April 2, 2009
In this issue:
ACAAFS Deadline is Friday!
Funding programs have a big impact on Saskatchewan’s economy
ACS AGM Friday, June 19, 2009
Protecting Groundwater Through Public Education
Alberta: Agri-Environmental Policy Perspectives in New Report
Coming Events
April 23, 2009
Engaging Communities: Working with Aboriginal Co-operatives in Saskatchewan
Diefenbaker Canada Centre, Saskatoon, SK
The Centre for the Study of Co-operatives is pleased to host a seminar on Thursday, April 23, 2009 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the theatre room, Diefenbaker Canada Centre. The guest speakers are Isobel Findlay, Department of Management and Marketing, Edwards School of Business and Maria Basualdo, Community-University Institute for Social Research (CUISR), University of Saskatchewan. For more information, please visit www.usaskstudies.coop.
April 25 and 26, 2009
FITTskills Training
STEP boardroom, Regina, SK
FITTskills module Supply Chain Management will be commencing on April 25 and 26, 2009 in Regina in the STEP boardroom. We will however be connecting to the course via video conference from the STEP Saskatoon boardroom as well. Glen Millard will be delivering the course. STEP will be accepting registrations until April 20th, but please do not delay as there are a limited number of spots available. For more information, please go to the STEP website at www.saskexports.com.
May 21, 2009
Agriculture Mentorship Initiative Breakfast
Atrium Building (111 Research Drive), Saskatoon, SK
The breakfast will allow prospective mentors and protégés to meet each other, as well as the other staff of AC S and BMI. The breakfast will include a presentation by BMI on the value of being a mentor and what the mentorship process entails. Please RSVP to Carleen Frey, BMI Chapter Liaison, by phone at 964-2011 or by e-mail at info@saskmentor.com.
June 17 to 19, 2009
Western Canada Farm Progress Show
Evraz Place, Regina, SK
The Western Canada Farm Progress Show is the largest dryland farm technology show in the country, attracting more than 700 exhibitors and 40,000 qualified attendees from 30 countries. Over its 30 plus year history, the event has earned the right to be called “Canada’s National Farm Show” and has continued to remain relevant to the industry it serves. For more information, please go to www.myfarmshow.com.
June 19, 2009
ACS Annual General Meeting
Salon 3, Queensbury Convention Centre, Regina, SK
Please mark your calendars. The speakers and agenda are being finalized and will be sent out shortly. If you have any questions, please contact ACS Communications Manager, Dallas Carpenter, by e-mail at carpenterd@agcouncil.ca or by phone at (306) 975-6856.
July 13 to 15, 2009
National Chicken Farmers’ Summer Conference
Saskatoon, SK
For more information on this event please contact the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan by phone at (306) 242-3611 or (toll free) 1-888-33CLUCK, or go to www.saskatchewanchicken.ca.
ACAAFS Deadline is Friday!
The Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan (ACS) deadline for funding applications over $10,000 is tomorrow! Eligible applications submitted by 5:00 p.m. will be reviewed by the ACS Board of Directors at the June 4, 2009 Board of Directors meeting. Please click here to go to our application forms page on our website.
ACS is still accepting applications for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Saskatchewan (ACAAFS) program. Proponents who are submitting applications at this time should be aware that the ACAAFS program is nearing full allocation. Work on a successor program to ACAAFS is underway, although it will be late April or early May before ACS will have the final decision from the Federal Government (Treasury Board) on whether there will be a new program.
Should ACAAFS reach full allocation, any eligible projects received by ACS by the April 3 deadline that were unable to be funded under ACAAFS will be reviewed for eligibility under the new program. Any movement of projects from ACAAFS to the new program will be at the discretion of the ACS Board of Directors.
We encourage any organizations considering ACAAFS funding to submit their applications. We will follow the usual screening process and keep each applicant updated on the status of their application.
Thank you for your patience while the details of the new program are finalized. We look forward to serving the Saskatchewan and Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry well into the future.
Funding programs have a big impact on Saskatchewan’s economy
The results of an economic impact study on two Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) funded programs delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (ACS), show that the funding from these programs, and the additional funding leveraged from them, have had a significant economic impact on Saskatchewan’s agriculture and agri-food sector as well as the provincial and national economies.
Over $24.4 million had been disbursed as of April 29, 2008 to 1,129 eligible projects since 1996 thanks to funding from the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Saskatchewan (ACAAFS) and the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development in Saskatchewan (CARDS) programs. To date, ACS has approved 1,194 projects for a commitment of approximately $37.38 million under the CARDS and ACAAFS programs. Under the CARDS program alone, industry matched the $20.5 million AAFC funding with their own $36.2 million contribution.
For more information, please click here.
ACS AGM Friday, June 19, 2009
The ACS Annual General Meeting will be held on June 19, 2009 in Regina. Once again, the AGM will be held in Salon 3 of the Queensbury Convention Centre of Evraz Place, in conjunction with the Western Canada Farm Progress Show.
Details on speakers and the agenda will be announced shortly. All the details will be posted on the events page of the ACS website when they are available. If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please call ACS Communications Manager Dallas Carpenter at 975-6856 or E-mail info@agcouncil.ca.
Protecting Groundwater Through Public Education
A few years ago, Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (SWA) began a movement to increase public awareness of groundwater issues, and water wells in particular. At the same time, says Lyndon Hicks, Articling Agrologist with SWA, the Authority recognized that good information was scarce. “There was really no publication with accurate information. The problem with old wells is that they go directly into groundwater, so if contaminants are running off they have a direct pathway. And old wells with grass grown overtop are a safety risk for people and Iivestock, and a risk for machinery.”
To begin the process of putting together a thorough, accurate, and easy-to-understand public information guide on aquifer management and well decommissioning, SWA applied for and received funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development in Saskatchewan (CARDS) program, which is delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan.
For the rest of this article, please click here.
Alberta: Agri-Environmental Policy Perspectives in New Report
Nine years of agri-environmental policy milestones, progress and partnerships are chronicled in a new report produced by the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta’s Environmental Policy Initiatives Project (EPIP). A perspective of Alberta's agri-environmental policy status of accomplishments, goals, gaps and next steps are also outlined.
“This report is a culmination of nine years of experience and intensive activity. We have strived to identify gaps and present options for land use and stewardship in Alberta,” said EPIP Chair Kenton Ziegler. “The Agriculture and Food Council is proud of the contributions of all who have been involved throughout the years in important, visionary and timely initiatives that have led to better policy decisions. Due to limited resources, Council will be concluding its Environmental Policy Initiative.”
The report, Agri-Environmental Perspectives: Land Use and Stewardship Policy in Alberta’s Agri-Food, aims to offer observations on priorities and gaps for consideration by industry and government.
The full report is available at www.agfoodcouncil.com
If you have any questions, comments, or would like to submit an event, please contact us at info@agcouncil.ca.
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Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan Inc.
Box 21038
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7H 5N9
Phone: (306) 975-6847 or toll free at 1-800-641-8256
Fax: (306) 975-6850
http://www.agcouncil.ca
Funding for the ACAAFS program is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.