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Featured Blog Posts – February 2013 Archive (8)

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

AALP class 14 started off Day Eleven of our study tour later than usual with an 8:15 a.m. wake-up call. While many back home battle a winter wonderland the class enjoyed a sunny 28 degree Delhi winter.

We headed off to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) which is situated inside the city limits of Delhi. This Institute was started in 1905 in Bihar with a…

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Added by AALP on February 27, 2013 at 3:19pm — 1 Comment

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Expect the unexpected, organized chaos, frightening, bumpy, contrast and adventure. These are some of the ways that the AALP Class 14 members described their varied experiences today. We started the day by visiting the head office of Digital Green http://www.digitalgreen.org/…

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Added by AALP on February 27, 2013 at 3:15pm — No Comments

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Monday, February 25, 2013

Today the AALP Class 14 members stepped outside their comfort zone and visited the Bawana colony (slum) in north west Delhi. We started the day by meeting with the Delhi division of Habitat for Humanity and learned that 40% of Delhi residents live at, or below, the poverty level. Habitat for Humanity has been present in India for the last 30 years and has helped 48,000…

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Added by AALP on February 25, 2013 at 2:30pm — 2 Comments

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Sunday February 24, 2013 - Goodbai Mumbai!

AALP Class 14 was awake not quite as early this morning and was off to the Mumbai airport for a short flight to the nation’s capital Delhi. From the airport we boarded our bus and were off to see the major sights of New & Old Delhi. First up the oldest monument in India, Qutab Minar dating back to 1100 A.D., the largest tower (~73m) was erected by the many suggestive Islam rulers over the centuries from the stones of the Hindu temples they demolished. 

Many were then thankful for…

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Added by AALP on February 24, 2013 at 6:00am — 1 Comment

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Saturday, February 23, 2013

AALP Class 14 had an early start to our day as we made our way to the city of Pune. Pune is a growing city of over 5 million people. (…

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Added by AALP on February 23, 2013 at 4:00pm — 6 Comments

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Friday, February 22, 2013

After an early breakfast we left Mumbai for a 3.5 hour drive to tour Syngenta Foundation Villages located at Jawahar in the Thane District. The drive took us up into the arid hills through many small villages. Although the fields were bare now, this district is a traditional rice growing area in the monsoon season from June to September.  In the dry season villagers make…

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Added by AALP on February 22, 2013 at 2:42pm — 2 Comments

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour Mumbai, India - Thursday, February 21, 2013

Rested!  AALP Class 14 finally got to wake up from a full night’s sleep in beds that didn't flutter over land and sea, or wobble down a track.  Feeling refreshed we met with our first guide of the day, a wonderful woman who had worked with Mother Theresa, has a Masters in Social Work and who passionately loves showing visitors around her city of Mumbai. Our tour was a…

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Added by AALP on February 21, 2013 at 6:30am — 3 Comments

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - February 17 to 20, 2013

Sunday, February 17 & Monday, February 18, 2013

AALP Class 14 arrived at Pearson International Airport on time for departure on our International Study Tour to India.  After a short delay everyone was eager to get started on our trip.  The first leg took us to Brussels where we were informed we were…

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Added by AALP on February 20, 2013 at 7:00am — 1 Comment

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

BC farmers gearing up for collection of pesticides and livestock medications this Fall

This October, Vancouver Island and Fraser Valley farmers in BC are readying to participate in Cleanfarms’ longest running environmental stewardship initiative: the Unwanted Pesticides and Old Livestock/Equine Medications (UPLM) program. Operating on a rotating schedule year-over-year, this well-loved Canada-wide program helps farmers in BC (and in other regions) protect their land and communities by accepting unwanted commercial-class pesticides and obsolete livestock/equine medications for safe disposal, free of charge. This year in BC, there are eight single-day collection events from October 6 to October 16, operating 9AM to 4PM daily: four in the Fraser Valley and four on Vancouver Island, including a first-time event in Port Alberni. “The reach of this year’s events means even greater convenience to BC farmers,” says UPLM’s Program Coordinator Heather Bradley. “Greater program participation, combined with the promotional work of our agricultural retail and regional district par

U.S. Winter Wheat Planting, Emergence Lagging

U.S. winter wheat planting made decent progress this past week but continues to lag last year and the five-year average. Emergence is also running behind. According to Monday’s USDA crop progress, 27% of the American winter wheat crop was planted as Sunday, up 10 percentage points from a week earlier. That was below both the 32% planted at the same point last year and the 2021-25 average of 34%. Meanwhile, winter wheat emergence also increased nationally, with 8% of the crop emerged, up from 2% the previous week. That remained below 12% last year and the five-year average of 11%. Kansas planting advanced to 18% from 10% the previous week, compared with 16% last year and the five-year average of 24%. Oklahoma reached 7% planted, up from 4% a week earlier, but well behind 30% last year and the 25% average. Michigan moved to 18% planted from 14%, ahead of 15% last year and equal to the five-year average. No planting progress was reported for Ohio as of Sunday; the state was 10% p

FCC Economists Examine Trade, Interest Rates and Economic Risks Facing Agriculture

Farm Credit Canada is highlighting trade uncertainty, interest rates and broader financial conditions as key economic issues for Canadian farmers and agribusinesses through the remainder of 2026. In an economic update webinar released Tuesday, FCC’s economics team reviews the major economic and financial variables affecting farms, food and beverage manufacturers and agribusinesses, while providing its outlook for the months ahead. The 39-minute presentation features FCC chief economist Craig Johnston, principal economist Krishen Rangasamy and deputy chief economist Desmond Sobool. The update comes amid a challenging backdrop for the Canadian economy, including renewed U.S. trade barriers, geopolitical uncertainty and elevated borrowing costs. FCC has previously estimated Canadian economic growth at around 1% for 2026, with trade restrictions weighing on non-energy exports and contributing to weaker business conditions. Interest rates are another important consideration. Alth

Manitoba Harvest Passes Halfway Mark

The Manitoba harvest passed the halfway mark this past week, although rainfall, fog and heavy dews continued to limit fieldwork in several parts of the province. Tuesday’s weekly crop report showed the Manitoba harvest at 51% complete as of Monday, up from 43% a week earlier. The largest regional advance came in the Northwest, where overall harvest progress jumped to 40% from 24%. The Central region moved to 71% from 64%, the Eastern region to 66% from 62%, the Interlake to 59% from 56%, and the Southwest to 32% from 27%. Provincially, spring wheat harvest reached 77%, up from 71% a week earlier. Barley advanced to 81% from 76%, oats to 72% from 66%, and canola to 57% from 43%. Peas remained at 96% complete, while soybean harvest increased to 5% from 1%. Dry bean harvest doubled to 32% done. Quality concerns are becoming more prominent in later-harvested cereals, with sprouting, weathering, and bleaching causing downgrades in some areas, the report said. Canola yields are gener

Secretary Naig Welcomes Applications for Urban Water Quality Project Grants

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is accepting pre-applications for cost-share grants to support urban conservation and water quality projects. The locally led projects, available to Iowa communities of all sizes, support implementation of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and are part of the state’s continued efforts to improve water quality. “Communities – big and small – have been putting proven conservation practices to work to improve water quality across Iowa since 2015,” said Secretary Naig. “From managing stormwater to reducing nutrient loss and protecting local waterways, these locally led projects help improve water quality and mitigate urban flooding. Many of these projects also become attractive community features that enhance quality of life. IDALS will continue working alongside communities to deliver cleaner water for Iowans because there is no finish line when it comes to cons

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