December
20, 2011
Editor:
Valerie
Clark, Agriculture Economic Development Advisor
Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs,
667 Exeter Rd., London,
ON N6E 1L3
Tel: 519-873-4086 Fax: 519-873-4062 Email: valerie.clark@ontario.ca
Website: www.gov.on.ca/omafra
New subscribers are welcome. Contact me and I’ll add your name to
the e-letter distribution list. Feel free to forward OMAFRA
Connects to others.
INDEX
EVENTS
PROGRAMS
& SERVICES
-
Seizing the Opportunities at the Southwest
Agricultural Conference -
Farm$mart Conference and Beef
Symposium - Environmental Farm Plan Update
- On-Farm Food Safety, OMAFRA
-
FREE
ONLINE FOOD SAFETY WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY FOR
PRODUCERS -
FOOD
SAFETY SNIPPETS - Grower Pesticide Safety Course –Learn and Certify Online
-
FCC
LEARNING WORKSHOPS -
4-H
FUTURE LEADERS IN ACTION -
Orientation on Health and Safety
for New Agricultural Workers -
AGRIWEBINAR
SEMINARS -
GET
YOUR PREMISES ID NUMBER FROM ONTRACE -
NEW
AGRI-TOURISM TOOLKIT -
Emergency Ontario
Preparedness Tips
RESOURCES
& PUBLICATIONS
EVENTS
(Input
always welcome – send me an email or give me a call if you would like your next
event included)
January 4
& 5 – Southwest Agricultural Conference, University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus. Watch for
details at http://www.southwestagconference.ca/
January 4 – 6
- Central Ontario Agricultural Conference – held at Georgian College, 1 Georgian Drive, Barrie
(Duckworth & Bell Farm Road entrance). This is a 3 day series of
educational programming for farmers. This conference is formerly known as
“Ag Info Days”, and consists of a series of themed
days for various farm commodities, accompanied with industry trade show booths
& displays. Registration costs $25, or $30 including a hot lunch. For
information see: http://www.centralontarioagconference.ca/
, or contact Connie Brown at 726-9300 ext. 1224.
January 4
- 10 – Grey-Bruce Farmers’ Week. For 2012, Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week will expand to
a 7 day event. Daily events and registration information is
available on-line at http://www.greyagservices.ca/grey-bruce-farmers-week/introduction.html
January 5
- 7 – Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association -
Beef Industry Convention, Best
Western – Lamplighter Inn, London,
http://www.beefindustryconvention.com/
January 9 -
Elgin Cattlemens’ Association Annual Meeting, Wallacetown United
Church, 6:00 p.m. dinner, 7:00 p.m. annual
meeting.
January
11 – Growing Forward in a Volatile Environment – Second Annual Canadian
Agriculture Policy Conference,
Ottawa. http://www.ag-innovation.usask.ca/2012policyconference.html
January 12 – Elgin Soil and Crop
Association Annual Meeting, Keystone Complex Shedden, Coffee and Trade Show 9 am.
Speakers begin at 9:25am. Agenda at http://www.ontariosoilcrop.org/docs/nov2011tvrsc.pdf
Contact Margaret May 519-287-5334 or
elgin@ontariosoilcrop.org
January
13 – Elgin County
Holstein Club Annual Meeting,
Belmont, 10:30 am, St James Presbyterian Church,
Yarmouth.
January 18 – Zone 2 Egg Producers Annual Meeting, Coldstream Community Centre,
Social & Dinner 6:00 p.m. Meeting 8:00 p.m.
January
18 – Middlesex Holstein Annual/Barn Meeting, Plover Haven Holsteins,
11 am
January 19 -
Middlesex Cattlemens’ Annual Meeting, Ilderton
Community Centre, Trade Show 6 p.m., meeting 7:00 p.m.
January 19 – Zone 3 Egg Producers Annual Meeting, Mount Elgin Community Centre, Mount
Elgin, Social, 6:00 pm; Dinner & Annual Meeting, 6:30.
January
21 – Farm$mart Agricultural Conference, Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph.
Mark your calendar and watch for details at http://www.uoguelph.ca/farmsmart/
January
21 - Beef Symposium
in conjunction with Farm$mart. Check http://www.uoguelph.ca/farmsmart/
for details.
