AANB covers plenty of ground at annual general meeting

by George Fullerton

The Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick (AANB) hosted its annual general meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16 and Friday, Jan. 17 at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Fredericton. The meeting had strong attendance, with producers from across the province along with provincial government staff present.

The AANB covered a busy agenda during the first day and a half, which was followed on Friday afternoon by the New Brunswick Young Farmers Forum annual conference and business meeting.

AANB CEO Josée Albert led off the AGM with her report on the highlights of the past year. She began by thanking the AANB directors and staff for their support and dedication to the organization and agriculture.

Albert explained that a good deal of energy had been spent lobbying government during the previous year. That work included a meeting immediately following the 2019 AGM, which was followed up by monthly meetings with the provincial Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, as well as meetings with other departments.

The AANB presented a comprehensive strategic plan in April 2019, which outlines the organization’s activities, programs, and promotions.

While glyphosate commanded a great deal of time and attention, including a meeting with the Stop Spraying New Brunswick group, the AANB also met with WorkSafeNB, shared its position on wild turkey hunting, lobbied on behalf of agriculture with candidates offering in the federal election, worked on issues with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and provided input on carbon sequestration and carbon pricing as it applies to agriculture.

Looking ahead, Albert asserted that the AANB will continue to focus on activities to develop “public trust” for agriculture. She said there continues to be plenty of erroneous information about agriculture out there – especially on social media – and that the AANB will counter that with correct information.

Albert mentioned the calendar of events, which has become a permanent feature on the AANB website. Staff held regular weekly meetings and the strategic plan was reviewed by staff and directors on a 90-day cycle.

The AANB also promoted the “Why Local? Why Not?” campaign, which has three goals: educate consumers, increase local food demand, and improve the perception of agriculture as a career option for young people. The campaign is strongly promoted through social media. In the next year, the third phase will continue to deliver and measure media outreach.

Other AANB files from the previous year included labour challenges, rural road maintenance, Open Farm Day, and a tool to match new farmers to farms for sale. The focus for 2020 will include the glyphosate file, strategic plan updates, workforce issues, the problem of trespassing, lobbying government, the Agriculture in the Classroom program, and following up on resolutions from the AGM.

Stéphane Sirois, who is New Brunswick’s Agriculture in the Classroom coordinator, gave an update on the AANB’s efforts presenting the program in New Brunswick schools. He began by thanking the program’s sponsors.

Agriculture in the Classroom’s Little Green Thumbs program – which is for children in grades 3, 4, and 5 – provides schools with equipment to grow vegetables under light. It also provides a curriculum for teachers, develops an interest in growing vegetables, and celebrates the end of the project with a “salad-bration” with the children preparing and eating salad from the produce they grew.

Little Green Thumbs was presented in six classrooms in 2019, but the plan is to expand the program to 750 classrooms across the province this year. Sirois will conduct a teacher training day during the year, with the ultimate goal of having at least one Little Green Thumbs kit in every New Brunswick elementary school.

Sirois also congratulated the Potatoes New Brunswick association for the success of the Spuds in Tubs school activity, which the association sponsored. The program provides lesson plans, a tub, soil, and seed for students to plant and nurture potato plants, culminating in the children harvesting, cooking, and eating their potatoes.

Additional education efforts will include participating in Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month activities in March and planting tulip bulbs to recognize Canada’s role in the Dutch liberation in 1945.

Sirois also reviewed an agriculture marketing competition for high schools, which awards a number of scholarships. And he discussed efforts to develop an agriculture course option for high school. He went on to recognize a number of individual farmers who hosted classes on their farms.

Faith Matchett, Farm Credit Canada’s vice-president of national customer service centres and Atlantic operations, addressed mental health and the importance of efforts to remove the stigma around discussing and addressing mental health issues in agriculture. Her address focused on building resilience in oneself and one’s business.

