Canada gets Full beef access to Jamaican Market
Eleven years after the border closed to Canadian beef, Canada can once again export beef and beef products to Jamaica, effective immediately.
Canada Beef estimates that the Jamaican market for Canadian beef is worth roughly $4.5 million, or 1.5 million pounds of beef.
Jamaica is Canada’s second largest market for agricultural exports within the Caribbean region, only after Cuba, with 2013 agricultural exports to Jamaica reaching $54 million.
Canada’s top agricultural exports to the Jamaican market include wheat, frozen french fries, whey, pig fat and skim milk powder.
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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
“Our government continues to work with industry to open new markets to increase exports of our top-class beef,” federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said.
“This new access gives Canadian producers another vibrant market for their product, increasing their competitiveness and growing our overall economy.”
Dennis Laycraft, executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, said since the borders were closed in 2003, Canada has regained partial or full access to “every significant market that was impacted by BSE.”
Canada continues to regain full access to some markets including China and Japan that only allow partial access to Canadian beef, said Laycraft.
Unmanned aerial robots locate weeds
Autonomous aerial helicopters could be used in the fight against weeds in Australia’s dense rainforests and other remote areas and terrains where mapping weeds is difficult.
Two project helicopters developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization completed trial flights near Cairns.
Researchers say they quickly found weeds such as miconia calvescens (purple plague) using imaging technology.
Robotics researchers at CSIRO developed the unmanned helicopters in partnership with Biosecurity Queensland.
The helicopters are said to be easy to use and operate under controlled conditions with built-in fail-safe mechanisms.
Alberta’s Century farms honoured
Several families in Alberta were recently honoured with Century Farm and Ranch Awards.
The provincial government gave a bronze plaque to each of this year’s 65 pioneering families who have farmed or ranched the same land for 100 years or more. More than 1,400 families have received plaques since the recognition awards began in 1993.
A complete list is available on the Agriculture and Rural Development website.
Farmers Appreciation Week planned
The British Columbia Association of Farmers’ Markets has launched the second annual Ode to a Farmer Poetry Contest as part of the fifth annual Farmers Appreciation Week Sept. 8-15.
Novice and experienced writers who are B.C. residents can submit their agricultural-inspired poems, whether it is a haiku, ballad, ode or limerick.
The grand prize is a $150 gift certificate to the B.C. farmers market of their choice. A winning poem will also be selected in each region of the province and the author will receive a $50 gift certificate.
For more information, visit the Farmers Appreciation Week website.
Viterra plans new elevator in Manitoba
Viterra recently announced it intends to build a 30,000 tonne grain terminal near its canola crush plant at Ste. Agathe, Man.
It will be able to load up to 124 rail cars with access to both Canadian National Railway and BNSF rail service.
