Member Profiles & Successes
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 Co-op Offers Merry Chrismas for Woodlot Owners 

You might call it a Christmas gift for Western Nova Scotia’s tree producers.

When big market Christmas tree companies left the province in recent years, many small producers were left without a buyer wholesaler to market their trees.

Many tree growers – some who had supplied Christmas trees to market for generations – abandoned their wood lots because it was no longer economical.

All Nova Scotia Green Christmas Tree Co-op hopes to change that.

Incorporated in 2009, the co-op is for smaller producers that produce from 500 to several thousand. Most of the 38 members are growers and direct shippers of Nova Scotia Balsam Fir products. Many are second or third generation Balsam Fir tree farmers.

Richard Levy, the co-op’s executive director, explained the mission of the co-operative is to seek long-term markets for its members’ products and establish lasting customer relationships based on integrity, honesty and quality products.

Levy said the key to the success will be the co-op’s ability to meet the needs of its clients.

He said retailers who need larger volumes of trees no longer want to phone numerous growers to fill their orders and then have to travel throughout the province to gather those trees. They prefer one point of contact – one supplier who can guarantee and deliver quality trees.

That’s what the co-op can provide. Levy said it’s not unreasonable for the co-op to provide up to 100,000 trees or more of various grades each year.

“We’re optimistic that by combining trees from members we can supply top quality, freshly cut product, delivered on time to the customer,” he said.

For example, if a wholesaler places an 5,000 tree order with a single grower, the wholesaler will have to wait for quite a period for a single grower to harvest that many trees.

If that same order is placed with the All Nova Scotia Green Christmas Tree Co-op., instead of one grower having to provide 5,000 trees, 38 small growers can quickly prepare (131 trees each) for the order. The harvesting, preparation and loading could be completed in a matter of hours. This sharing of the work assures the buyer / wholesaler of fresh product delivered to market.

“We can guarantee freshness,” said Levy. “orders can be filled within a day or two with freshly cut trees.”

By working together and leveraging the strength and flexibility of smaller producers, Levy said the co-op can increase profits for woodlot owners, and quite possibly, reduce the cost of Christmas trees for consumers.

He said by eliminating the intermediate buyers (people who only add cost to the product) means the growers can receive better value and still offer large retailers trees at competitive prices. That, he said, will help small tree growers stay in the tree business, keep Christmas tree farming viable for future generations and hopefully, reduce prices for consumers.

“Everyone’s going to benefit,” said Levy.

For additional information please contact the All Nova Scotia Green Christmas Tree Co-Op Ltd. at http://www.scotiagreentrees.com/

DNA Research May Reinvent Dairy Herds

Even dairy cows can use help when it comes to family planning.

Performance Genomics Inc. (PGI), a leading Canadian genomics company based in Truro, has completed the first phase of a research project that will change the way dairy farmers build their herds.

Incorporated in 1997, PGI develops genetic products for use in the field of fertility, reproduction and reproductive longevity. The company is currently working on research that will lead to a DNA test to predict the fertility and life span of dairy cows.

According to dairy farmer Bill McCurdy, it’s a test that’s desperately needed.
 
After decades of focusing on breeding only for high yield milk productions, McCurdy said the fertility in cows has started to decline in recent years, forcing dairy farmers to replace cows in their herds more often – sometimes after only one or two years of production.

“We’ve burdened the cow with all of our education and efforts to make more milk, never realizing that we were robbing the cow of her energies and abilities to reproduce,” said McCurdy, who operates a dairy operation with 280 head of cattle in Old Barns, a community near Truro. 

“All of my generation has been focused and been encouraged and even pushed though programs and so on to get as much milk out of a cow as you possibly can,” he said. “I can honestly say there was never any effort put into the reproductive side of the dairy cow.”

It’s a mistake that PGI hopes to address.

“What we are trying to do here is solve a problem that has slowly developed in the dairy cow,” said Dr. Hein van der Steen, the Chief Executive Officer of PGI.

Dr. van der Steen explained the industry’s focus on milk production has resulted in in-breeding and negative effects such as infertility in cows after only a few pregnancies. And as fertility goes down, he goes on to explain it’s difficult to get cows in calf again, which often means they have to be replaced with younger cows. The result is higher costs for the farmer, lower production by the herd, and less revenue of the farm operation.

“Our goal is to reverse that unfavourable trend for fertility and try to push it in the right direction,” he said. “We want to develop a cow that lasts longer – a more durable cow, a more robust cow.”

