July 29, 2014

CAN YOU TRUST THAT ORGANIC LABEL? . . . GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS LNGL PURCHASE . . . SOLAR POWER SURGING TO FOREFRONT . . . WHEN WILL WE TAKE MEDICINAL HONEY SERIOUSLY? . . . PARTNERS IN INNOVATION WELCOME PBR AMENDMENTS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

CAN YOU TRUST THAT ORGANIC LABEL ON IMPORTED FOOD?
Source: NPR
Maybe you've wondered, while looking at the price tag on some organic produce, whether that label is telling the truth. Peter Laufer, a writer and professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, doesn't just wonder. He’s an outright skeptic, especially because the organic label seems to him like a license to raise prices. And also because those products are arriving through supply chains that stretch to far corners of the world. (read more)

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS LNGL PURCHASE OF BEAR HEAD SITE
Source: N.S. Dept of Energy
Government is congratulating Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd. (LNGL) on its proposal to develop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility at Bear Head, just outside Port Hawkesbury. The Australia-based company announced an agreement to acquire 100 percent of Bear Head LNG Corp. from Anadarko Petroleum. The sale is expected to close before the end of August. LNGL will make the site an LNG export facility, with possible future expansion, based on the market. (read more)

SOLAR POWER SURGING TO FOREFRONT OF CANADIAN ENERGY 
Source: The Globe and Mail
The action on large solar projects is taking place only in Ontario, where pro-renewable-energy government policies essentially subsidize solar installations. In what was once a rocky hayfield in southeastern Ontario, a very 21st-century type of farm is taking shape. (read more)
 
WHEN WILL WE TAKE MEDICINAL HONEY SERIOUSLY?
Source: BBC
Honey is now regularly being shown to kill superbugs in the laboratory and save patients’ limbs on hospital wards, but why is its medicinal use still so limited in the UK? The antibacterial properties of honey have long been known, both ancient Greek and Egyptian physicians are said to have valued it and it was used in the treatment of wounds right up to World War II. (read more)

PARTNERS IN INNOVATION WELCOME PROGRESS ON PBR AMENDMENTS 
Source: Island Farmer
Partners in Innovation is very pleased that much anticipated changes to Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights legislation as proposed in Bill C-18: the Agricultural Growth Act, passed Second Reading in the House of Commons and have been referred to the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

USING BRASSICAS IN AUTUMN FOR EXTENDED GRAZING
http://www.thesheepsite.com/articles/16/using-brassicas-in-autumn-for-extended-grazing

CONSERVATIONISTS HOPEFUL WITH PENDING RELEASE OF SOUTHERN AB LAND-USE PLAN
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/alberta/Conservationists+hopeful+with+pending+release+southern/10053090/story.html

AG MINISTERS GATHER
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/publications/fcc-express/fcc-express-archives/20140725.html?utm_source=Subscribe+to+FCC+Email&utm_campaign=239f9bd155-Express_July_25_2014_EN7_25_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ecca3657d7-239f9bd155-18202745#Story6

THE WRONG KIND OF CARBON CUT
http://www.nature.com/news/the-wrong-kind-of-carbon-cut-1.15595

July 28, 2014

BERRY CROP WRAPS UP . . . WORKSHOP FOR APPLE GROWERS . . . DEADLINE FOR POLLINATOR AWARD THIS FRIDAY . . . STUDY HIGHLIGHTS POTENTIAL TO REDUCE LONG TERM ANTIBIOTIC USAGE FOR SHEEP LAMENESS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

BERRY CROP WRAPS UP
Source: FCC
Despite virus threats and a post-tropical storm that swept through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the strawberry season looks good for growers throughout central and Eastern Canada. The quality of fruit and size of the harvest has been a particularly pleasant surprise in Nova Scotia, where an aphid-borne virus damaged plants and devastated the crop last year. Horticulturalists and growers expected it could take up to five years to recover. (read more)

WORKSHOP FOR APPLE GROWERS
Source: NSFA
There will be a workshop for apple growers on fire blight to take place on Monday, July 28 at 7pm at Rene Penner's, RJ Farm in Grafton, 4631 Route 221. (read more)

DEADLINE FOR POLLINATOR AWARD THIS FRIDAY
Source: Pollinator Partnership
Don't forget that the nomination deadline for the 2014 Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award is this Friday (July 25). (read more)

STUDY HIGHLIGHTS POTENTIAL TO REDUCE LONG TERM ANTIBIOTIC USAGE FOR SHEEP LAMENESS
Source: The Sheep Site
Sheep farmers could reduce antibiotic treatments for lameness by as much as 92 percent within two years of implementing the practical FAI Farms Five-Point Plan to control the disease within a flock. A Veterinary Record report describes how Oxfordshire-based FAI Farms managed to cut substantially the number of lameness treatments administered to their flock of 1,200 ewes over a four-year period1. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

SCIENTIST’S HEALTHY FROZEN TREATS FIND FAN BASE ACROSS NORTH AMERICA 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/starting-out/i-realized-that-nobody-in-the-world-was-doing-this/article19671272/

SCIENTISTS WORK ON PAPER-WASP LURE
http://www.goodfruit.com/scientists-work-on-paper-wasp-lure/

POTATO BOARD CALLS FOR END TO MORATORIUM
http://www.peicanada.com/island_farmer/article_6927f28e-10cf-11e4-a375-0019bb2963f4.html 

FERNANDO FUNES CONF. ON AGROECOLOGY – CUBA OCT 2014
http://www.holmoncuba.blogspot.ca

Conservationists hopeful with pending release of southern Alberta land-use plan
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/alberta/Conservationists+hopeful+with+pending+release+southern/10053090/story.html

July 25, 2014

ACORN 3RD BEGINNER FARMER SYMPOSIUM & MIXER . . . THE MODERN SHEPHERD . . . FIVE EQUINE BODY CONDITION SCORE RESOURCES . . . FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE TO OPPONENTS OF QUARRY . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ACORN 3RD BEGINNER FARMER SYMPOSIUM & MIXER
Source: ACORN
The Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) is excited to announce that registration is now open for our 3rd Beginner Farmer Symposium & Mixer, taking place Monday, August 18, 2014, at Mount Allison University, in Sackville, New Brunswick – a fundraiser event supporting the future and success of local organic farmers! (read more)

THE MODERN SHEPHERD
Source: SPANS
The Modern Shepherd is a four-module production course that provides you, the new entrant or veteran producer, with up to date information to succeed in the Atlantic Sheep industry. On-Campus, Bible Hill, NS. Fall and Winter 2014-15. (read more)

