Oilseed producers can look forward to tapping into a new emerging industry with a study that will assess the feasibility of producing renewable bio-based jet fuel. Saskatoon - Humboldt Member of Parliament Brad Trost announced today an investment of over $150,000 to determine the economic feasibility of developing this industry in Saskatchewan, as part of National Biotechnology Week celebrations.

"With major airlines aiming for the increased use of renewable fuels, it is important that farmers have the opportunity to be involved in meeting this demand," said MP Trost on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "This project will determine the potential benefit to producers and processors as well as Saskatchewan's economy, while helping to develop an emerging enviro-friendly industry."

The project, led by Saskatchewan-based Ag-West Bio Inc., will assess the feasibility of using dedicated industrial oilseed crops Camelina sativa and Brassica carinata to produce renewable jet fuel. The study will look at feedstock production, processing requirements and potential commercial partners, as well as logistics and infrastructure.

The bio-based jet fuel industry is a very specialized field and Ag-West Bio will use external service providers with expertise in each of the critical activities to interview industry experts and prospective customers, and review research information to complete the three components of the feasibility report.

"With the aviation industry committed to developing sustainable biofuels, there appears to be huge potential in this area, both for producers, and for the province as a whole in downstream processing," said Mike Cey, VP Corporate & Business Development for Ag-West Bio. "This study will allow us to make informed decisions in order to map out the best path forward in further developing this exciting opportunity in Saskatchewan."

Organized by BIOTECanada, National Biotechnology Week celebrates the work of biotechnology scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs across Canada.

This project is being funded under the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Saskatchewan, CAAP is delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan (ACS). CAAP is a five-year (2009-2014), $163-million initiative that aims to help the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive.

AAFC Press Release, September 22, 2011

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Dandelions and Canada thistles should beware. There appears to be a new weapon in the war on dandelions and other related weeds thanks to researchers at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Saskatoon Research Centre.

Dr. Karen Bailey, a research scientist with the centre has spent several years studying Phoma macrostoma, a fungus, for use as a bioherbicide and the results are impressive.

Bailey says public pressure in Canada to eliminate the use of chemicals herbicides for cosmetic reasons, has led to the banning of these substances in many jurisdictions.

"We may not want the chemicals, but we also don't want to have the weeds," noted Bailey. "So that has really helped create an interest in developing things like bioherbicides, which are made from naturally occurring organisms."

Bailey's research began in the 1990's as residents began sending the Centre dandelions and Canada thistles that looked sick. As scientists looked at the plants they were eventually able to isolate the organism responsible - Phoma macrostoma.

The fungus disables the plant's ability to photosynthesize, which then leaves them without food. The plants turn white and then die.

In 2003, Bailey and her team partnered with The Scott's Company to develop the organism into a bioherbicide.

This past June regulatory approval was given to commercialize and sell it in Canada.

"It's called a non-food use. So it's for use on turf grass," Bailey explained. "Homeowners can use it. People in parks can use it. Golf courses can use it. Anywhere where we're applying turf we could put this on to control weeds in it."

There are two ways to apply Phoma - pre-emergent and post-emergent. A pre-emergent application will attack the seedlings before they can take root.

"To me that is probably the most innovative and interesting aspect to this organism. Because it means that if I can control my weed seed bank, I'm taking preventative action and I'm stopping those weeds from coming in and establishing in the first place," says Bailey.

A higher rate of application and a second treatment is needed to kill established weeds. After that a minimal application once every one or two years is all that is needed to maintain a weed-free lawn.

The next step is finding a toll manufacturing company that can take Bailey's fermentation methods to grow the fungus and develop them on a much larger scale.

So when could this product be available to consumers?

"It's probably two, maybe three, years away from being on a store shelf," Bailey predicted.

Meanwhile, Bailey is continuing her research into the feasibility of using Phoma in agricultural applications. The harsh conditions in agricultural situations compared to the relatively ideal conditions of turf could be more challenging.

An added bonus for agricultural applications is the lack of long term effects. One year from the time of application the organism is undetectable in soil samples. Meaning, a treated field could then be used for crop production the following year - even growing susceptible crops, such as lentils or canola.

