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 5:00 p.m.
For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
GIANT HOGWEED
by John C. Benham
If you remember the location where you saw Giant Hogweed last year, please check that spot again this year. There could very well be new plants this year.
At the present time, the plants may be two feet tall all the way down to just coming through the soil. The sooner these plants can be eliminated the easier the task.
If you have questions or you feel you need information, please contact John at 519-846-3394 or email: wellington@ontariosoilcrop.org. Keep in mind the sap from this plant could be harmful, avoid touching any part of the plant unless you are properly protected. For demonstration video, please go to www.ontario.ca/hogweed.
MAPPING INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
by Adam Hayes, Soil Management Specialist, OMAFRA
The Ag Maps Geographic Information Portal is a new service launched by the Geomatics Unit of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. This new page on the OMAFRA website www.ontario.ca/agmaps offers a variety of soil map resources. See below for a wide range of information:
1. Agricultural Information Atlas – The Agricultural Information Atlas is an interactive mapping website. It serves as a tool to acquire agricultural information or to create maps. You can view maps with basic road and municipal information, aerial photography, Canada Land Inventory, hydraulic soil groups, tile drainage information, soil drainage, watersheds and more. It is as easy as clicking on and off the layers you are interested in seeing. You can use the tools to measure length, area and to mark areas on the map. The maps can be printed out as well. These maps can be quite handy when you need a farm or field map.
2. Geospatial Data View and Downloads – This part of the website allows the user to view the location on Google Maps of farm markets, OMAFRA offices, equipment dealers and more. The user may also download these files to their computers as a kml or shapefile.
3.Canada Land Inventory (CLI) Mapping – The Canada Land Inventory maps, or CLI maps as they are often known, provide information on the soil capability class of land (Class 1 to 7) in Ontario. The map units are in colour and use the current road names.
4. OMAFRA Program Data Sets
a. Drainage Mapping – The drainage mapping section of the website provides information and links to the agricultural drainage data that OMAFRA maintains.
b. Soil Mapping and Reports – This section provides links to a page on the Soils Ontario project. The objective is to evolve the current soils data into a digital database that is spatially accurate throughout Ontario, consistent, and easily accessible in digital and paper format. A link is also provided to the Land Information Ontario website, which has significant soils data sets. Another link takes the user to the CANSIS website, which is maintained by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. This website has PDF versions of most of the Ontario soil maps and reports. Just click on the link that says “view the report”. The final link takes you to the Service Ontario website where soil maps, reports and other soils related publications can be ordered.
c. Land Use Data Sets – This section discusses the Agricultural Operations Inventory project, which is complete on a portion of the province. It provides farm and land use information, such as fields, farmsteads, fence rows and ditches. Detailed information includes crop type, row direction, ditch and farmstead locations, livestock raised, irrigation and tillage method used. Also described in this section is the Agricultural Resource Inventory, which was produced in 1983. It provides a map of general land use at that time – urban, woodland, and cropland (corn system, grazing system, hay system, etc). The final link takes you to a page about Specialty Crops and Canada Land Inventory Mapping for the Feed-in Tariff Program.
These resources represent a lot of work that has gone into creating useful tools for many types of uses.
Some of them are easy for farmers to use and others are targeted more toward planners, consultants and others who have the software to map out the data.
A few of the resources are complete, many are being constantly updated and improved, while others are still in development. Check these resources out and see which ones are most useful for your situation.
REMINDER – GROWING YOUR FARM PROFITS
by John C. Benham
The next two-day Growing Your Farm Profits workshop will be held in the Elora OMAFRA meeting room on Tuesday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 19 from 9:3am to 3pm. There will also be a two-day Growing Your Farm Profits workshop held in Baden on Monday, June 11 and Monday June 18 from 9:30am to 3pm. For both workshops, you can register online at: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/workshops/ or call Liz at 519-638-3268. Lunch and refreshments are provided. There are no costs to participants.
COMING EVENTS
May 5 – Wellington County 4-H will hold their Spring Beef BBQ at Alma Community Centre, Alma from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Tickets: Adults $12, Children $9 and under $7, 4 and under free. Silent and Live Auction also a Scarecrow contest. Tickets: James: 519-669-2025 or Barb: 519-824-2959 or Carl: 519-787-0219.
May 26 – Wellington Rural Romp – a day in the countryside at over a dozen farms in Wellington County with gardening and baby farm animals on display. Visit: www.guelphwellintonlocalfood.ca for more details.
May 29 – Wellington County Farm Safety regular meeting at Husky Farm Equipment, Alma at 8pm sharp. For more information, call Walter Grose at 519-846-5329.