January
21 – 23 – Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Annual General Meeting and Banquet, “Celebrating 50 Years of Strength,
Commitment and Determination”, Doubletree Hotel, Toronto, ON.
For details visit http://www.cattle.guelph.on.ca/
January 24 – Grain Farmers of Ontario Annual Meeting, District 4, Middlesex, Coldstream
Community Centre, 9:00 am Contact: Joe Thompson
January
25 – 31 – Annual Centralia
Swine Research Update, Kirkton-Woodham
Community Centre, Kirkton. Watch for details at http://www.centraliaswineresearch.ca/
January
26 – Ontario
Canola Growers Association Annual Meeting, Nottawasaga Inn. For more info visit www.ontariocanolagrowers.ca or
call 519-986-3519
January 26 – 29 – 31st Annual Organic Agricultural
Conference, Guelph University
Centre Ontario,
Canada. “Seeds
of Cooperation. For details: www.guelphorganicconf.ca
January 28
- 2nd Annual Ontario
Organic Awards and Dinner, from
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm, River Run Centre, 35
Woolwich Street, Guelph.
Cost: $45 general public, $40 students and OCO members. Contact:
info@organiccouncil.ca or call 519-827-1221
January 27 – District 5 Elgin/Norfolk Grain Farmers of Ontario Annual Meeting, Aylmer, The Columbus Club, 58 Beach Street, Aylmer,
9:30 am. For more information contact District DirectorJeff Davis.
February
4 – Elgin Federation of Agriculture Annual
Banquet and Awards,
St. Anne’s Centre, Morrison Drive, St.
Thomas. For tickets call 519-633-0114. Social time
6;00 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m.. Guest speaker is Bob McNaughton, Dog
and Pony Productions.
February 6 – Middlesex
Pork Producers’ Annual Meeting, Coldstream Community Centre,
Social at 5:30 pm, Dinner at 6:00 pm Contact: Allison Van Asseldonk ava_jva@isp.ca
February
7 – 9 – Canadian International Farm Show www.canadianfarmshow.ca
February
7 & 8 – Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement
Association Annual Meeting, Best
Western Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre, London, ON.
For details visit www.ontariosoilcrop.org
February
7 & 8 – Canadian Food Summit 2012, at the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre, Toronto.
For more information: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/conf/12-0018/default.aspx
February
8 – Poultry Producer Update, London. OMAFRA, in conjunction with the
Poultry Industry Council, are running Producer Updates for the Poultry
Industry. Details at http://www.poultryindustrycouncil.ca/events/producerupdates.php.
February
14 – Free Online Advantage Food Safety Workshops for Producers – OMAFRA is here to help you keep up to
date on the latest food safety practices! Pre
and Post Harvest Water Use –Tuesday, Feb 14th, 10:30 am –
12:00 pm. Call 1-877-424-1300 or register online at http://omafra.webex.com
February
15 – Elgin Pork
Producers’ Annual Meeting, Shedden
Keystone Complex, 7:00 p.m. Contact: Murray Buis
at 519-773-5101 or murraybuis@hotmail.com
February 15
& 16 - Farm Business Management Conference – “Take
A New Approach: Global Perspectives for Growing Farm Profits”
Delta Hotel, Guelph.
Farm business management encompasses all aspects of the farm – from marketing
and production to human resources, financial analysis and lifestyle. The
Agricultural Management Institute encourages new ways of thinking about farm
business management and is hosting this conference. For more information
visit http://www.takeanewapproach.ca/events/
February 21 – Swine Liquid Feeding Association
Seminar-“Solutions For Success”, Arden Park Hotel, Stratford. Details
at www.slfa.com or 519-271-7407
February
22 – Middlesex Crops Update & Annual Meeting, Middlesex Centre Coldstream Community
Centre, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm.
February
22 & 23 – Ontario Cattlemen’s Association
Annual General Meeting and Banquet – “Celebrating
50 Years of Strength, Commitment and Determination”, Doubletree Hotel, Toronto, ON.
For details visit http://www.cattle.guelph.on.ca/
February
22 & 23 – Ontario Fruit and Vegetable
Convention (OFVC),
at the Scotiabank Convention Centre,
6815 Stanley Ave., Niagara
Falls, Ontario.
