Local, Regional, Canadian News
P.E.I. carbon tax will mean big spike in gas prices
P.E.I.’s carbon pricing plan will lead to increases of nearly 12 cents a litre on gasoline and 14 cents a litre on fuel oil, according to calculations by the province’s Climate Change Secretariat. MORE
Panel calls for Canada to require plain-packaged pot products
The Canadian government should regulate the production of cannabis when it is legalized for recreational use and require plain packaging for such products, an official panel recommended on Tuesday, a potential setback to growers who hoped to build brands. MORE
Agriculture outlook for 2017
Cropsphere is fast approaching, we take a look at what a Trump presidency could mean for Saskatchewan producers. HERE
Methane emissions surge threatens climate change goals
Global methane emissions from agriculture and other sources have surged in recent years, threatening efforts to slow climate change, an international study indicates. MORE
Ontario names new top ag bureaucrat
Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a new deputy minister. MORE
‘Where’s your husband?’: Women in farming still fighting against old boys’ club
Younger women determined to break through glass ceiling and assume leadership roles in agriculture MORE
Train-the-Trainer Workshops on the Best Practices for Developing Standard Operating Procedures
This project will train students in the best practices to develop Standard Operating Procedures for tractor and machinery operation. It will include classroom training on CASA’s Safety Standard Operating Procedures Training Module as well as hands on exercises with students developing their own SOPs for their tractor and machinery. The initial session will be facilitated by a trained instructor. Future sessions will rely on trained volunteers to facilitate the group exercises on developing additional SOPs for tractor and machinery. Students will be encouraged to share their SOPs with other students to increase the number of SOPs available to all participants.
For more information please contact Matt at the PEIFA office 902-368-7289
Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey conducted by Corporate Research Associates Inc. (CRA) and sponsored by TD Canada Trust.
CRA has been conducting a Consumer Confidence Index in the region for the last twenty-five years and felt the time was right to have a business perspective on the economy in Atlantic Canada. CRA will produce a Business Confidence Index for each of the four Atlantic provinces and the region overall for comparison purposes.
We would encourage all our members to simply clink on the link below and help us build our own Business Confidence Index. Please be assured that all individual company responses will be treated in complete confidence and only aggregated data will be reported. The survey will only be opened until Wednesday, January 11, 2017. Why not take a few moments and complete the survey now. This survey is only open to those in the private sector.
To complete the survey click on the following link: https://surveys.cra.ca/s/112297/?assn&l=en
Should you have any questions on the survey, or require assistance accessing or completing the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Corporate Research Associates at surveys@cra.ca.
To view the summary report of the inaugural Atlantic Business Confidence Index, click here.
Livestock
Winter conditions weigh on feeder market
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded steady to $3 lower compared to seven days earlier. The market tends to soften during the first major snowstorm each year, but the established risk discount was not as severe as in past years. MORE
Managing the risks of mouldy feed
According to Manitoba Agriculture, determining if mouldy feed is still acceptable is a complex situation that requires a case-by-case analysis and usually feed tests MORE
Checkoff Logs Record 3,300 BQA Certifications
This fall, more than 3,300 producers from across the country became Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)-certified, the largest number in the history of free-certifications supported by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI). MORE
Irish Beef Prices Rising as Supplies Tighten
IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods said that cattle supply numbers have tightened considerably in the last few days with some factories out of cattle last Thursday/Friday and struggling to get adequate supplies for the kill this week. MORE
EU Beef, Pork Products Mean Quality, Safety and Tradition
The global trend for new and interesting food means people’s food tastes are becoming increasingly varied. MORE
Kalambo Flushes Out 25 Pastoralists, 2,000 Herds of Cattle
Kalambo District authorities in Rukwa Region have arrested and forcibly kicked out 25 pastoralists with 2,000 herds of cattle over the defiance of a directive issued by Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Zelothe Steven, against illegal animal entry into the district. MORE
Australia’s Genetic Showcase for Beef Cattle
The outstanding beef cattle seedstock available in south-east Australia will be on display again with 200 plus studs opening their properties for the 26th Stock & Land Beef Week from 27 January to 4 February. MORE
Fund buying drives CME live cattle higher
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Tuesday gained for a second day in a row on fund buying and higher wholesale beef prices, traders said. MORE
Why do dairy farmers participate in research?