FIVE EQUINE BODY CONDITION SCORE RESOURCES
Source: TheHorse.com
You've heard the warnings: Obesity – concerning on its own – can lead to a host of other serious health problems in horses. But your horse isn’t obese, is he? Nah…he’s just a little chunky with a little fat over his tailhead, or maybe just a touch of a cresty neck. (read more)

FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE TO OPPONENTS OF QUARRY 
Source: The Chronicle Herald
The federal government is open¬ing up a funding program for those who want to fight a pro¬posed quarry in Fogarty’s Cove. Opponents of the quarry, which is slated to operate for about 50 years on a waterfront site in Guys¬borough County, have the oppor¬tunity to apply for money to help them submit presentations to the Canadian Environmental Assess¬ment Agency. The funding period runs through to Sept. 15.  (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

THE WEIRD, UNDERAPPRECIATED WORLD OF PLASTIC PACKAGING
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/24/334617901/the-weird-underappreciated-world-of-plastic-packaging

ONTARIO BEEKEEPERS LOST MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR BEES OVER WINTER 
http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2014/07/24/ontario-beekeepers-lost-more-than-half-of-their-bees-over-winter

WHAT COULD CLIMATE CHANGE MEAN FOR AGRICULTURE?
http://www.thedairysite.com/news/46131/what-could-climate-change-mean-for-agriculture

COMBAT BRD, OTHER BEEF CATTLE HEALTH ISSUES WITH GENETIC SELECTION
http://farmprogress.com/story-combat-brd-beef-cattle-health-issues-genetic-selection-25-115469

July 24, 2014

ALBANY BEEF PLANT GETS AN A . . . TO SAVE THESE PIGS, KY FARMER SAYS WE HAVE TO EAT THEM . . . QUEST FOR BEST DRIVES FARMER . . . DOMTAR SIGNS UPM TO DISTRIBUTE LIGNIN IN EUROPE . . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ALBANY BEEF PLANT GETS AN A
Source: The Journal Pioneer
Atlantic Beef Products Inc. in Albany, P.E.I. has received a standout grade from its standards audit. The British Retail Consortium Global Standards certifies more than 21,000 beef suppliers in 90 countries and inspects Atlantic Canada’s only federally inspected beef processing plant in Albany on a yearly basis. The plant’s overall grade increased this year from a B to an A. (read more)

TO SAVE THESE PIGS, KY FARMER SAYS WE HAVE TO EAT THEM
Source: NPR
Robertson County has the smallest population of any county in the state of Kentucky, and it’s the only one, word has it, without a stoplight. So it’s an unlikely place to find a campaign to keep the food system more genetically diverse. But that is exactly what’s happening on a small farm owned by Travis Hood, called Hood’s Heritage Hogs. Hood raises Red Wattle pigs, a heritage breed that the Livestock Conservancy, a nonprofit working to protect breeds and poultry from extinction, says is threatened. In 1999, there were fewer than 50 of these pigs left in the U.S. Today, that number is back up to about 6,000. (read more)

QUEST FOR BEST DRIVES FARMER
Source: The Chronicle Herald Part science lab, part foodie paradise, Dr. Mel Crane’s farm on the outskirts of Kensington, P.E.I., is home to the only herd of Wagyu cattle in Atlantic Canada. If they were being raised in Japan, these 18 head of beef would be called Kobe, but here they’re Wagyu. To avoid confusion, just think of them as delicious. A veterinarian with almost 40 years experience, Crane used his expertise in embryo transfer to establish his herd, importing Wagyu embryos from Washington State and putting them in Simmental cows. Soon, his brown cows were giving birth to black calves. “I am a beef eater. I love meat and I’d always heard Wagyu was such good meat and I wanted to eat some before I die," he said of his experiment.  (read more)

DOMTAR SIGNS UPM TO DISTRIBUTE LIGNIN IN EUROPE
Source: Pulp and Paper Canada
UPM has agreed to become the exclusive distributor of Domtar’s BioChoice™ lignin in Europe, effective Aug. 1, 2014. BioChoice lignin is produced at Domtar’s biorefinery in Plymouth, North Carolina. A by-product of the kraft pulping process, BioChoice is a 100 percent bio-based sustainable alternative to fossil-based products, and also holds the USDA Certified Biobased product label. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

HOW DO WE MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IN CATTLE?
http://www.thebeefsite.com/news/46153/how-do-we-mitigate-climate-change-in-cattle

MEAT SUPPLIER IN CHINA SCANDAL GREW UP AS MCDONALD’S BUTCHER
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2024145478_chinameatxml.html

SPEAKER SUGGESTS CROP ROTATION BE REVAMPED
http://www.peicanada.com/island_farmer/article_5fa15d8e-10cc-11e4-b422-0019bb2963f4.html

BEEKEEPER GROUP CALLS FOR ACTION AFTER 6/10 ONTARIO BEES DIE DURING WINTER
http://www.thetelegram.com/Canada---World/News/2014-07-23/article-3811173/Beekeeper-group-calls-for-action-after-6-10-Ontario-bees-die-during-winter/1

July 23, 2014

AGROPUR ACQUIRES DAVISCO FOODS INTERNATIONAL . . . NOVA SCOTIA ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC CONSULTATION – SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED . . . AVERSION TO GMOS BECOMING DRIVING FACTOR TO BUYING ORGANIC . . . NEONICOTINOID LICENSING SYSTEM ENCOURAGING, SAYS NFU-O . . . NEW CERTIFIED PREMIUM PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BEEF BRAND LAUNCHED . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

AGROPUR ACQUIRES DAVISCO FOODS INTERNATIONAL
Source: Agropur Cooperative
Agropur, Canada's largest dairy cooperative, and Davisco Foods International, a U.S.-based cheese and dairy ingredients company, today announced they have entered into an agreement for Agropur to acquire the dairy processing assets of Davisco. The acquisition is targeted to close August 1, 2014, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. This transaction will double Agropur’s U.S. processing operations and will increase its global milk intake by 50 percent. It will also strengthen its position in the North American and international dairy industries. (read more)

NOVA SCOTIA ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC CONSULTATION – SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED
Source: NSFA
Nova Scotia Environment has received numerous requests to extend the submission deadline for the “Public Consultation: Revising Our Path Forward.” They have therefore decided to extend the public submission deadline to Monday, August 1, and would be happy to receive additional comments from anyone who has already provided their feedback. (read more)

AVERSION TO GMOS BECOMING DRIVING FACTOR TO BUYING ORGANIC
Source: Organic Trade association
Of all the thoughts that race through the mind of a mom or dad as they do the weekly grocery shopping and decide whether to put an organic or non-organic item in the shopping cart, the desire to stay away from foods that have been genetically modified has never been greater. (read more)

