New farm products council official
Maryse Dubé was appointed to the Farm Products Council of Canada for a three-year term, effective immediately.
Dubé has extensive experience and knowledge of the agriculture sector.
For more information, visit Alberta Agriculture’s website or call the Ag-Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276).
Nature conservancy Hires
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has announced new staff members to its team in Saskatchewan.
Jennifer McKillop is the new director of conservation and will oversee the science, securement and land stewardship work.
Read Also
Farming Smarter receives financial boost from Alberta government for potato research
Farming Smarter near Lethbridge got a boost to its research equipment, thanks to the Alberta government’s increase in funding for research associations.
Dale Gross is the new natural area manager for the Missouri Coteau area of southern Saskatchewan and oversees community pasture management.
Kathryn Ecklund leads NCC Saskatchewan’s conservation volunteer events.
Mike Burak is the stewardship co-ordinator and monitors activities across the province.
Marika Cameron and Kylie Garchinski will also join as natural area assistants. They will be working with landowners and assisting with conservation volunteer events.
U of S researchers receive innovation award
Agriculture scientists Vladimir Vujanovic and Jim Germida from the University of Saskatchewan have won the 2015 Innovation Place–Industry Liaison Office Award of Innovation.
They were recognized for discovering a natural fungi-based technology to help improve yields, as well as heat and drought-tolerance traits of wheat, corn, canola, barley, soy and pulses.
The fungi, known as endophytes, grow inside host plant tissues and have evolved to work together with the plant.
In addition to receiving $5,000, the winners will be recognized with a trophy and photo on the Award of Innovation wall at the Industry Liaison Office.
4-H Citizenship Congressstudies global role
Seventy 4-H members recently travelled to Parliament Hill in Ottawa as part of the annual 4-H Citizenship Congress to explore issues facing Canada’s global role.
They spent four days meeting with parliamentarians, members of the aboriginal community, new Canadians and non-governmental organizations as they explored the conference theme: “Canada: Where Do We Stand?”
Members also participated in a mock debate in the Senate.
Ag in the Classroom hires
Sue Clayton is the new associate executive director of Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba.
She supports current executive director Johanne Ross, who was appointed chair of Agriculture in the Classroom-Canada.
Clayton has managed the community liaison role at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and served as a school board trustee for 16 years.
Past experience includes several boards as well as chair and vice-chair positions.
Funding to improve livestock transportation
The Canadian Animal Health Coalition is receiving $183,929 in federal funding to help support the safe transportation of livestock and poultry in a humane way by certified transporters.
The money will allow the non-profit organization to develop an online driver training and driver verification system based on the existing Canadian Livestock Transport certification program.
Canola supports Ag in the Classroom
SaskCanola is increasing its annual funding for Saskatchewan’s Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC-SK) to $50,000 from $20,000.
The program collaborates with the province’s agriculture and education sectors to meet the growing demand for ag education.
The charitable organization has been developing and delivering teaching resources, programs and events for students for 20 years.
Programming reached 38,600 students through 416 schools from 204 communities last year.
AFC launches website
The Agriculture and Food Council has launched a new website to help share information among members, stakeholders and visitors throughout the agricultural sector and related industries.
The website, at www.agfoodcouncil.com includes new sections and features that simplify the exchange of information.
