OMAFRA Report

A weekly press release prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  If you require further information, regarding this press release, please call the Fergus 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.ontario.ca/omafra

FOUR OUTSTANDING LEADERS SELECTED FOR INDUCTION INTO AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME

In its twenty-ninth year, the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Association will induct five leaders into the Hall of Fame Gallery at Country Heritage Park in Milton on Sunday June 8, 2008.  To qualify for this prestigious recognition Inductees must have demonstrated visionary leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship in the advancement of agriculture in Ontario.
Inductees for 2008 are:
ª Emil T. Andersen, Vineland, (1917 –   ).  Dr. Emil T. Andersen has an international reputation as one of the leading horticultural scientists in North America. 
ª Gordon F. Bell, St. Marys, (1920 – ).  Gordon Bell is unique in that he has made major contributions to two key agricultural sectors in Ontario….Holstein cattle and Standardbred horse breeding and racing.
ª D. Ralph Campbell, Orillia, (1918 – 2008).  Dr. Ralph Campbell was a successful full time farmer for five years before he enlisted in the RCAF as a pilot during World War II.  It was his agricultural background that served his career in Agricultural Economics and Business very well.  After Graduation from the University of Toronto and completion of a Rhodes Scholarship, he joined the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Guelph and served as Head of the Department for ten years.  During this tenure, agricultural business management courses were expanded greatly, as were the research initiatives on issues such as farm labour, the impact of vertical integration, the nature of co-operatives, the pros and cons of farm incorporation and the effects of bulk milk handling on farms. 
ª David M. Pelletterio, Mississauga, (1930-).  David Pelletterio gained much valuable agricultural expertise on the family farm, Ashville Farms Ltd., near Milton, which developed an outstanding Master Breeder Holstein herd.  David’s expertise as a cattle judge was also honed through the Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario and in 1952-53, he served as President.  During that period, he negotiated the Junior Farmer Establishment Loan Program with the Ontario Government.  This program provided thousands of qualified young farmers with low cost loans to assist them to enter farming.
These individuals are outstanding additions to the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame. They have made profound contributions to the advancement of agriculture and the quality of rural life. As innovators, entrepreneurs and foremost as generous and compassionate leaders who dedicated their lives to the benefit of agriculture and communities far beyond their own farm gate, they have earned the right to join the 176 members currently in the Hall of Fame Gallery.
The Induction Ceremony will be held at Country Heritage Park on Sunday June 8, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. in the Gambrel Barn.  The public is invited to join the celebration.  Tickets are $20.00 each and can be obtained by calling the Association office at 905-878-8151.
The Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Association is a not-for-profit association headquartered at Country Heritage Park in Milton.  It strives to acknowledge, record and preserve the contributions made by leaders in the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture/food sector.  It has an active membership of 557 individuals and 215 corporations.  For more information visit:  www.oahf.on.ca.

ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN

by John C. Benham, EFP Program Rep
We just completed a very successful two-day EFP workshop at Husky Farm Equipment in Alma.  We had a full house and this workshop was sponsored by the Wellington Federation of Agriculture.
The next two-day workshop is planned for April 21 and 28 in the Meeting Room at Gencor (just north of Guelph on Hwy. #6).  Keep in mind to qualify for financial assistance to improve the environment on your farm a completed Third Edition EFP workbook is required.  For more information or to sign for this upcoming workshop please call John at 519-846-3394.

OMAFRA RESOURCES:

The following new, free factsheets are now available:
ª Field Crop Budgets 2008, Publication 60
ª Building Permit Requirements for Livestock Operations, Order #07-063
ª Precision Dairy Management and the Future of Dairy Production in Ont, Order #07-065
ª Coping with Hay Shortages in Beef Cow Wintering Rations, Order #07-053
ª Yew Poisoning in Horses and Ruminants, Order #07-055
ª Guide to Weed Control 2008-2009, Publication 75.  Cost is $15 + GST
ª Identifying and Managing Stress, a Business Owner’s Guide, Order #07-067;
[replaces factsheet #04-075]
ª Pedometry to Improve Reproduction, Order #07-071
The following revised, paid publications are now available:
ª Guide to Weed Control 2008-2009, Publication 75; cost is $15.00.
ª Vegetable Production Recommendations 2008-2009, Publication 363; cost is $20 + GST.
The following new Best Management Practices Book is now available: Best Management Practices:  Streamside Grazing [BMP 19E]. This is the newest edition in the Best Management Practices series. The intent of this book is to help livestock graziers identify environmental risks in riparian areas and select suitable BMPs to address identified risks.  This book is available free of charge to Ontario farmers.
Pork News and Views Newsletter
The Pork News and Views Newsletter is produced bimonthly by the OMAFRA Swine Advisory Team. It provides swine enterprise budgets, monthly market hog facts, and current research, production, management, and marketing articles. Readers are encouraged to contact the writers with any questions or follow-up information requests using the telephone numbers and email addresses provided within the publication. 
Pork News & Views is now posted on the OMAFRA website at  http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/swine/News.html
To order factsheets or publications, call the OMAFRA Product Ordering Desk, toll-free at 1-888-466-2372. To contact an OMAFRA Information Resource Agent directly, call: A1-877-424-1300. Visit the OMAFRA Web site at www.omafra.gov.on.ca – 24 hours a day/seven days a week.
COMING EVENTS:
April               1 & 2      8th Annual London Swine Conference – London Convention Centre, London.  The theme is: “Facing the New Reality”, includes plenary sessions and breakout workshops.  Full registration is $200 and deadline is March 18/08.  For more information, contact 519-482-3333 or visit: www.londonswineconference.ca.
April               2 & 3      27th Annual Drayton Farm Show, PMD Arena, Drayton.  Doors open at 11:00 a.m.  For  
more information, check the website at www.draytonkinsmen.ca.  
April                     5     Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, Elmira.  Call 1-877-969-0094 or www.elmiramaplesyrup.com.
April                     5      Grower Pesticide Course – Orangeville – 8:45 a.m. – Separate Exam – 3:00 p.m. – Call OPEP – 1-800-652-8573 to register.
March 28  Grower Pesticide Course – Brampton – 8:45 a.m. – Call OPEP – 1-800-652-8573 to register.
March 29 Grower Pesticide Course – Rockwood – 8:45 a.m. – Separate Exam – 3pm – Call OPEP – 1-800-652-8573 to register.
March 31 Grower Pesticide Course – Wellesley – 8:45 a.m. – Separate Exam – 3pm – Call OPEP – 1-800-652-8573 to register.
April 1 & 2 8th Annual London Swine Conference – London Convention Centre, London.  The theme is: “Facing the New Reality”, includes plenary sessions and breakout workshops.  Full registration is $200 and deadline is March 18/08.  For more information, contact 519-482-3333 or visit
www.londonswineconference.ca.
April 2 & 3 27th Annual Drayton Farm Show, PMD Arena, Drayton.  Doors open at 11:00 a.m.  For  
more information, check the website at www.draytonkinsmen.ca.  
April 5 Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, Elmira.  Call 1-877-969-0094 or www.elmiramaplesyrup.com.
April  5 Grower Pesticide Course – Orangeville – 8:45 a.m. – Separate Exam – 3:00pm. Call OPEP 1-800-652-8573 to register.
 

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