Oct 9, 2014

PLAN FOR FORESTRY ALLOCATIONS ANNOUNCED…BACK TO AG PROGRAM LAUNCHED AT CASA CONFERENCE…ARE THESE GOOD DAYS HERE TO STAY?...SECOND METAL OBJECT FOUND IN LINKLETTER POTATOES…FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AT THE MARITIME FALL FAIR …FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AT THE MARITIME FALL FAIR…OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

PLAN FOR FORESTRY ALLOCATIONS ANNOUNCED
Source: Department of Natural Resources
The government announced its forestry plan for the western Crown lands today, Oct. 9, and released 10-year fiber allocations for the lands. “We are taking a bold and innovative approach to managing our forests that reflects the economic, environmental and social needs of all Nova Scotians,” said Natural Resources Minister Zach Churchill. “This model gives us the flexibility we need to balance economic and conservation goals.” For the first time, allocations will be based on a percentage of available harvest rather than a fixed volume. (read more)

 NOTICE OF URGENT PUBLIC MEETING (pdf)
“What Ever Became of Buy Back the Mersey?”  MONDAY OCT. 20, 7pm, HUBLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE

BACK TO AG PROGRAM LAUNCHED AT CASA CONFERENCE
Source: CASA The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is proud to launch the application phase of the Back to Ag Program. The Back to Ag Program is the result of a partnership between CASA, Farm Credit Canada (FCC), and the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF). “Every year, there are Canadian farmers who experience a life-altering injury, such as paralysis or lost limbs,” says Rick Hansen, CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation. “They often need specialized equipment or adaptive technology to return to the occupation they love. We’re thrilled to partner in this incredible program to help farmers get back to work.” (read more)

ARE THESE GOOD DAYS HERE TO STAY?
Source: CommunityWire.ca
Members of the Canadian cattle industry will be meeting in Calgary on November 18 and 19, 2014 at the Canfax Cattle Market Forum. The annual event is in its third year and will be held at the Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary, Alta.The forum features a number of expert industry speakers who will present new perspectives and focused, up-to-date information on the beef industry. (read more)

SECOND METAL OBJECT FOUND IN LINKLETTER POTATOES
Source: Island Farmer
A second metal object has been found in potatoes packed at Linkletter Farms as police continue to look into the possibility the Summerside company has been the victim of food tampering. Linkletter Farms voluntarily withdrew product from the marketplace on October 7 after a metal object was found inserted in a potato contained in a bag sold in Labrador City. The next day, a metal object was found in a bag sold near Gander. (read more)

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AT THE MARITIME FALL FAIR 
Source: Trade Centre Limited
The Maritime Fall Fair is back at Exhibition Park starting Thursday, Oct. 9. The fair, which will run through Monday, Oct. 13, has a number of returning favorites. New this year is the Farmers’ Market. Fair admission is $9 for kids 12 or younger and seniors, and $12 for adults.  (read more) 

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

16-POINT HORSE HEALTH CHECK IN 15 MINUTES
http://equineguelph.ca/pdf/facts/healthcheck_infosheet_FINAL.pdf?utm_source=HEALTHflash+Fall+2014&utm_campaign=Fall+2014+HEALTHflash&utm_medium=email

GOVERNMENT OF NEW BRUNSWICK CABINET NAMED
http://app.infoaa.7700.gnb.ca/gnb/PDF/Ministers.pdf

5TH ANNUAL CANADIAN FORAGE & GRASSLAND CONFERENCE
http://www.cvent.com/events/5th-annual-canadian-forage-grassland-conference/speakers-5d0dbc9520154a33af729b1b8538db15.aspx

ACORN OCTOBER ORGANIC E-NEWS
http://acornorganic.org/members/?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=October+ACORN+Organic+Enews+2014_Happy+Harvest+Season+Everyone!&utm_campaign=20140930_m122380899_October+ACORN+Organic+Enews+2014_Happy+Harvest+Season+Everyone!&utm_term=facebook_jpg_3F1333570306

Oct 8, 2014

GOVERNMENT STRENGTHENS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR OFFSHORE . . . FRENCH ENVOY SAYS CANADA NEEDS TO CATCH UP TO OTHERS ON CLIMATE CHANGE . . . RE-THINKING PROSPERITY IN RURAL NOVA SCOTIA . . . FOOD TAMPERING SUSPECTED IN LINKLETTER FARMS POTATOES . . . ARKANSAS COMPANY GETS NSF GRANT FOR LIGNEN-BASED COMPOSTABLE BAGS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

GOVERNMENT STRENGTHENS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR OFFSHORE
Source: N.S Dept of Energy
Government introduced legislation today, Oct. 7, to ensure greater accountability for companies operating in the Nova Scotia offshore. Energy Minister Andrew Younger introduced amendments to the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation (Nova Scotia) Act to strengthen offshore environmental liability protections and improve transparency and clarity of operations. (read more)

FRENCH ENVOY SAYS CANADA NEEDS TO CATCH UP TO OTHERS ON CLIMATE CHANGE 
Source: The Globe & Mail
The man tasked by France’s President with building support for a global climate change treaty sees Canada as one of those countries unwilling to face up to the facts. Nicolas Hulot, French President François Hollande’s special envoy for the protection of the planet, sees the prospects of reaching an accord to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in negotiations in Paris next year as daunting. (read more)

RE-THINKING PROSPERITY IN RURAL NOVA SCOTIA
Source: Growth Starts Here
A Community Conversation with Gregory Heming, President, Centre for Local Prosperity and Annapolis County Municipal Councillor. Part of the Growth Starts Here Guest Speakers Series. Thursday, October 16, 7pm, Anglican Church Hall, Shelburne, N.S. (read more)

FOOD TAMPERING SUSPECTED IN LINKLETTER FARMS POTATOES
Source: Island Farmer
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising consumers of a possible food tampering situation involving potatoes harvested and packed by Linkletter Farms Ltd. The Summerside company is voluntarily withdrawing certain products following a consumer complaint in which a metal object appears to have been inserted into a potato. (read more)

ARKANSAS COMPANY GETS NSF GRANT FOR LIGNEN-BASED COMPOSTABLE BAGS
Source: BiofuelsDigest
In Arkansas, the National Science Foundation has given cycleWood Solutions a $741,221 grant to commercialize its Xylobag, a compostable plastic bag that is made from biofuel byproducts lignen. The company has offtake agreements from two undisclosed retail chains. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

WHY SOME MONARCH BUTTERFLIES ARE MARATHONERS
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/science/why-some-monarch-butterflies-are-marathoners.html?ref=science

GARLIC INJECTION COULD TACKLE TREE DISEASES
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29522647

NATURE CONSERVANCY OF CANADA COMPLETES LANDMARK PROJECT
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/newslett.nsf/all/agnw22803

TURIN, ITALY: FARMERS AND FOODIES TO GATHER AT EUROPE'S LARGEST FOOD FESTIVAL
http://www.stripes.com/military-life/travel/turin-italy-farmers-and-foodies-to-gather-at-europe-s-largest-food-festival-1.306031

Oct 7, 2014

ATLANTIC CANADA MILK PRICES HIGH . . . ATLANTIC CANADIAN RESOURCE INDUSTRIES ARE IN TURMOIL . . . THINK BIG (DATA) IN AGRICULTURE . . . NEW ENTERPRISE CANADA NETWORK . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ATLANTIC CANADA MILK PRICES HIGH
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Halifax, Moncton and Charlottetown have some of the most expensive milk in Canada, a survey released Monday by a retail intelligence firm says. The national average price for four liters of two percent milk is $4.80 or $1.20 per liter. But in Halifax, the average price for four liters of two percent milk is $6 ($1.50 per liter), Field Agent Canada’s Canadian Fluid Milk Report found. (read more)