Ideally, he said the goal is to have a cow that will likely to have four, five or more lactations or pregnancies rather than one or two before it needs to be removed from the herd.

To make this possible, PGI is developing a DNA test that will analyze hair taken from a cow’s tail. The test will look for specific DNA or genetic markers identified by PGI as ones that predict a cow’s reproductive longevity.

“Our job is to find which genes are relevant, which gene versions are the good ones and which gene versions are the bad ones,” said Dr. van der Steen.

This information will allow farmers to make better decisions when they are building their dairy herds. 

McCurdy, 72, who bought his farm from his father in 1959, explained that when a calf comes into the herd, it is, on average, two years before it can produce and return any money to the farmer. Like kids, during the first few years, young cows are busy eating, growing and learning.

“When she finally drops her calf and comes into milk production, you’ve got two years of debt to get paid off right off the bat,” said McCurdy. “So if that cow is only going to be in your herd for a year, she’s still going to go out the door with a deficit owing to you.”

He said PGI’s new DNA test means farmers won’t have to wait. As soon as a calf is born and tested, the farmer will know if it has the genetic markers that indicate it will likely be a good producer in the long term.

“Otherwise you have to wait for her to grow up before you know that she has got that gene,” said McCurdy.

Funding, of course, is what makes the research possible.

PGI launched its first Community Economic Development Investment Fund (CEDIF) in January 2009, and reached its $200,000 investment goal by March, adding an additional $30,000 by June 30. The CEDIF, called the Performance Genomics Investment Fund Cooperative Ltd. (PGIF), now has 37 investors, representing an ownership stake of just over nine per cent of the company.

The funding provided from the first CEDIF allowed the company to complete the first phase of its research.

In the first phase of the project, PGI researchers focused on 25 genes they thought might be relevant to predicting reproductive longevity in Holstein cows.

The genes were selected through a previous in-depth study of a unique and reproductively superior colony of mice housed in a bio-secure facility at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. PGI is the only company in the world with exclusive rights to commercialize the intellectual property gained from studying the colony.

During the first phase of the Holstein project, the PGI researchers used the findings from the “mouse model” to identify similar genetic markers in select bulls and their female offspring.

In the second phase, the project will focus on determining which of 400 pre-screened DNA markers are present in a select group about 6,000 bulls and cows. This will allow the PGI researchers to finally determine what markers are really important to reproductive longevity. They expect there will be about 30 markers, and it will be those 30 markers that the company eventually uses commercially as the basis for its DNA testing.

“That’s our product,” said Van der Steen, “the knowledge that those are the 30 markers to use to predict the reproductive longevity of the cow.”

Based on the success of its first CEDIF offering, PGI is now planning to make a second investment fund offering this January.

“The main difference between a year ago and now is that we have the first cattle results,” he said. “A year ago we could only talk about the mouse model and what we achieved there and what we were going to do in cattle. Now we can actually talk about what we have done in cattle and where we are.”

It’s research that may well have far reaching implications for the agricultural industry as a whole. Although this initial research is focused on meeting the needs of the dairy industry, van der Steen says the genetic research may eventually be extended to other animals -- pigs, sheep, horses, even humans.

“In humans, of course, you can predict the reproductive window of a female with the same sort of technology,” he said, noting such information it may well prove useful in helping women balance career planning and family planning.

But meeting the family planning needs of humans will be for another day. For now, Performance Genomics Inc. will keep its research efforts squarely focused on the meeting the family planning needs of dairy herds.

For more information about Performance Genomics Inc. please visit: http://www.performancegenomics.ca/cms/default.asp,

Athol Forestry: Managing Cumberland's Forests 

A decade ago the forestry sector in Nova Scotia was booming. The province was investing heavily in silvaculture efforts, there was ACOA money for woods, roads and forest management plans, and the Athol Forestry Co-operative in Amherst was just one of 19 thriving forest co-operatives in the province.

Fast forward to 2007 and the forest industry is struggling. Dozens of mills have shut down across the country, trade disagreements have stymied export opportunities, and a decline in US housing starts combine with a rising Canadian dollar has hurt lumber prices. More than two-thirds of the forestry co-ops that operated in 2000 have disappeared, but Athol Forestry Co-operative remains strong, offering forestry management and marketing services to 250 members in northwestern Cumberland County. "We're one of just a half dozen left in the province", says acting manager Jane Berry. "It would be hard to call this a growth time for us, but given the challenging environment were in, holding our own is a pretty fine accomplishment."

