Work with our Great
Lakes Neighbours
OMAFRA's fruit specialists brought the latest in cutting
edge information and solutions to Ontario's fruit farmers
through membership in such organizations as the Great Lakes
Fruit Working Group (GLFWG). In November 2010 OMAFRA hosted
the annual GLFWG meeting of 60 entomologists, pathologists,
horticulturists, agriculture economists, agriculture engineers,
and soil biologists from Canadian and American Great Lakes
areas.
At past meetings OMAFRA's production specialists learned
about optimal orchard designs, cost of production, pesticide
record management and the experiences of others. OMAFRA's
specialists evaluate usefulness for Ontario farmers and share
the information with them through the newsletters, conferences
and production guides. Producers can learn more at Ontario.ca/crops.
Contacts: Leslie Huffman, Pam Fisher and Margaret Appleby
leslie.huffman@ontario.ca
pam.fisher@ontario.ca
margaret.appleby@ontario.ca
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Conference
Geared to Horticultural Producers
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Conference (OFVC) provided
an opportunity for learning and development for horticultural
producers and included a speaker program, workshops, trade
show, poster session and demonstrations.
Presentations at the conference highlighted production, pest
management, marketing and new technologies. OFVC is a major
vehicle for Agriculture Development Branch staff to share
results from their research and extension trials during the
past year. Commodity production sessions for the conference
included: grapes, tender fruit, berries, apples, wine and
vegetables. Complementing these production topics were new
sessions covering sprayer technology, compost, water, alternative
crops and organic fruit.
The two day conference was held at Brock University in St.
Catharines. The next OFVC http://www.ofvc.ca/
is scheduled for February 22 and 23, 2012 at the Niagara Falls
Convention Centre. The conference was attended by 1,472 people,
with 92% of respondents indicating satisfaction for day one
of OMAFRA chaired sessions and 96% indicating satisfaction
on day two.
Contact: Kathryn Carter
kathryn.carter@ontario.ca
Garlic Grower Meeting About Improving
Pest Management
Demand for locally grown garlic has increased in the last
few years. Because this crop is grown by planting cloves from
bulbs harvested from the previous season, managing pests can
be a difficult task. Garlic growers in eastern Ontario attended
a day-long session about integrated pest management (IPM)
organized by OMAFRA and Agriculture Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
in February 2011.
Leek moth, an invasive pest of allium crops, was the focus
of the meeting. Detailed information about leek moth research
conducted in Ontario and Europe was presented. An AAFC representative
discussed their leek moth biocontrol project in the Ottawa
region. OMAFRA staff also presented information about a biofumigant
cover crop research project and various diseases that affect
garlic production in Ontario.
The intent of the meeting was to help garlic growers implement
strategies for their 2011-2012 crops to garner higher quality
produce and better yields.
Contacts: Margaret Appleby, Marion Paibomesai and Michael
Celetti
margaret.appleby@ontario.ca
marion.paibomesai@ontario.ca
michael.celetti@ontario.ca
Research Makes it Possible to Supply
Fresh Northern Spy Apples
Year 'Round
OMAFRA collaborated with Chudleigh's farm and the Ontario
Apple Growers and developed guidelines for maintaining a fresh
supply of Northern Spy apples throughout the year. Chudleigh's
process the Northern Spy cultivar for its BlossomsTM product,
making them an ideal candidate for the study.
Proper storage and advanced technology are important to keep
apples fresh for long-term processing. Results from OMAFRA's
research project showed that faster cooling could improve
firmness retention during storage. Using SmartFresh also resulted
in greater firmness throughout storage. In addition, direct
relationships between apple maturity at harvest and the development
of physiological disorders during storage were found. For
example, higher internal ethylene in the apples at harvest
resulted in more senescent breakdown after storage.
Research results will help Ontario apple growers and processors
expand their businesses by having a constant supply of fresh
Ontario Northern Spy apples throughout the year.
Contact: Jennifer DeEll
jennifer.deell@ontario.ca
Extending the Storage Life of Ontario
Berries
Berries are one of the most perishable fresh commodities
and have a relatively brief life after harvest. OMAFRA led
the first phase of a study into the use of modified atmosphere
(MA) storage on Ontario strawberries and raspberries to extend
their storage life and their marketability.
OMAFRA's research found that MA resulted in more marketable
strawberries, less decay, and lower weight loss. Subjective
ratings also indicated reduced bruising, better appearance,
firmness, and sepal quality in strawberries held in MA. Using
MA resulted in more marketable raspberries, better firmness,
less shape loss, greater shine, and reduced bleeding (leaking).
The next phase of the study will focus on the economic viability
of this technology within a farmer's enterprise. One blueberry
operation and a strawberry grower adopted this technology
and are now using MA commercially in Ontario.
Contacts: Jennifer DeEll and Pam Fisher
jennifer.deell@ontario.ca
pam.fisher@ontario.ca
Apple Academy Focused on Competitiveness
and Business Management
It was back to school for Ontario apple growers enrolled
in the "Harvest More Profits" Apple Academy. The
two-day school focused on the business aspects of growing
apples and the new "hot" varieties to help apple
farmers make decisions to renovate orchards and assess new
technology. The Academy curriculum was geared to keeping Ontario's
apple farmers competitive in the marketplace.
OMAFRA specialists hosted roundtable discussions on production
topics like the value of integrated pest management scouting,
while speakers from around the world led sessions that focused
on consumer purchasing trends, the economics of management
approaches and innovations, risk management strategies and
how to relate retail production to farm economics.
Visit Ontario.ca/crops
for production information.
