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Huron County

January 2012

Jane Muegge, Agriculture Economic Development Advisor,

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural
Affairs

100
Don Street, Clinton, ON N0M 1L0

Telephone: 519.482.5129 Fax: 519.482.5031

I am always pleased to add new subscribers. There is
no charge. To Subscribe or
Unsubscribe: please contact me jane.muegge@ontario.ca

INDEX

Event dateline page
1
Grower Pesticide Online Courses page
4
Video Series farm Business Planning page
5
Short Course Cattle Feeders – Managing Risk page 5
Conservationist of the Year page
5
Ont Vineyard Improvement Program page
5
Farm$mart page
6
Can. Agr. Adaptation Programs page
6
Digital Tech Adoption Pilot Program page
7
Agricultural Innovation Program page 7
Food Processor Events page
7
It’s a Practice Firm! page
8
4-H Future Leaders in Action page
9
Seaforth and Area Food Bank Community Garden page 10
Rural Stormwater Management page
10
Sustain Ontario – funding Opportunity page 11
Farm & Food Care Business page
11
Growing Your Farm Profits page
12
Agri-Tourism Toolkit page
12
Manure – Tackling the FAQ’s page
13
Follow-up message re Bunkhouses page
14
Farm Pets and Food Safety page
14
Sanitizing Farm & Production equipment page 15
OMAFRA resources and publications page
15

EVENTS – please send me your dates so that I may insert them in to
the dateline

Jan 11 – Lambton
Cattlemen’s Annual Meeting – Wyoming Fair Building, Wyoming – 6 pm

Jan 11 – Huron
Cattlemen’s Annual Meeting – 6 pm – Brussels Legion Hall

Jan. 13 – Lambton
Soil and Crop Annual – Brooke-Alvinston
Complex in Alvinston, registration at 9 – 9:30 A.M. Lunch tickets
are available at the door for $15.00. The meeting wrapup 3 P.M.

Jan. 16 – Zone 1 Egg Producers Annual Meeting – Petrolia Legion – 12 noon

Jan 19 –
GFO District 8 Meeting 9:30 am Holmesville
Community Centre, Huron

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
– 2012 Beef Symposium in conjunction with Farm$mart. Mark
your calendar and check http://www.uoguelph.ca/farmsmart/
for details.

Jan 24 – Lambton Pork Producers Annual – 6 pm –
Crabby Joe’s, Petrolia

January 25
– 31^st Annual Centralia Swine Research Update, Kirkton-Woodham
Community Centre, Kirkton. Watch for details at http://www.centraliaswineresearch.ca/

Jan 26 – Lambton Grain Farmers Annual Meeting
–
4:30 – 8:30 – Wyoming Legion -Dinner is included and
the guest speaker is Stephen Kell from P&H on grain markets. For more
info, contact Chad Anderson at danderso@rivernet.net

Jan 26 & Feb 9 – Lambton Beef Information
Short course evenings in conjunction with University of Michigan and Ohio state university Extension – held at Wyoming Legion and Wyoming Lions Hall – cost is $35 –

January 26th to 29th – Guelph Organic
Conference – “Seeds of Co-operation”. The 4-day event includes international
speakers, seminars & intro workshops on key topics including, G.E. foods,
organic production/certification, changing climates, eco-villages, earth
buildings, farmland protection & food security. From producer to consumer,
the workshops offer something for everyone. PLUS, there is an Organic
Expo/Tasting Fair with 150+ exhibitors (includes 30 food samplers) on
Saturday/Sunday, free to the public. Location: Guelph

For more information: http://www.guelphorganicconf.ca/

January 28 – 2nd
Annual Ontario Organic Awards and Dinner,
from 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm.
Location: 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

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

Feb 1 – Huron Pork Producers Annual – 5:30 –
Seaforth Agri-Plex

Feb 6 – Middlesex Pork Producers
Annual –
5:30 – Coldstream Community Centre

February 7 – 9 – Canadian International Farm Show www.canadianfarmshow.ca

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

Feb 13
- Lambton Dairy
Producers Annual Meeting – 10:30 At Wyoming Legion Erie St. Wyoming.

