NS Cattle Producers
Update on conferences, sales, and shows
by Larry Weatherby
   The political landscape of the past couple of months has been a little turbulent and we have recently seen an uncharacteristic change in markets. This is something we will have to continue to monitor and deal with, as the trade policies with our neighbours to the south continue to change.
   The Maritime Beef Council held the third annual Maritime Beef Conference in Moncton, N.B., March 16-17. Featuring keynote speaker Dr. Temple Grandin, the event drew more than 450 people the first day and 220-plus the second day, and had a heavy Nova Scotia presence. This conference continues to be a great event for producers to gather information, network with peers, and participate in conversations about the future of our industry.
   The sixth annual Balamore Farm “Thickness Sells” Bull and Replacement Heifer Sale occurred March 24. There were 21 bulls, 15 purebred heifers, and 32 commercial heifers sold to buyers in seven provinces. The Limousin bulls had an overall average of $6,625 and the Charolais bulls an average of $6,133, while the commercial heifers averaged $2,472. The high-selling bull sold for $15,000. Congratulations to Balamore Farm Ltd.
   The 45th annual Breeding Stock Sale – the unofficial kick-off to spring – was held at the Maritime Beef Test Station on April 7. In total, there were 63 bulls and 33 heifers offered, which averaged $3,641.27 and $1,991 respectively. The top-selling bull was a Simmental, purchased by Jacob and Lacey Fisher for $7,500; consigned by Melvern Simmentals. The top-selling heifer was a Red Angus, purchased by Reginald St. Onge for $2,550; consigned by Lindale Farms. For a complete summary, including individual lot sales, a summary of the bulls and heifers by breed, as well as historical prices, please visit maritimebeefteststation.ca/historical-sale-reports/.
   The fourth annual Nova Scotia Elite Beef Expo will once again be a part of the N.S. Provincial Exhibition, held August 22-26, with the Expo held Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit www.nscattle.ca/expo.
   The Canadian Beef Industry Conference in London, Ontario, from August 14-16 will feature several speakers related to cattle and beef demand. As in past years, the NSCP will pay for conference registrations for three producers who wish to attend. If you are interested, please contact the office for an application form.
   Please be aware that Health Canada is implementing changes to the regulations that control access to and the use of antibiotics in livestock. Beginning December 1, 2018, livestock producers will need a prescription from a licensed veterinarian to buy medically important antibiotics for treating livestock. Therefore, if you don’t already have a Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR), you need to establish one. We will be working with vets to host workshops to ensure producers are aware of the new requirements.
   NSCP has partnered with Pork Nova Scotia, the Sheep Producers Association of N.S., and the Canadian Animal Health Coalition to develop a strategy to deal with a major, province-wide emergency related to animal health, weather, or market interruptions. We have worked together to develop a handbook for producers, as well as industry leaders, in the unfortunate event of a major emergency. In the fall, we will be holding producer workshops to introduce these plans, which can be found at www.nscattle.ca/emergency.
   If you have questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact the office. As a reminder, we now have NSCP Facebook and Twitter accounts, where we frequently post updated material as well as upcoming events. We are busy planning workshops for the fall, so please keep an eye out for these on our website and social media.

(Larry Weatherby is the chair of NSCP. For any questions, comments or concerns, please contact the NSCP office at 902-893-7455 or office@nscattle.ca).

NB Cattle Producers
Temple Grandin, VBP + workshops, fall meetings
by Allison Finnamore
   During the 2018 Maritime Beef Conference in Moncton earlier this year, the Maritime Beef Council, in conjunction with the New Brunswick Cattle Producers, hosted Dr. Temple Grandin, an internationally renowned autism advocate and a world leader in humane animal handling.
   During a public evening event presented by Canada Beef, Grandin shared how she meets the challenges of autism every day and how autism’s unique perspective brings special insight to the world. The next day, she presented two sessions to conference attendees that focused on humane and effective livestock handling.
   Grandin’s presentations built on the NBCP and Maritime Beef Council’s plan to grow and strengthen the region’s cattle industry through the Maritime Beef Sector Development and Expansion Strategy. It is focused on increasing the Maritime beef herd by 20,000 head by 2027.
   The Maritimes enjoy a strategic competitive advantage over many other regions of the country for cow-calf producers. It has relatively inexpensive cropland and significant unused land in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island capable of producing high quality grass. The region’s abundant rainfall also contributes to the thriving grasslands.
   The Maritime beef growth strategy is designed to address current and emerging issues while keeping the bottom line in mind. Profitability for Maritime farmers is key.
   With those goals in mind, the NBCP will host a series of Verified Beef Production Plus (VPB+) workshops next month. The workshops will be in Edmundston on July 9, in Fredericton on July 10, in Moncton on July 11, and in Miramichi on July 12. Please contact the Maritime Beef Conference at maritimebeefcouncil@gmail.com for more details. Further workshops are also expected to be announced. Be sure to watch the NBCP website at www.bovinsnbcattle.ca and the upcoming spring newsletter for details.

