ISSUE 2015-11 |  November 4, 2015
November 2015 E-News
IN THIS ISSUE
SAVE THE DATE
  
AGM and Conference - April 12/13, 2016
FIND US ONLINE
Ag Ambassador Tip
of the Month
Do not humanize your animals. A calf is not a baby cow, a sow is not a mommy pig. Find alternate descriptions and get used to using them.
Industry News
CropLife Canada will be offering a Confident Conversations session in Guelph this month. 
 
Confident Conversations is an interactive, one-day session designed to help farmers and industry staff learn to speak confidently about the benefits our industry delivers through its technologies. The session will also help participants learn to comfortably manage difficult conversations with people who are opposed to pesticides and plant biotechnology as well as offer insight into how to respond and get involved with helping to improve the industry's image.

Event Details: 
November 19, 2015
Delta Guelph
John McCrae room
50 Stone Rd W.
Guelph, ON N1G 0A9
 
Interested parties are encouraged to RSVP by November 6 by clicking here.  Spots will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. There is no charge to participate.
2016 Faces of Farming calendar now available
The 11th edition of the Faces of Farming calendar was unveiled last week at the annual Harvest Gala in Kitchener, Ontario. The annual calendar showcases Ontario agriculture by highlighting the farmers that produce our province's food, and the passion they have for agriculture.
 
Photographs were taken by Kitchener photographer Terry Scott White. Videos were recorded and produced by Farm Boy Productions.
 
This year's participants include:
 
  • January (and cover): Patricia Taber, Jennifer Smith and Sylvia Megens of Uxbridge, sponsored by The Regional Municipality of Durham;
  •  February: Walt Freeman of Battersea, sponsored by the Canada Mink Breeders Association and Ontario Fur Breeders Association;
  • March: Wanda Snobelen of Ripley, sponsored by DEKALB;
  • April: Ian Laver of Warkworth, sponsored by Burnbrae Farms;
  • May: Diane Cook of Lambeth, sponsored by RBC Royal Bank;
  • June: Andrew Henderson of Spencerville, sponsored by Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd.;
  • July: AmyBeth Brubacher of Elmira, sponsored by Turkey Farmers of Ontario;
  • August: Rick and Curtis Van Laecke of Courtland, sponsored by SeCan; 
  • September: Sandy, Kelsey and Kaitlyn Vader of Picton, sponsored by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association; 
  • October: Norm Lamothe of Cavan, sponsored by Grain Farmers of Ontario / Good in Every Grain; 
  • November: Andrea Veldhuizen and Joseph Zantingh of Niagara Region, sponsored by Wallenstein Feed and Supply Ltd.
  • December: Rob, Julie, Presley, Rilee and Brinkleigh Eby of Ayr, sponsored by Farm & Food Care Canada

The full calendar, interviews with the participants and a video featuring a behind the scenes look into the making of the calendar can all be found on the Farm & Food Care website. Farm & Food Care members will be receiving a complimentary copy of the calendar in the next few weeks. Additional copies make great Christmas gifts and can be ordered from the same site.

 

Calendar participants and the creative team are shown together at the Ontario Harvest Gala
Beef Farmers of Ontario receive Paul Mistele Award
Paul Mistele award
Bob Gordanier (second from left) receives the annual Paul Mistele award from Susan Lee, Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Food Banks. They are shown with Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Jeff Leal and Farm & Food Care Canada chairman Bruce Christie.
Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) is the recipient of the 2015 Paul Mistele Award from the Ontario Association of Food Banks for its contribution of over 45,500 servings of fresh ground beef for Ontario families in need.  The award was presented at the 2015 Ontario Harvest Gala.
Named for the late farm leader who founded Ontario Pork's Donate-A-Hog program in 1998, the Paul Mistele Memorial Award recognizes agricultural partners that have shown a significant and enduring commitment to ending hunger in Ontario.  In the last year, BFO provided $40,000 in funding for the purchase of 15,000 lbs of fresh, ground beef (or approximately 45,500 servings) for children and adults living with hunger in Ontario.
 
