Congratulations John Griffin and W.P. Griffin Inc!
John was recently named one of the Top 50 CEO’s in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business Magazine and W.P. Griffin Inc. was named Innovator of the Year! MORE
P.E.I. potato grower John Griffin named 2016 Innovator of the Year
‘Wow, we definitely didn’t expect this, but I really appreciate it’ MORE
Payday for P.E.I.’s political parties
An Irving-owned company openly lobbying government to lift a moratorium on deep-water wells in Prince Edward Island made large donations to P.E.I.’s two main political parties during the election year of 2015. MORE
CRTC chief deems Internet a necessity
A mid-hearing speech, made by the chairman of the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, is welcome news to rural advocates of digital equality. MORE
Water Act Consultations Report Complete
The Environmental Advisory Council has completed their report on the Water Act consultations, says Minister of Communities, Land and Environment Robert Mitchell. MORE
View the Water Act Public Consultation Report HERE
Livestock
Klassen: Feeder market bounces off previous lows
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $5-$8 above week-ago levels with quality groups of steers selling for as much as $10 higher. Renewed optimism surfaced amongst feedlot operators as feeding margins appear to be moving above break-even pen closeout values. MORE
U.S. livestock: Live cattle firm on short-covering, beef gains
U.S. live cattle futures edged higher on Tuesday, lifted by technical buying and short-covering tied to recent gains in wholesale beef prices, traders and analysts said. MORE
CME: Beef Packer Margins Down at Start of May
Beef and pork packer margins were excellent in April but they have been moving lower in the last couple of weeks, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. MORE
CME: Pork Packer Margins Drifting Lower
Beef and pork packer margins were excellent in April but they have been moving lower in the last couple of weeks, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. MORE
Update on Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease in US
The number of pig farm samples that were confirmed positive for porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) in the last week was 21. There were no premises confirmed with having porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) and two with the dual infection (PEDV and PDCoV), in the 12 May 2016 report. MORE
French Pork Producer Focuses on Sustainability to Meet Evolving Consumer Demands
In a country world-famous for its food, a small French pig producer’s strategy for meeting consistently high standards of quality, welfare and nutrition has earned it a spot on the map. MORE
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Tuesday, May 17 HERE
Potatoes
Rwanda demand for quality seed potatoes exceeds supply
Farmers of Irish potatoes in Rwanda are decrying not only the shortage of quality seeds but also the mounting prices. MORE
Poland: Potato imports currently preferred over domestic produce
At the moment, Polish customers are turning away from domestic potatoes and choosing those of foreign origin, as reported by the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics. MORE
Idaho farm exporting fresh potatoes
SouthWind Farms, based in Heyburn, is exporting fresh potatoes to the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canada and Malaysia. According to partner Jerry Tominaga, they grow around 700 acres commercially. MORE
Potato consumption linked to high blood pressure
Higher intakes of boiled, baked, mashed or fried potatoes may increase your chance of hypertension MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American Grain/Oilseed Review: Canola up with soybeans
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts were higher on Tuesday, as gains in CBOT soybeans and a weaker tone in the Canadian dollar provided support. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Tuesday: Canola futures prices higher, barley lower HERE
AM markets: grain futures ease, despite talk of cash inflows HERE
U.S. grains: Prices soar as fund money flows to commodities
Nearby soybeans reach highest since November 2014 MORE
Cold weather prediction puts apple growers on alert
‘The danger is quite great’ if weekend weather predictions hold true MORE
Brandon University undertakes soybean disease research
With more soybeans appearing in more places around the province, Brandon University (BU) has set out to learn more about the potential roadblocks for growers. MORE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Crop pest scouts may gain from ‘app’lied knowledge
Insect ID is a challenge — but Prairie entomologists say there will soon be an app for that, and a whole lot more MORE
Agrihoods take root: a housing trend rooted in agriculture
“How ya gonna keep ’em down on the farm?” asks the old song. The answer may be: Build them an agrihood. Feeding off the continuing interest in eating fresh, local food, developers are ditching golf courses and designing communities around farms, offering residents a taste of the pastoral life — and tasty produce, too. MORE
Regular Updates
CFA in Action – May 17 HERE
Ag HR Matters The latest Ag HR news in Canada – May 20 HERE
StatsCan – Exports of grains by final destination, March 2016 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Tuesday, May 17 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
2 Day Standard First Aid and CPR Courses
(Membership discounted rate of $70)
May Dates: May 24th-25th– Stratford
*First aid and CPR course are also available at your farm for a minimum of 8 participants. Please contact Charlotte at 902-368-7289 for more details.
