POINTS TO PONDER  . . . INDEPENDENT REPORT RELEASED ON LAND-BASED, CLOSED-CONTAINMENT SALMON AQUACULTURE . . . BEE GROUP HAILS CALL FOR PESTICIDE BAN . . . IT’S TIME TO BOOK YOUR SPACE FOR THE 2014 ACORN ORGANIC TRADE SHOW . . . NOVA SCOTIA BURNING RESTRICTIONS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

POINTS TO PONDER

New Brunswick’s Forestry Plan

Source: AtlanticFarmer.com

July 1 the government of New Brunswick will, or won’t, agree to give J.D. Irving the key to the province’s Crown Land forests under an arrangement announced in February.

Should the “understanding” become a binding agreement, and that is a widely held expectation, thousands of New Brunswick including residents, small mill owners, academics, environmentalists, and even former forestry ministers, deputy ministers, and Department of Natural Resources bureaucrats will be apalled. They have said so in letters and speeches and demonstrations that would appear to have been largely ignored by the Alward government.

In the July issue of Atlantic Forestry Review writer David Palmer dissects the memorandum of understanding (MOA) in his Industry Report. “Fifteen Questions: Points to ponder abour New Brunswick’s Forestry Plan.”

“We’ve made a decision to save the forest industry,” Paul Robichaud, New Brunswick Minister of Natural Resources, has said of the MOA. Do you agree? Read Palmer’s “Points to ponder,” and decide for yourself. (Atlantic Forestry Review is available on newsstands or by ordering through www.RuralLife.ca.)

INDEPENDENT REPORT RELEASED ON LAND-BASED, CLOSED-CONTAINMENT SALMON AQUACULTURE

Source: NS Dept of Fisheries and Aquaculture

An independent report commissioned by government says growing Atlantic salmon in land-based, closed-containment is technically feasible, but its commercial viability remains to be proven. “Technical feasibility has been demonstrated, though some issues remain to be fully resolved,” says the Gardner Pinfold report. “Financial feasibility remains to be confirmed by actual performance of commercial-scale facilities.” (read more)

BEE GROUP HAILS CALL FOR PESTICIDE BAN

Source: The Chronicle-Herald

A call from a group of scientists for a ban on two pesticides linked to dead bees created quite a buzz in Nova Scotia on Wednesday. Any news is good when it comes to restrictions on insect killing pesticides, said Joe Goetz, president of the Nova Scotia Beekeepers Association. “In Nova Scotia, we are particularly concerned about the long term implications of these commonly used pesticides,” Goetz, a Windsor Forks beekeeper, said in an interview. (read more)

IT’S TIME TO BOOK YOUR SPACE FOR THE 2014 ACORN ORGANIC TRADE SHOW!

Source: ACORN

The ACORN conference is the largest of its kind in Atlantic Canada, and is known across the country for its high quality workshops and networking opportunities. This year we are pleased to be partnered with Food Secure Canada for their 8th National Assembly (November 14-16, same location)- a national organization that will attract hundreds of participants from across the country for its bi-annual conference and present a great opportunity for community collaboration. As a result we are preparing to host well over 500 attendees, hailing from Eastern Canada, Quebec, and the Northeastern United States. (read more)

NOVA SCOTIA BURNING RESTRICTIONS
Source: N.S. DNR
Brush burning and camp fires are not permitted in any county from 8am to 2pm. Is it safe to burn brush today? Check the colour-coded BurnSafe map, posted at 2pm each day. (read more)