Contact: Leslie Huffman
leslie.huffman@ontario.ca
Apple Growers Find "Virtual"
Study Group a Good Investment
Ontario's apple growers used conference call technology to
share experiences about growing new apple cultivars to form
a study group.
The apple study group discusses apple production topics such
as tree density, building trellises, sources of nursery stock,
managing tree growth, balance of cropping, learning to chemically
thin, differences in pest management, response to plant growth
regulators and judging harvest maturity. With the focus on
managing new cultivars, this virtual study group helps the
Ontario apple industry as it is revitalized with new growing
systems and new cultivars.
The Ontario Apple Growers fund the call service while the
OMAFRA apple team offers their expertise and facilitates the
study group. Each session is scheduled during the lunch hour
and is kept to 45 minutes in duration.
Send an email to OMAFRA's apple specialist to join the study
group.
Contact: Leslie Huffman
leslie.huffman@ontario.ca
Field Crops
Breakfast Meetings
Focus on Cropping Issues
Everyone knows how important breakfast is but for field crop
agri-businesses and crop consultants it is even more important
when breakfast includes a chance to discuss cropping issues,
share observations and ideas and develop a coordinated approach
to dealing with the crop issues of the day.
Every two weeks from April through to the end of June, OMAFRA
field crop staff led these breakfast meetings.
Notes from these meetings are distributed to more than 800
agri-businesses and crop consultants ensuring that timely
information on current field crop production issues is delivered
to the people who work directly with more than 40,000 cash
crop farmers in Ontario. Anyone interested in attending can
contact these offices to be added to an e-mail information
list:
OMAFRA Ridgetown: (519) 674-1690
OMAFRA Woodstock: (519) 537-6621
OMAFRA Stratford: (519) 271-0280
Contacts: Field Crop Team
Soil Team Offers In-Field Soils Training
For nearly ten years the OMAFRA soils team has offered an
in-field, hands-on soils training workshop for agri-business
personnel across the province. Crop advisors receive a lot
of training on crops but often the soil is overlooked. This
training helps them look beyond the crop, encouraging them
to look at soil conditions, the crop response and the larger
picture of soil management decisions. Each year the program
was refined and updated to provide timely applied information
for Ontario soils and conditions. Participants typically praise
the practical and applied nature of the workshop. OMAFRA staff
organized, developed the materials and demonstrations and
delivered most of the presentations.
The 2011 Soil Management Workshop will be in the Lake Simcoe
area on June 22.
Contacts: Anne Verhallen and Adam Hayes
anne.verhallen@ontario.ca
adam.hayes@ontario.ca
Giant Hogweed Videos Make Identification
Easy
The Giant Hogweed is not new to Ontario. In fact, it has
been documented in the province since about 1949. However,
extensive coverage in 2010 raised public awareness and concern
about this weed. Three videos about identification, early
season removal and the mature Giant Hogweed were produced
by OMAFRA. ADB's weed management field crops program lead
gives viewers an up-close look at the Giant Hogweed and shares
removal strategies. Click here
to learn more about the Giant Hogweed.
Contact: Mike Cowbrough
mike.cowbrough@ontario.ca
Southwest
Crop Diagnostic Days
The Southwest Diagnostic Days provided seed, fertilizer and
chemical industry personnel and agricultural consultants with
training in the diagnosis of crop problems and education in
advancements in crop production. Organized by OMAFRA, the
day was designed specifically to hone the problem-solving
skills of agri-business representatives through "hands-on"
activities related to the correct identification and treatment
of crop problems common to southern Ontario.
Technology transfer, research and teaching staff from OMAFRA
and the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus presented the
sessions. Of the 365 people in attendance, 86.5% were highly
or very satisfied with the 2010 event.
For information about the 2011 Southwest Crop Diagnostic
Days visit http://www.diagnosticdays.ca/index.cfm
Contacts: Tracey Baute and Helmut Spieser
tracey.baute@ontario.ca
helmut.spieser@ontario.ca
FarmSmart Expo Offers
Practical Hands-On Learning
The FarmSmart Expo was organized by Agriculture Development
Branch in partnership with the Golden Horseshoe and Heartland
Soil and Crop Improvement Associations and the University
of Guelph to profile emerging technologies and production
practices across a range of field crops. The educational day
was designed to be a practical application of the theory and
in-class components from the FarmSmart Agricultural Conference
held in January.
Ninety five evaluations from an attendance of 160 were returned
with 95% rating the event good to excellent. Attendees included
crop, dairy, poultry, hog, beef and horticultural farmers
and agri-business.
The 2011 summer FarmSmart Expo is scheduled for Thursday,
July 14, for farmers and Friday, July 15 for rural youth.
More information is available at www.uoguelph.ca/farmsmart
or 877 424 1300.
Contact: Ian McDonald
ian.mcdonald@ontario.ca
Improving Forage Increases
Nutritional Value and Lowers Costs
Ontario dairy producers were given the opportunity to learn
about a unique and evolving forage production system at the
Forage Focus Conference in 2010. The conference targetted
dairy producers because new recommendations enable them to
improve forage nutrient quality and produce milk at a lower
cost. The conference program offered presentations from researchers
and producers throughout North America.
OMAFRA uses Forage Focus to present information about various
facets such as innovations in forage variety testing and Ontario
trials of new varieties. Forage Focus is an annual event of
workshops and a trade show. Click here
to access information on the OMAFRA website.
Contact: Joel Bagg
joel.bagg@ontario.ca
Soil Test Accreditation
Ensures Accurate Information for Nutrient Applications
You cannot tell how fertile soil is by looking at it. Soil
tests are the basis for determining how much fertilizer or
lime to apply to a field for optimum crop yields and environmental
sustainability. The results also identify how much manure
or biosolids should be applied. But how can a farmer tell
if the results of his soil test report are right or wrong?