Save the date - Fall regional meetings

Here are the 2018 NBCP fall regional meeting dates and locations:
District 4: Gloucester/Northumberland – Wednesday, Oct. 10, Miramichi
District 5, 6: Westmorland/Albert/Kent – Thursday, Oct. 11, Moncton
District 8: Kings/Saint John – Friday, Oct. 12, Sussex
District 1, 2, 7: Carleton/Victoria/York/Sunbury/Queens, Charlotte – Saturday, Oct. 13, Woodstock
District 3: Madawaska/Restigouche – Saturday, Oct. 20, Edmundston

Also, please note the following correction in connection with information supplied in the spring issue of Atlantic Beef & Sheep by the NBCP. The NBCP apologizes for the error.

Correction: Legal issues resolved
The New Brunswick Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the NBCP, clearing the way for a levy increase from $3 to $6 per head. The decision is good news for the organization, which can now focus 100 percent on its plans to strengthen and expand the province’s beef industry.
The NBCP held a plebiscite vote in 2016 in which members agreed to a number of changes regarding producer registration and changes to the districts that make up regional representation for the organization following two years of industry consultation. The plebiscite process was appealed to the N.B. Farm Products Commission, with a ruling that the consultation process was inconsistent and regulatory changes could not be made. However, the Farm Products Commission did uphold the right of the NBCP board of directors to set the levy rate as necessary. That decision was challenged in front of the New Brunswick Court of Appeals, which in January rendered a decision to dismiss the case and uphold the Farm Products Commission ruling.

(Allison Finnamore, based in Moncton, N.B., is the editor of FCC Express, a publication of Farm Credit Canada. She is also a partner in Cultivating Communications, an agricultural communications company, and she is an executive member of local, national, and international farm journalist organizations.)

PEI Cattle Producers
New suite of CAP beef programs
by Rinnie Bradley
   As the summer approaches, we wind up the seventh annual PEI Burger Love campaign and turn our focus to farming. While the winter was pretty mild in terms of snowfall, it did not result in an early spring. As I write this article, farmland is being prepared across the Island. Let’s hope for a great growing season this year.
   This year’s 2018 Most Loved Burger of the PEI Burger Love campaign was the One-Eyed Jack from the Pilot House. We wish to congratulate the owners and staff of the Pilot House and thank them for their dedicated support of the campaign. The Pilot House has submitted an entry in each of the eight years that the campaign has run, so we are pleased that their and your dedication to creating and serving a delicious beef burger has paid off!
   This is year one of the new federal-provincial agreement and programs. As we move from GF2 to the new CAP program, it challenges industry to review the new objectives of the CAP agreements and take advantage of the funding that will be offered. Early observations tell us the Beef Industry Initiative Programs that we are familiar with have been changed significantly, both in what was offered and how producers will access funding. Efforts are underway to develop new programs that will offer producers the boost they need to make improvements on their farm. By the time producers read this article the new suite of programs should be in place.
   The Deadstock Removal Service invoices went out to producers at the end of March. As you know, the fees are based on a producer’s inventory, marketing, and prior deadstock pickups. Some of you may find a high-use fee on your invoice. This indicates that you had more pick-ups than the number allotted to your farm, based on the marketing or inventory you provided to us. We urge all producers to review their deadstock invoice and call the office if you believe your coverage is inadequate. We can revise your fee accordingly. Please remember, it is up to you to notify us if anything pertaining to your operation needs to be updated.
   The PEICP implemented an increase to its levy in April of 2017. We want to thank those producers who have been remitting levies. Without levies your board would not be able to deliver programs and provide representation on your behalf. It has been a year since the new levy was implemented and we will begin to do random audits of those who are not currently paying or remitting. More information on the levy as well as the P.E.I. Cattle Registration and Marketing Levies Order can be found on our website. There is also a helpful Question and Answer document that should clarify most questions regarding the levy. We encourage you to check it out.
   Jena Nicholson coordinates the Verified Beef Production Plus program in P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador. Last month, a beef producer from Nfld. – Stephen Coombs – was audited. This marked a significant milestone for the national program. It exhibited great development and demonstrated that VBP+ has grown significantly in the last few years.
   The Certified Island Beef Brand is still accepting new producers. Premiums are paid to CIB-approved cow-calf producers in the amount of $10/head for every animal sold to a CIB approved feedlot. A premium of $33/head is paid to a CIB feedlot for every CIB animal that meets all brand criteria when processed at Atlantic Beef Products. For more information on the program, please contact Jena Nicholson at the PEICP office at 902-368-2229.

