PROGRAMS and SERVICES Local Food Fund
GF2 Application Deadlines Recognizing Agri-Food Innovation Excellence in Ontario Expanding Agricultural Production Insurance Festivals and Events in Ontario Guide OMAFRA Nutrient Management Course Now Available Online Environmental Farm Plan No Swine Liquid Feeding Association Seminar in February Ecological Farmers of Ontario Conference
Ontario Agriculture Roadshow
RESOURCES
Follow Us on Twitter Fact Sheets and Publications Electronic Bulletins and Newsletters Phone Lines and Websites Dateline Calendar of Events OMAFRA Advisors Next Issue: December 12, 2014 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Les programmes, les services et les ressources du ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation de l'Ontario et du ministère des Affaires rurales sont également disponsibles en anglais.
The programs, services and resources of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Rural Affairs are also available in French. Local Food Fund
Following a successful launch and high interest in the Local Food Fund, the program was temporarily paused on July 1, 2014, while the ministry undertook a review of the fund's design.
The review provided an opportunity to look at ways to improve the fund's objectives and make any necessary adjustments needed to best target and support Ontario's local food initiatives.
The program review is now complete and the ministry will begin accepting new applications on November 24, 2014.
To date, five intakes have been completed and 112 projects have been approved, representing a provincial commitment of more than $16.6 million.
To be considered eligible, an application must be submitted between 9:00 a.m. on November 24, 2014 and 11:59 p.m. on January 16, 2015.
The program application and guidebook will be available on the Local Food Fund website on November 24, 2014 http://bit.ly/1kbumXH.
Growing Forward 2 Application Deadlines
Producers and Processors:The next Implementation Application Intake for producers and processors will open on November 10, 2014 and close on December 11, 2014. Please note that the Capacity application stream is still open.
Organizations and Collaborations:
The 2015 deadlines will be available on the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAC) website mid-December.
Before submitting an application to AAC, organizations and collaborations should first review the Capacity Building and Project Implementation program guides. Next, AAC encourages applicants to complete a pre-proposal and submit it to:info@adaptcouncil.org. Full Growing Forward 2 applications are due on the deadline dates listed on the AAC website. Capacity building funding requests $20,000 and under are accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed within 20 business days.
For more information please go to http://bit.ly/1nzjbiX. Recognizing Agri-Food Innovation Excellence in Ontario
Ontario is celebrating innovators who are contributing to the success of the province's agri-food sector.
The Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence program encourages the development of our rural communities, farms, agri-food processors and agri-food organizations by adding value to existing products, creating jobs and driving economic growth.
The program recognizes up to 50 Provincial Award recipients across the province who receive a plaque, wordmark and a gate sign, as well as $5,000. The top five awards will be chosen from among this pool of 50 recipients and will be announced late November.
Top awards include:
- one Premier's Award winner (valued at $75,000 could be combined with provincial award);
- one Minister's Award winner (valued at $50,000 could be combined with provincial award); and,
- three Leaders in Innovation Awards (valued at $25,000 each could combined with the provincial award).
The program is open to farmers, primary producers, processors, or agri-food related organizations. Details on the 2015 intake will be available in January.
This year's recipients are being celebrated and honoured at eight events taking place across Ontario this month. For the list of recipients who have received awards to date visit: ontario.ca/ agrifoodinnovation
Expanding Agricultural Production Insurance
Ontario is proposing amendments to the Crop Insurance Act, 1996, that would, if passed, allow more types of agricultural products to be covered by production insurance.
Production insurance is part of a suite of business risk management programs designed to help farmers manage losses due to events like weather, pests and disease. The costs of these programs are predictable, stable and shared by producers and the provincial and federal governments.
Currently, production insurance is available for almost 90 commercially grown crops, including grains, oilseeds and certain fruits and vegetables. However, Ontario is the only province in Canada without the authority to expand production insurance beyond crops to the broader agricultural sector.
If passed, the proposed Agriculture Insurance Act would give Ontario the authority to expand insurance to support the agri-food industry in the event of unexpected loss of production for agriculture products.
Expanding the number of products eligible for production insurance and strengthening the agri-food industry is part of the government's economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people's talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.
For more information go to: http://bit.ly/1uNYHVo
Festivals and Events in Ontario GuideFestivals & Events Ontario (FEO) will be producing the 2015 edition of the Festivals & Events in Ontario Guide in partnership with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC).
This digest-sized publication will have a 12-month shelf-life and will list festivals and events taking place from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. Distribution of 250,000 copies, with an estimated readership of more than 500,000, is scheduled to begin early March 2015 and will be available for download in a web edition on thewww.festivalsandeventsontario. ca and www.ontariotravel.net websites. The printed guides will be available through a broad distribution network, including the Festivals & Events Ontario website and office, the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation website, information centres, call centres and associated tourism related channels throughout the province.
