Ginseng research receives funding
The Ontario Ginseng Growers Association will use $423,000 in federal funding to help manage ginseng replant disease.
The disease, which is the inability to grow a second, healthy crop on land where ginseng was previously produced, is the No. 1 issue threatening the Ontario ginseng industry’s survival.
The non-profit association will research the reasons that cause the disease and look for solutions to manage and reduce its effects.
It will specifically study fungicides, the introduction of beneficial organisms and a comparison of replant and non-replant sites.
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The funding will complement existing research at Agriculture Canada’s Pesticide Risk Reduction Program, looking at crop management practices and factors that contribute to the disease.
The Ontario ginseng industry exports $220 million worth of unprocessed, dried ginseng a year.
green technology sector gets funding
Competitive Green Technologies has received $3 million in federal funding to help research sustainable agri-based technologies.
The company will work with the University of Guelph’s Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre to grow and test agricultural fibres and residues in bioplastic and biocomposite products. It’s hoped this will lead to new uses for non-food crops in industrial materials.
Natural fibre composites are substituting synthetic, petroleum-based fibre composites because they are cheaper, lightweight, can be recycled and are readily available.
The technology, which is still at the lab stage of development, is expected to help farmers turn agricultural waste such as oat hulls and switchgrass into revenue streams.
Livestock genetics receives market funding
The Canadian Livestock Genetics Association will receive $1.6 million in federal government to help boost the global sale of Canadian dairy and small ruminants genetics by 10 percent by next year.
The money will focus on developing new markets for Canada’s dairy, sheep and goat sectors.
The not-for-profit trade association will work to differentiate Canadian genetics from competitors in 45 international markets through promotion, training and education.
The dairy, sheep and goat industry in Canada generated more than $120 million in exports last year.
Online grain contracting
Cargill’s AgHorizons farm customers are the first in Canada who can sign a grain delivery contract online.
Ron Krahn, co-owner of Providence Farms in Manitoba, was the first Canadian farmer to use the electronic contact signing method.
The new online e-signature service will provide direct access to grain marketing experts as well as allow producers the ability to sign agreements anytime and anywhere.
Customers can sign up by contacting their local Cargill representative or location or by visiting www.cargillag.ca.
Also, Cargill employees will plant one tree for every e-signature registration this year.
Viterra helps fundjunior hockey
Viterra is teaming up with Western Canada’s three junior hockey leagues to sponsor all 40 teams this season.
The company will be recognized through division naming rights and other promotional activities. It will also hold employee and customers appreciation events throughout the season to promote local hockey across Western Canada.
SeCan donates to 4-H
SeCan has donated more than $41,000 to 4-H in Canada through the Grow a Leader program in Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec.
The program supports leadership development for rural youth through 4-H, which will receive a donation of $1 per unit for SeCan Genuity RR2Y soybeans ordered from Oct. 13-20.
Farmers can participate through their local SeCan seed retailer, order at www.secan.com or call 866-797-7874.
Video contest explores future of farming
Y We Farm is holding a video contest for farmers aged 20 to 40.
Participants must produce a video one minute or less that demonstrates what the future of Canadian agriculture looks like to them
The winner will receive a free trip to the Agricultural Excellence Conference, to be held in Winnipeg Nov. 19-21.
Farm Management Canada must receive completed application forms and videos by Oct. 24. Winners will be announced Oct. 31.
For more information, visit www.fmc-gac.com/content/y-we-farm.
Olds College plans for future
Olds College has found two partners for its new venture to help it transition into the next century of agricultural leadership.
One part of the transition consists of re-purposing the college, especially the Frank Grisdale Hall.
The team includes Phil Allen, a post-secondary veteran, and infrastructure experts Stantec Consulting.
Allen will begin his position as external consultant Oct. 1. Stantec will bring its knowledge of rural community infrastructure Nov. 1. They will be the college’s “boots on the ground” team.
