PAPTAC DISBANDING ITS STANDARD METHODS COMMITTEE . . . COMMON WEEDS POISONOUS TO GRAZING LIVESTOCK . . . LESS-POTENT PIG VIRUS FUELS U.S. HOG HERD GROWTH, BUT RATE SLOWS . . . THE BLOG EWE DIDN’T KNOW EWE NEEDED: GOOGLE SHEEP VIEW . . . CELEBRATING NATURE THROUGH THE WRITTEN WORD . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

PAPTAC DISBANDING ITS STANDARD METHODS COMMITTEE
Source: Pulp Canada
The PAPTAC Standard Methods Committee will be officially dissolved as of October 1, 2015, based on the recommendation of the association’s executive council. A communiqué to members explains that the status of this committee has been widely discussed among committee members and PAPTAC Councillors, and the dissolution has been chosen as the most logical option due to the lack of industry support and participation. (read more)

COMMON WEEDS POISONOUS TO GRAZING LIVESTOCK
Source: AARC
Livestock can be poisoned or injured by certain plants while grazing or fed in stored feed. The OMAFRA Factsheet “Poisoning of Livestock by Plants,” Agdex 130/643, reviews the types of poisoning that can occur and the effects on animal health and production. Many common weeds in Ontario can poison livestock. This Factsheet identifies these weeds and describes the symptoms of poisoning. Because some poisons act very fast (as with the hemlocks) by the time the symptoms are evident, the chances of saving the animal are very slight. It is, therefore, important to learn to recognize these weeds beforehand and prevent poisoning from occurring. (read more)

LESS-POTENT PIG VIRUS FUELS U.S. HOG HERD GROWTH, BUT RATE SLOWS
Source: AgCanada,com
The U.S. hog herd grew nine percent during the March-May quarter compared with a year ago, a U.S. Department of Agriculture report showed on Friday, reflecting better measures to combat a deadly pig virus, which resulted in record pigs per litter, analysts said. However, weaker hog prices last quarter eroded farmer profits enough to discourage them from actively adding to their herds, they said. (read more)

THE BLOG EWE DIDN’T KNOW EWE NEEDED: GOOGLE SHEEP VIEW
Source: NPR
Google Street View has caught a lot of wacky sights during its drives across the world – weird bird people in Japan, a giant uncooked chicken in Pittsburgh, and a lot of people showing their ... well, assets. One new blog collects Google Street View images, but not of people in creepy masks standing at the side of the road. Instead, this blog collects pictures of sheep. Google Sheep View was created to mark 2015 as the year of the sheep. (read more)

CELEBRATING NATURE THROUGH THE WRITTEN WORD
Source: Harrison Lewis Centre
Hone your skills at a nature writing retreat July 25-26 with Soren Bondrup-Neilsen at the Harrison Lewis Centre (HLC) on Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore. A weekend of writing, nature study, friendship, thoughtful sharing of ideas and insights, and good food. Writer and ecologist Bondrup-Neilsen (http://www.bondrup.com/) is the author of four books – Merging: Contemplations of Farming and Ecology from Horseback; A sound like water dripping: In search of the Boreal Owl; Winter Nature: Common Mammals, Birds, Trees and Shrubs of the Maritimes; Winter on Diamond: An encounter with the Temagami Wilderness. Contact the HLC for more information.
HLC@eastlink.ca