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 14^th, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm. Call 1-877-424-1300 or register
online at http://omafra.webex.com

Feb 15 & 16 – Agr
Management Institute Conference – Take a New Approach: Global Perspective for
Growing Farm Profits -Delta
Hotel, 50 Stone Road , Guelph For more info – Susan Fitzgerald, 519-669-3350
Fax: 519-669-3826

Feb 17 – Ontario Farmland
Trust Forum – for a collaborative dialogue
about intensifying
land

use demands in rural
Ontario. 8:30 – 4:00, Arboretum
Centre, University of Guelph Cost: $65 non-members; $50
members (includes lunch)

Feb 20 – Family
Day WinterFest South Huron – winter fireworks, free skating, a Lions Club
breakfast, snowshoeing, hiking, tobogganing, and much more. For more info at
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), 519-235-2610 or 1-888-286-2610
or e-mail tcumming@abca.on.ca

Feb 22/23 – Ont.
Cattlemen’s Convention – Celebrating 50 Years of Strength,
Commitment and Determination, Plaza AB, Doubletree Hotel, Toronto

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 24-25 – Eco
Farm Day 2012 - “Vibrant Business in Organic Agriculture”

Eastern Ontario’s premier farm Conference, hosted
by the Canadian Organic, The Ramada Inn, 805 Brookdale Ave., Cornwall,
Ontario. For more information: visit the website at http://www.cog.ca/ottawa/ecofarmday/or
email info@ecofarmday.ca

Feb 28 – Exploring Value-Added Workshop – Clinton area – more info to come – Joan
Brady 519-527-0305

Feb 28,29 -
Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario Annual Conference, London, More
info and to register www.ifao.com

March 5 – 7, 2012 – Growing the Margins
Conference, London Convention Centre, London, ON. For
complete details, click on http://www.gtmconference.ca/site/index.php/growing-the-margins

March 7 –
9, 2012 – Western Fair Farm Show, Western Fair Entertainment Centre,
London, 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/

March 22 - Avoiding
Farm Succession Planning Minefields – St Thomas Business
Resource Centre – more info to come

Mar 23 – 25 – 4-H Conference and Annual Meeting

Mar 26 – 28 – Bioindustrial
Innovation Centre (BIC) International Conference

on “Bringing Bioproducts to Market” with a Best
Practice focus – Holiday Inn in Sarnia – More information
is available on our website www.bicsarnia.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

Apr 11 & 12 – Huron Perth Agriculture and Water Festival ,Seaforth
Agriplex and Seaforth Community Centre. For grade 4 students in Perth and
Huron. Open house the evening of April 11,2012 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Admission a donation to the Food Bank.

April
11 & 12, 2012 – Poultry Industry Show, Western Fair
Entertainment Centre, London, ON. Check for details at http://www.westernfair.com/shows/poultry.html

April 19 – 23^rd Annual Huron
Tourism Event & Brochure Swap – North Huron Westcast Community
Centre in Wingham – for more info www.ontarioswestcoast.ca

Apr. 19 – Ausable Bayfield Conservation
Authority Gala & Auction – www.abca.on.ca

July 8 – 25 - World Hereford Conference – BC/Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba/Ontario

For more information visit www.hereford.ca

More Happenings:

Farm Start Events:For a complete list and details visit the website at http://www.farmstart.ca

REACH (Regional
Equine Agricultural Centre of Huron) www.reachhuron.ca

What’s happening in Huron? – Check
out – www.ontarioswestcoast.ca

What’s
happening in Sarnia-Lambton – check out – www.tourismsarnialambton.com

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 and SERVICES

Les programmes, les services et les ressources du ministère de l’Agriculture,
de l’Alimentation et des Affaires rurales de l’Ontario sont également
disponibles en français.

GROWER PESTICIDE SAFETY COURSES – 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: January 30, February 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.

NEW VIDEO SERIES
DELIVERS FARM BUSINESS PLANNING EXPERTISE

On January 4,
2012, the Agricultural Management Institute (AMI) launched the Farm Business
eTeam Video Series – an online farm business planning resource. Each week for
eight weeks, AMI will release a new video featuring insights from farmers and
business experts. The virtual team will help farmers review their past
performance and plan for the future, including financial management, cost of
production, marketing, human resources, succession planning, and overall
business planning. Farmers can access the Farm Business eTeam Video Series in
the comfort of their office at a time that’s convenient and at no cost.

Visit www.TakeANewApproach.ca
for more information and to watch the video series.

AMI is part of the
Best Practices Suite of programs for Growing Forward, a
federal-provincial-territorial government initiative.

Short course teaches cattle feeders ways to
manage risk

The
2012 Great Lakes Professional Cattle Feeding and Marketing Short Course will be
held Jan. 25 and Feb. 8 at the Wood County Junior Fair Building in Bowling
Green Ohio.