Agriculture Minister Ross Wetmore brought greetings from the provincial government and went on to congratulate the AANB for its Agriculture in the Classroom achievements. Wetmore reviewed a visit he and his staff made to the University of Maine at Presque Isle to learn about the university’s agriculture program, as well as followup meetings he had with Premier Blaine Higgs and the provincial education minister on establishing a similar program in New Brunswick.

A number of resolutions were discussed and passed.

The AGM also featured a WorkSafeNB presentation and an update on a workforce study to be released early this year.

At the banquet on Thursday evening, Higgs was a guest at the head table. The banquet recognized people who’ve made significant contributions to agriculture in New Brunswick.

The new entrant award went to Scott and Lindy Brown, who operate a dairy farm in Portage Vale. The innovation award went to André and Éric Côté of Côté Brothers Potato Co. Inc. in Drummond. The James Robb Award for agrologist of the year went to Philip Parlee. Tamara Sealy, executive director of Fertilizer Canada’s Nutrients for Life Foundation, received the agriculture education ambassador award. And Mike Slocum of Slocum’s Farm Fresh Produce Ltd. of Waterborough went home with the hospitality ambassador award.

Lisa Ashworth is the new AANB president, replacing Christian Michaud in that role.

Island twins working double time on beef and potato farm

by Kathy Birt

The number of family farms in Prince Edward Island may be dwindling but twin brothers in Vernon Bridge are working double time to help keep that trend in check.

Thirty-something identical twins Ian and Austin Drake and their father Paul of Seal River Farms work together with a focus on beef and potato production.

Growing up on the farm meant being involved from an early age. “We always worked around the farm,” said Austin. 

Ian worked on other operations for a while but eventually opted to come back home and carry on with his brother and father.

“I worked on other farms for the experience and to see how other (farmers) did things,” said Ian, adding that he worked on a turnip farm and a beef and potato operation. He and Austin have also worked on dairy farms.

Their father said the present partnership works well, and at 61, he has no plans to retire any time soon. “Got a lot of working years left,” said Paul.

Paul and his wife Vivian also have a daughter Lynn, who is a nurse. Paul noted that Vivian used to provide childcare services from home for others after their own three children had left, but with those kids now in their teens, “She likes to work around the farm in the mornings.”

Ian and Austin both studied at the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. Austin focused on plant science and Ian focused on animal science.

“We did that so that we would have the knowledge of both the beef and potato,” said Austin. “It was always in our mind to come back to the farm.” Both are married with children and live near the home farm.

Their father Paul farmed all his life with his late father Donald. Paul also had his brother Leslie as his farming partner.

Sadly, as Ian and Austin were in the process of buying their uncle Leslie’s shares, he died suddenly from heart failure in July 2018 at the age of 54.

“We had to get the paperwork pushed through with our aunt and cousin,” said Austin. “The land and cattle had been decided on, but the signing had to be done. There were tears as we left the lawyer’s office that day.”

Just two years into farming full time with each other and their dad, Austin said corn silage is one new crop they introduced since buying into the partnership.

They’re typically feeding around 400 head of cattle at any given time, a chore that takes considerable time. Other work includes ongoing care and shipping of the cattle, taking part in the P.E.I. Easter Beef Show and Sale in Charlottetown, getting crops in the ground in the spring, harvesting in the summer and fall, and grading potatoes for market. It’s evident that these Drake men keep busy year-round.

Spring is a particularly busy time spent getting crops in the ground. They grow 350 acres of potatoes, 100 acres of barley, and 40 acres of corn. They also have 120 acres in hay.

The Drakes buy most of their cattle locally, with some occasionally coming from Cape Breton. “We like to support the neighbours if we can,” said Austin. “We buy in the spring and fall, and usually ship about 10 head every two weeks to Atlantic Beef Products in Borden.” They market using the P.E.I. Certified Beef Brand.

Feeding the cattle is first on the list of chores early each day.

