Matthew is currently a student at Nova Scotia Agricultural College, and eventually hopes to attend the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI. The $750 bursary was established by the co-operative to help students study organic agriculture at the post secondary level. The 2009 winner was Karen Stehler.

This bursary is awarded annually to a student entering his/her first year of post-secondary studies in organic agriculture at a recognized institute of education. The recipient is picked by the co-operative’s Education Fund Committee based upon the completed application form, and a minimum high school average to date (grades 10, 11 and mid-term grade 12) of 75% (or equivalent for mature students).

The application deadline for the 2011 bursary is March 15 and the application form can be downloaded from the co-operative website at www.organicpei.com. Application materials should be sent to the Prince Edward Island Certified Organic Producers Co-Operative Ltd., Box 1776, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, C1A 7N3. For additional information call (902) 894-9999.

While most of you have been busy in the fields this fall, the Board and staff of the PEIFA have been working on a number of important issues and initiatives. Over the past number of months, the PEIFA has been faced with an issue where a number of industry players have been quietly working together toward a common goal. As many of you are aware, the Advance Payment Program is administered to PEI farmers through our office and we take pride in delivering a quality service to all farmers in the program. In this year alone, we have provided our clients with over $30 million in working capital. Our APP administrators, Tim Seeber and Andrew Wood are committed to balancing the needs of farmers with the administrative requirements placed upon them by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Over the summer, the APP program was audited and the auditors took note of the high quality of our delivery.

There are times when we have to balance program delivery with our lobbying efforts. In 2008, livestock farmers across Canada received payments through the APP program under a severe economic hardship protocol. Repayment of these loans was put on hold and a Stay of Default was put in place. Even though the economic conditions the loans were made under have not changed, we’ve recently received word from Minister Ritz that repayment on these beef and hog loans is set to begin in the not too distant future. As program administrators, we have been required by AAFC to send notice of this out to our farmers and to establish their repayment ability.

At the same time, the PEIFA has been working very hard to come to a reasonable solution for our farmers. We have been told that, under no circumstances, will the loans be written off. We have formed a loose coalition of groups and individuals who have been lobbying Minister Ritz to stretch repayment of these loans over a very long period of time. Involved in this lobbying effort are PEI’s Agriculture Minister George Webster, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea. Several meetings and conference calls have been made on this throughout the summer and fall by all of the players. Recently, we had representatives from AAFC here to meet with a number of affected farmers in order to put a real face on the situation. One of the problems facing us is that other provinces (particularly in the West) have been saying that they are ready to begin repayment on these loans. That may now change since farmers in the West are looking for assistance so they can deal with high feed costs resulting from this summer’s heavy rains.

As we mentioned earlier, we are trying our best to balance delivery of this important program while continuing to lobby for positive changes for our members. This is indeed a challenge however, we will not avoid our responsibility to work on your behalf.

His free-stall dairy barn has a double-six parallel milking parlour. Computer programs help determine feed requirements for each cow, measure milk production and quality, and enable him to keep close track of the performance of every animal in his herd.

He is steadily building up herd genetic quality with purebred stock. When he began, he and his father, Farrell, were milking more than 70 cows to fill their quota. Now they are milking 55 to 60 cows, production keeps rising and their protein feed costs have dropped by eight percent.

“One of my goals is to always keep improving the value of the operation,” he said. “In this business, you can never get complacent and you have to constantly keep re-evaluating what you are doing. When opportunity presents, you have to be prepared to move in a hurry.”

The farm is very much a family business. They farm 240 acres in a three-year rotation of potatoes or corn, followed by grain and hay. Land is traded with other farmers in the area. Along with his father Farrell, his mother Kate and wife Jessica share in the milking and other chores. Even the seventh generation, Steve’s five year old son Luke, is starting to help with the chores.

Steve says managing the debt-load is one of the most challenging tasks in the operation. The farm was essentially debt-free when Steve returned, and the needed investments were closely analyzed to determine if they made financial sense.

Although Steve clearly enjoys the lifestyle and the satisfaction that comes from farming, his hard-nosed approach to the bottom line is what drives the business. He also recognizes the importance of having a life beyond the farm. He is an avid sportsman, and makes time to be with family and friends.

To help bring that history alive, Wyatt Heritage Properties in Summerside has developed a 46 minute film entitled Those Little Silver Mines currently available for viewing at the International Fox Museum and Hall of Fame.

“It is a fascinating human interest story,” said Marlene Campbell, culture program assistant with Wyatt Heritage Properties.

The story actually begins in 1883 when Sir Charles Dalton and Robert Oulton began breeding foxes they captured in the wild near Alberton. They were able to keep the market to themselves until the turn of the 20th century.

