| ISSUE # 126 – October 2016
This update is designed to provide you with concise, up to date agriculturalbusiness information with links to where you can find the details. This Issue: |
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| Thank you for subscribing to the Agricultural Business Update. Help us to improve our service to you by providing feedback which will be used to direct our focus for the upcoming year. This should take one to three minutes of your time.
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| Business Strategy / Business Planning |
| 2016 OMAFRA Business Management Factsheets
2016 Factsheets currently on the website and available to the public via Publications Ontario. Also included are factsheets currently in development. Look for them on the OMAFRA website in early October!
A full listing of publications is available on the OMAFRA website —ontario.ca/omafra and can be ordered through ServiceOntario. Available:
416-326-5300 416-325-3408 (TTY) 1-800-668-9938 Toll-free across Canada |
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| Developing a Business Advisory Board: Best Practices
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry factsheet Good governance is arguably the most important element in any successful business. Having good governance structures in place helps business owners and managers effectively take a step back and focus on the long-term viability and profitability of their organization. |
| Human Resources |
| Advanced Farm Management Program
The Advanced Farm Management (AFMP) program has been tailored for Ontario dairy farm business owners and managers who want to elevate their management skills. AFMP provides a unique combination of advanced farm business management training and a practical approach that can be immediately applied to your farm. It gives Ontario farm business owners and managers the knowledge and insights to improve the performance and sustainability of their farm business. The program kicks off its fifth year in November 2016 and is offered by the Agri-food Management Institute (AMI). Registration and full details are here: advancedfarmmanagement.ca |
| Succession Planning |
| Bridging the Gap: Step Up to Succession Program
Farm Management Canada (FMC) has launched an enhanced version of its former Step Up mentorship program to help bridge the gap between generations of farmers to provide Canada’s future farmers with the best chance for success. Succession planning – also called transition planning, ensures farm businesscontinuity: it is the only process that links one generation to future generations involved in the farm business, and addresses how the vision, goals and dreams of a farm will carry on. |
| Production Management |
| Barn Fire Prevention online tool
Equine Guelph has launched the new Barn Fire Prevention online tool as a resource for horse owners. Responding to the high incidence of barn fires in Ontario last winter, Equine Guelph has developed a tool that is easy to use and provides horse owners with interactive assessments for their individual facilities. |
| Risk Management |
| Production Insurance for tree fruit and grape growers
New this year In 2017, tree fruit and grape growers will see enhancements to the Production Insurance plans for fruit. The plans now provide more coverage for trees and vines, for example:
More information about changes to the fruit plans will be available this fall. |
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| Production Insurance – Winter Wheat
It’s application and renewal time for winter wheat, which is the time for producers to make sure their Production Insurance coverage matches what their farm business looks like today. As a farm evolves and the industry changes, so can coverage needs Reporting is easy Producers can report their winter wheat acres by using the shortcut atagricorp.com/acreage. The online reporting tool provides the convenience of round-the-clock reporting so producers can submit their acreage reports anytime, anywhere. To start reporting, customers only need their Agricorp ID. Customers can also call Agricorp to report acres. The last date to report final planted acres for the 217 winter wheat crop is November 8. |
| Social Responsibility |
| Tax Credit for Ontario Farmers who Donate Fresh Food
Established in 2014, the Food Donation Tax Credit for Farmers, gives farmers a tax credit valued at 25 per cent of the fair market value of the agricultural products they donate. Community food programs, like the student nutrition program, also benefit by receiving more fresh local food for distribution to Ontario families. This credit helps to ensure that more locally grown food ends up on people’s plates, and that includes the people who need it most in our communities. |
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| Canadian Centre for Food Integrity
Farm & Food Care Canada launched the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) in 2016 to help expand upon the shared vision of building public trust and confidence in today’s food system in Canada. The Canadian CFI will be a division of Farm & Food Care that will work on strategy, research and coordination related to public trust, with a focus on the food system specifically. Canadian CFI will be an international affiliate of the USA-based Center for Food Integrity, which was formed in 2007, and will bring many of the programs and resources to Canada that have already been developed south of the border. www.foodintegrity.org |
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| Food Secure Canada
Food Secure Canada is a pan-Canadian alliance of organizations and individuals working together to advance food security and food sovereignty through three inter-locking goals: zero hunger, healthy and safe food, and sustainable food systems. |
| Conferences, Workshops and Seminars |
| AMI Event and Speaker Funding is open for 2016-2017
The Ontario agri-food industry is encouraged to apply to the AMI’s Business Management Speaker and Event Funding. Any registered organization, agency, association, community group, institution, university, college, group located in Ontario may apply for a maximum of $2,500 to cover the costs associated with organizing or bringing a business management speaker to an Ontario event. This funding is open to agrifood and agriproducts businesses including a focus on farm businesses. |
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| OMAFRA Dateline:
OMAFRA Dateline is an online resource for use by interested individuals and organizations across Ontario. Events may be hosted by OMAFRA or other groups. The events posted on this site are aimed at sharing information of interest to agriculture and regional economic development clients. Please check the calendar regularly for upcoming events, workshops, conferences and meetings. |
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| Growing Forward 2 Educational Workshops
Register on-line for Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) and Growing Your Farm Profits (GYFP) workshops by clicking on the link below to find dates and locations that suit you. |
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| Teeny Tiny SouthWest Summit
Big Stories from Small Places To Inspire Community Volunteers, Municipal Staff and Council Tuesday, November 15, 2016 9:00am – 4:00pm Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Centre 3310 Walnut Street, Alvinston For more information contact Deb Allison at 519-873-4077 |
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