NEONICOTINOID LICENSING SYSTEM ENCOURAGING, SAYS NFU-O
Source: National Farmers union
The National Farmers Union in Ontario welcomes Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Hon. Jeff Leal’s recent announcement that Ontario intends to bring in measures to move away from the widespread, prophylactic use of neonicotinoid-based pesticides in agriculture. The introduction of a licensing system by the spring 2015 season for the use of seed treated with neonicotinoids will be a first step. A process requiring farmers and other commercial growers to apply for permits if they want to use neonicotinoid-treated seed should lead to decreased use of the insecticide on Ontario’s farmland. Encouraging, says NFU-O (read more)

NEW CERTIFIED PREMIUM PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BEEF BRAND LAUNCHED
Source: Island Beef
The launch of a new certified Prince Edward Island beef brand will increase sales of Island beef and return premium prices to cattle producers, says the chair of the PEI Culinary Alliance, Chef Austin Clement. “We are very excited to promote this new premium certified beef brand and continue to build our reputation as a producer of high-quality products’ said Chef Clement. “ This brand of certified premium Prince Edward Island beef is as natural a product as you will find.”  (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

ELECTRIC VEHICLE OWNERS WILL SOON BE ABLE TO JUICE UP IN SACKVILLE 
http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/

PROTECTED AREAS IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/parks/apa/index.html

ANOTHER CANADIAN LOGISTICS “DISASTER” NOT LIKELY FOR 2014/15 
http://www.grainews.ca/daily/another-canadian-logistics-disaster-not-likely-for-201415

KEEP THE 2014 FARM BILL’S CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE CHANGES IN MIND
http://farmfutures.com/story-keep-2014-farm-bills-conservation-compliance-changes-mind-17-115413

July 22, 2014

CROP SPRAYING AND HONEY BEES . . . NOVA FOREST ALLIANCE CALL FOR MEMBERSHIP . . . NEW LABELS COMING FOR MECHANICALLY TENDERIZED MEAT . . . FARM CENTRE TO HOST TRANSITION ISLAND INFORMATION SESSION . . . GM TRIALS AT EXPERIMENTAL FARM HAD LAPSES . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

CROP SPRAYING AND HONEY BEES
Source: Agri-News
Crop spraying and honey bees ... together they can be a big problem. Medhat Nasr, provincial apiculturist, says that, just as with many issues, communication is the way to avoid problems (read more)

NOVA FOREST ALLIANCE CALL FOR MEMBERSHIP
Source: NFA
Nova Forest Alliance invites you to join! The Nova Forest Alliance: encourages innovation, knowledge sharing and collaboration in our forest sector; facilitates initiatives that bring the full range of sector interests to one, multi-disciplinary table. Benefits of membership: participate in new and innovative initiatives that are advancing sustainability of our provincial forests; connect with individuals from every corner of the forest sector; make a difference by helping to advance new ideas and practices that will provide economic, environmental and social benefit to you and your fellow Nova Scotians; stay informed – members receive regular communications about news and upcoming events. (read more)

NEW LABELS COMING FOR MECHANICALLY TENDERIZED MEAT
Source: CBC.ca
Canadian shoppers will be able to see next month whether the beef they’re buying has been mechanically tenderized. Labelling regulations to take effect Aug. 21 are designed to protect consumers after the largest meat recall in the country’s history two years ago. (read more)

FARM CENTRE TO HOST TRANSITION ISLAND INFORMATION SESSION 
The Farm Centre will host the second free information session on the International Transition movement and the upcoming Transition Island Training Sessions. The information session will take place Tuesday July 22 at 7pm at the Farm Centre, Charlottetown. The transition movement is a community-led process that helps that towns, villages, cities, and neighborhoods become stronger and happier by building resilience in communities to address the global challenges of peak oil, climate change, increasing energy costs, economic instability, and resource depletion. (read more)

GM TRIALS AT EXPERIMENTAL FARM HAD LAPSES
Source: OttawaCitizen.com
Agriculture Canada made repeat lapses in its trials of two genetically modified crops at the Central Experimental Farm in 2011 and 2012, documents released under an access-to-information request show. A 2012 email from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there was a possibility of mixing GM and non-GM crops at the Farm. The CFIA regulates all GM trials in Canada. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT MYCOTOXINS
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/publications/fcc-express/fcc-express-archives/20140620.html?utm_source=FCC+Emails&utm_campaign=420e656945-Express_June_20_2014_EN_6_20_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ec568fff6d-420e656945-#story4

CONSERVATION EFFORTS HELP PROTECT LONGLEAF FORESTS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS 
http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/07/18/conservation-efforts-help-protect-longleaf-forests-for-future-generations/#sthash.s9tvJHQK.dpuf

NL A BEE HAVEN THAT OFFERS RESEARCH CLUES
http://www.thetelegram.com/section/2014-07-20/article-3807281/N.L.-a-bee-haven-that-offers-research-clues/1

PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG AND BEGINNING FARMERS
http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/programs-and-services/?id=1362675650980

July 21, 2014

CLEAN POWER, OFF THE GRID . . . MARITIME BEE TOUR 2014 . . . 2014 WOODLAND OWNERS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED . . . FORAGE AND RUMINANT FIELD DAY AT NAPPAN . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

CLEAN POWER, OFF THE GRID
Source: New York Times
After years of hype, renewable energy has gone mainstream in much of the United States and, increasingly, around the world. Enormous wind projects are moving ahead in oil- and gas-rich Wyoming, utility-scale solar projects are sprouting up in California and Nevada, and tens of thousands of homeowners nationwide are installing affordable solar panels on their rooftops.  (read more)

MARITIME BEE TOUR 2014 Source: NBBA
The New Brunswick Beekeepers’ Association would like to invite everyone to attend the Maritime Bee Tour. This event will be held in Moncton, New Brunswick, August 15-16. Activities will be headquartered at Crandall University, Moncton, N.B. for the reception, banquet, and accommodations.  (read more)

2014 WOODLAND OWNERS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
Source: NSDNR
Hiram and Ernest Carver, John Simons, and Richard Rowter are the 2014 Woodland Owners of the Year in the western, central, and eastern regions, respectively. The Carvers are also the Provincial Woodland Owners of the Year. “My sincere congratulations to the Carver, Simons, and Rowter families on being recognized by their peers as innovative and skilled woodland managers,” said Natural Resources Minister Zach Churchill. “They demonstrate the important contribution that individual woodland owners make to maintain healthy and diverse forests in Nova Scotia.” (read more)