They sold another pair of foxes to Robert Tuplin and Captain James Gordon and another pair to the father and son team of Silas and B.I. Raynor. This group became known as the “Big Six” and pledged to keep their breeding practices secret and not to sell any live foxes.

That is where the film picks up the story. The hero is Frank Tuplin—a Margate farmer and nephew of Robert Tuplin. He begged his uncle to sell him a pair of foxes and his uncle eventually gave in. The sale price was set at $1,000—big money in 1905.

His budding venture didn’t go well because his foxes got rickets. Eventually, the younger Tuplin came to the conclusion the money was in selling breeding stock rather than pelts.

That set off what Campbell called a “gold rush” in PEI, especially in the Summerside area. By the 1920’s the silver fox industry was worth millions and Campbell said it helped many Islanders survive the full impact of the Great Depression. The industry finally bottomed out after World War Two when prices plummeted.

“People who have seen the film really like it,” she said. “We are now in the process of revamping our website and we hope to eventually upload it and increase the potential audience.”

Our traceability project has been approved, and we are gearing up to work with those who have volunteered to participate. This complex gathering of information from cow/calf and feedlot producers, and Atlantic Beef Products will provide valuable knowledge on tracking animals and sharing information along the supply chain.

When this three year project is complete, we will share our findings with the industry. Not all producers agree that sharing carcass data from ABP back to the cow/calf producer, or vice versa, is of any value, but I have spoken to many cow/calf producers who believe it’s crucial to their herd management. This project will flesh out the challenges for those who wish to participate in similar data exchange programs.

Another component of this project is the assignment of Premise ID numbers to the producers. These numbers will be assigned over the next few years in partnership between the PEICP and the Department of Agriculture.

The federal government is preparing for the eventual implementation of traceability regulations which include animal ID, Premise ID and movement. Animal ID has been implemented through the use of RFID tags. Premise ID numbers were originally being assigned by the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) but PEI. and several other provinces wanted to administer the program. The CCIA has agreed to partner with these provinces, and is currently developing a system for information to be shared.

Tracking movement is the third and final component of traceability. The pilot project will provide information that will help ensure future regulations reflect the realities of animal movement as they apply to PEI cattle producers.

The PEI Young Farmers group is thrilled with this year’s harvest. It has gone extremely well. With excellent weather conditions and improved prices for some products, both young and veteran farmers are holding their heads higher this year.

We all know that there are many challenges ahead in agriculture, and that fact will likely be the case for the foreseeable future. The industry is in a constant state of change and young farmers on PEI are ready to encounter and take on the challenges.

Aside from that, the PEI Young Farmers organization has been very busy planning the upcoming meeting season, with many events taking place between Christmas and next spring. The group meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Farm Center in Charlottetown starting at 8pm. The next meeting is December 12th and John Jamieson from the PEI Federation of Agriculture will be speaking about the Federation’s plan for the upcoming year. The annual meeting is planned for Tuesday, January 11. Watch for additional details in the Island Farmer and on the AgriMag website.
In other news, PEI Young Farmers has partnered with similar organizations in the other Atlantic provinces to host a training session on board governance in Moncton on December 2nd and 3rd. Each Atlantic province is sending five to seven people to this event. Cathy Leimbach from STRIVE will be the instructor for the session. All expenses for the delegates will be sponsored. Major sponsors for the event include Farm Credit Canada and the Canadian Young Farmers Forum. To attend, or for further information, email Maria Smith at smithfarmspei@hotmail.com.

Congratulations to all the farmers who exhibited cattle/vegetables at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair! Please join PEI Young Farmers on FACEBOOK, as this is updated regularly, and visit www.peiyoungfarmers.com. Executive members (which you will certainly find online) are Maria Smith (president); Patrick Dunphy (vice president); Amy Bysterveldt (vice-president finance); Curtis Chassion (vice president policy) and Jeremy Stead (vice president marketing).

Interestingly, In early August of this year, the hog price in the United States hit a historic high. Here in Canada, that same price translated into $1.63 per kilogram. For local producers that falls within the break-even range. If that same price had occurred in December of 2000, with the US Exchange rate at the time, that same price here in Canada would have been over $2.25 per kilogram. If parity with the American currency is the new norm, the Canadian industry will have to find new ways of returning to sustainability for the foreseeable future.

The recent decline in the production base in PEI has leveled off. In September, the first shipments of organically raised hogs were marketed to Du Breton packers in Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec. These hogs will be incorporated into Du Breton’s natural and organic line of products, which are marketed mostly in the northeastern USA.