The reality is that he cannot tell, at least not by just looking
at the results. This is where the OMAFRA Soil Test Accreditation
Program comes into play.
The Soil Test Lab Accreditation Program works with labs to
ensure that analytical results sent to farmers (and other
users of the data) accurately reflect the available nutrients
in the sample that was submitted.
The list of accredited labs is published on the OMAFRA website
www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/06-031.htm,
as well as in crop recommendation publications. Ensuring accurate
soil test results is good for the farmer, good for the environment,
and good for the soil testing industry in Ontario.
Contact: Christoph Kessel
christoph.kessel@ontario.ca
Information to Battle the Western
Bean Cutworm
2010 proved to be a significant year for Western Bean Cutworm
(WBC) activity in Ontario. WBC moth catches and damage reports
far surpassed 2009's totals and proved to corn and edible
bean producers this is a new pest that needs full attention.
Farmers kept informed through a variety of methods including:
During the 2011 growing season OMAFRA will continue to distribute
timely insect and disease news and information. Information
is available at OMAFRA's CropPest
Contact: Tracey Baute, Field Crops Program Lead
tracey.baute@ontario.ca
The Latest
in Crop Management Taught at Eastern Ontario Conference
The Eastern Ontario Crop Conference is a cooperative effort
between OMAFRA and the Eastern Ontario Crop Advisory Committee.
The annual one day conference was held the third week of February
at the Kemptville Campus, University of Guelph.
The program was designed to provide growers and agri-business
personnel with the latest in-depth crop management information.
Participants had the option of selecting up to eight sessions
from 23. The sessions covered a variety of topics including
weed control, residue management, fertility strategies, precision
agriculture and market outlooks. OMAFRA presented 16 sessions.
Other speakers were from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,
University of Guelph and from universities in the United States.
A Certified Crop Advisor credit was available for each session.
The conference was attended by 300 people, with 92% of respondents
agreeing that they were satisfied with the event.
Contacts: Scott Banks and Gilles Quesnel
scott.banks@ontario.ca
gilles.quesnel@ontario.ca
FarmSmart Conference
Attracts a Broad Cross Section of Producers
FarmSmart Agriculture Conference offered a broad range of
sessions that addressed crop and livestock production, agriculture
business management, soil management, environment, among many
others. With eight sessions offered in each time slot throughout
the day participants could build a program that met their
individual needs. Sessions were offered in lecture, workshop
and tour formats to highlight current issues and expectations
for the future.
The conference was attended by 900 people including crop,
dairy, poultry, hog, beef and horticultural farmers as well
as agri-business. Evaluations were returned by 350 people,
92.1% of which rated the event satisfactory or very satisfactory.
Next year's FarmSmart is scheduled for January 21, 2012.
Contact: Ian MacDonald
ian.macdonald@ontario.ca
Nearly 2,500
People Attend Southwest Agricultural Conference 2011
The 18th Southwest Agricultural Conference (SWAC) delivered
a program focused on a harvesting success from research and
innovation. The conference program included production information
about manure, biomass, commodity marketing, weed control,
smart phone applications and more.
The two-day event was held at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown
Campus. SWAC was also made available to industry partners
in more remote areas of the province via webcast. Sessions
in two rooms at SWAC were webcast to 130 participants in Kemptville,
Sturgeon Falls, Thunder Bay and Thessalon.
The conference was a cooperative effort between OMAFRA, Southwest
Soil and Crop Improvement Associations, many agribusiness
supporters and Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph. There
were 1,260 people in attendance the first day and 1,190 the
second. Over 93% were very satisfied with the information
they received and found it applicable to their businesses.
Contact: Adam Hayes
adam.hayes@ontario.ca
Greenhouse, Agroforestry and Specialty
Crops
Biological Control
Strategies for Greenhouse Growers
OMAFRA was a major sponsor and part of the organizing committee
for the international conference, "Biological Control
in the Americas: Past, Present and Future" held in May
2010. The meeting focused on promoting awareness and networking
on biocontrol issues of common interest in the Americas. Cooperation
among specialists was important for sharing ideas and research,
developing new control strategies and research projects and
adapting technologies and strategies from elsewhere to Ontario
conditions. Information is available at the meeting's website,
http://www.iobcnrs.com/event_5-11-10.htm
Contacts: Graeme Murphy and Gillian Ferguson
graeme.murphy@ontario.ca
gillian.ferguson@ontario.ca
Greenhouse
Conference Offers Workshops, Tradeshow and Tours
OMAFRA's greenhouse team collaborated with the 2010 Canadian
Greenhouse Conference committee and organized a program with
information about new production methods and pest management
concepts that also took attendees to see firsthand a municipal
waste management site where the common household waste is
sorted to produce consistent quality fuel pellets. All speaker
presentations were posted on the Canadian Greenhouse
Conference website.
The next conference will be in Niagara Falls, October 4 -
6, 2011 at The Scotia Bank Convention Centre. OMAFRA will
be involved once again in the planning of the conference and
as an exhibitor offering its technical information. More information
is available about the next greenhouse conference at http://www.canadiangreenhouseconference.com/.
Contacts: Wayne Brown and Shalin Khosla
wayne.brown@ontario.ca
shalin.khosla@ontario.ca
Ontario Maple
Syrup Production Meetings
OMAFRA worked closely with maple syrup producer associations
throughout the year to share technical information about a
variety of production subjects. OMAFRA was heavily involved
in the 2010 International Maple Syrup Conference in Stratford,
Ontario, a major gathering of nearly 300 industry stakeholders
from North America. This is one of just many maple production
meetings OMAFRA attends for technology/knowledge transfer.
