PEIFA Today
Monday – August 7, 2017
August Member Profile – Phillip Jennings III and John MacSwain 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. Only a few spots left, please contact by 4:00pm today, Monday August 7th.
Local, Regional, Canadian News
**SAVE THE DATE**
PEI Open Farm Day 2017 – Sunday, September 17th
Farmers Helping Farmers annual fundraising steak barbecue
Saturday Aug 12 from 4-6:30.
Tickets $30. Tickets available at Riverside Market, PEIFA office or from board members.
Call 902-393-0071
Recommended Management Practices for Agricultural Irrigation Ponds
Agriculture is the largest contributor of any resource sector to the economy of Prince Edward Island. Rainfall patterns have changed in recent years and in some cases, some farmers are interested in irrigating crops to ensure yield and quality. MORE
Helping Prince Edward Island Farmers Identify and Mitigate Risk
The Government of Canada is committed to working with agricultural industry partners and the private sector to explore and develop new risk management tools that meets the needs of Canadian farmers when faced with serious challenges beyond their control. MORE
Notice to Industry: Final List of Designated Regions for 2016 under the Livestock Tax Deferral Provision
The final list of designated regions where livestock tax deferral has been authorized for 2016 due to drought conditions in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia is now available. MORE
Study abroad
More young people, including young farmers, are heading overseas to expand the skills they’ll bring back home MORE
KAP hopes improved checkoff ready for its next fiscal year
Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) hopes Bill 35, legislation to amend its funding checkoff, will be law by the start of KAP’s new fiscal year Dec. 1, 2017. MORE
CETA Expected to Ultimately be Worth Up to $1.5b to Canadian Ag-Food Exporters
The President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance is confident, once fully implemented, the trade agreement involving Canada and the European Union will be worth as much as one and a half billion dollars annually MORE
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
Cattle sales begin to pick up
It was a slightly busier time for auction marts around the province as over 650 animals made their way to market during the last week of July. That compares to just 300 last week. MORE
Lean hog futures turn higher on cash discounts
Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs settled higher on Friday, with buyers attracted to futures that remained undervalued compared to prices paid by packers for market-ready, or cash, hogs, traders said. MORE
IFA Accuses Factories of Undermining Beef Market
IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods has accused the factories of undermining the beef market with unnecessary cattle price cuts geared at eroding confidence at farmer level. MORE
Chinese Bio-tech Company Joins Animal Vaccine Cluster in Kansas
China’s largest animal vaccine company is going to a part of the US where the industry action is. MORE
August Futures Hog Contract Closed at Under $82/cwt
The August futures hog contract closed last Thursday night at under $82/cwt and yet spot cash hog prices continued to hold quite firm, reports Steiner Consulting Group, DLR Division, Inc. MORE
SPP Moves Up to Stand at 164.75p
Although the SPP moved up another .32p to stand at 164.75p, a few more pigs seem to becoming available and spot buyers were slightly quieter than they have been in recent weeks, with most deals in the 167p-172p range according to spec, according to Peter Crichton in his “Traffic Lights” commentary for 4 August. MORE
IFA Accuses Pig Processors of Undermining Pigmeat Market
IFA National Pigs Chairman Tom Hogan has accused the pig processing factories of undermining the pigmeat market with unnecessary price cuts and he urged all pig farmers to strongly resist price pressure from processors this week. MORE
Workshop Offers Variety Meat Ideas for Philippine Pork Processors
Encouraging Philippine companies to use more US pork, USMEF organized a technical workshop on fibrinogen utilisation in variety meat for research and development departments, production operations and management staff of meat processors in Manila, Pampanga and Cebu. MORE
Atlantic Stockyards Market Report – August 3 – HERE
*Scroll down to find current report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Thursday, August 3 HERE
Potatoes
Alberta Researchers Provide Psyllid Information
A Canadian monitoring program for potato pests has proven very valuable and offered good news for potato growers. The program began in 2013 in cooperation with Scott Meers, an insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. MORE
Potato Growth and Irrigation Scheduling
All plants vary in their water requirements according to their size and growth stage as well as the length of their maturity and time of year of maximum growth. Possibly no other major crop varies in its sensitivity to water stress based on growth stage than potato. MORE
New Wisconsin State laws force potato growers to apply best practices
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed two new measures involving the potato industry last Wednesday. MORE
