waiting to take a turn in the combine seat and try out the virtual reality experience. “It was really cool,” says Elena Knudsen, a grade five student at John Mahood Public School. “I had never seen a combine before, and I liked seeing what farmers do when they harvest.” EDUCATOR-LED PROGRAMMING Doug Wagter, an Ontario Certified Teacher and former grain farmer, joined the Grain Farmers of Ontario communications department in October 2022, and has been working with Curtis and other Grain Farmers of Ontario staff to develop the curriculum-linked programming. “Agriculture is not a specific part of the Ontario elementary school curriculum, but we can pair it with science, math, and social studies, for example,” says Wagter. Focusing on the grade three science and technology curriculum, Wagter has developed a number of grainfocused lesson plans and activities that complement the ‘growth and changes of plants’ learning outcomes. Throughout the winter and spring of 2023, Wagter took his lessons, activities, and the Grains on the Go Trailer on the road, visiting 13 schools to pilot the program. More than 3,000 students have taken part so far, including all the students in grades three to six at John Mahood Public School. 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR PLANS Following a successful pilot of the programming, Wagter will be hitting the road again this fall. The Grains on the Go trailer will be on display at the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo in September and the RAWF in November, where thousands of students and teachers will have the opportunity to learn about grains and grain farming. And with several classroom and school visits already booked, Wagter is excited about the opportunity to bring the Grains on the Go trailer and his lesson plans to students across the province throughout the fall, winter, and spring. “We want to get the word out to as many teachers as possible,” says Wagter, who encourages farmer-members to share the information about the program with their local schools or teachers in their family or community. For more information about how to bring the Grains on the Go trailer or to arrange a classroom visit to your local schools, visit www.GoodinEveryGrain.ca/Grains-on-the-Go/ or contact Doug Wagter at dwagter@gfo.ca. l ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 27 SEPTEMBER 2023 “Agriculture is not a specific part of the Ontario elementary school curriculum, but we can pair it with science, math, and social studies, for example.” 2024 Grains Innovation Fund Do you have a game-changing, market-ready idea that can grow Ontario grain utilization? The Grains Innovation Fund provides funding to organizations for developing new products and initiatives that have potential to expand the market for Ontario barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat. This market development innovation challenge invests up to $250,000 across projects annually. Applicants can apply for up to 60 per cent of their project costs, up to a maximum of $75,000 per project. ELIGIBILITY To be eligible a company must demonstrate their project meets at least one of the following criteria: • Open new markets for Ontario grains or grain residues, • Expand the use of, and demand for, Ontario grains or grain residues, • Promote Ontario grains or grain residues as the best choice, • Support development of novel, value-added products derived from Ontario grains or grain residues, • And/or increase the value (premiums) of Ontario grains or grain residues. APPLICATIONS Deadline: November 3, 2023 To access the program guide along with the application template, please visit www.gfo.ca/Market-Development/. To receive all of the latest information about the program please contact: Hayley Micallef Market Development Coordinator hmicallef@gfo.ca l
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