A Successful Direct Seeding System - AGRIFUTURE Conference Proceedings 
• 1998 Straw, Chaff Management Vital to Direct Seeding - Western Producer, July 30  
• 1998 Making Summer Tours Pay - Farmline Partners Newsletter, Summer edition 
• 1998 Common Buckwheat - AAFRD, Agdex 118/20-2 
• 1998 Direct Seeding - Why Might You Consider It On Your Farm - Power Up Partners, Vol 2, No.3 
• 1997 Herbicides for Direct Seeding Weed Control in Field Peas - AAFRD, Agdex #142/642-2 
• 1997 Innovations in Field Pea Production Practices - Alberta Pulse Growers Commission 
  * 1997 Adaptability of Direct Seeded Peas - AESA Project #2 
• 1997 Use Pea Straw To Your Advantage - Country Guide, Lee Hart, January edition p33. 
• 1996 Field Pea Variety and Barley Silage Trial - OFD Report #CR16  
• 1996 Demonstration of the Effects of Chemical Control of Field Pea Diseases - OFD Report #96CR12 
• 1996 Varietal Characteristics, Agronomics, and Adaptability of Peas - OFD Report #96CR11 
• 1996 Demonstration of the Effects of Various Herbicide and Application Timings - OFD Report #96CR10 
• 1996 Adaptability of Direct Seeded Peas - CAESA Project #405 
• 1996 Special Crops Adaptability Trial - OFD Report #96CR09 
• 1996 Pair Row Versus Conventional Openers with Field Peas and Lentils - OFD #96CR08 
• 1996 Inoculant Comparison Trials in South Central Alberta - Alberta Pulse Growers Commission 
• 1996 Thriving on Change - Field Pea Residue Management - APGC Annual Convention Proceedings

Video Productions 

• 2000 Direct Seeding -Monsanto - appear as expert on video 
• 1996 Weed Control For Field Peas - AAFRD - co-editor 
• 1995 A Winning Hay Export Formula - AAFRD- concept idea, team leader and co-editor