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Source: FCC
The Canadian Pork Council says it’s disappointed with a court decision that rejects blocking the start of the United States’ mandatory country of origin labelling. A three panel judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided last week to rejecting the food industry challenge to block implementation of COOL. (read more)
Source: NSFA
N.S. Young Farmers is holding their Annual General Meeting on April 12 with this year’s theme being “Nutrients for Tomorrow.” Mark the date for Saturday April 12 at Big Al’s Lounge in Tatamagouche starting at 10am, join us for a great networking opportunity with other young farmers from across the province. (read more)
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Brian Murray is back on the road again — the Hammonds Plains Road, that is. “That’s a great thing," said the owner of Blue Barn Farms on the Hammonds Plains Road, in an interview last week. “That’s the way it always was.” Murray, also chairman of the Hammonds Plains Area Business Association, was responding to Halifax Regional Municipality’s unanimous decision Tuesday to amend a bylaw prohibiting trucks weighing more than 3,000 kilograms from using Hammonds Plains Road, except for local pickups and deliveries. (read more)
Source: LA Times
Farmer John and Brewer Bill can breathe a sighs of relief as the FDA announced plans to reevaluate newly proposed regulations to the age-old symbiotic relationship between brewers and farmers. Beer is of course made with copious amounts of grain — mostly malted barley — and most of this grain ends up as waste at the end of the brewing process. Once brewers have extracted all the sugars and enzymes from the grain that they need to make the beer, they’re left with hundreds of pounds of wet, steaming “spent grain.” (read more)
Source: MBTS
On Saturday April 4 the Maritime Beef Testing Society held is 41st Annual Breeding Stock Sale at their facility in Nappan, Nova Scotia. Summary documents listed below will open in PDF format. A list of Bull and Heifer Lots with the purchase price: 2014 MBTS Lot Sales. A summary of Bulls and Heifers as well as sales by Province: 2014 Maritime Beef Test Station Spring Breeding Stock Sale Summary. (read more)
Source: rawmilkconsumer.ca
The Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph is hosting a conference on April 22. The theme is Science to Policy. We will use as our exploratory case study current policies relating to raw and pasteurized milk. Our goal is that by engaging a wide spectrum of experts, we will be able to identify and understand how scientific research is and can be used for better policy-making decisions. Experts from various scientific backgrounds will discuss their research on properties, correlations linked with consumption of raw milk, risk assessment, and risk mitigation. (read more)
Source: NPR
At Green’s Sugarhouse in Poultney, Vt., visitors are gathered around four squeeze bottles of maple syrup, sampling them under brand-new labels. Vermont recently replaced its syrup grading system and now uses new names that make different syrups sound more like wine or expensive coffee. (read more)
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Environmentalists say the federal government failed for years to publish hundreds of waivers it granted to organizations that freed them from having to provide information on chemicals, organisms and other substances for risk assessments. Mark Butler of the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax said Environment Canada only recently published online a backlog of more than 600 waivers dating back to 2006. They dealt with everything from aquatic toxicity tests to data on antibiotics. Butler said the department should have made the information available in the Canada Gazette soon after a waiver had been granted. (read more)
Source: Co-operative News
Historical changes are underway for the co-operative sector in Canada as the country’s two main co-operative federations merge. As of today, the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Canadian Council of Co-operation and Mutuals (Conseil canadien de la cooperation et de la mutualité CCCM) will form the bilingual association Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada. (read more)
Source: ThinkFarm
Extended Learning at the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture is pleased to offer a one day workshop “Does My Farm Have Worms?” to both sheep and goat producers, and veterinarians on Saturday, May 10. This is a one day workshop featuring updates, case studies, and the latest on managing gastro-intestinal parasites in the face of increasing anthelmintic resistance. (read more)
Source: AtlanticFarmer.com
East Coast Organic Milk is closing after only a year and a half on the shelves. Despite the consumer uptake for the local product, the cooperative found it was unable to compete with products from outside the province that were being sold cheaper than East Coast’s cost of production could match. Only two dairy farms were supplying milk to Cook’s Dairy in Yarmouth where East Coast Organic Milk was being processed. They were unable to grow sales fast enough to cover the cost structure according to Frazer Hunter, whose family owns one of the two farms. Provincial regulations, added to the mounting burden of distribution and shipping costs, were the blows that forced the decision to stop production.
Source: NY Times
Helping America’s beleaguered bees could start with something as humble as planting a shrub. In California’s Central Valley, researchers are trying to find assortments of bee-friendly plants that local farmers and ranchers can easily grow, whether in unusable corners and borders of their land or on acreage set aside with government support. (read more)
Source: AtlanticFarmer.com
The great resource give away. Why New Brunswick is poor. Charles Theriault, documentary filmmaker; Don Bowser, international expert on transparency and anti-corruption; Jean-Louis Deveau, shale gas extraction/fracking. Theriault and guests question the management of the greatest natural wealth New Brunswickers possess, the Crown land forest. Moncton Wesleyan Celebration Centre, Saturday, May 3, 1:30pm. Free admission. (read more)
Source: Financial Post
That not all provinces are alike in the eyes of Ottawa is hardly news, but sometimes different treatment is particularly obvious. Usually, the complaint is that Québec enjoys special treatment. When it comes to the forest industries, however, Ottawa discriminates against Québec. (read more)
Source: Maritime Beef Test Station
On Friday March 28, 2014 Guy LeBlanc was named the first ever recipient of the Bob Colpitts Memorial Award at the New Brunswick Beef Conference. This award is intended to recognize leaders who have committed their career to the continual improvement of the New Brunswick beef industry. (read more)
Source: ThinkFarm
The Department of Agriculture’s Homegrown Success Program is now accepting applications and the program guidelines are available online. There have been some significant changes to the Program: The overall funding cap has been reduced and the percentage that will be funded on projects has been reduced. Applications will be accepted up until April 30 and will be evaluated based on the project impact. (read more)
Source: Maritime Beef Test Station
The 41st Annual Breeding Stock Sale will be held this Saturday, April 5, 2014 starting at 1pm. The sale will feature 69 yearling bulls as well as 29 consigned heifers. Please see the sale section on the website for more information. If you are unable to attend in person, you will be able to watch live on the Internet and bid by phone (check back on Saturday at noon). (read more)
Source: Community Wire
Imagine walking along a tree-lined trail, through the fresh spring air and twigs snapping under your feet – maybe you’re on an afternoon stroll with your children or out searching for songbirds. Or, perhaps you’re lending a hand in important conservation work, whilst soaking up the sun and exploring nature’s wonders! This is the kind of opportunity that awaits you when you sign up for outdoor volunteer events. With National Volunteer Week (April 6 -12) right around the corner and spring sprouting before our eyes, many outdoors-loving Canadians are looking for ways to celebrate their altruistic side, while enjoying the much anticipated warmer weather. (read more)
Source: littleriverfolk@hotmail.com
The third annual South Shore Sustainability Expo & Forum, Saturday April 5, 2014. This event is completely FREE to the public. Nova Scotia Community College Gymnasium, 75 High Street, Bridgewater, 9am - 2pm. Do you want to learn more about the sustainable products, services, and activities on the South Shore? The South Shore Sustainability EXPO will feature an exhibitor area of about 30 local businesses and community organizations that are providing “greener” services and products (or ideas and opportunities) in our community. (read more)
Source: ThinkFarm
A hands-on workshop with Av Singh, organic and small scale farming specialist with Perennia at Watershed Farm, Baker Settlement, N.S., April 16, 10am-to 4pm. This workshop will be helpful to everyone from home gardeners to farmers who want to grow healthier crops. (read more)
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