SEEDS FOR SPORT
Twenty-three minor hockey teams in Western Canada are sporting new hockey jerseys, following a contest run by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Prairie hockey players entered the Hockey Jersey Bonanza to win new jerseys for their teams. Entrants submitted a drawing or short story about their hockey dream or why hockey is important to them and their community.
More than $25,000 worth of hockey jerseys were awarded to the winners and their teammates.
The minor hockey teams that won jerseys will have them imprinted with individual team logos and player numbers. Winning teams will receive their jerseys this summer.
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FARM WRITERS APPOINT HONOURARY CHAIR
Former Canadian agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief has been named honourary chair of the 2011 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress, which is planned for Guelph and Niagara Falls, Ont., Sept. 14-18.
Vanclief served as a member of Parliament from 1988 to 2004, during which time he was opposition critic for agriculture, parliamentary secretary to the agriculture minister, chair of the House of Commons standing committee on agriculture and minister of agriculture.
Prior to his political career, Vanclief operated Willowlee Farms Ltd. in Ontario’s Prince Edward County, a diversified livestock, fruit and vegetable, and grain and oilseeds farm now owned and operated by his son.
He was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2010.
HORTICULTURE HIRINGS
Assiniboine Community College has hired two instructors for its new horticultural production program, which starts this autumn.
Lord Abbey and Sajjad Rao conduct applied research in horticultural production.
They will focus primarily on Manitoba fruit and vegetables.
Abbey obtained a bachelor of science in agriculture (honours) majoring in crop science from the University of Ghana, a master of science in horticulture and crop science from the University of London’s Imperial College and a PhD in plant science and post harvest physiology from Cranfield University’s Silsoe College in the United Kingdom.
He has worked as a horticultural research scientist, research scientist
in plant eco-physiology and post harvest science, greenhouse/ horticulture co-ordinator, professional agrologist and agribusiness consultant.
Rao has a post-graduated PhD in plant science from the University of Liverpool and a bachelor of science (honours) and master of science (honours) in agriculture from Pakistan’s University of Agriculture Faisalabad.
He holds a professional agrologist designation, has a recognized plant breeder status from the Canadian Seed Growers Association and is a member of the Prairie Recommending Committee’s agronomy evaluation team.
Horticultural production at the Brandon college is a one year certificate program that focuses on the production of fruit, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants using a practical approach.
NEW FARM ANIMAL EXECUTIVE ELECTED
Heine Hehli, a dairy producer from Rimby, Alta., has been elected chair of Alberta Farm Animal Care.
Hehli represents Alberta Milk, where he has served as a delegate for more than 20 years.
Larry Delver, a veterinarian and cattle producer from Calgary, was elected vice-chair. He represents Western Stock Growers, where he is first vice-president.
Delver has long been active with Alberta Beef Producers, where he is cattle industry council chair, and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
He worked for 20 years for the federal government’s health of animals branch, which became the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He remains an active producer with 25 cows.
Brian Chomlak of Beauvallon represents Alberta Beef Producers and will serve as finance chair.
Chomlak and his family have a mixed farming operation with cattle and sheep.
He has served on the board of the Alberta Sheep and Wool Commission and has been active in other industry organizations.
Past-chair Doug Sawyer runs a cow-calf and backgrounder operation in the Pine Lake area and represents Alberta Beef Producers.
Sawyer was chair of AFAC for the past three years and is on the board of the Red Deer Feeder’s Association. He also has long had an interest in environmental stewardship issues and is vice-chair of the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance.
AFAC is a partnership of Alberta’s major livestock groups with a mandate to promote responsible, humane animal care within the livestock industry.
