This update is designed to provide you with concise, up to date agricultural business information with links to where you can find the details.
This Issue:
- Business Strategy / Business Planning
- Financial Management
- Human Resources
- Production Management
- Sustainability
- Conferences, Workshops and Seminars
Thank you for subscribing to the Ag 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 about one minute of your time.
Business Strategy / Business Planning
Feds Invest In Ag Accelerator
Bioenterprise Corporation will receive up to $2.28 million
The federal government showed confidence in Ontario’s agribusinesses with a multimillion dollar investment.
Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, announced that Ottawa is investing up to $2.28 million into Bioenterprise Corporation, which provides entrepreneurs with such supports as mentoring and pitch preparation.
Financial Management
Farm Financial Difficulty
Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Ontario producers who are experiencing financial difficulty may qualify to access advisory services to complete a Farm Financial Assessment at no cost. The Farm Financial Assessment provides a review of the farm business’s past financial performance, provides an analysis of the current business climate, develops objectives and identifies options to meet profitability and sustainability goals.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) staff will determine a farm business’s eligibility under this financial difficulty provision on a case-by-case basis. For more information, either contact the AICC at 1-877-424-1300 or the program coordinator at (519) 826-3220.
2018-2019 Advance Payments Program & 2018 Commodity Loan Program
The Advance Payments Program (APP) is a federal financial loan guarantee program that helps producers meet their financial obligations and benefit from the best market conditions by improving their cash flow throughout the year. The Commodity Loan Program was developed in 1992 to assist farmers in financing their crop planting, cultivating, and harvesting expenses in Ontario.
Product and Rate List 2018-2019>>
Human Resources
Labour Market Information survey
The 2018 LMI survey is here! The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is surveying farm business owners and workers on the state of agricultural labour in Canada. They ask all owner-operators, workers and supporting stakeholder groups to take part to guide future action on the growing workforce crisis.
They appreciate your taking the time to provide input on agricultural workforce issues by November 30.
For farm business owners the survey is available here (20 min):
English: https://cahrc-ccrha.ca/programs/agrilmi#section-surveys
French: https://cahrc-ccrha.ca/fr/programmes/agriimt#section-sondages
For workers, including family and non-family, we have the survey available in English, French and Spanish (7 min):
http://survey.conferenceboard.ca/SE/82/CAHRC_Worker/?lang=en
http://survey.conferenceboard.ca/SE/default.aspx
Results of the Mushroom Industry Wage Survey
The Mushroom Industry Wage Survey, conducted between March and May 2017, was commissioned by CAHRC to provide detailed compensation information about current hourly wage rates and piece work for occupations in the mushroom industry.
Sixteen mushroom enterprises participated in the survey. Together, these enterprises represented 25 mushroom-producing facilities and 2,917 workers, or 67% of Canada’s mushroom industry workforce.
Canadian Agriculture Labour Market Information
In 2014, 26,400 jobs went unfilled in Canada’s agriculture sector, which cost the sector $1.5 billion in lost revenues, or 2.7% of product sales. Between 2004 and 2014, Canadian farmers saw the agricultural labour gap double; by 2025, it’s expected to double again.
AgriFood Management Institute training programs
Advanced Farm Management Program is working with farm management specialists, creating a Management Action Plan (MAP) for your farm business, identify your business’s key financial ratios with guidance from leading industry accountants. Find out how your operation is performing and how to make it better. http://advancedfarmmanagement.ca/about-the-program/
Transition Smart workshop is connecting farmers with the tools to become processors. Practical tools that can be implemented. Identifying feasible value-added opportunities for your business. From operational planning, marketing, product development to pricing, distribution, and sales. To sign up, visit the Eventbrite listing: https://bit.ly/2Pru6OJ
Beginning Farmer is a one-day workshop to help new entrants focus on building their farm idea and gathering the financial information needed to create a business plan. Put your idea on paper (the business plan), determine how will you finance your plan and develop your marketing strategy. To sign up, follow the link: https://bit.ly/2N6NMXY
2018-19 Excellence Award for Agricultural Students is now Open!
Farm Management Canada (FMC) and the Canadian Association of Diploma in Agriculture Programs (CADAP) are proud to announce the launch of the 2018-19 Excellence Award for Agricultural Students, designed to encourage students to improve their critical thinking, communication and leadership skills through a national competition.