Our farm is close to the University of Guelph. My father is a Guelph alumni having graduated in 1970, and my mother’s father, George Jones, taught in the Crop Science department for many years. MORE
Use of Heat Quicker and Cheaper for Cleaning Swine Transport Trailers
A researcher with the University of Saskatchewan says the use of heat to kill pathogens is speeding up the turn around time for swine transport trailers following cleaning and disinfection leading to substantial cost savings, writes Bruce Cochrane. MORE
Find-A-Vet Tool Helps US Pig Farmers Locate a Veterinarian
Find-A-Vet is a timely tool created by GlobalVetLINK that assists US pig farmers who are searching for a veterinarian for their animals. MORE
Positive Year for Brazil’s Pork Exports
According to figures compiled by the Brazilian Association of Animal Proteins (ABPA), pork exports continued the good performance registered in early 2016. MORE
Quotations Steady to Increasing
The positive trend is continuing for some quotations on the European pig slaughter market. The quotations are partly stabilising on the level achieved. MORE
Atlantic Stockyards Market Report – December 8 HERE
*Scroll down to find current report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report –Tuesday, December 13 HERE
Potatoes
Irving’s potato arm plans new plant for Lethbridge
Cavendish Farms, the potato arm of J.D. Irving Ltd., is set to build a $350 million frozen potato processing plant at Lethbridge to double its local capacity and replace the old York Farms plant it owns there. MORE
Potato yields on the rise
Manitoba is experiencing an unexpectedly large yield of potatoes this year. Storage sheds are full, according to some in Manitoba. MORE
Dewulf-Miedema appoints new full-service dealer in Alberta, Canada: Banga’s Equipment
Alberta is an important area for the potato industry in Canada. Home to many professional farmers with a progressive and innovative approach to potato farming. MORE
Challenges Drive Wireworm Research
Entomologist Bob Vernon has counted wireworms, identified species and looked for creative ways to kill them. MORE
New risk criteria for Potato Late Blight alert
A new risk criteria has been introduced to the Potato Late Blight alert. The new criteria was implemented thanks to new research by the James Hutton Institute and funded by AHDB Potatoes. This new criteria, the ‘Hutton Criteria” is reported to be a big improvement over the the 60 year old methodology used today. MORE
Potato Scientist Andrew Robinson Receives NDSU Award
North Dakota State University (NDSU) faculty and staff received awards for excellence in research, teaching, extension and support staff efforts, in an awards ceremony on campus. MORE
Spudmobile Connects Students to Careers
Wisconsin farmers support an $80 billion-plus industry, which employs more than 35,000 people. MORE
Belgian potato area almost 100,000 hectares
The Belgian potato area is growing significantly each year, and according to the latest prognoses the milestone of 100,000 hectares will be reached in 2017 or 2018. MORE
Indonesia fights against illegal potato imports
The Indonesian government pledged on Thursday to immediately stop illegal potato imports that have put local farmers at risk. MORE
Potatoes New Zealand joins government biosecurity initiative
Potatoes New Zealand Inc. (PNZ) has signed an agreement with Government to better protect the potato industry it represents in managing biosecurity. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American grain/oilseed review: Canola Continues Slide
ICE Futures Canada canola declined further on Tuesday, tracking losses in the US soy complex. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Tuesday: Canola futures prices lower, barley unchanged HERE
Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality
The loss of fertile topsoil from agricultural fields is an economic problem for modern growers. When runoff water washes topsoil from agricultural fields in areas with claypan soils under the topsoil, growers are often left with an exposed subsoil clay layer that creates difficult conditions for growing crops. MORE
Large yields keep Manitoba farmers looking to corn
Manitoba corn growers saw record yields this year despite an adverse harvest — and that trend of big crops is expected to continue, as varieties improve and more farmers commit to the crop. MORE
Corn hits five-month high
Chicago Board of Trade corn futures rose to a five-month high on Tuesday, with strong exports and technical buying supporting prices, traders said. MORE
Showing off the new crop
Harvest assessment is key to quality seminars for international wheat customers MORE
Grain Insight – Special Alert – December 9 HERE
AM markets: wheat dips as boost from oil-Trump factors wanes HERE
PEI Grain Elevator Prices – HERE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Manitoba’s dairy farmers optimistic for the future
Manitoba Co-operator reporter Shannon VanRaes spoke with David Wiens, chair of the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, about the optimistic mood among producers following the organization’s annual meeting and the opportunities he sees for Manitoba’s dairy industry as it looks ahead to 2017. MORE