“Dad helps me with the feeding, and it takes up to three hours in the morning,” said Austin. “We go around the barn several times to make sure all cows get corn, silage, grain, and cull potatoes.”

The pens are cleaned out once or twice a week. 

Austin discussed the possibility of investing in total mixed ration (TMR) equipment, which would cut the time it takes to feed in half.

The brothers have been showing cattle at the Easter Beef Show and Sale for about 20 years, and both serve on the event’s board of directors. “It’s a good couple of days with other farmers,” said Austin. “The two we show always get sold – usually to a local restaurant.”

Planting and harvesting the potato and forage crops is done in partnership with Paul’s first cousin Francis Drake and his sons Randy and Jonathan.

“We do all the planting and harvesting together,” said Austin. “And we all do the silage and haymaking. It’s a good relationship and we share and own farm equipment together as well.”

This joint family of farmers is diligent when it comes to machinery maintenance. “We trade in every two to three years,” said Austin. “Our preference is to not keep equipment until it’s old and broken down.”

He pointed out that the potato packing line has seen recent upgrades as well. “We use a packing palletizer to pack 50-pound bags,” said Austin. “We also do 2,500-pound totes to ship to Boston. We have a distributor who buys those and repacks them for the retail market. Potatoes to Costa Rica and Trinidad go by container.”

The table stock going to Boston is washed, while the large shipments to Costa Rica and Trinidad are dry-packed. “They get brushed off,” said Austin.

Because their livelihoods depend on it, the bottom line is important to this family. And growing both beef cattle and potatoes gives them a little insurance when it comes to the bottom line. “If beef is not good, potatoes are there to fall back on,” said Austin, adding that prices for both have been good for the past couple of years.

N.S. agriculture conference bringing the industry together

by Emily Leeson

The first annual Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture Minister’s Conference will feature both local experts and speakers from afar. Topics covered at the event will encompass a broad spectrum of what the industry in Nova Scotia is doing well, what new opportunities are available, and how agriculture in the province can be best poised to weather future challenges. The conference will take place at the Halifax Convention Centre, March 3 and 4.

“Different perspectives from different places,” said Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell. That’s what he’s hoping attendees will be treated to.

“Farming for the future: thriving in a changing world” is the theme of this year’s conference.

Conceptualized after the success of the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister’s Conference – now in its 22nd year – Colwell hopes that the agriculture-focused conference will chart a similar course. He said the province’s fisheries and aquaculture conference is now the biggest fisheries conference in Canada.

“The local commodities (associations) and the Federation of Agriculture have great meetings every year and they do a tremendous amount to support their members and to move agriculture forward in the province, but there’s never been a conference put together with everybody at once to talk about farming in the province, the opportunities that are available here and worldwide, and also to highlight the quality of product that we have,” said Colwell.

During the two-day event, topics such as food trends, greenhouse production, agri-tourism marketing, food hubs, sustainability, and climate change are on the agenda.

Pinning down those topics and choosing the speakers has been a long process. The 10-person committee comprised of industry members as well as government officials, including Colwell, has been at work on the conference for the last six months. 

“We worked together to identify themes and speakers who have not been to Canada,” said conference manager Marilyn O’Neil, who is a development officer with the province’s Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. “We looked at the leading practices throughout the world that we can bring to the conference.”

The event should offer a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience. 

“People can get a sense of where we could be, where we are, and create that networking opportunity,” said O’Neil. “It’s the exchange and interaction that is so critical. It helps to move the industry forward. People are working so hard to ensure that their businesses are profitable and sustainable, and that’s what we’re trying to support.”

Victor Oulton, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, said that networking and working together as an industry have never been more important.

“We have to stand together more than we have in the past,” he said. “You can never stop learning. Things are always changing and evolving in the agriculture industry, as much as any other industry, so you have to be ready to accept what might be next on the horizon that you might be able to make a go with.”