ATLANTIC CANADIAN RESOURCE INDUSTRIES ARE IN TURMOIL
Source: Cape Breton Post
“The push for economic development from natural resources extraction and processing will increase.” Canada, for the past couple of centuries, has exploited its resources to drive its economy. While the nation has moved a major distance from the hewers of wood, drawers of water imagery of its early history, resource development remains a cornerstone of our economic development. (read more)

THINK BIG (DATA) IN AGRICULTURE
Source: FCC The United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization projects food production will need to grow 60 percent by 2050 to meet demand from a growing world population. An astonishing 91 percent of this increase is projected to come from yield increases and advances in productivity. (read more)

NEW ENTERPRISE CANADA NETWORK
Source: EDC.ca
A new website called Enterprise Canada Network (ECN) is about to make the life of small- to medium-sized companies (SMEs) looking for an easy way to get new contracts abroad a whole lot easier. The website works by matching profiles of selling companies (who post what kind of services and products they have expertise) and buying companies (who post what kind of services and products they are looking for). (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

AGRICULTURAL ALLIANCE’S REGIONAL MEETINGS 2014
http://www.fermenbfarm.ca/home/welcome/

NEW RESOURCE ON LOWBUSH BLUEBERRY POLLINATION AVAILABLE
http://media.wix.com/ugd/2f2209_e194ca0f83eb4a1f9c00bf87e4b64a1e.pdf

ABATTOIR WASTE AND CARCASS DISPOSAL GUIDELINES
http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/10/pdf/Agriculture/AbattoirWasteCarcassDisposalGuidelines.pdf

WILD BLUEBERRY SYMPOSIUM OCT 21 – OCT 23 QUEBEC
http://peifa.ca/peifa-today-monday-october-6-2014/

Oct 6, 2014

HARVEST MAPS POSTED ON N.S. NATURAL RESOURCES WEBSITE . . . REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2014 ACORN CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW! . . . . HARNESSING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR . . . . WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT . . . .OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

HARVEST MAPS POSTED ON N.S. NATURAL RESOURCES WEBSITE
Source: N.S. Department of Natural Resources
Government began releasing maps Sept. 30 that, for the first time, show harvest allocations on the certified western Crown lands. The allocations announced last spring allowed 15 mills in Nova Scotia to harvest 185,810 green metric tonnes. Those allocations were scheduled to expire on Sept 30, but are now extended for up to 90 days. During that time, government will engage with stakeholders, and long-term allocations will be released in the near future. (read more)

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2014 ACORN CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW!
Source: ACORN
Register now to secure your full pass for three days of over 50 workshops covering a great mix of farm topics, including farm wellness and management, rare-breeds, season extension, grains, pulses and field crops, fruit and berries, and much more! (read more)

HARNESSING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Source: Agricultural Forum
2013 Results: South West Nova Scotia Temperature & Solar Radiation Study; Information booths; ‘Taste the Goodness’ Culinary Event, limited number of tickets, must be 19 years or older; Keynote Address; Panel Discussion; and more. October 22, noon to 8pm, Shelburne Community Centre, 63 King Street, Shelburne, N.S. (read more)

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
Source: NSFA
The Department of Labour and Advanced Education has made proposed amendments to the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, and are currently accepting public comment until December 19, 2014.  (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

AGRICULTURAL EXCELLENCE CONFERENCE -– SEEDING TRANSITION TO HARVEST CHANGE
http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103817697589-385/AgEx++Y+We+Farm+Promotional+Info.pdf

REMINDER: SHEEP BREEDING STOCK SALE – THURSDAY OCTOBER 9, 2014
http://www.atlanticstockyards.com/index.html 

FOREST INDUSTRY OFFERS AWARD FOR ABORIGINAL YOUTH
http://www.pulpandpapercanada.com/news/forest-industry-offers-award-for-aboriginal-youth/1003274796/438qvsM3oyW6x08yM2vx/?ref=enews_PP&utm_source=PP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PP-EN10012014

HOW THE EXPERTS USE TWITTER FOR AGRICULTURE
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/publications/fcc-express/fcc-express-archives/20141003.html?utm_source=Subscribe+to+FCC+Email&utm_campaign=c6f869c31b-FCC_Express_October_3_2014_EN_10_3_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ecca3657d7-c6f869c31b-18200761#story2

Oct 3, 2014

N.S. EGG FARMER DECLARES VICTORY DESPITE FINE .. VERMONT’S BAG BALM OINTMENT GOES CORPORATE … EXPO-BOEUF DE VICTORIAVILLE, CCRBQ … NBCHG Harvest Festival … GULF OF MAINE KING TIDES PHOTO CONTEST PLANNED FOR OCTOBER 9, 2014 … OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

N.S. EGG FARMER DECLARES VICTORY DESPITE FINE
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Kings County egg farmer Aaron Hiltz called the $1,500 fine he received after pleading guilty in Kentville provincial court Wednesday to keeping more hens than allowed under a provincial supply management system a good investment. “I feel like we both kind of won,” he said in an interview. Hiltz, who pastures his hens, said Nova Scotia Egg Producers, which manages the supply management system, succeeded in enforcing its regulations. (read more)

VERMONT’S BAG BALM OINTMENT GOES CORPORATE
Source: WCAX.com
Vermont’s locally produced, quirkily used Bag Balm ointment long ago moved beyond the bovine, but now it’s going corporate. Few people even know what’s in it: a greasy product that is as Vermont as Ben and Jerry’s. For 114 years, customers have rubbed it on everything from their hands to their feet to cow udders. “Oh, I use it mostly for my hands or dry feet,” said Shawna Wilkerson, a 17-year employee of the company. (read more)

EXPO-BOEUF DE VICTORIAVILLE, CCRBQ
Source: Cattle in Motion
Expo-Boeuf Beef Breed Shows Broadcast Online October 11 & 12! Sign up for sale updates. (read more)

NBCHG Harvest Festival Source: ACORN
Come celebrate our community garden harvest with local food sampling, children’s activities, tours of our St. Mary’s Community Garden, “Ask An Expert” gardening tips, hands-on demonstrations. October 4 from 1pm to 4pm, St. Mary’s Anglican Church, 780 McEvoy Street, Fredericton, N.B. (read more)

GULF OF MAINE KING TIDES PHOTO CONTEST PLANNED FOR OCTOBER 9, 2014
Along the 7,500-mile Gulf of Maine shoreline, an extreme high tide on October 9, 2014 will illustrate what may become – with sea-level rise – the new tidal norm. Participants in the first-ever Gulf of Maine King Tides Photo Contest can document how the astronomical high tide that day affects wharves, causeways, marshes, beaches, and other coastal settings. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

CANADIAN FARMLAND PRICES REACH RECORD HIGHS IN 2014, DESPITE SLOWER GROWTH
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1419668/canadian-farmland-prices-reach-record-highs-in-2014-despite-slower-growth-says-re-max-report

THE 5TH CANADIAN ADVENTURE THERAPY SYMPOSIUM
http://canadianadventuretherapysymposium.ca/registration-2/

GLV TO SPLIT WATER TREATMENT, PULP AND PAPER DIVISIONS
http://www.pulpandpapercanada.com/news/glv-to-split-water-treatment-pulp-and-paper-divisions/1003279426/438qvsM3oyW6x08yM2vx/?ref=enews_PP&utm_source=PP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PP-EN10012014

