Ontario Grain Farmer April/May 2023

16 An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTED At the Grain Farmers of Ontario inaugural board meeting, held in February, the Executive Committee was voted into office for the year. Brendan Byrne, director for District 1 (Essex), has been re-elected as chair for a third term. Jeff Harrison, director for District 12(Durham, Northumberland, Kawartha, Peterborough, Hastings), and Josh Boersen, director for District 9 (Perth), will serve as vice-chairs. Scott Persall, director for District 5 (Elgin, Norfolk), will hold the position of executive member. A complete listing of the 2023 Board of Directors and district delegates can be found at www.gfo.ca/about/districts. UPDATE: LAMBDACYHALOTHRIN Grain Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Agri Business Association, Ontario Bean Growers, and Ontario Canola Growers Association continue to monitor Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and its reviewed use of lambda-cyhalothrin. This active ingredient, commonly sold under the tradenames Matador, Silencer and others, is a broad-spectrum insecticide used by dry edible bean, grain, and oilseed producers to protect crops against insect pests. As a result of the review by the PMRA, the use of this pesticide on crops destined for livestock feed is not permitted. It is also recommended that Ontario dry edible bean, grain, and oilseed producers not use any product containing lambda-cyhalothrin in the 2023 season. For more information on alternative products, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) entomologist Tracey Baute has prepared a summary that can be found on OMAFRA’s Field Crop News website, www.fieldcropnews.com. NEW FACILITIES BRING OPPORTUNITY FOR ONTARIO’S GRAIN FARMERS In February, Italian gluten-free pasta maker Andriani S.P.A. announced plans to develop a 50,000 sq foot production facility in London, Ontario. In the future, this facility may have the potential to utilize nontraditional pasta grain ingredients, such as corn and oats. This announcement follows a series of engagements with Andriani S.P.A. highlighting Ontario’s value chain and providing insight into the availability and quality of Ontario-sourced grains, delivered by Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Market Development team in collaboration with value chain stakeholders, including the Ontario Agri Business Association and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Additionally, Ontario biofuels producer Greenfield Global Inc. announced progress on a $2 million agricultural waste-to-clean fuel project funded by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada under the Agricultural Clean Technology Program, Research and Innovation stream. Their press release acknowledged the support of Grain Farmers of Ontario, who helped bring this project to fruition through engagement and advocacy during the funding application process. The project has the potential to create new, regionalized value-added processing opportunities for Ontario agricultural residues like corn stover to be transformed into low-carbon renewable diesel fuel, which could be used on-farm and elsewhere in the transportation sector. FARM SHOWS Staff, directors, and farmer-member volunteers have taken part in a number of winter and spring farm shows, including the Chatham-Kent Farm Show, the London Farm Show, the East Central Farm Show in Lindsay, and the Ottawa Valley Farm Show. Join us in Northern Ontario at the Earlton Farm Show April 14-15. FROM THE CHAIR A Q&A with Brendan Byrne, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. You recently represented Grain Farmers of Ontario during a trade mission to the AsiaPacific region. What did you learn from that experience? Crosby (Devitt, CEO) and I were invited by the Ontario Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to accompany them on trade missions to Japan and Vietnam. It is vitally important that Grain Farmers of Ontario be part of trade missions like this. Areas and markets around the world are looking for grains that we can provide. The trade missions allowed us to showcase our willingness to help and be part of their success. I also came to quickly realize how good it was to be back in person and how much deeper relationship-building can be with other nations when it is face-to-face. One of the really positive aspects was hearing how well respected our farmers and farms are in other areas, and that high quality was synonymous with Ontario grain. I also found that working with other groups can help amplify our voice, and theirs, to these markets and customers. For example, being there when the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program was signing an MOU with the Vietnam Chef Association helped me give voice to the Ontario corn part of the story, which was incredibly important to the discussion. • Do you have a question for our chair? Email GrainTALK@gfo.ca.

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