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AALP's Blog – February 2011 Archive (4)

AALP Class 13 International Study Tour to Guatemala and Belize – February 26 & 27, 2011

February 26, 2011 - Best Last Day in Guatemala Ever! Another beautiful sunny hot day in Guatemala; we actually haven’t seen rain since we arrived. The mornings have been cool and pleasant, and the last two mornings we were able to have breakfast under a huge 60-foot-high thatch roofed mezzanine overlooking Lake Peten Itza. The lake has a turquoise hue from the limestone base.…

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Added by AALP on February 27, 2011 at 5:00pm — 2 Comments

AALP Class 13 International Study Tour to Guatemala and Belize – February 24 & 25, 2011

February 24, 2011 - Go DIEGO GO!!! Can’t stop thinking about the kids and the cartoon character Diego the animal rescuer, as we took the plane, the bus, the boat and seemingly endless uphill hike (with luggage) to arrive at ARCAS animal rescue shelter at a balmy 32 degrees Celsius.



ARCAS is a wonderful place where we found very passionate people. It is an NGO…

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Added by AALP on February 27, 2011 at 4:30pm — 2 Comments

AALP Class 13 International Study Tour to Guatemala and Belize – February 22 & 23, 2011

February 22, 2011 - Today felt like we truly started our AALP International Study Tour. We woke up in Antigua, the original capital of Guatemala, which is surrounded by three active volcanoes. We even saw some smoke from one of them from the roof of our hotel.



We did not know what to expect from our visit at CasaSito, a non-governmental organization working with…

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Added by AALP on February 24, 2011 at 12:00pm — 1 Comment

AALP Class 13 International Study Tour to Guatemala and Belize – February 20 & 21, 2011

As AALP Class 13 gathered for departure from Pearson Airport early on the morning of Sunday February 20, the group soon realized that flights were running late and that American Airlines would be redirecting the flight. John Borland and Bonnie den Haan were first in the check in line and were sent to Dallas while all of the others were sent to Miami on a later flight. Bonnie and John arrived safely in Guatemala City on Sunday evening, while the remainder of the class overnighted in Florida…

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Added by AALP on February 21, 2011 at 3:00pm — 1 Comment

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

Farm tractor struts its stuff on F1 track

A Valtra T236 reached 54 mph at the Red Bull Ring in Austria

Diploid Potato Breeding May Improve Yield and Storage

AAFC researchers have found that diploid potatoes offer improved genetics, high yields, and disease resistance, providing a resilient alternative for Canadian potato growers.

Boosting soybean protein: The essential role of zinc and sulfur in sustainable crop production

Soybean is a critical element of the global food supply: Between its use for animal feed and human consumption, it accounts for roughly two-thirds of plant-based protein meal output world-wide. Canada is a global leader in sustainable soybean production, with 70% of its crop, one of the country’s top three by value, exported annually. According to Brazilian scientist Gabriel Montanha, soy production has “exploded” in recent decades to meet demand – but there hasn’t been a corresponding increase in soybean’s protein content. “To ensure soy remains a sustainable crop, we need to increase the protein content of soy seeds,”  says Montanha, who is doing a postdoctoral fellowship at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. “It's critical we find ways want to generate more protein without increasing the amount of land we’re currently cultivating.” Montanha and colleagues used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and Brazil

New insights into lung health risk for female farmers

Exposure to a mix of common airborne agricultural contaminants could lead to lung effects in females, a new University of Saskatchewan (USask) study has uncovered. Farmers are exposed daily to a variety of potential contaminants such as endotoxins (substances associated with certain bacteria) in dust, which are well-known to trigger lung inflammation and asthma. However, how endotoxins specifically impact women’s health is not well understood, particularly when there is also exposure to a herbicide called glyphosate, widely used in agricultural work. Now, USask researchers have detected lung effects in female mice models just five days after a combined exposure, simulating the same quantity of endotoxins and herbicide farmers could breathe over a work week. The team was able to take detailed images of the affected lungs thanks to the powerful X-rays of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at USask. These images showed that fluid had built up in the lungs during this short exposure perio

Wet harvest? Protect Stored Cereals from OTA

Wet harvest conditions across parts of the Prairies have put added focus on how cereal grain is managed in storage. Cool, wet weather has slowed harvest progress in some areas, with reports of tough cereals and grain quality concerns. For growers bringing grain off at higher moisture levels, careful drying, cooling and monitoring will be especially important this fall. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that can develop in stored cereal grain when moisture and temperature conditions are favourable for fungal growth. Unlike deoxynivalenol (DON), which develops in the field as a result of Fusarium infection, OTA develops during storage. Grain stored above safe moisture levels, condensation or water entering the bin, contaminated dust or soil, and residues from previously stored grain can all contribute to OTA development. Even a small pocket of damp grain can create problems. That means managing the entire grain mass, not just relying on an average moisture reading. Make Storage Manage

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