WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington County is pleased to welcome the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association’s Ag Innovation Spotlight event to Elora on July 20. The Ag Innovation Spotlight will showcase innovations in agriculture that are improving agricultural sustainability.
According to the Wellington County Agri-Food System Study by the Wellington Federation of Agriculture (WFA), Wellington County’s Agri-Food System’s economic contribution is significant. The County contributes $2.8 billion to Canada’s GDP, 35,943 jobs to the Canadian economy, and $496 million in labour income within farm and upstream jobs. The agriculture industry is constantly changing, with new technologies improving the long-term sustainability of farming.
Through the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), farmers seek, test, and adopt optimal farm production and stewardship practices. The Ag Innovation Spotlight is an OSCIA led collaboration to demonstrate and showcase technologies and practices that can help farmers improve their environmental and economic sustainability. The Ag Innovation Spotlight will be an excellent opportunity for County farmers and the public to learn about many groundbreaking agricultural technologies.
Ag Innovation Spotlight Event details:
– Date: Thursday, July 20
– Time: 5:00 – 8:00 pm
– Location: Grand River Agricultural Society, 7445 Wellington County Road 21 Elora
• Tickets: $20 for adults, $5 for kids (includes dinner). Purchase tickets online.
“Wellington County has long celebrated innovative farmers and business owners that drive the County to be a leader in Ontario agriculture,” states County of Wellington Warden, Andy Lennox. “Through funding of the Grand River Conservation Authority’s Rural Water Quality Programme and Our Food Future’s Experimental Acres pilot, farmers in Wellington County are well positioned to take on the changing agricultural landscape.”
“Farmers in Wellington County have a big job: grow food for Ontarians and the world,” says Karen Chisholme, Climate Change and Sustainability Manager. “As we experience a changing climate, their job will only become more important. Both high and low-tech solutions are needed to mitigate climate impacts, and the Ag Innovation Spotlight is a great place to start learning about what leading farmers are doing.”
For more information on the Ag Innovation Spotlight, visit www.ontariosoilcrop.org/event/aginnovation-spotlight. Other event partners include Farm & Food Care Ontario, TreadRight,
Tirecraft, Horsch Ontario, Grand River Robotics, Grand River Agricultural Society, OMAFRA, Grain
Farmers of Ontario and TerraNova UAV.
