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NEWS BITES THAT MATTER
Seed and pesticide bag collection program expanding province wide
Starting in 2016, farmers in all regions of the province will have access to a permanent seed and pesticide bag collection program that will help keep bags out of municipal landfills.
The program, which has been offered on a pilot basis in select regions since 2013, will collect both small pesticide and seed bags (typically under 30 kilograms) and bigger bulk bags. Farmers can return their empty bags to their point of purchase (ag- retailer or seed dealer) and the bags will be picked up and disposed of through waste to energy incineration.
“This program is another example of agriculture’s ongoing commitment to doing the right thing,” said Barry Friesen, CleanFARMS’ general manager. “Farmers don’t just talk about waste diversion, they deliver on it.”
In 2014, the pilot collected 26,000 kilograms of bags at 17 collection sites. Farmers also returned close to 235,000 kilograms of containers through CleanFARMS’ award-winning empty pesticide and fertilizer recycling program last year.
Similar to the empty container recycling program, the permanent empty seed and pesticide bag program will rely heavily on participating ag-retailers, who donate time and space to the collection program. This allows CleanFARMS to offer farmers convenient and accessible collection sites.
The permanent empty seed and pesticide bag program will be funded by Canada’s seed and pesticide companies. By investing in a permanent program, the industry is demonstrating its commitment to full life cycle stewardship and to Ontario farmers, who want programs to help them manage waste generated on their farms.
Visit www.cleanfarms.ca for more information and to find a collection site in your area. •
4-Hers Are Sparking Science and Building Curiosity
4-H members across Canada are building science skills while also sparking their curiosity and some healthy competition. The new 4-H Canada Science Fair, provides an opportunity for 4-H club members to explore, experiment and discover science both at a community and national level.
Participating 4-Hers will produce science projects and enter their submissions online for the chance to compete against other 4-Hers, with some moving on to compete at the Canada-Wide Science Festival. The 4-H Canada Science Fair, which will take place annually, has three distinct rounds: virtual round, 4-H Canada Science Fair, and Canada-Wide Science Festival (CWSF).
Engaging young people in hands-on science and technology-based projects is the focus of 4-H Canada’s Science & Technology leadership development pillar, which is generously supported by Bayer CropScience. The objective is to create opportunities for youth to explore connections between science, technology, society, and their own lives.
The 4-H Canada Science and Technology leadership development pillar is also supported through the PromoScience Program from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), which offers financial support for organizations like 4-H Canada working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science and engineering (including mathematics and technology).
For additional information and resources on the 4-H Canada Science Fair, go to www.4-h-canada.ca/ ScienceFair. To locate 4-H clubs near you, go to http://www.4-h-canada.ca/connect/ find-club. •
#SafeHarvest
Syngenta Canada has been reminding farmers to keep safety in mind this harvest season by sharing daily harvest safety tips on Twitter using the hashtag #SafeHarvest. The tweets have included links to farm safety videos, articles, and websites and farmers have also shared their top safety tips. Here are a few tweets posted during the first two months of the campaign:
• In a grain bin, moving grain can quickly cover and suffocate you. Wear your harness and never enter alone. #SafeHarvest — @syngentacanada
• Safety training checklist for #harvest15: 1. Familiarize everyone with new or substitute equipment. 2. Restrict access to your handling and storage location. 3. Make sure they know when to stop doing something and when to get help. #SafeHarvest — @syngentacanada
• To ensure a #SafeHarvest this season make sure to take breaks! Working while tired can be as dangerous as driving under the influence. — @GoodinGrain
• #SafeHarvest tip of the day is stay cool and hydrated out on those hot harvesting days. — @kennedykaufman
• Make sure all running equipment is turned off before unplugging any augers etc. #SafeHarvest — @AllosseryJenny
Do you have a harvest safety tip for your fellow farmers? Share it on Twitter by October 31 using the hashtag #SafeHarvest and you’ll be entered to win safety equipment prizes from Syngenta Canada. Prizes include first aid kits, fire extinguishers, safety harnesses, and more. And consider retweeting the safety messages posted by others to your fellow farmers.
For more details on the #SafeHarvest campaign including safety tips and resources visit http://www.syngentafarm.ca/safeharvest. •
