Tonight!! – Open House – Gerrit Visser & Sons
July 14, 6pm – 8pm
Come out and see our new EZ Down 200, a unique tote box/tote bag filler machine, operating in a real life application at Gerrit Visser and Sons potato pack shed – 6346 Trans Canada Highway, Orwell Cove.
Refreshments and mussels will be served. MORE
Local, Regional, Canadian News
Note to Mills, Lee: Rural P.E.I. alive and well
By Ray Keenan (Guest Opinion). It would be remiss of me not to state my concerns over the statements of Mayor Lee and the address that Don Mills of Corporate Research delivered last week to the Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce, of which our company is a member of. MORE
Dairy Farmers of Canada want people to drink more milk
Campaign will target younger generation MORE
Dairy farmers, processors strike deal for future
Dairy Farmers of Canada and dairy processor associations have reached an agreement in principle on how to evolve the Canadian dairy system for the future. The agreement was reached during meetings in Charlottetown following a year of talks, which followed previous attempts to open a dialogue over pricing and other issues. MORE
Agriculture minister backs freer domestic trade
Canada loves international trade but has domestic barriers MORE
Charlottetown Farmers’ Market connects local food to families in need
The 16-week program gives coupons for market produce to families on the Island MORE
Port Coquitlam to protect farmland from residental takeover
Vancouver suburb employs farmland zoning to stop ‘monster homes’ MORE
Livestock
Trevor Hancock: Food policy must address the issue of meat
It’s not a good time to be an Albertan. Not only is there growing opposition to the oil industry in general and the oilsands in particular, and to the pipelines needed to get their product to market, but their second iconic industry — beef cattle ranching — is also coming under attack. MORE
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle rally on bargain buying
Feeder cattle close higher, lean hogs end firm MORE
CME: US Beef Supply Projections Continue to Rise
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to revise higher its beef supply projections for 2016, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. MORE
Strong May Results for US Pork Exports
US red meat exports gained momentum in May with shipments of both beef and pork increasing significantly year-over-year and reaching 2016 highs, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by USMEF. MORE
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Wednesday, July 13 HERE
Potatoes
Weekly Michigan Potato Report – July 13 HERE
Stealth potato virus threatens US french fry industry
New viruses are threatening the U.S. potato industry, including potatoes grown in Washington. More than 85 percent of potatoes from the state’s Columbia Basin feed Americans’ french fry habit. As demand for fries continues to rise, the pressure on U.S. growers to produce perfect potatoes is intensifying. MORE
New Potato Virus Y strains very difficult to detect with the naked eye
The next time you sink your teeth into a hot, crispy french fry, consider the threats that stand between you and this iconic food. Newly emerged viruses threaten the U.S. potato industry, including potatoes grown in Washington. MORE
National French Fry day celebrated at Potato World in the French Fry Capital of the World
A festive crowd of over 1500 French fry fans from far and wide gathered at Potato World in the French Fry Capital of the World, Florenceville-Bristol, NB on July 13 – National French Fry Day – to celebrate one of the world’s favourite finger foods! MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
US grain and oilseed review: Canola extends gains
ICE Futures Canada canola ended stronger on Wednesday, supported by gains in Chicago Board of Trade soybeans, and soggy fields in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Wednesday: Canola futures prices higher, barley unchanged HERE
ICE weekly outlook: Weather market ahead
ICE Futures Canada canola prices edged up on the week, propped up by soggy Prairie fields and the anticipation for warm, dry weather in the U.S. MORE
CBOT weekly outlook: Corn, soy enter temperature-driven phase
Chicago Board of Trade corn and soybean futures are entering a period that is typically driven by weather concerns and little else. MORE
Wheat farmers thinking big
Another record harvest possible across Prairies MORE
More acres planted, so larger corn, soybean harvest expected
More acres of corn and soybeans were planted than initially estimated this year, prompting the U.S. Department of Agriculture to boost the fall harvest expectations for both major crops. MORE
Storms trim potential for big Prairie crops
Heavy rain and strong winds are likely to curb the potential for Western Canada’s crops, government officials said, but the harvest may still be bigger than average. MORE
Chicago oats rally with Prairie rains, for now
Oat prices at the Chicago Board of Trade have advanced as rain soaks Canada’s crops, but one U.S. analyst doesn’t expect those gains to hold. MORE
U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans extend rally as fundamentals improve
U.S. soybean and corn futures rallied on Wednesday, both posting their second straight day of sharp gains on concerns about hot and dry weather cutting into U.S. soybean crops and expectations of strong exports of U.S. corn. MORE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Be skeptical about claims about ‘miracle’ fertilizers
Fertilizers no longer have to be proven effective in order to be registered MORE
Public Trust in Agriculture and Freedom to Operate
Trust is low in the Canadian food system, and this is giving consumers a previously unheard-of degree of input into on-farm and other food system practices, writes Treena Hein. MORE
3 ratios for assessing Canada’s (and your) agriculture balance sheet
Here are three popular ratios for evaluating the overall health of Canadian agriculture. These financial measures are also useful for benchmarking individual operations. MORE
EU’s stand on gene editing may set stage for ag trade
Is it time to move from sabre rattling with the European Union over the use of genetically modified crops to outflanking it? MORE
Counterpoint: Ending supply management didn’t help Australians and it won’t help Canadians
Australian deregulation has not been ‘a successful example of reform.’ Conservative Party leadership hopeful Maxime Bernier recently came out against supply management, claiming it should disappear (“End Conservative support for cartels,” FP Comment, June 1, 2016). MORE
Monsanto reported exploring BASF ag unit buy
Seed company Monsanto, which rejected Bayer’s buyout offer in May, is exploring various transactions, including the acquisition of BASF’s agriculture-solutions unit, news service Bloomberg reported. MORE
Regular Updates
Rayglen Market Comments – July 13 HERE
Rayglen – Grain Insight – Special Alert – July 13 HERE
CFA in Action – July 12 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
THE DYNAMICS OF SOIL BIOLOGY
Tuesday, July 19 – 7:00 pm
PEI Potato Board Meeting Room – 90 Hillstrom Avenue in the West Royalty Business Park
Join us for an informative lecture with Pius Floris and Johan Middelkamp from the Netherlands on the dynamics of soil biology. Pius will speak about soil health and offer practical approaches to improving soil quality (and consequently the quality of the harvested products). They will also talk about soil preparation and weed control. MORE
PEI Potato Blossom Festival – July 18th – 24th
Farmers Banquet – July 22nd – Community Sports Centre – O’Leary
Catered by The Sizzler – tickets $25.00 – Option of chicken or pork.
Purchase ticket at festival office in the Future Tech Building or phone 902-726-3300 MORE
PEI Blueberry Field Day
Thursday July 21st – 10:00am-2:00pm
Terence and Marion MacDonald’s Warehouse – 3141 Savage Harbour Road, Mount Stewart
Sizzler BBQ lunch provided. Call JoAnn Pineau at 902-368-7289 for more information
Weed Wiping – Pesticide Training Session for Blueberry and Cranberry Growers
July 28 – Registration at 6:30 p.m, Course from 7 to 9 p.m.
Rodd Royalty Hotel – Trans Canada Hwy – Charlottetown
You are asked to pre-register by noon, July 27, 2016 by calling 902-368-4880 or 902-368-4145
East Coast Style 2016 – Dairy Sale & Show
Aug 11 – 13 – Eastside Holsteins, Frenchfort MORE
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
