New Anti-Microbials for Poultry Farms
The federal government is investing $3.4 million for AbCelex Technologies to help develop anti-microbial feed additives to control disease outbreaks in poultry flocks.
The company is developing a new line of next-generation non-antibiotic, non-hormonal additives that target campylobacter and salmonella, which are two of the most common food-borne bacteria that infect poultry.
Wine Grape Research
The federal government is investing $400,000 in a wine grape research program at the Agriculture Canada Kentville Research and Development Centre in Nova Scotia.
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Canada’s plant hardiness zones receive update
The latest update to Canada’s plant hardiness zones and plant hardiness maps was released this summer.
The program is expected to provide growers with new information about varieties, growing techniques, and processing to take advantage of the region’s microclimates and land.
Researchers will investigate grape wine production practices, soil fertility, bud hardiness and pest and disease management at the Centre’s experimental two-acre vineyard.
Scientists will map every vineyard in the province and record the characteristics of its microclimates and terroirs as well as the production and management practices at each location.
Development of Canadian Beef Markets
The federal government recently announced an investment of $6.4 million over three years to help Canadian beef increase global consumer demand and brand loyalty.
The marketing and promotion plan targets key regional hubs in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America.
The investment builds beef export markets that have been re-established or expanded in Mexico, Ukraine, South Korea and Taiwan.
Dairy supports increase
The Canadian Dairy Commission increased the support price of butter and skim milk powder effective Sept. 1.
The support price of butter will increase from $7.7815 to $8.0062, and skim milk powder from $4.4176 to $4.5302 per kg.
The adjustments in support prices will offset the reduction in producer revenues in the last year.
CDC said the lower revenue was partly due to a decrease in world prices and to larger sales of surplus milk protein in low-priced markets.
The CDC expects these adjustments in support prices to add up to an overall revenue increase of about 2.76 percent for dairy producers for milk processed into yogurt, ice cream, cheese, and butter.
The impact of these adjustments at the retail level will be influenced by manufacturing, transportation, distribution and packaging costs throughout the supply chain.
Special pulse Ambassador
Dr. Joyce Boye was nominated by the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization as FAO special ambassador for the International Year of Pulses 2016.
One of her goals is to help spread awareness that increasing the consumption of pulses can improve people’s health.
She said pulses have a low carbon footprint, are a water efficient source of protein, and a key component of sustainable cropping.
BC Association of Farmers’ Markets
Heather O’Hara is the new executive director for the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets.
She has served as executive director of Potluck Café Society for the past eight years and worked with a number of organizations in B.C. to support social enterprise development, including Vancity Community Foundation, and CityStudio.
O’Hara is a part time student in the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School program.