ARBI drafting long-term work plan for Assiniboine basin
The Assiniboine River Basin Initiative (ARBI) has produced a draft plan that lays out what partner organizations hope to achieve for better basin-wide management — and how to go about it. MORE
Monsanto shareholders back Bayer deal
Shareholders of U.S. seeds and agrochemicals company Monsanto approved the company’s US$66 billion acquisition by Bayer on Tuesday, a deal that still requires regulatory approval to close as expected in late 2017. MORE
Platte River Equity Acquires Tiger-Sul
Platte River Equity announced yesterday it had acquired Tiger-Sul Products, a global leader in sulphur fertilizers and crop performance products, in partnership with existing management. Tiger-Sul was acquired from H.J. Baker & Bro., Inc., which has owned the Company since 2005 and will retain a minority equity position. MORE
Most US Farms Still Family Owned According to New Report
Farming is still overwhelmingly a family operation according to a new report, “America’s Diverse Family Farms 2016,” released this week by the USDA Economic Research Service. MORE
Regular Updates
FCC Express – December 9 HERE
Rayglen Market Comments – December 7 HERE
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Tuesday, December 13 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
PEI Young Farmers AGM
Saturday, January 7th at the Delta Prince Edward
Guest speakers include Greg Peterson of Peterson Farm Bros and Lane Stockbrugger of LDS farms.
(Check out Peterson Farm Bros Youtube channel HERE)
$40 early bird registration, fter December 20, 2016 the price will be $50 per person.
Email peiyoungfarmers@outlook.com to register for event.
If you’re between the ages of 18 and 40 registration also covers your Young Farmers of PEI Yearly membership fee ($25).
This is a Young Farmer event but people of all ages are invited and encouraged to attend.
Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey conducted by Corporate Research Associates Inc. (CRA) and sponsored by TD Canada Trust.
CRA has been conducting a Consumer Confidence Index in the region for the last twenty-five years and felt the time was right to have a business perspective on the economy in Atlantic Canada. CRA will produce a Business Confidence Index for each of the four Atlantic provinces and the region overall for comparison purposes.
We would encourage all our members to simply clink on the link below and help us build our own Business Confidence Index. Please be assured that all individual company responses will be treated in complete confidence and only aggregated data will be reported. The survey will only be opened until Wednesday, January 11, 2017. Why not take a few moments and complete the survey now. This survey is only open to those in the private sector.
To complete the survey click on the following link: https://surveys.cra.ca/s/112297/?assn&l=en
Should you have any questions on the survey, or require assistance accessing or completing the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Corporate Research Associates at surveys@cra.ca.
To view the summary report of the inaugural Atlantic Business Confidence Index, click here.
SSDE Industry Engagement Day – January 20, 2017
Our first semester is behind us and it was a tremendous success. During last semester we hosted our first Industry Engagement day and had the great privilege of welcoming well over 100 people to our School of Sustainable Design Engineering. Building on that success, we wish to start the New Year off with good momentum and hold our next Industry Engagement day on the 20th of January 2017. This day will have a specific focus on Bio-Resources and Precision Agriculture.
Goal – Is to gather Industry, Government, and Academia and look for collaboration to advance Bio-Resources and Precision Agriculture. We will also to take the opportunity to introduce the Class of 2017.
Date and time – 20 January 2017 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Location – UPEI Campus. 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE.
Agenda
10:00 – Welcome to the Province of Prince Edward Island and to the University
10:10 – Keynote Address from the Province
10:30 – Introduction of the first keynote speaker Dr.John K. Schueller from the University of Florida by Dr.Aitazaz Farooque
10:35 – Key Note address: Precision Agriculture Technologies for Economically and Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture
11:05 – Introduction of the second keynote speaker Dr.Animesh Dutta from the University of Guelph by Dr.Bishnu Acharya
11:30 – Meet the Graduating Class of 2017 – Introduction by Dr.Wayne Peters, the Director of Student Experience
11:35 – Guided tour by the Industry Partnerships Group
12:00 – Lunch (provided – no turkey)/Networking – 60 mins
1:00 – Panel discussion led by the School of Sustainable Design Engineering with keynote speakers and Government/Industry representatives
2:00 – wrap up and thank you by Dr.Nick Krouglicof, Associate Dean of Engineering and Allan Dale, Industry Partnerships Group
Please RSVP to Lisa Sanderson at lmsanderson@upei.ca
