Foodland Ontario Expansion - Week 5, Summer Crop Tour Game

Wheat producers in Ontario see golden opportunities with today’s announcement from the Ontario Agriculture Minister to extend the Foodland Ontario brand to include baked goods. Different kinds of wheat are used to make specific baked products. In Ontario, farmers grow six different types of wheat – making our province the most diverse wheat-growing region in North America. This week, the different varieties of wheat are visible in farmers’ fields. Some will resemble tall green grass, while other crops are maturing and will be ready for harvest in July. Ontario wheat is used in many baked goods, from cookies and cakes to bagels and bread. Ontario residents are invited to visit www.farmersfeedcities.com to learn how they can win prizes while learning about agriculture this summer.

Biodiesel – Week 4, Summer Crop Tour Game

Farmers may soon be trading soybeans and canola grown in their fields for biodiesel to be used in their trucks and tractors thanks to EVERPURE Biodiesel Co-op, which is coming to the Caledon area. Biodiesel is an environmentally-friendly renewable fuel made from oilseeds like Ontario soybeans and canola. Biodiesel reduces harmful greenhouse gases and can be used in all diesel engines, from tractors and transport trucks, to buses and diesel-fuelled cars and trucks. This week, these Ontario soybean plants are “emerging” from the soil, and straight rows of small green plants are visible from the roadside. Soybeans are harvested in September for foods like veggie burgers, as well as animal feed and oil that can be processed into biodiesel. Ontario residents are invited to visit www.farmersfeedcities.com to learn how they can win prizes while learning about agriculture this summer.”

Read more at: http://www.caledoncitizen.com/news/2007/0613/business/023.html

Wheat fields “head” – Week 3, Summer Crop Tour Game

“Wheat farmers are working with an Ontario Weather Network this year to keep fields in peak condition. A new online service allows wheat farmers to enter data collected on their farms – such as rain levels and temperatures– to calculate which of their fields they need to watch more closely. The tool helps farmers ensure they produce safe, quality wheat that Ontario’s food processing industry has come to rely on. This week Ontario wheat will begin to “head”. Grains will start to fill in at the top of the plant, growing bigger and fuller. After heading, the plant will flower and pollinate itself in preparation for growing its seed, which is harvested later in the season. Ontario wheat seed is ground into flour and used for baked goods such as cookies, crackers, and cakes. Ontario residents are invited to visit www.farmersfeedcities.com to learn how they can win prizes while learning about agriculture this summer.”

New study shows Ontario’s farmers are environmental leaders

Better farming practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions taking 125,000 cars off the road

Guelph, Ontario, June 5, 2007 - A new study, Caring for the Land – Our Farm Environmental Commitment, shows that Ontario’s farmers are environmental leaders.

Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by the equivalent of taking 125,000 cars off the road through improved soil conservation measures. Farmers have spent at least $600 million on environmental improvements and 300,000 days in environmental training. Over 70% of them have voluntarily participated in the Environmental Farm Plan program.

“This report reveals the tip of the iceberg,” stated Jackie Fraser, Executive Director of Agricultural Groups Concerned About Resources and the Environment (AGCare) who conducted the study. “There are so many farmers doing great things for the environment; this report merely scratches the surface.”

The study was released today to celebrate Canadian Environment Week. The entire report, a summary booklet, case studies, and other information are available on www.caringfortheland.com – a new website also launched today.

“Who in society is more dependent on a healthy environment than farmers? Our families live, work, and play on our farms, and our livelihood depends on healthy soil, air, and water,” stated Murray Porteous, a fruit and vegetable farmer. “Farmers know the importance of sustaining the quality of their environment and treating it with respect.”

AGCare is an environmental organization that represents Ontario's 45,000 farmers, providing science and research-based information and policy initiatives on environmental issues on behalf of its membership.

Funding for this project was provided in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Adaptation Council.

No-till planting – Week 2, Summer Crop Tour Game

“Ontario farmers have reduced greenhouse gas emissions that are equal to taking more than 45,000 cars off the road each year. That’s thanks to a shift in farm environmental practices like no-till planting, says a study by Guelph-based agricultural organization, AGCare. No-till planting means that corn stalks and other materials from last year’s crops are left on top of the soil where the nutrients help plants and soil stay healthy. No-till planting also helps reduce carbon that is naturally released into the air when some fields are ploughed. Less tractor fuel is also required. Ontario residents can see no-till planting in action this week as farmers plant black beans, navy beans, and other bean varieties in Southwestern areas of the province. Ontario residents are invited to help farmers celebrate Canadian Environment Week next week by visiting www.farmersfeedcities.com to learn how they can win prizes while learning about agriculture this summer.”