Food News, February 2018

Workshops

Preparing Your Business for Change Workshop
February 22, 2018 – Airdrie
In this full-day, hands-on workshop with Provision Coalition, influential decision makers will learn about the preparation and planning necessary to drive positive business change while mitigating risks. The cost is $28.57 + GST; Contact Lisa Iwanyk for additional information.

Beyond Sticky Traps: Levelling Up Your Greenhouse Biocontrol
February 28, 2018 – Thiel’s Greenhouses, Bruderheim
(Floriculture Stream)
March 1, 2018 – Gull Valley Greenhouses, Lacombe (Vegetable Stream)
Do you carry your hand lens wherever you go? Get stoked over aphid mummies? Show everybody your banker plants? If so, you’re not going to want to miss this workshop on advanced biocontrol. Experts from all over North America will be leading sessions on scouting, supplemental feeding of beneficial insects, nematodes and more, with an afternoon devoted to banker plant technology. The cost is $100 + GST; Contact Dustin Morton for additional information.
To register for these workshops, call the Ag-Info Centre at: 1-800-387-6030

Webinars

Image-Driven Marketing
March 7, 2018
Photographer and communications professional Bri Vos will demonstrate how to create and use images to draw customers in and strengthen your online marketing.

No Fear Farm Finance
March 28, 2018
What money do you have to invest in your local food business? What type of financing fits your business? How much credit should you carry? Join Ron Lyons as he demystifies the finance puzzle that many small agri-food producers, processors and local food entrepreneurs face as they grow their businesses.
Register here for both webinars; they start at 9 AM and run 60 minutes in length (including Q&A time).

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Events

BizConnections YYC: Start Your Business at the Farmers' Market
February 26, 2018 – Calgary – 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Whether you’re just starting out and looking for guidance, or you’re a seasoned market veteran interested in learning from the best – this event will help prepare you for market season!
•Learn about the vendor selection process and what it takes to find success in a market
•Get inspired by local success stories:
•Learn from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry about their Approved Farmers’ Market program, the difference between farmers’ markets and public markets, and regulations you should be aware of.
•Explore the benefits of membership with the Alberta Farmers’ Market Association.
Register here

Eat Better Choose Local Road Show
March 13, 2018 – Edmonton
March 15, 2018 – Calgary
Sobeys has worked for years with local growers and processors and they want to build on that success with new partners. They have created a new Local team dedicated to growing partnerships with existing and new suppliers. Join them for a morning of presentations and discussions designed to inform you on the procedures to get products on their shelves. More event details to come, along with the opportunity to RSVP by mid-February. For more information contact Lindsay Sutton.

Develop a research-based export marketing plan
March  12-13, 2018 – Leduc
March 15-16, 2018 – Calgary
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is facilitating two sessions of the Export Readiness Workshop Series. Ideal participants are Alberta agriculture and agri-food companies who do not have export experience, but are prepared, organized and highly committed to expanding internationally or companies that have some export experience and are determined to leverage successes to new export markets.
For more information and to register, contact Shelly Nguyen  at 780-422-7103.


Health Canada

Consultations on proposed front-of-package labelling
Health Canada is proposing to introduce mandatory front-of-package labelling for foods that are high in nutrients of public health concern, namely saturated fat, sugars and/or sodium. Front-of-package labelling will provide quick and easy guidance to help you make informed choices about packaged foods and help improve the nutritional quality of packaged foods available in the marketplace. Health Canada is launching a consultation on front-of-package labelling. The official Canada Gazette, Part I consultation will take place from February 10 to April 26, 2018.

Health Canada wants to hear from as many Canadians as possible; they have also created a short, consumer-friendly online consultation for you to tell them which front-of-package nutrition symbol you find useful.
Health Canada will be holding a one hour webinar on March 1, 2018 that will provide a technical overview of the Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Nutrition Symbols, Other Labelling Provisions, Partially Hydrogenated Oils and Vitamin D) posted in Canada Gazette Part I on February 10, 2018. You can send HC any questions you may have about the regulatory package by February 22, 2018. They will use your questions to inform the webinar content. Please submit your questions to: Nut.Labelling-Etiquetage@hc-sc.gc.ca

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Farm Energy Agri-Processing (FEAP) Grant Program Opening

The Farm Energy and Agri-Processing Program shares costs with the agriculture and agri-processing sector on energy efficiency investments.  The program is designed to encourage energy management which will result in cost savings, energy conservation, and ultimately, reduced greenhouse gas emissions. 
This program is retroactive to April 2016 with a 50 per cent cost share on most items. The maximum grant per applicant per year is $250,000  and applications will be processed in a first complete, first served basis.
For more information, call 310-FARM or visit agriculture.alberta.ca/feap, where you can find application forms, a producer funding list, a processor funding list, and program terms and conditions.


AFPA

Food Safety and Quality Training – 2018 Course schedule now available here
Implementing SQF Systems: SQF Internal Auditor; SQF Implementing or SQF for Quality - if you need one or more of these three courses let AFPA know as soon as possible or they will be cancelled - March 5-6, Calgary 
CanadaGAP Auditor Training – 1time offering - April 9-13, Calgary - 5 Days
Introduction to Food Safety & HACCP - April 23, Edmonton
HACCP I: Prerequisite Programs - April 24-25, Edmonton
HACCP II: Developing Your HACCP Plan - April 26-27, Edmonton

AFPA Workplace Health and Safety
NEW - Bill 30 and What AFPA Is Doing...!
AFPA attended a special meeting with the province to discuss key aspects of  the upcoming Bill 30. The overall focus for employers will include three main factors:
•Legislated Roles & Responsibilities and providing workers with 'competent' Supervision.
•Worker engagement that includes their right to know (training, knowledge, education), right to participate, (hazard assessment, ERP planning, safety meetings, input/feedback on the safety program),
•Right to refuse unsafe work.
AFPA will be providing ongoing updates as these proposed changes will take effect on June 1, 2018. Contact ed@afpa.com for all your workplace health & safety needs.

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