Seed of the Year West – scholarship winner
CDC Bethune flax has been named seed of the year for 2012 and a first year graduate student from the University of Manitoba will benefit from the win.
Part of the western award is a $4,000 scholarship presented to a student enrolled in a western Canadian university who is completing a masters or PhD in plant breeding or genetics.
Gord Rowland, the breeder responsible for Bethune, was asked to select the scholarship winner and chose Marley Boyce.
Her research involves the identification, characterization and genetic mapping of a new leaf rust resistance gene in spring wheat.
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Seed of the Year is designed to recognize publicly developed varieties that have made a significant contribution to the economy, agriculture and the Canadian public.
The competition was designed by the University of Guelph and SeCan with sponsor support from government and various commodity boards each year.
Policy changes for registering Jersey males
The Canadian Dairy Network plans to begin offering open access to breeders for genotyping herd book registered males, starting April 1.
As a requirement for genotyping males in Canada, all bulls must be registered in the breed association herd book prior to the release of genomic evaluation by CDN.
All males must have their parentage confirmed by a genetic test at the time of registration to be included in the Jersey Canada Herd Register.
For more information, visit the CDN website.
Pulse checkoff tax credit available
Pulse producers are eligible to claim 53 percent of their check-off contributions for a federal investment tax credit in 2012 through the Scientific Research and Experimental Development program.
The tax credit is based on the amount of check-off funds spent on research and development that meet specific criteria as set out by Canada Revenue Agency.
Growers can calculate their total check-off contribution by referring to their pulse sales receipts, which shows the check-off allocation.
Of this total, 53 percent is eligible to earn an investment tax credit. This resulting check-off amount is eligible to earn an investment tax credit up to a maximum of 20 percent for individuals and up to a maximum of 35 percent for corporate growers that are Canadian controlled private corporations.
The 53 percent comprises research performed in the following provinces: Saskatchewan, 49 percent; Alberta, zero percent; Manitoba, three percent; Ontario, one percent and Quebec, zero percent.
Check-off investment tax credits applied against taxes payable or refunded must be reported by the grower as income in the subsequent year.
For more information visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca/txcrdt/sred-rsde/menu-eng.html.
Sask. top food exporting province for second year
Saskatchewan exported more than $11 billion in agri-food products in 2012, a record yearly amount.
Saskatchewan also remains the nation’s top agri-food exporter. In total, the province accounted for 23 percent of Canada’s agri-food exports in 2012.
The record $11.1 billion in 2012 agri-food exports is an increase of nine percent over 2011, and an increase of 75 percent since 2007.
Agriculture continues to have a major impact on the province’s economy, accounting for more than one third of all provincial exports.
Canola seed is the top export at $2.7 billion in 2012. Canola seed exports have increased 25 percent since last year and 215 per cent since 2007.
Other top agri-food exports in 2012 included wheat ($2 billion), canola oil ($1.7 billion), durum ($1.2 billion) and lentils ($673 million).
