Prep-Agriculture-Report

(Canadian Press Broadcast Wire (Canada) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) (New-Year-Optimism) Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says he's pleased to see general optimism in the Canadian agriculture sector to start 2013.

He attributes some of the positive outlook to improved market access and the major changes made to grain marketing in 2012, with the end of the Canadian Wheat Board's single desk in August.

He says farmers had a -- quote -- ``tremendous amount of success this fall,'' adding there has been more product move than ever before and for higher returns per bushel.

Ritz says the so-called fiscal cliff in the United States presents a significant risk to the export-dependent sector, because Canada exports between 50 and 85 per cent of certain commodities. (CHSM) (US-Fiscal-Cliff-Farm-Bill) A senator says the potential doubling of milk prices will be averted as part of the compromise that White House and congressional bargainers reached on wide-ranging legislation to avert the ``fiscal cliff.'' Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., told reporters that negotiators had agreed to extend portions of the expired 2008 farm bill through September.

She said that includes language keeping milk prices from rising, but excludes other provisions like energy and disaster aid for farmers. (AP) (Canadian Potash-China) The Canpotex marketing agency for three of the largest potash producers in Canada has agreed to sell one million tonnes of the crop nutrient in the first half of 2013 to a major Chinese customer.

Canpotex says the price will be 70 dollars U-S per tonne below the contract price established in March 2012.

The agreement is with a subsidiary of Sinofert, China's largest integrated agriculture company and a long-time partner of Canpotex.

Canpotex is jointly owned by Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Agrium and Mosaic Corp., a U.S. company with major potash operations in Saskatchewan. (The Canadian Press) (Farm-Loans) A Farm Credit Canada spokesman says farmers and agribusiness owners need a solid business plan with realistic projections for a successful loan application.

F-C-C's Remi Lemoine says when a financial institution declines a loan application it doesn't mean the project is not worthy, it may have to do with how the application is put together.

Lemoine says errors potential borrowers make are having a non-existent or incomplete business plan, an overly optimistic budget forecast, and not allowing enough for cost overruns for projects is also a common mistake.

He encourages farmers and agribusinesses to ask their lenders for suggestions to improve their loan applications and to seek out mentors who can provide the input they need to put together a solid plan. (CKNX) (Switzerland-Organic) The federal government says the Canada-Switzerland Organic Equivalency Arrangement gives producers an edge in the European country's organic market.

It says it makes it easier to import and export certified organic products between Canada and Switzerland.

It cuts down on additional certification, which decreases costs.

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says Canadian consumers also benefit because they'll get increased access to Swiss organic food options. (CKNX) (Forestry-Farm) The Forestry Farm Park and Zoo in Saskatoon is 100 years old.

Originally called the Sutherland Forest Nursery Station, it was established in 1913, and was operated as a federal tree nursery until 1966.

A few years after that, the zoo was created at the park site.

Manager of the Forestry Farm, John Moran, says there are plans to celebrate the centennial throughout the year.

The site features a number of heritage buildings, a meditation garden, lots of heritage programs, and events like weddings, anniversaries, and picnics. (CJWW) (Agriculture Digest by Mary Jo Laforest) (The Canadian Press) (c) 2013 The Canadian Press

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