This summer, the Canadian Pork Council took its next steps towards the establishment of a new board. Once established, this board will be moving forward with the promotion of Canadian pork in an attempt to win back the 30% plus share of domestic consumption that has been lost to imported pork. Imports have not only displaced Canadian production in the store shelves, but have made it difficult for smaller abattoirs to remain competitive. Tony’s Meats in Antigonish, NS cut back its hog processing by 50% as the hog price rose to a level which did not allow for a positive margin against cheaper imported, locally sold pork.

With much uncertainty still lingering in the processing sector, the Hog Board was inclined to put a hold on a feasibility study regarding the re-establishment of a federally inspected processing facility in the Maritimes.

The PEI potatoes brand is in the process of digging up the ground for a new foundation.

We have recognized the need for information on consumers, retail markets, end use, attitudes on PEI potatoes, and consumption. In order to build this information base, we have requested the help of the Agri-Alliance, and we will be working with them over the next several months to start compiling that information.

It is imperative we understand who we are talking to, what drivers encourage purchase, and what we need to say to the consumer. Once this has been determined, we will be going through a branding process with the help of an advertising agency.

Several other projects will be taking place over the course of this season. We had success with our retail promotion, Pack Your Appetite, and it will be back. We will also be participating in an online TV show, called Food Country, with Chef Michael Smith. The show will be featuring Island products, and the growers that produce them. We will be featuring two of our own growers with Chef Smith, who will cook with the product that he digs himself. All of the webisodes will be uploaded online, with the hope that they go as viral as possible.

One of the key issues that we have is a decline in consumption. Consumption has declined 14% since 1997 in Canada. A task group with the marketing directors from all growing regions has been developed to work on issues such as potato nutrition, marketing potatoes as a vegetable and potato versatility. I will certainly be a part of this group.

We will continue to have a trade presence on behalf of the industry at shows throughout Canada and the United States.

The objective of the marketing plan is to re-invigorate the PEI potatoes brand. We have a lot of work to do but we have such a strong, well-recognized brand with a rich history and much to draw upon.

New research manager plans to use international experience to advantage

Officially, her new title is Research Manager at the Crops and Livestock Research Centre. But sitting in her office overlooking the research grounds in Charlottetown, Dr. Maria Rodriguez calls it a dream job. “Prince Edward Island is the place to be if you’re interested in agriculture and looking for an excellent quality of life for your family,” says Rodriguez.  “It just feels so good to be here.”

The Venezuelan-born Rodriguez is the ninth research manager in the centre’s 100-year history. She arrives at the centre at a time when Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is expanding its research focus. While scientists continue to investigate better ways to control insects and diseases and improve crops and animal health, the department is also using new technologies, an increased emphasis on collaboration with partners and a growing understanding of agriculture’s potential to create benefits that go beyond the sector. Those benefits include better health, a cleaner environment, safer food and a range of innovative new products that can grab consumer interest in a competitive global marketplace, and provide opportunities to diversify agriculture in the region and increase the profitability of farmers.

Rodriguez brings an extensive background in agricultural science, trade policy and food inspection to the job. Rodriguez grew up in Miranda state, in the valleys of Central Venezuela, and later moved to Anzoategui state in the Eastern Plains. She earned a degree in agronomic engineering from the Universidad Central de Venezuela. She co-managed a family farm, taught as a university lecturer, and worked as a farm consultant in that country. She came to Canada in 1992 and worked on various research contracts to do clinical trials for veterinary drugs. She also undertook a PhD in animal physiology at McGill University.

Her thesis on the effects of electric and magnetic fields from major power lines on the physiology of dairy cows was the result of a joint research project involving Hydro Quebec, McGill University, the Province of Quebec and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. From there, she went to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency where she was a senior policy advisor for the Fish Inspection Program.

Rodriguez joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in 2006, where she worked in food safety and quality policy and in international trade policy before becoming Deputy Director for Latin America and Caribbean trade policy. She says her 28-year career has given her the kind of experience that should mesh well with research in a province where trade is such a big part of agriculture and where seafood is so closely linked. “There is a strong link between agriculture and trade here,” says Rodriguez.  “In line with the department’s research plan, I would like to explore opportunities for scientific cooperation with international research institutes and with other countries in trade-related areas.” In the meantime, she wants to get to know the industry on Prince Edward Island and across the region. “I want to get acquainted with our clients, with our staff, with our partners, with the issues and the region. Good relationships are important for good research. For me, it is very important to understand the context where we work and the needs of the sector.”  The Crops and Livestock Research Centre includes the 65-hectare Home Farm in Charlottetown and 330-hectare Harrington Research Farm.

Rodriguez says the department and the research centre are focusing on strengthening the management of collaborative partnerships with research collaborators.  The goal is to maximize the research benefits coming out of the partnerships.

For example, the centre also has three scientists working on a research team at the Institute for Nutrisciences and Health in Charlottetown that includes researchers from the National Research Centre and the University of PEI.