This
short course is a joint effort of Ohio State University Extension, Michigan
State University, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture to enhance the cattle
industry in the eastern Corn Belt.

The
purpose of this short course is to provide information that will assist
managers in overall efficiency and how to plan for the future.

The
first session will discuss farm and feedlot management strategies to enhance
farm profitability. The second session will address the future trends in the
industry and what we can do to prepare for them.

Registration
and refreshments will be provided beginning at 6 p.m. each evening.
Participants may enroll by sending a check made payable to Michigan State
University ($35 for first person and $25 for each additional family/farm
member; FFA/4-H students can register for $15 each) and mailed to Faye Watson,
Dept. Animal Science, Michigan State Univ., 1290 Anthony Hall, E. Lansing, MI
48824-1225.

Mail
before Jan. 20, 2012. If not mailed by Jan. 20, contact Steve Boyles (boyles.4@osu.edu,
614-292-7669) or Dan Frobose (419-354-6916) if you want to attend the program
or if you have any questions about the program.

http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/short-course-teaches-cattle-feeders-ways-to-manage-risk/32902.html

Conservationist
of the Year – Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority

Conservationist of the Year
will be named at an annual early-evening awards ceremony hosted by the ABCA
Board of Directors on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at Ironwood Golf Club at 70969
Morrison Line, just east of Exeter.

You may submit nominations for this award until Friday, February
10, 2012. Information and nomination forms are available at the Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority online at abca.on.ca or by phone at
519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610.

ONTARIO VINEYARD
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (OVIP)

Intake 2 of the
Ontario Vineyard Improvement Program (OVIP) is now open. Applications are
being accepted on a first come, first served basis and can be submitted in
person at the Ridgetown, Brighton, Vineland, Simcoe and Guelph offices, by
mail, fax or by email. The Intake will remain open until March 31, 2012
or until funding is fully allocated. For contact information or further
information about the program requirements and documents please visit the website
at www.ontario.ca/improvingvineyards.

FARM$MART CONFERENCE AND BEEF SYMPOSIUM

The
2012 FarmSmart Conference for farmers and agri-business personnel will be
Saturday, January 21, 2012. 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 Colorado is 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 21^st 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 for the official conference brochure distributed in the Tues. Jan. 3, 2012
edition of Ontario 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.

CANADIAN
AGRICULTURAL ADAPTATION PROGRAM (CAAP)

The
Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) is a five-year (2009-2014),
$163 million program with the objective of facilitating the agriculture,
agri-food, and agri-based products sector’s ability to seize opportunities, to
respond to new and emerging issues, and to pathfind and pilot solutions to new
and ongoing issues in order to help it adapt and remain competitive. CAAP’s
goal is to support industry-led approaches and solutions that allow the sector
to quickly adapt to changes, respond to emerging issues and capture new
opportunities.

Eligible
Projects: CAAP funds projects that align with priorities identified by industry
and/or government by focusing on the following: Seizing opportunities is meant
to take advantage of a situation or circumstance to develop a new idea,
product, niche, or market opportunity to the benefit of the sector. Responding
to new and emerging issues is meant to address issues that were not of concern
previously, or were not known about at all. Issues vary considerably throughout
Canada because of soil conditions, climate and the level of development of the
sector. Pathfinding and piloting solutions to new and ongoing issues is meant
to test ways of dealing with new issues, or find new ways to deal with existing
issues. Under CAAP, this is done in two ways: Pathfinding means looking
at different options to prepare the sector to face the future and remain
competitive. Piloting means the testing of ideas or approaches to see if it is
effective enough to use in everyday applications in the sector.

For
more information http://www.adaptcouncil.org/e/current-programs/caap.php

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION PILOT PROGRAM (DTAPP)

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irap/digital-technology-adoption/dtapp-index.html

If you’re a small to medium-sized company
thinking about introducing digital technologies to improve productivity, you
may want to look into the federal government’s $80-million Digital Technology
Adoption Pilot Program (DTAPP). Under the new program, announced in
November, eligible incorporated companies with less than 500 employees may
receive advisory services to help with the assessment, digital technology
implementation and evaluation processes, plus up to $99,999 of non-repayable
funding. For example, companies might introduce digital technology into
production lines, workflow processes, supply chains or customer management
systems. The three-year program runs from October 2011 to March 31, 2014 and is
being delivered through the National
Research Council of Canada’s (NRC) Industrial Research Assistance Program
utilizing their extensive network of technical advisors. Their
advisors will be helping eligible companies navigate all aspects of the digital
adoption process, from concept to product, providing technical and business advice,
referrals and other innovation services as needed. Eligible costs include
labour, contractors, travel, feasibility and other studies, plus training.
Non-eligible costs include computer hardware and off-the-shelf software. To
contact DTAPP, call toll-free at 1-855-453-3940.

AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION PROGRAM (AIP)

A $50-million federal program has just been launched to help accelerate the
pace of innovation and support the commercialization of new products,
technologies and services in the agricultural and agri-food sectors. The
Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP), announced November 10, 2011 by
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, is promoting economic growth, productivity
and the sectors’ competitiveness. The fund is focused on two streams:

1) The Knowledge Creation and Transfer stream, which has two components, is
intended to speed up the transfer of knowledge, technologies and science-based
research to the sector and to foster new market opportunities. Both
not-for-profit and for-profit organizations can apply for up to $4 million per
project of non-repayable funding.

2) The Commercialization stream supports the successful commercialization of
agriculture, agri-food and agri-based innovations. Interest-free, repayable
funding of up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs to a maximum of $10
million per project is available. For-profit companies, co-operatives and
Aboriginal groups can apply.

Potential applicants are encouraged to review the application process, the
program checklist and to fill out their applications as soon as possible, since
all eligible projects must be completed by March 31, 2013.

Further details on the Agricultural Innovation Program
are available online.

Agricultural
Innovation Program: http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1320767853009&lang=eng

Application
process: http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1320779284716&lang=eng

Program
Checklist: http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1320782938241&lang=eng

FOOD PROCESSOR EVENTS TO ASSESS, TACKLE
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

The Alliance of Ontario Food Processors (AOFP), the
non-profit organization of food and beverage processing companies, is taking to
the road. It’s hosting two events in January designed to provide
processors with the latest information, education, resources and business tools
to excel in a changing world. The day-long events are targeting everyone from
CEOs and human resources, to management and operations and will provide an
opportunity to meet fellow industry members. The events are arranged in a
modular fashion, meaning people can come for the full day or attend specific
segments. check website at http://www.aofp.ca/Events/Default.aspx
or contact Julie

Stalford at 519-650-3741 or email jstalford@aofp.ca.

When: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 (8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)

Where: Leamington

Practice firm perfect
idea

It may be a virtual
company, but the skills being developed in the simulated office are real. A new
employment training program based in Stratford is out to help youth and young
adults overcome the catch-22 of no experience-no job when it comes to finding
work in the white collar sector.

The program, called Perth Huron PF Solutions, is a practice firm. Practice
firms, which have their origins in post-war Europe, are realistic simulations
of a business and its administrative functions.

Participants come to the Stratford office, located downtown above the Canada
Post office, to work every day Monday to Friday. They have desks, computers and
phones and a meeting room and handle things like sales and billing.

“What we offer is the opportunity to take their skill set and develop it
so they have real working experience, which makes them more marketable in an
employment setting,” said Dwight Robbins, who’s essentially the office
coach.

The local program is the first in Canada set up for a rural area, said program
manager Sandy McCann.

The focus is on meeting labour market needs of small-and medium-sized
businesses in Perth and Huron counties. The next intake for the free program’s
10 spots is Jan. 9.

The initial funding specified the program was geared to young people ages 18-30
but due to demand some older candidates will be accepted, McCann said.
“Although it’s a youth grant for the 18-30 demographic we are willing to
save two seats for the 40-55 age demographic.”

The program received $280,200 funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in
April to cover the three year project. Partners include the United Way
Perth-Huron, the Centre for Employment and Learning, the Stratford Perth Centre
for Business and consulting via the Avonova technology group.

Referrals can come from area colleges and universities, Partners in Employment
and Ontario Works.

McCann and Robbins are hopeful local employers will come to see the program as
a source of skilled applicants.

McNain Communications near Mitchell is the program’s mentor firm. The practice
firm uses McNain’s logo, product lists and pricing.

Working with McNain is a benefit because it dovetails with the move to a more
knowledge-based local economy, McCann said. McNain sells smartphones, laptops,
accessories and home -entertainment systems, which fits in with the focus on
technology, she added.

“What we do is market and sell their products to other practice
firms,” said Robbins, the operations manager for the practice firm.