How to Apply
FMC and CADAP are collecting submissions from agricultural students across Canada and will award three winners with scholarships towards furthering their education in agriculture. First place stands to win $1,500!
The award is designed to help students develop their communication skills by having the opportunity to voice their opinion on a subject related to farm management.
Students are asked to submit a multimedia presentation, a video, a Twitter chat, a blog or a Wiki, responding to the following question:
How can agriculture bridge the increasing rural and urban divide?
To take part in the competition, for details on how to enter, or to apply:www.fmc-gac.com
*All applications must be received no later than May 3rd, 2019.
Free online agri-food courses
The Agriculture and Food Education Online Learning System provides free online courses for producers, processors and agri-food businesses wanting to gain skills and knowledge in the areas of food safety, traceability and farm business practices. More than 10 courses provide foundational information on:
- reducing business and customer risks
- improving efficiency
- industry best practices
- developing a competitive edge and accessing new markets
- growing a business
Register at www.agandfoodeducation.ca or contact the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus at rcagfood@uoguelph.ca or 519-674-1500 ext. 63295.
Production Management
Information to help farmers make decisions about DON
Agricorp will feature a series of articles where producers can get up-to-date, accurate information about how coverage works and how Agricorp staff will support them through the Production Insurance process.
Sustainability
10 Best Management Practices Proven to Help Ontario Growers Improve Environmental and Economic Goals
A new report published by Fertilizer Canada, Key Findings of the Canadian 4R Research Network, highlights 10 scientifically-proven 4R Nutrient Stewardship Best Management Practices (BMPs) across a range of cropping systems from Atlantic Canada through to the Prairies amply demonstrating the universality of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship approach.
Following three years of extensive research engaging nine scientists across the country, the Canadian 4R Research Network quantified the economic, social and environmental benefits resulting from advanced fertilizer management systems under 4R Nutrient Stewardship, using the Right Source @ Right Rate, Rate Time, Right Place®.
Conferences, Workshops and Seminars
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.
CAP Workshops & Webinars
A variety of excellent workshops and webinars are offered at no cost by OSCIA as part of Canadian Agricultural Partnership to assist Ontario farm businesses in identifying strengths and weaknesses in a variety of areas that influence the farm’s profitability, productivity and sustainability. The workshops and webinars each have a different focus and different goals.
FCC Events
Make the most of your farm business
Practical tools, new perspectives and breakthrough moments – expand your ag knowledge at a free FCC learning event. We bring the best minds in agriculture to communities across Canada to inform, inspire and help you get the most from your business.
Small Ruminant Lending & Advisor Seminar
Presented by: the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
This one day session will provide lenders and business advisors timely information about the sheep and goat sectors in Ontario, as well as the opportunities & challenges they face.
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Location: Guelph, ON & via select WebEx locations
Registration details and the agenda will be released by late November, 2018. To be notified when more information is available please email Nancy Tasillo at nancy.tasillo@ontario.ca
International Farm Management Association Congress
Growing Agriculture @ 41 Degrees South – excellence in farm management through innovation, diversification and integration with tourism.
The 22nd International Farm Management Association Congress will be held in Tasmania, Australia from March 3 to 8, 2019.
Thanks for reading the AgBusiness Update.
Questions or Comments: contact the editor, John Molenhuis at john.molenhuis@ontario.ca
Subscribe to the Ag Business Update: send an email to AgBusinessUpdate@ontario.ca or go to our webpage and click on subscribe. This will send an email to us and we will add your name to the list.
Changed Your Email? Please let us know by sending us an email atAgBusinessUpdate@ontario.ca.
Other E-mail Notifications and Newsletters We Offer:
Business
Crops
- Crop-Pest Ontario
- Crop Talk
- Field Crops
- Fruit and Vegetable Crops
- Hort Matters
- OMAFRA Radio Reports
- ON Organics Newsletter
- ON Vegetables
- Ontario Berry Grower
- Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Newsletter
- Orchard Network
- Specialty Crops
- Subscribe to Agriphone Messages – includes Maple Production, Cropline (Field Crops), Potato, Tender Fruit, Vegetable, Berry Bulletin, Tender Fruit and Grape
- The Tender Fruit Grape Vine
« ONTARIO WATER INNOVATION WEEK OMAFRA December Food Business Knowledge, Connections & Resources »
