Please Note: PEIFA Today will not be circulated from Monday, May 30th to Tuesday, June 7th. Regular circulation will return on Wednesday, June 8th. Thanks!
PEIFA / Island Lime / PEI Agromart Scholarship
$2000 Scholarship to be awarded – Application Deadline is July 1st. DETAILS and APPLICATION
Local, Regional, Canadian News
P.E.I. couple raising free-range ducks for Island restaurants
‘They’re fed well, and they’ve got beautiful land to be raised on,’ says duck farmer MORE
Once upon a time in the future of food and agriculture
Children will recognize their favourite fairy tale characters as they identify solutions to fight climate change. Through a new global video and poster contest, announced today, FAO is asking the world’s children to help it highlight how climate change is making the task of feeding a growing world population all the more challenging – and what we can all do, together, to meet that challenge. MORE and Contest info HERE
Head of U of S fruit program wants haskap berries to flourish in Canada
Haskap berries might be the next new superfood — but most people haven’t heard of them. That’s because the berries, which are higher in antioxidants than blueberries, have traditionally been found only sporadically in the wild across Canada, growing mostly on the edge of wetlands. MORE
Aging milk dryers limiting Canadian dairy sector
Without new industry investment dairy producers could be stuck in a negative loop as existing infrastructure ages MORE
The second coming of the Dirty Thirties? Climate change will bring drought and depression
Some experts believe the wildfires at Fort McMurray suggest we should become accustomed to major disasters that may be linked to the long-term effects of climate change. But the stakes are different in the Prairies. According to a recent study from the University of Winnipeg, the Prairie region represents a unique case around the world. MORE
Poultry Layer Barn Open House
John Dennis from Port Hill Farm invites you to an Open House, on Saturday, May 28, 2016, from 11 am to 4 pm. The farm is located at 160 Green Park Road, Tyne Valley, PEI.
The new layer barn features the Farmer Automatic innovative enriched or aviary housing system COMBI II, a technology new to PEI. As well, new EDGE technology will enable the farm to monitor and manage ventilation, cooling heating, feeding and watering systems from a single controller using one interface. EDGE is an advanced new control system and platform for handling all of the operational functions in a livestock production environment. This technology is also adaptable to hog and dairy barns.
The project was funded in part under the Canada-PEI Growing Forward 2 Innovative Technologies sub-Program.
All are welcome to come and view the equipment, meet with industry experts, and enjoy some refreshments.
Princess Auto BBQ May 31st in Support of PEI Progressive Agriculture Safety Day
The PEI Federation of Agriculture is hosting an opening day BBQ at the Princess Auto store in Charlottetown on Tuesday, May 31st from 11am-1pm. This event is in support of Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety Days. The PEIFA has hosted Safety Days the past number of years for Island youth and all donations from the BBQ will go towards our next Safety Day taking place in September. Watch HERE to see what our Safety Days are all about!:
Please come join us for lunch and show your support!!
Prince Edward Island Sheep Breeders’ Association Continuing Education
Join us for a training session that will qualify your farm operation for funding under the Agriculture Livestock Enhancement Program / Small Ruminant Enhancement Project (Sheep and Goats)
June 06 – Rodd Royalty Hotel – Charlottetown – Registration begins at 1:00 PM MORE
Livestock
Cattle identification: Branding is back
Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia are the only provinces in Canada with cattle brand registries and associated brand inspection services, all of which have reported a surge in new brand registrations with the rising prices for cattle last year. MORE
CCA Report: The pressing issues of beef and forage research, traceability
Research plays an integral role in achieving a competitive Canadian beef sector. In addition to investment in research and research infrastructure, other key factors include fully funding programs that help producers manage risk, investing in infrastructure, securing access to high value and growing markets, Canada’s regulatory operating environment, and ensuring access to sufficient labour. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has been continuously working in all of these areas to ensure the importance of having a competitive Canadian beef sector is well understood by the federal government. MORE
U.S. livestock: Weak cash outlook limits live cattle advances
Feeder cattle close mostly higher, lean hogs finish higher MORE
US Cattle Farmer Testifies on “Threat of Over-Regulation”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Tracy Brunner has testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, saying that over-regulation poses the greatest threat to the profitability of cattle producers. MORE
Give Piglets the Best Start in Life
Pig farmers can now get improved litters and give their piglets the best start in life thanks to an exciting new parent gilt from JSR. MORE
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Tuesday, May 24 HERE
Potatoes
Weekly Michigan Potato Report – May 25 HERE
GREEN LIGHT FOR INNATE IN CANADA
Canadian approval came too late for them to be grown commercially in this country in 2016, but the company still intends to begin selling Gen 1 Innate potatoes imported from U.S. in produce departments across Canada starting this year. MORE
Why a new genetically modified potato won’t be grown commercially in Canada this year