For info, visit the website at: http://www.ofvc.ca
February 28 & 29 – Innovative Farmers
Association of Ontario Conference, London, www.ifao.com
or 519-986-3560
March 7 –
9 – Western Fair Farm Show, Western
Fair Entertainment Centre, London,
ON. Watch for details at http://www.westernfair.com/shows/farm.html
March 19
& 20 – Grain Farmers of Ontario March
Classic, London Convention Centre -
Hilton. For more information, watch the
GFO website at: http://www.gfo.ca/
Mar 23 -
25 – 4-H Conference and Annual Meeting
March 26
- 28 – Bioindustrial Innovation Centre (BIC) International
Conference, Bringing Bioproducts to Market” with a Best Practice focus, Sarnia, Holiday Inn.
Information available on our website www.bicsarnia.ca , Events. Contact Murray McLaughlin murraym@suschemalliance.ca
or Mary Prendiville at mprendiville@researchpark.ca
Mar 28
& 29 – London
Swine Conference
–London Convention Centre, Details at www.londonswineconference.ca
To register contact Linda Dillon @ 519-482-3333, linda.dillon@ontario.ca
April 11
& 12 – Poultry Industry Show, Western
Fair Entertainment Centre, London,
ON. Check for details at http://www.westernfair.com/shows/poultry.html
More Happenings:
Farm Start Events: For a complete list and details visit the website at http://www.farmstart.ca
FARM CREDIT CANADA
(FCC) – FREE WORKSHOPS
AVAILABLE – FCC offers quite a variety of FREE business learning
opportunities that may be of interest to you. Follow the link for goal
setting and action planning, among a longer list of financial management
workshops:
http://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/LearningCentre/workshops_e.asp#level-connection-13
PROGRAMS
& SERVICES
Seizing the Opportunities at the Southwest
Agricultural Conference
“Seizing
the Opportunities” is what organizers of the 19th Annual
Southwest Agricultural Conference hope growers will do at their upcoming event.
Conference co-chair & Oxford County Soil and Crop representative, Ian
Mayberry is convinced 2012 will be an exciting year for field crop growers and
the conference is an opportunity not to be missed.
“Global
economic instability and declining global grain stocks will provide us with
both risk and opportunity. The Southwest Agricultural Conference continues to
supply us with the latest information we need to remain competitive and
prosperous” says Mayberry. Helping attendees seize the opportunity are feature
speakers: Dr. Patrick Moore, “The Sensible Environmentalist” and Michele Payn‑Knoper,
“Celebrating Agriculture”. Conference agenda at www.southwestagconference.ca
Farm$mart Conference and Beef
Symposium
Farmers and agri-business personnel will want to
circle Sat. Jan. 21, 2012 on their calendar and be sure to attend the always
popular event at the University
of Guelph’s Rozanski
Hall. Throughout the daylong event conference delegates will be able to
custom design their agenda from the over 50 sessions topics focusing on
business, livestock, field crops, energy and the environment, computer
applications, global perspectives and general agricultural themes. Sessions run
concurrently through the six time slots, with delegates convening for the
afternoon keynote address of special guest speaker Guido Hoener, editor of Top
Agrar, Germany’s leading monthly farm magazine (circulation approximately
112,000 copies) who will headline as the conference keynote speaker.
Other international speakers confirmed include: Ken
Ferrie, an independent consultant and co-founder of Crop- Tech Consulting in
Illinois; and Virgil Robinson, an outstanding fundamental and technical analyst
with over 35 years experiences whose analysis of commodity market activity is
highly regarded on the national American speaking circuit.
Leland (Lee) Leachman of Leachman Cattle, in Coloradois the keynote speaker
for the Beef Symposium, held in conjunction with the FarmSmart Conference,
speaking on “The Ten Game Changers for Livestock Production in 2020.”
Leachman Cattle is respected worldwide as a leader in objective selection
criteria and composite cattle production.
The 14th anniversary edition of FarmSmart Conference
featuring the Beef Symposium will be
held Saturday, January 21st at Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph.
Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. and the
first session is scheduled to begin promptly at 9 a.m. Information and
program updates for the conference
will be posted online at www.uoguelph.ca/farmsmart and on
Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GHSCIA. Look forthe official conference brochure distributed inthe Tues. Jan. 3, 2012 edition ofOntario Farmer.
The conference is a joint project of the Golden
Horseshoe and Heartland Regional Soil and Crop Improvement Associations, in
partnership with the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and various agri-business
partners.
Environmental Farm Plan Update
Upcoming
EFP Workshop
Middlesex
Day 1: February 21, 2012
at 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Day 2: February 27, 2012 at 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
-location to be announced
… and
Growing Your Farm Profits Workshops
Invest in
the future of your farm business. Learn a planning process to enhance the
long-term viability by attending a two-day, interactive workshop. There
is no registration cost, lunch is provided and all farm team members are
encouraged to attend. You will self assess your business management
practices, determine your priorities and goals, make plans to accomplish these
goals, and learn about cost-share opportunities which are available.
For new farmers, improved cost-share opportunities are
available to help them set their business goals, improve their
farm related skills and develop appropriate business plans. Cost share is
now available at 75 per cent of the
cost to a cap of $4,500 for training. Total funding available under
Agriculture Skills Development is $9,000.
Upcoming
GYFP Workshops
ElginCounty
Building – Room: Lunchroom/Lounge
450 Sunset
Drive,St. Thomas
Day
1: January 20, 2012 at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Day 2: January 30, 2012 at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Parking is at the rear of the building, go in and go downstairs to the large
meeting room in the basement.
Malahide Place
12105 Whittaker Road, Springfield
Day 1: February 17, 2012
at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Day 2: February
24, 2012 at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
-room to be announced
Coldstream
Community Centre
Day
1: March 15, 2012 at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Day 2: march 22, 2012 at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
To register
and for more information contact Margaret May,
OSCIA Program Representative, Elgin & Middlesex Counties (519) 287-5334, margaret.may@ontariosoilcrop.org
You are able to sign up electronically if you wish by going on line at www.ontariosoilcrop.org/workshops/.
On-Farm Food Safety, OMAFRA
The Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is pleased to offer assistance for
producers in a variety of ways:
- Training – Interactive workshops, presented
by OMAFRA food safety advisors, cover a number of food safety practices. Visit www.ontario.ca/foodsafety
for a list of current training opportunities. - Personalized Advice – OMAFRA offers information to help
you select the food safety practices
and programs that best suit your operation. The food safety advisors can help
you develop good agricultural practices specific to your operation, provide
tools to train your employees and help you prepare for an audit, meeting your
buyer requirements. - Resources and Tools – OMAFRA has developed the Advantage
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program which is voluntary and suitable
for farms regardless of size, production methods or products produced. There is
the Advantage iGAP manual and interactive CD (which is free) featuring a
self assessment to review your current food safety practices and suggest improvements
as well as videos, factsheets, real life examples and quick links to resources.
It also includes procedure and record templates. Also available is the Advantage
Good Agricultural Practices Manual. The cost of this manual is $25. - Hand Washing Easel and On-Farm Food
Safety Posters are
also available free of charge. The portable hand washing easel allows you to
train your agricultural workers anywhere on hand washing techniques and is
available in English, French, Spanish and Chinese. Durable and weather proof
on-farm food safety posters provide key food safety messages for farm workers
and visitors and is available in English, French, and Spanish. - For more information on any of these
programs or resources, call 1-877-424-1300, email advantage@ontario.ca
or visit www.ontario.ca/foodsafety .
FREE
ONLINE FOOD SAFETY WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY FOR
PRODUCERS
Reduce your risk of food contamination and expand your
customer base by putting in place a food safety program. OMAFRA is here to help
you keep up to date on the latest food safety practices! Join us for these
online workshops from the comfort of your home or business. All you need is an
internet and phone connection.
Pre and Post Harvest Water Use – February 14, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
(noon)
Did you know
that water can carry germs from dirty produce to clean produce? A pre and post
harvest water use program is an important step in reducing risks. During this
workshop, evaluate your risks and discuss how to construct and monitor a water
sanitizing program.
