PROGRAMS and SERVICES Premier's Innovation Awards - Accepting Applications Strategic Planning Pilot 'Train-the-Trainer' Project Community Economic Development for Rural Areas Exploring Value-Added Opportunities NEW Strategic Planning Resource Rural Summer Job Service - Apply Now Advancing Women in Agriculture TECHNICAL UPDATES Pasture Pointers Online Course Helps Sprayer Operators Improve Efficiency RESOURCES
OMAFRA Economic Development Programs and Services Follow Us On Twitter New FactSheets and Publications Links to Electronic Bulletins and Newsletters Phone Lines and Websites Dateline: Calendar of EventsDateline Calendar of Events OMAFRA AdvisorsOMAFRA Advisors Next Issue: April 17, 2015 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.
PremierAwards2015 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) 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 is available at ontario.ca/agrifoodinnovation or by calling 1-877-424-1300.
Applications will be accepted until 5:00 PM, Friday, April 10, 2015.
strategicpilotStrategic Planning Pilot 'Train-the-Trainer' Project OMAFRA partnered with the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies to deliver a strategic planning 'Train-the-Trainer' project in 2014. The purpose of this pilot project was to build the organizational capacity of individual agricultural societies. It was important that the strategic planning process be cost-effective and embedded in the society's organizational culture.
The goals of the Strategic Planning Pilot Project were to: Increase the organizational effectiveness and economic impact of organizations Build networks of volunteers/leaders to support each other Provide opportunities for current and emerging leaders of organizations to develop leadership skills (leaders tend to volunteer with more than one organization - multiplier effect) Build ownership and commitment of the strategic planning process within the organization Three groups of agricultural societies were formed from the 11 participating agricultural societies. Over a four-month period, each group met three times to be trained to facilitate the strategic planning process with their own societies. Two groups met in-person (Group 1: Dunnville, Rockton, Ancaster and Paris; Group 2: Collingwood, Caledon and Erin) and one group met virtually by webex and teleconference (Group 3: Dryden, Hymers, Oliver/Murrillo and Moore/Brigden).
The training sessions included: Preparation for the strategic planning process Developing a vision and mission Collecting and analyzing information Developing goals and realistic action plans Learning how to implement and monitor the plan At each session, the strategic planning team from each agricultural society worked through their own information and also shared it with the other participants. The input and feedback of the group helped to support each other and bring value to all of the participating societies.
After each session, each strategic planning team went back to their societies to facilitate the process, present the material they had worked through, got input and ownership from the board, and gathered information and input for the next phase. (Homework!)
A total of 50 volunteers participated, and their evaluation shows a significant increase in their leadership skills, knowledge and confidence with developing a strategic plan. To date, most societies have completed their strategic plan.
One participant had this comment:
"I had no knowledge of strategic planning and felt I learned a lot and look forward to continued learning and understanding the whole process."
Phase 2 of the Pilot will occur this year. OMAFRA is looking for organizations that are interested in participating and volunteers to become trainers for the program. To participate, organizations must: have five volunteers who will commit to the training sessions, have approval from their board, and not be in a crisis situation.
For more information contact: Helen Scutt, OMAFRA, Helen.scutt@ontario.ca or call 519-826-3115
ced101Community Economic Development for Rural Areas How does economic development apply to Ontario's smallest communities? Many small communities have stable or declining populations, limited resources and no strong drivers of growth. Such communities can still apply economic development principles to improve the quality of life for their residents.
On February 12, thirty-three participants representing a dozen small municipalities gathered in Tay Valley (Lanark County) to discuss their ideas. The workshop featured a guest speaker, Liz Huff from Seeley's Bay (Township of Leeds and 1000 Islands, Leeds County), who shared lessons learned from their community-based revitalization efforts of the past several years. Participants were then given the opportunity to work in groups to establish ideas relevant to their own communities. All of the participants were interested in continuing to participate in programming that is targeted to small rural areas, and will use the material to influence their activities in the future. Community groups came away with achievable goals to get them started.
Look for more on this topic at this year's Ontario East Municipal Conference! For more information contact Katie Nolan: Katie.nolan@ontario.ca
evaoExploring Value-Added Opportunities 'A lot of solid information and sharing for exploring ideas. Good tips and offers of assistance - lots of worksheets to guide planning. Thank you.'
In January and February of 2015, a two part series of workshops entitled 'Starting or Growing your Food Business?' was delivered in Stirling. Part one was Exploring Value-Added Opportunities (EVAO) and part two was Market Considerations. This was a partnership between Regional Economic Development and Business Development Branches of OMAFRA, Harvest Hastings and the Small Business Centre. Attendance was excellent at both sessions.
The EVAO workshop covered such topics as selecting your best idea, assessing your idea's business potential, and key next steps. Participants were provided with excellent tools and resources to assist them in converting their dreams (idea) into reality.