UK DAIRY FARMERS TO PROTEST OVER MILK PRICE CUT
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29448193

Oct 2, 2014

AGROPUR CLOSING COOK’S DAIRY IN YARMOUTH . . . BILL TO ALLOW FRACKING RESEARCH . . . 25TH ANNUAL MAINE BEEF CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON PROFITABILITY . . . ANNUAL 4-H NEW BRUNSWICK PROVINCIAL SHOW . . . COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS DELIVERY MARKET RECEIVES LEGAL CLARITY . . . U.S.D.A. TO START PROGRAM TO SUPPORT LOCAL AND ORGANIC FARMING . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

Apology: The NS 4-H Pro Show results are not available as promised. We will share them as soon as possible. Ed

AGROPUR CLOSING COOK’S DAIRY IN YARMOUTH
Source: CBC.ca
A former employee says he isn’t surprised to hear today the Quebec owners of Cook’s Dairy in Yarmouth, N.S., are closing the plant a little more than a year after buying the facility. Some 21 people will lose their jobs when the dairy closes later in October. Danny Landry left Cook’s Dairy a year ago, just months after Agropur took over the Cook family business. He worked for Cook's for more than 40 years, most of that time making delivery runs. (read more)

BILL TO ALLOW FRACKING RESEARCH Source: The Chronicle Herald The N.S. Liberal government’s bill to ban high-volume hydraulic fracturing will make exceptions for the controversial practice for testing or research purposes. Energy Minister Andrew Younger on Tuesday introduced amendments to the Petroleum Resources Act, which will formally legislate a ban on fracking. The exception for research and testing will allow the province to continue to build on science and knowledge of the potential resource, said the minister. The legislation gives authority to government to create rules and regulations for research.  (read more)

25TH ANNUAL MAINE BEEF CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON PROFITABILITY
Source: MBPA
The Maine Beef Producers Association (MBPA) will hold its 25th Annual Beef Conference Saturday, Dec. 6, 8am – 4 pm in Bangor. MBPA and the Maine Grass Farmers Network (MGFN) host the conference with sponsors University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Industry sponsors include National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Maine Beef Industry Council. (read more)

ANNUAL 4-H NEW BRUNSWICK PROVINCIAL SHOW
Source: N.B. 4-H Council Ltd
The 34th Annual 4-H N.B. Provincial Show held in Sussex at the Princess Louise Park Show Centre on August 26-28, 2014 was deemed a great success by its organizers.  The event combined many fun activities and competition for 4-H members with the emphasis being on participation and learning.   (read more)

NATURAL GAS DELIVERY MARKET RECEIVES LEGAL CLARITY
Source: N.S. Dept of Energy
Amendments to the Gas Distribution Act, introduced Oct. 2 clarify market rules for delivering compressed natural gas in Nova Scotia. Large customers like manufacturers, hospitals, and universities, and small customers like local businesses and households can benefit from the amendments. (read more)

U.S.D.A. TO START PROGRAM TO SUPPORT LOCAL AND ORGANIC FARMING 
Source: NY Times
The United States Department of Agriculture plans to announce Monday that it will spend $52 million to support local and regional food systems like farmers’ markets and food hubs and to spur research on organic farming. The local food movement has been one of the fastest growing segments of the business, as consumers seek to know more about where, how, and by whom their food is grown. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

WINNIPEG ENTREPRENEUR BETS THE FARM ON THAT OTHER BLACK GOLD 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/the-
challenge/entrepreneur-bets-the-farm-on-that-other-black-gold/article20854910/

A CHINESE INVESTMENT ON FRACKING FAILS TO DELIVER
http://online.wsj.com/articles/a-chinese-investment-on-fracking-fails-to-deliver-1412118451

RESEARCH LOOKS AT DUNG BEETLES AS A NATURAL CLEAN-UP CREW 
http://www.thegrower.com/news/Research-looks-at-dung-beetles-as-a-natural-clean-up-crew-277776801.html#sthash.A9gSOeCa.dpuf

AVOIDING THE FALL SLUMP
http://www.agriview.com/news/dairy/avoiding-the-fall-slump/article_2f4b8d6b-1502-5332-8b31-841a453bc438.html

Sept 30, 2014

EUROPEAN ACTIVISTS SAY THEY DON'T WANT ANY U.S. “CHLORINE CHICKEN” . . . RISI INDICES TO LAUNCH AN AUDITED PRICE REPORTING SYSTEM . . . SHEEP AND GOAT GRAZING SYMPOSIUM 2014 . . . FERMENTATION BASICS . . . TRAIN-THE-TRAINER WORKSHOP ON SAFE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, P.E.I. . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

EUROPEAN ACTIVISTS SAY THEY DON'T WANT ANY U.S. “CHLORINE CHICKEN”
Source: NPR
Mute Schimpf doesn't want to eat American chicken. That’s because most U.S. poultry is chilled in antimicrobial baths that can include chlorine to keep salmonella and other bacteria in check. In Europe, chlorine treatment was banned in the 1990s out of fear that it could cause cancer. “In Europe there is definitely a disgust about chlorinated chicken,” says Schimpf, a food activist with Friends of the Earth Europe, an environmental group. (read more)

RISI INDICES TO LAUNCH AN AUDITED PRICE REPORTING SYSTEM Source: RISI
RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, announced today the creation of RISI Indices, a new business division focused solely on price and market reporting. This new division, which will be completely separate from their forecasting and other businesses, will incorporate all of RISI’s existing news and price reporting staff and products. The new structure will support key improvements to RISI’s price reporting methodology. RISI Indices will immediately begin work on adopting standards for price reporting set by the International Organization for Securities Commissions (IOSCO), as well as best practices from FOEX and other commodity price reporting agencies (read more)

SHEEP AND GOAT GRAZING SYMPOSIUM 2014
Source: Agri-News
The West-Central Forage Association is presenting the Sheep and Goat Grazing Symposium 2014 on October 15 and 16, 2014, at the Thorsby Community Hall, Thorsby, Alta. Topics to be covered include grazing principles, brush and weed management, virtual fencing, filling feed holes, and more. Speakers include: Dean Anderson – working as an animal scientist, and for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Las Cruces, New Mexico: Woody Lane – nationally-known livestock nutritionist and forage specialist who lives in Roseburg, Oregon; An Peischel – assistant professor and small ruminant extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Tennessee State University.  (read more)

FERMENTATION BASICS
Source: NSFA 
Join Jody Zinner and Steve Wiseman of the Cumberland Food Action Network for an afternoon of fermenting fun! Sat., Nov. 1, 1-3 pm, Maggies Place, Amherst, N.S. Participants will learn how to make kombucha tea and a simple sauerkraut. Workshop is free of charge. (read more)

TRAIN-THE-TRAINER WORKSHOP ON SAFE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, P.E.I.
Source: Canadian Farmers with Disabilities Registry (CFWDR) 
This training is being delivered by the Canadian Farmers with Disability Registry with the support of the FCC Ag Safety Fund administered by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association with funding from Farm Credit Canada. It is geared toward anyone involved in the agricultural industry that is require to communicate safe farm practices to youth, agricultural workers, volunteers, and the general public. Tuesday, November 25 from 9am to 4pm, Charlottetown, P.E.I. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

BRAZIL RELEASES “GOOD” MOSQUITOES TO FIGHT DENGUE
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29356232

AUTUMN ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND IS A TIME OF PLENTY
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2014-09-30/article-3888001/Autumn-on-Prince-Edward-Island-is-a-time-of-plenty/1

BEEF, OR CATTLE? SELLING INTO THE BEEF VALUE CHAIN
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/fcc/agKnowledge/publications/agrisuccess/pdfs/agrisuccess-sep-oct.pdf

