Swine centre gets new chair
Brent Robinson is the new chair of the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement.
Robinson, part owner of breeding stock supplier Vista Villa Farms, is a partner of Alliance Genetics Canada.
Robinson is also a director on the board at Ontario Swine Improvement and a member of the Ontario Swine Health advisory board.
Joining Robinson on this year’s board are Rod de Wolde with Ontario Swine Improvement, Normand Martineau of the Centre de développement du porc du Québec, Marquis Roy with Olymel, Line Théroux of the Canadian Swine Breeders Association, Wim Van Berkel with the Western Swine Testing Association, Dave Vandenbroek of Alliance Genetics Canada, Lee Whittington with the Prairie Swine Centre, Bill Wymenga of the Canadian Pork Council and Ken Hamoen with Sandridge Farms.
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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.
More information is available at ccsi.ca.
Canadian Angus Association marks 50 years
Two British Columbia families have been honoured for 50 consecutive years of membership in the Canadian Angus Association: the Hughes family of Tafika Angus and John Urquhart of Bramblebrook Ventures.
Tafika Angus near Lumby, B.C., keeps about 250 purebred Black Angus females.
The operation’s breeding program has been built on the foundation of creating cattle suited for many different types of producers and many different locations.
John Urquhart bought his first Black Angus cattle from Alex Turner of Turner Meadows on Vancouver Island and added Red Angus in 1972.
He sold the last of the red cattle last month, leaving a small herd of Black Angus cows.
Urquhart was active in the B.C. Angus Association for 12 years as a director and also served as vice-president. He is the current president of the Fraser Valley Angus Club.
The Canadian Angus Association instituted a long-term recognition award program in 1998 to commemorate 50 years of continuous membership. It was expanded in 2011 to recognize families with 75 and 100 continuous years of membership.
Applications open for ag management scholarship
Applications are due Sept. 15 for the Robert L. Ross Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship gives a Canadian farmer the chance to attend the Canadian Total Excellence in Agricultural Management program run by Agri-food Management Excellence. The national program helps producers use their own farm data to create a business strategy and business plan.
One scholarship of $11,500 is available for tuition and travel.
The winner will be notified by Sept. 30. Applications can be downloaded at agrifoodtraining.com and must be received by email to heather@agrifoodtraining.com or by mail to Agri-Food Management Excellence, R.R.1, Donalda, Alta., T0B 1H0
Forage council wins innovation award
David Christensen is the 2017 recipient of the Saskatchewan Forage Council’s Forage Industry Innovation Award.
Christensen is an emeritus professor in the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources, where his contributions to the dairy, beef and forage sectors and agricultural extension are well known.
He is involved in several projects with the university, federal researchers and consultants.
His contributions to forage research have been valued in Canada but also internationally, particularly in Asia where he has promoted Canadian products and performed forage market analysis.
