CANADIAN BEEF CONTINUES TO HEAD SOUTH . . . SOCIAL MEDIA FOR AGRICULTURE IN TRURO  . . . ROUNDTABLE LOOKS AT CHALLENGES GROWING ORGANIC GRAIN . . . SWN HALTING FRACKING PLANS A TURNING POINT FOR N.B. SHALE GAS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

CANADIAN BEEF CONTINUES TO HEAD SOUTH
Source: FCC
The Canadian beef cattle herd continues to shrink as a growing number of animals are shipped to the United States. Statistics Canada estimates there were 9.9 million head on beef operations as of Jan. 1, 2015. That's a 2.9 percent decline compared to the 10.3 million cattle on farm at the beginning of 2014. There was an even steeper decline in Saskatchewan, where total cattle in beef operations was estimated at 2.2 million head on Jan. 1, down five percent from the previous year. Many producers are taking advantage of record prices to recoup lost equity from the past decade. Other older farmers are using the opportunity to retire. (read more)

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR AGRICULTURE IN TRURO
Source: NSFA
This 40 hour course will allow agriculture operators and managers to improve their knowledge in social media marketing and online identity skills. This course will run from April 14 - June 16, Tuesday mornings from 9 am to 1 pm. Don't delay, register now for this course and gain important knowledge for your farm business with respect to social media. smackenzie@nsfa-fane.ca

ROUNDTABLE LOOKS AT CHALLENGES GROWING ORGANIC GRAIN
Source: Island Farmer
As far as Dr. Heather Darby is concerned, the best research innovations cut across the organic-conventional divide. “Regardless of what kind of farming you do, if you don’t take care of the soil, it won’t take care of you,” the University of Vermont researcher said in an interview. “It really boils down to that basic truth.” Darby was in the province recently to take part in a workshop and roundtable on organic grains. Co-sponsored by the Atlantic Canada Organic Regional Network and the P.E.I. Certified Organic Producers Cooperative, the session also featured Quebec dairy and grain farmer Archie Blankers. (read more)

SWN HALTING FRACKING PLANS A TURNING POINT FOR N.B. SHALE GAS
Source: GlobalNews.ca
A New Brunswick business leader says the past week has marked a turning point in the shale gas discourse in New Brunswick. Carol O’Reilly, CEO of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, told Global News Thursday she’s worried about what SWN Resources pulling its operations out of New Brunswick could mean for the business community. “When you lose someone like SWN, or it looks like we’ve lost them…certainly once someone leaves it can be more difficult to get them back,” she said. (read more)