The co-op manages in excess of 45,000 acres of property and employs three full time staff, including forester Glynn Speight and technician Neal Hewitt, who create forestry management plans for interested members and oversees the marketing of the wood. Located in Fort Lawrence, near Amherst, it also provides fee-for-service marketing and consulting to non-members. By combining small quantities of timber into larger quantities, the co-op can negotiate a better price than if the landowners sold timber on their own. It also operates a retail store that specializes in clothing and other materials used in the lumber business.

In 2007, close to $235,000 in forest improvement work - cutting, thinning, and special treatments - was carried out by experienced contractors, but supervised by Athol Forestry staff. Ms. Berry said membership in the co-op allows land owners access to expertise in silvaculture, expertise they may have difficulty accessing on their own. She said also when a property is deemed to be managed, whether it's through a co-op or an approved forestry planner, there are capital gains, tax incentives that kick in when a property is passed on from one generation to the next. Like with almost all co-ops, members may also qualify for a dividend in prosperous times. The Athol management board hasn't declared a dividend recently, but Ms. Berry said the company is still fiscally sound.

And it is possible brighter times are ahead. She said she's optimistic a promise of financial support for the forest industry made by Natural Resources Minister, David Morse, last week will translate into more work. "We've only seen a draft of the proposals, but any additional funding for silvaculture has to be good news", she said. "It will be very interesting to watch how it plays out". At a press conference in Halifax in 2008, Mr. Morse pledged financial assistance that he said could be worth $36 million over five years. "We must do what we can to help this vital industry remain sustainable during this difficult time", he said. As part of a new program, he promised an additional $6 million in silvaculture programs for small woodlot owners for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.

The forest industry in Nova Scotia employs 1,600 people and has an export value of $800 million.

The Co-operative Community in Nova Scotia

Helping People Help Themselves

Corporate Social Responsibility is THE buzz word in the business community these days. For some firms it means using materials and processes that are less harmful to the environment. For others, it’s employing labour practices that give workers an opportunity for a better work-life balance. For others still it means ensuing manpower or a portion of the corporate profits are dedicated to charitable endeavours.

It is often touted as a new kind of initiative, but in fact it is a model that is at the core of the co-operative movement, a global economic development endeavour which has deep roots in Nova Scotia.

Co-operatives are all about developing the strengths of individual communities and building on them. They are about giving a voice to individuals and providing the education and the tools so individuals can not only improve their own lives, but the lives of their neighbours. If ever there was a community that can demonstrate citizen participation, the building on community strengths and a focus on keeping the province vital, it is the co-operative sector.

From the time the first co-operative store was opened in Stellarton in 1861, more than 1,000 co-operatives have helped Nova Scotians band together to pursue shared interest. In the early days, it was farmers looking for a way to get a better price for their fruit and eggs. Later, in the heart of the Depression, it was individuals getting together to form “people's banks” or credit unions to give local ventures access to capital that banks in the more distant urban centres weren't interested in providing.

Some of the co-ops have disappeared as times changed and community needs evolved with urbanization, but co-operative businesses continue to be a significant economic and social driver in the province.

How significant? According to the 2007 report by the provincial Registrar of Co-operatives, 297 co-operative businesses generated $727 million in sales, controlled $5.1 billion in assets, created 7,000 jobs and provided 6,000 neighbours with affordable housing.

A recent survey by Progress Magazine showed that ten of the 100 largest companies in Nova Scotia are co-operatives. Companies that are household names like Scotsburn, Co-op Atlantic, Co-operators Insurance, and Credit Union Atlantic are on the list and part of our everyday lives.

Innovative programs like mico credit, small business loan guarantees, and the recently announced $2 million loan guarantee program targeted at immigrants are encouraging broad-based economic and social development. Last year, the small business loan program run by the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council in conjunction with credit unions put $23 million in the hands of small business.

But the financial bottom line is not the only bottom line for co-ops. Almost half of the registered co-operative enterprises in the province are non-profit organizations created by individuals who have seen a problem that needs fixing, and determined the co-op model is the best way to make the needed changes.

As a result, many Nova Scotians with special needs are gaining meaningful employment through co-ops like The Missing Lint in Sydney, Quick Stuff Food Co-operative in Dartmouth, or Team Work Co-operative in Halifax. These groups find or create jobs for the most marginalized in our society and give them the opportunity to claim their independence and their dignity.

Co-operatives also offer many seniors and young families an opportunity to live in their own homes. There are more than 40 housing co-operatives in the province where members take responsibility for everything from financing to snow shoveling in exchange for the opportunity to live in homes that would be beyond their reach in the traditional housing marketplace.

