NSAC E-Bulletin

Please forward your submissions to the NSAC E-Bulletin to Stephanie Rogers (news@nsac.ca) by Friday at 3:00 p.m. for inclusion in the next week's edition.

Dec 15, 2003 --- Week 159

Achieving Academic Success

Hello everyone, I am wondering if you ever received any special academic accommodations when you were in high school. Did you get extra time for writing tests? Did you write your tests in a separate room? Did you have oral tests?

If any of these (or any others not mentioned) apply to you and you feel that the same level of assistance would help you succeed academically at NSAC , please drop by to see me - Lorie Reeves. I am on campus to help increase student success.

Also if you have a documented learning disability or physical disability, there are many services that I can lead you toward, to make your academic life a more positive experience.

My office is in the Dairy Building, downstairs with Career Services. You could call to set up an appointment at 893-4420 or send me an email at lreeves@nsac.ns.ca

Changes in Policy that Impact Project Proposal Development

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) : Changes in Policy that Impact Project Proposal Development

NSAC International is presenting a seminar outlining recent changes in CIDA's policies and their impact on NSAC as we develop international cooperation project proposals for funding through CIDA.

This seminar should be of interest to any faculty and staff wishing to participate in development or implementation of a CIDA-funded project in the future. It should also be of interest to anyone curious or concerned about international development and Canada's contribution to global development. Everyone is welcome!

Date : Tuesday, December 16th, 2003
Time : 1.30 - 2.30 pm
Place : Alumni Hall

For more information, please contact Mary Breen at mbreen@nsac.ns.ca or 893-6252.

Young Scientist Footprint Award Presentation

Mr. Ray Mowling, Executive Director, Biotechnology Information Council of Canada presented a $5000 cheque to Graduate Student, Ms. Heather Topley in recognition of her wining the young scientist, Footprint Award. NSAC President, Dr. Philip Hicks was on hand December 5th to congratulate Heather.

More details on Heather's project and award can be found on line.

University Day

Student Recruitment would like to announce that University Day 2004 will be held on Friday February 27th. We are very excited about moving our traditional May event to an earlier, and more critical time in a high school student’s academic year. Most students begin the application process in February, and we expect that by moving University Day forward we will have more of an influence on undecided students, and their choice to come to NSAC.

We have had amazing support in the past from NSAC students, faculty and staff, and we hope that this date change, which coincides with our Winter Break, will be amenable to all. We will hold our first meeting about the event in early January, and all are invited to attend. Should you have questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the Recruitment Office at 893-3432 or by email at jtingley@nsac.ns.ca

So be sure to mark in your calendar that the big event is Feb. 27th!

Canadian Quality Milk Program Gets Technical Recognition
On-farm food safety program technically sound, says CFIA

The Board of Directors of Dairy Farmers of Canada received the official letter from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that states that the Canadian Quality Milk (CQM) program “promotes the production of safe food at the farm level and adheres to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles as defined by Codex Alimentarius.”

“Canadian dairy farmers have been producing safe and high quality milk for years,” said Bruce Saunders, Second Vice-President of Dairy Farmers of Canada. “Dairy farmers are leaders in the promotion of practices that assure that the food at the farm is produced with safety in mind. Essentially, producers on the program say what they do, do what they say and prove it.”

The program is based on science and follows HACCP principles where applicable and practical on the farm. Cooling and storage of milk, milking equipment sanitation and livestock medicine administration are a few of the areas where producers record their management practices.

In presenting the letter to DFC, Mr. Warren Smandych, National Coordinator, On-Farm Food Safety and Recognition Program, CFIA, said: “You can be proud of the program you have developed. It shows the positive efforts you are making to assure food safety. CFIA is pleased that you have achieved this goal and we look forward to collaborating with you during the implementation phase.”

Bruce Saunders stressed that this technical recognition will give producers the confidence to move forward to implement the program on their farms. He thanked Mr. Smandych for his hard work and support during the technical review. The CQM is only the second agricultural program to complete the technical review process.

The success of the technical review could not have been achieved without the hard work and expertise of the CQM Technical Committee, which is composed of dairy experts from across the country. These experts developed the reference manual for producers based on existing science. They will continue to ensure that new applicable research and technology, such as robotic milkers, are considered in the program.

NSAC Alumnus In New Federal Cabinet

In case it escaped your notice, Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking, a Cape Breton vegetable farmer and 1980 graduate of NSAC's Agriculture Business Technician program, was sworn in as the parliamentary secretary for agriculture last week.

According to a story in the Saturday Halifax Herald, Mark said he planned to work on the agriculture file to bring more value to the industry. He also indicated that being a parliamentary secretary will help in discussions with other ministers on files like the Sydney tar ponds and the need to continue supporting regional development initiatives in Cape Breton.

In 2002, Mark was briefly listed as a lost sheep in our Agricola News alumni magazine when his mail was returned to us by Canada Post as undeliverable even thought he had never changed his address. That was soon corrected. Congratulations Mark.