"They emerge fine, they grow perfectly fine. There are no signs of the effects of it," says Bailey.

As well, the application only affects plants that come in direct contact with the bioherbicide. Plants like sunflowers growing beside a treated lawn, for example, are unharmed.

"It attacks the things that a lot of people want to get rid of!" says Bailey.

Currently, Bailey is helping to organize the 4th International Biofumigation and Biopesticide Symposium hosted by Ag-West Bio, which takes place October 18-21. Bailey will present her research, along with other international researchers who will be discussing topics like biologically-based pest control.

Canada thistles, dandelions and other prairie pests could find their days numbered thanks to researchers like Bailey.

Jennifer Jacoby-smith, StarPhoenix, September 17, 2011

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Canada's national poultry organizations welcome the strong commitment of the Government of Canada and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to ensuring that there is a solid network of agriculture research infrastructure across the country. Announcements this week demonstrate the Canadian government's continued support for agriculture research.

As innovation is one of the keys to our success, Canada's poultry industry shares the government's commitment to research. Research allows our sectors to grow as we look for more and new ways to make our products even better and to respond to evolving consumer preferences.

In recognition of the importance of research, the five national poultry organizations established the Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC) in 2001, with a mandate to implement research that addresses current and future needs of the poultry sectors. To date, CPRC members have approved nearly $3.0 million in research funding through the CPRC.

"Canadian poultry and egg farmers have earned the trust of Canadians by continually committing to programs in research, food safety and animal care," said David Fuller, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada, "We will continue to work closely with the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, CPRC and other stakeholders to ensure that we remain responsive to the needs of the industry, and innovative through our ongoing support of poultry research."

Through CPRC, we coordinate and enhance the poultry research effort in Canada, securing funding and establishing poultry research priorities. The government support for the poultry agri-science cluster under the Growing Canadian Agri-Innovations Program has allowed CPRC to focus a critical mass of scientific resources on the industry's priority issues. Bruce Roberts, CPRC's new Executive Director, says, "CPRC looks forward to working with AAFC to strengthen and deepen the poultry cluster."

"Research has always been a strong priority for poultry and egg producers," said Jack Greydanus, Chair of the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, "We have always been in favour of science-based approaches to improve our industries in a wide array of areas."

Canada's poultry farmers are supportive of new research and technologies that will bring further improvements to our production systems and, by extension, added value to the food chain and human health.

CPRC Press Release, September 16, 2011

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A new website recently launched by Alberta Agriculture provides producers with a database of over 300 resources from around the world to help develop a successful value chain.

Business development specialist Leona Reynolds-Zayak says the site contains a variety of case studies, successful pricing modules and consumer trends and tools all aimed at growing a profitable agricultural business.

Resources were collected worldwide on the basis of their applicability to Alberta producers and processors, according to Reynolds-Zayak. But the site isn't limited to Alberta users since the information can be adapted to operations across the country.

For example, Reynolds-Zayak describes one particular case study of a successful Maritimes value chain called Atlantic Tender Beef. The group developed a comprehensive production and branding program, opened a co-op processing plant, established strict quality and safety guidelines and identified marketing opportunities to increase sales of local beef.

So although the value chain partnership relates to a Maritime operation, the details describing how they overcame various challenges and developed successful strategies, along with valuable contacts, means the information can be adapted and used locally.

The website includes general information on value chains (including what it is and how to build one), consumer data, financial assistance, educational programs and financial management.

Livestock resources focus on consumer and industry marketing, companies in value chains and production protocols in addition to various Canadian and international case studies on value chains. Studies include a variety of operations, including beef, bison and pork.

Livestock sectors aren't limited to beef. Bison, elk, dairy, lamb and sheep, pork, poultry and eggs, and veal are also described.

Non-livestock sectors include fresh produce such as Ontario peaches and New Brunswick potatoes. Success stories for crops such as wheat, barley and canola are also profiled.

Check out the website.

