THE SPROUT: CANADA RATIFIES INTERNATIONAL PLANT BREEDERS’ AGREEMENT . . . 4-H CANADA AND FARM CREDIT CANADA RENEW THEIR 25 YEAR PARTNERSHIP . . . FOWLER: HUB SCHOOLS HAVE MERIT . . . FAIRFAX FINANCIAL ACQUIRES BLOCK OF TEMBEC SHARES . . . NATURE WRITING RETREAT  . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

THE SPROUT: CANADA RATIFIES INTERNATIONAL PLANT BREEDERS’ AGREEMENT
Source: iPolitics
Canada has formally ratified UPOV 91, an international agreement the federal government and most in the industry say will help improve Canadian plant variety. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Monday Canadian officials in Geneva dropped off the ratified agreement with the Secretary of UPOV on June 19. Word of the new agreement, which was approved by Parliament this past spring under the Agricultural Growth Act, triggered praise from industry cohort Partners in Innovation. (read more)

4-H CANADA AND FARM CREDIT CANADA RENEW THEIR 25 YEAR PARTNERSHIP
Source: 4-H Canada
4-H Canada and Farm Credit Canada (FCC) are happy to announce the extension of FCC funding to 4-H Canada to 2018. FCC’s annual 4-H Canada funding commitment of $250,000 supports national, provincial, and club level programs and initiatives, including the popular FCC 4-H Club Fund. The announcement was made at 4-H Canada’s Annual General Meeting on Friday June 12, 2015. (read more)

FOWLER: HUB SCHOOLS HAVE MERITå
Source: The Chronicle Herald
A former deputy minister who authored a school-review study for the Education Department says Nova Scotia needs to give hub schools a try. Bob Fowler’s comments come in the wake of the Chignecto-Central regional school board’s decision to reject the proposals put forward by the communities Maitland, River John, and Wentworth to make their schools financially viable by bringing in community groups and/or small business. The declining population of rural Nova Scotia and financially strapped school boards mean that more schools are going to close over the coming years, Fowler said Tuesday. (read more)

FAIRFAX FINANCIAL ACQUIRES BLOCK OF TEMBEC SHARES
Source: Pulp & Paper Canada
Fairfax Financial Holdings has acquired, through its subsidiaries, almost 20 million common shares of Tembec Inc., representing approximately 19.9 percent of the issued and outstanding shares. The shares were purchased in a private transaction at a price of $2.25 per share. The company states that it holds the shares for investment purposes. (read more)

NATURE WRITING RETREAT
Source: Harrison Lewis Centre
Join us for a nature writing retreat with Soren Bondrup-Neilsen at the Harrison Lewis Centre on Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore July 25-26. A weekend of honing your writing skills, friendship, thoughtful sharing of ideas and insights, good food, and learning to open your eyes and your mind to the natural world around us. Bondrup-Neilsen is an ecologist who teaches at Acadia University. As well as being his profession, most of his personal interests involve nature. The writers’ weekend will include nature walks to discover and understand our surroundings, followed by individual writing time, and gathering as a group to share and discuss the participants’ work.
HLC@eastlink.ca