New executive
The Canadian Livestock Identification Agency has a new executive following its first annual general meeting, held July 19-20 in Toronto.
The CLIA’s new executive includes president Dennis McKerracher of the Canadian Pork Council, vice-president John Hemsted of the Canadian Sheep Federation, Mabel Hamilton of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and Chris Gould of Equine Canada.
The CLIA is responsible for facilitating a nation-wide, multi-species system of livestock traceability in Canada. Its process involves a three-pronged approach to traceability: animal identification; premises identification and registration; and animal movement within Canada and internationally. The livestock identification program will draw from the ID systems of its various industry organizations and feed into a central database, while a premises database will involve a comprehensive listing of Canadian properties that run livestock.
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Horticulture training
The Devonian Botanic Garden near Edmonton will once again offer the master gardener program in the fall of 2006. The program, initiated in 1994, has been the stepping stone for people interested in pursuing a career in horticulture.
Trainees entering the program should have a high level of interest in gardening and should be prepared for an intensive training program consisting of lectures, homework and practical experience. The program will run for 17 Wednesdays, from Sept. 6, 2006 to Jan. 10, 2007.
Applications are available by calling 780-987-2064. Interested parties are encouraged to apply early because there is limited space. Application deadline is Sept. 4.
New SCCD board
Five new members have been elected to the Saskatchewan Council for Community Development Inc. board of directors.
New board members include Ashley O’Sullivan of Ag-West Bio Inc., Celine Favreau of the Saskatchewan Economic Developers Association, Darrell Schneider of Saskatchewan Food Processors Association Inc., Garth Patterson of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Neil Ketilson of the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board.
The new members will join returning board members Valerie Pearson of the Saskatchewan 4-H Council and Murray Purcell of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities. Patterson will serve as board chair and Pearson will return as vice-chair.
Ag communications
The University of Guelph has established a distance education program that offers a diploma in agricultural communications.
The program is the first of its kind in North America and offers courses via the internet. The diploma is designed for agricultural managers, communication and public relations officers, agrologists, journalists and freelance professionals.
It is designed to develop communication skills for people involved in agriculture, agri-food, the environment and life sciences. For more information, visit www.agcommunications.
Mailbox
Wanted: Information on the Champniss family that lived in the Hodgeville, Sask., area from 1914 onward. Frederick and Emily Champniss were homesteaders and had a daughter Lillian who married A.L. Austin, and a son, George Albert (born 1912) who went to school in Kelston, moved to Winnipeg in 1936, married Eldora Helen in 1938 or ’39 and served in the Royal Canadian Horse artillery in the U.K. from 1939-45. Contact: Janet Champniss at towerns@eastlink.ca or 16 Bonavista Drive, Head of St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia B3Z 2B1.
