Atlantic Canada boosts apple processing tech
The federal government is investing nearly $2.5 million so that the Ocean Crisp Apple Company in Nova Scotia can buy and install automated and robotic equipment that increase capacity, improve efficiency and quality, and reduce water usage.
An investment of $1,978,157 is being provided under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriInnovate Program, with an additional $500,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program.
Other major Atlantic apple producers are being granted access to the advanced equipment, which will send premium apple varieties to high-value export markets.
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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.
In 2017, the farm gate value for apples in the Maritimes reached $24.7 million, an increase of $9.2 million from 2011 due to the success of high value cultivars such as Honeycrisp and Ambrosia apples.
Europe approves vaccine for piglets
MSD Animal Health has been granted approval by European authorities to market PORCILIS Lawsonia, an intramuscular vaccine against Lawsonia intracellularis for piglets.
Lawsonia intracellularis is a bacterium that causes ileitis, a gastrointestinal disease present on 80 to 100 percent of European farms.
The vaccine will reduce diarrhoea, loss of daily weight gain, intestinal lesions, bacterial shedding and mortality caused by Lawsonia intracellularis infection with a duration of immunity for 21 weeks.
The drug will also be approved for mixing with PORCILIS PCV M Hyo, providing the opportunity for protection against three major diseases affecting pigs in a single intramuscular vaccination: Lawsonia intracellularis, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo).