To register
call 1-877-424-1300 or register online at http://omafra.webex.com Registration
closes the day prior to each workshop. A confirmation email will be sent
following registration with the online presentation and teleconference details.
Additional
Opportunities:
“Mix and
Match Workshops” – Select from a range of food safety topics to create a
workshop day tailored to your producer organizations’ specific needs. One
on One Sessions – Review and discuss specific food safety plans and issues
directly with a food safety advisor in Guelph.
For more information on Mix and Match Workshops or One on One Sessions contact:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300, email: advantage@ontario.ca www.ontario.ca/foodsafety
FOOD
SAFETY SNIPPETS
Are you
selling produce at the farm? By
Jan Schooley
Make sure
you think about how human pathogens could get transferred to your
product. If you have a farm stall by the road then you need to consider
the source of food safety risk. Is there a pasture nearby that will act
as a source of flies? Do you have covers for your produce displays?
Do you use any props such as grasses or other plants that could be a source of
pathogens – or flies? Is your apron clean – and your boots? Have
your boots (with your feet in them) been in animal stalls or pasture? Do
you have hand sanitizers handy at your stall both for you and for your
customers if they need them? You should always be mindful of food safety
and the products you sell. Your customers will appreciate it.
For training
information and resources, please call 1-877-424-1300 or visit our
website www.ontario.ca/good-ag-practices.
Food safety questions? Ask us.
Produce
Traceability Initiative Implementation by 2012 By Don Blakely
Steps are
proceeding for implementation in 2012 of the Produce Traceability Initiative in
the United States.
Once fully in place every case of produce marketed will be electronically
identified, enabling full supply chain traceability from farm of production
through sale to consumers. As we have witnessed from past outbreaks of illness
resulting from consuming contaminated produce, delays in trace back to the
contaminated source have resulted in additional illness and, in some cases,
deaths before an outbreak is contained. This initiative will enable immediate
trace back to contaminated source and recall of identified produce. When the
initiative started in 2007, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association became
one of the partners forming the initiative. Although the initiative is
presently not mandatory for produce marketed in Canada; it will be a requirement for
any Canadian producer exporting produce into the American market. If you
presently export produce to the US
or plan to in the future you need to be aware of the requirements to enter the US
market. Check out the Produce Traceability Initiative web site for the
information required for export: http://www.producetraceability.org
For training
information and resources, please call 1-877-424-1300 or visit our
website www.ontario.ca/good-ag-practices.
Food safety questions? Ask us.
Clean
Hands Prevent Foodborne Illness and Save Lives ByWayne Du
Hand hygiene
is the first and most effective line of defence against the common cold, flu,
foodborne illness, and other infectious diseases. Adherence to proper
hand hygiene is proven to prevent food contamination, reduce transmission of
disease causing organisms and overall infections.
Good hand
hygiene practices become critical to food safety and flu infection during the
harvest and flu season. To protect food safety and customers’ health, workers
who handle food products must ensure that their hands are frequently and
properly washed before contacting the food products and/or food contact
surfaces. For example, hands must be washed after using a toilet, touching
money and pets, eating and drinking, and/or contacting any dirty materials that
may pose a food safety risk. A worker hygiene policy should be in place and
enforced and hand washing facilities, hand sanitizers or other hand hygiene
products must be available and easy to access. For training information and
resources, please call 1-877-424-1300 or visit our website www.ontario.ca/good-ag-practices.
Food safety questions? Ask us
Farm Pets
and Food Safety By
Don Blakely
Even though
we have great affection for our farm pets, when it comes to food safety we have
to realize they can be an issue. Both farm cats and dogs are carriers of
pathogens and parasites and can pass those on when in contact with food
products. For example, many farm cats eat rodents which can contaminate their
feces with pathogens and parasites and their cleaning habits keep the cycle of pathogens
moving through their bodies. If you produce ready to eat food products farm
cats must be prevented from walking on such particularly when food products are
in storage. Farm dogs can also present food safety issues as they can pick up
pathogens when walking through the barn or from eating things like calf manure.
Dogs that eliminate their waste in field production areas present a food safety
risk as it can then contaminate produce it lands on or be stepped on by workers
and tracked about the area further spreading the pathogens. So if you are
concerned about marketing safe fresh farm produce, keep farm pets out of the
areas where you grow, process, store and sell your produce.
