Food Farm Talk

Conservation Authorities work with Ontario farmers and other landowners to assist in conservation work like tree planting, erosion control, water quality improvement and soil health. Conservation authorities undertake many other activities to fulfill their watershed management mandate. The Ontario government’s Bill 108 amended the Conservation Authorities Act as well as many other statutes for the stated purpose of “increasing housing supply”. Then in August 2019 the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks sent a letter to all conservation authorities telling them to “wind down” programs not within the “core mandate” of conservation authorities. Farm and conservation organizations are concerned that important stewardship programs of conservation authorities are not lost to farmers and landowners. Paul Smith discusses these issues with Kim Gavine, General Manager of Conservation Ontario and Joanne Rzadki, Business Development & Partnerships Coordinator also of Conservation Ontario.

More information is available at:

https://conservationontario.ca/

https://voiceofniagara.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/yurek_letter.jpg

https://conservationontario.ca/fileadmin/pdf/latest-news/Media_Release_CO_Media_Release_Response_to_Provincial_Letter_Aug_2019.pdf

https://www.ontario.ca/page/more-homes-more-choice-ontarios-housing-supply-action-plan

https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-108

https://environmentaldefence.ca/2019/05/31/analysis-shows-that-ontarios-bill-108-gives-the-development-industry-most-of-what-it-asked-for/

Emily Duncan and Abdul-Rahim talk about the top stories on the show and main ag issues in Candian and global level in 2019. The show presents the top ten picks of our year. Issues discussed include;

Main ag issues this year:

In this episode, we talk about the 2019 Arrell Food Summit which took place on 3rd December at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto. Abdul and Emily participated in the summit and they reflect on the packed day of presentations and discussions. Snippets from key guests, organizers, researchers, and student participants are presented to reflect on strategies for feeding the globe, a central theme at the summit.

For a World Soil Day special episode, and the final installment in the "Talk Dirty To Me" miniseries, Cameron is joined by Dr. Bill Deen and Nicola Linton from the University of Guelph. Bill and Nicola talk about how different crop rotations and tillage practices impact the soil, crop production, and the environment based on discoveries from a 40-year experiment in Elora, ON. Hang in until the end to catch a montage of reflections on what we need to appreciate more about soil, from attendees at this year's Latornell Symposium. It's a special capstone to this series; we hope you've enjoyed it!

Follow Nicola on Twitter @MicroNicola

To stay up-to-date with Soils at Guelph activities, follow us on Twitter @SoilsAtGuelph and check out our website: soilsatguelph.ca

Series host Cameron Ogilvie managed to catch up with Norfolk County farmer Dan Petker (@PetkerFarm) in the combine cab to learn about his pursuit of soil health. Dan offers both a hopeful and critical perspective on what it takes to improve soil and loves to talk about the economic burden of sustainable soil management practices.  

For more information on the December 5, World Soil Day event, visit the event posting here: https://news.uoguelph.ca/event/world-soil-day/

For more information on cost-share and incentive programs that support Ontario farmers, check out the following links:

https://www.ontariosoilcrop.org/

https://conservationontario.ca/conservation-authorities/watershed-stewardship/watershed-stewardship-programs/

https://alus.ca/

The Environmental Farm Plan or EFP builds sustainability on Ontario and Canadian farms by farmers assessing their farms' environmental risks and changing practices to reduce or eliminate those risks. It began over 25 years ago in Ontario, led by farmer organizations working with governments, building consensus and changing social norms. EFP has now spread across Canada and evolved to fit each region’s needs. The evolution continues to meet changing demands. EFP may become the base for farms’ sustainability certification. An improved electronic version improves convenience and may appeal to younger generations. Listen to Paul Smith’s conversation with Andy Graham, Executive Director of Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, and others reflecting on the history, evolution and future of the Environmental Farm Plan.

https://www.ontariosoilcrop.org/oscia-programs/workshops-webinars/environmental-farm-plan/

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/environment/efp/efp.htm

http://nationalefp.ca/

https://www.ontariosoilcrop.org/oscia-programs/workshops-webinars/environmental-farm-plan/efp-videos/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Morrison3/publication/263074244_Adaptive_Governance_of_Dynamic_Social-Ecological_Systems_The_Case_of_the_Ontario_Environmental_Farm_Plan_1992-2011/links/565f102408ae4988a7be3045.pdf

The Royal Agriculture Winter Fair happens in Toronto every November, and the FoodFarm Talk team visited this years' event to capture highlights from participants. Reflections from participating organisations including Farm and Food Care Ontario, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Grain Farmers of Ontario, as well as individuals are presented in this episode. Participants reflects on the exciting activities witnessed through the 10-day event and what has been learned during the period, while emphasizing the rich culture and relevance of the fair.

Emily Duncan talks about the quality and safety of the food we eat with Dr. Maria Corradini of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. Maria discusses her research in food processing and value addition. The discussion highlights the role of food processing in improving the quality, safety and life of food. It emphasizes the need for consumers to appreciate the central role of processing as food moves from farm to table. 

https://arrellfoodinstitute.ca/experts/maria-corradini/

https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/people/maria-corradini

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria_Corradini

On this episode, Cam takes a trip to Heartwood Farm & Cidery to catch up with some friends from the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO). Val Steinmann and Brent Preston are both farmers involved with EFAO's award-winning farmer-led research program, coordinated by Sarah Hargreaves. Together they talk about the importance of soil for their operations, how EFAO has supported them to discover innovative ways to improve soil, and the results of a recent soil health benchmarking study. 

Give them a follow on social media: @EFAO2, @soilsarah, @heartwoodcidery

Stay up-to-date on the latest Soils at Guelph news: @SoilsAtGuelph