(Rinnie Bradley is the executive director of the P.E.I. Cattle Producers. She can be reached at 902-368-2229 or by email at cattlemen@eastlink.ca.)

Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia
Workshops, research, survey, and emergency handbook
by Fred Hamilton
   Let’s hope the good weather we have been experiencing continues into summer. By this point, I’m sure most of us are wrapping up lambing or are close to finishing, with preparation for the warmer weather ahead.
   On March 20, the Centre de developpement du porc du Québec inc. (CDPQ) held a webinar to discuss the results of the carcass quality ultra-sounding research project. This was conducted with nine breeders throughout the Maritime region, on a total of eight varying breeds. The results displayed that all nine breeders who participated had rams within the top 10 percent (Top Rams list) on GenOvis.
   The Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia teamed up with Perennia to conduct Improving Lamb Survival workshops at three various locations throughout the province between March and April. Jonathan Wort, ruminant specialist with Perennia, delivered tips and guidelines to help improve lamb survival rates. The workshops covered the importance of such topics as colostrum quality, warming boxes, stomach tubing, intraperitoneal injections, and benchmarking lambing. There were nearly 60 people in attendance.
   We are currently planning a faecal egg count workshop to be conducted in July, with Dr. Gwyneth Jones of Saint Mary’s University. We will invite producers to examine samples to determine if there are eggs present, with a follow-up workshop to take place approximately one month later to check in with those who have been using the techniques. More information will be released as the event details are confirmed.
   As a reminder, the 2018 All Canada Sheep Classic will be held July 5-7 at the N.S. Provincial Exhibition Complex in Truro. This spectacular event will bring sheep breeders from across the country together for a show, sale, and hospitality. For more details and a complete list of events, please visit www.sheepbreeders.ca.
   Additionally, there will also be a fleece competition at the All Canada Sheep Classic. For more information, including entry information and an entry form, please visit nssheep.ca/2018/04/26/fleece-competition-2018/.
   SPANS has partnered with Pork Nova Scotia, the N.S. Cattle Producers, and the Canadian Animal Health Coalition to develop a strategy in preparation for a major, province-wide emergency related to animal health, weather, or market interruptions. We have worked together to develop a handbook for producers as well as industry leaders, in the unfortunate event of a major emergency. In the fall, we will be holding producer workshops to introduce these plans, which can be found at www.nssheep.ca/emergency/.
   The survey that’s used for gathering baseline information on production and marketing materials from producers is still open for submission. This information allows the SPANS board to work toward a strategy for improving and increasing sheep production in Nova Scotia. In order to better understand the complex structure of the industry, this information is very important and it can be used as we move forward. To participate in the survey, please visit www.nssheep.ca/survey. As part of this process, we will also be reaching out to producers to provide feedback on the strategy.
   Please ensure that you check the website and our Facebook and Twitter pages for a full listing of upcoming meetings and workshops. We are busy preparing for fall workshops, so please check these sources frequently to not miss out!
   As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for workshops, don’t hesitate to contact the office.

(Fred Hamilton is the president of SPANS. For any questions, comments or concerns, please contact the SPANS office at 902-893-7455 or novascotiasheep@gmail.com).