Submitting Your Event / Selection Criteria
Get noticed by thousands of festival and event goers. Visit the OTMPC partner website at www.tourismpartners.com and submit or update your event listing(s) by Friday, December 12, 2014. Approved listings will be featured on the recently re-designed consumer site, ontariotravel.net.
Simple two-step process: 1. Log-in to your account on www.tourismpartners.com 2. Select Manage Events and follow the steps to update or add events for your organization
NOTE: you will need to submit an image (min. 1920x800 pixels, JPEG format, max 4MB, landscape orientation; no collages, logos or text) that reflects the visitor experience
If you do not have an account, please REGISTER first on www.tourismpartners.com. Once you have been approved, you can log-in and submit your events. If you have any questions or need assistance, email info@tourismpartners.com.
OMAFRA Nutrient Management Courses Now Available Online
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) offers a range of training courses to provide information on nutrient management and the Nutrient Management Act (NMA). These courses are now available online. OMAFRA's training courses give learners the tools to safely manage nutrients while protecting the environment.
Take our courses to become a government-certified Nutrient Management Planner or Consultant. Our eLearning format allows you to learn on your own time and at your own pace. The newest eLearning course - Introduction to Nutrient Management - provides a basic understanding of nutrient management best management practices. This course will be of interest to a wider audience beyond those who require certification. Visit the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus website for more information on in-class and online nutrient management training options.
Contact the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus for more information:
Toll Free: 1-855-648-1444 or email:
mmcdonal@uoguelph.ca
Environmental Farm Plan Workshop - December 9 & 16, Navan, Ontario
FREE Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) workshops are now being offered across eastern Ontario. Farmers are invited to participate to create or update their EFP and learn more about cost-sharing opportunities available.
EFP Workshop - Navan:
Day 1 - December 9, 2014
Day 2 - December 16, 2014
Exact location to be confirmed. Please register at http://bit.ly/11KQMNI
No Swine Liquid Feeding Association Seminar in February 2015
The Directors of the Swine Liquid Feeding Association (SLFA) met recently and decided to no longer organize and host the annual February SLFA Seminar. However, the committee is interested in continuing to support activities that provide relevant and useful information about swine liquid feeding.
Financial Support for Continued Educational Events
To encourage swine liquid feeding technology transfer, the SLFA is offering $500 to organizations and companies to help offset the costs of including a topic related to swine liquid feeding at an educational event. This financial support of $500 will be made available to two events each year. Applications should be received before November 1st of each year and consist of a letter outlining the target audience, anticipated number of attendees, speaker profile, suggested topic, as well as the complete (draft) programme for the meeting. Feedback to applications will be provided by December 1st.
Applications can be made by contacting Ron Lackey (OMAFRA) at 519 271 7407 orron.lackey@ontario.ca. Funding decisions will be made by the SLFA technology transfer support committee.
SLFA Technology Support Committee:
Ron Lackey - ron.lackey@ontario.ca (Committee Lead)
Rick Attridge - ricka@agribrands.ca
Kees DeLange - cdelange@uoguelph.ca
Jay Squire - jaysquire@wfs.ca
Drew Woods - drew.woods@nutreco.ca
Deb Campbell - deb.campbell@hay.net (Administration)
Ecological Farmers of Ontario Conference 2014: December 4-6, Orillia, Ontario
The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) is celebrating its 35th anniversary by launching its first annual conference. The conference will be presented in partnership with FarmStart along with supporting partners Farms at Work, Everdale and The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.
The vision for this conference aligns with EFAO's core mandate which is "to support and promote a vibrant community of ecological farmers through education, training and knowledge sharing." More than 250 ecological growers from across the province are expected to attend. The conference is offering more than 30 intermediate and advanced level workshops. For more information and to register, please visitwww.conference.efao.ca
Ontario Agriculture Roadshow
As part of our continuing commitment to farm and agribusiness, Binder Dijker Otte (BDO) is pleased to invite you to a complimentary special information session with lunch on key topics that are affecting the farming industry. Chris Koch of ifican.ca will be the keynote speaker.
