YOUNG CATTLEMENS COUNCIL ELECTIONS . . . TO CERTIFY OR NOT TO CERTIFY . . . FOUNDATION LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP  . . . LACK OF PEDV–POSITIVE SOW FARMS MEANS MORE PIGS ON THE WAY . . . CATALYST PAPER TO PURCHASE TWO U.S. PAPER MILLS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

YOUNG CATTLEMENS COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Source: YCC
YCC will be holding its annual election on Friday December 12 shortly after the Western Canadian Grazing Conference and in conjunction with Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Fall Forum in Edmonton, AB. YCC members are encouraged to come and participate. The meeting will start at 7pm. YCC is a great way to step further into the industry you all want to succeed in. There is no better time than now in board rooms full of optimism and confidence to get a handle on what the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association is and what it does. If you’re thinking about becoming involved we strongly encourage you to do so. If you have any questions about what a board position may look like or entail, any of the current members would be happy to answer those. Visit out website to sign up. (read more)

TO CERTIFY OR NOT TO CERTIFY, THAT’S THE DILEMMA!
Source: Organic Federation of Canada
Many small-scale farmers are choosing not to certify their farms as organic. And it’s not going unnoticed. The Canadian General Standards Board of Canada wanted to know why and what could be done differently. So, a working group was formed to focus on Small Scale Organic Certification. This working group is made up of organic consultants and farmers. All were familiar with some of the reasons farmers were choosing not to certify (while still being committed to organic agriculture in their production management) but they wanted to know more. A survey was created and sent out to farmers across Canada. (read more)

FOUNDATION LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
Source: Canadian Angus Foundation
The Canadian Angus Foundation functions to preserve and expand the Angus breed for future generations through education, youth development, scientific and market research, and historical preservation. The Foundation was incorporated in 1993 and is the charitable arm of the Canadian Angus Association. Awards totaling $11,000 will be presented to Canadian Junior Angus Association members, recognizing overall academic achievement, leadership and community involvement, and industry knowledge. Awards in the amount of $5,000, $3,000, $2,000, and $500 for the runners-up will be presented annually at the GOAL Conference. (read more)

LACK OF PEDV–POSITIVE SOW FARMS MEANS MORE PIGS ON THE WAY
Source: The Pig Site
How bad will Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) be this winter? That remains the most pressing question about hog and pork markets in 2015 though the cost side of the equation has already poised us for profits – and good ones relative to any year in history except for 2014, writes Steve Meyer for The National Hog Farmer. The data suggesting that things are much improved from last year are starting to reach what many would consider to at least approach critical mass. (read more)

CATALYST PAPER TO PURCHASE TWO U.S. PAPER MILLS
Source: Pulp & Paper Canada
Catalyst Paper Corp. is planning to purchase two coated paper mills in the U.S. – the Biron paper mill in Wisconsin and the Rumford pulp and paper mill in Maine. Catalyst has entered into an asset purchase agreement with NewPage Corporation, NewPage Wisconsin System Inc., and Rumford Paper Company to purchase the paper mills for US$74 million, but completion of the transaction is subject to the completion of the previously announced acquisition by Verso Paper Corp. of NewPage Holdings Inc. (read more)