The Market Considerations workshop covered a range of topics, including food business related demographics in eastern Ontario, the most recent trends in consumer trends in food purchasing from Foodland Ontario, a basic food safety session, and nutrition and labeling information. Both sessions were extremely well-received. 'Excellent workshop! Demonstrated how much there is to learn.', and 'Very informative and helpful. Has helped me to move forward with my plans of opening a bakery.' were a few of the comments received from participants. Respondents indicated that they had renewed or made new connections as a result of the Market Considerations workshop, and over half of the respondents indicated that they would be increasing their investment and/or creating jobs in their business. Some of the new/expanded ventures included expanding retail/food hub (separate from current production), growing more product, expanding beyond fresh food to value-added food products, and, expanding into wholesale market with proper labeling. To learn more or find out when these workshops will be held again, please contact Karen Fischer, OMAFRA at Karen.Fischer@Ontario.ca
strategiplanningStrategic Planning Resource The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has developed a Strategic Planning Resource Manual that is designed to support groups that have identified strategic planning as a priority. The manual has been written for those responsible for leading the development of a strategic plan, and provides a step-by-step guide to assist with each stage of the process.
A strategic plan is a written document that guides a group's decision making process toward achieving desired goals that align with their mission and vision statements. It also helps in allocating resources (volunteer, staff, monetary, infrastructure, etc.) and prioritizing actions.
Strategic planning and the subsequent implementation will help in the establishment of a vision, mission and goals. Get your free copy by completing the form at: ontario.ca/b77p.
ruraljobs2015 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 1st and September 30th. Rural employers may receive the hiring incentive for up to 560 hours per eligible summer employee.
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, 2015: First day of eligibility for subsidized employment for student positions April 17, 2015: Deadline for submission of Employer Application forms May 2015: Student Checklist and Claim forms will be posted on the OMAFRA webpage May 30, 2015: Applicants will be notified of application status and number of positions approved July 31, 2015: Deadline for submission of the Student Eligibility Checklists September 30, 2015: Last day of eligibility for subsidized employment for student positions October 23, 2015: Deadline for submission of Employer Claim forms either by email, fax or by mail http://ontario.ca/bd2f
advancingwomenAdvancing Women Leaders in Agriculture In 2014 a group of women leaders in agriculture in Canada were brought together to discuss some of the opportunities and challenges that women face in this industry and the skills and tools needed to hone their leadership skills. It became very apparent that there was a strong need for women in every sector to hear and learn from the experiences of successful women. With this as a guiding principle, the first Advancing Women Conference (AWC) was held in Calgary in April 2014. The conference was attended by some 400 women from 6 provinces and 5 states representing over 130 organizations.The program emphasized key leadership skills and developmental opportunities that included mentorship/coaching, financial management, networking, health and balance of life strategies, career planning and setting goals in all areas. This year AWC will host the conference on a national basis in to 2 locations: Advancing Women Conference WEST: April 6 & 7, 2015, Hyatt Regency, Calgary, Alberta Advancing Women Conference EAST: October 5 & 6, 2015, Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, Ontario If you would like more information about the conference we invite you to visit our website at www.advancingwomenconference.ca/ TECHNICAL UPDATES
pasturePasture Pointers When you put your dairy herd out on grass, you have to change your management to maintain production - Barry Potter, Agriculture Development Advisor, OMAFRA
As they enjoy a cold glass of milk, consumers may contemplate the image of cows grazing lush green pastures while the sun sets on another summer day. Turning cows out on grass can also mean cheaper feed costs for you and a way to provide exercise for your cows.
However, managing lactating cows on pasture presents its own set of challenges, particularly maintaining production and feed intake. Cows may struggle to eat enough to meet their dietary requirements. Milk production tends to drop when cows graze - often affecting fat and protein percentages.
A Penn State University study that looked at how pasture management affects dry matter intake suggests ways of meeting these challenges. Research on grazing shows Holstein cows eat the equivalent of about three per cent of their body weight per day on pasture. How effectively a cow harvests grass determines intake. Penn State researchers actually developed an equation to calculate how much a cow consumes on pasture. Intake equals grazing time, multiplied by biting rate, multiplied by bite size. You can influence grazing time by regularly providing your cows with fresh pasture, the equivalent of pushing up feed to the bunk in confinement operations. You have no control over biting rate - the number of times per minute cows decide to clip the grass with their teeth. Grass height and density establish how much forage is available to cows each time they bite, which determines bite size. Ideal grass height is 8-12 inches (20-30 cm), which is critical to maximize bite size.
Higher yielding cows eat more than lower yielding cows. They graze more and have more bites per minute. The biggest factor influencing pasture intake is bite size, the amount of forage intake per bite.
The Penn State study grazed two groups of high-producing Holstein cows on different pasture amounts. One group was offered the forage equivalent of 55 pounds of dry matter (DM) per day, the other 90 pounds. Cows were equipped with electronic recorders to monitor eating and chewing behaviour. Researchers supplemented half the cows in each group with concentrate.