For local maple meetings and events go to www.ontariomaple.com.
Producers can also access information at www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/agrofore.html.
Contact: Todd Leuty
todd.leuty@ontario.ca
Non-Traditional Crops
for the Health Market
There is little existing information on how to produce specialty
crops for the health market in Ontario conditions. Agriculture
Development Branch started to address this information gap
when it established a medicinal and culinary herb demonstration
plot at the Simcoe Research Station during the 2010 field
season. The herb demonstration plot featured 147 varieties
of 128 culinary and medicinal herb crops. Crops were monitored
throughout the season to determine how they responded to Ontario
growing conditions and to identify pest issues. Growers and
agri-business were invited to tour the demonstration plots
throughout the season.
Contacts: Evan Elford, Melanie Filotas, Jim Todd and Sean
Westerveld
evan.elford@ontario.ca
melanie.filotas@ontario.ca
jim.todd@ontario.ca
sean.westerveld@ontario.ca
Assessing
the Potential for Ethnic Vegetable Production in Ontario
As Ontario's population becomes increasingly diverse, the
interest and demand for fresh, locally grown specialty vegetables
is expanding. Changing demographics provide Ontario farmers
with an opportunity to access ethnic markets and replace imported
specialty vegetables with locally grown product.
OMAFRA specialists worked with Vineland Research and Innovation
Centre to determine the yield potential and pest complexes
of four specialty vegetables in two Ontario microclimates.
One of the field sites included Fuzzy melon, Yard long beans,
Callaloo and Asian eggplant. Planting occurred at the beginning
of June 2010 into plastic mulch beds with trickle irrigation.
Pest and yield data were recorded during the growing season
for each crops.
Contact: Evan Elford, Melanie Filotas, Jim Todd and Sean
Westerveld
evan.elford@ontario.ca
melanie.filotas@ontario.ca
jim.todd@ontario.ca
sean.westerveld@ontario.ca
Grasses and Woody Crops for
Biomass Energy
OMAFRA partnered with the University of Guelph to evaluate
the performance of herbaceous and short rotation woody biomass
species grown in similar soil and climatic conditions in southern
Ontario. Two locations were chosen based on site quality as
determined by soil properties. The uniqueness of this study
was that, for the first time in Ontario, it provided biomass
yields and fuel characteristic data for herbaceous and woody
biomass grown simultaneously on the same site and similar
climatic conditions. Preliminary yield data on first and second
season growth for the five species treatments was significantly
variable. Contact the specialist noted below for detailed
information.
Contact: Mahendra Thimmanagari
mahendra.thimmanagari@ontario.ca
Efficacy of Bio-insecticides for
European Chafer Grub Control
In an effort to find products that can be used under the
cosmetic pesticides ban, the Ontario Turfgrass Research foundation
funded research to look at biopesticides for European Chafer
grub control in turf. Initially the efficacy of the materials
was screened in laboratory trials.
Products that made it through the first stage of screening
were selected for testing in the field. The 2010 field trial
evaluated a microbial insecticide, one nematode species, and
a biofertilizer based on neem seed cake.
A third evaluation was started in the spring of 2011. Findings
from the research will provide information on how viable these
new products are for the control of European chafers in turf.
Contact: Pam Charbonneau
pamela.charbonneau@ontario.ca
Best Management Practices for
the Ontario Greenhouse and Container Nursery Sectors Protect
Water Quality
OMAFRA and its partners in the Ontario greenhouse and container
nursery sectors developed sustainable water and nutrient management
strategies protecting water quality in the Great Lakes region
while maintaining the competitiveness and profitability of
the sectors within the global economy.
In 2009 and 2010 on-site demonstrations of several nutrient
removal technologies were installed and monitored at several
greenhouse and nursery production sites to evaluate their
suitability for greenhouse and container nursery production
facilities. Nitrogen and phosphorous removal rates from the
various treatment technologies were determined. While some
technologies were found to be effective, results also indicated
that some of the nutrient removal technologies were limited
in their ability to remove nitrogen and/or phosphorus. The
results reinforced the importance to validate these technologies
in Ontario, under different commercial crop production systems.
The team is currently developing a best management practices
guide for the industry based on an extensive literature review,
expertise of the research team and the results of this research
project.
Contacts: Shalin Khosla, Wayne Brown and Jen Llewellyn
shalin.khosla@ontario.ca
wayne.brown@ontario.ca
jennifer.llewellyn@ontario.ca
New Photo Database of Nursery
and Landscape Pests
A new diagnostic tool for the Ontario nursery and landscape
industries provides high quality digital images of common
pests and their effects on outdoor ornamentals. This searchable
tool reduces time spent diagnosing problems for more rapid
and effective pest management decisions. The database focuses
on nearly 200 common insect and mite pests in Ontario.
The database of nursery and landscape pests was developed
by OMAFRA, Landscape Ontario, Industrial Research Assistance
Program and Farm Innovation Program.
For more information check out: http://www.dkbdigitaldesigns.com/clm.
It is a user-friendly, interactive, photo-rich identification
tool.
Contact: Jennifer Llewellyn
jennifer.llewellyn@ontario.ca
Livestock
Annual Event
Targeted to Ruminant Feed Specialists
OMAFRA's third Ruminant Feed Industry Day in Elora presented
timely information relative to feeds and the feeding of ruminant
livestock. The event was targeted to feed industry sales staff
and nutritionists.
