A weekly press release prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. If you require further information, regarding this press release, please call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
ONTARIO FORAGE EXPO HOSTED BY WELLINGTON COUNTY SOIL & CROP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
The Ontario Forage Expo 2011 on Wednesday July 13, 2011, at the Elora Research Farms, 6182 2nd Line, Pilkington Twp., RR #2, Ariss, Ontario.
“Hay Making in Motion” – This major event will present a wide array of demonstrations and activities related to the forage industry. It is co-sponsored by the Ontario Forage Council and Wellington County Soil & Crop Improvement Association. Watch the major equipment companies demonstrate forage machinery in side by side field trials.
Listen to key note speakers on forage related topics.
Visit with forage and forage related trade show exhibitors.
Wagon tours to the Ontario Forage research plots.
This promises to be a great day, with no admission charge for the farming community. Bring your friends and neighbours – Everyone Welcome. Demonstrations start at 10am.
For more information, contact: Ray Robertson, The Ontario Forage Council, 1-877-892-8663 or email: info@ontarioforagecouncil.com.
GROWING YOUR FARM PROFITS
by John C. Benham
On Friday June 17, the first day of the two-day Growing Your Farm Profits will be held in the Elora OMAFRA meeting room at 9:30am.
The second day will be held on Friday, June 24. Lunch and refreshments will be provided at no cost.
This is an opportunity for you to look into upgrading your farm business management. Such things as computer training, bookkeeping, succession planning assistance and marketing opportunities will be discussed.
You will not be asked to provide any confidential information at the meeting. It is an opportunity to hear how other farmers have handled a situation that you may be experiencing.
You will have the opportunity to complete a workbook similar to EFP, come up with an Action Plan and then financial assistance is available to help you in some cases, hire a consultant and take courses or attend a meeting or conference.
For more information and to sign up, call John Benham at 519-846-3394. If these dates don’t work for you, the next GYFP workshop will be held Friday, Sept. 9 and Friday, Sept. 16 in the Elora OMAFRA office from 9:30am to 3pm.
EGG FARMERS OF ONTARIO (EFO) NEW ENTRANT PROGRAM
The program is designed to foster the opportunity for individuals to join the Ontario egg industry and make it easier for them to do so. EFO will allocate a total of 50,000 units of egg quota over a 10 year period. Each year up to 5,000 units of egg quota will be loaned to the successful applicant(s). This quota will be loaned based on a 1:2 ratio (1 unit purchased, 2 loaned). After 10 years, the loaned quota will be returned to EFO in five installments.
To be eligible an applicant must: Be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant; Be a permanent resident of Ontario; Not hold quota of any of any type in the supply-managed sector; Not have held quota, currently or in the past, of any type in the supply-managed sector; Priority will be given to persons between the ages of 18 and 45.
Interested individuals must complete and submit an application form along with a $100 non-refundable fee.
Applicants are also encouraged to submit a Business Plan with their application.
Applications may be submitted beginning March 29, 2011 up to and including May 31, 2011. For more information and applications, contact Egg Farmers of Ontario, 7195 Millcreek Drive, Mississauga ON L5N 4H1 or phone 1-800-387-8360.
NOTICE OF QUARANTINE – SMALL HIVE BEETLE
A quarantine area has been established for bees in Essex County and part of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to prevent the spread of small hive beetle to other areas of the province and to protect the integrity of Ontario’s beekeeping industry.
In September 2010, small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, was confirmed in Essex County beekeeping operations and OMAFRA responded immediately with quarantines on individual yards where small hive beetle was observed. OMAFRA continues to work with the beekeeping industry and other stakeholders to manage this new pest of honey bee colonies.
Establishing a quarantine area at this time, prior to the start of the beekeeping season, provides the best opportunity to control movement of bees and prevent the inadvertent spread of small hive beetle from any yard where it might be present but not yet detected.
More information on the quarantine and beekeeping is posted on the OMAFRA website
COMING EVENTS
May 14 -Wellington County 4-H is hosting their Annual Beef BBQ & Silent/Live Auction and Dance at the Alma Community Centre, Alma. Music by: Bill Beattie. Tickets: $12/adult; $7/child 9 and under; 4 and under free. For tickets please contact: James at 519-669-2025 or Carol at 519-833-0455 or Barb at 519-824-2959.
May 18 – Special Wholesale Flower Sale, Elmira Produce Auction Co-op (EPAC). For information, contact Auction Manager, Noah Gingrich at 519-638-3602.
May 31 Wellington County Farm Safety – regular meeting at Husky Farm Equipment, Alma at 8:00 p.m. sharp. For more information, call Walter Grose t 519-846-5329.
June 21-22 – 38th Annual Ontario Pork Congress. Place – Stratford Agricultural and Recreational Complex. Website – http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/
June 7 and 8 – Climate Change and the Implications for Plant Science – Symposium. Place – Room 160, Johnson Hall, University of Guelph, Guelph. Contact: 519-767-5000 or Email – info@open.uoguelph.ca; Website – www.plantscience.open.uoguelph.ca; Alt. Website – www.croplife.ca.
June 21-22 – 38th Annual Ontario Pork Congress. Place – Stratford Agricultural and Recreational Complex. Website – http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/
July 6 & 7 – SouthWest Crop Diagnostic Days – University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