PESKY MOSQUITOES PLAGUE ANIMALS AS WELL AS PEOPLE
http://www.farmforum.net/news/columnists/pesky-mosquitoes-plague-animals-as-well-as-people/article_e490a0a1-2b2c-555d-b732-981b3e26d74e.html

Sept 30, 2014

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PLANNING CHANGES TO A COW HERD . . . TINY SPANISH ISLAND NEARS ITS GOAL: 100 PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY . . . TOLEN SADDLE MAY BE HARD TO UNLOAD . . . SAFELY MOVE FARM EQUIPMENT ON ROADS THIS HARVEST SEASON . . . NOTICE OF SHEEP BREEDING STOCK SALE – THURSDAY OCTOBER 9 . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PLANNING CHANGES TO A COW HERD
Source: Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development When it comes to deciding on expanding a cow herd, or taking over an existing one, there are a few critical checkpoints to be considered. “In recent months there has been a lot of talk about the potential for beef herd expansion due to the historically high beef and cattle prices the industry is experiencing,” says Bruce Viney, business development – risk, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Olds. “Experts from all facets of the industry have been writing and talking about the opportunities and limiting factors to start the next expansion phase of the cattle cycle.” (read more)

TINY SPANISH ISLAND NEARS ITS GOAL: 100 PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY
It actually takes quite a lot of fossil fuel power to reach the tiny Spanish island of El Hierro. You have to catch a commercial jet flight, a propeller plane, and then a ferry to reach what was once the end of the known world, before Columbus set sail. But once you’re there, there’s no need for fossil fuels at all. The ancient island off the west coast of Africa is now a model for the future, within months of running on 100 percent renewable energy, which consists of a mix of wind and hydro-power. (read more)

STOLEN SADDLE MAY BE HARD TO UNLOAD
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Halifax police are looking for a $5,000 saddle that was rustled earlier this month from a car parked on a city street. “The car was broken into,” Halifax Regional Police spokesman Const. Pierre Bourdages said Wednesday. A police news release said the black dressage saddle was taken from a car parked in a driveway in the 6200 block of Allan Street between 11pm on Sept. 1 and 6 pm the next day. Bourdages said police have checked with local equestrian businesses and other resale shops, but have been unable to find the saddle, which has the saddle’s brand name, G. Passier & Sohn, Hannover, printed on a metal tag. The inner flap of the German made black saddle is stamped PS-BAUM, 18.0. (read more)

SAFELY MOVE FARM EQUIPMENT ON ROADS THIS HARVEST SEASON
Source: Canadian Agricultural Safety Association
Golden fields of wheat and the sight of trucks full of grain are sure signs that the harvest season is upon us once again. Every harvest season there are collisions between farm equipment and passenger vehicles resulting in expensive repairs, injuries and sadly even deaths. However by taking a small amount of time to discuss how to safely transport agricultural equipment, farmers and their equipment operators can minimize the risk of a collision. (read more)

NOTICE OF SHEEP BREEDING STOCK SALE – THURSDAY OCTOBER 9
Source: NSFA
ASL will be holding a sheep breeding stock sale with its normal Thursday sale. Commercial and Purebred sheep will be accepted. This is an opportunity for producers wishing to downsize their flocks to do so in an orderly fashion at current market prices. Producers are encouraged to fill out the entry form below and send to ASL so that we may properly advertise and manage sale numbers. ASL will accept entries Wednesday the 8th and Thursday morning. All entries will be mouthed and udder checked. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

FABULOUS FALL FAIR IN PHOTOS
http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/News/2014-09-25/article-3882484/Fabulous-Fall-Fair-in-photos/1

COULD BLUE STATES FORM ONE BIG CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM? http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25921

PED CONFIRMED IN ANOTHER SE MB SOW BARN
http://www.agcanada.com/daily/ped-confirmed-in-another-se-man-sow-barn

FUNGI EYED TO TACKLE WEEDY MENACE OF AMERICAN WEST http://www.agjournalonline.com/article/20140929/NEWS/140929858

Sept 29, 2014

HOMEMADE: AN INSIDE LOOK AT SIX CANADIAN FOOD MANUFACTURERS . . . HILLCREEK FARM WINS INNOVATION AWARD . . . GUIDE FOR BEGINNING FARMERS IN NOVA SCOTIA . . . INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LOBSTER CATCHES AND FINFISH AQUACULTURE IN PORT MOUTON BAY, N.S. . . . TEXT OF CANADA–EU DEAL REVEALED! . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

HOMEMADE: AN INSIDE LOOK AT SIX CANADIAN FOOD MANUFACTURERS 
Source: The Globe & Mail
Okay, so you might never hear anyone utter the words, “as Canadian as canned tomatoes,” but our domestic food manufacturing sector is worth upwards of $92-billion each year, and it’s largely populated by small and mid-sized companies – like the six we look at here. (read more)

HILLCREEK FARM WINS INNOVATION AWARD 
Source: The Chronicle Herald
Hillcreek Family Farms of Grafton, Kings County, is the winner of the second annual Agriculture Innovation Accelerator Award. The announcement was made last week at the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce dinner and award night in Berwick. The prize, valued at $35,000 in cash and in-kind services, will go toward helping Theo and Rosalie Hogeterp grow, process, and develop markets for cold-pressed pumpkin oil and pumpkin seeds for snack food. The Hogeterps cold-press culinary oil called camelina that is not genetically modified, and have recently started the same process with canola oil. (read more)

GUIDE FOR BEGINNING FARMERS IN NOVA SCOTIA 
Source: ThinkFarm
Getting ready to farm: licences, regulations, and memberships. Licences: The following licences and permits can be obtained from the Department of Agriculture: Beekeeper and Apiary Registration; Honey Bees Import Permit; Deer Farming Licence; Deer Processor Licence; Fur Farming Licence; Game Farm Licence; Meat Slaughtering and Processing Licence; Dairy Processor Licence; Milk Producer Licence; Milk Transporter Licence; Food Establishment Permit; Food Handler Certification; Other licences can be obtained from relevant producers’ organization. (read more)

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LOBSTER CATCHES AND FINFISH AQUACULTURE IN PORT MOUTON BAY, N.S.
Source: Friends of Port Mouton Bay
The Marine Pollution Bulletin Journal has published a study of fishermen’s participatory research on annual lobster catches in Port Mouton Bay, a sheltered bay on Nova Scotia’s South Shore. The seven-year study covered two periods of active finfish production, occurring before and after a fallow period. Fishermen recorded catches of market and seeded female lobsters between 2007 and 2013 during the last two weeks of May, a time when higher numbers of lobsters historically migrate into the bay. (read more)

TEXT OF CANADA–EU DEAL REVEALED!
Source: The Council of Canadians
The government finally released the text of the deal: more rights for corporations at the expense of citizens. Longer patents for big pharmaceutical companies, meaning you pay more for the medicines that you and your family need. Restrictions on municipal governments favoring local companies, meaning fewer jobs in your community. And a clause that allows corporations to challenge government regulations with hefty lawsuits, meaning weaker rules to protect your health and environment. But the deal is vulnerable. Opposition is building in Europe. Just yesterday, Germany's economy minister said his government wouldn't sign CETA unless the corporate lawsuit provisions were removed. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

CANADIAN FARM WRITERS’ FEDERATION TO MEET IN PEI OCT. 2-5
http://www.atlanticfarmfocus.ca/Opinion/2014-09-25/article-3882321/Canadian-Farm-Writers-Federation-to-meet-in-PEI-Oct.-2-5/1

