College offersanimal health program
Starting in October, Lakeland’s School of Agricultural Sciences is expanding its animal health technology program to include a blended delivery model that enables students to complete their lectures online and their labs on campus.
Students will practise their practical skills in Lakeland’s Animal Health Clinic at the Vermilion campus, completing five lab residencies and two practicums during the two-year program.
The second program option (in addition to the in-person on-campus program) is aimed at helping to meet the need for qualified veterinary technologists within the animal health industry.
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Agri-business and farms front and centre for Alberta’s Open Farm Days
Open Farm Days continues to enjoy success in its 14th year running, as Alberta farms and agri-businesses were showcased to increase awareness on how food gets to the dinner plate.
According to the Alberta government, there is a veterinary technologist shortage in the province. In the last two years, 75 percent of employers recruited for veterinary technologist positions.
Application for the new blended program is open.
Feds fund mobile extraction lab
The federal government is investing up to $1.48 million for ExtractX Inc. to develop a mobile, ethanol-based extraction lab for biomass processing in Winnipeg.
The biotechnology company designs, builds and operates industrial-scale mobile extraction laboratories for hemp and cannabis markets.
The funding helped ExtractX complete research and development for its automated extraction technology.
The project is funded through the original Agricultural Clean Technology Program.
FCL-Blair deal approved
The Competition Bureau has given regulatory approval for the joint venture between Federated Co-operatives Limited and Blair’s Family of Companies to proceed.
Effective July 31, the joint venture is expected to acquire seven Saskatchewan agriculture retail locations, providing crop input, and animal-nutrition products, as well as agronomic services to farm customers near Lanigan, Liberty, Lipton, McLean, Nokomis, Rosthern and Watrous.
As a condition of approval the joint venture will sell its interest in the Lipton location and anhydrous ammonia assets in Lipton and Balcarres after closing.
Blair’s staff will continue to manage the day-to-day operations of the retail locations under the Blair’s banner, while the management team will report to the joint venture’s board of directors.
Feds-Sask. launch water program
The federal and Saskatchewan governments are implementing a new beneficial management practice for cow-calf producers under the farm stewardship program.
Eligible beef cow-calf producers can now access cost-shared funding of up to 75 percent of project costs, to a maximum payment of $15,000, for the development of preventive run-off control measures.
Qualified projects include:
- holding or retention ponds for collecting run-off
- ditches, berms or dikes and earthwork or pen regrading to achieve proper run-off
The stewardship program provides Saskatchewan producers funding to implement best management practices in three areas: water quality, climate change and biodiversity.
FCL completes fertilizer expansion
Federated Co-op Limited recently announced completion of its Co-op Fertilizer Terminal in Brandon.
In late October, FCL began a $5 million expansion, which increased the storage capacity by 9,000 tonnes, or more than 30 percent, for a total of 36,500 tonnes.
