In partnership with PEI Agromart and Island Lime, the PEI Federation of Agriculture is pleased to offer a scholarship of $2,000 for the 2017/18 academic year.
Application deadline is June 1, 2017. Click here for the application form.
Local, Regional, Canadian News
Flour recall widened to products from 11 loads of wheat
The maker of Robin Hood and other brands of flour is further widening a major product recall to cover products made from 11 loads of Canadian wheat. MORE
B.C. small farms are booming, despite fickle buyers and extreme weather
High winds slammed a tree into Paul Dumais’ chicken coop Tuesday while he was collecting eggs inside, sending a shudder through the walls of the shack south of Quesnel B.C. — but the chickens survived. MORE
Education taxes to be looked at under review
For years, farmers have called on the province to change how public schools are funded and to remove education tax from farmland. Now, it appears a funding overhaul could finally be on the table. MORE
What to Take Away from Canada’s Vast Agriculture Survey
Canada’s agricultural industry received its five-yearly health check this month, with the publication of the 2016 Census of Canadian Agriculture – an incredibly detailed and comprehensive insight into the country’s farming sector. MORE
PEI Certified Organic Producers Cooperative
Following is a link to our new podcast: http://organicpei.com/podcast/
Environmental Farm Plan Renewals
The Enhanced Environmental Farm Plan Program sent out renewal letters in early 2017 to notify producers that their environmental farms plans would be expiring at the end of the year. If you are a producer who has not yet contacted the office to have your plan updated please call Matt or JoAnn at 902-368-7289.
EFP’s are valid for 5 years and we encourage all farmers to participate in the program. Participation in the program also allows you to apply for funding through the Growing Forward 2 Agriculture Stewardship Program, Farmland Finance Program and the Future Farmer Program. For your convenience the EFP can be completed at your farm or at the PEI Federation of Agricultural office and takes approximately 1.5 hrs to complete. EFP’s are no cost to the producer.
If you feel your EFP may be expired and you have not yet been contacted please call the office and we will check the status of your last plan. Further information on the Enhanced Environmental Farm Plan Program can be found on the PEI Federation of Agriculture webpage www.peifa.ca/efp/
PEI COPC Organic Farm Tour
PEI COPC will be hosting a one day organic farm tour on Wednesday, July 6th from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m..
Local media, social media guests, COPC staff, PEIDAF Minister and Deputy will be attending the tour of five COPC member farms, including: Dexter Cattle Company, Square One Organics, Red Soil Organics, Heartbeet Organics, and Schurman Family Farm.
Transportation and lunch are provided.
Seats are limited and tickets will be on sale beginning next week ($25 each or $20 for COPC members).
Contact Karen at email@organicpei.com or 902-894-9999 for more information.
Livestock
Cash Fed Cattle Prices in W21 Lower but Above Year Ago
Cash fed cattle prices last week were lower but remained above a year ago, as reported by USDA-AMS Market News Division, according to Steiner Consulting Group, DLR Division, Inc. MORE
UK Farmers Urged to be Vigilant as Cattle Test Positive in Northern France
Farmers are being urged to be vigilant for signs of Bluetongue virus (BTV) and consider vaccinating their livestock after BTV-8 was detected in cattle in a previously disease-free area of northern France. MORE
India’s limits on selling cattle could hurt industry, diets
A new ban imposed by India’s government on the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter to protect animals considered holy by many Hindus is drawing widespread protests from state governments and animal-related industries. MORE
Cattle Trade Ban to Halt Beef Exports May Lead to Job Losses
The Central Government’s ban on the trade of cattle for slaughter threatens $4 billion in annual beef exports and millions of jobs if the government does not revoke the stoppage decreed last week, according to two industry officials. MORE
Cattle Trade Remains Strong
IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods has said the cattle trade remains reasonably strong with the base price for steers at €4.15/kg and some top prices of €4.20 paid. MORE
Monty Reigns Supreme at Beef Expo 17
The prestigious annual Beef Event, the Beef Expo, took place the week before last at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. MORE
Swine Movement Reporting to Move Beyond Just Traceability
The Manager of PigTrace Canada says efforts are underway to increase the value of swine movement data available to pork producers who have access to it MORE
Expo Offers Access to Information, Technology to Improve Business
The Director of Trade Show Marketing with the National Pork Producers Council says the information that will be available to pork producers next week, as part of World Pork Expo in Des Moines, will help provide them an advantage in the market place MORE
Danish Crown Reports 15% Increase in Payment for Pigs
