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
Precision Dairy Technology Workshop
Precision Dairy Technology Workshop is being held on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm, coffee at 9:30 am in the Wellington Room at the Grand River Raceway, Elora, ON, 7445 Wellington County Road 21, Elora. Ontario dairy producers considering a new technology or who want to hear how others are using new technologies on their farm should plan to attend this one-day workshop. Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Registration is $20 (includes lunch) and can be done by calling the Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300.
Agenda; Morning Program:
Steve Reynolds, John Deere – NIR feed analysis with Harvest Lab: What can it do on your farm?
Chris Buchner, Elmwold Farms Ltd. – How we use Herd Navigator
Henk Pastink, Henria Holsteins Ltd. – Calf-Robots: The Story from our Farm
Rob Kirkconnell, Valleykirk Farms – Buying a new Technology: How we Made the Decision
Julia James-Booijink, Select Sires-GenerVations – Cow-Manager: What can it Deliver to Managers?
Lunch (included with registration)
Afternoon Program:
Harold House, OMAFRA – Automatic, Smart or Remote: The New Generation of Environmental Controls on Dairy Farms
Rob Swackhammer, Swackhammer Veterinary Services – Classical Veterinary Advice in a New Age Era
Chris McLaren, Larenwood Farms – Afimilk: How we’re Using It
Nancy Charlton, DeLaval Canada – Automatic Body Condition Scoring
Feedback networking and adjourn.
Growing Forward 2 – A Comprehensive Federal-Provincial-Territorial Initiative
Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative – Dust Deflector Program
Reduce the risks to pollinator populations while planting with insecticide treated seed by installing dust deflectors on your pneumatic seeding equipment.
• First-come, first-serve funding
• 75% cost-share, up to $3000, for installing dust deflectors on air seeding units
• Funding is available in the Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and southeast shores of Lake Huron watersheds
• BMPs include: factory installed, aftermarket and customized dust deflectors designed on-farm (following these OMAFRA Guidelines)
• Dust deflectors purchased between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 are eligible
For more information visit the OSCIA website, under “Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative”.
Submit your completed Application Form to OSCIA no later than March 31, 2015.
Questions?
Business hours: Amy Tenbult 226-706-8669 After hours: Brad Carberry 226-979-2465 Email: GLASI@ontariosoilcrop.org. Funding for GLASI is provided by Agricultural and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through Growing Forward 2, a comprehensive federal-provincial-territorial initiative. GLASI is delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA).
COMING EVENTS:
March 4 & 5 Free Stall Dairy Housing Design Seminar – OMAFRA Resource Centre Boardroom, 401 Lakeview Drive, Woodstoc. 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.