The marketplace is a collection of some 7,500 practice firms in 42 countries
around the world who do “business” in a type of online mall. The
transactions are virtual, meaning no money or products are ever exchanged.
However, interactions otherwise mirrors what’s found in the real world.

“Everything that we do is exactly the same as any company would do to
survive -we have to be viable and we have to show a profit,” Robbins said.

The practice firm is broken down into customer service/ administration, finance
and IT departments where participants gain experience in sales/marketing, human
resources, communications, payroll, accounts payable/receivable, purchasing,
technical support, web and graphic design.

“Basically, I’m the finance department,” said Steve Sangster, one of
two participants currently enrolled in the program.

The 28-year-old from Stratford has a math degree from the University of
Waterloo, but all of his work experience is in factories. He wants a job in the
insurance industry, but prospective employers aren’t interested in his manufacturing
background, he said. He was referred to the practice firm by the Conestoga
College campus in Stratford.

At the practice firm, his duties include accounts payable and receivable and
payroll.

“I didn’t know any accounting until I came here,” he said.

Lisa Emmelot, 27, had a year of community college under her belt, but decided
the program, a prep course for early-childhood education and similar fields,
wasn’t for her. Since then, she’s had a series of part-time jobs, but nothing
that’s put her on a career path. Since coming to the program, she’s designed
letterhead, business cards and a pamphlet for the practice firm. “I’ve
learned a lot here at the practice firm . . . computers skills, problem-solving
creatively,” Emmelot said.

Robbins, 60, is a firm believer in practice firms. He enrolled in one in
Kitchener after losing his job at an auto-parts plant three years ago. Although
he’d also gone back to school to learn computers, the practice firm gave him
practical experience in programs like Microsoft Office and exposure to an
“office culture.”

Everything that we do is exactly the same as any company would do to survive
-we have to be viable and we have to show a profit.

The one difference between the practice firm and a regular office is the one
hour daily the participants must spend searching for a job.

Robbins said it’s a proactive search that involves finding and researching
leads, versus simply responding to want ads. Of course, if the candidate finds
a job, he or she is free to leave the program. “We’re very happy to have
them come on board, but we’re more happy to see them go,” Robbins said.

* The program is free, but participants must complete a test and assessment of
skills prior to being accepted.

* The next intake to fill the 10 spots is planned for Jan. 9.

* The program runs from Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for 8-12 weeks,
with the goal that the participant will find employment during that period.
It’s run at the Centre for Employment and Learning, on the second floor at 75
Waterloo St. S., Unit 202.

* Anyone interested is asked to forward a resume and cover letter to project
manager Sandy McCann at sandy.a.mccann@gmail.com or call 519-271-2978.

* The program can be found on Twitter at @PerthHuronPF and Facebook at Perth
Huron PF Solutions

4-H FUTURE LEADERS IN ACTION

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.

Deadline:
January 26, 2012

Download
Registration Form http://www.4-hontario.ca/youth/opportunities/camps-conferences/flia.aspx

Event
Date:
March 10 – 13, 2012

Location: Camp Kawartha, Peterborough, ON

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

SEaforth and Area Food Bank –
2012 Community Garden

Would
you like a garden plot this spring? We are currently taking applications for
garden plots for this May. Let us put
nutritious food on your table. For
information contact 519-527-0281

water innovation – Rural stormwater
management

A
partnership project will develop a Rural Stormwater Management Model between
2011 and 2013. This innovative new water-quality project will improve knowledge
of how agricultural and rural drainage function in a rural landscape. The
groundbreaking new model will acquire more detailed and precise information on
how to manage any stormwater impact during spring time and heavy rainfall
events. This increased understanding will guide new stewardship projects
designed to effectively reduce and manage run-off.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) will lead the water-quality
project in partnership with Maitland Valley, St. Clair Region, Saugeen Valley,
and Grey-Sauble conservation authorities and other partners including the Lake
Huron South East Shore Initiative, an inter-agency partnership helping to
create Healthy Lake Huron: Clean Water, Clean Beaches. Project partners include
landowners, provincial and federal ministries, county departments, and
environmental agencies.

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment announced, on
December 20, 2011, a Showcasing Water Innovation Program grant of $700,000
towards this new, and truly rural, water-quality initiative. Additional support
and in-kind contributions will come from other funding partners.

The creation of a rural stormwater management model will provide more precise information
to help landowners and agencies invest their stewardship dollars on those
projects, and those areas, that will benefit the most and have the greatest
positive environmental impact.

