November 2007
Index
The Ontario government
has committed and remains committed to funding its share of the 3-year RMP pilot
program at the traditional 40 per cent
share, while continuing to encourage the federal government to provide its 60
per cent share. The RMP is a pilot program that was developed in consultation
with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and representatives of the grain
and oilseed sector.
Grain and oilseed
producers who have not received a personalized application for the RMP program
from Agricorp should call 1-888-247-4999 to
request one.
The McGuinty government is encouraging grain and oilseed producers to complete
and return their applications by November 15, 2007.
For more details, refer to the Agricorp article on page 25 of this issue.
It was stated in
the Throne Speech that the agricultural sector will benefit from the Government’s
promotion of biofuels and the new Growing
Forward agricultural framework. It was also stated that these approaches will
deliver stable, predictable and bankable support for farm families.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) expressed some concerns in an October
17, 2007 news release, one of which is that the Growing
Forward agricultural framework is not completed yet and needs to be ready for
implementation early next year. CFA would like to have seen a commitment to
move the process forward in a timely manner. Other concerns which had been raised
by CFA and were not addressed in the
Throne Speech are regional flexibility and addressing truth in food labeling.
One of the priorities CFA has identified to the federal government is establishing
flexibility within federal funding for regional agriculture programs.
Agricorp Audit
The Ontario Federation
of Agriculture (OFA) had made requests of the Ontario Minister of Agriculture,
Leona Dombrowsky, to conduct a value-for-money audit of Agricorp. Minister Dombrowsky,
in a letter to OFA, indicated that she has requested the Auditor General’s
office to conduct an audit.
OFA anticipates that the audit will reveal any problems with Agricorp and solutions
that will improve Agricorp. Agricorp is an essential part of the
government’s delivery mechanism to allow farmers to operate their businesses
effectively and efficiently.
OFA has met with officials from the Auditor General’s office to establish
a process for an audit. Producers are able to participate by contacting Gerard
Fitzmaurice, Audit Director, Auditor General’s office, 416-327-1371.
$90,000 to Students Pursuing Post-Secondary Education
Monsanto Canada
finalized the list of winners in its 2007 Opportunity Scholarship Program in
a news release on October 11, 2007. Sixty young
students from rural towns across Canada were provided with entrance scholarships
valued at $1,500 each.
The 2007 Opportunity Scholarship winners are all high school graduates from
a farm family who are now enrolled in a first-year agriculture or
forestry-related degree or diploma program at a recognized Canadian educational
institution.
Congratulations to the following students from Ontario:
Justin Brennan, Corbyville
Kevin Buchner, Brownsville
Jullian Craig, Fenelon Falls
Jessica Gal, Innerkip
Joseph Gordon, Elgin
Ryan Greidanus, Listowel
Kelly Hart, Woodstock
Emily Hendrikx, Parkhill
Lynette Kerslake, Staffa
Mitchell Kieffer, Teeswater
Jordan Klyn, Norwich
William Lang, Williamstown
Andrew Lockie, Sutton West
Thomas McLennan, Arnprior
Rebecca Richards, Caledonia
Patricia Slaght, Wilsonville
Bethany Storey, Napanee
Dennis Van Der Molen, Jarvis
Michael Vanhie, London
Daniel Verbeek, Ridgetown
Bridget Visser, Kettleby
WTO Rules Against U.S. Cotton Subsidies
The World Trade
Organization (WTO) dispute panel requested by Brazil, has ruled that the United
States has failed to scrap its illegal subsidies to American cotton growers.
The original complaint was launched in 2005.
Brazil was joined in the complaint by several other cotton-producing countries.
The complaint indicated that world prices were depressed by
American subsidies to end-users and higher production.
The U.S. had made some changes but the panel found that the changes were insufficient
to bring the challenged measures into conformity with the U.S.’s obligations
under the WTO. The challenged measures were certain support payments under the
2002 Farm Bill and export credit guarantees. There are some reports which indicate
that the 2007 Farm Bill before Congress would maintain all surviving 2002 subsidies.
Brazil has the right under WTO rules to impose annual sanctions of up to $4
billion on the U.S.
U.S. Farm Bill Largely Unchanged
Although U.S. Senator
Tom Harkin expressed the need to overhaul U.S. federal subsidies, the nearly
finished 2007 U.S. Farm Bill remains largely
unchanged.