BEEF, CANOLA, AND WHEAT SECTORS APPLAUD SOUTH KOREA TRADE DEAL
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/publications/fcc-express/fcc-express-archives/20140926.html?utm_source=Subscribe+to+FCC+Email&utm_campaign=748a7de01f-FCC_Express_September_26_20149_26_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ecca3657d7-748a7de01f-18200761#story1

NORTHERN PULP STACK TEST RESULTS POSTED
http://www.novascotia.ca/nse 

OBAMA CREATES VAST PACIFIC OCEAN MARINE RESERVE
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29373068

Sept 26, 2014

STOP KILLING TURKEYS, BOARD ORDERS BUTCHER . . . SOLAR ADVOCATES FIGHT UTILITIES OVER GRID ACCESS . . . BEEFING UP BIOSECURITY . . . LOCAL COMPANY EXPLORES ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF SHELL WASTE . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

STOP KILLING TURKEYS, BOARD ORDERS BUTCHER
Source: The Chronicle Herald For sale by owner: Poultry processing equipment. Retained by owner: The expertise to use it. Joel MacAskill, who lives in rural eastern Hants County, has that expertise, but a call from the turkey board asking him to stop processing turkeys has convinced him to pack up his skills and equipment. “That was just the final nail in the coffin," MacAskill said of a telephone call from the Turkey Farmers of Nova Scotia. “(The board) said turkeys need to be processed at a licensed facility." He has been slaughtering turkeys for people nearby for more than five years. (read more)

SOLAR ADVOCATES FIGHT UTILITIES OVER GRID ACCESS
Source: NPR
The solar power business is growing quickly in the U.S. More than 500,000 homeowners and businesses installed solar panels in just the first half of this year, according to a Solar Energy Industries Association report. (read more)

BEEFING UP BIOSECURITY
Source: Ontario Beef Farmer
The Canadian beef industry has released a new on-farm biosecurity standard aimed at helping producers reduce the risk of disease in cattle operations. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and the  Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) developed the  document with funding from Growing Forward. Rob McNabb, CCA’s general manager of operations, says the beef industry was in need of a national biosecurity standard. (read more)

LOCAL COMPANY EXPLORES ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF SHELL WASTE
Source: Government of Nfld-Lab
Shell-Ex, a Twillingate-based company focused on creating value from discarded shrimp shells, will enhance its equipment with support from the Provincial Government. The Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, announced $81,600 today through the Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program to help the company purchase and install a screw press that will remove water and protein from shrimp shells. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

SURGE IN FLEA BEETLES AS BEE PESTICIDE BAN TAKES EFFECT
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29368497

PEI FIELD TOURS AND KITCHEN MEETINGS
http://organicpei.com/ongoing-projects/field-tours-and-kitchen-meetings/

99 PERCENT OF SWEDEN’S WASTE IS NOW REUSED
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20140509-26134.html

SUPER POLLINATORS AT RISK
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/rural/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503457&objectid=11330723

Immediate opening at DvL Publishing Inc.

Immediate opening: Assistant editor for farm and country magazines. In-office, Liverpool, South Shore Nova Scotia. Three requirements: good writer and editor; basic knowledge about and familiar with the subjects of interest to our readers, namely farming, gardening, and rural life in general. Internet savvy. Send letter of interest and resumé to dvlpublishing.office@gmail.com. Or by snail mail: Employment, DvL Publishing Inc. Box 1509 Liverpool, NS B0T 1K0. Deadline Oct. 31, 2014.

Sept 25, 2014

ALTON RESIDENTS FEAR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ALTAGAS’S STORAGE IN SALT CAVERNS . . . CANFOR ENTERS WOOD PELLET BUSINESS . . . A YOUNG FARMER VIDEO COMPETITION . . . NATIONAL COMPOST CONFERENCE . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ALTON RESIDENTS FEAR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ALTAGAS’S STORAGE IN SALT CAVERNS
Source: Chronicle Herald
The sleepy little community of Alton had a rude awakening over the past few months. Heavy trucks pounding over its highway and back roads. Machines digging and spreading gravel. And it’s all tied to a natural gas storage project that has some of the locals on edge. “Being a community member, it’s up to us to educate ourselves on what they are doing, but it’s more their place to alleviate our fears," Theresa Rafuse said of Alton Natural Gas Storage LP.  (read more)

CANFOR ENTERS WOOD PELLET BUSINESS
Source: Pulp& Paper Canada
Canfor plans to construct a pellet plant at each of the company’s Chetwynd and Fort St. John sawmill sites, in partnership with Pacific Bioenergy Corporation. The two plants will have a combined annual production capacity of 175,000 tonnes of wood pellets, the sale of which is tied to a long term agreement with a power utility customer. The total investment of $58 million will include electrical self-generation capacity of 3 megawatts supported through BC Hydro's Power Smart Load Displacement Program. (read more)

A YOUNG FARMER VIDEO COMPETITION Source: NSFA
Grab your video camera, digital camera or even your cell phone! Competitors from across Canada will have the opportunity to win a trip to attend the Agricultural Excellence Conference, all expenses paid. The Agricultural Excellence Conference is a one of a kind event that brings diverse industry experts and stakeholders together from across disciplines, regions and commodity sectors to share and explore beneficial farm management practices, taking place in Winnipeg, November 19-21, 2014. (read more)

NATIONAL COMPOST CONFERENCE
Source: NSFA
The National Compost Conference will be held in Halifax, September 22-24, 2014.There are sessions on composting and anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic wastes, including research on heat recovery from composting processes, disease control via composting, trace chemicals in biosolids, etc. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

CHICKEN PRICING UP FOR CHANGE
http://www.ontariofarmer.com/sitepages/

CASH PRICE UNCERTAINTY WEAKENS CME HOG FUTURES; LIVE CATTLE MIXED
http://www.producer.com/daily/cash-price-uncertainty-weakens-cme-hog-futures-live-cattle-mixed/

REVISED EU LEGISLATION FOR MEDICATED FEED PUBLISHED
http://www.worldpoultry.net/Broilers/Nutrition/2014/9/Revised-EU-legislation-for-medicated-feed-published-1606259W/

BIOMASS BOILER FUEL TIPS - PELLETS VERSUS CHIPS
http://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/24/09/2014/146841/biomass-boiler-fuel-tips-pellets-versus-chips.htm

Sept 24, 2014

GIVING CHICKENS BACTERIA: TO KEEP THEM ANTIBIOTIC-FREE . . . VIDEO: MANAGE YOUR FAMILY FARM LIKE A BUSINESS . . . BEEF PRICES ON THE RISE IN THE MARITIMES AS CATTLE FETCH HEFTY PRICE . . . GET IN ON THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

GIVING CHICKENS BACTERIA: TO KEEP THEM ANTIBIOTIC-FREE
Source: NPR You know those foods and pills that promise to supply your body with “good bacteria?” They may or may not make you healthier, but some of these “probiotics” do, in fact, appear to be effective in chickens. Poultry companies are turning to probiotics as an alternative to antibiotics, which have become increasingly controversial. (read more)

VIDEO: MANAGE YOUR FAMILY FARM LIKE A BUSINESS
Source: FCC
Michelle Painchaud offers advice on managing the farm like a business, motivating employees through leadership and appreciation, and vision and goal setting. (read more)

BEEF PRICES ON THE RISE IN THE MARITIMES AS CATTLE FETCH HEFTY PRICE
Source: CBC
The price of beef will soon be eating up more of Maritimers’ budgets as the price of meat meets an all-time high. At a cattle sale in Murray Siding, N.S., Saturday buyers from as far away as Ontario place bids that increase by the pound. After calving, feeding, vaccinations, months of hard work, hundreds of feeder cattle from across the Atlantic provinces were on display. (read more)