Local speakers will include Josh Oulton of Taproot Farms in Port Williams, Luke den Haan of den Haan Greenhouses in Lawrencetown in Annapolis County, and Kelly Marie Redcliffe, market manager of the Wolfville Farmers’ Market.  

Dr. Evan Fraser, who is director of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph and holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security, will speak on elevating Canada’s place in the global economy and take part in a panel discussion on climate change. 

“The topic is so timely,” said O’Neil. “We are all suffering in our industry because of the effects of what is happening with our climate.”

Colwell similarly expects climate change to be a hot topic of discussion at the event. “Farmers are really seeing that now, unfortunately in a lot of negative ways, with the hurricanes and frost, rain at the wrong time of year or lack of rain, you name it,” he said.

The conference will also highlight the launch of a new “buy local” brand, which will speak to food security and help consumers identify locally produced items.

Organizers are expecting between 300 and 400 attendees from all corners of the farming and beverage industries. 

“We want people to go to the conference and take something home with them that will change how they do their business,” said O’Neil. 

“That’s what it’s all about,” said Colwell. “New ideas and approaches that maybe people have been thinking about or didn’t know about but that could really help long term. This kind of conference is about today but also to shape ideas for the future.”

Live beef carcass ultrasounds now on offer in the Maritimes

by Amy Higgins

The Maritime provinces now have access to a technology that was historically reserved for bull selection at larger sales such as the Maritime Beef Test Station sale in Nappan, N.S., or in a private situation where it was feasible to get the ultrasound technician out of Quebec.

Live animal ultrasound technology for carcass traits is now within reach for Maritime beef producers thanks to a Nova Scotia Cattle Producers (NSCP) program. (Word on the street for sheep producers: they also have the offset to the scanning probe that can be used for sheep).

This technology is particularly useful in two aspects of beef production: selection of breeding stock and feedlot projection.

For the purposes of this article, I will focus on the former. In beef production, carcass traits are economically and highly heritable.

Before the use of ultrasound in beef cattle, formal progeny testing was the only method to collect carcass data on seedstock. Test bulls would be bred to cows, with the resulting progeny finished to slaughter and carcass measurements taken. As you can imagine, that process is time-consuming, expensive, and impractical for many producers. It may take three years – from breeding to having a harvestable animal – to have any valuable information with which to make decisions. 

Live ultrasound technology provides information on yearling bulls and heifers so that you can select for carcass traits before you put them into your breeding program.

The carcass traits that can be extracted from the ultrasound scan are rump fat thickness, rib fat thickness, rib eye area, and percentage intramuscular fat. This information can be gleaned by the ultrasound technician taking scans in three locations on the animal.

Bulls are a great place to start this discussion, as a bull selection accounts for 50 percent of the genetic potential of your calf crop. If you select for strong carcass traits in your bull, that will be passed on to your calves. If the carcass traits of your female herd are unknown, you can still use this as a reasonable influencer for genetic improvement. If the carcass traits of your female herd are known, you can select for genetic improvement faster and with more accuracy.

A purebred or commercial producer can use the information to rank their replacement heifer candidates and determine which animals remain in their breeding herd program. 

A registered purebred producer can get the scan data sent directly to their breed association to help determine their cattle’s expected progeny difference (EPD) values. Each association has age guidelines for collecting ultrasound data. For instance, the Canadian Angus Association’s acceptable age range for ultrasound scanning is 320 to 440 days for bull calves and 320 to 460 days for heifer calves.

A common question is, “Which is better, genomics or ultrasound scan data?” The answer is that both are valuable. Ultrasound scan data will increase the accuracy of your genomic testing.

For more information on how to get the technician out through the NSCP, please contact Ashley Anderson at aanderson@agricommodity.ca or 902-893-7455.

(Amy Higgins is the Maritime Beef Council’s industry coordinator. She raises purebred Angus cattle on the family farm in Quispamsis, N.B., and also operates a veggie box program. She’s president of both the New Brunswick and Maritime Angus associations.)