We are pleased to offer this session at the following locations:
December 8 - Alvinston: Brooke Alvinston Inwood Community Centre December 9 - Walkerton: Walkerton Knights of Columbus Hall December 10 - Mitchell: Mitchell Golf & Country Club December 11 - Woodstock: Quality Hotel & Suites December 12 - Kingsville: Kingsville Arena Complex December 15 - Fergus: Fergus Community Hall December 16 - Lindsay: Lindsay Golf & Country Club December 18 - Manotick: Carleton Golf & Yacht Club For more information go to: http://bit.ly/1xc0fFw RESOURCES Follow Us on Twitter
Name Specialty Twitter Handle OMAFRA Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs @atOMAFRA Foodland Ontario Local Food @FoodlandOnt OMAFRA Field Crops Crops @onfieldcrops OMAFRA Hort Update Horticulture @onhortcrops OMAFRA Swine Team Swine @ONswineinfo Joel Bagg Forage @JoelBagg Tracey Baute Entomology @TraceyBaute Christine Brown Nutrient Management @manuregirl Jacqui Empson
Mike Cowbrough Environmental Specialist
Weeds @notrunningfast
@Cowbrough Brian Hall Edible Beans @Brian_Hall_Ont Peter Johnson Cereals @WheatPete Jack Kyle Pasture @JackKyle5 Gilles Quesnel Pest Management @GillesQuesnel Ian McDonald Applied Research @ian_d_mcdonald Barry Potter Beef, Dairy, Sheep @LivestockPotter Christoph Wand
Tom Wright Beef and Sheep Nutritionist
Dairy Cattle Nutritionist @CtophWand
@feedlandontario
Fact Sheets and Publications
To order OMAFRA publications and factsheets:
Visit any OMAFRA Resource Centre / Northern Ontario Regional Office or ServiceOntario location http://www.omafra. gov.on.ca/english/offices/ ouroffices.html Visit the ServiceOntario website at: www.serviceontario.ca/ publications or call1-800-668-9938 Visit the OMAFRA website at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/products/index.html or contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre by calling: 1-877-424-1300 Publication 384: Protection Guide for Turfgrass
A big part of managing turf is knowing which crop protection products to use. OMAFRA Publication 384, Protection Guide for Turfgrass, contains information on products registered for turfgrass for insects, disease and weed control and is intended for professional turfgrass managers in Ontario. Whether you are a sod farmer, a golf course superintendent, a lawn care operator, or a sports field manager, this is a great resource for your shop shelf.http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/pub384/ p384order.htm
Publication 812: Field Crop Protection Guide
OMAF Publication 812, Field Crop Protection Guide, is the source of pest control information for field crops. The easy-to-read tables provide information and comments on insect and disease control products for the major field crops including best control options for integrated pest management for each insect and disease. Publication 812 is a companion to Publication 811, Agronomy Guide for Field Crops.
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/pub812/p812toc. html
Publication 838: Vegetable Crop Protection Guide
OMAF Publication 838, Vegetable Crop Protection Guide, is the source of pest control information for commercial field vegetable production in Ontario. Easy-to-read tables provide information on pest control products for managing insects, diseases, and other pests of Ontario vegetable crops.
To order or download PDF: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/vegpubs/vegpubs. htm
Publication 841: Guide to Nursery and Landscape Plant Production and IPM
Publication 841 is a must for those professional horticulturalists involved in the production and maintenance of outdoor ornamentals. This publication contains detailed information on nutrition, water quality, diseases, insects and timing for monitoring. This publication is a companion guide to Publication 840, Crop Protection Guide for Nursery and Landscape Plants.
This publication replaces Publication 383, Nursery & Landscape Plant Production and IPM. Please recycle any copies of Publication 383. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/pub841/ p841order.htm
Publication 370: Guide to Greenhouse Floriculture Production
OMAF Publication 370, Guide to Greenhouse Floriculture Production, provides extensive information on nutrition and pest management of greenhouse floriculture crops.
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/pub370/ p370order.htm
Publication 835: Crop Protection Guide for Greenhouse VegetablesPublication 835 is the source of pest control information for greenhouse vegetable crops. Easy-to-read tables provide information on products that are registered for management of pests and diseases. The publication gives guidance on how these products can be compatibly used with biological control agents in integrated pest management (IPM) programs.
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/pub835/ p835order.htm
Electronic Bulletins and Newsletters
Ag Business Update
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/busdev/news/index.html
Virtual Beef
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/livestock/beef/news. html
Pork News and Views Newsletter
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/livestock/swine/news. html
CropPest Ontario
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/field/news/news_ croppest.html
CEPTOR - Animal Health News
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/livestock/ceptor/news. html
ONVegetables (Vegetable Viewpoint)
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/hort/news/news_ vegview.html
Ontario Berry Grower
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/hort/news/news_ berrygrower.html
Hort Matters Newsletter
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/hort/news/news_ hortmatt.html
On Organic
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/crops/organic/news/ news-organic.html
Phone Lines and Websites
OMAFRA Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra Agricultural Information Contact Centre: 1-877-424-1300 or e-mailag.info.omafra@ontario.ca Foodland Ontario - For recipes straight from our kitchen to yours: http://www.foodland. gov.on.ca/english/index.html Dateline: Calendar of Events
Dateline provides you with ready access to information on upcoming meetings, training events and workshops. The online calendars - West, Central-West, East, North, Province and All Regions helps you locate information specific to your needs and geographic interest. To access one or more of these calendars go to:http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ english/rural/edr/events- training.htm.
