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.

Kevin Sibley travels to Slovak Agricultural University

Kevin Sibley, Head of the Department of Engineering, just returned from a visit to the Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra, Slovakia. At the invitation of the Dean of the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Magdalena Lacko-Bartosova, Ph.D., he delivered three presentations:

Lowbush Blueberry Production and Mechanization in Eastern Canada, Mechanized Rhubarb Harvesting System Development in Nova Scotia, and Cranberry Production in Atlantic Canada. He is shown here giving the presentation on blueberry production. In addition to the presentations, Kevin also visited several large commercial farms where on-going research in BioGas Production Methods, Precision Agriculture Technology Development, and Modernization using Mechanization was being conducted by university faculty.

Public Presentations for V-P Academic position

Public Presentations for the Vice-President Academic position will be held on Monday, June 6th in Cox 257.

The candidates will address the theme: "Your vision of the role of V-P Academic at NSAC and why you feel you are the right candidate to meet that vision".

1:00 – 2:15 p.m. Leslie MacLaren

3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Derek Anderson

Presentation Regarding Mercury Vaporization

You are invited to attend a presentation and Q & A session to be held June 1, 2005, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. in Cox 257. The presentation is in response to concerns over the soil-sample drying oven in Cox 163 which overheated, vaporizing a mercury thermometer on May 6th.

The presentation will be presented by Mr. Dave Gibson, Occupational Hygienist, and OH&S Manager with TPW.

All are welcome to attend! Please R.S.V.P. Tricia Coulter at tcoulter@nsac.ns.ca.

NSAC Spring Golf Classic

The 14th annual NSAC Spring Golf Classic was held on Saturday at the Mountain Golf and Country Club. Winner of the President's trophy, Kevin Sibley and Shannon Kilyanek; for the Department trophy, Engineering narrowly edged PAS. Thanks to all who braved a wet course to participate as well as to Hal Ju for organizing the tournament trophies and more over the past 14 yrs.

Radiation Safety and Awareness Training Workshop for Research Personnel

This one day Workshop is intended to give graduate students and research personnel the required background to work safely with radio active materials.

This program will include theory sections on: properties of radiation, radiation safety, ALARA, contamination control, disposal of waste and record keeping in compliance with Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Practical sessions will include: receiving packages, inventory control, contamination surveys, calculations and the use of Liquid Scintillation Counter and Survey Meters.

There will be a written test following the workshop, those who attain at least 80% on this will receive a Certificate of Completion.

The Workshop will be given by Anne Swan, Assistant Radiation Safety Officer for NSAC on:

Thursday, June 9 in Cox 200 and Cox 255 9 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm.

Lab coats, safety glasses and closed footwear will be required.

To register contact, aswan@nsac.ns.ca or by calling 893-6626. Questions can be directed to the same contact information.

Second Agrifest Slated for 2006

Maritimers will once again have the opportunity to learn about agriculture and food in a fun, exciting and interactive way.

Agrifest, the outdoor celebration of agriculture and food that captivated 10,000 visitors for the first time last summer, will be held again August 10-13th 2006. The same 50-acre site in Canning will be used again as home for the event.

'Planning is moving at lightning speed and we are very excited to be able to once again present such a unique event,” said Dale Kelly, Agrifest Chair. “We’re looking forward to providing visitors interesting and new ways to learn about our agricultural industry and offering incredible value for families looking for a fun way to spend a nice Valley summer day.”

Kelly is CEO of AgraPoint, the agricultural consulting company in Kentville and Truro which presents and organizes Agrifest. Planning for such an event generally takes 18-24 months. Kelly noted that the event may be hosted in another location in the region if held again after 2006.

Agrifest 2006 will once again offer the general public and farming community seminars, workshops and plot tours in vegetables, berries, field crops and ornamentals. The popular Family Pavilion will return, as will an exhibitor trade show, landscaping component and machinery demonstrations which will be expanded to a daily event.

Food and music will also be a key component of the event, with food vendors, musical acts and cooking demonstrations. The event’s contest and competition components will be enhanced with unique ways to involve the livestock sector. Evening events will also be added.

Information on the event will be posted at www.agrifest.com as it becomes available.

Conference Season now in high gear

NSAC's conference season is now in high gear running from May 1 through to August. Some of the groups you can expect to see include Eastern Breeders, Atlantic Fellowship, Royal Canadian Legion and Federation of Naturalists, just to name a few. Help NSAC put its best face forward. Please do your best to welcome these delegates to our campus.

These conference groups also take advantage of our catering services. Various :coffee breaks" are stationed outside our meeting rooms and although tempting, please refrain from "helping yourself" to food paid for by external clients.

Let's have a great conference season!

NSAC International News

NSAC International would like to announce that we have hired Jody Nelson for a summer position as the Ghana Project Assistant. Jody, who hails from Alberta, has just completed her second year studying Plant Sciences here at the NSAC. She will be returning to the NSAC to continue her studies after she returns from a three-month fall internship in Ghana.

The main focus of Jody’s work in the International Office will be in relation to the Ghana Project. She will be organizing the one-month visit of six Ghanaian project members to the NSAC. The main purpose of this visit is in regards to entrepreneurship development and training.

Jody can be contacted via email at jlnelson@nsac.ns.ca or by phone at 893-6514.

Kendra Mellish will be filling the position of International Project and Activities Assistant. Kendra is a Truro Area native attending Saint Thomas University in Fredericton; she has just completed her second year studying Criminology and Political Science.

As the International Project and Activities Assistant, Kendra will be involved in various categories of duties within the office. She will be responsible for general office duties, the scheduling and coordinating of cross-cultural sensitivity workshops and dealing with issues pertaining to both Outbound and Exchange students, as well as In-bound students. One of the main focuses of Kendra’s work with the International Office will be pertaining to the arrival in August of a group of students from the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in China. Kendra will be responsible for organizing and facilitating their orientation to Nova Scotia and specifically the NSAC.

Kendra can be contacted via e-mail at kmmellish@nsac.ns.ca, or by phone at 893-6514.

Gambia Internships

Clinton Ronalds and Erin Ramsey, two members of the NSAC community, left May 18 for Brikama, The Gambia. These two students are involved in a development project partnership between the NSAC and Gambia College titled “Sustainable Food Security, The Gambia”. This project is funded by CIDA through the Canadian College Partnership Program and led by Dr. Sam Asiedu of the Department of Plant and Animal Sciences. Dr. Bruce Rathgeber, of the Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, accompanied the two students, and will stay two weeks to assist Gambia College with the upgrade of their poultry facility.

The students will be spending six weeks in The Gambia. While they are there, they will be involved in upgrading and working with current staff to manage a poultry facility, providing staff with training for basic computer literacy and participating in outreach programs with community based farming organizations affiliated with the Gambia College.

Before leaving for The Gambia, the two were involved in an overseas placement orientation. This orientation included independent research about their destination and the students were provided with general information about traveling overseas, with aspects specific to The Gambia.

Clinton Ronalds is a graduate of the NSAC Bachelor of Science Program. He received his degree in 2003 with a major in Animal Science. Clinton returned to the NSAC in 2004-2005 to upgrade his degree. He is a resident of Bathurst, New Brunswick.

Erin Ramsey has just completed her second year here at the NSAC and is majoring in Pre-Vet and Animal Science. She is a resident of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Friends of the Garden Plant Sale

A Friends of the Garden Plant Sale will take place June the 8th 12:00 to 1:00pm for all staff. It will be located at the Collins Building in the headerhouse. Any funds raised will be used to buy plants for the rock garden!