In the first six months of the financial year 2016/2017 Danish Crown increased the payment for pigs supplied by the farmer owners by almost 15 per cent or DKK 600 million relative to the year before. MORE
NZ Pork Welcomes Government Focus on Biosecurity
The announcement of additional operating funding for biosecurity is a vital protection for the country’s primary industries, according to New Zealand Pork. MORE
Hybrid Turkeys gets federal research support
The federal government is contributing $6 million to a project at the University of Guelph to breed better birds for Hybrid Turkeys of Kitchener. MORE
Atlantic Stockyards Market Report – May 25 – HERE
*Scroll down to find current report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Monday, May 29 HERE
Potatoes
Psurveying Psyllids
Zebra chip is an emerging disease of potato in which tubers are produced with striped necrotic patterns that make them unmarketable. MORE
The Evolution of Corner Irrigation
As you fly across the country (or just about anywhere in the world) and see the perfect green circles covering the ground, it is easy to pick out the fields with center pivot irrigation. Looking closely, you may see a field that isn’t a perfect green circle, but is in fact almost square. MORE
Neiker Tecnalia to start field trial of potato varieties with benefits
The potato is not only a basic food item and one of the main food crops worldwide, it contains a huge variety of minerals and bio active compounds with potentially beneficial effects. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American Grain/Oilseed Review: Canola settles lower after quiet day
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts were weaker on Monday, seeing some follow-through selling after last week’s move below nearby support. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Monday: Canola futures prices lower, barley unchanged HERE
Four canola diseases to watch for
Is that canola crop afflicted by blackleg, root rot, both, or something else entirely? It’s a messy question farmers and agronomists encounter every year. Presenters tried to untangle those problems at CanoLAB in Vermilion this winter. MORE
It’s time to make soil great again
Most of us don’t think much about soil, let alone its health. It’s time to recommend some skin care for Mother Nature. MORE
U.S. study questions neonics for soybean aphid control
A multi-university study says that neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatments have little effect on soybean aphid populations, as the pesticide has disappeared in plant tissue by the time the aphids arrive. MORE
Injured plants can warn their neighbours
A high school student working on a research project at the University of Delaware has discovered that damaged plants can send a warning to their neighbours, which grow larger to compensate. MORE
AM markets: corn futures drop, as US weather jitters ease HERE
PEI Grain Elevator Prices – HERE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Farmer trust key to big data’s future
The marketplace for precision agriculture technology is sorting itself out, but it still has a way to go before it will be mature and have predictable uses for farmers, says a U.S. agriculture economist. MORE
Farmers, Forest Owners Along with Co-ops Driving Force Behind Green Jobs
Copa and Cogeca underlined at a major workshop yesterday during this years’ Green Week the important role farmers and their cooperatives play in driving green jobs in Europe. MORE
Regular Updates
Rayglen Market Comments – May 24 HERE
Weekly PEI Agriculture Market Reports – May 26 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Monday, May 29 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
PEI COPC Organic Farm Tour
PEI COPC will be hosting a one day organic farm tour on Wednesday, July 6th from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m..
Local media, social media guests, COPC staff, PEIDAF Minister and Deputy will be attending the tour of five COPC member farms, including: Dexter Cattle Company, Square One Organics, Red Soil Organics, Heartbeet Organics, and Schurman Family Farm.
Transportation and lunch are provided.
Seats are limited and tickets will be on sale beginning next week ($25 each or $20 for COPC members).
Contact Karen at email@organicpei.com or 902-894-9999 for more information.
Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative
The Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative has been approved for a 2 year period. Applications will be accepted starting April 26, 2017.
The program is designed to hire youth aged 15 to 30 for internships of up to 12 months. It will be of interest to producers and organizations working in the agriculture industry and interested in implementing agriculture projects that are environmentally beneficial.
Producers operating a farm or ranch can hire a young person to implement an environmentally beneficial project in their operation.
Agricultural organizations, such as watershed groups and companies providing environmentally beneficial services can access the program to support an environmentally beneficial project their organization is implementing. Research organizations can receive funding to support their agricultural research that benefits the environment.
For an application form and more details on the program, please visit: Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative
