A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). For information call 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm. For technical information, call 1-877-424-1300 or visit www.ontario.ca/omafra.
Two practices to improve on-farm water use efficiency
Knowing how much water you use is the first step to increasing farm water use efficiency. Installing a water meter is a beneficial step for any farm practice which uses water.
A water meter provides an instantaneous reading of the flow of water for the application (e.g. irrigation system) and helps to diagnose if the system is operating as designed.
– Higher than usual flow? Check the system for leaks, worn nozzles and malfunctioning valves; or
– Lower than usual flow? Check the system for plugging, malfunctioning valves and pump station performance.
Monitoring the water flow from an application over a period of time, and tracking the total flow reading will help to assess the on-going water use from each application and help evaluate new practices or equipment. Monitoring:
– Assesses the impact of new management practices on the basis of their water usage; and
– Allows for an optimization of water use by comparing the water use and associated costs of different practices.
Under scenarios of climate change and where water supplies are stressed, a water monitoring program is the first tool needed to identify water-efficientcy opportunities.
Monitoring soil moisture is the key to getting the right amount of water to crops at the right time. The use of soil moisture monitoring equipment will benefit decision-making on all irrigated farms.
Monitoring soil moisture and taking action to use the information provided in irrigation decisions will help growers manage soil moisture. Choosing the right times and the right amounts to irrigate can lead to: higher yields; better product quality; improved plant vigour; reduction in disease; more effective use of water (water efficiency) and reduced irrigation costs.
Soil moisture instrument demonstrations have occurred in southern Ontario and cooperating farms reported the following outcomes:
– “My understanding of soil moisture monitoring has improved. I now know the field capacity, wilting point and my optimum irrigation trigger points”;
– “Soil moisture monitoring helps me determine when irrigation is beneficial”;
– “Now I know what is going on in the soil profile; before I was guessing”;
– “The soil moisture instruments taught me the best timing and quantities to apply; you can see the trends in the graphs to see if you’ve applied enough or too much”; and
– “From the soil moisture instruments I learned that I was not applying enough water.”
New tax credit to benefit farmers and communities
A new tax credit is helping put nutritious, fresh, locally grown food on the plates of those who need it most.
The Food Donation Tax Credit for Farmers – the only one of its kind in Canada – is giving farmers a tax credit valued at 25 per cent of the fair market value of the agricultural products they donate to community food programs, including food banks and student nutrition programs.
The tax credit is a part of the Ontario government’s local food strategy and Local Food Act, 2013 to promote the good things that are grown and harvested across the province.
Building a stronger agri-food industry is part of the government’s economic plan to support a dynamic and innovative business climate, invest in people and invest in infrastructure.
Quick facts
– One-third of the 375,000 Ontarians served by a food bank every month are children;
– More than 600,000 children and youth participate in breakfast, snack and lunch programs in communities across Ontario; and
– Under the proclaimed legislation, farmers can claim the new tax credit for donations dating back to Jan. 1, 2014.
Ontario’s agri-food sector contributes about $34 billion to the province’s economy and supports more than 740,000 jobs across Ontario.
Coming events
– Oct. 17-19: Walkerton Fall Fair;
– Nov. 7-16: Royal Winter Fair, Exhibition Place, Toronto;
– Jan. 29 – Feb. 1: Guelph Organic Conference and Expo Guelph University Centre.
