July Member Profile – Roger O’Neill HERE
PEIFA Job Posting
The PEI Federation of Agriculture is seeking a full-time Farm and Food Care Coordinator. View the job posting HERE
PEIFA Golf Tournament
Thursday, August 10th – Countryview Golf Course. 9:00a.m. shotgun start. Includes 9 Holes of golf, cart and bbq steak dinner – $60.00 per person.
Contact Jennifer at 902-368-7289 or jmurphy@peifa.ca to register.
MUST PRE-REGISTER by August 4th.
Local, Regional, Canadian News
Bee buffet: P.E.I. researcher looking for crops to feed the bees
Bees on Prince Edward Island may soon have more fields filled with plants that produce pollen, thanks to a researcher who is trying to create something called a bee pasture. MORE
New Federal Research Investment to make Beef Sector more Sustainable
Canada’s beef sector is an important driver of economic growth, contributing $2.69 billion annually to the Ontario economy and supporting 61,000 jobs in the province. The Government of Canada continues to invest in innovation and the overall productivity and competitiveness of the livestock industry. MORE
Another B.C. chicken abuse case
Another underground video of a chicken-catching crew in British Columbia has caught the attention of animal rights supporters who are calling for the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to examine the situation.
Animal Justice, a Toronto-based organization, says its video was shot on the farm of Dan Neufeld. MORE
FAO Food Price Index Raised by Wheat, Meat in June
Global food commodity prices rose in June, led by wheat and meat prices.
FAO Food Price Index Raised by Wheat, Meat in June 06 July 2017 GLOBAL – Global food commodity prices rose in June, led by wheat and meat prices. MORE
Obsolete pesticide & animal health medication collections – November 6 – 17, 2017
Prince Edward Island from November 6 – 17, 2017.
Collection site locations and dates are available HERE.
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/
Client Satisfaction Survey: Business Risk Management Programs
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in collaboration with provincial partners, has launched an online survey seeking producers’ input on the level of satisfaction with our Business Risk Management (BRM) programs (AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance, and Advance Payments Program). The survey is intended to be completed by producers who have applied to these programs in recent years and focuses on their experience with them.
Results from this survey will help us understand client expectations and improve BRM program delivery services.
The anonymous survey will be available until July 31, 2017 and will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
To complete the BRM Client Satisfaction Survey, please click here.
Thanks in advance for helping us better serve Canadian producers.
Livestock
Guelph gets new beef research facility
The federal and provincial governments and the Beef Farmers of Ontario have all announced funding for buildings and programs at the University of Guelph’s renewed beef research station this week. MORE
Cattle rise in rebound on technical buying, cash trades
U.S. live cattle futures gained more than one per cent on Thursday, rebounding from a two-month low on chart-based technical buying and slightly firmer trades in cash cattle markets, traders said. MORE
Cull Cattle Prices Up by 15% Year-on-Year
Slaughter prices for both prime and cull cattle are seeing year-on-year increases, with the 15% increase for cull stock, outstripping a 12 per cent increase for prime stock, according to the latest analysis by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). MORE
High-tech Ear Tags Tracking Aussie Live Export Cattle
Technology monitoring Australian livestock in Vietnamese feedlots and abattoirs is being expanded in Australia so stock can be traced from conception to consumption. MORE
Interest in Hydraulic Swine Transport Trailer Designs Builds in Canada
A Research Scientist Ethology with the Prairie Swine Centre reports interest in the newer hydraulic trailer designs is increasing across Canada
Interest in Hydraulic Swine Transport Trailer Designs Builds in Canada 07 July 2017 Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork FarmScape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork. CANADA – A Research Scientist Ethology with the Prairie Swine Centre reports interest in the newer hydraulic trailer designs is increasing across Canada MORE
QMS Launches ‘Do More With Pork’ Campaign
Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is this week launching a campaign to encourage shoppers to “Do More with Pork”.
QMS Launches ‘Do More With Pork’ Campaign 07 July 2017 SCOTLAND, UK – Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is this week launching a campaign to encourage shoppers to “Do More with Pork”. MORE
EU Strikes Trade Deal with Japan; US Must Do Likewise, Says NPPC
Following this week’s announcement by the European Union and Japan that they have reached agreement in principle on a trade pact, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) renewed its request that the Trump administration begin negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan. MORE
Atlantic Stockyards Market Report – July 6 – HERE
*Scroll down to find current report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Thursday, July 6 HERE
Potatoes
Case study reveals how to reduce potato waste by increasing quality
As part of the Ontario Produce Marketing Association’s (OPMA) food waste reduction initiative, Value Chain Management International (VCMI) worked with EarthFresh Foods and growers to identify ways to reduce waste by increasing the quality and value of table potatoes, from field to consumer. MORE
Potato sector asks government to accept their anti-dumping suit
This week the government will determine whether they will accept the anti-dumping suit filed by the potato sector in the face of massive imports of potatoes that have put at risk the activity of more than 100 thousand national producers. MORE
How to get your potatoes to a market – ANY market – in rural Nepal
Potato farmers in Jumla – a remote area in Nepal with very limited road access – have become overjoyed to sell their products after finding market at their own doorsteps. MORE
CRC develops new DNA methods to detect zebrachip bacteria in potato psyllids
Accurate and timely identification of pest and disease threats is vital for the agricultural sector – the slower the response, the higher the economic cost, and the greater the likelihood a pest will spread. MORE
Simplot wants to sell food products from GM Potatoes in Australia and New Zealand
JR Simplot has applied at FSANZ for approval to export genetically modified potato products into Australia and New Zealand. Unclear is what type of products this is about. MORE
AU potato crops threatened by new bacteria
An aggressive bacteria that attacks potatoes has been found in Australia for the first time. The bacteria, called Dickeya dianthicola can cause significant production losses in crops by causing diseases such as soft-rot or blackleg. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American Grains/Oilseed Review: Canola Rises with Summer Heat
The ICE Futures Canada canola market continued to trend higher on Thursday, fueled by concerns about what the present hot temperatures could mean for the flowering canola crop. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Thursday: Canola futures prices mostly higher, barley unchanged HERE
Farmers eye the sky, yearning for rain as heat wave covers southern Alberta
As Albertans head into a week of heat, farmers say they’ll be keeping a close eye on their crops. MORE
Southern Saskatchewan dry, but Prairies mostly OK for now
Dry conditions in southern Saskatchewan are cause for vigilance, but rain could still pull out a healthy harvest, according to a provincial soil and nutrient specialist. MORE
Oats buyers filled for now, watching weather
The hot, dry weather concerns supporting spring wheat prices across North America are also lending some strength to oats, but large old-crop supplies and a lack of significant end-user demand is limiting price movement for now. MORE
Managing herbicide resistance costs
Farmers considering herbicide resistance strategies are looking at the economics first MORE
Wheat, corn futures fall
U.S. wheat futures fell on Thursday, shrugging off signs of further deterioration in already stressed crops, on a round of profit-taking following a rally to multi-year highs, traders said. MORE
AM markets: can soybeans close higher for a ninth session? HERE
PEI Grain Elevator Prices – HERE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
U.S. farmers seem confident
A Purdue University survey of farmers finds they are generally confident about their financial situation.
They are, however, saying they may fail to meet their financial targets for this year.
The university conducts a monthly survey of 400 farmers and presents the results as barometer readings. MORE
Finer nozzle screens linked to Proline plug-ups
Bayer CropScience is recommending users of its Proline foliar fungicide double-check the nozzles they’re using before spraying, to avoid the “plugging issues” affecting some customers’ sprayers. MORE
U.S. proposes cutting biofuels requirements due to ‘market realities’
The U.S. government on Wednesday proposed reducing the volumes of biofuel required to be used in gasoline and diesel in 2018, in a move that could mark the first step towards a broader overhaul to the controversial energy policy. MORE
Regular Updates
FCC Express – July 7 HERE
Weekly PEI Agriculture Market Reports – June 30 HERE
Rayglen Market Comments – July 5 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Thursday, July 6 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
3A Airbrakes Test Facilitation
***UPDATE–WE ARE NOW TAKING NAMES FOR OTHER DATES THAT MAYBE OFFERED FOR 3A TRAINING IF INTERESTED PLEASE GET YOUR NAME ON A WAITING LIST FOR THE NEXT TRAINING SESSIONS!! WE MAYBE OFFERING SESSIONS IN JULY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER***
From field to road…do you have employees that drive your trucks, but don’t have their licenses?
We are looking for experienced drivers that would like to obtain their Airbrakes and Class 3A license.
The PEI Agriculture Sector Council will be facilitating these two courses through JVI and Access.
This project will be processed through the Canada Job Grant and Skills PEI.
Draft Schedule:
Day 1- Airbrake theory
Day 2- Review of Airbrakes and Airbrake test (written on site), Preform a pre-use inspection
Day 3- Driving and Testing for Class 3A (time scheduled test on site)
Day 4- Driving and Testing for Class 3A (time scheduled test on site)
Requirements- must have valid truck driving experience, but not licensed & Medical completed and returned
Lunch will be provided
For more details on registration requirements, contact Laurie at 892-1091.
Registration is now open, limited seating available. To sign up, contact the PEI Agriculture Sector Council at 892-1091 or e-mail info@peiagsc.ca
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
Obsolete pesticide & animal health medication collections – November 6 – 17, 2017
Prince Edward Island from November 6 – 17, 2017.
Collection site locations and dates are available HERE.