The project will increase monitoring and introduce five new water monitoring
stations in five priority watersheds along Lake Huron’s South East Shore in a
rural part of Ontario stretching from Sarnia to Tobermory. For more information
on the five priority watersheds visit: http://www.healthylakehuron.ca
The creation of this model will benefit water quality enhancement in
these priority areas and it will also benefit all of rural Ontario.

The Government of the Province of Ontario has recognized that understanding
environmental functions in rural Ontario cannot take place through an urban
model but requires a new focus that will result in more precise information,
more strategic stewardship investments and actions to protect water in a rural
context, according to Jim Ginn, Chairman of the ABCA Board of Directors.

“The Province of Ontario has shown its commitment to a new and truly rural
initiative to better understand how stormwater systems work in rural
Ontario,” he said. “This leading-edge work has not previously taken
place and it will now fill a gap in understanding the nearshore water quality
of Lake Huron and this better information will make it possible to implement
improved strategic actions that protect water quality.”

The greater understanding of how stormwater moves and is managed in our rural
area will be extremely valuable for farmers and other landowners as new
information gained from this project will help guide their drainage management
efforts to keep soil on the land and the strategic implementation of
on-the-ground projects that limit run-off and the effects of water movement
during a storm.

Projected benefits of a more precise rural stormwater management model include:

Ø Reduction in stormwater

Ø Reduced impacts on lakes and rivers

Ø Reduction
in risks to health

Ø Limiting
erosion

Ø Reducing
flooding

Components of the project include:

Ø Development
of specific software for a rural stormwater management model

Ø Integration
into the model of more precise information such as precipitation, drainage
patterns and systems, flow paths, forest cover, land uses, etc.

Ø Increased monitoring through five stations in priority watersheds along
the South East Shore of Lake Huron

Ø Communication with landowners, public, governments, and agencies

Ø Sharing model when finished for the benefit of others

Funding Opportunity

Sustain Ontario has some
funding and capacity to support regional meetings in Ontario over the next two
years. The purpose of these meetings can be to bring together groups that
do not normally work together, build regional capacity, undergo a strategic
planning process, identify important policy and research steps, and/or other
goals that the event leaders identify. Organizations can apply for
funding and event support by filling in an
application by January 30th,
2012 here. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact Carolyn at carolyn@sustainontario.ca
or by calling 647-839-4030

Farm & Food Care Ontario Open For
Business

Farm &
Food Care Ontario officially opened its doors Tuesday in Guelph.

It is the
first coalition of its type in Canada, bringing together tens of thousands of
livestock, crop and horticulture farmers and related businesses with a mandate
to provide credible information on farming to Ontario’s public.

Crystal
Mackay, Executive Director of the new organization said, “Farm & Food
Care will cultivate awareness and increase appreciation for agriculture by
providing objective, credible information on food and how it’s grown right here
in Ontario.”

She added
that the new structure will provide a clearer and more effective voice for
public outreach and proactive communications, one stop shopping for information
on food and farming. Said Mackay, “Farm & Food Care’s work benefits
anyone whose livelihood depends on a healthy and prosperous agriculture in
Ontario.”

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

Growing Your Farm Profits Workshops

Bruce	Jan 20 & 27,2012	Walkerton,lunch provided	Jayne Dietrich519-367-5930	bruce@ontariosoilcrop.org
	Mar 9 & 16,2012	Tara,lunch provided	Jayne Dietrich519-367-5930	bruce@ontariosoilcrop.org
	Mar 21 & 28,2012	Kincardine,lunch provided	Jayne Dietrich519-367-5930	bruce@ontariosoilcrop.org
Lambton	Feb 2 & 9	Lambton Mutual – Room: Basement 7873 Confederation Line, Watford	Joanne Sanderson519-695-3980	joanne.sanderson@ontariosoilcroporg
Middlesex	Call to inquire		Margaret May519-287-5334	Middlesex@ontariosoilcrop.org
Huron	Jan 18 & 25	Clinton	Lois Sinclair519-357-3146	huron@ontariosoilcrop.org
Huron	Jan 30 &Feb 6	Clinton	Lois Sinclair519-357-3146	huron@ontariosoilcrop.org
Perth	Nov 25 & Dec 2, 2011	Perth East Recreation Complex	Kate Procter519-887-8951	perthGYFP@ontariosoilcrop.org

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.