FORAGE AND RUMINANT FIELD DAY AT NAPPAN
Source: AtlanticFarmer.com
The Maritime Beef Council in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) invite you to a tour of AAFC Nappan Research Farm, and the Maritime Beef Test Station. Tuesday, August 12,  from 11 am to 3:30 pm, rain or shine. Current research studies include: Forage breeding and agronomy studies; Improved perennial pasture and forage systems; Livestock management; Improved feed efficiency. More details will follow soon. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

PRS TECHNOLOGY 
http://www.westernag.ca/innovations/technology/basics

THWART EXTERNAL LIVESTOCK PARASITES WITH PREVENTION, ORGANIC CONTROLS
http://mosesorganic.org/farming/farming-topics/livestock/thwart-external-livestock-parasites/

ALL CANADA SHEEP CLASSIC
http://www.sheepbreeders.ca

TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT TOUTED AT AG MINISTERS’ SUMMIT 
http://www.betterfarming.com/online-news/politicians-tout-technology-investment-ag-minister%E2%80%99s-summit-56374

11th Annual Hand Mowing Championships

July 18, 2014

PUBLIC MEETINGS ON AQUACULTURE COMING UP NEXT WEEK . . . LAST CALL TO REGISTER FOR SMALL FARM EXPO . . . LAST CALL TO REGISTER FOR SMALL FARM EXPO . . . NATURAL RESOURCES AWARDS GRANTS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

PUBLIC MEETINGS ON AQUACULTURE COMING UP NEXT WEEK
Source: Ecology Action Centre
The province is hosting four community meetings to get feedback on the recently released Doelle-Lahey aquaculture review. The dates and locations of the meetings are listed in the link below. There is also the opportunity to make written submissions. The link includes an EAC position statement on aquaculture which some may find helpful.  (read more)

LAST CALL TO REGISTER FOR SMALL FARM EXPO
Source: ThinkFarm
The Fifth Annual Small Farm Expo (formerly known as the Celebration of Small Scale Farming) is fast approaching on Monday, July 28! This event moves to a different part of the province each year and we’re thrilled this year to be holding it in Cape Breton, with a full line up of workshops and demonstrations led by a fantastic group of Cape Breton farmers and local food advocates. This year’s event will be held at the Gaelic College at the foot of the Cabot Trail. Pre-registration is required by Monday, July 21. (read more)

NATURAL RESOURCES AWARDS GRANTS
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Twenty-five mining grants valued at a total of $545,000 were awarded Wednesday to help increase mineral exploration in the province. N.S. Dept. of Natural Resources Minister Zach Churchill said the Ivany commission report challenged the province to grab on to opportunities in the resource sectors. “Forty-three applications were received, indicating there is a lot of promise in Nova Scotia’s mining sector," Churchill said. Ten prospector grants, totalling about $90,000, and 15 advanced project grants, totalling $455,000, were announced. (read more)

PLANTING WITH A PURPOSE – RE-GREENING LOCAL COMMUNITIES 
Source: CNW
To help the communities it serves that were hard-hit by ice storm damage, Enbridge Gas Distribution, in partnership with Trees Ontario, has just finished planting 50,000 trees across the province. For residents in ice-damaged communities, restoring forest cover through tree planting initiatives provides countless benefits. New trees will compensate for existing damage to tree canopy, re-beautify local communities, and provide invaluable health benefits to surrounding areas.  (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

WHY GENETICALLY ENGINEERED RICE IS A BAD IDEA
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_30497.cfm

NEALTA INSECTICIDE OFFERS BENEFITS FOR BENEFICIAL INSECTS
http://westernfarmpress.com/orchard-crops/nealta-insecticide-offers-benefits-beneficial-insects

CFIA SUSPENDS LICENCE OF SASK BEEF PLANT OVER FOOD SAFETY CONCERNS
http://www.trurodaily.com/Canada---World/Society/2014-07-17/article-3804326/CFIA-suspends-licence-of-Saskatchewan-beef--plant-over-food-safety-concerns/1

DAIRY COWS AS GREEN AN HYBRID CARS
http://www.agweb.com/livestock/dairy/article/dairy_cows_as_green_an_hybrid_cars_NAA_University_News_Release/

July 17, 2014

GRAIN ELEVATOR COMPANY BUYS INTO BIOMASS . . . CHINA BUYING MORE CANADIAN PEAS . . . MECHANICAL PULPING A FOCUS AT PAPTAC ATLANTIC BRANCH CONFERENCE . . . LYME DISEASE IN HORSES: MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

GRAIN ELEVATOR COMPANY BUYS INTO BIOMASS
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Halifax Grain Elevator Ltd. will invest up to $1 million in Scotia Atlantic Biomass Co. Ltd., the company that makes wood pellets in Upper Musquodoboit. The deal has positive implications for the Upper Musquodoboit facility that produces the wood pellets that are trucked to the Port of Halifax for shipment to overseas markets. (read more)

CHINA BUYING MORE CANADIAN PEAS
Source: FCC
According to special crop producers, China has replaced India as the world’s biggest importer of yellow peas – and nearly all of it comes from Canada. Canada has a 93 percent share of the growing Chinese market, where yellow pea imports skyrocketed to 1.1 million tonnes last year from 427,000 tonnes in 2009. (read more)

MECHANICAL PULPING A FOCUS AT PAPTAC ATLANTIC BRANCH CONFERENCE
Source: Pulp and Paper Canada
A small group of people from local mills and a handful of supplier representatives met on Cape Breton in May for the PAPTAC Atlantic Branch conference. With about 50 attendees, the meeting had the feel of a roundtable session, with peers frankly discussing challenges and solutions related to mechanical pulping and papermaking. (read more)

LYME DISEASE IN HORSES: MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
Source: The Horse
Veterinarian Amy Grice, VMD, says it often starts with a vague phone call from a horse owner: “My horse hasn’t been himself the last couple of days, and it seems like he’s lost weight.” (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

WILL CAMU CAMU BE THE NEXT AMAZONIAN “IT” FRUIT?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/15/331468298/will-camu-camu-be-the-next-amazonian-it-fruit

FISHING INTO THE FUTURE CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR
http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/23633/fishing-into-the-future-celebrates-successful-first-year

CATTLE DISEASE GUIDE
http://www.thedairysite.com/diseaseinfo/

FSIS PROPOSED RULE REQUIRES SOURCE RECORDS FOR GROUND BEEF PRODUCTS 
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/07/fsis-proposed-rule-requires-source-records-for-ground-beef/#.U8cyw6j1-k0

