The Great Twine Round-Up contest returns

The Great Twine Round-Up contest is back for 2026, encouraging Alberta producers and youth to recycle plastic baler twine while supporting local communities and agricultural charities. The initiative is part of the Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It! pilot project.

Alberta-based 4-H clubs, district members, and independent entrants are invited to collect and recycle used plastic baler twine for a chance to win one of four $3,000 cash prizes. Three prizes are dedicated specifically to 4-H clubs to support local activities and projects, while one individual prize allows the winner to donate $3,000 to an Alberta-based agriculture charity of their choice.

The contest is led by Cleanfarms in partnership with the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG) and builds on the success of last year’s inaugural challenge.

Building on momentum

“The 2026 contest builds on the incredible momentum we saw last year, where participants successfully returned over 16,000 kg of used plastic baler twine for recycling,” said Barry Friesen, executive director of Cleanfarms.

“As a rancher, I know how important it is to leave the land better than we found it,” said Assar Grinde, chair of APRG. “We were incredibly impressed by the turnout last year, and we want to keep that momentum going.”

Participants earn contest entries by properly recycling clean plastic baler twine through participating Cleanfarms collection sites. The challenge recognizes environmental stewardship while encouraging community investment, with a total of $12,000 in cash prizes available.

How to enter

To enter the contest, participants must bag clean plastic baler twine in Cleanfarms bags, drop it off at a participating Cleanfarms collection site, and submit their entry online at greattwineroundup.ca.

Important dates include an early bird deadline of February 28, 2026, and a final submission deadline of May 31, 2026. A full list of collection sites and complete contest rules are available at greattwineroundup.ca.

The Great Twine Round-Up helps keep agricultural baler twine out of landfills by providing a practical recycling solution for Alberta producers. Collected twine is recycled into new products such as car parts, greenhouse pots and trays, composite decking, and dimensional lumber.

The Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It! pilot project is led by the multi-stakeholder Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group and operated by Cleanfarms, with funding from the Government of Alberta and administration by Alberta Beef Producers.