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“In thd Field’ has the buzz on phoney honey and expanding potato markets

Mar 17, 2017 | 5:21 PM

LETHBRIDGE –   Spring is about to arrive and gardeners are already checking garden store in preparation for planting.  With spring, bears begin to leave hibernation and that creates some issues for hobby farmers.  But, before we touch on the bears, there is an issue that consumers need to be aware of. 
 
If you’re a lover of honey, you may want to make sure that is what’s actually in the containers you buy — or, is it just a sweet substitute.
 
The Canadian Honey Council has been urging the federal government to ramp up its efforts to inspect imported honey.

Council chair Kevin Nixon says imported, adulterated honey is having a large, negative effect on Canadian producers.

Nixon would like to see the Canadian Food Inspection Agency invest in nuclear magnetic resonance testing, which can detect the sweetener’s composition and place of origin, and create a profile of domestic honey to compare imports against.

The C-F-I-A uses isotope ratio technique to test, but Nixon argues that people diluting honey have learned how to beat those types of inspection methods by incorporating syrup made from other  sweateners. Some imported honey is not honey at all. Consumers need to be familiar with their supplier.
 
More information can be found at the  Canadian Bee Council   – Natural News OR   the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Spring – Bears:

The approach of spring means bears will begin to emerge from hibernation, and the Alberta government has advice for people who keep chickens.

The province says open sightlines reduce the chance of surprise encounters with bears, and that people living in bear country should carry bear spray and to know how to use it properly.

It also says electric fencing has proven to be very effective at deterring bears from accessing chickens.

The province says livestock feed should be stored in a bear-proof facility such as a locked shed or bear resistant container.

It says on a case-by-case basis, Alberta Environment and Parks will loan electric fence kits to landowners who are experiencing bear problems. 
 
Grain Handling:

 
The federal government is offering up to $375,000 for a new program to reduce deaths and injuries related to grain-handling.

The money is to go toward training for producers and first responders, awareness programs for children and a mobile demonstration unit….and an interactive trade show display.

The safety program will be run by a non-profit group that includes representatives from the farming industry, producers and governments.

On average, 84 Canadians die each year in agriculture-related accidents, a number that has dropped by about 20 since the 1990s. 

Information can be found at  Growing Forward 2 (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) – AgriCompetitiveness  and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

Potatoes:

 The federal government is providing more than $274,000 in Growing Forward 2 funding to help expand markets for Canadian potatoes.

This project, funded under the AgriMarketing Program, provides the Canadian Horticultural Council with money to help grow potato markets through trade shows, targeted advertising, and market research and development.

The investment is part of the federal government’s plan to help Canadian farmers expand markets at home and abroad.

Canadian potato exports are currently 1.6 billion dollars annually.