July 16, 2014

APPLY NOW! 2014 FALL COURSES . . . STRAWBERRY INDUSTRY IN KINGS COUNTY N.S. ON ROAD TO RECOVERY FROM APHID VIRUS . . . THWART EXTERNAL LIVESTOCK PARASITES WITH PREVENTION, ORGANIC CONTROLS . . . SEARCH FOR WELSH HONEY WITH ANTIBIOTIC ELEMENTS LAUNCHED . . .OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

APPLY NOW! 2014 FALL COURSES
Source: Dal Faculty of Agriculture
A few of the courses starting in September include: Technology Education Program, Specialization in Organic Agriculture, The Modern Beekeeper, The Modern Shepherd, On-Farm Composting, Wild Pollinator Habitat Enhancement Workshop. (read more)

STRAWBERRY INDUSTRY IN KINGS COUNTY N.S. ON ROAD TO RECOVERY FROM APHID VIRUS
Source:  The Daily Business Buzz 
Hank Bosveld of Bosveld’s Fruit Farm in Lakeville said weekly monitoring and leaf sampling is being conducted on fields and his strawberries had a clean report on July 4. It looks like the strawberry industry is well on its way to recovering from a virus complex spread by aphids that led to many fields being plowed under. (read more)

THWART EXTERNAL LIVESTOCK PARASITES WITH PREVENTION, ORGANIC CONTROLS
Source: Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service
External parasites on livestock can lead to economic loss for producers. Studies have shown that even moderate infestations of parasites could cost you one pound of milk/meat production per head per day. In a well-managed organic herd or flock with good freedom of movement, excellent nutrition, and strong immune systems, most parasites will not cause long-term harm. But, when conditions are ideal for the parasite or when animals are stressed, parasites can cause significant problems. (read more)

SEARCH FOR WELSH HONEY WITH ANTIBIOTIC ELEMENTS LAUNCHED
Source: BBC
Scientists looking for a new antibiotic are hoping Welsh beekeepers will be able to provide a solution. Beekeepers are being asked to send in samples of their honey to see if it contains antibiotic elements. If any is found, DNA techniques will then be used to determine which flower is responsible. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

HONEY POLICE HIT GENEROUS PRODUCERS
http://www.ontariofarmer.com/sitepages/?aid=9241&cn=QUICK%20LINKS&an=Honey%20police%20hit%20generous%20producers

PUTTING BEES TO WORK
http://modernfarmer.com/2014/07/putting-bees-back-work/

LOCAL BEES SURVIVE BETTER THAN IMPORTS: DANISH SCIENTISTS
http://www.agcanada.com/daily/local-bees-survive-better-than-imports-danish-scientists

DECLINE IN BIRDS, NOT JUST BEES, LINKED TO NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/decline-in-birds-not-just-bees-linked-to-neonicotinoid-pesticides-1.2706542

July 15, 2014

QUEBEC’S AGROPUR BUYING N.B. CO-OP … CEREALS CANADA … NEW NON-RUMINANT SPECIALIST ANNOUNCED … DNR TO FUND LANDOWNER OUTREACH PROGRAM … LATE BLIGHT FIGHT STEPPED UP OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

QUEBEC’S AGROPUR BUYING N.B. CO-OP
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Agropur Co-operative is acquiring the dairy and food distribution assets of New Brunswick’s Northumberland Dairy Co-operative for an undisclosed price. The assets, with annual sales of $67 million, include Northumberland’s Miramichi plant, which processes 27 million liters of milk a year, as well as its distribution centres and brands. (read more)

CEREALS CANADA
Source: AB Agriculture and Rural Development
Cereals Canada is a relatively new national organization, which is a multi-stakeholder, multi-commodity organization that will work to enhance the domestic and international competitiveness of Canadian cereals. President Cam Dahl says the goal of the organization is to bring together all parts of the value chain. (read more)

NEW NON-RUMINANT SPECIALIST ANNOUNCED
Source: Perennia
Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. has announced the appointment of Heather McLean as its new Non-Ruminant Specialist focusing on the poultry, mink, and hog sectors. “Heather brings a wealth of experience and a terrific network of industry contacts to the position,” said Bill Thomas, Perennia’s Director of Extension who oversees the company’s team of production specialists. “These sectors are very important to the agriculture industry and the provincial economy, and we are really pleased to have found such a talented specialist to work with these producers and industry associations.” (read more)

DNR TO FUND LANDOWNER OUTREACH PROGRAM
Source: NSWOOA
The province has agreed to provide $140,000 to the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association in the coming year, which will fully fund the 2014-15 landowner outreach program. (read more)

LATE BLIGHT FIGHT STEPPED UP
Source: FCC
New Brunswick potato growers are being extra vigilant to prevent late blight in their fields after infected tomato plants were discovered at home garden centres in the province. The New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries issued a news release about the situation in late June advising anyone who purchased tomato plants at... (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

FIVE CRITICAL TIPS FOR BUYING EQUIPMENT ONLINE
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/publications/fcc-express/fcc-express-archives/20140711.html?utm_source=Subscribe+to+FCC+Email&utm_campaign=8166a51068-Express_July_11_2014_EN7_11_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ecca3657d7-8166a51068-18202745#story2

WHAT WILDFIRES IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES SAY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/what-wildfires-in-the-northwest-territories-say-about-climate-change/article19606467/

ORGANIC FOOD HIGHER IN ANTIOXIDANTS AND LOWER IN TOXIC METALS AND PESTICIDES
http://www.globalresearch.ca/organic-food-higher-in-antioxidants-and-lower-in-toxic-metals-and-pesticides/5391069

RETHINKING FISH FARMING TO OFFSET ITS PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140714152324.htm

July 14, 2014

ARE ORGANIC VEGETABLES MORE NUTRITIOUS AFTER ALL? . . . CONGRESS MOVES TO END RAW MILK PROHIBITION NATIONWIDE . . . TRACTOR AND ENGINE SHOW . . . BEEF PRICES TAKE A LEAP . . . FPL SPRUCE BUDWORM RESEARCH FUNDED . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ARE ORGANIC VEGETABLES MORE NUTRITIOUS AFTER ALL?
Source: NPR
There may never be an end to arguments over whether organic food is more nutritious. But a new study is the most ambitious attempt so far to resolve the issue — and it concludes that organic fruit and vegetables offer a key benefit. It’s a scientific reply to an analysis that some researchers at Stanford University published two years ago. That paper, which generated lots of media coverage and much controversy, reviewed more than 200 studies of organic and conventional food, and concluded that organic foods do not really offer any significant nutritional benefit. (read more)

CONGRESS MOVES TO END RAW MILK PROHIBITION NATIONWIDE
Source: Realfarmacy.com
Buying and selling raw dairy products across state lines has been outlawed in the U.S. since the late 1980s, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided that Americans were no longer free to make their own food decisions without government approval. But this senseless and unconstitutional policy of prohibition could soon become history if a bipartisan effort to restore food freedom reaches a breaking point in Congress. (read more)

TRACTOR AND ENGINE SHOW
Source: North Shore Tractor and Engine Club
North Shore Antique and Engine Club Tractor and Engine Show and Heritage Day at the Verstraten Farm, July 19, 5736 Hwy 366, Lorneville, N.S. It’s our 15th and Final Show for a while. Woodlot tour, 4-H woodsmen demonstration, antique tool display, 4-H canteen, local crafts and produce, and pie from the Church ladies. Free, exhibitors and vendors welcome. Contact Francis Verstraten, 902-661-9534 or Vincent Hollis, 902-447-3062 or francisverstraten@yahoo.ca.

