Agripod

To help farmers and agri-businesses find new ways to make their operations more sustainable the federal government has created the Agricultural Clean Technology Program. $50 million of the $165 million designated for the program will go specifically towards the purchase of more efficient grain dryers. Are there products out there that can meet the guidelines set out in the program.

Triple Green Products of Manitoba has created BioDryAir that uses biomass material to fire up those dryers eliminating the need for natural gas or propane. Lyall Wiebe will explain the new dryer and how it fits into the federal governments’ new strategy.

A California ballot initiative set to take effect at the end of the year has implications for the production of livestock throughout the United States and Canada. Proposition 12 imposes new minimum space requirement for calves raised for veal, breeding sows, and laying hens and restricts the use of certain production practices and bans the sale of product from any farm that fails to meet those standards.

National Pork Producers assistant vice president and general counsel Michael Formica explains what this means for anyone that supplies meat products to Californians and the concerns it raises for all of North Americas producers. To help farmers and agri-businesses find new ways to make their operations more sustainable the federal government has created the Agricultural Clean Technology Program. $50 million of the $165 million designated for the program will go specifically towards the purchase of more efficient grain dryers.

Are there products out there that can meet the guidelines set out in the program. Triple Green Products of Manitoba has created BioDryAir that uses biomass material to fire up those dryers eliminating the need for natural gas or propane. Lyall Wiebe will explain the new dryer and how it fits into the federal governments’ new strategy.

A California ballet initiative set to take effect at the end of the year has implications for the production of livestock throughout the United States and Canada. Proposition 12 imposes new minimum space requirement for calves raised for veal, breeding sows, and laying hens and restricts the use of certain production practices and bans the sale of product from any farm that fails to meet those standards.

National Pork Producers assistant vice president and general counsel Michael Formica explains what this means for anyone that supplies meat products to Californians and the concerns it raises for all of North Americas producers.

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The return to normalcy in the in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is fuelling some of the highest hog prices in years. North American live hog prices, pressured by changing consumption patterns and reduced processing capacity, have rebounded dramatically since this time one year ago, driven in part, by the reopening of the U.S. economy.

Tyler Fulton, the Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services will explain the remarkable turnaround for the market and how it has been able to recover from last years huge shock to the value chain.

There is new technology being developed that would spot control weeds using artificial intelligence while passing over a field. It could reduce pesticide use by as much as 95 per cent. Dan McCann is the founder and CEO of Precision.ai. He will share some history on the project, ongoing research and how it could be a game changer for agriculture and the environment.

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COVID-19 had an immediate impact on gatherings. Several agricultural conferences, events and meetings were either cancelled or switched to a virtual format in order to continue to deliver information to farmers. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Crops Extension Specialist Allie Noble is involved with the planning with many events. The pandemic certainly changed how these activities were delivered but she says it wasn't all bad news. In fact, the pandemic taught organizers a lot about what farmers want and how they want to receive information. Noble says things will return to normal, but it will be a new normal.

Manitoba's pork producers applauded the government's passage of new bills designed to enhance the ability of farmers to enforce biosecurity protocols. Prior to adjourning for its summer recess, the Manitoba Legislature passed the Animal Diseases, Petty Trespass and Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Acts. Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl said this will help ensure that farmers can help protect their animals from biosecurity threats.

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Ground-breaking research in fertilizer techniques from a soil science expert could increase yield for producers. Dr. Jeff Schoenau and a team of colleagues have recently published a soil study  that could change fertilizer techniques and increase crop yields for prairie producers.

This new research, conducted using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron at the University of Saskatchewan analyzed the reaction that fertilizers undergo once they hit the soil, and how effective current techniques are in retaining nutrients and micronutrients for plants to use. Schoenau will explain how this can improve a farmers bottom line.

Reduced international airline travel, masking, and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is being credited for a dramatic reduction in Influenza and other respiratory infections this year. Dr. Susan Detmer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She says the number of cases of Influenza did go up slightly during the winter but dropped again, and, for humans, there have been record low numbers.

Detmer tells us why this information is important when dealing with infections in the animal population and the concerns it generates.

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The Soil Conservation Council of Canada is the face and voice of soil conservation and health in Canada. It works with the value chain to advocate for government and industry, promote the benefits of improved soils and demonstrate best management practices to achieve healthier soils across the agricultural landscape.

Executive Director Jim Tokarchuk will share the work of the council and explains one of the efforts to raise public awareness through the SOIL YOUR UNDIES program.

Art Lange is an independent farm business consultant based near Edmonton. Art has worked in many areas of the agriculture and food industry in Alberta and B.C. for almost 40 years.

He has experience in the farm machinery industry, feed industry, inspection work with the federal government, living and working on a hog farm, and selling veterinary medicines for a multi-national drug company.For for 20 years he worked at Alberta Agriculture. Art took all of those experiences and created his own consulting business called AJL Consulting.

He's going to talk about his experience creating business plans for farm operations and shares some of the dos and don'ts of getting this important document together and why every farm should have one.