Pasture-only cows grazed for 617 minutes per day, about 10 hours, and averaged 56 bites per minute. Cows that bit more often produced more milk. Cows supplemented with concentrate grazed 1.5 hours less than the pasture-only groups.
For more information go to: http://ontario.ca/b83b This article first appeared in the Ruminations column of The Milk Producer Magazine, April 2011.
onlinesprayerOnline Course Helps Sprayer Operators Improve Efficiency Sprayers101.ca is a quick and easy way to improve training.
Challenge: Sprayer operators want a quick and easy way to find information on improving application effectiveness and efficiency.
Solution: Since 2011, hundreds of sprayer operators across Canada have taken Airblast 101, learning basic and advanced techniques for airblast sprayer operations. Now, you can access that information at your own pace in a more convenient and more cost-effective way through sprayers101.ca. Through this self-guided course, sprayer operators learn how to save time, save money and improve efficacy, often while reducing pesticide use.
Sprayers101.ca also provides you with access to factsheets, presentations, instructional videos, and articles that you can't get through in-person courses. Plans are in place to expand the site to include information for field sprayer operators.
Launched in January 2014, sprayers101.ca is a collaborative effort between the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and Croplife Canada.
Impact: Sprayers101.ca has received over 4,000 website hits. Industrial and academic institutions recommended the site because it contains information on current best practices that can't be found anywhere else. Sprayers101.ca was nominated for the international 2014 Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences Award. RESOURCES There are lots of resources available on the web at the OMAFRA website www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/ag.html as well as others to help you with your decisions. omafraOMAFRA Economic Development Programs and Resources
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Regional Economic Development Branch provides economic development services through its regional advisory staff to support agricultural and rural organizations through: Integrated delivery of agriculture and rural economic development resources and programs Coaching, training and stakeholder facilitation services Program implementation through an array of government resources Networking to build regional economic development collaboration and best practices New program development and research on emerging programs Connecting clients to OMAFRA resources that enable economic growth Coordination of information, resources, tool and programs to a number of client groups including: Rural Municipalities Regional Economic Development Organizations Chambers of Commerce Business Improvement Area Associations Rural Businesses Innovative Agricultural Producers Regional Stakeholder Groups/Local Committees Other Ministries For more information on OMAFRA's economic development programs and services contact your local REDB advisor http://ontario.ca/bglf or visit http://ontario.ca/b83f
followusFollow 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 OMAFRA Food Safety Food Safety @ONFoodsafety Joel Bagg Forage @JoelBagg Tracey Baute Entomology @TraceyBaute Christine Brown Nutrient Management @manuregirl Jacqui Empson Environmental Specialist @notrunningfast Mike Cowbrough Weeds @Cowbrough Brian Hall Edible Beans @Brian_Hall_Ont Jack Kyle Pasture @JackKyle5 Gilles Quesnel Pest Management @GillesQuesnel Ian McDonald Applied Research @ian_d_mcdonald Barry Potter Beef, Dairy, Sheep @LivestockPotter Christoph Wand Livestock Sustainability Specialist @CtophWand Tom Wright Dairy Cattle Nutritionist @feedlandontario
factsheetsFact 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 call 1-800-668-9938 Visit the OMAFRA website at:http://ontario.ca/b83g or call: 1-877-424-1300 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 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 ElectronicBuElectronic 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 Specialty Cropportunities http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/CropOp/en/index.html
PhonePhone Lines and Websites OMAFRA Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra Agricultural Information Contact Centre: 1-877-424-1300 or e-mail ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca Foodland Ontario - For recipes straight from our kitchen to yours: http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/index.html DatelineDateline: 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.
Tips for Viewing, Saving and Printing Event Information from Dateline: It is recommended that you use the "Agenda" format to view events in the regional and/or provincial calendars. This format provides you with complete details for each event. For reference purposes here are the steps to follow for easy viewing and to eliminate the need to click on each date and event within Dateline. a) Select the region of interest by clicking on the button beside the name. A calendar will appear. b) Click on the Agenda format (upper right hand corner). A list of events will appear. c) Click on Print. A pop-up box will appear. d) Select the print range. To move from the pre-set time period, click on the arrow beside the date. Start and end boxes will appear. Click on the end box information to access the calendar. Using the arrow key move to the desired month and then click on your preferred end date. e) Click on Print Descriptions to access the full information for the event. f) Click on Save As or Print to save or print the calendar(s).
POMAFRA Regional Economic Development Branch Advisors To contact your local OMAFRA Regional Economic Development Branch Advisor please go to go to http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/rural/edr/contacts.htm. OMAFRA | (519) 826-3574 | omafra.connects@ontario.ca | 1 Stone Rd. West Guelph, N1G 4Y2