TECHNICAL
UPDATES

MANURE – TACKLING THE FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

By: Christine Brown, Nutrient Management Lead
– Field Crops, OMAFRA

When fertilizer prices start to increase so do the number of
questions asked about manure! Manure is a carefully guarded treasure – black
gold – for livestock producers that have figured out the nutrient and organic
matter value. However, this is a relatively new concept for many crop producers
that have access to manure or other organic materials.

Why bother with manure?

Manure is nutrient rich and organic matter rich. However, just as
with commercial fertilizers, manure must be managed to ensure the nutrients
stay where they were applied. In addition to the nutrients found in commercial
fertilizers (NPK), manure also has micro-nutrients, such as sulphur, zinc,
manganese and calcium, and micro-organisms (including some pathogens) that
benefit the soil and add diversity. Similar to commercial fertilizers, the
value is only as good as the distribution. Uniform application using calibrated
equipment is essential.

What is the difference between liquid and
solid manure?

Apart from the obvious differences between liquid and solid
manures, the biggest difference is nutrient composition. Phosphorus tends to be
higher in solid manure, while potassium tends to be higher in liquid manure.
The nitrogen composition makes the nitrogen from liquid manure more like
commercial nitrogen sources, while solid manure nitrogen behaves almost as a
slow-release nitrogen form. As a result, liquid manure can supply over half of
a corn crop’s nitrogen needs, while most cattle, sheep, or horse solid manure
applications will require significant additional nitrogen.

When is the best time to apply manure?

Applying liquid manure before or into a growing crop is the best
method of maximizing nutrients while minimizing environmental impact.

Weather isn’t co-operating with my
application plans. What are my options?

Soils are saturated and field tiles are running at full capacity.
With a wet spring season and this fall’s continuing wet weather, many manure
storages are at, or close to capacity. A large acreage of corn is still
standing in the field and risk of field damage from soil compaction makes any
field work prohibitive, especially on heavier soils.

The following are a few options for manure application during a
wet autumn. However in doing so, risk of water contamination from subsurface
drainage systems and surface runoff must be considered.

Is this the year for custom
application? A custom applicator with site specific or GPS capabilities is able
to map where manure has been applied and at what rate, so that commercial
fertilizer supplementation becomes easier next spring.
Consider alternative storage if
available. Some neighbours may have sold their livestock, but still have manure
storage space that could be “rented”.
Injection of liquid manure is not
a good option in wet soils. Wet soils smear more easily, especially when
combined with additional and concentrated liquids at each injection point.
Surface application onto crop residue or cover crops, followed by tillage at
the earliest opportunity, will cause the least amount of compaction damage in
wet soils.
If manure must be applied to snow
covered fields, consider the soil under the snow. If the soil is frozen under
the snow cover, the risk of snow melt combined with rain leading to
contaminated runoff is high. Where will the runoff move? The nutrients may not
be where they were intended.
Spread on fields or parts of fields with the
least slope. Ideally, start with fields where there is no access to surface
water. Water flow patterns are obvious in most fields during continued wet
periods. Take note of those areas and avoid manure application where there is
evidence of ponded water or “streams” through the field.
Keep your distance from watercourses.
Normally under good spreading conditions, the recommended distance between
liquid application and the watercourse is 13 meters (40 ft). Under winter
contingency applications, the separation distance should be increased. In the
nutrient management regulations, the minimum setback for liquid manure application
increases to 100 meters (330 ft) with winter application where slope to the
watercourse is greater than 3%.
Surface inlets or hickenbottoms act as a
direct conduit to surface water. In a wet year, the risk of water contaminated
with manure moving through surface inlets increases.
Keep application rates as low as possible –
5,600 imperial gallons (6,800 US gal) is the equivalent to ¼ inch (6 mm) evenly
applied across spread width. Consider the soil conditions at the time of
application. If a quarter inch of rain fell in one minute, would it runoff or
move?
For all manure application options,
monitoring is essential to ensure that contamination of water sources does not
occur. Just in case, the Spills Action Centre number is 1-800-268-6060.
Murphy’s Law – if the farm’s contingency plan has been reviewed in advance, it
probably won’t be needed.

When should manure be incorporated?

Manure
should be incorporated as quickly as possible after application. The key to
incorporation is having the nutrients distributed uniformly though the seedbed.
Injection is considered a form of incorporation. Injection is advantageous for
reducing odour and decreasing loss from volatilization, especially with
liquids.

How much fertilizer value will manure have?

