PEIFA Today
Tuesday – August 15, 2017
Local, Regional, Canadian News
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
Farmers turn to specialized forecasting in face of rising extreme weather threat
In an industry that lives and dies by the weather, farmers like Dwight Foster are looking for all the help they can get to know what’s coming. MORE
Alberta agriculture groups see opportunity to ‘improve’ NAFTA with start of talks
Several of Canada’s most prominent agricultural organizations offered last-minute advice to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland in Edmonton Friday, ahead of the first round of NAFTA talks, set to begin in Washington August 16. MORE
Bumblebee colonies at risk of extinction after pesticide exposure: Study
A widely used pesticide is placing bumblebee populations at an increased risk of extinction, a new study from an Ontario researcher suggests. MORE
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Job Opportunity
POTATO INDUSTRY COORDINATOR
FULL-TIME CLASSIFIED POSITION – Charlottetown, PE
Closing date – Thursday, August 17th at 4:00pm
The purpose of this position is to serve as a coordinator for all potato related programs and activities within the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. The Potato Industry Coordinator will also, in cooperation with industry, develop innovative ideas or projects in the potato sector and take action to ensure they are successfully completed. The incumbent will work closely with other departmental staff, producers, industry leaders, agri-processors and other departments or agencies to bring projects to fruition. 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
Drought-related livestock tax deferral zones widen again
More ranchers in five provinces may now be able to defer some of their taxable income from their livestock sales in 2016 due to drought. MORE
CME live cattle retreat on softer cash price outlook
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Monday on expectations for lower prices for slaughter-ready, or cash, cattle this week amid ample supplies, traders said. MORE
British Beef Heading Toward Philippines
Filipinos can now enjoy British beef following a new export deal estimated to be worth £34 million. MORE
New Zealand’s Beef Cattle Herd Continues to Grow
Beef + Lamb New Zealand says that during the past year, New Zealand’s beef cattle herd increased by 2.8 per cent – to 3.6 million head – while the decline in the sheep flock slowed sharply as sheep numbers recovered in key regions after drought and other challenges. MORE
Cereal Based Pork Production Offers Marketing Edge
The Chair of Swine Innovation Porc suggests cereal-based pork production offers Canada an edge in the global market place MORE
Protocols for Moving Non-Shedding Pigs from Formerly PED Positive Sites Under Assessment
Animal Health Officials in Manitoba are re-evaluating the movement of pigs no longer through to be shedding PED virus originating from previously infected sites MORE
World Pork Expo: Hog Slat Launches Upgraded Fan
Hog Slat launched an upgraded AirStorm fan at World Pork Expo that increases output by 13.5 per cent and efficiency rates. MORE
China’s Appetite Boost for UK Pig Farmers
British farmers will soon benefit from a major export deal with China as the United Kingdom’s pork industry taps into growing demand in China for British produce. MORE
Atlantic Stockyards Market Report – August 10 – HERE
*Scroll down to find current report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Monday, August 14 HERE
Potatoes
FRENCH FRIES GAINING GROUND
More acreage, yields will be required to fill capacity at processing facilities in Alberta, New Brunswick. MORE
Dry Weather Has Maine Growers Hoping for Rain
August is a critical month for the growth of potatoes. With harvest occurring in September, at this time potato fields already have blossomed and the tubers have started to grow from petite new potatoes into full-sized ones—if there’s enough rain, that is. MORE
ONGOING MONITORING PROGRAM FINDS POTATO PSYLLIDS
No evidence found of bacteria that causes zebra chip disease MORE
RPE brings a new crop and a new life to Old Oak Farms® Party Potatoes®
Old Oak Farms®, RPE’s core commodity brand, is bringing new life to the fingerling potato category with Party Potatoes®. MORE
Processing and packaging solution specialist tna opens new office in Russia
Processing and packaging solution specialist tna is bolstering its on-the-ground customer support with the opening of a new office in Russia, TNA Eurasia LLC. MORE
Bangladesh expects huge potato surplus due to increased supply and sluggish demand
Cold storage operators in Bangladesh said between 15 and 20 lakh (2 million) tonnes of potato will remain unsold by the end of the year because of sluggish demand for the vegetable. MORE
Potatoes in Practice stage for Scotland – China Potato Research announcement
The Chinese Government and leading potato company, Xisen Potato Group have committed £3 million to a collaboration with James Hutton Limited (JHL) to breed new varieties and research resistance to pests and diseases, tuber storage and potato processing. MORE
Scottish Potato Industry unites to fund major Blackleg Research project
A group of major potato businesses and public sector organisations including the Scottish Government and AHDB have sponsored a £242,000 (USD 313,000) research project aimed at reducing the impact of potato disease blackleg on the Scottish seed potato industry. MORE
Scottish seed potato exporters set to increase tonnage to Brazil and Kenya
Government representatives from Scotland and Brazil met in July to simplify the import classification requirements for seed potatoes. The game-changing meeting was organised and funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). MORE
Agreement to defend Canary “papa bonita”
The heat and drought recorded this year have especially affected the harvest of the Canary “papa bonita” potato, as these conditions are favourable for the appearance of the Guatemalan potato moth. MORE
South African potato sales grow by 24%
From January till July this year, an extra 12.9 million 10kg bags were sold on South African fresh produce markets than were sold at the same time last year; up 24%. As a result, market prices are 37% lower during the same period. MORE
UK invests $5m into potato farming in Zambia
The British government has invested US$5 million into potato farming in the Northern Province of Zambia, to boost agriculture production in the region and contribute to the country’s economic diversification programme. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American Grains/Oilseed Review – Canola falls with soy, technicals
THE ICE Futures Canada canola market ended lower on Monday, tracking losses in the US soy complex. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Monday: Canola prices lower, barley unchanged HERE
Fighting herbicide resistance in weeds
Provide a healthy, competitive crop stand to help battle back weed pressures MORE
Diagnosing phytophthora root rot in soybeans
Holly Derksen with Manitoba Agriculture talks about the disease and why you can’t just rotate your way out of it MORE
Goss’s wilt makes its first appearance of the year
Goss’s wilt in corn and Phytophthora root rot in soybeans have been among the pathogens noted in the provincial disease and insect updates MORE
Soy, spring wheat extend losses on technicals, weather
U.S. soybean and spring wheat futures pared losses on Monday but still closed lower as technical selling and outlooks for favourable crop weather continued to pressure prices following steep declines last week. MORE
The rain dilemma for U.S. corn, soybeans
Localized storms are making widely used weather models less meaningful to the market MORE
AM markets: ags revive from USDA shocker amid data doubts HERE
PEI Grain Elevator Prices – HERE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Vegetarian junk food panned
Researchers say there are plenty of plant-based unhealthy dietary choices out there MORE
How ‘Big Ag’ Connects to Consumers Who Want Local
Consumers have more opportunity than ever to buy local, with more than 8,200 farmers’ markets sprinkled across the U.S., according to a new report from the USDA. In fact, the report cites a 180 percent increase in farmers’ markets from 2006 to 2014—a clear indication that more people want a connection to the farmers producing their food. MORE
Turning friends into targets
Be glad you aren’t the CEO of a major machinery manufacturer in the new era of Donald Trump MORE
Regular Updates
Weekly PEI Agriculture Market Reports – August 4 HERE
Rayglen Market Comments – August 9 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Thursday, August 10 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
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
5th Palmer Conference (2017)
August 29 to 31, 2017 at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, PEI.
This year’s Conference focuses on Canadian-American Relations, and includes panels on Trade and Commerce, the Environment, and Defense and Security (including food security as well). 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.
