November 2003

Clearing the Air

Oxygen - too much or too little in controlled atmosphere storage and fruits and vegetables are compost bound. Fortunately, a once experimental monitoring system is now protecting produce in commercial storage around the world, most recently in the Netherlands. The software and hardware tool, called HarvestWatchTM, helps operators adjust the storage environment to improve the quality and extend post-harvest life. Consumers get blemish-free, fresher, better tasting fruit and vegetables. To bring this monitor from the laboratory to industrial use, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) collaborated with Satlantic Inc. of Halifax, which acquired a license for the AAFC invention. Earlier this year, AAFC, Satlantic, the National Research Council and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency received a national award for their outstanding cooperation in this technology transfer. HarvestWatchTM technology was recently recognized at the Nova Scotia Discovery Awards as one of the three best innovations in 2003.
Robert Prange, (902) 679-5713
Bill Ricketts, Satlantic Inc., (902) 492-4780

No smoke From A Living Factory

Biotechnology isn't making silk purses from sows' ears, but it can get spider silk from a tobacco leaf. This summer, a small-scale test near London, Ontario, indicated tobacco can be genetically engineered to produce recombinant dragline spider silk. Spider silk is finer than human hair, but said to be tougher than Kevlar® and stronger than steel. The research by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) into novel-source raw materials is creating opportunities for Canadian agriculture. Modern molecular farming has the potential to produce new biofibres for science, medicine and industry. To show how tobacco can become a productive living factory, AAFC used constructs developed by Nexia Biotechnologies, which produces spider silk in the milk of its transgenic goats.
Jim Brandle, (519) 457-1470

Investing in Safer Farms

Recognizing health and safety are constants affecting the bottom line, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has put up more than $1 million for two organizations committed to making farms safer. The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association received $1.05 million to continue raising awareness of preventive measures to avoid farm-related accidents, and develop best practices and usable tools which contribute to a safer and healthier farm work environment. To help find ways to reduce risks connected to farm machinery related injury and death, the Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute received $107,132. The money will go toward an analysis of the causes of farm machinery injuries and an engineered safety approach to farm equipment. The funding is from the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development program.
Dr. Judy Guernsey, Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, (306) 966-8499
James Wassermann, P.Eng., Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, 1-800-567-7264
David Swol, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, (613) 759-7520

Young Leaders In Rural Canada Awards

Nominations for the first Young Leaders in Rural Canada Awards are being accepted. Do you know a young person who deserves special recognition for making life in rural, remote and northern Canada even better? Sponsored by the Rural Secretariat, the awards honour youth between the ages of 18 and 29 for their work in one of three categories: Innovation, Leadership and Partnerships. The awards recognize young people who share their passion, spirit and skills to benefit their communities. Nominations will be evaluated by a panel representing the Government of Canada, the National Rural Youth Network, the Rural Advisory Committee and Rural Teams. The deadline for nominations is January 12, 2004. For nomination forms and information call 1-888-781-2222 or check the Web at www.rural.gc.ca
Anne Gabriel, (613) 759-7260