GFO Newsletter for July/August 2012
GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO
Insects and Diseases Research Insert
Included in the magazine you will find the Grain Farmers of Ontario research insert on Insects and Diseases.
This year, we have separated our Research Guide into sections based on the Agronomy, Insects and Diseases, Crop Utilization and Quality and Breeding and Genetics priority areas of Grain Farmers of Ontario. Each section will be published in a separate Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine issue throughout the year when it is most applicable.
The Insects and Diseases issue highlights our top research projects in this area and reports results gathered thus far, focusing most on results that have an on farm application.
Be sure to collect all four. Look for the Crop Utilization and Quality insert coming in the November issue. Electronic issues are posted to www.gfo.ca/research as they are available. •
GFO Annual Meeting coming
The Annual Meeting of Grain Farmers of Ontario will be held September 6, 2012 at the Delta Hotel, 50 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario.
This meeting is called in accordance with By-Law No. 1, to review the Auditor’s Report and the Financial Statements of Grain Farmers of Ontario. Provision has been made for open discussion of board operations and the industry in general. Henry Van Ankum, Chair
The agenda will include the review of the Board’s activities for the 2011 crop year. Lunch will be provided to those in attendance.
Grain Farmers of Ontario will be accepting resolutions from districts and/or farmer members in good standing until noon, September 8, 2011.
Please confirm your attendance and send resolutions to Brenda Miller-Sanford, no later than August 21, 2011. Telephone: 519-767-4133, Fax:?519-767-9713, Email: bmsanford@gfo.ca. •
Q&A with the CEO
New for fall of 2012, Grain Farmers of Ontario is launching a monthly update from Barry Senft, CEO who will provide answers and comments on many topics of interest to members. The goal of this project is to address questions and concerns from the Grain Farmers of Ontario membership. The CEO?update will be available in the form of a podcast on the Grain Farmers of Ontario?website beginning in September. Grain Farmers of Ontario already has several podcasts online and you can access them by visiting: http://www.gfo.ca/Media/ Podcasts.aspx. For more information or to submit a question call Mackenna Roth at 1-800-265-0550 extension 215 or by email at mroth@gfo.ca. Look for more information in the September issue of the Ontario Grain Farmer magazine.•
Young Leader Program Update
The Young Leader program Part 1 will be Nov 27-30, 2012 at Pioneer headquarters in Johnston , IA. Brochures and application forms will be available June 1st. Visit www.gfo.ca/youngleadersprogram to learn more. •
Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine Survey Winners
Grain Farmers of Ontario would like to thank everyone who participated in our magazine survey earlier this year. Your feedback will help us make our organization more responsive to the needs of our members. Those who completed the survey were entered into a draw for a Tim Hortons gift card. We would like to congratulate our winners:
Grand Prize Winner ($500)
• Josh Mailloux
Prize Winners ($200)
• Brian McKay
• Barry Newcombe
• Andrew St. Jean •
March Classic videos now available
If you missed any of the March Classic conference speakers or Delegate Day break-out sessions, or want to see them again, videos are now available on-line. They include speakers Lyndon Carlson (Farm Credit Canada), Stephen Gorsuch (AGCO Corporation) and Jim Carroll (agricultural futurist). Visit www.youtube. com/user/grainfarmersontario to watch these and other great videos. •
Agricultural Study Tour
The Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) is organizing an agricultural study tour to Chile and Argentina. The tour will take place from November 11 to November 25, 2012. Wheat and other crops ready for harvest will be seen during visits to several farms. There will also be meetings with industry associations, organizations involved in grain marketing and government Ministries of Agriculture. For more information visit the Cigi website www.cigi.ca.•
Deferred Payments now permanently allowed under the Grains Act
Discussions between the provincial government, grain handlers and Ontario’s farmers concluded in May and deferred payments will now be permanently allowed under the Grains Act beginning July 1, 2012. Grain Farmers of Ontario and the Ontario Agri Business Association have been working with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Agricorp for more than a year and a half to resolve the issue of deferring payments on grain.
As a result, two regulations related to deferred payments, basis contracts and payments for grain sold out of storage have been updated, approved by the provincial legislative committee and filed with the Registrar of Regulations in Ontario.
Grain Farmers of Ontario chair Henry Van Ankum believes this has been a rewarding process to go through. A problem was identified by farmers and the grain handling industry and everyone pulled together including representatives from government to find a long term solution. Our organization would like to commend the government for how quickly the issue was resolved.
Deferred payments have become a significant item in the marketing tool box and are used by an increasing number of farmers across Ontario. For more information on the changes to the Grains Act, follow the links available on our website www.gfo.ca. •
Looking for old farm photos
Grain Farmers of Ontario would like to see some old photos of your farm, equipment, and family.
Corn, soybean, and wheat farming has evolved over the years and we want to capture this through photos. If your photo is selected for our video montage or for a display at the 2013 March Classic, you will receive a $25 Tim Horton’s gift card.
Please scan and email your photos to mburke@gfo.ca by July 15th. •
Sign up today for the Bottom Line
The Bottom Line is Grain Farmers of Ontario’s weekly e-newsletter that highlights GFO’s latest activities, breakthroughs in research and timely production information. Sign up today and get your weekly dose of GFO in a concise, once-a-week email. Go online to www.gfo.ca/ media/thebottomline or, if you have a smartphone, use this QR code to get signed up in a flash.
A QR code is a Quick Response code that connects you to important information online. To use this QR Code, you will first need to download a QR Code Reader on your smartphone. We recommend ScanLife. Once downloaded, simply scan the image of the QR Code above with the reader and your phone will automatically take you to a place to sign up for the Bottom Line. •