Senator Harkin proposed a $4.5 billion cut in the direct payments to producers
of corn, soybeans, cotton and other major crops. But that hasn’t
happened. Harkin did succeed on getting an optional revenueprotection program
written into the bill.
Senators Frank Lautenberg and Richard Lugar have proposed an alternative bill
that would replace the existing subsidy programs with a crop
insurance program that would be available to all farmers and would pay benefits
only when farmers lose money.
The U.S. has had pressures from the WTO to change some of their subsidy programs.
Some think
there is still a possibility that President Bush may veto the farm bill because
of its cost and lack of substantial changes.
In a report released
by Statistics Canada, it is stated that in Eastern Canada, grain corn production
is expected to hit a record high in both
Ontario and Quebec despite difficult growing conditions experienced by many
producers.
The Ontario Federation
of Agriculture (OFA) launched a weekly five-minute audio newscast in October
called ‘ONfarm News’. The programs will feature stories and interviews
about OFA issues as wells as commodity information, government, food, environment
and energy stories.
An Ag-in-the-Media study conducted by the University of Guelph found a strong
desire for agricultural news in both urban and rural centres. With renewed interest
in the environment, ethanol, local food and on-farm energy production, the appeal
of farm stories is gaining strength.
The show is available for all farmers through www.ofa.on.ca/onfarm.
Radio stations and Ontario agriculture associations can subscribe to a high
qualityversion
of the show and its individual interview clips for on-air or web use through
an RSS feed. The RSS address is www.webcastcanada.ca/podcasting/onfarmnews.xml.
The audio programs can be downloaded onto CDs for you to listen to as you are
traveling.
Ontario Soybean Growers Hire New General Manager
The Ontario Soybean
Growers welcomed Dale Petrie as their new General Manager, September 19, 2007.
As stated in their new release, Petrie has
extensive experience in market development, human resource management, strategic
planning and industry relations along with a comprehensive
understanding of the Canadian and American seed industry.
Centre for Rural Leadership Names New President
The Centre for
Rural Leadership announced in a news release in late September that Rob Hannam
became president following their annual general
meeting. The Centre for Rural Leadership offers agricultural and rural leadership
programming to encourage and support life-long learning opportunities in Ontario.
In addition to running the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP),
they run some other programs that were acquired through the Ontario Agricultural
Training Institute (OATI).
Kawartha Ethanol Breaks Ground
In an October 5,
2007 news release, Kawartha Ethanol President and CEO, Randy Drew, announced
that construction was beginning for a new 80 million litre ethanol plant in
Havelock, Ontario. The plant is expected to be operational by the spring of
2008.
Co-operative Innovator Spirit Award
The Ontario Co-operative
Association recognizes and honours individuals and/or companies for their outstanding
efforts and innovative business
practices that not only advance but also benefit the co-operative movement throughout
Ontario. In a news release in late September, the Ontario Cooperative Association
announced that Robert Sicard, Glen Pershbacher and Bob Peden from UPI Energy
LP would receive the Co-operative
Innovator Spirit Award. These three individuals have been involved in bringing
Ethanolblended gasoline to the retail market, with province-wide
availability, well over a decade ago.
The Ontario Agricultural
College (OAC) two-year diploma program was first offered 125 years ago. The
OAC is now part of the University of Guelph. The OAC Alumni Foundation has launched
a $1.25 million anniversary endowment campaign under the theme: Leadership For
a New Era.
The OAC’s two-year Associate Diploma Studies Program has grown and changed
to meet the needs of many generations of students. There are about 800 diploma
students currently studying at the University of Guelph campuses at Guelph,
Alfred, Kemptville and Ridgetown, Ontario.
The funds raised for the endowment fund will be managed by the OAC Alumni Foundation
and will be used to advance teaching innovation and excellence, fund scholarships,
field trips and experiential learning for OAC Diploma students.
For more information, visit the website www.alumni.uoguelph.ca/125_diploma.html.
Ontario Farmland Values Increase
Farm Credit Canada
(FCC) indicated in an October news release that the average value of farmland
in Ontario increased by 2.7 per cent in the first half of 2007. FCC researches
and publicizes changes in land values across Canada twice a year.
Overall, Canadian land values increased by 3.6 per cent in the first six months
of 2007 which is consistent with Canada’s growth trend since 2000.
The complete Farmland Values Report is available at www.FarmlandValues.ca.
The National Weather
Service indicated in a Reuters news release that the weather anomaly La Nina
may arrive in November.
