By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

This week “In the Field” focus on Bovine Tuberculosis update, tax credits and Ag seminars

Feb 3, 2017 | 3:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE –  This week’s (Jan 30 to Feb 3) “In the Field” vignette farm features on County 95 covered issues relating to tax credits, weed killer, farm direct marketing and UFA learning opportunIties for kids.
 
One of the biggest announcements came from the CFIA on Friday about the bovine tuberculosis outbreak in Alberta.

Canada’s food safety watchdog will not begin tests to find the source of a bovine tuberculosis outbreak until the fall.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) wants to focus on how the disease managed to get onto one Alberta farm and infect six cattle.  It will begin tracing records of animals that were shipped to the farm, but those tests will be delayed until after calving season.

51 farms in south-east Alberta and seven in Saskatchewan remain under quarantine pending the results of tests to see if the disease has spread from the infected farm.  About 10,000 cattle have been humanely slaughtered and $11.2 million paid out in compensation to producers.

While the quarantine continues, Dr. Harpeet Kochhar, the CFIA’s chief veterinarian, says there is a low risk of the disease spreading.
 
Roundup safety being questioned:
 
A battle over the main ingredient in Roundup, a popular weed killer sold in more than 160 countries, has come to a head in California. That’s where officials want to be the first to label the chemical with warnings that it could cause cancer.

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Monsanto rejects any health risk of its top-selling herbicide and sued the state of California, claiming officials illegally based their decision for carrying the warnings on an international health organization based in France.

Critics take issue with Roundup’s main ingredient, glyphosate, which has no color or smell. 

 A judge ruled in late January that California can require Monsanto to put labels on the product stating its a possible cancer threat but, a formal decision must still issued

Alberta Canola Producers eligible for 2016 Tax Year credit:

Alberta Canola producers who didn’t apply for a refund of their check-off from the Alberta Canola Producers Commission do qualify for a 2016 tax year tax credit.

The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit allows canola growers to claim the tax credit for that portion of the check off paid that was used to fund qualifying research.

The Alberta canola producers tax credit rate in 2016 is 9.77 percent. That means individual growers who paid $100.00 in check off to Alberta Canola will earn a $9.77 the tax credit.

Producers can opt to have the tax credit by way of one of the following:

— offset federal taxes owing in the current year,

— be received as a tax refund,

— be carried forward up to 10 years to offset federal taxes owing,

— be carried back 3 years to reduce federal taxes paid in those years.

Individual producers must file a T2038 (IND). Farm corporations must file form T2SCH31.

More information is available through the Canada Revenue Agency or your accountant. 

Producers can also find more information on the SR&ED on the Canada Revenue Agency Website. 
 
Lethbridge Agritourism and Farm Direct Marketing Workshop:
 
Before farmers move into the busy spring seeding season and ranchers get wrapped up in calving, it might be the right time to take a look at plans for farm direct or agri-tourism business.
 
Mark Saunders and Angela Grant Saunders of Saunders Farm are presenting a workshop in Lethbridge later this month.
 
 Mark, who is the director of fun at the operation, says the farm was originally a strawberry U-pick enterprise that has grown to entertain over a million guests.   His operation went from hosting school tours and teaching people about acriculture to offering a festival, where they charge admission to get onto the farm.
 
Mark says many farmers are hesitant about charging an admission but, he says you have to look at it as an extension of your business and find new ways to connect with your customers. They’re now incorporating farm dinners and day camps, and finding a new connection to 20-and 30 year old people who are considered ‘foodies’ and want to know more about where their food comes from
 
 The Saunders’ Agritourism and Farm Direct Marketing workshop will be held February 28th in Lethbridge.
 
To register, call 1-800-387-6030. For more information, contact Colin Gosselin at 780-968-3518.
 
UFA steps up for educating the kids:
 
United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) are offering Alberta 4-H clubs the opportunity to learn to do .- by doing – with educational workshops at select UFA locations. Each workshop is unique and participants are guaranteed to develop life skills and new friendships while having fun!
 
Some of the things 4-H members may learn are: Farm Safety, Credit 101, Co-operative Basics, Tack Cleaning, Animal Care and Goal Setting.
 
The next local educational workshop is slated for the UFA Farm and Ranch Supply store in Lethbridge, on Thursday, February 9th.
 
You can reach out to your local UFA location for more details on the event. 

Or, call directly to the Lethbridge UFA Farm and Ranch supply store, at 2905 – 2nd Avenue N.
 
Store Hours are 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday. The local manager is Ken Donkersgoed at 403.328.5531 or call Toll Free 800.835.6932