The Rural Voice, 1998-08, Page 56Ontario Pork
Congress celebrates
its 25th year
Close to 5,000 people passed
through the Stratford fairground on
June 25 and 26 to take part in the
Ontario Pork Congress.
Agriculture and Agri -Food
Canada Minister Lyle Vanclief
announced two new projects
designed to help Ontario pork
producers.
Ontario Pork will receive
$170,000 to offer a swine medicines
course to 6,750 pork producers in
Ontario and $123,000 to analyse
marketing options for the pork
industry.
The federal minister also
presented Dr. Tim Blackwell, a
health consultant with OMAFRA,
and the late Warren Stein of
Tavistock, accepted by his wife and
daughter, with the 1998 Ontario Pork
Congress Industry Leadership
Awards.
The purpose of the award is to
recognize outstanding service to the
pork industry. Dr. Blackwell's work
in swine health issues is extensive
and Warren Stein's contributions and
dedication to the pork industry were
commendable.0
The Huron County
battery blitz is on
again
For the fifth year, Huron County
4-H Leaders' Association and 4-H
members are collecting spent lead
acid batteries. Considered their
largest fundraising event, they hope
to raise close to $3,000 this year and
collect 1,500 batteries of all sizes.
Anyone wishing to donate used
lead acid batteries should bring them
to any of the eight locations by
August 8. The locations are: Becker
Farm Equipment, Exeter; Edward
Fuels, Goderich and Clinton; Hill and
Hill Farms,Varna; Lucknow Co-op,
Lucknow; McGavin Farin
Equipment, Walton; Townsend Tire,
Londesborough; Vincent Farm
52 THE RURAL VOICE
News
Equipment, Seaforth; Watson Home
Hardware, Gorrie.
The batteries are recycled for the
lead at a plant in Mississauga.0
The County Go for
the Gold
Huron County 4-H is busy
planning the County Go for the Gold
summer event to be held at Clinton
Christian School on August 4 at 7:30
p.m.
The Judging Competition is
planned for August 11 at the Seaforth
Agriplex. Registration for the event
is at 5:30 p.m., judges comments at
6:00 p.m. and judging at 6:30 p.m.
New leaders for fall projects
should attend the final '98 workshop.
This workshop is for people who
have not yet attended a workshop.
The workshop will be held at
OMAFRA Clinton August 25 at 7:00
p.m.
For further information contact
any 4-H leader or Marie Salm, the
Huron County 4-H association
president, at 524-9064.0
Two million jugs
recycled since 1992
Ontario farmers and commercial
pesticide applicators have returned
over 2,000,000 agricultural
pesticide containers through the
Ontario Pesticide Container
Recycling Program since it started in
1992.
Clean, triple or jet -rinsed plastic
and metal pesticide containers, 20
litres or less in size, are accepted at
200 dealer sites throughout the
province. Plastic containers are
chipped and made into plastic fence
posts for rural use and metal
containers are made into
reinforcement bars for construction.
The program is a co-operative
effort by growers through AGCare,
pesticide manufacturers, dealers and
Ontario's ministries of environment
and agriculture. The collection sites
are located at co-ops and farm
supply stores throughout the
province.0
Ontario farmers
believe in training
Ontario farmers want to gain
knowledge and skills and are most
interested in programs related to crop
management, technology use and
general financial and farm business
management.
According to the results of a
recent telephone survey conducted by
Ontario Agricultural Training
Institute (OATI), 43 per cent of
farmers in the province participated
in some form of training activity in
1997. The average number of days
spent in training was just under four
days and 18 per cent of farmers spent
five or more days in educational
activities.
Ontario farmers have a positive
attitude toward training and 85 per
cent see it as an investment in their
future. Those involved in training
activities tend to be 36-55 years old,
with some agriculture college or
university education, have gross farm
sales over $100,000 and are involved
in field crops or dairy operations.
The agricultural education market
study was initiated by OATI in
partnership with OMAFRA, Ontario
Agricultural College and Agriculture
and Agri -Food Canada. The purpose
of the study was to determine real
market demand for continued
training and education among
farmers and agribusiness.
Three new courses will be offered
by OATI in the fall and winter;
renewable energy for the farm, how
to find and evaluate business
opportunities, and developing your
marketing strategy. For more
information contact Margery Taylor
at 1-800-ONT-OATI, ext.223.0
Increased interest in
sheep farming
Ontario farmers are taking a
second look at sheep. Consistent firm
prices for lamb in the past few years,
new management tools, the
introduction of prolific breeds and a
strong market has piqued the interest
of livestock farmers.
To address this interest,