La Nina is an unusual cooling of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and can
trigger widespread changes in weather around the world. The affects of La Nina
include increased hurricane activity in the Atlantic, relative dryness in the
U.S. South, above-average rainfall in the Northwest, and
warmer weather over most of the continental United States.
The exceptions will be along the Canadian border from Montana
westward and the Southeast along the South Atlantic Coast where near or below-average
temperatures will be experienced.
Hyland Seeds Partners With Farmers Feed Cities!
This fall, there
has been a Harvest Balloon Tour going across the province. Hyland Seeds partnered
with Farmers Feed Cities! to help with getting
the message out about the important role farmers play in putting food on our
tables. The Harvest Balloon Tour has been carrying the message from
Windsor to Ottawa. For more details, visit the Farmers Feed Cities! website
www.farmersfeedcities.com.
Pride Seed Announces 18 New Corn Hybrids
Pride Seeds announced
in a late September news release 18 new corn hybrids for Canadian corn producers.
Included in these hybrids is a complete
range of new triple stacked hybrids that all feature the new second generation
rootworm technology.
For more information, visit Pride Seeds website at www.prideseeds.com.
Growers of all products bearing the Market Choices mark should talk to their
grain handler to confirm the handler’s position for grain from these products.
20 New Hybrids by Maizex Seeds
Maizex Seeds has
introduced 20 new hybrids in late September that will be available for 2008.
The new hybrids include seven triple stacks. According to Dave Baute, President
of Maizex, the new traits and triple stacks have proven to tolerate stress throughout
various regions this
season. Maizex has also added two new Leafy silage hybrids and a new soybean
variety to accommodate early season growers in Ontario.
Productivity Challenge Solvable
At the 2007 Norman
E. Borlaug International Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, Syngenta Seeds U.S.
president Jeff Cox stated that he believes the agriculture industry can adequately
feed the world and support biofuel markets by developing new technologies and
improving value chain collaboration, according to an October 19, 2007 news release.
Cox addressed a group of international agriculture and food industry experts
and policy leaders.
According to Cox, yield increases in corn since the Green Revolution have been
mind-boggling and some say corn yields will double over the next 20 years to
reach 300 bushels per acre.
The increases have been due mainly to advanced plant breeding with molecular
markers and new higher-yielding seed getting to the market faster.
New Touchdown Total Formulation in Canada
Syngenta Crop Protection
Canada, Inc. announced the Canadian launch of Touchdown Total, a non-selective
Group 9 herbicide that provides control for a broad spectrum of annual and perennial
grasses and broadleaf weeds, in an October news release.
Touchdown Total contains all the same label registrations as Touchdown iQ including
the innovative corn-based dual adjuvant technology that
provides more delivery to the leaf surface, minimizing leaf retention and promoting
faster absorption and translocation into the plant. Touchdown Total contains
a higher concentration formulation, with 500 g/L acid equivalent of glyphosate
present as a potassium salt.
Touchdown Total can be used to remove all weeds prior to planting and can also
be used for in-crop weed control in many crops containing Roundup Ready technology,
or postharvest to remove any remaining weeds.
Making Agriculture Ready for Climate Change
CropLife International
stated in an October news release that research is underway to provide solutions
for an agriculture sector facing climate change. The World Bank’s World
Development Report 2008 identifies climate change as an important risk factor
for food production and development. In some areas such as Sub-Saharan Africa,
the effect of some of these technologies is being experienced.
Some of the technologies which are being developed by universities, public research
institutes and the private sector include; drought tolerance
where specific genes have been identified that allow plants to survive with
less water; nitrogen fixing where plants will be created that use nitrogen more
efficiently; heat tolerance where plants will be able to handle the stresses
of high temperatures and will improve yields in some regions; and salinity tolerance
that will allow plants to have a higher tolerance level for saline soils.
FNA Imports Fertilizer into Canada
The Farmers of
North America reported on October 16, 2007 that they have imported fertilizer
from overseas to give Canadian farmers an alternative to over-priced domestic
sources.
The cargo load of fertilizer was received at the Port of Churchill, which in
the past has been an outbound-only port.
$2.7 Million for Environmentally Friendly Pest Management
In September, Minister
of Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC), Gerry Ritz, announced $2.7 million in federal
funding to improve grower’s access to
innovative crop protection products that are more environmentally responsible.
AAFC’s Pesticide Risk Reduction Program awarded 39 research projects which
will receive $2.7 million over three years. The projects are being done by universities,
government, provincial and private researchers across the country.