Fertilizer
value varies with manure type and livestock type. Feed rations, storage and
addition of bedding or waste water will influence the nutrients applied. It is
recommended that manure is sampled for nutrient analysis at the time of
application.

How do I take a manure sample?

A
manure sample is easiest to obtain at the time of application. The best method
to know what nutrients were applied to the field is to take samples from
various loads during application and then mix the subsamples to obtain one
representative sample. If there is variation in the storage (not agitated or a
solid manure pile), taking a sample for each field where manure is applied will
give more accurate results and reveal how much variation there is in the
storage.

How do I interpret an analysis?

A
manure analysis should include dry matter, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen
(NH4-N), phosphorus, and potassium. For solid manure, the carbon: nitrogen
ratio (C:N ratio) will also be useful, especially where bedding is used.

Nitrogen

Total N – NH4-N = Organic N

Organic
N = slow release (20-30% available in year of application)

NH4-N
= quickly available (decreases as it remains un-incorporated)

Phosphorus

liquid:
(% P x 1.84) x 100 = lbs/1000 gal of P205 added to soil

solid:
(% P x 1.84) x 20 = lbs/ton of P205 added to soil.

Where
soil fertility levels are very low, only a portion of the phosphorus will be
available in the year of application.

Potash

liquid:
(% K x 1.08) x 100 = lbs/1000 gal of K20 added to soil

solid:
(% K x 1.08) x 20 = lbs/ton of K20 added to soil.

AN IMPORTANT FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE ABOUT FARM BUNKHOUSES

Earlier
this year we told you about an important change that was made to the Assessment
Act by the Government of Ontario involving farm bunkhouses. In December
of 2010, they announced that eligible farm bunkhouses would be taxed at the
farm property class rate beginning January 1, 2011. Over the last few
months, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has been working
with a number of farm organizations across the province to ensure that farmers
are aware of the regulation change and identify any bunkhouses that are
eligible under the new criteria. In the coming weeks, property
owners with eligible bunkhouses will receive two separate communications from MPAC:

A letter advising· them that their bunkhouse
qualifies for the farm property class rate; and
An Amended Notice· to reflect this change for
the 2011 tax year.

In
addition, MPAC will also notify the corresponding municipalities so that they
can make the appropriate adjustments to the property taxes. MPAC is
committed to ensuring that all eligible bunkhouses are captured and identified
in the farm property class. If you think that your bunkhouse may be eligible
under the new criteria and you have not received any communication from MPAC,
we encourage you to contact us at 1 866 296-MPAC (6722) Monday to Friday
between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. One of our Customer Service Representatives
will be pleased to assist you. To review the Regulation, please visit: www.mpac.ca/pages_english/pdf/BunkhouseUpdateAugust_2.pdf

FARM PETS AND FOOD SAFETY – By Don
Blakely, OMAFRA

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 & PRODUCTION FACILITY EQUIPMENT - By Colleen
Haskins, OMAFRA

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.).

RESOURCES

FACTSHEETS
and PUBLICATIONS

To order OMAFRA
factsheets and publications:
- Visit any OMAFRA Resource Centre / Northern Ontario Regional Office or
  Service Ontario location. Clinton
  Resource Centre is at 100 Don Street, Clinton ON N0M 1L0Phone 519-482-3333
- Visit the Service Ontario website at: www.serviceontario.ca/publications or call 1-800-668-9938
- Visit the OMAFRA website at: www.ontario.ca/omafra
  or contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre by calling:
  1-877-424-1300

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

PHONE
LINES AND WEBSITES

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
Rural Line – 1-888-588-4111
The Farm Line:
1-888-451-2903 - A confidential telephone emotional support and referral
service provided to farmers and farm families in Ontario

2011
Rural Organization Contacts

Each
year we compile a comprehensive list of Huron Agr & Rural organizations
with two key contacts for each organization. This is a great resource for
anyone who wants contact information for grassroots representatives. You
are welcome to pick one up at the Clinton OMAFRA office or find it
on-line.

Huron County – A Guide to Your Farm
& Rural Community, 2011 is posted on the County of Huron
website at www.huroncounty.ca/econdev/agriculture.php

Lambton County Agr
& Rural Contacts can be found on the County of Lambton
website at: http://www.lambtononline.com/rural_organizations

Electronic newsletters available from OMAFRA

Ag
Business Update

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/news/index.html

Crop
Pest Newsletter

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

Ontario
Berry Grower

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
Ontario

http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/
for some great recipes using Ontario’s fresh fruits and

vegetables