A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and the Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30am to 5pm.
ONTARIO HAY NOW ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCING UNDER ADVANCE PAYMENTS PROGRAM
Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) has received approval to add hay to their growing list of eligible commodities within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advance Payments Program.
Commencing with the 2014 program year, five categories of hay have been approved with an advance rate of $57.50 per tonne. These five categories include: Alfalfa, Timothy, Mixed Hay-Alfalfa and Timothy, Orchardgrass Hay, and Mixed Hay (any mixture of grasses and/or legumes).
The program will cover all Ontario hay and hay mixtures intended for export and domestic sales, including farm-to-farm sales but not including hay fed on the producer’s own farm.
To be eligible for an advance, producers must have an established crop and be enrolled in either Agristability or the Forage Rainfall Production Insurance Program provided by Agricorp at http://bit.ly/1ahsBXx.
Neither Production Insurance nor Agristability are required if applying for an advance on bales stored after harvest in summer of 2014.
The Ontario Hay program provides up to $100,000 interest-free with an additional $300,000 available at Bank Prime Lending Rate. Advances are to be repaid as bales are sold at first, second, or third cut, or later out of storage, and no later than April 30, 2015.
All repayments are to be supported by proof of sales (http://bit.ly/1dKaXcR) documentation at time of repayment.
Applications for the 2014 program are available at www.agcreditcorp.ca or can be mailed upon request. For additional information about ACC or the services offered please contact 1-888-278-8807 or info@agcreditcorp.ca.
HYDRO ONE – SMALL BUSINESS LIGHTING PROGRAM
If you run a small business or farm, you could be eligible for a free energy-efficient interior lighting upgrade with a value of up to $1,500. The Small Business Lighting program is open to Hydro One customers, including:
– retail businesses such as grocery stores, dry cleaners or drug stores;
– food service businesses such as restaurants, bars or clubs;
– business services such as lawyers, accounting or insurance firms; and
– farms with lighting in barns and out buildings.
To qualify, small businesses and farms must have an overall electricity demand of less than 50kW.
Not sure if your business has an electricity demand of 50kW? If your Hydro One bill shows usage only measured in kWh, then your annual electricity demand is likely 50kW or less. If it shows kW or kVA, then your business likely has a demand of more than 50 kW a year.
Hydro one will provide:
– a no-obligation assessment;
– best options for saving; and
– free installation and clean up.
For more information call 1-866-932-8283 or visit http://www.hydroone.com/MyBusiness/SaveEnergy/Pages/SBLighting.aspx.
ONTARIO INVASIVE PLANTS WEBINAR
The Ontario Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources will begin the first of a series of lunch-time webinars based on our Invasive Plants – Best Management Practices documents.
In preparation for the spring field season, every Wednesday for the next six weeks the OPIC will deliver a webinar on an invasive plant which will include a presentation and an open discussion where participants can ask questions the expert panellists.
The webinars will be held during the lunch hour 12 to 1pm, starting on March 26.
Hope you can join in on the following webinars:
– Dog-strangling Vine – March 26;
– Garlic Mustard – April 2;
– Japanese Knotweed – April 9;
– Phragmites – April 16;
– Reed Canary Grass – April 23; and
– Giant Hogweed – April 30.
To register visit https://invadingspecies.webex.com/invadingspecies/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=662796467.
COMING EVENTS:
April 4 – Grower Pesticide Course, OMAF and MRA Boardroom, Elora. To register, call 1-800-652-8573, email opep@opep.ca or visit www.opep.ca.
May 9 – Grower Pesticide Course, OMAF and MRA Boardroom, Elora. To register, call the Ontario Pesticide Education Program at 1-800-652-8573, email opep@opep.ca or visit www.opep.ca.
