Fuel storage cost share opportunities
Some projects eligible for cost share include fuel storage, well head and animal handling practices improvements through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative designed to encourage innovation, competiveness and market development in Canada’s Agri-food and Agri-products sector through cost share funding opportunities. GF2 offers cost-share funding assistance to Ontario producers and will support innovation as well as education, training, audits, assessments, planning and implementation activities to help improve their business. The next intake for applications is August 10 to 27, 2015. More information is available at www.ontariosoilcrop.org. An Environmental Farm Plan workshop is scheduled on Manitoulin in mid-August. Environmental Farm Plans are assessments voluntarily prepared by farm families to increase their environmental awareness in up to 23 different areas on their farm.  Farmers highlight their farm’s environmental strengths, identify areas of environmental concern, and set realistic action plans with time tables to improve environmental conditions. The two-day workshops are free, and you can register at www.ontariosoilcrop.org or contact Mary Scott at 705-377-4928.
Program Announcement: Chicken Farmers of Ontario – New Programs, Artisanal Production
Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) has announced that it is launching a portfolio of new and revised programs that will meet the needs of Ontario consumers while creating new opportunities for farmers and processors. The new programs—which were developed following extensive public and industry consultations—will use a portion of the future growth in Ontario’s production allocation to facilitate new business opportunities. The Artisanal Chicken Program allows farmers to grow between 600 and 3,000 birds annually for commercial market purposes. It will appeal to smaller independent, family farmers who wish to raise chickens on a smaller commercial scale and sell to selected local markets. For example, a farmer that wished to provide specially grown or processed chicken to support the defined needs of a local restaurant or a local farmers market might choose to join this program. This is an application based program requiring a production licence from CFO. The application for the artisanal production is online and applications are open until Friday, September 4, 2015. Application process and forms can be accessed through Chicken Farmers of Ontario main program page: http://cfoprograms.ontariochicken.ca/Home.aspx
The direct link to forms (which also specifies time lines) is https://forms.ontariochicken.ca/ArtisanalChickenProgram/English.html
