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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-03-19, Page 28P e 2 -Farm Proaron* `a7' by Roll: Wassiuk A gricultrure has jumped on. . the. Internet in full 'force and just recently was joined in cyber space' by the • Ontario Ministry Of Agriculture and Foot and•Rural Affairs (OMAA) :.. OMAFRA's official launch.. onto, the World: Wide Web took, place at the International: farm: • Machinery Show in Toronto fast month- when; it introduced its ' . web site to show visitors, and ' the World for anyone linking up. The Internet is the computer information. highway It's where businesses,. industries,, individu;- als, municipalities, schools, etc.;... are: connected to in record num- bers. umbees. To sell yourself to people linked to the Internet, you ,sim- ply produce what's: 'called..ac `homepage; or a •site err the Internet. That site . can be accessed by anyone logging on. The number of Internet users is 'in the millions 'in North America. `ack Westlake, ag rep for. Grey County, was at the farm"' shoti, and .was' enthusiastic about OMAFRA. jump onto, the Internet, • "Last month we had 80,000 hits without it even being office cial," he said... ' • A. 'hit' roughly translated is a when a person links onto a site . and opens the pages within that site. • • The' dairy and swine ndus- tries led the way to the Internet and have been using the infor mation highway for some time to promote their industries. Westlake says those are the two bestdeveloped sites and ' speculates beef will soon be on as well. • "The dairy industry 'always looks at new technology first;" he.said,`adding dairy, .was:the first to use computers for record` keeping: Dairy is;to the point where.t. hase-mail user groups. • 12" PVC Utility" Boots Meets Sites 7-13: 543-02427 54.9193 " Reg 4.99 1097 ' ASM SOURCE Special pricing in effect ffarcli 31- April 12, 1997 ° WorkGlove Tough and durable coustruction. with 4.1-1/2" duff. :546-928 Reg, 6.49 CHEcx OUT. OUR HAYING PRODUCTS. rCTS KUSTOM , KICKER 7200 -• Made specifically for heavy use in lisle. throwing applications: #842 Fence 2:0 -Rod: Rolle . Galvanized wire' with tight -lock ronsuuciion and tension curves to allow for land contours 563-303 Reg, 185.99 . •7997 12 -Gauge Oiled :& Annealed Black Wire. IO ll Roil '..563456 Reg, 10,99 > ' OIJN n 110000': • New twine trade for round bales covered: with bale bar/tubes.' • Low oil. content capatible withplastic: wrap' • r * ,f* err * *' tilt * * * e * * * , Brazilian Sisal Twine • Canadian, Poly Twine Bale Tubes° • Bale Bags ',Bale Netting • Hay Covers •. Bale Tarps.. • Bale Wrap : 9 -Gauge Galvanized Brace Wire, 101h.: Roll 563456. Reg 10:99 YOUR COMPUTE . 'FENCE SOVJ CE : • Posts ' • Hi -Tensile Fencing Bart Wire. • Residential: Chain Link. • Vinyl Fence Systems -: Electric ;fencing • Snow & .Safety,.Fencing • Ornamental Fencing • Hog & Cattle Panels Heavy Duty ,f -Rail:' Square Tube at Sturdy 1-1/4" square tube construction suci SALE'• . SIZE SKU RETAIL. PRICE , 10' 563-700 89:99 709 12' 563.7011 109.99 999 14'' 563.702 12499 ; 111497 '1.6' 563-703 1,4449 '129' 18' 563-704 159;99 114497 A' $ZooTo C., .W;,Road CTO. Port Elgin ' Golf Course . 7' ".. trader P irk :. Country Depot - Port Elgin Hwy. 21 South Across from Golf Course 832-6500 . "And Internet naturally fel- lowed through." • He said the University 'of 'Guelph has started a user group for agriculture ealled.`caffeine'. Collegesand universities have for years transferred and offered information over the Internet. -Westlake ,says his guess is about 15 per cent of farmers have Internet access. More want to sign. up, but the mail ,probleln in. rural Ontario are out -of date phone.lines"urtable to handke the information overload. „' "As, lines' are updated,,more people will get on ,,: it's' rola- cheap." ela-cheap " • Farmers, and.agricultural. related businesses and organiza— tions will use the Internet as an economical way of''exchanging ... information and that's. the main reason for OMAFR,Ars being there; he,says Andfarmers who want infer, mation from OMAFIIA; can be more specific whengetting information' over the Internet and collect what pertains to their operation, rather than a , ,hinder full'' of paper that covers all aspects, of certain operations. s�hc�T One example Westlake cites is chemical sprays, A case: cropper. doesn't need to know the types of sprays to use itt an apple orchard. That information can be separated. and dissetniniated easily via the Internet. It will save OMAFRA .(taxi payers) money in the long-term, he'says. The added bonusbeing up-to-date information will be available. ' "It's ,convenient, easy access and cheap." • Don't throw out your paper. yet, Westlake says, People are only now becoming 'computer, • literate: "We're just: getting into • • Re`describes thisstage of the Internet. as• "kindergarten" and suggests' it will become more user friendly and faster, "We still haven't seen the . sophistication that will. make it 'replacetpaper" Instead of cost being the 1}m- iting factor,. it will be, how easy - andspecific it is to get inform*::: tion and how relevant it is to the • day-to-day operations. .m "That will be. the; big driver'}., gxiculture .and Agri Fond Canada (AAFC) is ;committing $1,000,000'. to scholarship awards over': the .next two years to'stiidents : pur- suing Masters and PhD studies in a. broad range` of agriculture. related .disciplines. . • The announcement;: 'nide: by AAFC :Minister' Ralph Goodale, is part of the Government of Canada's: commitment.to. youth. employment "The scholarships will Tiro vide ,attractive incentives for. Young men and women seeking advanced degrees related, to agriculti re and agri-food, said. Mr Goodale. "By helping stu- dents defray the cost of studies in certain relevant fields,. Agriculture and Agri Food Canada isproactively meeting ‘.future needs • for new scientists, engineers, economists and, other professionals in the increasingly technical" agri-food sector"' Each year, close, to $500,000 . in ;scholarships will'; be .provid- ed: comprising about,1.5 Master' of Arts or Master of Science ' wards valued . at $15,000 each per., year and 15 Doctoral aWa awardysear valued at $°17,000 .each,' per "Agriculture and .Ag`ri-Food >,.. Canada has committed funding .for;", two years from :our Canadian Adaptation, and Rural Development (CARD) Fund, blit as the: value of this , scholar- ship initiative is proven; we will be investigating. a; uariety--of "Options for ,longer-term 'fund- ig." Mr. Goodale said. The CARD Fund, $240, lion .over foir. years, was'estab liehed` to help Canada's agricul_ ture sector grow and- capture markets,reduce • short-term •instability and enhance econom- ic opportunity, all in 'the context''. of a rapidly' changing overall envzroninent Students may apply this spring :for the '.scholarships. through their .universities. A committee, composed of distin gnished Canadian.' academics; :will choose , successful nlipli'M Cants from candidates 'nominat ed by. their universities. ' Foodland Quick. Fact .. Most Ontario -grown cabbage is sold fresh, about -20 per cent is for processing.,. •