The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program was developed to help growers protect their
crops from weed, insect and plant disease problems. The program encourages risk
reduction solutions through a variety of pest management practices that are
environmentally sound and economically feasible.
Chromosome Research May Ease Development of Foods & Medicine
Jon Van, a Chicago
Tribune reporter, reported that Chicagobased Chromatin Inc. and the Universities
of Chicago and North Carolina have reported
success in creating an artificial chromosome for corn plants. Through four generations,
the man-made chromosomes were passed along to offspring intact at nearly as
high as for chromosomes native to the plants.
An artificial chromosome can carry several desired genes and be inserted in
a targeted location in a plant.
This research indicates that several manipulated genes can be inserted using
an artificial chromosome. This may result in plants with new traits for
producing fuels and medicines, as well as boosting crop nutrition and yield
being available more quickly.
DuPont Recognized for Best Agricultural R&D Pipeline and Products
DuPont’s Crop
Protection and Pioneer Hi-Bred businesses were presented with three prestigious
Agrow Awards in recognition of its innovative and industry-leading agricultural
product pipeline and technologies at the 2007 Agrow Awards ceremony in Glasgow,
Scotland.
The Agrow Awards were developed to recognize excellence in the crop protection
and production industry.
DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition was recognized for the following:
Best R&D Pipeline – in recognition of the broad array of new
active ingredients and biotech traits in development across the DuPont Agriculture
& Nutrition platform.
New Pioneer seed and trait developments on the horizon include drought tolerance,
nitrogen use efficiency, a line of high-yielding soybeans and
soybean varieties with higher levels of healthy oils. They are working on new
crop protection products as well.
Best Novel Agricultural Biotechnology – OptimumTM
GATTM Trait - DuPont used proprietary gene shuffling
technology to develop the OptimumTM GATTM
trait that provides tolerance to glyphosate and ALS herbicides.
Most Innovative Chemistry – DuPontTM RynaxypyrTM–
in recognition for its novel insecticide, DuPontTM RynaxypyrTM which is extremely
effective at providing long-lasting control of a broad spectrum of chewing insects
and several other important insect species at low application rates in a wide
variety of crops.
FFC at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
If you are attending
the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, stop by to visit the Farmers Feed Cities!
booth and take the trivia challenge. A trivia wheel draws attention of passersby
who give the wheel a spin and then answer an agricultural trivia question. A
trivia challenge is also available on the Farmers Feed Cities! website, www.farmersfeedcities.com.
For Royal Agricultural Winter Fair schedules, visit www.royalfair.org.
New Field Crop Agronomist for Ridgetown College
Dr. Art Schaafsma
welcomed Dr. David Hooker as the new College Professor in the area of Field
Crop Agronomy at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus. Hooker has a diploma
in agriculture from the Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology, a BSc
(agr), MSc, and PhD all from the University of Guelph in field crop agronomy.
Hooker has worked in the Field Crop Protection group as a research associate
for 10 years. Some of his achievements are: 1) the development of DONcast, a
commercially working mycotoxin forecast which came out of a study of impacts
of agronomic factors on fusarium in corn and wheat, 2)
optimizing spray application technology for fungicides to control fusarium and
insecticides to control soybean aphid and 3) elucidating the agronomic and economic
benefits of novel seed treatments for insect and disease control in wheat and
corn.
Along with teaching and conducting research in the general areas of field crop
agronomy, he will also manage the Huron Research Station and be responsible
for the Ontario corn and wheat variety performance trials.
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Recognized as an
industry-led, non-profit coalition of 71 agricultural, agri-food and rural organizations,
the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC)
administers funds provided by the federal and provincial government. With more
than 11 years experience, the Agricultural Adaptation Council has approved more
than 2,100 projects under 12 different program designations, with a total value
of $160 million invested back into agriculture and rural Ontario.
AAC chair, Bette Jean Crews has stated that they have seen great creativity
by applicants who have demonstrated the ability to envision a new
direction or a new process for an existing product, something new that adds
diversity and value to the farm or the community around them.
CanAdvance: The AAC continues to accept applications to the CanAdvance Program
funded federally by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. CanAdvance projects must
fall under one of the following three pillars: industry led solutions to emerging
issues; capturing market opportunities by
advancing research results; or, sharing information to advance the sector.