GET IN ON THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS
Source: NSFA Join us for a webinar that will help you feel more confident and prepared to be a stronger voice for the industry. Over these 60 minutes, Andrew Campbell will talk about the importance of using social media to foster a positive perception of the industry – and show some real-life success stories. He’ll also talk about how to deal with some of the not-so-positive dialogue out there. It’s not always easy, but it’s important – and everyone can do it. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 11:30 MDT (1:30 Ontario time EDT) (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

OLD OR NEW TREES FOR COW HEALTH AND LAMB SURVIVAL 
http://www.thebeefsite.com/articles/4043/old-or-new-trees-for-cow-health-and-lamb-survival

WEB SEMINAR FOCUSES ON POTATO FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT
http://www.thegrower.com/news/Web-seminar-focuses-on-potato-fungicide-resistance-management-275823731.html

SUPPORT DAIRY COW HEALTH BY MANAGING FORAGE QUALITY
http://www.dairyherd.com/dairy-news/Take-Steps-to-Manage-Forage-Quality-to-Support-Dairy-Cow-Health-a-276818691.html

FDA REVISES FOOD SAFETY RULES DUE NEXT YEAR
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/127554/FDA-revises-food-safety-rules-due-next-year

Sept 23, 2014

Y WE FARM VIDEO COMPETITION . . . L’ACADIE VINEYARDS @ NSLC . . . NEW MUSHROOM SPECIES DISCOVERED IN LONDON GROCERY STORE . . . KEEPING HEIRLOOM APPLES ALIVE IS “LIKE A CHAIN LETTER” OVER MANY CENTURIES . . . MARITIME LOBSTER INDUSTRY WATCHES MAINE VOTE ON BOOST FOR PROCESSORS . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

Y WE FARM VIDEO COMPETITION
Source: Agri-News
Farm Management Canada is looking for the next Steven Spielberg! Young farmers (persons aged 20-40 actively involved on a farm) from across Canada will have the opportunity to win a western Prairie fall adventure to the Agricultural Excellence Convention in Winnipeg. Contestants must produce a video, one minute or less, based on the theme: What does the future of Canadian agriculture look like to you? (read more)

L’ACADIE VINEYARDS @ NSLC
Source: ACORN
From September 19-26, taste the award winning wines of the only certified organic winery in Nova Scotia. Join us in NSLC stores across the province as we celebrate Organic Week! (read more)

NEW MUSHROOM SPECIES DISCOVERED IN LONDON GROCERY STORE
Source: CBC.ca
What’s a good place to look for undiscovered species? Remote rainforests? The deep ocean? What about your local grocery store? That’s where Bryn Dentinger and Laura Martinez-Suz, mycologists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London, recently discovered three new kinds of mushroom. (read more)

KEEPING HEIRLOOM APPLES ALIVE IS “LIKE A CHAIN LETTER” OVER MANY CENTURIES
Source: NPR
It’s apple season, and if you go to the supermarket you’ll find the usual suspects: Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh. But these big, shiny, perfect apples often look better than they taste. Thankfully, there's a whole world of heirloom apples out there – fruit that may look funky, but tastes fantastic, with flavors unlike any you've tried before. (read more)

MARITIME LOBSTER INDUSTRY WATCHES MAINE VOTE ON BOOST FOR PROCESSORS
Source: The Chronicle Herald
The lobster industry in the Maritimes faces a new competitive threat from south of the border. People in the industry in Eastern Canadian are watching closely as Maine awaits the outcome of a November vote that could see US$7 million of public money pumped into lobster processing. “The lobster industry in Eastern Canada dwarfs the industry in Maine, but we are definitely watching this proposal closely,” Jerry Amirault of the Lobster Processors Association of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia said Monday. The state referendum will determine if the processing industry in Maine will receive the financial support for future growth. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

RECENT P.E.I. FISH KILL CAUSED BY LOW OXYGEN LEVELS
http://www.peicanada.com/eastern_graphic/article_d1a1ab2c-3dd7-11e4-a620-f3b4e1271518.html

MEAT’S FUTURE: MORE LAMBS AND GOATS 
http://www.sheepusa.org/NewsMedia_SheepIndustryNews_PastIssues_2014_September2014_NewsBriefs

FRIEDA’S SPECIALTY PRODUCE IS NOW SHIPPING ORGANIC HEIRLOOM APPLES
http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Friedas-shipping-organic-heirloom-apples-276237501.html#sthash.V6lBiBxO.dpuf

BEEFTALK: COW HERD EXPANSION NEEDS LAND
http://www.agweb.com/article/beeftalk_cow_herd_expansion_needs_land_NAA_University_News_Release/

Sept 22, 2014

2014 MUSHROOM FORAY . . . AGRICULTURAL LANDS AT BELLEISLE MARSH - REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL . . . CELEBRATE NOVA SCOTIA’S FORESTS . . . FALL PASTURE WALKS – DATE CHANGE . . . TO FOIL RUSSIA’S FOOD BAN, IMPORTED INGREDIENTS GO INCOGNITO . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

2014 MUSHROOM FORAY
Source: Nova Scotia Mycological Society
To date we have identified 400 different species of mushrooms at our NS Forays! Join us at this year’s Foray and help us reach 500! Wallace, N.S., Sept 26, 27, and 28. Friday night party; Saturday foraging, identifying, banqueting; Sunday, workshops. (read more)

AGRICULTURAL LANDS AT BELLEISLE MARSH - REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Source: NSFA
The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for agriculture production operations on ~100 ha of Crown lands at Belleisle Marsh, Annapolis County. The tender is open until October 31, 2014.  Proponents interested in this tender are also invited to attend a proponents meeting on September 23, 2014 from 10am to noon at the Belleisle Marsh Parking Lot.   (read more) 

CELEBRATE NOVA SCOTIA’S FORESTS
Source: Department of Natural Resources
Nova Scotians are invited to celebrate the province’s forests through a series of field days, beginning Saturday, Sept. 20, to help celebrate National Forest Week. “I invite everyone to take part in these activities and enjoy our forests that provide great economic benefits and recreation to all Nova Scotians,” said Environment Minister Randy Delorey, on behalf of Natural Resources Minister Zach Churchill. National Forestry Week runs from Sept. 21 to 27.  (read more)

nsfa-fane.ca/

CANADA CELEBRATES ORGANIC WEEK SEPT. 20-28
Source: Island Farmer
Organic Week, the country’s biggest celebration of organic food, farming and products, is being held September 20-28. Supported by regional partners and coordinated by the Canada Organic Trade Association, Canadian Organic Growers and the Canadian Health Food Association, hundreds of Organic Week events will take place across the country. (read more)

TO FOIL RUSSIA’S FOOD BAN, IMPORTED INGREDIENTS GO INCOGNITO
Source: NPR It's been six weeks since Moscow slapped a ban on foods imported from the United States, the European Union and other countries that sanctioned Russia for its involvement in Ukraine. The implications of that move are just beginning to be felt. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

NEW APPROACHES TO FROST CONTROL
http://www.goodfruit.com/new-approaches-to-frost-control/

FROM TOILET TO TABLE, OVERCOMING THE “YUK” FACTOR
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29213333

CAN FARMING REVERSE ITS AGEING TREND?
http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/37708/can-farming-reverse-its-ageing-trend

MUNICIPALITY EASES WORRIES ABOUT KEMPTVILLE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE’S FUTURE
http://www.betterfarming.com/online-news/municipality-eases-worries-about-kemptville-agricultural-college%E2%80%99s-future-564