Sanitizing
Farm and Production Facility Equipment By Colleen Haskins
As part of
your on-farm food safety program, you need to have a cleaning and sanitizing
program (supported by detailed records) for equipment used in the production of
food products. There are many available options to you for sanitizing
your equipment; however you should always refer to the CFIA’s list of approved
materials for which sanitizing products are suitable for the intended
use. To access this list, follow these steps:
-
Go
to http://www.inspection.gc.ca -
Choose
“food” -
Choose
“packaging materials and non-food chemical products” -
Choose
“the reference listing …..” -
Under
‘categories’ select “sanitizers” from the drop-down list -
Under
‘sub-categories’ choose “general” -
Click
“submit”
(you can use
this process for any of the items located in the list – construction and
packaging materials, etc.).
Grower Pesticide Safety Course – Learn and Certify Online
New
this year! You can take the Grower Pesticide Safety Course though the internet.
Four
courses are scheduled for this year:
- Jan. 30, Feb. 27, March 19, and April
16. The course
takes place over five days. You need to participate every day. You need to be
competent in the use of a computer, have a high speed connection and be a
self-directed learner.
What Will The Course Be Like?
Each
day you will need to login to class, and be prepared to discuss pesticide
topics with your classmates, and complete each day’s learning activities.
Before the class starts, visit our web site, www.opep.ca
under the “Learning” tab to:
View
the presentations.
Read the manual chapters. Practice your understanding by completing
questions. Watch the videos.
You
need to prepare for class by learning the information in each chapter. The
more you learn before you begin the course, the easier it will be for you to
participate and complete the learning activities. You are evaluated
on each day’s learning activities and your participation in discussions with
your classmates and the instructor. You must submit each day’s learning
activities before 12 noon of the next day. The activities contribute to your
overall certification grade for a possible total grade of 100%. You need a
grade of 75% or greater to successfully complete the course for certification.
The course is open to you for two weeks so you can view your grades.
Computer Skills and Equipment
It
is your responsibility to have access to the technology for accessing the
course. You are expected be competent in the use of the internet and know how
to use email as you will be navigating and searching the internet,
corresponding with other students in your class and using web-based
conferencing. The course works best when you use Internet Explorer or Safari.
You need a high speed connection to enroll in this course. For our video
conference on Monday at 7:30 pm, your computer should be equipped with
a
microphone, speakers, and a web cam.
Interested? Call us (1-800-652-8573) to register. Ontario
Pesticide Education Program, 120 MaiOntario Pesticide Education Program
120 Main Street East, RIDGETOWN, ON N0P 2C0 1-800-652-8573 or
519-674-2230 www.opep.ca
FCC
LEARNING WORKSHOPS
Farm Credit
Canada (FCC) offers workshops on various agri-business topics each year to
develop your skills. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To find
out more information and to register, call FCC at 1-888-332-3301 or sign up at www.fcc.ca/learning or your local FCC
office (519) 519-681-1130 (London)
Putting
Your Smartphone to Work
Jan 24 – Best Western
Hotel, Cambridge
– 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Jan 25 – Pyramid Recreation
Centre, St.-Marys – 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Jan 25 – Centennial Hall, Watford
– 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Presenter:
Peter Gredig, Kettle Creek Communications
Discover how smartphones and other mobile tools can help you effectively manage
your operation. Look beyond emails, markets and weather and discover what
ag-related mobile apps and resources are available as well as increase your
technology comfort level. There is something for everyone, regardless of
your technology comfort level.
Advanced
Commodity Marketing Management
Jan 30th – Kimball Hall, Forest 9:00 am to
4:30 pm
Presenter:
Victor Aideyan, MBA, Hisgraiin Commodities Inc.
This one-day
workshop teaches you the management skills you need to effectively read and
forecast commodity markets. This is a must-attend for producers who want
to take their commodity marketing tool to the next level. Covers
preparing your cost of production statements, measuring your financial risk for
the current year, and creating a detailed selling plan for your cash
crops.
