AG Notes

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Published: February 12, 2015

Ag labour task force elects new chair

Mark Wales has been elected chair of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Labour Task Force. One of his tasks will be addressing agricultural industry worker shortages.

Wales is a horticulture farmer from Elgin County in Ontario and also chair of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, representing the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. The council is also doing research on agricultural labour market information to identify labour and skill gaps in the workforce.

New vice-chair for Alberta Wheat Commission

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Kevin Auch is the new vice-chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. The Carmangay-based producer has served on the board since commission’s inception.

Auch replaces Henry Vos, who remains on the board, while Kent Erickson will continue to be chair.

Gerry Good joins the board from region 2 and John Wozniak from region 4, both for two, three-year terms.

The commission represents Alberta’s wheat producers.

Grower receives pulse industry innovator award

Lud Prudek is the first recipient of Alberta Pulse Growers’ Alberta Pulse Industry Innovator Award.

Prudek was the founding president the organization, which is celebrating 25 years as a crop commission.

Known for his commitment to plant breeding, Prudek was one of the province’s first growers of dry edible beans in the 1960s. He also focused on sustainability and the importance of crop sequencing.

He was a partner in Alberta Bean Growers Ltd. and helped organize the Alberta Pulse Growers Association in 1979. He was inducted in the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2002.

CleanFarms recognized for sustainability excellence

CleanFarms has been awarded a 2014 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Award in the sustainability in pollution prevention and product stewardship category.

The organization was recognized for its accomplishments in pollution prevention, waste minimization and education and awareness of the value of sustainable development.

It is the 25th anniversary of the plant science industry’s empty pesticide container program.

More than 600,000 containers did not enter Manitoba landfills in 2013.

The obsolete pesticide collection program was launched in 1998. The last obsolete pesticide collection program took place in Manitoba in 2012, when almost 75,000 kilograms of obsolete products were collected and safely disposed.

New programs include obsolete animal health medications and a partnership with Green Manitoba to pilot plastic film and twine collections.

Pork council gets new chair

Rick Bergmann, a hog producer from Steinbach, Man., has been elected chair of the Canadian Pork Council.

Bergmann, a representative of the Manitoba Pork Council, is joined by newly elected first vice-president Bill Wymenga from Ontario Pork and second vice-president Frank Novak from Alberta Pork.

Bergmann said he will focus on the four pillars of success to further strengthen the industry: industry integrity, competitiveness, market penetration and industry leadership.

The Canadian hog industry accounted for more than $4.1 billion in farm cash receipts in 2013.

KidSport receives $100,000 donation

The Brandt Group of Companies has donated $100,000 to KidSport Regina during “Hockey Night in Regina sponsored by Brandt.”

The money will cover hockey fees for children in Regina and southern Saskatchewan who don’t have the financial means.

Videos explain Canadian mustard

The Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission recently launched three new videos to promote the versatility and flavour of Canadian mustard, one of the world’s oldest savoury spices.

The videos are now available on the Canadian Mustard YouTube Channel: Marvellous Mustard highlights mustards versatility in foods.

Mustard is a Must demonstrates how mustard can be used in seed, prepared or powdered forms.

From a Tiny Seed highlights Canada’s role as a leading mustard producer.

$3 million raised for Saskatchewan food banks

PotashCorp and Saskatchewan food banks raised a record $3 million through a matching gift campaign to support the province’s 35 food banks.

Cash donations to Saskatchewan food banks exceeded $2 million during the Christmas holiday season, and PotashCorp donated $1 million.

Saskatchewan holiday food bank campaigns, in combination with PotashCorp’s $5 million of support, have raised more than $12.5 million since 2010.

Food bank use in the province has increased more than 50 percent since 2008. According to the HungerCount 2014 report, food banks helped nearly 27,000 people in one month. Almost half of those were children.

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