It’s the season of fall fairs. These annual events provide an opportunity for farmers to showcase their work, interact with the general public, and evaluate their produce and livestock against other farmers.
Fall fairs are a celebration of agriculture everywhere The local fall fair brings farmers and consumers together. A recent study indicated that three-quarters of fair attendees think that agricultural education is an important component of fair attendance. For many people, it is their once a year time to get up close and personal with a farm animal or product. Continue reading The Impact of FALL FAIRS: A LASTING IMPRESSION→
The 10thannual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Forum is being held October 3 and 4th, hosted by the County of Wellington and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Explore Wellington County on a bus tour on October 3rd, with local food lunch and dinner included. Learn about different agriculture-related businesses and how you can support similar agriculture activities in your region.
On August 16, 2018, participants had the opportunity to hear from four presenters about how communities can support the transition of farm businesses during the Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Community of Practice webinar.
Mark Ferguson of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Business Development Branch began the session with a definition of succession planning.
Succession planning as a process that occurs over time during which a family plans for the transfer of knowledge, skills, labour, management, control and ownership of the farm business between the founder (retiring) generation and the successor (next) generation.
A major limiting factor for beef production in Ontario is the lack of fencing. With the spread of cash cropping across the province in recent years, perimeter fencing has been removed on many farms. Establishing, or re-establishing fencing is one of the first steps to getting into cattle farming.
Good perimeter fences are necessary for keeping cattle where you want them. Perimeter fencing maintains good neighbor relations and safe cattle, while interior fencing, subdividing fields, allows for increased pasture management.
The Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence program recognizes outstanding agriculture and agri-food related innovators including producers, processors, and agri-food organizations.
The objectives of the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Program are to:
Recognize and encourage innovators in the agri-food sector
Foster farm-level innovation
Raise awareness about the importance of agri-food innovation and its impact on the Ontario economy
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is a federal-provincial-territorial initiative that assists with the advancement of Ontario’s agri-food and agri-products sectors, while focusing on key achievements related to economic development, environmental stewardship, and protection and insurance. CAP will be building on the success of Growing Forward 2 (GF2) to create further growth for Ontario’s agri-food and agri-products sectors.
Strong leaders positively impact their community; sparking innovation and inspiring others along the way. The inaugural Rural Ontario Leaders Awards (ROLA) celebrated the 2017 winners in February 2018. Among the winners were Dr. Gezahgn Wordofa and Grant Sparling, who won in their respective categories. They were nominated by their community peers for the leadership they demonstrate which helps to strengthen rural Ontario. Continue reading Individuals Impacting Their Community – ROLA Winners→
Are you interested in developing a strong business and growing your success? Sign up for free agri-food online courses and — for a limited time — free in-person workshops.
Take advantage of the courses to sharpen your competitive edge by gaining skills and knowledge in farm business practices, food safety and traceability. These courses will provide you with foundational information to:
Innovation is vital to improving existing products, creating jobs, and growing Ontario’s economy. The Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence recognizes and celebrates the innovation of Ontario producers, processors, agri-food organizations, and rural communities. Greenbelt Microgreens is the recipient of the 2017 Premier’s Award, for their work in growing microgreens year round in the Ontario greenbelt. Continue reading Premier’s Award 2017 Winner – Greenbelt Microgreens→
The 9th annual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum is being held in Halton Region on October 18-19, 2017.
The forum is tailored to all those involved in municipal economic development and planning who have agriculture and food in their portfolio. Whether it’s farming, food processing, agri-tourism, equine, or agri-entrepreneurship in focus, this is an opportunity to network and share successes with your colleagues. We’ve prepared two jam-packed days of tours and speakers to showcase the experiences and insights of agri-businesses in the Halton Region and beyond.