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Saskatchewan’s food processing facility is growing. The Food Industry Development Centre will be expanding its operation to provide support to the province's value-added sector. The centre, located in Saskatoon, Sask., is the province’s only commercial incubation centre for food processing and assists food processors to value add their products and prepare them for market. Food Centre President Dan Prefontaine says the vision to be a leader in agri-food industry is stronger than ever with the new expansion

Lysine, an amino acid, is a building block of protein. The human body cannot make lysine so it must come from our diet from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and some plants like soy and other legumes. Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are studying how increasing the lysine content in sow rations during late gestation will stimulate the development of mammary tissue to increase the productivity of piglets. Dr. Chantal Farmer will talk about her work and role lysine may play in pork production.

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Farmers are focused on seeding this year's crop so many were not thrilled to see the Census of Agriculture appear during a very busy time of year. Augustine Akuoko-Asibey is a director in the Agriculture Division of Statistics Canada.

He says the census data contains important information when it comes to direct payments or various programs that support the ag industry. The information is also used to defend farmers interests in trade disputes and negotiations.

Augustine will tell us about some of the changes that have been made since the last census in 2016, provide some tips to make the process easier and explain the provisions that have been made to give farmers and ranchers more time to complete the paperwork.

Farmers Edge announced late April that it would offer Canada’s first canola heat blast yield protection product to its customers. The company will digitize the flow of insurance data from start to finish, and Munich Re will underwrite the contract.

Wade Barnes, co-founder and CEO of Farmers Edge, says the measurement of yield lost is based on temperature measurements from an in-field sensors. Once it hits the key temperature, the sensor will trigger the claim, and Munich Re will go in and make the payment directly to the grower.  

Other reinsurance companies have offered this type of product globally, but have based the data off government weather stations, as opposed to the in-field sensors. Barnes says the Canola Heat Blast Yield Protection product is the first of its kind and there is going to be others coming down the pipeline.

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Agripod is brought to you by Smart Nutrition M-A-P plus MST.

Soil is your most powerful machine.

Agriculture in the Classroom has revealed its new, kid-friendly website that brings the story of agriculture in Saskatchewan to life. The site was designed for Grades 4 to 6 students and will show them the Past and Present of agriculture in the province through highly interactive bits of information.

Executive director Sara Shymko says the website is informative and engaging with its colourful illustrations and real-life photos which gives students a visual perspective on farming. Quizzes and teacher lessons are also provided. Sara will share how the website came to be and its plans for the future.

The most valuable resource for any business is its people.  Agriculture is no exception.

Human capital remains essential in ensuring the continued production of high-quality food, fibre and fuel. The entire food value chain relies on people to fill planting, production, quality control, processing, and distribution roles to keep the agri-food system viable. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council identified the main areas of concern within the industry as part of its recent report - Understanding the Effects of COVID-19 on Canada’s Agriculture Workforce.

Council chair Cyr Couturier will share the findings from the research AND the key recommendations.

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An online survey conducted by a Toronto-based public relations company shows 91 per cent respondents are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ confident in food grown or produced domestically. Just over 1,000 people were surveyed by Grassroots Public Affairs during the last week of March. Senior consultant Peter Seeman says Canadians are very positive towards agricultures’ contributions to the economy and national security. And while Canadians hold very positive opinions of agriculture and agri-food— the intensity of these opinions has decreased in the past year.

Peter will share the key findings from the survey and how the results can help shape ag policy.

After a successful first year, Cumberland College in Melfort, Saskatchewan is bringing its Agriculture Sciences Certificate program back again this fall. There is no doubt there continues to be strong demand for skilled agriculture workers so Lakeland College in Vermillion, Alberta and Cumberland struck to deal to offer a program to Saskatchewan students allowing them to earn a certificate closer to home. The one year program focuses on crop Production where they can learn about plant science and field crops to weed and herbicide management, pesticide applications, and even going into areas of business records and reporting as it applies to agriculture.

The program will benefit students with a background in agriculture as well as those who are learning about the industry for the first time. Rebecca Bryson and Daniel Ferre with Cumberland College will talk about the program and that will give students a good base for a career in agriculture or it can be a steppingstone to furthering their education in ag.

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A new study by Ernst and Young projects the global plant-based food market will reach $250 billion by 2035. The largest portion of that would be alternative meats at about $160 billion with additional markets for beverages and seafood.

Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel says we should be aiming for 10 per cent of the plant-based food market but this will require increased production . . . additional ingredient processing and more domestic plant-based food manufacturing.

 A new report from Farm Credit Canada says the Canadian food and beverage sector is well positioned to take advantage of the new marketing opportunities that will be created as the global economy opens back up.

While the global pandemic has resulted in losses, it has also created new opportunities. FCC Principal Economist Craig Klemmer will talk about the roller coaster year of 2020 disrupting supply chains and export markets and prompting the closure of food service, but, the food and beverage sector has adapted.

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