Sept 19, 2014

FOOD IS CHEAP, AT LEAST COMPARED WITH FOUR YEARS AGO . . . TIME IS RIGHT FOR GLOBAL FOCUS ON FOREST LAND RIGHTS . . . LOWER HOG NUMBERS KEEP PRICES HIGH, BUT HEAVIER HOG WEIGHTS LIMIT PRODUCTION LOSSES . . . SANDLER WATCHING ONTARIO BEE CASE “EXTREMELY CLOSELY” . . . PORK FARMERS UPBEAT CRISIS OVER . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

FOOD IS CHEAP, AT LEAST COMPARED WITH FOUR YEARS AGO
Source: NPR
Around the globe, it’s become easier for people to buy food. The U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization is reporting that its global food price index has now fallen to the lowest level in four years. That’s because of good weather and big harvests in places like North America, Europe, and China. Almost all of the major food commodities have become less expensive: grains, vegetable oils, sugar, and dairy products. Dairy prices, in fact, are down by almost 20 percent, compared with their peak a year ago. (read more)

TIME IS RIGHT FOR GLOBAL FOCUS ON FOREST LAND RIGHTS
Source: BBC
Recognizing the land rights of local people could provide cost-effective protection for many of the world’s tropical forests, a report says. But existing initiatives to tackle deforestation were poorly suited to deal with the issue, it added. (read more)

LOWER HOG NUMBERS KEEP PRICES HIGH, BUT HEAVIER HOG WEIGHTS LIMIT PRODUCTION LOSSES
Source: Farms.com
USDA slightly decreased its forecast for second-half 2014 pork production, by 5 million pounds, from last month’s forecast – a change that derives largely from lower than expected production in September, due to PEDv-reduced supplies of slaughter hogs. (read more)

SANDLER WATCHING ONTARIO BEE CASE “EXTREMELY CLOSELY” 
Source: Island Farmer
One of the Island’s biggest beekeepers will be keeping a close eye on a case that will soon be working its way through the Superior Court of Ontario. Sun Parlour Honey Limited and Monro Honey are suing Bayer Cropscience Inc. and Syngenta Canada Inc., along with their parent companies over the distribution of a class of pesticides known as Neonicotinoid. The action singles out three insecticides in particular – Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, and Thiomethoxam. The action is seeking over $400 million in damages for bee deaths linked to Neonicotinoids. (read more)

PORK FARMERS UPBEAT CRISIS OVER 
Source: Woodstock Sentinel Review
Ontario pork farmers have reason for optimism the worst of a dreaded disease is over. It has been nearly two months since the last case of the piglet-killing porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus was confirmed on an Ontario farm. “We certainly have concerns going into the fall but not having any new cases at this time of year is definitely a good sign,” Ontario’s chief veterinarian, Greg Douglas, said this week. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

THE SQUASH BEE, A NATIVE POLLINATOR OF PUMPKIN, SQUASH, AND ZUCCHINI
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/organic/news/2014/2014-07a3.htm

LOOKS LIKE A BLUEBERRY, TASTES LIKE A TOMATO
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/127245/Looks-like-a-blueberry,-tastes-like-a-tomato

HACKED PHOTOSYNTHESIS COULD BOOST CROP YIELDS
http://www.nature.com/news/hacked-photosynthesis-could-boost-crop-yields-1.15949

GROWING CONCERNS OVER LIVER FLUKE IMPACT
http://www.thedairysite.com/news/46561/growing-concerns-over-liver-fluke-impact

Sept 18, 2014

ADVANCING WOODY BIOMASS WORKSHOP . . . LOCAL FARMS OPEN TO VISITORS . . . ATIKOKAN GENERATING STATION OPERATING ON BIOMASS . . . 4-H NOVA SCOTIA PROVINCIAL SHOW . . . MARITIME BEEF TEST SOCIETY 2014-15 WINTER TEST . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ADVANCING WOODY BIOMASS WORKSHOP
Source: ThinkFarm
A workshop on Advancing Woody Biomass Options and Opportunities in Nova Scotia will be held from October 21-23, 2014 at Cape Breton University in Sydney. Watch for more information on the program and how to register in the coming weeks.

LOCAL FARMS OPEN TO VISITORS  
Source: N.S. Dept of Agriculture
Nova Scotians are invited to visit a farm Sunday, Sept. 21, as many across the province open their gates to visitors. As part of Open Farm Day, 51 Nova Scotia operations will allow the public to see demonstrations, go on guided tours, pick local produce, taste wine, and go on wagon rides. Most farms will have local products available to buy.  (read more) 

ATIKOKAN GENERATING STATION OPERATING ON BIOMASS
Source: Pulp & Paper Canada
Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Atikokan Generating Station (GS) is now operating on biomass, making it the largest electrical power plant in North America fuelled by 100 percent biomass. “Atikokan GS is a unique addition to our clean energy portfolio as it provides dispatchable, renewable energy that can be used when the power system needs it,” said OPG’s president and CEO, Tom Mitchell. (read more)

4-H NOVA SCOTIA PROVINCIAL SHOW 
Source: NSFA
The 37th Annual 4-H Provincial Show will take place on September 26 - 28 at the Exhibition Grounds in Bible Hill. (read more)

MARITIME BEEF TEST SOCIETY 2014-15 WINTER TEST
Source: MBTS
The Maritime Beef Testing Society is now accepting applications for the 2014-15 winter test. We are entering the third season using the GrowSafe feeding system to evaluate bull performance. We are very pleased to be working with Dr. Yuri Montanholi this year. He and his team of researchers and students from Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture will be assisting with the test and using data in his research program.   (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

P.E.I. FARM TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
http://peifa.ca/p-e-i-farm-technician-apprenticeship-program/

USING ULTRASOUND TO ASSESS CALF HEALTH
http://www.agweb.com/livestock/dairy/blog/Dairy_Today_Healthline_295/using_ultrasound_to_assess_calf_health/

REPORT OUTLINES IMPACT OF VETERINARY COLLEGE
http://www.betterfarming.com/online-news/report-outlines-impact-veterinary-college-56460

BEEF INDUSTRY INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY AWARD 
http://www.cattle.ca/sustainability/contributors-to-sustainability/beef-industry-innovation-and-sustainability-award-biisa/

Sept 17, 2014

ASSOCIATION BUILDS NEW TOOL FOR N.S. FOREST OWNERS . . . PEOPLE’S CLIMATE MARCH AND RALLY . . . USING POLLINATORS FOR CROP PROTECTION . . . FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION GAINING GROUND . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

ASSOCIATION BUILDS NEW TOOL FOR FOREST OWNERS IN NOVA SCOTIA

Source: NSWOOA 
NSWOOA has created an innovative new tool for family forest owners: an online assessment to help them identify and prioritize their goals for woodland ownership. The self-assessment will be a cornerstone of the association’s information and outreach efforts in 2014-15 and beyond. It includes information about almost everything that NSWOOA does to help small woodland owners become better stewards of the forest. (Read more)

PEOPLE’S CLIMATE MARCH AND RALLY

Source: South Shore Council of Canadians
Leading up to the September 23rd UN Summit on Climate Change, communities around the world, including London, Berlin, Delhi, Istanbul, Rio, and Johannesburg, will be rallying to show world leaders that people want action on the climate crisis. On September 20, our community will show its concern by rallying outside Gerald Keddy’s office at 129 Aberdeen Road in Bridgewater. The event begins at 12 noon and will include a march to the Hodge Podge Community Garden where you are invited to take part in a community potluck. (Read more)
 