BEEF PRICES TAKE A LEAP
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Quick, toss another burger on the barbecue before beef prices jump again. Nova Scotia beef producers are scrambling to meet demand, and consumers are switching from steaks to burgers, as international prices soar. “Global beef prices are at historic highs and there are various factors behind that situation,” Wayne Oulton, of Martock Glen Farm, in Martock, N.S. said last week. (read more)

FPL SPRUCE BUDWORM RESEARCH FUNDED
Source: Farm Focus
Forest Protection Limited (FPL) of Lincoln, New Brunswick has received $10,000,000 to develop new products and techniques to intervene early in Spruce budworm outbreaks in order to mitigate pest-related impacts on forest integrity, timber supply, and industry productivity. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN POSITION
http://www.nsfa‐fane.ca

THE BRANDING IRON
http://www.canadabeef.ca/ca/en/producer/data_files/uploads/pdf/2014-07-09-13-36-16_Branding%20Iron_July%202014.pdf

PEI JOURNAL
http://digital.peijournal.org/peijournal/Q22014#pg1

STEER EUTHANIZED AFTER CALGARY STAMPEDE WRESTLING EVENT
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Steer+euthanized+after+Stampede+wrestling+event/10025735/story.html

July 11, 2014

NEW EXPANDED PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS PROPOSED . . . FROM MCDONALD'S TO ORGANIC VALLEY, YOU'RE PROBABLY EATING WOOD PULP . . . BIRD DECLINE “SMOKING GUN” FOR PESTICIDE’S EFFECTS . . . VERMONT’S WOOD HEAT RENAISSANCE . . . WIND POWER OF AN’UDDER SORT . . .OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

NEW EXPANDED PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS PROPOSED
Source: N.B. Dept of Natural Resources
The provincial government is proposing the creation of 138 new Protected Natural Areas and the expansion of 21 existing ones. The move would create 115,000 hectares of new Protected Natural Areas on Crown land. (read more)

FROM MCDONALD’S TO ORGANIC VALLEY, YOU’RE PROBABLY EATING WOOD PULP
Source: NPR
Do not be alarmed, but you may be eating wood pulp. Or at least an additive that started out as wood. If you buy shredded cheeses, including brands such as Organic Valley and Sargento, or hit the drive-through at McDonald’s for a breakfast sandwich or a smoothie, or douse some ribs with bottled barbecue sauce, there’s likely some cellulose that's been added to your food. (read more)

BIRD DECLINE “SMOKING GUN” FOR PESTICIDE'S EFFECTS
Source: BBC
The widespread use of a type of insecticide that has been blamed for honeybee deaths is linked to a marked decline in bird numbers in Europe, a report says. Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid chemical, is widely used in agriculture to exterminate pests. Dutch scientists say their data shows that the chemical is associated with a collapse in common bird species. (read more)

VERMONT’S WOOD HEAT RENAISSANCE
Source: Biomass Magazine
As world oil prices were on the brink of collapse back in the mid-1980s, Vermont was seeing its first successful wood chip-to-heat school installation come to life. Today, more than 40 schools in the small state of 625,000 people have adopted wood heat, and that’s just a snippet of the industry’s success story there. (read more)

WIND POWER OF AN’UDDER SORT
Source: The Chronicle HeraldBottom of Form
Freshly mowed hay lies in the field along the driveway. In the barn, a curious milk cow tentatively approaches, sniffs, and eventually extends a coarse tongue to lick an unsuspecting visitor. Not far from Shubenacadie on Highway 224, the Windmill Holsteins farm appears to be a typical dairy operation in the farm-rich area. Until you get to the $4-million anaerobic digester system that sits adjacent to the cow barn. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Canadian farmers embrace mobile technology, says FCC survey
https://www.fac-fcc.ca/en/about-fcc/media-newsroom/news-releases/2014/canadian-farmers-embrace-mobile-technology-says-fcc-survey.html#.U7HZ0qFilPA.twitter

2014 ATLANTIC SHEEP SALE
http://www.sheepnovascotia.ns.ca/category/events-annoucements/

FIRST ANTHRAX CASE IN TEXAS, MORE VS REPORTED
http://southwestfarmpress.com/irrigation/first-anthrax-case-texas-more-vs-reported

SIX KEYS TO GETTING HEIFERS BRED
http://www.dairyherd.com/dairy-herd/Six-keys-to-getting-heifers-bred-261849201.html

July 10, 2014

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR ABORIGINAL BUSINESS AWARD FOR FOREST INDUSTRY . . . U.S. FARM FILM TO BE WIDELY AVAILABLE SOON  . . . WAVES OF CHANGE . . . UPCOMING FIRST AID COURSES IN N.S. . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR ABORIGINAL BUSINESS AWARD FOR FOREST INDUSTRY
Source: Pulp & Paper Canada
Nominations are open for the 2014 Aboriginal Business Leadership Award, a $5,000 award that recognizes and celebrates First Nations entrepreneurs for their success in a forest products business that exemplifies business leadership, exceptional environmental and safety performance, and the delivery of high-quality products and services. (read more)

U.S. FARM FILM TO BE WIDELY AVAILABLE SOON 
Source: CFA
Farmland, the film featuring an intimate look at the lives of U.S. farmers and ranchers in their 20’s, was launched last week at select theatres in the U.S. The film, which was made with the support of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, “provides a first-hand glimpse into the lives of young farmers and ranchers – the high-risk and high reward jobs and the passion for a way of life passed down from generation to generation, yet continues to evolve.” (read more)

WAVES OF CHANGE
Source: Food Secure Canada
Hundreds of food leaders from across Canada will converge on Halifax November 13-16, 2014 for Waves of Change: Sustainable Food for All, Food Secure Canada’s eighth National Assembly. Farmers, fishers, dietitians, policy makers, activists, entrepreneurs, community organizers, indigenous leaders, students, academics, and more will create three jam-packed days of programming, networking opportunities, and learning sessions.  This is the first time the FSC Assembly has been held in Atlantic Canada and this edition will feature the top experts from the region as well as across the country with a special focus on fisheries. (read more)