The 2010 program for feed industry sales staff and nutritionists
included presentations from OMAFRA staff, the University of
Guelph, Pioneer Seeds and Kansas State University. The afternoon
program comprised four demonstrations at a commercial dairy
operation. The demonstrations focused on haylage management;
cow comfort and barn design; natural ventilation basics troubleshooting;
and silage corn management to determine ideal corn processing
and particle size. The day ended with a tour of the Elora
beef research facility.
Approximately 70 industry representatives attended this one
day event. Based on conversations with some of the participants
and a post event evaluation, 74% indicated that they liked
the format of the day, with a combination of presentations
and on farm demonstrations. They felt that the information
received was beneficial and useful in their day to day work
with their clients.
The next Ruminant Feed Industry Day is scheduled for Wednesday,
November 2, 2011.
Contacts: Ron Lackey, Christoph Wand and Tom Wright
ron.lackey@ontario.ca
christoph.wand@ontario.ca
tom.wright@ontario.ca
Lessons
in Pasture Management
Dairy, beef and sheep farmers all benefit from improved pasture
management techniques. Forage is a key requirement of all
ruminant nutrition. Pasture grazing is approximately half
the cost of stored forage and by improving pasture management
a producer has a significant opportunity to improve the profitability
of his or her business. Organic dairy producers are now required
to have 30 per cent of the forage component of the cow's ration
come from pasture during the grazing season.
The Profitable Pastures workshops taught producers how to
improve their forage production and the livestock that harvest
that forage. Workshops were held in various locations throughout
Ontario. The workshops, presented by the Ontario Forage Council
with support from OMAFRA, Ontario Cattlemen's Association
and Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency included product demonstrations
and speakers from around the world.
Information about upcoming Profitable Pastures workshops
is available at www.ontarioforagecouncil.com.
Contact: Jack Kyle
jack.kyle@ontario.ca
Ontario Feeder
Cattle Co-op Program Helps New and Young Farmers
The Ontario Feeder Cattle Co-op Program helped new or young
farmers who may have difficulty obtaining a bank loan to finance
cattle at the finishing stage. There were 19 producer-managed
co-ops who last year had a total of 794 member farmers who
used the program to finance 103,056 cattle.
There were four financial institutions involved with lending
money to the co-ops through the feeder finance program. The
program was administered by Ontario Cattlemen's Association
and supervised by OMAFRA's Agriculture Development Branch.
OMAFRA guaranteed up to 25% of each loan.
There is currently $80 million available to the cattle co-ops
from banks for feeder finance loans. More information about
the co-op program is available at www.cattle.guelph.on.ca.
Contacts: Brian Pogue
brian.pogue@ontario.ca
Club Calves Sell
for More
Agriculture Development Branch and Ontario Cattlemen's Association
co-organized meetings across Ontario to present the concept
of calf clubs as a means of generating more revenue for farmers.
If calves are properly protected by vaccination then feedlot
buyers are typically willing to pay more for a calf because
it is healthy. A healthy calf saves the feedlot operator money
because it gains weight more efficiently, requires less labour,
and doesn't require antibiotics. Participating cow calf producers
earn a reputation for raising good calves and, of course,
there are also animal welfare benefits. Less antibiotic use
overall increases the efficiencies in our beef production
and helps prevent the growth of antimicrobial resistance.
For more information about starting a calf club contact the
beef specialists identified below.
Contact: Nancy Noecker and Brian Pogue
nancy.noecker@ontario.ca
brian.pogue@ontario.ca
Beef Symposium
Joined FarmSmart Conference
The 2011 Beef Symposium marked the first year the event was
held in conjunction with FarmSmart. The new format allowed
producers to choose from any of the five beef sessions as
well as 36 other conference sessions. The Beef Symposium's
focus was to identify opportunities to align production practices
with market signals. It featured Ontario producers whose presentations
involved practical innovations to increase profits and a keynote
speaker from Certified Angus Beef who talked about opportunities
in the beef cattle industry.
Eighty people registered for the conference, with up to 75
attending any one session. Evaluations revealed that 94% of
those who completed the evaluation were satisfied or very
satisfied with the Beef Symposium at FarmSmart. The next Beef
Symposium will be held again in conjunction with FarmSmart
on January 21, 2012.
Contacts: Brian Pogue and Christoph Wand
brian.pogue@ontario.ca
christoph.wand@ontario.ca
OMAFRA Dairy Nutrition
Workshops for Northern Producers
Since northern Ontario dairy farmers can't always attend
training and conferences in southern Ontario, Agriculture
Development Branch staff delivered hands-on training in the
north before heavy snowfalls hit the region. Approximately
80% of area dairy producers attended those meetings. Aside
from the formal program, the meetings were an excellent opportunity
for producers to interact with staff and review their farm's
production and nutritional management to increase profitability.
It was also an effective method to translate the latest research
recommendations into practical terms for producers in their
given environment.
OMAFRA's dairy specialists are planning workshops for the
fall of 2011. Visit www.ontario.ca\livestock
for event information.
Contacts: Tom Wright and Mario Mongeon
tom.wright@ontario.ca
mario.mongeon@ontario.ca
Dairy Heifer
Management Special Edition Content is Available
OMAFRA's dairy team assembled a heifer management special
edition insert for the December 2010 issue of the Milk Producer
magazine. The special edition contained six articles written
by the dairy team and industry partners to help address specific
challenges faced by milk producers.
Better management improves calf and heifer growth and health,
the age when a heifer can first calve, milk production and
net profit. Articles from the insert are available at www.ontario.ca/heifers.
