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The Times Advocate, 2008-10-15, Page 19Wednesday, October 15, 2008 Agriculture 19 TIMES—ADVOCATE Cultivating a new generation of farmers aids agricultural industry OFA - The numbers tell the story. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture reports that over the past 10 years, about 5,000 Ontario family farms have disap- peared. According to Statistics Canada, from 1996 to 2006, the average age of Ontario farmers rose from 49 to 52 years. Those under 35 years old numbered almost 14,000 in 1996. Just 10 years later, there were only 7,000 farm operators in this age category. So what's happening to Ontario agriculture? Has it become a career for only the older generations? There is no question that with so many occupational choices, farming may not rank high on the list of many young people. Even those who grew up on farms are lured away by higher paying jobs where time off is measured in weeks, not hours. Looking forward to future innovations Kristen Ego MacPhail is one young farmer near Orillia who is bucking the trend. MacPhail and her husband grow trees, plants, fruits and vegetables and while she is proud of her family's farming heritage, she also looks for- ward to future innova- tions in h e r indus- try. As she explains, there are some generational differences when it comes to farming. "I'm a Gen-Xer and admit that compared to my parents, I have a different approach in many areas of life in general and in particular to farming In turn, my parents had differ- ent opinions on farming than their parents did but change seems to be happening much faster than ever before," MacPhail says. Whether it is a young farmer or someone nearing retirement age, the pace of change requires that all farmers be ready to meet and adapt through knowledge and tech- nology. As MacPhail explains, many of her peers have college or university educations and this has become the norm in agri- culture. acus ON MING "Education is one aspect of the changing nature of farming but technology too is playing a key role," MacPhail says. "My generation has grown up with technology. For example, I have an iPod in my purse and can listen to a podcast to access information. There is so much information available that one of the skills we need is not nec- essarily to know how to access information but rather, to sift through it carefully to deter- mine what's useful and how we can apply the knowledge to our own farming business. Perhaps one of the major generational differences for people like MacPhail is even with the many career options available, she and others like her are still choosing farming. At the same time, she recog- nizes that the level of commit- ment may be discouraging young people from remaining on the farm or getting into the business in the first place. "The farm business is not something you can just start and make your millions like people did during the tech boom. Farming is a long-term responsibility that can be very demanding on both personal and family time. The hours are long and the job is year- round." Lack of infrastructure a major challenge A lack of infrastructure in some rural communities can also add to the challenges. MacPhail has a young daughter which means she is thinking about how to access babysitter or daycare in her area. "If rural areas could build an infrastructure that supports the needs of young families, there may be more people willing to choose the farming business," she says. No matter what the chal- lenges, Ontario agriculture offers young people the chance to be their own boss, and to work in a business where their profession, land and home are literally one and the same. For Kristin Ego MacPhail, it is a lifestyle she wouldn't change. Denfield Livestock Sales Denfield Livestock market report for Tues., Oct. 7, 2008. The market at Denfield Livestock Sales traded on a good demand on the fancy handy weight cattle with second cut cattle under pressure. A large run of cows traded active at prices follow- ing the week's decline. Stockers sold fully steady. Good holstein bull calves a little brighter. David and Glen Minielly, Wyoming sold 34 heifers average weight 1286 average price 90.71 to high of 93.75 all purchased by Norwich Packers. Steve Bowman, Denfield sold a Lim- ousin bull weighing 1750 at 68.50. Choice steers 99-93, Good steers 85 - 90, plain steers 75 - 85, Choice exotic cross heifers 90-93.75, Good heifers 85 - 89, plain heifers 70 - 80, Good fed cows 60 - 70, D1 & D2 cows 50 - 60, D3 & D4 cows 40-50, Shells 20-35, Good beef bulls 60-70, Good holstein bulls 55-80, Good holstein bull calves $75 - $150, Plain bull calves $10 - $50. Did You Know? The recycling symbol, named a mobius loop, typically found on a plastic container does not necessarily mean it is recyclable! The loopsystem was designed to simply y g PY identify the 'type' of plastic it is made with. To learn more about acceptable plastic containers in your recycling program, please visit our special plastics section on our website at www.bra.orglplastics t Space provided through a partnership between industry and Ontario municipalities to support waste diversion programs.