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“Doing nothing is not an option. Doing nothing costs businesses and farmers significantly. But choosing sustainability has to be sustainable, and that goes for the financials as well.” – Daniel Metherington
News

$9 million invested to increase sustainability and competitiveness of Ontario farms

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The Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative (OASI) is getting an additional $9 million from the federal and provincial governments.“We encourage our world-class farmers to seize the opportunities this program offers to improve their soil health, food production and long-term competitiveness,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agri-business.OASI funding assists farmers with adopting new […] Read more
Minimizing nitrogen loss in crops is one of the areas being researched by the new Living Labs - Ontario project.
News

 Living Lab project looks for collaborators

Five-year project aims to create best management practices for climate change reduction

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A new Living Lab researching best management practices for climate change challenges will be starting soon in Ontario. Farmers have until Oct. 2 to express interest. Why it matters: Much of the funding from the federal and provincial government is now coming through a climate lens, so farmers with projects they wish funded need to […] Read more
John Poel, left, provincial director to OSCIA's Heartland region, accepts a cheque from Trillium Insurance representatives Mike Brine and Angela De Groot. The donation was made Aug. 5 during a Compaction Day event at Rostock.
News

Mobile Soil Technology Suite hits the road to farm events

OSCIA offers use of unit and technicians to organizations

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A pair of trailers packed with state-of-the-art soil science and audio-visual equipment had what was referred to by Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) officials as a “kick-off” on July 13 in Bothwell. Based on the rave reviews received there and at later events in Elora and Rostock, they’re confident the Mobile Soil Technology […] Read more
Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Great Lakes, is most at risk from phosphorus loading.
News

AAFC launches Living Lab – Ontario in the Lake Erie region

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A $4.2 million investment has been made by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to launch Living Lab – Ontario in the Lake Erie region to collaborate with Ontario farmers on developing sustainable solutions to environmental issues. Living Lab – Ontario is the latest collaboration hub created under the Living Laboratories Initiative, which brings together farmers, scientists, and other […] Read more
Corn has been discounted across much of Ontario because of high levels of DON. There are challenges in marketing especially high infection level corn. (John Greig photo)
Crops

How Ontario’s new DON testing cost-share program works

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With vomitoxin (DON) levels so prevalent in this year’s corn crop, the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) says a new DON testing cost-sharing initiative will help producers strategically market their grain. Why it matters: OSCIA says cost-sharing will help farmers know how severe their deoxynivalenol (DON) issues are, and how to market their […] Read more
manure spreading
Livestock

The details on CAP

Details are now available for the first intake of the new federal-provincial program, which closes May 8

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With maximum funding ranging between $25,000 and $35,000 per project, aspects of manure and nutrient management and livestock handling and housing represent key areas of focus for government support in the recently-released Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) suite of programs. Also on offer is a maximum of $75,000 for either livestock or food crop producers for […] Read more
Chris Snip of Agris Co-operative works with farmers to check soil health and fertilizer practices of farmers near Lake Erie as part of the Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative. (John Greig photo)
Crops

Phosphorus program aims to reduce Lake Erie nutrients

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Chatham, Ont. — Henry Denotter’s farms near Kingsville, Ont. are close to the Wigle Creek, which flows into Lake Erie and takes with it any residues it pulls from nature and farmers’ fields. The Wigle Creek subwatershed, west of Leamington, has turned into ground zero in long-term research on how farmers can reduce phosphorus running […] Read more
The project may look simple from above ground, but underground many sensors and scales take complex soil measures.
Crops

Soil health sensor project largest in North America

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A new $2-million soil health research project aims to figure out the impact of different cropping systems on the environment. Research will also be conducted on crop productivity relating to soil health. The result should be new knowledge on productivity of traditional cropping systems versus those with cover crops. The project, at the new Soil […] Read more
Speakers at the Farm, Food and Beyond press conference (r to l): Alan Kruszel, OSCIA; Dr. Gord Surgeoner, Sustainable Farm Coalition; John Maaskant, Farm and Food Care Ontario; Robert Cash, the Provision Coalition; Don McCabe, OFA; Scott Graham, Presidents’ Council; and Lorne Small, CFFO. (Ralph Pearce photo)
Livestock

Pearce: Ontario’s EFP program takes next step

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Next year it will have been 25 years since Ontario introduced the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) for farms, and leading up to that anniversary, it’s worth noting more than 38,000 farm families have participated. In spite of some growing pains in the late 1990s, the EFP has grown to provide the Ontario agri-food industry with […] Read more

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