Few spots available for low stress cattle workshop
There are still a few spots left for the Low Stress Beef Handling Workshops on November 5th in Perth.
Join Dylan Biggs, a cattle handling expert from Alberta, as he hosts these day long workshops.
This workshop will feature:
  • How to think like a cow and understand why cows do what they do;
  • Building blocks for training your herd to be manageable;
  • Where, when and how to pressure the flight zone;
  • Understanding the dynamics of herding;
  • And many more handling insights.
Register at www.farmIMPACT.ca or by calling 519-837-1326 x230
Mel Luymes hired as Environmental Coordinator
Farm & Food Care's newest team member is Melisa Luymes, taking the role of Environmental Coordinator. Mel is from a Wellington County cash cropping farm, a graduate of the University of Guelph and most recently worked for the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority in agricultural land stewardship. She is also involved with a number of Ontario agricultural organizations.
Dribble bar, phosphorous reductions and water assessments on agenda
 This summer,  environmental team members Sam Bradshaw and Bruce Kelly demonstrated a European-manufactured dribble bar manure spreader to thousands across Ontario. The program raised awareness for the importance of manure as the ideal fertilizer while stressing the importance of proper placement and timing.
 
Three industry roundtable meetings have been held with stakeholders and farm groups across the industry to address the 40% phosphorous reduction targets for the Great Lakes that was recently proposed by government. Farm & Food Care airms to keep the conversation going with industry partners and the government in order to find a solution that will work for both the environment and for farmers.
 
The team has been working in the Holland Marsh with vegetable processers to provide assessments to help them reduce their water use so that they can use more economical water treatment systems. Early successes have helped some growers reduce their fresh water use by 50%, thus reducing the size and cost of new water treatment systems.
 
For information on any of these projects, contact Bruce Kelly - bruce@farmfoodcare.org or 519-837-1326, extension 292.
News from Farm & Food Care Canada
Highlights from the 2015 Ontario Harvest Gala
300 industry leaders came together on October 29 to celebrate agriculture, the best of the harvest and those who farm or work in the agri-food sector at the 2015 Ontario Harvest Gala in Kitchener.
  
Harvest Gala sponsors included Burnbrae Farms (gold level), Conestoga Meats (silver level), Farm Credit Canada and the Ontario AgriCentre (bronze level) and the Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg & Chick Commission (supporter level)
  
The event is hosted annually by Farm & Food Care Canada with all proceeds from the event going towards advancing efforts to build public trust and confidence in Canadian food and farming.
  
A photo album of images taken at the Evening in Paris can be found at  http://bit.ly/1LO3Tj6
  
  
  
Christmas card program
One of three versions of the 2015 holiday cards

In lieu of sending company gifts or Christmas cards this holiday season, why not make a donation to Farm & Food Care Canada - and send an electronic card to your customers indicating this. A $500 donation will put your logo on an electronic card recognizing your support for Farm & Food Care Canada.   
  
As an additional option, Farm & Food Care can coordinate the printing of the cards at cost.
  
For more information contact Sue McLarty - sue@farmfoodcare.org
Know GMO: The Movie
KNOW GMO The Movie is a 90-minute science-based documentary that shows the public what the words genetically modified organism really mean. It looks into the real world challenges of feeding our planet, and gets to the bottom of all the misinformation out there. Has biotechnology contributed to global food security? Are new agriculture technologies helping produce more food with less resources? Is our soil being conserved? Can we REALLY feed everyone and have it be done in a sustainable manner?
The film will focus on the journey to uncover and highlight unique GM story lines across the world. To date, more than $800,000 has been raised to fund the project - with an additional $500,000 needed. The goal is to complete the movie for the summer of 2016. Learn more or show your support at www.knowGMOtheMOVIE.com.
**********
If you've misplaced a copy of the newsletter or want to check an item from a past issue, they're all archived on our website under the Media Centre section.

We encourage you to forward this newsletter to other members of your company or organization who might be interested. They can also subscribe directly by emailing info@farmfoodcare.org.

100 Stone Road West, Suite 202
Guelph, ON
N1G 5L3
519-837-1326
www.farmfoodcare.org
Twitter: @farmfoodcare
Email: info@farmfoodcare.org
© Farm Food Care Ontario
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest