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: 8:30am to 4:30pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
2015 Ontario premier’s award for agri-food innovation excellence
The agri-food sector has always been innovative in running their businesses, adapting practices and looking for partners to compete in the global economy.
To help spur this innovative spirit, the Ontario government created the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. This annual program recognizes outstanding agri-food related innovators including producers, processors and organizations.
This awards program is not intended for the research community.
Annual program awards include:
• 45 provincial award recipients with a cash prize of $5,000 each
• three Leaders in Innovation awards of $25,000 each
• the Minister’s Award of $50,000
• the Premier’s Award of $75,000
Award recipients will also receive use of the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence wordmark to support their marketing efforts.
The recipients of the 2015 awards will be recognized at events across Ontario in 2015.
Objectives
The objectives of the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Program are to:
• recognize and encourage innovators in the agri-food sector
• foster innovation in the agri-food sector that has an effect at the farm level
• raise awareness about the importance of agri-food innovation and its impact on the Ontario economy
Eligibility criteria
You are eligible to apply under the program if you are:
a) Primary Producer/Farmer
b) Processor
c) Agri-Food Organization
Applicants must be in compliance with all applicable federal, provincial and municipal legislation that apply to the operation of the innovation.
Note: Only one application per applicant can be submitted in any one year.
Applicants from previous years may re-submit an innovation that was not recognized with an award. These applications are not carried forward.
An award winning innovation cannot be submitted again. Previous award recipients are eligible to submit a new project for consideration.
Applicants must be willing to participate in interviews, site visits, photographs and video recordings at the discretion of the ministry or selection committees.
The ministry has the right to refuse an application where concerns have been identified with respect to compliance with regulatory legislation and requirements, undue influence and/or misleading and inaccurate information.
Examples of innovationareas include but are not limited to:
• improved business practices
• response to consumer demands (e.g. new product development, value added, marketing, strategic alliances, local food)
• environmental stewardship
• energy and bio-economy
• health and safety
• food safety and traceability
• education and marketing of the agriculture and food industry to society
Applications for the 2015 Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence program will be accepted up to 5:00 p.m. on April 10, 2015.
For more information about the awards, application, guidelines and application process, please check the OMAFRA website at: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/premier_award/guidebook.htm or email: premiersagrifoodinnovationaward@ontario.ca.
If you have any questions, please contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or email: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
Coming events:
Feb. 25 – Dufferin Soil and Crop Association Annual Seed and Feed Show and Annual Meeting – Amaranth Township Hall County Road 10 and Line 6 Laurel, 374028 6th Line Amaranth. For information, please contact: Jim Irvine at 1-800-265-2284.
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.