UPCOMING FIRST AID COURSES IN N.S.
Source: Farm Safety N.S.
For information on upcoming first aid courses, contact Farm Safety N.S. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

N.S. AQUACULTURE REGULATORY REVIEW
http://thechronicleherald.ca/editorials/1221334-editorial-feed-fish-farms-better-regulations

HOW TO FELL A TREE
http://www.tigercat.com/video-section/?recipient_id=14o8RHZF9tWVP_8kOTdSXeXBM3d1iNHWUC

HOW AGING CONSUMERS, MORE IMMIGRANTS CAN BENEFIT AG
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/publications/fcc-express/fcc-express-archives/20140704.html?utm_source=Subscribe+to+FCC+Email&utm_campaign=fe4faf0477-FCC_Express_July_4_2014_EN_1_implicit7_4_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ecca3657d7-fe4faf0477-18202745#story2

TREES IN A SANDBOX
http://www.goodfruit.com/trees-in-a-sandbox/

Celebration of Small Scale Farming

July 9, 2014

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES $3.8M PARTNERSHIP FOR CANADIAN BEEF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE… CANADIAN DRESSAGE TEAM NAMED FOR WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES… EFFECT OF DIATOMACEOUS EARTH ON PARASITE LOAD, EGG PRODUCTION, AND EGG QUALITY OF FREE-RANGE ORGANIC LAYING HENS… SEVEN WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT WHEN WORKING OUTDOORS… OLD SCHOOL TILLAGE PRACTICES PERSIST OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES $3.8M  PARTNERSHIP FOR CANADIAN BEEF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
Source: Canada Beef Inc.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Gerry Ritz and Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification Michelle Rempel joined Canada Beef Chair Chuck MacLean and President Rob Meijer to announce $3,844,800 in funding for the new Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence. “Our Government is proud to support this cutting-edge facility. This Centre will give our industry a competitive advantage in showcasing Canada’s top-quality meats and will allow our producers to capitalize on new and existing market opportunities,” said Minister Ritz during today’s announcement. (read more)

CANADIAN DRESSAGE TEAM NAMED FOR WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES
Source: Equine Canada
The Dressage Canada Selection Panel is pleased to announce the names of the Canadian Dressage Team who will compete in the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy, FRA August 23 - September 7, 2014. Selected according to the qualification thresholds and selection procedures, four rider/horse combinations are named to the Team. (read more) 

EFFECT OF DIATOMACEOUS EARTH ON PARASITE LOAD, EGG PRODUCTION, AND EGG QUALITY OF FREE-RANGE ORGANIC LAYING HENS
Source: PubMed.gov
The effectiveness of diatomaceous earth (DE) as a treatment against parasites and to increase feed efficiency and egg production of organically raised free-range layer hens was evaluated in two breeds of commercial egg layers [Bovan Brown (BB) and Lowmann Brown (LB)] that differ in their resistance to internal parasitic infections. Half the hens of each breed were fed diets supplemented with DE (2 percent). Their internal parasite loads were assessed by biweekly fecal egg counts (FEC) and by postmortem examination of the gastrointestinal tract. (read more)

SEVEN WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT WHEN WORKING OUTDOORS 
Source: Canadian Occupational Standard
No sooner does summer arrive then weather stations are issuing heat advisories. For some workers, the heat is a serious occupational hazard. The human body is usually good at maintaining its ideal temperature of 37 C. At any time of year and in various circumstances, the body produces its own heat and prevents overheating by sweating. In extreme temperatures however, when the air is as hot or hotter than the body, the body’s cooling mechanisms can’t keep up. When the body can no longer cool itself properly, a number of heat-related health problems may occur. (read more)

OLD SCHOOL TILLAGE PRACTICES PERSIST
Source: The western Producer
The surge of acres farmed with no-till and conservation agriculture has been dramatic, but the story isn’t as rosy as it may seem. Constant tillage is still the norm in large parts of the world and the threat to soil is more extreme than ever, those attending the World Congress on Conservation Agriculture were told last week. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

B.C. LOGGER RENEWS FLEET AS PROSPERITY RETURNS TO KOOTENAY VALLEY
http://www.equipmentjournal.com/digital_issues/?wv=s%2FEquipment%2520Journal%2F35dfd60870f64065bcf2507eacc42abd%2F9%2520-%25202014_Forestry_iPad%2FEF1.html&recipient_id=14o8RHZF9tWVP_8kOTdSXeXBM3d1iNHWUC

NEARLY 50 PEOPLE WILL BE MOVED OUT OF CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN DUE TO FLOODING
http://globalnews.ca/news/1439716/nearly-50-people-will-be-moved-out-of-central-saskatchewan-due-to-flooding/

OUT-OF SIGHT BEEF PRICES POSE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WITH GRASS
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/Out-of-sight-beef-prices-pose-opportunity-for-those-with-grass-266279781.html

OUTLOOK STILL LOOKING GRIM FOR ISLAND BATS
http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2014-07-08/article-3791753/Outlook-still-looking-grim-for-Island-ba

July 8, 2014

NUTRITIONAL CHALLENGES FOR COWS AND CALVES . . . RAW MILK PRODUCERS AIM TO REGULATE THEMSELVES . . . STAYING COMPETITIVE IN DOMESTIC MARKETS . . . FARM EQUIPMENT RENTAL PROGRAM RECEIVES FUNDING . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

NUTRITIONAL CHALLENGES FOR COWS AND CALVES
Source: Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
When it comes to cow conception, pregnancy, and lactation, providing the correct amount of feed with the proper nutrient content or quality is a balancing act between available resources and cost.  “There is roughly a $0.50 per head per day cost advantage when feeding a pregnant cow in late pregnancy compared to a cow in early lactation,” says Barry Yaremcio, beef and forage specialist, Alberta Ag-Info Centre, Stettler.  “Winter feed costs contribute 45 percent of the total annual cost of raising a calf. Winter feed costs contribute 70 percent of the cost of feeding a cow for a year. Changes to management practices to increase the number of days animals are not fed stored forage will dramatically reduce costs.” (read more)

RAW MILK PRODUCERS AIM TO REGULATE THEMSELVES
Source: NPR
A growing number of Americans are buying raw milk. That's milk that has not been pasteurized to kill bacteria. As we’ve reported, the legal treatment of raw milk varies state by state. In some places like California, it’s sold in stores. In other states, it’s outlawed entirely — although folks get around regulations by buying a “stake” in a cow so they’re drinking what amounts to their own milk, or selling it as a pet food. (read more)