4-H FUTURE LEADERS IN ACTION
March 10 – 13
CampKawartha,Peterborough
Attention – Current 4-H youth ages
16-21! Future
Leaders In Action (FLIA) is an advanced level interactive leadership
development opportunity that will combine leadership training and fun
activities for a four-day, three-night experience participants will never
forget. The leadership training modules will surround facilitation skills,
group development and dynamics, teambuilding activities, high ropes courses,
group initiatives and more/.
Application
Deadline: January 26, 2012 ..Download Registration Form http://www.4-hontario.ca/youth/opportunities/camps-conferences/flia.aspx
Participant cost is only $200.00 + HST = $226.00, for a program valued at over
$500.00! This is a first come, first serve program and only 50 delegates
are able to attend each year. Volunteer at this 4-H Ontario
Provincial Opportunity as a Facilitator or Chaperone;
more detail available at the link above. For more information please contact:
4-H Ontario’s
Senior Manager, Programming programming@4-hontario.ca
or phone 1-877-410-6748 or 519-824-0101 x.472
Orientation on Health and Safety
for New Agricultural Workers
NEW! FREE! From the Canadian Centre for
Occupational Health and Safety
Agricultural operations include a wide range of
situations, from farms to animal husbandry. Every agricultural operation is a
workplace, and every workplace has hazards. This two-part course provides a
general introduction to occupational health and safety for new agricultural
workers.
http://learn.vubiz.com/ChAccess/CCHS_CASA/Default.asp
Topics include:
- Recognizing workplace hazards
- Occupational health and safety law
- General approaches to working safely
- Working safely – specific hazards
- Preparing for emergencies
- Who to ask for help
This course is divided into two
parts. Average time to complete this course is about 90 minutes. Funding for
this e-course was provided by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association
AGRIWEBINAR
SEMINARS
The Canadian
Farm Business Management Council has released their schedule of Agriwebinar
Speakers that are offered on Mondays at noon to February 2012. Topics include
Business Management, Financial Management, Agricultural Economics, marketing
and more. You can sign up for these at www.Agriwebinar.com
GET YOUR PREMISES ID NUMBER FROM ONTRACE
For
the 2011 transition year of the Risk Management Insurance Program producers are
required to have a premises ID number for their principal farm. Producers
should have their Assessment Roll Number (ARN) from their Municipal Property
Assessment Corporation handy when completing the application.
There
are three easy steps:
Step
1: Contact OnTrace for an application form at www.ontrace.ca
or 1-888-388-7223. Step 2: Complete application form. All of the required
fields must be completed. Producers will need to describe the agricultural or
agri-food activities that take place on the premises. Step 3: Submit
application to OnTrace.
NEW
AGRI-TOURISM TOOLKIT
There are
many different things that need to be considered when changing your focus from
being solely a farm operator to becoming a tourism operator and welcoming
visitors onto your farm. For more information, go to www.osw-agritourismtoolkit.com
EMERGENCY
MANAGeMENT
Emergency Ontario
Preparedness Tips
Did you know that
extreme cold weather and winter storms kill more Canadians than tornadoes,
lightning, floods, hurricanes and heat waves combined? They can disrupt your
power supply, make travel dangerous, and can pose other risks to your personal
safety. Being prepared can save your life. Download our tips for dealing with winter storms and
find out how you and your family can stay safe.
RESOURCES
& PUBLICATIONS
2011 Rural
Organization Contacts
Each year we
compile a comprehensive list of Elgin
and Middlesex rural organizations with two key contacts for each organization.
These are great resources for anyone who wants contact information for
grassroots representatives.
Elgin
County Rural Guide, 2011 is
posted on the County
of Elgin website at http://www.elgincounty.ca/ElginCounty/elgin_links.php
Middlesex
County Rural Guide, 2011 is
posted on the County
ofMiddlesex website at
http://www.middlesex.ca/living-here/rural-organization-guide
Factsheets & Publications
The Ontario Forage Crop
Variety Performance 2012 Brochure is now available.
The Brochure
is not available from Service Ontario.
Copies will
be mailed directly to producers as inserts in the next dairy, beef and sheep
magazines.
