Washington | Reuters –– U.S. lawmakers approved legislation key to securing a hallmark Pacific trade deal by a comfortable margin on Wednesday, advancing President Barack Obama’s efforts to strengthen U.S. economic ties with Asia. After a six-week congressional battle including two brushes with failure, some fancy legislative footwork and myriad backroom deals to keep the […] Read more
U.S. Congress victory may move Pacific trade pact forward
U.S. Senate pushes Obama’s Pacific Rim trade pact forward
Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Barack Obama’s call for “fast-track” trade negotiating authority to help him strike a Pacific Rim deal cleared a key hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, paving the way for a final vote on the legislation Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Senate was likely to vote to grant Obama the […] Read more
Ont. books drop in bee death ‘incidents’ at planting
Early data from federal pesticide regulators appear to suggest Ontario’s bee yards are moving past a spell of unusually high death losses seen around the 2012 and 2013 planting seasons. Combining the numbers of acute honey bee mortality “incidents” by bee yard in Ontario in the 2015 pre-planting and planting periods, up to June 11, Health Canada’s […] Read more
Tiny number of bees account for most crop pollination, study finds
Oslo | Reuters — Just two per cent of wild bee species do almost 80 per cent of their work in pollinating crops, according to a study on Tuesday that outlined simple measures for farmers to attract star insects to safeguard food production. The international report, based on 90 studies in five continents, said governments […] Read more
Nominations sought for pollinator award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Nominations are being sought for the 2015 Canadian Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award. Individuals or families in Canada currently implementing pollinator protection measures on their farm or ranch are encouraged to apply. The award recognizes farmers and ranchers who have made significant efforts in conserving natural ecosystems, fostering additional pollinator habitat, and protecting pollinators. The recipient […] Read more
Quest for fast-track trade bill defeated for now in U.S. House
Washington | Reuters –– The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday delivered a blow to President Barack Obama’s signature goal of strengthening ties with Asia but could try again as soon as Tuesday to reverse defeat of a measure central to a Pacific Rim trade pact. In a dramatic vote, Obama’s own Democrats, as well […] Read more
California curtails some senior water rights due to drought
Los Angeles | Reuters — California’s water board curtailed senior water rights on Friday in the state’s Delta, San Joaquin and Sacramento regions due to drought, in the first move of its kind during the current drought, officials said. The curtailment affects more than 100 senior water rights holders, with most of those located near […] Read more
Help on offer for starting or expanding an on-farm business
Along with business development info and tools, new-venture specialists offer coaching and connections
Reading Time: < 1 minute Thinking of starting a new business or adding something new to your existing product line? “Before you start, you need to do your homework and research what is already available and what is needed,” said Kathy Bosse, new-venture specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “This may seem like a daunting task, but there is assistance […] Read more
Premises ID now online for Sask. livestock producers
Saskatchewan’s premises ID (PID) system for livestock producers has officially gone online, the provincial and federal ag ministries announced Monday. While the province’s livestock commodity groups and provincial ag ministry have so far helped about 1,400 producers register their operations, the new system will allow producers to sign up, log in and make changes to […] Read more
Alberta researchers hot on the trail of deadly bacteria
In response to the E. coli contamination at XL Foods, scientists have devised a test that slashes detection time in half
Reading Time: 3 minutes The time it takes to detect E. coli in a meat-processing plant has been cut in half, thanks to technology developed by researchers from the University of Alberta. “We have been able to shorten the time and we can go from cold meat to detection of Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli within five to six hours,” said Lynn […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
