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 5pm.
For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA website: www.ontario.ca/omafra.
ON FARM FOOD SAFETY: YOUR BUSINESS ADVANTAGE
Maintaining Proper Water Quality – Wayne Du
Water chlorination is an effective treatment method often used by producers to maintain proper water quality. There are two recommended methods of water chlorination
• Shock chlorination is used to treat wells, through a process of flushing the well and water system with a chlorine solution. Water should be tested for total coliforms and E. coli 2-5 days after the treatment to confirm that both counts are 0 cfu/100ml.
• Continuous chlorination is used for the treatment of dump tank water, through a process of adding chlorine to the water continuously. The chlorinated water must be monitored for free chlorine and pH levels to ensure effective water chlorination. At the start before any produce is added, free chlorine levels in the dump tank water should be 100 -150 ppm. After adding produce, maintaining 2-7 ppm free chlorine and a pH around 6.0–7.5 at all times will ensure the system is working properly.
Maintaining proper water quality can reduce the potential for contamination of food products on your farm. Food safety practices keep agri-food businesses competitive, productive and sustainable.
For more information, visit the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs website at: www.ontario.ca/goodagpractices or call us at 1-877-424-1300.
ADD NEW VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS
Learn How to Turn Your Idea Into Reality
For Farmers and Rural Business Owners Interested in Adding Value to their Business
New – Exploring Value Added Opportunities: VIDEOS * WORKSHOPS * E-LEARNING
To start adding value, learn how to:
• generate ideas
• select your best idea
• assess your idea’s business potential
• turn your idea into reality.
For videos, workshops, E-Learning and more go to:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/diversifyfarmbus/valueadded.html.
HAY RESOURCES FOR SOURCING HAY
‘The Ontario Forage and Livestock Transportation Assistance Initiative’ is being delivered by Agricorp, 1-888-247-4999 to help offset the extra transportation costs incurred by livestock producers to feed their livestock.
The initiative provides up to $2.4 million to producers of eligible breeding stock in Ontario (including beef cattle, sheep, goats, horses, deer or elk) who live in these areas of extreme drought: Brant, Bruce, Grey, Haldimand-Norfolk, Halton, Hamilton, Huron, Lanark, Niagara, Ottawa, Oxford, Perth, Renfrew, Waterloo and Wellington.
Funding may be provided in one of two ways:
• Up to $0.14 per tonne, per kilometre to assist with the transportation of forage and feed, or
• Up to $0.075 per kilometre, per animal to move animals to available feed.
• Guidelines – PDF Version (110 kb)
• Governments of Canada and Ontario Deliver AgriRecovery Assistance to Affected Ontario Livestock Producers
• Agricorp
There is also the following website to source hay: http://www.hayeast2012.com
The Ontario Forage Council (OFC) has a free Hay Listings website for those wanting to buy or sell hay: www.ontariohaylistings.ca/; 519-986-2643. As well, members of the OFC “Hay Marketing Forum”, an association of hay dealers, are listed at: www.ontarioforagecouncil.com/hay-marketing-forum/members.html.
The following article may also be of assistance: http://fieldcropNews.com/2013/01/buying-horse-hay-when-supplies-are-tight.
TREES ONTARIO LANDOWNER WINTER WORKSHOP – TEN LOCATIONS ACROSS ONTARIO
Attend a free tree planting workshop and learn more about tree planting subsidies. Trees Ontario, in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and local planting agency partners, will host ten free tree planting workshops across the province, and invites landowners to attend in February and March 2013.
Landowners will learn about available tree planting subsidies, financial incentives and technical tree planting expertise. Come to a free tree planting workshop in your area.
Space is limited and pre-registration is encouraged: http://www.treesontario.ca/News/index.php/landownerworkshops. Alternatively, contact Trees Ontario at 1-877-646-1193 or email: info@treesontario.ca.
COMING EVENTS:
Mar. 5 Wellington Federation of Agriculture, monthly board meeting at OMAFRA Elora at 7:30 p.m. For information, contact Lisa Hern at 519-848-3774 or email: jplh@golden.net.
Mar. 25-27 Progressive Dairy Operators Triennial Dairy Symposium, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Toronto. For information visit: pdo-ontario.ca or contact Carol Anne Pinkney at 519-846-8756 or email: capinkney@sentex.ca.
Mar. 27 Grain Drying and Storage Workshop, Kin Station, 555 Binning St. W., Listowel, 9:00-4:00 p.m. Register early: $30 (lunch included). To register, call Ag Business Centre, Univ. of Guelph, Ridgetown at: 1-866-222-9682.
