Alumni E-News

Alumni E-News is aimed at keeping alumni and friends of NSAC up-to-date with news from the university including important announcements, student and alumni achievements, athletic news and upcoming events. You will still receive your alumni magazine, the Agricola News, by mail.

In this monthly, E-newsletter you'll find brief news items and for many, a link to our alumni website for more detailed information.

Where are they now?

Here is your chance to let other alumni know where you are and what you’re doing! Please send us an email at alumni@nsac.ca and let us know what you’re up to – you just might be featured in an upcoming issue of Alumni E-News. We look forward to hearing from you! Please send along a picture if possible!

This month's profile features Craig Hominick.

Events

Upcoming Alumni Gatherings....

There will be a “mini” summer homecoming held on Thursday July 26th to coincide with NSAC’s annual Open House and Agri-Golf Classic. The NSAC Alumni Family Barbeque will be held in the Alumni Gardens beginning at 4:00 p.m. Alumni will have the opportunity to tour campus during our open house, visit with retired faculty and staff and enjoy the grounds of campus. Class photos will also be taken at this time. Please keep posted to our website for further details as they develop and plan to attend this summer reunion.

Agri-Golf Classic

The 2007 edition of the annual (11th) fundraising golf tournament is being held at the Sussex Golf and Curling Club in Sussex , NB. on July 27.

At 1 pm (shot-gun start) the mix of alumni, sponsors, agri-food and industry participants will test their skills in the scramble format. For the first time in the history of the event, two additional categories for team prizes has been added. In addition to the following category winners – Farm, Business, Alumni, Overall, the two added are “Sponsors” and a “Deputy Ministers Challenge”. In the DM Challenge, Paul LeFleche of Nova Scotia is taking on Wayne Hooper from PEI.

The 2006 winning members of the Alumni category include l-r Arnold Hagen, Alex Rogers, Steve Watts, Kyle Murray, Steve Thompson

There are still openings for the Classic. If you want to register as an individual or if you want to assemble a team of five, visit the website: nsac.ca/athletics/golf or contact agrigolf@nsac.ca.

Brad Palmer had this to say about the tournament: "We want to let them Tatars (Steve Watts Alumni Team) know that the Valley boys are coming after them swinging. (Golf clubs that is!)

RBC Atlantic Agriculture Team

The 11 member RBC Atlantic Agriculture team consists of seven NSAC alumni which cover all the the Atlantic region for RBC.

From left to right - Joe McGrath - Agriculture Account Manager (Ag AM) Berwick; Brian Little - National Manager, Agriculture/ Agribusiness ; Janice Tait - Ag AM Sussex, graduated in 1981, BSC (Agr), graduated from University of Guelph with BSC (Agr), majored in Agricultural Economics in 1983; Dave Hopkins - Ag AM Kentville, graduated in 1993, BSC with an Animal Science Major; Charles Briggs - Ag AM Woodstock , graduated in 1994 with BSC Agr in Plant Science; Martyn Donnelly - Ag AM Charlottetown, graduated in 1998, BSC, Agriculture, Animal Science; Merlene Austin - VP Agriculture , Atlantic Region; Jonathan Woolfitt - Senior Ag AM Atlantic Region, 6 month work term with NSAC in 1994; Eric Dubé - Ag AM Grand Falls; James Taylor Ag AM Truro; Preston Young - Ag AM Summerside. Missing: Andrew Poehl - Ag Am Shubenacadie, graduated in 1998, BSC, Agriculture, Animal Science; On Maternity Leave: Nicole Kilfoil-Oulton, graduated in 1998 with a BSC Agriculture, Agricultural Economics.

NSAC Alumnus Appointed Member of the Order of Canada

Fred Walsh, class of 1950, has been appointed as a member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his lifetime of volunteer service.

Fred retired about twelve years ago after a long, distinguished career with the Department of Agriculture in the Extension Services Branch. After losing an eye in a farming accident, Fred became very involved in the CNIB, eventually serving on the national Board of Directors. He has also been very active in supporting the charitable work of the United Church, the Salvation Army and many other charitable organizations. Always there with a supportive call, a note or a visit during difficult times, Fred has been a wonderful friend and mentor to many of the staff in the Department. The Department of Agriculture is very pleased to announce this recognition of Fred’s selfless work. In recent years, Fred has been quietly providing informal counseling and encouragement to many in the farming community, especially in some of the struggling sectors of the industry.

Fred and his wife Mary continue to enjoy an active and healthy retirement in their life-long home at Birchleigh Farm in Rockland, Kings County, amid Fred's renowned gardens and surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

Research

Integrated approaches to weed management for lowbush blueberry

NSAC is pleased to announce the initiation of a major project in alternative weed management technologies. The project, being led by Dr. Nathan Boyd, Vegetation Management Research Chair with the Department of Environmental Sciences, intends to develop integrated approaches to weed management for lowbush blueberry. This is a three-year initiative which is being supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Oxford Frozen Foods Ltd., Bragg Lumber Company Ltd. and the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (WPBANS).

Click here for more......

Development

Just a reminder.. There is a great new home and auto insurance program for NSAC Alumni.

In case you missed earlier notices, NSAC has an affinity partnership with TD Meloche Monnex, offering home, automobile, small business and travel insurance to all NSAC alumni, faculty and staff.

Thanks to this exclusive partnership, you can enjoy preferred group rates for your home and auto insurance. In addition, TD Meloche Monnex is holding an exclusive contest for NSAC alumni, faculty and staff. Simply request a no-obligation quote from TD Meloche Monnex before December 31, 2007 and you could WIN a 42" Plasma TV valued at approximately $2,000. Plus, you’ll be automatically entered in the WIN a Mercedes-Benz R 350 contest!

This is a great opportunity that you will be hearing more about over the next few months. For more details on both contests and to find out how much you can save on your insurance, click here.

Continuing & Distance Education

NSAC and AgraPoint working to advance skills for the Nova Scotia Sheep Producer.

A survey was conducted with members of the Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia (SPANS) through cooperation with AgraPoint, Human Resources Development Canada and the Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia. It was recognized that a large number of sheep producers in the province were new to the industry with less than five years experience.

“As directors we felt that we needed to improve the knowledge and tools that are required to run a successful sheep operation,” commented Matt Crouse of SPANS. More..

Marketing On-Line Poll

What do you like to hear most about from your alma mater? Click here to take our 5 second poll!

Last Month's question: What kinds of activities would you be interested in attending during Homecoming 2007 on October 19th and 20th.
You can find the results here.