Individuals
and agri-business can request hard copies from: David Morris, Secretary, Ontario Forage Crops Committee, davidtmorris@rogers.com
The PDF
version of the Brochure can also be
viewed and downloaded online at www.GoForages.ca.
New “Business Information Bundles” (BIB’s) available on
the OMAFRA website:
“Construct Or Renovate Farm Structures” is located at www.ontario.ca/farmstructure, is
a quick and easy resource to use when considering the construction or
renovation of barns, sheds and manure storages.
“Beyond Production Agriculture” can be found at www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/valueadd-bib/index.htm
- your one-stop resource centre for information on establishing and managing a
value-added business.
“Urban
Agriculture” BIB serves as a central website for information about urban
agriculture for you, whether you’re a city-dweller who wants to produce fruit
or vegetables or raise livestock, or you’re a municipal policy maker exploring
the topic. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/urbanagbib/welcome.htm
2011 Performance
trials Reports Now Available:
-
2011
Soybean Variety Trials are available from the Ontario Oil and Protein Seed Crop
Committee at: http://www.gosoy.ca/OSVT_2011_Report.pdf -
2011 Ontario Winter Wheat Performance Trials from the Ontario
Cereal Crops Committee are available on-line at: www.gocereals.ca -
The
2011 Hybrid Corn Performance Trials Report, produced by the Ontario Corn
Committee (OCC), is now available at: http://www.gocorn.net/v2006/CornReports/2011cornreport/2011performancetrials.html -
Growers
who are unable to access the trial results from the website, may call
OMAFRA’s Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or
email: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Listen to the latest crop production news and
information direct from OMAFRA crop specialists on Sound Advice – Audio Crop
Updates. Listen to the report online,
sign up for podcasts, or download web-quality files for your mp3 player or
high-quality audio files for radio station programming. The reports are
also available in text format.
New Sound Advice Reports are now available online by
visiting
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/updates/soundadvice/index.html
-
Garlic Bulb and Stem Nematode Workshop November 28,
2011 by Michael Celetti, Plant Pathologist, Horticulture Crops Program Lead -
Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) Update – by Hannah
Fraser, Entomology Horticulture Program Lead, OMAFRA, Vineland (hannah.fraser@ontario.ca)
For a complete listing of OMAFRA products, see our
online catalogue at
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/products/index.html
To order
OMAFRA publications and factsheets:
-
Visit
any OMAFRA Resource Centre / Northern Ontario Regional Office or Service
Ontario location including London OMAFRA Resource Centre, 667 Exeter Road, London,
519-873-4070. -
Visit
the Service Ontario website
or call 1-800-668-9938 -
Visit
the OMAFRA
website or contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at
1-877-424-1300 -
or contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre
by calling: 1-877-424-1300
Electronic Newsletters Available From OMAFRA
Ag Business Update http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/news/index.html
Crop PestNewsletter http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/croppest/
Horse News and Views http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/news.html
Animal Health Newsletter http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/ceptor/news.html
Vegetable Newsletter www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/news_vegview.html
OntarioBerryGrower http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/news_berrygrower.html
Pork News and Views Newsletter http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/swine/news.html
Hort Matters Newsletter http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/news_hortmatt.html
On Organic http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/organic/news/news-organic.html
Foodland Ontariohttp://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/
for some great recipes using Ontario’s
products
OMAFRA
Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
Agricultural
Information Contact Centre: 1-877-424-1300 or e-mail ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Nutrient
Management Line: 1-866-242-4460 or e-mail nman.omafra@ontario.ca
Growing
Forward Information Line: 1-888-479-3931 or e-mail growingforward@ontario.ca
The
Farm Line: 1-888-451-2903 - A confidential emotional support and referral
service
LondonOMAFRA Resource Centre, 667 Exeter Rd., London,
ON N6E 1L3 Phone: 519-873-4070 Fax:
519-873-4062
London
Service Ontario
Centre – 519-873-4000. Service Ontario is a one-stop shopping centre for
a variety of government services Register your business name;
purchase hunting and fishing licenses; replace lost or stolen ID; pick up a
free Power of Attorney kit or passport application. For a complete list
of services call or visit today.
May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.”
CHOK Sarnia
CKNX AM 920 Wingham
Country 92.9 Chatham
Max FM – Leamington