USING POLLINATORS FOR CROP PROTECTION

Source: Pollination Canada
The incursion of pests and diseases can have dire consequences for agriculture. For instance, gray mold can blight fruit crops such as strawberries and raspberries; the fungus that causes mummy berry can obliterate blueberry crops if left unchecked; and greenhouse tomatoes and sweet peppers can be affected by tarnished plant bug (TPB), western flower thrips, whiteflies, and green peach aphids. These pests and diseases have the potential to ruin crops, with significant financial implications for farmers. (Read more)

FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION GAINING GROUND
Source; FCC
Increasing numbers of fruit and vegetable growers are looking into the benefits of food safety certification. But figuring out the application process can be a challenge. That's why Gillian Flies, who operates an organic vegetable farm in Ontario, decided to take a food safety and certification introductory workshop earlier this year with the assistance of the Greenbelt Fund, a non-profit organization that supports sustainability of agriculture in Ontario. (Read more)
 

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

IS THE CONTROVERSIAL EXTRACTION OF SHALE GAS BY FRACKING SAFE?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/legacy/newsnight/susanwatts/2010/12/how_is_fracking_stacking.html

RISI ANNOUNCES NEW SENIOR ECONOMIST FOR INTERNATIONAL TIMBER
www.risi.com

SUIT FILED AGAINST USDA’S NEW POULTRY INSPECTION SYSTEM
http://www.worldpoultry.net/Broilers/Processing/2014/9/Suit-filed-against-USDAs-new-poultry-inspection-system-1597520W/

HARPER GOV’T “CONCEDED TO CHINA” UNDER PRESSURE: TREATY EXPERT
thetyee.ca/News/2014/09/13/Harper-Conceded-to-China/

Sept 16, 2014

WINDING RIVER FARMS OPEN HOUSE . . . FCC AG SAFETY FUND . . . FEDS AND PROVINCE FUND FIBER FUEL EXPANSION AT WEYMOUTH MILL . . . DOES CHEAP FEED MAKE CHEAPER MEAT? . . . THIS SLAUGHTERHOUSE WANTS YOU TO SEE WHERE YOUR MEAT COMES FROM . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

WINDING RIVER FARMS OPEN HOUSE
Source: NSAC
Winding River Farms is holding an Open House on September 18, 2014 from 11 am to 3 pm. The Harbers and Vissers families in East Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, began milking their 160 purebred Holstein herd with three Lely A4 Astronaut robotic milking units on April 7, 2014. Winding River Farms’ herd manager, Bert Harbers, said flexibility and animal welfare were two main reasons why the families opted for robotic milking. (read more)

FCC AG SAFETY FUND
Source: FCC
The FCC AgSafety Fund helps charitable and non-profit groups deliver agriculture safety training to farmers and/or their workers across Canada either through direct training or a train the trainer model. The grant is administered through a partnership between Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) to provide training to keep farmers, their families, agribusiness operations and employees safe at work. (read more)

FEDS AND PROVINCE FUND FIBER FUEL EXPANSION AT WEYMOUTH MILL
Source: Farm Focus
Lewis Mouldings and Wood Specialties of Weymouth North, N.S. has purchased and installed its second wood fiber “briquetter” machine which compresses dry wood waste into bricks. General manager Jamie Lewis said the plant is also adding a biomass dryer to dehydrate wet wood residue so that it can be used for the bricks as well. (read more)

DOES CHEAP FEED MAKE CHEAPER MEAT?
Source: The Beef Site
The latest WASDE report projected corn yields at 171.7 bushels per acre, about a bushel higher than the average of analysts estimates and, if it comes to pass, an all time record yield for corn. At almost 14.4 billion bushels, the US corn harvest of 2014 is now expected to bring some 3.6 billion bushels of corn more than two years ago, when corn prices hit a high of $8/bu. The fix for high prices is high prices indeed. (read more)

THIS SLAUGHTERHOUSE WANTS YOU TO SEE WHERE YOUR MEAT COMES FROM
Source: Vice.com
“There is always one pig who’s curious,” Agnete Poulsen began. “And when the gate opens, he’ll be standing there looking around.” She mimicked a pig’s swiveling head as he steps from the dim hold of the transport truck to survey the florescent labyrinth before him. Poulsen’s voice playfully jumped an octave as she spoke for the pig. “What’s going on? What is this place? Why are we here? Come on, guys, let’s go and have a look!” (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE METABOLIC PROFILE, INSULIN SENSITIVITY AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE BETWEEN ORGANICALLY AND CONVENTIONALLY MANAGED DAIRY CATTLE DURING THE PERIPARTURIENT PERIOD
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9308047&fileId=S1751731114001311

“STATE OF THE BIRDS” THE GOOD NEWS; THE BAD NEWS 
http://www.stateofthebirds.org/newsroom/2014_State_of_the_Birds_Release.pdf

REMINDER: 4R NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP – FARM TOUR DAY
http://www.farming4rfuture.ca/en/4r-resources/farming-4r-island-pei/

THE PERFECT SUMMER PEACH WASN'T ALWAYS SO ROSY
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/09/15/347757398/the-perfect-summer-peach-wasnt-always-so-rosy

Sept 15, 2014

IAN MILLAR WINS $1.5 MILLION CP INTERNATIONAL . . . WORK PARTY PLANNED AT OTTER PONDS . . . AGRICULTURE’S GLOBAL SCOPE GROWING . . . CONGRATULATIONS TO ERICA JACKSON! . . . OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST...

IAN MILLAR WINS $1.5 MILLION CP INTERNATIONAL
Source: Equine Canada
Ten-time Olympian Ian Millar of Perth, Ont., added yet another title to his long list of accomplishments by winning the $1.5 million CP International, presented by Rolex, on September 14 to close out the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows “Masters” tournament in Calgary, AB. (read more)

WORK PARTY PLANNED AT OTTER PONDS
Source: NSWOOA
Willing muscles and a yearning for fresh air are needed for the next work party at Otter Ponds Demonstration Forest in Mooseland! The work party will be held Saturday, Oct. 11, with a rain date of Sunday, Oct. 12. We’ll meet at 9 am at the Mooseland Community Centre on Mooseland Road and carpool to the forest. (read more)

AGRICULTURE’S GLOBAL SCOPE GROWING
Source: FCC
The anticipated 40,000 participants arriving for Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show this week in Woodstock, Ont., couldn’t help but notice how the event increasingly reflects Canadian agriculture’s global scope. Besides showcasing products, farm shows are designed to make sales too, both domestically and globally. With that in mind, new to this year’s show was a welcome area designated specifically for international visitors. Staff set up a lounge for private meeting space between vendors and international attendees, to support business transactions. (read more)

CONGRATULATIONS TO ERICA JACKSON!
Source: NSFA Erica Jackson recently attended the 2014 European Young Breeders School in Belgium as a member for Team Canada. During her weeklong visit, Erica learned about clipping, showmanship, judging, marketing, and classification. In the second day of class, Erica came first in showmanship. Team Canada had Grand Champion, Top Clipper, and fifth, third and first Overall Individual. (read more)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

ACORN CONFERENCE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
http://www.acornorganic.org/

FROM COTTON CANDY TO CAT PEE: DECODING TASTING NOTES IN HONEY
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/09/12/347372500/from-cotton-candy-to-cat-pee-decoding-tasting-notes-in-honey

FOOD CROP WILD RELATIVES ENDANGERED
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29086719

TEST STATION CONSIGNMENT FORMS AVAILABLE
http://nscattle.ca/2014/09/test-station-consignment-forms-available/