A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
Source water protection – protecting drinking water is everyone’s responsibility
Over the next several years, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) will implement Source Protection Plans under the Clean Water Act, 2006, to help ensure that Ontarians have access to safe drinking water. Source Protection Plans address activities – including agricultural practices – that could have an impact on municipal drinking water sources.
Each plan contains a number of policies to reduce existing, and future, threats to drinking water. Plans are unique to the Source Protection Area or Region they cover. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is working with MOECC, Source Protection Committees, local municipalities, conservation authorities and farm organizations to ensure that Source Protection Plan policies are effective and implementable.
If your farm is in a Source Protection Area or Region, you are required by law to comply with the local Source Protection Plan.
Source Protection Plans may affect your farm’s nutrient management strategy (NMS) or plan (NMP), or non-agricultural source material (NASM) plan. OMAFRA staff will contact farmers in Source Protection Areas or Regions who have a registered operation, or an approved NMS, NMP or NASM plan. By law, these documents must be reviewed and amended to be in compliance with the Source Protection Plan.
You may have land use activities on your farm that are not regulated by an NMS, NMP or NASM Plan that may need to comply with your local Source Protection Plan. If you carry out activities, or are planning activities, that are significant drinking water threats, you may need to implement a site-specific Risk Management Plan (RMP). The RMP summarizes what you must do to make sure an activity is no longer, or does not become, a significant threat to drinking water.
An RMP is a legally-binding agreement between you and your local Risk Management Official (RMO). An RMO, or a Risk Management Inspector working for the RMO, is allowed to visit farms impacted by the local SPP as part of the RMP process.
The Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition has prepared the Farm Source Water Protection Plan framework and workbook, found at http://www.ofa.on.ca/issues/overview/source-water-protection-framework, to help you prepare to negotiate an RMP.
Questions about the Clean Water Act and Source Water Protection can be directed to MOECC at source.protection@ontario.ca or 416-212-5296.
Contact your local conservation authority or municipality, or visit the Conservation Ontario website (www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/uncategorised/143-otherswpregionsindex), for information on specific Source Protection Plans, and to find out if you are located in a Source Protection Area or Region.
Contact your local municipality or conservation authority for information on what you are required to do if your farm is affected by a Source Protection Plan.
Environmental farm plan workshop – 2015
Free Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) fourth edition workshops are now being offered across Ontario. Farmers are invited to participate to create or update their EFP and learn more about cost-sharing opportunities available. Register Online at www.ontariosoilcrop.org
Growing your farm profits – 2015
Start the business planning process by attending this free two-day interactive workshop. You will: Assess business management practices, determine priorities and key goals develop realistic action plans and learn about cost-share funding opportunities. Register Online at www.ontariosoilcrop.org
Community economic development 101
Community Economic Development or CED101 was developed to inform Municipal Councillor’s and volunteers about the fundamentals of economic development.
OMAFRA is holding a number of free interactive workshops across the province in the coming months. Participants will take away practical tools to help their community develop and implement an economic development strategy. If your community is thinking about developing a business growth strategy, attending on of these workshops may be the place to start.
For locations and to register go to ontario.ca/b7qx or for more information call 1-877-424-1300.
Coming events:
March 4 and 5 – Free Stall Dairy Housing Design Seminar – OMAFRA Resource Centre Boardroom, 401 Lakeview Drive, Woodstock, ON. To register contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at: 1-877-424-1300 or 519-826-4047 or ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
April 10 5pm deadline – Applications for 2015 Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Program. For more information please check the OMAFRA website at: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/premier_award/guidebook.htm or email: premiersagrifoodinnovationaward@ontario.ca.
