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: 8:30am. to 5:00pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
SAVE THE DATE. DETAILS OF FARMSMART EXPO ANNOUNCED – THURSDAY, JULY 14 AND FRIDAY, JULY 15 – ELORA RESEARCH CENTRE
ELORA – Farmers and agribusiness personnel will want to circle Thursday, July 14 on their calendar and be sure to attend the FarmSmart Expo to hear the latest in agronomy News from members of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) crop agronomy unit and the University of Guelph’s research departments.
FarmSmart Expo provides progressive farm operators and agri-business people with leading-edge, hands-on diagnostics to help them develop and advance their farm business operations.
As an example, last year FarmSmart Expo participants were the first to see the custom-designed Automated Tire Inflation (ATI) unit in action. The customized Nuhn manure tanker can deflate tires in two minutes, with the goal to cut it down to 30 seconds so that farmers can adjust tire pressure depending on whether they are in the field or travelling on the road. The unit was designed to reduce soil compaction from heavy equipment in the field and made its debut at last year’s FarmSmart Expo.
This year the University of Guelph’s Elora Research Station is also host for the popular Ontario Forage Expo (www.ontarioforagecouncil.com), which will be held on Wednesday, July 13, one day in advance of FarmSmart Expo. Organizers say presenting the two first-class agricultural summer educational events on consecutive days will allow farmers the opportunity to package these informative days as a short get away in scenic and historic Elora.
This year’s FarmSmart Expo will be held Thursday, July 14 at the University of Guelph Elora Research Station, 6182 2nd Line, Elora (south of Elora, one block west of County Road 7). Sign in begins at 8:45am. The first session starts at 9:30am and the last session is scheduled to conclude at 4pm.
Registration fee is $50 for OSCIA members, $65 for non-members and includes lunch and a one-year membership in your local soil and crop improvement association. Walk-in registrations welcome, although lunch not guaranteed. Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Continuing Education Credits have been applied for.
A special program is also planned for rural youth on the following day, Friday, July 15. The day-long youth program features barn tours, hands-on activities and in-field demonstrations of on-farm situations. This is an excellent opportunity for a club meeting, a makeup session or a club/county field trip. Non-4H members welcome. Registration fee $15.00, includes lunch. Walk-ins welcome, lunch not guaranteed. Sign in begins at 9am. First session begins at 9:30am, last session concludes at 3:30pm.
To register for either day, call 1-877-424-1300. Information and program updates are posted online at www.uoguelph.ca/farmsmart. Updates will also be posted on Twitter @soilandcrop.
GROWING YOUR FARM PROFITS
by John C. Benham
The next two day GYFP workshop on Friday, June 17 and Friday, June 24 from 9:30am to 3pm has only two spaces available now. It will be held in the OMAFRA meeting room in Elora. If these dates don’t work for you, Friday, Sept. 9 and Friday, Sept. 16 and Thursday, Nov. 3 and Thursday, Nov. 10 are reserved in the Elora OMAFRA meeting room. Lunch and refreshments are supplied. No costs to you.
Keep in mind financial assistance is available for Farm Financial Assistance, Agricultural Skills Development, Advanced Business Planning and Business Plan Implementation after you have and attended the GYFP workshop and completed the workbook which is similar to the EFP workbook. We keep hearing good comments about this program. If you have questions or wish to sign up, call John Benham at 519-846-3394.
ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN
by John C. Benham
Keep in mind that you need a Third Edition EFP to qualify for financial assistance in 2012.
The next EFP workshop is planned for Wednesday, July 13 to be completed on Wednesday, July 20 in the Elora OMAFRA meeting room. No cost to you. Lunch and refreshments provided.
Don’t put off signing up since several farmers are already on the list and space is limited.
To qualify for the cost share in 2012 you must have completed your EFP workbook well before Thursday, September 15th, the planned date of the Cost Share applications to be available.
For more information and to sign up, call John Benham at 519-846-3394.
COMING EVENTS:
June 7 – Wellington Federation of Agriculture monthly board meeting, at OMAFRA Boardroom, 6484 Cty. Rd. #7, Elora. For information contact secretary, Lisa Hern at 519-848-3774, or email: jplh@golden.net.
June 7 & 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; or Alt. Website – www.croplife.ca.
June 7 & 14 – Waterloo County Growing Your Farm Profits Workshop (2 days) will be held in Linwood from 9:30am to 3pm. To register or more information, call Liz Samis at 519-638-3268 or lsamis@ontariosoilcrop.org.
June 17 & 24 – Wellington County Growing Your Farm Profits two-day Workshop will be held in the Elora OMAFRA meeting room at 9:30am to 3pm Lunch/refreshments are provided. To sign up, call John at 519-846-3394.
June 21-22 – 38th Annual Ontario Pork Congress. Place – Stratford Agricultural and Recreational Complex. Website – http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/
June 26 Guelph Wellington Local Food Fest – celebration of local food with workshops, guided farm tours, children’s activities and more. Visit www.guelphwellingtonlocalfood.ca.