Whether it’s the Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro, the Acadia Cinema Society in Wolfville, or the Cheticamp Radio Co-operative in Cape Breton, a range of arts focused co-operatives are helping artists, entertainers, and communities leverage their resources and strengthen their offering. The result is a richer culture mosaic that is more accessible to more people.

Then there are the co-ops that not only strive to make a difference in Nova Scotia, but ones that try to make a difference in the world. Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op in Wolfville has built a thriving business on socially responsible coffee sales. Not only do they provide employment and generate sales opportunities, its buying practices ensure a better life and a better environment for people in Central and South America.

New co-op programs are being created everyday that are focused on the future. There is a new health care co-op, Connecting People for Health, that gives people a bigger hand in managing their own health care, and groups talking about creating community wind farms. Co-op organizations in the Strait and in the Annapolis Valley have recently formed to offer bus services in rural communities that will enable people without vehicles to get to their jobs. 

The co-operative net is in fact so wide in this province; one in three Nova Scotians are members of a co-op or a credit union.

But being part of a co-op as an employee or a member is about more than the work. Giving back to the community is an important part of the co-op community spirit. For example, at Scotian Gold Co-operative in Coldbrook staff recently raised $4,600 for breast cancer research, and participated in Farm Credit Canada's Drive Away Hunger Campaign. They collected over 115,000 pounds of food for Feed Nova Scotia. In many communities Co-op Atlantic stores offer bursaries at the local high school or donated playground equipment.

Nova Scotia's 18 credit unions have created the Nova Scotia Credit Union’s Charitable Foundation. It works to enrich the lives of Nova Scotians by supporting community programs and projects in health care, education, the environment, and the arts. Since 2000, the foundation has invested $320,000 in a variety of community projects. For the past decade, the credit unions have also been offering free, six-part financial literacy courses in elementary schools and has partnered with the Nova Scotia Community College to provide up to $13,000 annually in bursaries to deserving students. 

The co-op and credit union commitment to education is no surprise. From the founding of the Antigonish movement that spun off co-operatives as a key community development tool, education has been a keystone to success. As Moses Coady of Antigonish said “the people will use what they have to secure what they have not." That means people need to be encouraged to see what talents, skills, and assets they have which can assist them to build a better future for themselves. And education is the key to that effort.

To that end, it is not surprising that there are lots of co-operative educational opportunities within the community. St. Francis Xavier has the Coady Institute, St. Mary’s University has a chair in co-operative business, the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council offers numerous workshops on financing, marketing, and board governance. In January, the Nova Scotia Community College launched a pilot course on co-operative business at its Truro Campus. If it is successful, the program could be offered at other campuses in the province.

To ensure the continued vitality of the co-operative community, many businesses have made youth development a priority. This is manifest most clearly in the creation of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Youth Alliance. Through the alliance, young people are exposed to co-operative principals and sit on co-op boards across the province. They offer up their perspective, breathing new life into old organizations and ensuring a future for themselves and the co-operative movement.

Any community has to look after its past, as well as look to the future. To ensure the early artifacts, publications, videos, books, and historical documents were not lost, volunteers led by George Labelle and P. A. Moran have worked with the staff at the library of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College to establish a significant archive of material. 

Interested individuals can go into the library and find original incorporation documents and annual reports dating back to the Depression, see photographs of early co-operative leaders, listen to the singing of “The Co-operative Song” from a 1950's meeting, and hold the stamps used to put the official seal on papers from early co-operatives along the French shore and in Cape Breton. The archiving and preservation of this community history has been a labour of love, but it has also been supported financially by the Nova Scotia Sheep Producers Association and Human Resources and Social Development Canada. A detailed listing of the collection contents can be found at www.nsac.ns.ca/lib/agricola.

St. Francis Xavier University, the Coady International Institute, and the Angus L. Macdonald Library are pursuing a similar labour of love to conserve and protect artifacts documenting the history of the Antigonish movement and the Coady Institute. With assistance from the federal Department of Canadian Heritage, they are currently working to create a portal to the history of the movement, while shining a light on the present-day work and positive outcomes of organizations that followed on its heels.

To conclude our introduction, a 2007 study by researchers at the University of British Columbia said the innovation and development in the Nova Scotia co-operative sector was unparalleled in English Canada. It is an accomplishment to take pride in and to grow further.

It is also an accomplishment to celebrate. We invite you to watch our four minute video about the community that was created this year to mark the 60th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council, the umbrella group representing the co-operative movement in the province.

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Co-operatives'
60th Anniversary Facebook group!