Contact: Mario Mongeon
mario.mongeon@ontario.ca
Eastern Ontario Dairy Days Focused
on Dairy Management and Marketing
OMAFRA co-organized two dairy days for farmers and industry
representatives in eastern Ontario to communicate the latest
in technical information in dairy management and interact
with the chairs of the two largest provincial dairy marketing
organizations in Canada: Dairy Farmers of Ontario and the
Fédération des Producteurs de Lait du Québec.
In anticipation of more rigorous standards for milk quality
being implemented in 2012, one session presented by a practicing
veterinarian and leading area dairy producer, dealt with practical
strategies for controlling somatic cell count in milk. Low
somatic cell count is very important for milk quality, shelf
life of dairy products and is also an indicator of generally
healthier cows.
The two sessions were attended by 250 producers, representing
30% of the dairy producers in the area. Evaluations indicated
that 80% of attendees found the program above average or excellent
for importance and usefulness to their dairy operations.
Visit Ontario.ca/livestock
for information about future meetings.
Contacts: Blair Murray
blair.murray@ontario.ca
Improving Lamb Survival and
Prospects for Profit
Internationally-renowned speakers shared their unique expertise
with the Ontario pork industry at the tenth annual London
Swine Conference, March 31 and April 1, 2010.
Agriculture Development Branch staff and the Ontario Sheep
Marketing Agency organized two, one-day seminars focused on
improving the survival of young lambs and specifically about
preventing lamb health problems in utero, improving survival
through improved maternal (ewe) nutrition, and the use of
improved genetic strategies in all flocks.
Lamb survival has a significant impact on the profitability
of Ontario sheep operations. The market is under-supplied
and the industry has difficulty maintaining significant numbers
of commercial size operations.
A total of 212 people attended the two events, with 98% indicating
they were satisfied or very satisfied with the seminars. Results
also showed that 87% of people in attendance said they received
information that will influence the management on their farms.
Seminars in 2011 are scheduled for November 15, 2011 in Atwood
and November 17, 2011 in Napanee. As information becomes available
it will be published on www.ontario.ca\livestock
in the sheep conference section.
Contacts: Delma Kennedy and Christoph Wand
delma.kennedy@ontario.ca
christoph.wand@ontario.ca
Sheep Genetic Improvement
Ontario sheep producers can look forward to enhanced genetic
improvement services as a result of a $275,000 investment
by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Sheep Flock Improvement Program (SFIP) is a genetic improvement
program designed to assist Ontario purebred and commercial
sheep producers evaluate the potential breeding stock and
to provide a measure of the comparative productivity of ewes
in the flock.
The government funding will support the Ontario Sheep Marketing
Agency (OSMA) in its enhancement and delivery of SFIP. It
will also support the OSMA in its collaboration with the Centre
for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Le Centre d'expertise
en production ovine du Québec, and other sheep organizations
to develop Canadian genetic improvement services as well as
a made-in-Canada linked sheep information system.
Genetic improvement information is available on the OMAFRA
website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/genetics.html
and the Sheep Flock Improvement Program at http://www.ontariosheep.org/PROGRAMSANDSERVICES/SheepFlockImprovementProgram.aspx
Contact: Delma Kennedy
delma.kennedy@ontario.ca
Goat Production Information for Lenders,
Producers and Industry
OMAFRA's sheep and goat specialist in Agriculture Development
Branch co-organized the first ever Goat Lenders Conference
in cooperation with Ontario Goat in October 2010.
Twenty-seven lenders from numerous companies attended to
learn first-hand from producers and goat industry businesses.
Each producer provided detailed cost of production figures
for the lenders to help them assess a client's ability to
make an operation successful.
Each participant received the day's proceedings on a CD following
the conference. Contact Anita O'Brien directly at the email
noted below for copies.
The next Goat Lenders Conference will take place in 2012.
International Goat Symposium (IGS) was targeted to producers,
veterinarians, industry partners and the public, attracting
people from around the world. Aside from educational benefits,
guests networked with one another. The goal was primarily
to share knowledge among producers, industry, government partners,
research facilities and others involved in the goat industry.
The 2011 IGS is scheduled for November 2-3, 2011 in Toronto.
Check www.goatsymposium.com
regularly for updates as program details become available.
Contact: Anita O'Brien
anita.obrien@ontario.ca
Rabbit Cost of Production
Available
In 2010 Agriculture Development Branch staff analyzed data
collected from an Ontario Rabbit cost of production (COP)
workshop. The data was used to update OMAFRA's rabbit budget
COP. The current version is posted on the Ontario
Rabbit website. Ontario Rabbit is using the OMAFRA Rabbit
COP as a key component of their "Improving
Your Cost of Production" workshop series.
Contacts: Brian Tapscott
brian.tapscott@ontario.ca
Interactive
Workshop for Developing Hog Marketing Plans
Agriculture Development Branch offered Hog Marketing 101
- Just the Basics, an interactive workshop for pork producers
and industry stakeholders to give them tools and resources
to develop a successful hog marketing plan. The one day course
covered a variety of subjects including: the Ontario base
formula price; forward contracting; determining your cost
of production; hedging with futures; and what impacts the
movement of the market hog price.
If you would like to offer this workshop in your local area
contact one of the workshop leaders listed below.
Contact: Doug Richards and John Bancroft
doug.richards@ontario.ca
john.bancroft@ontario.ca
30 Years of
Swine Research Delivered by OMAFRA
The Centralia Swine Research Update (CSRU) provided Ontario's
pork industry with timely research information dealing with
disease, nutrition, economics, reproduction, animal welfare
and a host of other swine related subjects. Since 1982 the
CSRU has provided the platform for more than 465 oral presentations
and 377 papers. OMAFRA swine staff have been part of the CSRU
planning committee since the beginning.
