GFO Newsletter for September 2012
GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO
Lower licence fees
Grain Farmers of Ontario is pleased to announce that licence fees will be lowered for the 2012 crop year. A successful 2011 season resulted in revenues that exceeded expectations. This, has provided us with the opportunity to further lower licence fees for our members.
| 2012 Licence Fees (includes GFP Premium*) Effective July 1, 2012 |
|
| Corn | $0.42/mT |
| Soybeans | $1.42/mT |
| Wheat | $0.79/mT |
An update has been made to the dealer manual online to reflect this change. For more information go to: www.gfo.ca/Marketing/Dealers.•
Grain Farmers of Ontario on Location
Come chat with Grain Farmers of Ontario directors and staff at booth N-158 in Seed Alley at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. Grab a coffee or water when you come by and if you arrive between 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. you can also pick up a voucher for corn-fed beef on a bun (while supplies last). Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show runs September 11-13 at Canada’s Outdoor Park in Woodstock.
Grain Farmers of Ontario is a sponsor of the International Plowing Match and will have a display in the Education Tent. Stop by the display to talk with local delegates and pick up activity sheets for the kids. The International Plowing Match will be held September 18-22 in Roseville.
Grain Farmers of Ontario will be sponsoring the “Refueling Station” in the IT Lounge at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. The Refueling Station will offer healthy corn, soybean and wheat snacks created by a celebrity chef. It will feature elements of the ‘Grains in Your Life’ exhibit such as soy foam chairs and a corn-resin countertop. It will also provide visitors with information about renewable fuels.
The Refueling Station will run during the opening weekend of the festival, September 6-9, when approximately 300 celebrities and media are expected to visit the IT Lounge.
Watch for a full write-up and photos in an upcoming issue of the Ontario Grain Farmer magazine. •
Transporation Issues Questionnaire
Grain Farmers of Ontario recognizes there are many common issues farmers across Ontario confront when transporting farm equipment on public roadways. To help the Grain Farmers of Ontario Board of Directors ascertain the most common and most serious challenges, we would appreciate your assistance by filling out our short online questionnaire: www.gfo.ca/RoadSafety/RoadSafetyFarmers/TransportationQuestionnaire.aspx. •
Q&A with the CEO
A new podcast series featuring monthly updates from Grain Farmers of Ontario CEO Barry Senft will begin in mid-September. The communications team has been exploring different formats and presentation styles to determine the best way to deliver these updates.
At first, the podcasts will be downloadable from our website and will be available for both Apple and Blackberry devices. They will also be available as an audio file for your personal listening devices or to listen right from your computer. Each episode will highlight a different grain related topic and will answer questions directly from our farmer members. This project will provide our members with meaningful content in an informative and interesting manner. To submit a question or idea, or suggest additional ways of providing the content, contact Mackenna Roth at mroth@gfo.ca. •
Agricultural Grain Dryer Certification
Last winter, Grain Farmers of Ontario learned that all grain dryers and burners manufactured after January 1, 2013 would no longer be CSA approved. Grain Farmers of Ontario is quite concerned about the cost implications that this change in certification will have on our members and has been working diligently since learning of the issue to find a solution.
A working group consisting of members from the Canada East Equipment Dealers’ Association, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Ontario Agri-Business Association and Grain Farmers of Ontario along with participation and assistance from OMAFRA has been struck to investigate the quickest and most efficient manner to maintain the certification process for agricultural grain dryers. The working group’s analysis will include different certifying agencies, existing certification standards and the costs of certification. Grain Farmers of Ontario will continue to update members as progress on this issue is made. •