CanAdvance Speaker Investment Initiative: In addition, under the CanAdvance
program, funding assistance is available through the CanAdvance Speaker Investment
(CSI) Initiative. Applicants can receive a maximum of $5,000 to assist with
the costs of hosting top caliber speakers to industry conferences, workshops
and annual meetings and for costs associated with organizing and implementing
new industry conferences
and meetings.
To apply, submit an application letter to the Communications Manager with the
following information: name of event, date and location, event objective, audience,
speaker biography and a breakdown of speaker/event costs.
For more information, please contact the AAC at (519) 822-7554, e-mail info@adaptcouncil.org
or visit the AAC website at www.adaptcouncil.org.
Raising the Bar for Stacked Traits
Monsanto and Dow
AgroSciences are working together to develop a corn plant with eight genetically
engineered genes, according to a news item on www.agbios.com, which they will
call SmartStax. It is expected that this brand will become available in 2010
or sooner.
Yields Will End Food vs Fuel Debate
Peter Shinn of
Brownfield Ag News interviewed Hugh Grant, the Chairman, CEO and President of
Monsanto Company following Grant’s address to the World Food Prize Borlaug
Dialogue on Biofoods and Biofuels. Grant stated that there is no true food versus
fuel debate or at least there shouldn’t be. The answer to driving biofuel
and food production is improving yields.
Ontario BioAuto Council Holds First Annual Seminar
The Ontario BioAuto
Council held its first annual seminar in Guelph in late September. They had
several speakers talking about the progress made in the area of bioproducts,
including a speaker from Ford Motor Company who spoke on their challenges and
successes in developing soy based polyurethane foams, soy filled rubbers and
soy based polyols for use in automotive seating. The soy foam technology has
been implemented in the 2008 Mustang seats.
The Ontario Government committed resources for a $5 million investment fund
with the Ontario BioAuto Council that will target commercialization and market
development of biomaterials with emphasis at this time for materials destined
for the automotive sector. In the future, they will be looking at expanding
the use of biobased materials into packing products, construction and furniture.
For more information on the Ontario BioAuto Council or to obtain an application
for funding, visit the website at www.bioautocouncil.org.
Risk Management Program (RMP) Information Sessions Coming in Early November
GUELPH – Agricorp
is offering information sessions for grain and oilseed producers on the Risk
Management Program (RMP) across Ontario in early
November.
These sessions are primarily intended to provide eligible producers with information
as they decide whether RMP will meet their individual business
risk management needs. The deadline for submitting applications is November
15, 2007, and the sessions will take place between November 5, and November
12, 2007 in Woodstock, Ridgetown, Elmwood, Kemptville, Alfred, Coldstream, Alliston,
and Douro.
Producers do not need to pre-register for the information sessions, which are
being offered at the following dates and locations:
| Nov.
5, 2007 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Altadire Room, Quality Inn 580 Bruin Blvd. Woodstock, Ontario |
Nov.
8, 2007 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Purvis Hall, Kemptville College 830 Prescott Street Kemptville, Ontario |
|
| Nov.
5, 2007 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Douro Community Centre Hwy 28 & County Rd. 8 Douro, Ontario |
Nov.
8, 2007 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Room 244, Alfred College Alfred, Ontario |
|
| Nov
6, 2007 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. RDC Pioneer Lecture Theater, Ridgetown College 120 Main St East. Ridgetown, Ontario |
Nov.
9, 2007 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Coldstream Community Centre 10227 Ilderton Road Coldstream, Ontario |
|
| Nov.
7, 2007 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Elmwood Community Centre Queen St West. Elmwood, Ontario |
Nov.
12, 2007 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Rm 40 (Belmount) 4th flr, Nottawasaga Inn 6015 Highway 89 Alliston, Ontario |
Complete RMP eligibility
and program requirements are available on our website, www.agricorp.com. Producers
are also encouraged to call Agricorp toll free at 1-888-247-4999. Starting October
29, 2007, Agricorp is extending its call centre hours to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m until
December 17, 2007.
International Mechanism to Improve Agricultural Trade
International progress
to address safety assessments of food and feed containing low levels of approved
biotech material was made at the Codex
meeting in Japan in late September, as reported by CropLife International.
The Codex ad hoc Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology approved a proposed
Annex to the Codex Plant Guidelines that includes information-sharing mechanisms
for risk assessments of food and feed products that contain low-level presence
(LLP) of biotech plant material. The Annex applies to products authorized in
one or more countries but not yet in an importing country. It will be submitted
to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for consideration at its next meeting in
2008. If it is approved, an international standard will be developed.