Mexican court blocks import of potatoes from the United States
A Mexican federal court has made an unusual ruling that bans the import of potatoes from the United States on the grounds the imports violate Mexicans’ right to food sovereignty and a healthy environment. MORE
NPC Warns Against UK-Imported Potatoes
Last week, the National Potato Council (NPC) provided comments to USDA APHIS on the recent pest risk assessment for the importation of potatoes from the United Kingdom to the U.S. MORE
Potatoes in Practice: Britain’s largest technical potato field event is this week
Potato industry representatives, growers and influencers from all over the UK and beyond are expected to descend on Dundee to take part in Potatoes in Practice (PiP) 2017, a technical potato field event featuring a high-standard mix of science, technology and practical advice and the largest of its type in the UK. MORE
Plateau, BlackPace sign $65m MoU to increase potato production
BlackPace Africa, an Africa-focused investment management and advisory firm, and the Plateau State government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) towards a joint development arrangement to upscale potato production in the state and set up a potato processing facility in Jos, the state capital. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American Grains/Oilseed Review – Canola Rises Ahead of CDN Long Weekend
The ICE Futures Canada canola market posted gains to end the week, propped up by action in the Canadian currency. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Friday: Canola prices higher, barley unchanged HERE
Canadian wheat bids decline with U.S. futures, but basis improves
Hard red spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved lower during the week ended August 3, as declines in the US futures weighed on prices. However, weakness in the Canadian dollar provided support and helped basis levels see some modest improvement. MORE
Legal pot may breathe life into small Canadian towns hit by resource losses
In a tree-nestled First Nation community on Vancouver Island, forestry and farming used to be the major industries that kept the economy humming and put food on families’ tables. MORE
Dry weather withering crops, stressing farmers in southern Saskatchewan
The ground is so dry and deeply cracked on Todd Lewis’s farm in southern Saskatchewan that he says if a wrench is dropped down one of the crevasses, “we’ll never find it.” MORE
Plant-based meats whet U.S. summer grilling appetites
Burgers made from plants instead of animals are capturing more space on U.S. barbecue grills this summer, fueling sales in the niche products that could reach $5 billion globally by 2020. MORE
Soybean, wheat futures fall but corn firms
Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures fell on Friday, pressured by outlooks for rain and cool weather in key U.S. growing areas that will foster development of the crop during critical periods, traders said. MORE
MicroGen Biotech: Tackling Pollutants in Soil
Irish biotech company MicroGen Biotech is developing products that use microbes—the broad range of single-celled organisms that are found all around us—to increase crop yield, improve food safety, and promote soil health. MORE
AM markets: grains rise on export hopes, disappointing rains HERE
PEI Grain Elevator Prices – HERE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
7 Habits of Financially Successful Growers
Commodity prices are low, belts are tight and every farm management decision counts. What does it take to be financially successful in today’s market? MORE
Which Country is the Most Sustainable?
The Food Sustainability Index (FSI), developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)with the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) Foundation, ranks countries on food system sustainability based off of three pillars: food loss and waste, sustainable agriculture, and nutritional challenges. MORE
Cargill, Southern States Cooperative, Inc. Enter into Purchase Agreement for Animal Feed Business
Cargill has reached an agreement to acquire the animal feed business of Richmond, Virginia-based Southern States Cooperative, Inc., a move that will help the company better serve its customers in the eastern United States. The transaction is expected to close within 90 days, subject to customary approvals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. MORE
Regular Updates
Weekly PEI Agriculture Market Reports – July 28 HERE
Rayglen Market Comments – August 2 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Thursday, August 3 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
Farmers Helping Farmers annual fundraising steak barbecue
Saturday Aug 12 from 4-6:30.
Tickets $30. Tickets available at Riverside Market, PEIFA office or from board members.
Call 902-393-0071
ACORN AGM & Speaker Series
Location: Tweedie Hall, Wallace McCain Centre
Mount Allison University
62 York Street/62 Rue York
Sackville, NB
August 21, 2017 from 1:00-4:00PM/13h00-16h00
BBQ/Potluck to follow at/à suivre 4:30PM/16h30 MORE
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
SAVE THE DATE
PEI Open Farm Day 2017 – Sunday, September 17th
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.
