NATIONAL AGRICULTURE LEADERS DEBATE  . . . POTATO HARVESTERS READY TO ROLL IN N.B. AND P.E.I.  . . . FOUR LABOR-INTENSIVE CROPS FARMERS WISH THEY HAD ROBOTS TO HARVEST . . . MACHINERY TAKES PLACE OF MIGRANTS IN MAINE BLUEBERRY FIELDS . . . 4R PROGRAM PLANS ON-FARM DEMONSTRATIONS . . .OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

NATIONAL AGRICULTURE LEADERS DEBATE
Source: NSFA
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture will be hosting a National Agriculture Leaders debate in lead up to the Federal Election. The debate will highlight issues facing Canadian farmers and give an opportunity for each party to outline its platform positions as they pertain to Canada's farm and food future, Wednesday, September 30, noon to 2pm Atlantic time. (read more)

POTATO HARVESTERS READY TO ROLL IN N.B. AND P.E.I.
Source: FCC New Brunswick’s potato harvest is nearly ready to get underway. Matt Hemphill, executive director of Potatoes New Brunswick, says some of the province’s 49,000 acres are now being top-killed and the main harvest will be underway in approximately four weeks. “We continue to focus on improving yields and we are in full swing with different trials and research to address it,” Hemphill says, noting acreage is on par with 2014. “I see yields could be up as much as five to 10 percent.” In Prince Edward Island, acreage is down about 1,000 acres to 89,500. (read more)

FOUR LABOR-INTENSIVE CROPS FARMERS WISH THEY HAD ROBOTS TO HARVEST
Source: NPR
If you're enjoying a late-summer fruit pie this Labor Day, consider what went into growing and harvesting that fruit. Chances are, it took a lot of human hands to ensure its skin would be perfect and smooth when you bought it. While machines have replaced human hands for a lot of farm jobs – the harvesting of tomatoes for processing, the cutting of lettuce and spinach, the shaking of almond trees to make the nuts fall to the ground – many fruit, vegetable, and nut farmers still rely heavily on people to plant, maintain, and harvest their crops. (read more)

MACHINERY TAKES PLACE OF MIGRANTS IN MAINE BLUEBERRY FIELDS
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Mary Marshall grew up living the life of a migrant farmer, spending hours under the hot summer sun picking wild blueberries with her parents and eight siblings, then ending the day bathing in a lake. It was grueling work that she looks back on fondly — a way of life that brought people of different cultures to the camps in Maine’s vast blueberry barrens. And she laments the way it is disappearing. “Machines are taking over. Even just going down to the camps, I see a lot of machinery. That’s pretty sad,” said Marshall, who harvested berries 40 years ago. “Our people could really pick that.” (read more)

4R PROGRAM PLANS ON-FARM DEMONSTRATIONS

Source: Island Farmer
The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program is planning a number of farm tours for September. On September 10, Brennan Gaudet, Paradigm Precision will demonstrate a UAV drone at Rollo Bay Holdings. The next day, Evan MacDonald will demonstrate his UAV drone at Spring Valley Farms. Another demonstration will happen September 14 at the farm of Jeff and Jason Smallman. 4R Nutrient Stewardship (4R) works to increase production/profitability for farmers while enhancing environmental protection and improving sustainability. (read more)