D. Larraine Andrews, FCC Express, September 16, 2011

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Restoring and preserving dryland forests and planting more trees to provide food, fodder and fertilizer on small farms are critical steps toward preventing the recurrence of the famine now threatening millions of people in the Horn of Africa, according to forestry experts from the CGIAR Consortium.

Across the Horn, drought-induced famine has claimed tens of thousands of lives and swelled refugee camps in Kenya, Ethiopia and elsewhere, with millions of starving people -- many of them children. Bearing the brunt of the crisis is Somalia, which not coincidentally is also a country that has lost a significant amount of its forests.

Experts say forest destruction and other forms of human-caused land degradation have done far more than the drought to turn vast areas of once grazeable and farmable land into a lunar-like landscape.

"Forests and trees frequently form the basis of livelihood diversification, risk-minimization and coping strategies, especially for the most vulnerable households such as those led by women," said Frances Seymour, director general of the CGIAR's Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

"However, deforestation and land degradation have hindered capacities to cope with disasters and adapt to climate variability and change in the long-term."

New research by CIFOR carried out in 25 countries worldwide has shown that forests serve as a crucial defense against poverty, providing about a quarter of household income for the people living in or near them. Forests in perennially parched areas of the Horn are critical to retaining moisture and nutrients in the soil, while offering a bulwark against wind erosion. They also provide sources of food and fuel, particularly in tough times.

"There is a mistaken view that because these are dry areas, they are destined to provide little in the way of food and are simply destined to endure frequent famines," said Dennis Garrity, director general of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

"But drylands can and do support significant crop and livestock production. In fact, the famine we are seeing today is mainly a product of neglect, not nature."

Forest and agroforestry experts say the famine should prompt significant new investments in proven approaches to reforestation and agroforestry that elsewhere in Africa are restoring forests as protectors of drylands and providing important sources of food and other valuable agriculture products.

For example, in Niger, a program launched in 1983 has transformed 5 million hectares of barren land into agroforests. ICRAF experts found that during the drought that hit the country in 2005, farmers who embraced agroforestry were able to sell trees for timber and use the money to buy food. They also were able to supplement their diets with fruits and edible leaves harvested from drought-resistant trees.

In Ethiopia, reforestation projects known as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), implemented by the World Bank and World Vision, are restoring some 2,700 hectares of degraded land. The projects already are providing income-generating wood and tree products for local communities, improving pasture and achieving a drastic reduction in soil erosion.

Meanwhile, using trees in a wider variety of farm applications is rapidly making agroforestry a popular approach to improving food production in the drylands of Africa. So-called "fertilizer trees" that capture nitrogen from the atmosphere and deposit it into the soil are being used to restore degraded farmlands in Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger and Burkina Faso.

There are also a wide range of naturally growing trees suitable for livestock consumption that have long been used by livestock keepers in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the dry season when grass and crop residues are scarce.

"We need to pay far more attention to the role of forests and trees to serve both as protectors of productive farm lands and as ways to sustainably and substantially increase food security in the Horn," said Lloyd Le Page, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium, who sees the food crisis in the region as a call to action for agricultural innovation. He noted that the intensified focus on the link between forests and food security is part of a wider effort within the CGIAR to approach farms as agriculture ecosystems that depend upon and contribute to the health of broader landscapes.

Scientists are concerned that despite clear evidence of their benefits -- and of the disasters that occur in the wake of their loss -- dryland forest protection and restoration is receiving scant attention compared to humid forest preservation. They point out that this disparity is particularly evident within discussions of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

"It's ironic that dryland forests are not front and center in the climate change debate, because climate change is likely to bring more frequent and more severe droughts to dryland areas, and the adaptation challenge for affected communities will be great," Seymour said.

She also noted that protection of both dryland and humid forests can reduce the likelihood of future climate change-induced droughts through mitigation of forest-based greenhouse gas emissions. Humid forests in particular serve as vast "sinks" that absorb and store carbon and thus help slow the pace of climate change in the long term, but there are also many opportunities to maintain and enhance the amount of carbon stored in dryland landscapes.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) (2011, September 15). Restoring forests and planting trees on farms can greatly improve food security. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/09/110915102909.htm