Grainews’ Lisa Guenther spoke to organizers at this week’s Youth Ag-Summit in Canberra, Australia about why mentoring future farmers is important — and what they expect the summit’s youth delegates to take away from the event.

Youth Ag-Summit: Mentoring future farmers

Youth Ag-Summit: Two to represent at UN meeting
Two delegates from the 2015 Youth Ag-Summit will be jetting to Rome in October to take part in a meeting of the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security. Australia’s Laura Grubb and Kenya’s Samba Ouma were selected from 80 nominees. Ouma and Grubb are now charged with presenting the Canberra Youth Ag Declaration — […] Read more

Want to kick up your management skills a notch?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers who want to take their management skills to the next level are being encouraged to apply for the second annual Robert (Bob) L. Ross scholarship program. Ross, a dairy producer from St. Marys, Ont. who died in 2014, was an influential advocate for business management training and a mentor to farmers across the country […] Read more

Doing the right thing — and getting paid for it
ALUS program shares cost of stewardship projects with farmers
Reading Time: 4 minutes Like most farmers, Kevin Ziola wants to be a good steward of the land — but it’s been tough for the third-generation farmer to balance his conservation efforts with his bottom line. “As a cattle farmer, I believe it’s important to work with nature, not against it,” said Ziola, who runs 200 head of cattle […] Read more

Russia to add more countries to food import ban list
Moscow | Reuters — Russia said on Tuesday it planned to add new countries to the list of those from which it has banned food imports in retaliation for western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich did not name the countries to be added to the list. “I […] Read more

Alta. cuts ranchers’ water pump rental fees
Ranchers and farmers renting the Alberta ag ministry’s pumps and pipes to move water for livestock watering and domestic use in dry areas may now get the equipment for half the going rate. The province announced Thursday it will cut the rental fees charged under its annual Water Pumping Program, through which producers, or groups […] Read more

Anthrax warning issued after two bison die near North Battleford
There is a greater risk of anthrax in dry conditions and a sudden unexplained death is the key warning sign
Reading Time: 2 minutes Authorities are warning that the anthrax danger is higher after two bison northwest of North Battleford, Sask. recently died after contracting the highly contagious disease. “Whenever we have drier summers, anthrax is always a higher risk,” said Dr. Kent Weir, associate veterinarian with Weir Veterinary services in Lloydminster. Anthrax spores can survive for decades in […] Read more
Russian ‘food crematoria’ spur outrage
Moscow | Reuters — Russian government plans for mass destruction of banned Western food imports have provoked outrage in a country where poverty rates are soaring and memories remain of famine during Soviet times. Even some Kremlin allies are expressing shock at the idea of “food crematoria” while one orthodox priest has denounced the campaign, […] Read more

Japan wants N.Z. to make realistic offer on dairy goods
Tokyo | Reuters –– Japan wants New Zealand to offer realistic proposals on dairy products as part of 12-nation talks on a pan-Pacific trade agreement, a Japanese negotiator said Tuesday. Ministers failed last Friday to clinch a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal to free up trade after a dispute flared up over auto trade between Japan […] Read more
ALERT Line: Help for farmers is only a phone call away
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers who are struggling with livestock issues because of drought are being urged to call the ALERT Line: 1-800-506-2273. “The ALERT Line is a ‘producers helping producers’ resource that producers can call if they have any questions or concerns about livestock welfare,” said Kristen Hall, marketing and communications manager with Alberta Farm Animal Care. “With this drought, we want to […] Read more