Mental health app developed
A new mobile app named Avail allows users to gain insights into their mental well-being through self-assessments and tracking progress.
Bridges Health of Saskatoon was selected as the winner of the $10,000 Innovation Challenge in 2020 to assist Saskatchewan farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers to monitor mental health.
Avail connects users with care professionals in their area and links them to the virtual supports available.
Bridges Health is now ready to start testing the app and is looking for Saskatchewan producers and their families to test the product. The feedback will help refine the app.
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Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
More information is at Innovation Saskatchewan’s website.
Lakeland College employee honoured
Karen Harris in student support services at Alberta’s Lakeland College has won a 2020 Gold Award of Excellence from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics.
Harris was Canada’s lone gold recipient in the competition. The category honours excellence in provision of services that support college students.
Other finalists in the Student Support Services category were from institutions in China and the United Kingdom.
Harris has worked with almost 1,000 Lakeland students in individual and group sessions since becoming the college’s learner success strategist in 2017.
She worked in secondary education for more than 35 years before joining Lakeland in 2015.
NFU president wins by acclamation
Katie Ward from Woodlawn, Ont., was acclaimed president of the National Farmers Union during the annual national convention held virtually in November.
Other elected national officers include:
- Bess Legault of Fort St. John, B.C., is women’s president.
- Stuart Oke of Saint-Andre-Avellin, Que., is youth president.
- Julia Smith of Merritt, B.C., is first vice-president (policy).
- Stewart Wells of Swift Current, Sask., is second vice-president (operations).
- Coral Sproule of Perth, Ont., is women’s vice-president.
- Jessie MacInnis of Tatamagouche, N.S., is youth vice-president.
Ag in the Classroom highlights eggs
The British Columbia Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation has launched the Spotlight Series on Eggs.
The online learning tool teaches secondary B.C. Culinary Arts and Food Studies students all about B.C. eggs through an educational video, a curriculum-linked matching game, recipes, and an interactive GIS resource to learn where and how eggs are produced and used.
The spotlight series allows students to make connections between farming, food security, and healthy eating habits.
New Spotlight Series coming in 2021 will feature duck, pork, and blueberries to augment the existing Spotlight Series on cranberries, apples, and eggs.
More information is at bcaitc.ca.
Alberta Blue Book gets new look
Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola, Alberta Pulse Growers and the Alberta Wheat Commission have launched the albertabluebook.com, which is a new website for Alberta’s Crop Protection Guide.
The Blue Book website is accepting advanced pre-orders of the 2021 Blue Book for shipping in March.
Interested parties can subscribe to the Blue Book’s email list to receive updates and news on the publication and provide input through the feedback form embedded on the albertabluebook.com website.
