***Deadline –July 1st!!!
PEIFA / Island Lime / PEI Agromart Scholarship
$2000 Scholarship to be awarded – Application Deadline is July 1st. DETAILS and APPLICATION
PEI Wild Blueberry Growers Seek a Project Manager
The PEIWBGA is seeking a project manager for an 8 week summer position. Anticipated start date is July 4th.
For more information visit HERE
Local, Regional, Canadian News
O’Leary’s festival July 18-24
‘Down on the Farm’ this year’s Potato Blossom Festival theme MORE
Creation of a Blueberry Teaching and Research Farm in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
The MNA of Roberval, Minister responsible for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region and Premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, the Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Pierre Paradis, and the Member of Parliament Chicoutimi – Le Fjord, Denis Lemieux, on behalf of the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, today announced the creation of a blueberry teaching and research farm in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. MORE
Crop Survey, Final Validation for the Crop National Occupation Standard
FROM : CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCE COUNCIL
We waited till after seeding to remind you of this. We are sending this to you now because we want to catch you before you get too busy with other things on your farm. It is really important to participate in this as it is your opportunity to check and make sure the information the researchers collected is correct and reflects the operations on a modern grain operation today. Please find time in the next week to participate in the SHORT online survey. Fill out the survey that is closest to your own job: Entry Level, Experienced, Supervisor or Manager. Your responses will remain anonymous. SURVEY
Recruiting Farm Families for the 2017 Faces of Farming Calendar
The PEIFA is currently recruiting farms to feature in the 2017 Faces of Farming calendar. We welcome all farm families of various commodities and farm history to submit their name for our consideration. The Faces of Farming calendar has become very popular over the years for its ability to share good news stories about local producers while also educating the public about farming in Prince Edward Island.
Should you be interested in having your farm featured, please submit a short description of your farm to charlottec@peifa.ca. If selected the PEIFA will have a photographer visit your farm this summer/early fall to take photos.
For more information please contact the PEIFA office 902-368-7289.
New Agriculture Environment Officer Unit
Prince Edward Island farmers have an important role in protecting and enhancing the environment. The PEI Department of Communities, Land and Environment believes that by working with farmers, we can better meet our goal of protecting the environment and public health and safety.
This year, a new Agriculture Environment Officer (AEO) unit has been established to work directly with farmers. This Unit will take a compliance-focused, risk-based approach to environment requirements. Staff will focus first on education and helping farmers get into compliance. The AEO unit will still enforce requirements in instances where there is high risk to the environment and public health and safety, when efforts to achieve compliance have failed, and when dealing with repeat offenders.
In the coming weeks and months, staff from the Ag-Environment unit will be visiting farms to introduce themselves and answer any questions you might have. When possible, they would like to call the farm first to make arrangements for a visit. If you are interested in being contacted first before a visit, please contact the Ag-Environment Team Leader (Shawn Schofield) at (902) 393-5285 or seschofield@gov.pe.ca
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
Livestock
Klassen: Feeder market enters summer doldrums
Western Canadian feeder cattle markets experienced a softer tone over the past week as many auction barns are in summer holiday mode. Weakness in live and feeder cattle futures set a negative tone and by Friday, Alberta packers had dropped bids by nearly $12 on a dressed basis. MORE
U.S. livestock: Technical buying rallies CME live cattle
Feeder cattle close up sharply, lean hogs finish weaker MORE
CME: More Cull Cows Expected to Come to Market
There has been discussion regarding the Choice-Select spread on the beef cutout value, but for today’s article we are going to focus on the cow cutout value, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner. MORE
Olymel plans major expansion for Quebec hog plant
The meat packing arm of Quebec’s La Coop federee has budgeted $25 million for a major expansion project at its hog slaughter and butchering plant at St-Esprit, Que. MORE
Canadian Dairy Commission – Market Bulletin – June 15 HERE
Atlantic Stockyards Weekly Market Report – June 16 HERE
*Scroll down the page to find the report
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Market Report – Tuesday, June 21 HERE
Potatoes
NEW WEAPON AGAINST POTATO CYST NEMATODE
Scientists are preparing to weaponize a parasitic worm’s DNA against it to prevent the loss of billions of dollars worth of potatoes every year. The parasitic yellow potato cyst nematode (PCN) worm devastates fields full of produce and, once established in a plot, can leave the land unworkable for potato farmers for up to 20 years. MORE
AAFC / InfoHort Potato Reports HERE
USDA – Daily National Potato and Onion Report HERE
Crops
North American grain/oilseed review: Canola, soy end lower
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts ended lower on Tuesday, pressured by traders leaving positions. MORE
ICE Futures Canada Tuesday: Canola futures prices lower, barley unchanged MORE
AM markets: corn futures recover, after limit-down decline HERE
Canola charts turn bearish
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts have crashed hard the past few days, losing roughly $40 per tonne since hitting some of their highest levels of the past year the previous week, as speculators bailed out of long positions. MORE
U.S. grains: Corn falls most in three years on crop prospects
Wheat nears one-month low; soybeans follow corn MORE
Grain Farmers of Ontario – Daily Commodity Report HERE
More Futures Prices HERE and HERE
General Interest
Opinions, studies on neonicotinoids contradictory
Farmers, apiculturists and ag researchers say many studies citing harm to bee populations don’t hold up MORE
Foraging for better soils
If you aren’t growing forages, can you really say you’re farming sustainably? MORE
Feeding the Indian tiger
Move over China. Food sales to India are set to roar MORE
Challenge equals opportunity for Outstanding Young Farmers
Schooten and Sons is one busy place. The Lethbridge-area operation has four feed yards with a combined 40,000-head capacity; 6,300 acres of crops and pasture; a 300-head cattle herd; custom farming business; trucking company; composting operation; and 35 employees. MORE
Supporting boots on the ground with an eye in the sky
After 20 years of relying on clipping samples for its Green Gold program, Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association (MFGA) is bringing in the air force. It’s recently begun investigating the addition of drone imagery to predict the optimum window to harvest alfalfa. MORE
Regular Updates
Ontario Farm Market Summary – Tuesday, June 21 HERE
AgWeather Atlantic HERE
Today’s Local Weather – HERE
Meetings and Events
PEIFA / Island Lime / PEI Agromart Scholarship
$2000 Scholarship to be awarded – Application Deadline is July 1st. DETAILS and APPLICATION
Combine Clinic – East
Jul 13 – Montague
The PEI Department of Agriculture & Fisheries will be hosting two Combine Clinics featuring combine specialist John Aubin. MORE
Combine Clinic – West
Jul 14 – Summerside 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
East Coast Style 2016 – Dairy Sale & Show
Aug 11 – 13 – Eastside Holsteins, Frenchfort MORE
