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The Rural Voice, 2005-10, Page 59BRUCE Email: bruce@ofa.on.ca website: www.ofa.on.ca/bruce County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER Money available for environmental Bruce County has had an extremely active few months in both the Nutrient Management Financial Assistance Program (NMFAP) and the Environmental Farm Plan Program (EFP). With the NMFAP, the Ontario government recognized that producers were faced with challenging economic conditions. In response to the needs of the existing large livestock farms of over 300 nutrient units the government enhanced the financial assistance available to them. With up to $60,000 in provincial funding for manure storages, Bruce County's existing large livestock producers made incredible strides to meet deadlines and put plans in place to apply for eligible projects to be completed on their farms. The uptake and interest of Bruce County farmers is commendable and a wide range of sustainable environmental projects are in the process of being completed. Eligible projects ongoing in the county at this time are outdoor confinement areas upgrades, berms, eavestroughing, containment of runoff, flow paths, vegetated filter strips, new watering systems, decommissioning wells, upgrading water supply, composting systems and manure storages including covers, tanks, pads and retaining walls. A popular component of the program was the eligibility of in-kind labour and equipment used on the farmers behalf. Almost 30 existing Targe livestock producers took advantage of this NMFAP in Bruce County totaling over 70 applications. An additional program, the Environmental Farm Plan Edition 3, is 446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 • The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Bruce County by the BCFA improvements now in full swing in the county as well. All farm producers are eligible to participate in this EFP program. They can apply for up to $30,000 in cost share funding providing they have a Farm Business Registration number and have completed an EFP workbook that is deemed appropriate. Producers may be interested in checking the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSC1A) website at www.ontariosoilcrop.org for more information on funding and projects. The website will provide you with the option of selecting the Canadian -Ontario Environmental Farm Plan or upcoming EFP workshops. If you click on the Farm Plan option and then Beneficial Management Practices you will open the brochure of eligible cost -share projects with descriptions and funding amounts included. The EFP Infosheets. (click on the link below Beneficial Management Practices), are of exceptional interest to anyone who is looking for ideas or options in order to correct situations on their farm. These infosheets correspond with the chapters and worksheets within the EFP workbook and can be very helpful in filling out the action sheet portion of the EFP workbook. They cover a wide range of topics from petroleum storage, to livestock yards, soil and fieldcrop management, milking center washwater and wetlands, wildlife and woodlands. There will be NO Board of Directors' meeting in October due to the Annual Meeting October 28. Next meeting will be Monday, November 14, 2005. Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Workshops Bruce County Port Elgin - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Day 1 - October 5/Day 2 - October 12 Lions Head - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Day 1 - October 11/Day 2 - October 21 Teeswater - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Day 1 - October 17/Day 2 - October 24 Cargill - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Day 1 - November 17/Day 2 - November 24 Call today to register — Jayne Dietrich 519-367-5930 bruce@ontariosoilcrop.org www.ontariosoilcrop.org 54 THE RURAL VOICE This is valuable information you will be able to access through your internet and it will prove as a valuable management tool with your completed EFP. Ontario producers with an Environment Farm Plan (EFP) "deemed appropriate" through peer review are eligible to apply for cost - share incentives through the Canada Ontario Farm Stewardship Program, Greencover Canada, and the Canada - Ontario Water Supply Expansion Program to implement actions identified in their farm plans. Additional eligibility criteria will apply. Existing First and Second Edition EFP "deemed appropriate" action plans will be honoured until March 31, 2006. All cost -share applications received after March 31, 2006 will require a Third Edition EFP "deemed appropriate" prior to making a submission. For producers who had an EFP deemed appropriate between 1993 and April, 2004, retroactive funding may be available for eligible projects in COFSP and Greencover Canada that were initiated after April 1, 2004. There is no retroactive funding for COWSEP projects. Funds will be available until March 31, 2008 or until they are completely allocated, whichever occurs first.0 — Submitted by Jayne Dietrich BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE 64TH ANNUAL MEETING AND BANQUET AND OFA REGIONAL MEETING Friday, October 28, 2005 Underwood Community Centre Guest Speaker: Dennis Guy, Network President, Foodland Forum Social: 6:30 p.m. Dinner: 7:00 p.m. Note: OFA Regional Directors, Delegates and Alternates for OFA Convention, BCFA Presidents and Township Directors will be elected at this meeting.