Inserted genes reduce bruising and black spots on potatoes MORE
Purple Magic Variety Making Waves in Europe
Purple Magic, a new potato variety with high anthocyanin content developed in Northern Ireland, was created by Paul Watts at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Loughgall, Ireland. MORE
Poland: the EU country with the most potatoes certified organic
The latest data published by Eurostat, corresponding to the year 2014, show that potato farms across the European Union take up a total of 1.6 million hectares of land, which provide an income for 1.9 million producers. The total value of the production is estimated at almost 10 billion Euro per year. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
PEI Grain Elevator
Starting May 24th until harvest starts – Plant shipping & receiving hours are Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
North American Grains/Oilseed Update – Canola Rises With US Soy
THE ICE Futures Canada canola market finished higher on Wednesday, pushed upward by steep gains in the US soy complex. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Wednesday: Canola futures prices higher, barley unchanged HERE
ICE weekly outlook: Canola looks set to stay above $500
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts don’t appear to be in much danger of falling below the $500 per tonne level anytime soon. Both front-month contracts spent much of the week ended Wednesday hanging around the $520 mark. MORE
CBOT weekly outlook: Surprise demand propping up prices
Unexpected demand for corn and soybeans is supporting markets in Chicago, according to one U.S. trader, a trend he expects to continue. MORE
Ontario grain farmer inputs estimated at more than $1 billion
Ontario’s barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers are actively working the fields this month to give their crops the best chance of success, to ultimately feed and fuel the province. It is estimated that farmers have committed about $1.25 billion to inputs, including seeds and seed treatments, fertilizers, and pesticides based on Statistics Canada’s March 2016 intentions of principal field crop areas for Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture’s 2016 Field Crop Budget per-acre input costs. MORE
U.S. grains: Soy surges on concerns over Argentina soymeal
Wheat rises on threat of U.S. rains for maturing crop MORE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
From Pig to Pump Smithfield tackles sustainability
What happens when you bring an alternative energy company and pig farms together? Well if the farm owner is Smithfield Foods Hog Production in northern Missouri, which finishes two million pigs a year, and the energy company is Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE), the answer is a lot of renewable natural gas. MORE
Perspective: How to Feed X Billion People
It is hard to attend a farm meeting of any sort where you are not accosted by some exhortation to “feed the world!” This is followed by the supposedly clinching demographic argument of “X billon mouths to feed by 20XX!” I have two modest problems with this tiresome, self-serving call to action. MORE
Regular Updates
Rayglen Market Comments – May 25 HERE
StatsCan – Farm income, 2015 HERE
StatsCan – Farm cash receipts, first quarter 2016 HERE
StatsCan – Deliveries of major grains, April 2016 HERE
StatsCan – Oilseed crushing statistics, April 2016 HERE
StatsCan – Milled wheat and wheat flour produced, March 2016 HERE
Canadian Dairy Commission – Market Bulletin – May 16 HERE
PEIDAF Agriculture Market Report – May 20 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Wednesday, May 25 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
Poultry Layer Barn Open House
John Dennis from Port Hill Farm invites you to an Open House, on Saturday, May 28, 2016, from 11 am to 4 pm. The farm is located at 160 Green Park Road, Tyne Valley, PEI.
The new layer barn features the Farmer Automatic innovative enriched or aviary housing system COMBI II, a technology new to PEI. As well, new EDGE technology will enable the farm to monitor and manage ventilation, cooling heating, feeding and watering systems from a single controller using one interface. EDGE is an advanced new control system and platform for handling all of the operational functions in a livestock production environment. This technology is also adaptable to hog and dairy barns.
The project was funded in part under the Canada-PEI Growing Forward 2 Innovative Technologies sub-Program.
All are welcome to come and view the equipment, meet with industry experts, and enjoy some refreshments.
Princess Auto BBQ May 31st in Support of PEI Progressive Agriculture Safety Day
The PEI Federation of Agriculture is hosting an opening day BBQ at the Princess Auto store in Charlottetown on Tuesday, May 31st from 11am-1pm. This event is in support of Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety Days. The PEIFA has hosted Safety Days the past number of years for Island youth and all donations from the BBQ will go towards our next Safety Day taking place in September. Watch HERE to see what our Safety Days are all about!:
Please come join us for lunch and show your support!!
Prince Edward Island Sheep Breeders’ Association Continuing Education
Join us for a training session that will qualify your farm operation for funding under the Agriculture Livestock Enhancement Program / Small Ruminant Enhancement Project (Sheep and Goats)
June 06 – Rodd Royalty Hotel – Charlottetown – Registration begins at 1:00 PM MORE
PEIFA / Island Lime / PEI Agromart Scholarship
$2000 Scholarship to be awarded – Application Deadline is July 1st. DETAILS and APPLICATION
East Coast Style 2016 – Dairy Sale & Show
Aug 11 – 13 – Eastside Holsteins, Frenchfort MORE
