Local, Regional, Canadian News
P.E.I. mink industry barely hanging on in tough times
‘You hate to just get up and leave everything, so you do what you can to stay alive’ MORE
Riverdale Fur Farm in receivership as mink industry battles ‘state of attrition’
Nova Scotia Mink Breeders Association says industry decline has forced 20 or more farms to close this year MORE
Editorial – Fish kills raise red flags
Concern about fish kills is deeply ingrained into the Island psyche. Nothing grabs our attention like photos of dead fish littering a shoreline or floating belly-up in a quiet stream. It shouldn’t happen in this day and age. Yet it does. MORE
China money, market spur Canadian blueberry deluge
As it turns out, the same wave of Chinese wealth that has fuelled real estate booms in cities like New York, Sydney and San Francisco and stoked the art market worldwide also has contributed to an unexpected glut of blueberries. MORE
There is Nothing Canada Can Learn from NZ Dairy
Critics of Canada’s system of supply management covering dairy, eggs and poultry matching domestic demand with domestic supply, and which works eminently well for both consumers and producers, continue to haul out old canards about its effectiveness that data demolishes. MORE
Dorchester residents hope prison farm returns
Former mayor Mel Goodland says program was beneficial to village, inmates MORE
Nova Scotia dairy farm starts race as new income source
The 220-year-old farm is experimenting with a race called the Milk Run MORE
New approach to Governor in Council and Ministerial appointments
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is responsible for recommending Governor in Council appointments to five different agri-food organizations: the Canadian Dairy Commission, the Canadian Grain Commission, Farm Credit Canada, Farm Products Council of Canada and the Canadian Agricultural Review Tribunal. The Minister is also responsible for the Appointment of Board and Committee members to the Farm Debt Mediation Service Appeal Boards and National Program Advisory Committee. MORE
More on Canadian Dairy Commission appointments HERE
More on Farm Debt Mediation Service Appeal Boards appointments HERE
Livestock
U.S. livestock: Cattle rise on cash gains
Live cattle cap best week since February MORE
Cattle Outlook: Good News for Meat Demand as US Economy Adds More Jobs
The US and Brazil have reached agreement to expand bilateral beef trade, write Ron Plain and Scott Brown, Ag Economics, MU. MORE
CME: Feeder Cattle Demand Shows Improvement
Feeder cattle futures have been on a tear recently and yesterday almost hit $150/cwt before retreating, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. MORE
CME: Things are Getting Worse for Hog Producers
Last week was quite difficult for hog producers and so far this week things have only gotten worse, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. MORE
Hog Outlook: Things Looking Up for Meat Demand
The Labour Department had some good news today. The US economy added 255,000 jobs during July. That was 75,000 above trade expectations. Average wages increased by 8 cents per hour. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.9 per cent. More people with money is good for meat demand, write Ron Plain and Scott Brown, Ag Economics, MU. MORE
New Zealand farm firm bans use of palm in feed
New Zealand farm company Landcorp said Monday it would ban its farmers from using palm kernel expeller (PKE), a feed supplement used for cows that environmentalists have linked to rainforest destruction. MORE
Atlantic Stockyards Market Report – August 4 HERE
Scroll down to find current report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Friday, August 5 HERE
Potatoes
Fewer spuds grown across Canada good for P.E.I. potato farmers
Oversupply of spuds lowers the price for all growers, says P.E.I. Potato Board MORE
University of Idaho eyes partnering with Peru potato centre
University of Idaho officials are negotiating a deal with the International Potato Center in Peru, in hopes of getting access to the centre’s vast potato gene bank. More than 4,000 potato varieties that include potatoes cultivated in the Andes thousands of years ago could help solve modern day problems facing potato growers, school officials said. MORE
BLOG: Water Problems for Potato’s Future?
It’s a funny thing, this world we live in. Dinosaurs have come and gone, the Dodo is extinct and the rhinoceros is in danger of being wiped off the face of the earth – all because of a misconception about its horn, writes Andre Erasmus. MORE
Kenya fast tracks potato bill to end exploitation
For the past two years, the Potato Produce and Marketing Bill has been pending before parliament, now, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has promised to fast track the Bill which seeks to end exploitation of potato farmers by cartels. MORE
Russia expects record cabbage and potato harvest
Warm weather and heavy rainfall last month in the Altai region could have a positive impact on the yield of vegetable crops this year, says the CEO of Russkie ovoshi, Andrei Langovoy. The company is one of the largest vegetable producers in the Altai region and in Russia as a whole. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
OPEN HOUSE AT AAFC HARRINGTON RESEARCH FARM
EVERY THURSDAY IN AUGUST 2:00 – 4:00 PM – August 11, August 18, August 25
Early September with an organic potato variety day with David Main
View all details HERE
North American Grain/Oilseed Review: Canola ends up with soybeans
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts were higher on Friday, as strength in Chicago Board of Trade soybeans and weakness in the Canadian dollar both provided support. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Friday: Canola futures prices higher, barley unchanged HERE
AM markets: signal from futures gap helps wheat gain again HERE
New crop year with some new wheat classifications for Canadian farmers
August marks the start of the new crop year and some major changes in wheat classification for farmers. Daryl Beswitherick with the Canadian Grain Commission says two new wheat classes have been set up, Canada Northern Hard Red and Canada Western Special purpose wheat. MORE
Feed barley down, harvest pressure still to come
Feed barley prices in Western Canada are trending lower, and likely have more room to the downside as new-crop barley hasn’t even started to enter the market. “Every time we think we’ve found a bottom, it seems to drop again,” said Jared Seitz of Agfinity, an Alberta-based online brokerage. He added “we haven’t even experienced harvest pressure.” MORE
PEI Grain Elevators Prices – July 22 HERE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Out of a farming tragedy came the world’s largest Allis-Chalmers tractor collection
‘Just a kind of a sickness you get’ MORE
Angry cow killed after running over police officer in Washington
A cow that escaped a county fairgrounds in southern Washington was killed after it ran over an police officer and its owner. MORE
Regular Updates
PEIDAF Agriculture Marketing Report – August 5 HERE
AAFC – Agri-info Newsletter – August 2016 HERE
FCC Express – Friday, August 8 HERE
ACORN E-New – August 2016 HERE
StatsCan – Farm product prices, June 2016 HERE and HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Friday, August 5 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
East Coast Style 2016 – Dairy Sale & Show
Aug 11 – 13 – Eastside Holsteins, Frenchfort MORE
Farmers Helping Farmers Annual Beef Barbecue
Saturday August 13th from 4:00-6:30pm at the Harrington Research Station, 1200 Brackley Point Road.
Tickets are $30 each for adults, $10 for children under 12, and take-out is available. You can get your tickets by emailing farmershelpingfarmerspei@gmail.com or dropping by the PEIFA Office in the Farm Centre, 420 University Avenue.
National Organic Week – Sept 17 – 25, 2016
Canada’s National Organic Week is the largest annual celebration of organic food, farming and products across the country. MORE
Namaste Lamb Event
Featuring Celebrity Chef Vikram Vij
A newly branded signature event this year on the Fall Flavours calendar and it will be held on September 24th at 6:00 pm. The event will be held at Rodd Crowbush Resort. Tickets are $90 per person and can be purchased online or by phone at 1-866-960-9912 MORE