The 2011 event was used by OMAFRA staff as a technology/knowledge
transfer channel and the 100 swine industry representatives
in attendance were primarily producers. Evaluations showed
that 98% of those responded agree or strongly agree that CSRU
had achieved its objective for the day. Eighty-five per cent
of respondents got what they needed from the day and 60% of
respondents felt the information provided will influence their
work within the next two years.
Outreach extends beyond the conference itself. The 2011 CSRU
proceedings were posted at the Centralia website at http://www.centraliaswineresearch.ca/.
The 31st Annual Centralia Swine Research Update will be held
on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 in Kirkton.
Contact: Doug Richards
doug.richards@ontario.ca
New Resources
for Swine Producers
OMAFRA staff published a benchmarking article in the October
2010 issue of Pork News and Views that in a flash was re-published
by various electronic media. Pork News and Views is a bi-monthly
newsletter produced and distributed by OMAFRA in conjunction
with Ontario Pork and Better Pork. The article "Benchmarking
of Ontario Swine Operations" was re-published by several
media outlets covering North America and much of the English-speaking
world including: Better Pork, E-morning, Agri-brands, Pigsite.com,
Swineweb.com and Farms.com.
OMAFRA's swine grower-finisher specialist wrote the article
to encourage producers to compare their financial statements
to an industry standard. The numbers are there, it is just
taking the time to pull them together and put them down on
paper. By having those financial numbers on production costs
producers can make informed decisions about their operation.
These OMAFRA resources are available to swine farmers:
Guide to Cost of Production Budgeting factsheet
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/facts/08-055.htm
Interactive Swine Budget
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/swine/calcs/wksht_swinebudget.htm
Subscribe to Pork News and Views http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/subscribe/index.html#pork
Contact: Doug Richards
doug.richards@ontario.ca
South Western Ontario Pork Conference
is a Valuable Technology Transfer Event
The South Western Ontario Pork Conference (SWOPC) is the
longest running pork conference in North America. Agriculture
Development Branch's swine team planned and delivered an all-Ontario
program.
Speakers at the 49th SWOPC covered subjects such as improving
animal management skills, breeding sow management, weaning
more piglets per sow, finishing tips and health/disease advice
for swine operations. OMAFRA's sow nursery specialist provided
timely tips on weaning more piglets per sow.
The 100 swine industry representatives in attendance were
primarily producers. The 2011 evaluations showed that 98%
of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that SWOPC achieved
its objective for the day. They also revealed that 95% got
what they needed from the day and 93% felt the information
provided will influence their work within the next two years.
The 50th Annual South Western Ontario Pork Conference will
be held in the third week of February 2012.
Contact: Doug Richards
doug.richards@ontario.ca
Poultry Animal Care Working Group
In 2010 OMAFRA and Ontario Farm Animal Council co-hosted
a meeting of the Ontario poultry industry to discuss welfare
challenges facing the industry, the development of a decision
tree for loading poultry and to determine if a poultry animal
care working group should be formed to address animal care
issues in the poultry industry.
The main discussion focused on the need for a transportation
decision tree to address the challenges faced by producers
and poultry catchers when determining if birds were fit for
transport and should go to processing. Birds that were loaded
and not fit for transport could expire during transportation
resulting in animal welfare issues and producer or transporter
fines under federal transportation guidelines.
The meeting was a success with the development of the first
draft of a poultry transportation decision tree. More information
about transporting poultry was made available by the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency. www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/trans/transe.shtml
Contact: Al Dam
al.dam@ontario.ca
Farm Safety on Broiler Farms
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) has applied
to Ontario farms since July of 2006. Chickens in Ontario are
raised in single, two and three storey or higher buildings
so there is considerable potential for slips, trips and falls.
OMAFRA's engineer for poultry and other animal housing and
equipment in Environmental Management Branch, and the poultry
specialist from Agriculture Development Branch worked with
industry to address some of these issues. The collaborative
effort resulted in the Broiler Chicken Industry Safe Work
Practices Document (BCISWPD).
Industry representatives have adopted the document as the
industry standard and require producers to implement the standards
on farm. Industry was expecting producers to adopt the BCISWPD
by July 1, 2011. Copies of the BCISWPD can be obtained from
Farm Safety Association, www.farmsafety.ca
or Chicken Farmers of Ontario, www.ontariochicken.ca.
Contact: Al Dam
al.dam@ontario.ca
New Publications
The Online Gardener's
Handbook 2010 is a reference guide for home gardeners
that provides useful tips on growing vegetables, fruit, ornamental
plants and lawns. The guide covers topics ranging from recommended
planting times to descriptions of common garden pests and
how to prevent and manage them.
Growing Greenhouse Vegetables, Publication 371, has been
replaced by two new publications - Publication 835, Crop Protection
Guide for Greenhouse Vegetables, and Publication 836, Growing
Greenhouse Vegetables in Ontario. These two publications will
be a reference package for greenhouse vegetables.
Crop Protection
Guide for Greenhouse Vegetables, Publication 835, is the
source of pest control information for greenhouse vegetable
crops. The easy-to-read tables provide information and comments
on insect and disease control products for greenhouse vegetable
crops including integrated pest management options. It is
a companion to Publication 836, Growing Greenhouse Vegetables
in Ontario.
Growing Greenhouse
Vegetables in Ontario, Publication 836, is a comprehensive
guide to greenhouse crop production. It contains information
related to the production, climate management and plant nutrition
of the major greenhouse vegetables in Ontario as well as information
on pest management strategies, and pest life histories and
diseases.