STAYING COMPETITIVE IN DOMESTIC MARKETS
Source: FCC
Canadian population is aging, immigration is increasing. FCC Chief Ag Economist J.P. Gervais explains the opportunities and challenges facing the food manufacturing sector. (read more)

FARM EQUIPMENT RENTAL PROGRAM RECEIVES FUNDING
Source: Atlantic Farm Focus
The Inverness/Victoria Federation of Agriculture has received $298,934 in federal funding that will be used to expand its farm equipment rental program. New equipment will be purchased and made available to farmers in both Inverness and Victoria Counties on an as-needed rental basis. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

ATLANTIC PREMIERS’ REPORT SLAMS CHANGES TO EI PROGRAM
http://marketplace.troymedia.com/2014/07/06/atlantic-premiers-report-slams-changes-to-ei-program/

FOOD WASTE REDUCTION COULD HELP FEED WORLD’S STARVING
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-28092034

BEEHIVE AIR-CONDITIONING
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/science/beehive-air-conditioning.html?ref=science&_r=0

GRAIN FARMERS PRESS FOR DELAY ON INSECTICIDE BAN IN ONTARIO 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/grain-farmers-press-for-delay-on-insecticide-ban/article19500665/

July 4, 2014

FORESTRY SECTOR, MARINE TRAINING FACILITY RECEIVE FEDERAL DOLLARS . . . U.S., KOREA STREAMLINE ORGANIC TRADE . . . BEEF INDUSTRY OFFERS IDEAS TO IMPROVE ITS SUCCESS . . . CANADA AWARDED 2015 FEI PAN AMERICAN ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

FORESTRY SECTOR, MARINE TRAINING FACILITY RECEIVE FEDERAL DOLLARS
Source: Cape Breton Post
The Nova Scotia Landowners & Forest Fibre Producers Association is receiving $199,800 for a pilot project, and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Strait Area Campus’ Nautical Institute will receive $151,696 towards the purchase of marine navigation simulation equipment. (read more)

U.S., KOREA STREAMLINE ORGANIC TRADE
Source: The Grower
A new agreement that took effect July 1 will allow organic processed foods certified in the U.S. or South Korea to be labeled as organic in either country. The pact will allow U.S. organic growers, processors, and business inroads to Korea’s expanding market for organic products, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (read more)

BEEF INDUSTRY OFFERS IDEAS TO IMPROVE ITS SUCCESS
Source: FCC
Earlier this year, Farm Credit Canada was engaged by the Straw Man Initiative to reach out to Vision, its national agriculture research panel, and its customers to find out their views on how the Canadian beef industry is working together and future industry opportunities. Over 1,200 members of the beef industry responded making the study one of the largest known studies specific to the Canadian beef industry. (read more)

CANADA AWARDED 2015 FEI PAN AMERICAN ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Source: Equine Canada
Equine Canada and Endurance Canada are pleased to announce that the 2015 FEI Pan American Endurance Championships, a race 120km in length, will be held in Millbrook, ON, at Cayuse Creek Ranch. The competition will be held in Ganaraska Forest, southern Ontario’s largest conservation area. The forest has over 11,000 acres of treed area and over 600 km of trails. The advantage of this venue is that there will be no public roads and only proven horse friendly private landowners. The course will be designed for mostly double track flat trails that will maximize the speeds for the horses and minimize any hazardous trail conditions. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

PROPOSALS INVITED FOR $90 MILLION IN IFIT FUNDING
http://www.pulpandpapercanada.com/news/proposals-invited-for-90-million-in-ifit-funding/1003139386/438qvsM3oyW6x08yM2vx/?ref=enews_PP&utm_source=PP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PP-EN07022014

WHERE DO GREAT MANAGEMENT IDEAS COME FROM?
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/newslett.nsf/all/agnw22385

NEW REPORTS AVAILABLE ON THE AGRICULTURE STATISTICS REDESIGNED WEBPAGE
http://novascotia.ca/agri/programs-and-services/research-and-statistics/agriculture-statistics/   

ATLANTIC AGROLOGY WORKSHOP: SUSTAINABLE WATER FOOTPRINT
http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103817697589-350/PEIIA+Atlantic+Workshop+Invitation.pdf

July 3, 2014

FLORIDA COUNTY GOES TO COURT OVER ACID FRACKING  . . . FOUR SEASON FARMING . . . CANADIAN EVENTING COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES CORRECTION TO WEG TEAM . . . ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN COORDINATOR WANTED . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

FLORIDA COUNTY GOES TO COURT OVER ACID FRACKING
Source: NPR
In southwest Florida, county officials are fighting the state over a new oil drilling process that’s known by many different names: acidification, acidizing, acid stimulation, and acid fracking. Collier County has charged that state regulators have been lax in their oversight of the drilling, jeopardizing public health and the environment. (read more)

FOUR SEASON FARMING
Source: ThinkFarm
Are you interested in growing produce for market all year round? The Cape Breton Regional Team has organized a workshop series that will teach you what you need to know to extend your horticultural production growing season using low tunnels, high tunnels, or row covers. Session 2: July 16, 2014. The registration fee is $25 and includes your lunch. Register  by July 10. (read more)

CANADIAN EVENTING COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES CORRECTION TO WEG TEAM
Source: Equine Canada
The Canadian Eventing Committee announces a corrected list of named Team riders and alternates for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) 2014 to be held in Normandy, FRA, August 28-31, 2014. (read more)

ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN COORDINATOR WANTED
Source: NSFA
The N.S. Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Program is an educational program for farmers, delivered by the N.S. Federation of Agriculture. The EFP Program helps farmers identify and assess environmental risk on their property. It enables farmers to incorporate environmental considerations into their everyday business decisions. The Program is presently seeking the service of an Environmental Farm Plan Coordinator. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

HOW DARK CHOCOLATE, NOT MILK CHOCOLATE, MAY HELP BLOOD FLOW
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/02/327775106/how-dark-chocolate-not-milk-chocolate-may-help-blood-flow

CASCADES EXITS FINE PAPER BUSINESS, SELLS ROLLAND ASSETS
http://www.pulpandpapercanada.com/news/cascades-exits-fine-paper-business/1003139504/438qvsM3oyW6x08yM2vx/?ref=enews_PP&utm_source=PP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PP-EN07022014

WEEKLY AB LIVESTOCK MARKET REVIEW
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd6247

OPPOSITION TO PIPELINES AN ATTACK ON CANADA'S SOCIAL PROGRAMS
http://www.troymedia.com