A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). For more information, regarding this report, call 519-846-0941, 1-877-424-1300 or visit www.ontario.ca/omafra. Office hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Changes to farm license plate requirements
Starting Jan. 1, vehicle owners wishing to purchase or attach farm plates to a new commercial vehicle over 3,000 kg will need to provide documentation to demonstrate that they have a farm business.
Only those clients purchasing or attaching new farm plates to a vehicle will be required to show proof of farm business as of Jan. 1. The new requirements will not affect any current farm plate owners who are renewing their farm plates.
Your Farm Business Registration (FBR) number is proof that you run a farm business. Any one of the following documents will prove that you have an FBR:
– a farm organization membership card;
– a Gross Farm Income Exemption Certificate;
– a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal indicating religious exemption;
– a letter from Agricorp with your FBR number; or
– a letter from the Indian Agriculture Program of Ontario confirming that the producer has met the FBR eligibility requirements.
Ontario’s Auditor General (OAG), in its 2012 annual report on the Drive Clean Program and the 2013 annual report on ServiceOntario, noted an increasing number of vehicles with farm plates and was concerned that no verification is required to obtain farm plates. In both audit reports, the OAG recommended the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) review the requirements for obtaining a farm plate, to ensure that no abuse of the system was taking place.
As a result, MTO is implementing new requirements for issuing or attaching farm plates to a commercial vehicle. This will ensure that only qualified farmers obtain farm plates and receive the benefits associated with having a farm plate.
For more information about the Farm Business Registration program contact Agricorp. The centre is open Monday to Friday, from 7am to 5pm and can be reached by calling 1-888-247-4999 or 1-877-275-1380 or by email at contact@agricorp.com.
For more information about farm licence plates, visit a Service Ontario location or call 1-800-387-3445.
Reminder! Soil erosion control workshop
A soil erosion control Workshop on Feb. 10, from 1:30 to 4pm at the Linwood Community Centre, 5279 Ament Line, Linwood.
Are you losing soil from your fields during rainfall?
Hear about: proper design and placement of erosion control structures; use of cover crops to improve soil health and grants available through the Rural Water Quality Program to address erosion issues.
For more information and to register, call Anne Loeffler, conservation specialist at: 519-621-2763 ext. 2242. RSVP by Feb. 6.
Reminder! OMAFRA workshop: Housing and feeding dairy calves for good health and growth
Planning changes to calf housing or feeding? Would an update on calf feeding systems, calf housing design and awareness of calf biosecurity issues help you with future plans and building decisions?
On Feb. 11, OMAFRA is holding a one-day workshop in Elora for dairy and veal producers. Presenters are:
– Harold House, dairy housing engineer, OMAFRA;
– Ann Godkin, disease prevention veterinarian, OMAFRA; and
– Neil Anderson, disease prevention veterinarian, OMAFRA.
Charge for the day is $50 and includes lunch. If you are interested in attending contact the Elora OMAFRA office, 6484 Wellington Rd 7, Elora, at 519-846-0941. Pre-registration before Feb 4 is required. For more information contact ann.godkin@ontario.ca or 519-846-3409.
Coming events
– March 4 and 5: Free stall dairy housing design seminar – boardroom, OMAFRA resource centre, 401 Lakeview Dr., Woodstock. To register, call 1-877-424-1300 or 519-826-4047 or email ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