Production
Recommendations for Greenhouse Floriculture, Publication
370, provides extensive information on nutrition and pest
management of greenhouse floriculture crops. Nutritional aspects
such as water, pH, media characteristics and nutrient needs
are discussed. Insect/mite and disease management information
is presented in terms of integrated control strategies, including
cultural, biological and chemical controls. Pesticide recommendations
are listed for insecticides, fungicides and plant growth regulators.
Supplement for
Field Crop Protection Guide, Publication 812S
This publication is the source of pest control information
for field crops. The easy to read tables provide information
and comments on insect and disease control products for the
major field crops including best control options for integrated
pest management for each insect and disease. Publication 812
is a companion to Publication 811, Agronomy Guide for Field
Crops.
Fruit Production
Recommendations, Publication 360 OMAFRA's 2010-11 with
updated information on new reduced risk pesticides and how
they can be incorporated in an apple integrate pest management
program was launched.
Publications can be purchased through ServiceOntario at https://www.publications.serviceontario.ca/ecom/.
New Factsheets
Aleutian
Disease in Mink, order number 10-093 (97-033)
Calibrating Airblast
Sprayers, order number 10-047
Canada Pension
Plan, order number 10-075
Customer Strategies
that Work, order number 11-017 (99-013)
Direct Farm Marketing
in Ontario - a Primer, order number 11-011
Farm Corporations
(updated) 10-31
Farm
Layout for Farmed Deer and Elk, order number 11-013w (99-017)
Farm Partnerships,
order number 11-019 (02-047)
Feeding
Cattle Beyond Optimum Weight, order number 10-095
Guide to Custom
Farmwork and Short-term Equipment, order number 10-049
Organic
Dairy, order number 10-087
Paying Wages to
Farm Family Members, order number 11-015 (07-003)
Programs and
Services for Ontario Farmers, order number 10-061
Rodent
Control in Livestock & Poultry Facilities, order number
10-077
Visit Us at Canada's Outdoor
Farm Show
September 13-15, 2011
Every year Agriculture Development Branch (ADB) offers various
resources and demonstrations in several locations at Canada's
Outdoor Farm Show. Here are just a few of the resources offered
at the 2010 show.
The Ontario Poultry Industry, with the assistance of OMAFRA
staff, developed safety railings that would go on the load
out ramps from second floor broiler barns to prevent falls
by chicken catchers who would be loading birds onto the chicken
truck.
ADB's livestock units demonstrated predation-proof fencing
at its exhibit site, complete with sheep grazing throughout
the three days of the show. Most of ADB's livestock units
gathered in one exhibit area to provide information about
Growing Forward, poultry, swine, beef, goats, and predation.
Dairy production information was offered in an area dedicated
to dairy producers. In a separate area of the show livestock
staff organized a sheep carcass competition for producers
and a grazing demonstration.
The Field Crops and Greenhouse, Agroforestry, Specialty Crops
units offered technical information in an exhibit tent shared
with Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. At the
beginning of the planting season Agriculture Development Branch
staff established trial plots of various crops at the farm
show site specifically to illustrate certain production agriculture
principles.
Crop Bioproducts Specialist Mahendra Thimmanagari explains
the Kenaf plant to show attendees. Kenaf is fast growing and
can reach heights of 10-14 feet under ideal conditions. The
outer bast fibres (around 35% of the stalk dry weight) and
inner core fibres (65% of the stalk dry weight) of the Kenaf
plant is used for many agricultural and industrial applications.
Some of the uses of Kenaf include:
- Fibres for auto parts (car door panels)
- For energy use: to pelletize and combust and for biofuels
- Paper pulp
- Spongy core fibre for animal litter
- Oil/chemical absorbents
- Insulation panelling (sound insulation)
- Ropes and textiles
Order OMAFRA Publications
OMAFRA offers three convenient methods to order its publications.
ServiceOntario
ServiceOntario Contact Centre at 1-800-668-9938
OMAFRA Regional
Centres.
Crop and Pest Update
Crop and pest updates provide timely information and recommendations
on insects, diseases and production management throughout
the growing season. Updates can be accessed any day at any
time and are available in a variety of formats - toll-free
telephone service (formerly known as Agriphone), downloadable
audio podcasts, and text files on the OMAFRA website. Crop
and Pest Updates include:
Livestock Updates
Livestock updates provide timely information on livestock
production and marketing.
OMAFRA Newsletters
Business
Agricultural
Business Update
Crops
Ontario
Berry Grower
Crop
Pest Ontario
Crop
Talk
Greenhouse
Grower Notes
HortMatters
ON
Organic
Orchard
Network
The
Tender Fruit Grapevine
Vegetable
Viewpoint
Livestock
Virtual
Beef
Pork
News and Views
OMAFRA Website Quick Links
www.ontario.ca/omafra
ontario.ca/crops
ontario.ca/agbusiness
ontario.ca/livestock
Gives Us Your Feedback
We would like to hear from you. E-mail jennifer.mcdougall@ontario.ca
with your comments about this resource guide. To thank you
for your time we will send you the Farm Succession
Planning Guide or the Renewable Energy
on the Farm CD, the choice is yours.
Events and Workshops
Go to the area of interest from www.ontario.ca/omafra
and look for the link to specific events in the business,
crop and livestock sections.
OMAFRA Contact Information
General Enquiries
1-888-466-2372 (Ontario only)
Guelph Office
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
1 Stone Road West
Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2
Agricultural Information Contact Centre
1-877-424-1300
Local 519-826-4047
ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Northern Office
1-800-461-6132
OMAFRA Resource
Centres
Agriculture
Development Branch Staff Directory
