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
Reminder – 2015 Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Program – now accepting applications
Have you developed and implemented an innovative product or process within your agriculture or food business? If so, you could be eligible to receive one of the following awards from the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Program:
– Premier’s Award (one award valued at $75,000);
– Minister’s Award (one award valued at $50,000);
– Leaders in Innovation Awards (three awards valued at $25,000 each);
– or Provincial Awards (45 awards valued at $5,000 each).
Eligible applicants include primary producers, farmers, processors and agri-food organizations.
A copy of the program guidebook and application form, as well as information on previous award recipients are available at ontario.ca/agrifoodinnovation or by calling 1-877-424-1300.
Applications will be accepted until 5pm on April 10.
2015 Rural Summer Jobs Service – accepting applications now
The goal of the Rural Summer Jobs Service (RSJS) is to encourage rural employers to create summer jobs that enhance the life skills and work experience of students in Ontario.
In 2014, over 1,500 employers participated in creating over 4,600 rural summer jobs. The RSJS is part of the Ontario government’s Ontario Summer Jobs Strategy to assist students across Ontario.
What does the Rural Summer Jobs Service offer?
The government of Ontario provides a $2/hour hiring incentive to eligible, rural employers who can create summer jobs for rural students between the ages of 15 and 30.
The program offers an opportunity for employers to hire a student and receive reimbursement for the time worked between April 1 and Sept. 30. Rural employers may receive the hiring incentive for up to 560 hours per eligible summer employee.
The application consists of three pages including an updated employer declaration. To ensure acceptance into the program, please make sure that all fields are completed in full.
Important dates:
– April 1: First day of eligibility for subsidized employment for student positions;
– April 17: Deadline for submission of employer application forms;
– May: Student checklist and claim forms will be posted on the OMAFRA webpage;
– May 30: Applicants will be notified of application status and number of positions approved;
– July 31: Deadline for submission of the student eligibility checklists;
– Sept. 30: Last day of eligibility for subsidized employment for student positions.
– Oct. 23: Deadline for submission of employer claim forms either by email, fax or by
mail: http://ontario.ca/bd2f
Fact sheets and publications
The following free publications are now available.
New publications:
– 2015 Field Crop Budgets
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/facts/pub60.pdf
– Guide to Fruit Production Supplement Publication 360S
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/pub360/sup/pub360sup.pdf
Half price publications:
– Pub 611: Soil Fertility Handbook 2006 reduced from $40 to $20
New factsheets:
– 14-043 Programs and Services for Ontario Farmers
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/facts/progserv.pdf
– 13-059 Lease Agreements – Farm Equipment
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/facts/13-059.pdf
To order OMAFRA publications and factsheets visit any OMAFRA Resource Centre or ServiceOntario location: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/offices/ouroffices.html, ;visit the ServiceOntario website at: www.serviceontario.ca/publications or call 1-800-668-9938; or visit the OMAFRA website at: http://ontario.ca/b83g or call 1-877-424-1300
Coming events
March 31 is the deadline for “Dust Deflector Program” – Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative. Dust Deflectors purchased between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 are eligible. For more info visit the OSCIA website, under “Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative” at www.ontariosoilcrop.org.
