OSCIA

Ottawa-Carleton SCIA AGM
2024-01-08 09:30 - 14:30 (America/Toronto) | 1481 Stittsville Main St., 1481 Stittsville Main St., Stittsville, ON
Join the Ottawa-Carleton SCIA for their AGM on January 8th, 2024 from 9:30Am – 2:30PM
Hot lunch available for $25 for members, $35 for non-members.

Grey Bruce Farmers' Week - Sheep Day (In Person and Livestreaming)
2024-01-06 11:20 - 12:00 | Elmwood Community Centre, 38 Concession Rd 10, Elmwood, ON, N0G 1S0, Canada
Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week (GBFW) has been a main stay for the agricultural industry in Grey County since 1966. The featured commodities have changed as our agricultural focus has evolved, but the mandate to educate farmers and agribusiness has remained firm. #GBFW24 includes several KSEs, including:
Grazing Cover Crops
January 6, 2024 at 11:20 a.m.
Christine O’Reilly, Forage & Grazing Specialist, OMAFRA; Quintin McEwen, Owner/Operator, Cedar Grove Farm
Cover crops can help to extend a grazing season, increase grazing acres in a rotation, and be a cost effective forage source for sheep. Hear from an OMAFRA grazing specialist, and a producer with experience using covers for feed about how they might fit into your operation.
Note: GBFW sessions that qualify as KSEs must be attended in person or watched via the livestream. Watching the recorded or on-demand sessions do not qualify.
For more information, including the full agenda, or to register, visit Agriculture | Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week | Elmwood (greybrucefarmersweek.ca)

Southwest Agricultural Conference (SWAC) - In-Person
2024-01-04 - 2024-01-05 | University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, 120 Main Street East, Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada
Three KSEs are available at this year’s IN-PERSON Southwest Agricultural Conference (SWAC). Each session will be offered at different times on January 4 and January 5. See details below.
Note: While the in-person sessions will be recorded, watching an On-Demand recording of these sessions do not qualify as a KSE. The session must be attended in-person.
Nitrogen Management KSEs:
Maximizing Nitrogen
John Heard, Manitoba Agriculture (ret)
Dribble band, broadcast, incorporate, temperature, rainfall, form. John puts the “simple” in making decisions around when to protect nitrogen and what timing works.

Jan 4, 10:00 AM – Agronomy, Classroom 126
Jan 5, 9:00 AM – Agronomy, Lecture Theatre 137

Nitrogen Know-How
Dr. Adrian Correndo, UG
The latest addition to the agronomy team at Guelph, Adrian brings new insights on corn N responsiveness from his work at Kansas State University.

Jan 4, 2:10 PM – Agronomy, Lecture Theatre 137
Jan 5, 12:00 PM – Agronomy, Classroom 127

Level 2 Nutrient Interactions
Dr. Luke Gatiboni, NCSU
Luke brings his incredible depth of knowledge to explain more about how nutrients work in the soil, and how to best manage to get them into your crops.

Jan 4, 3:10 PM – Agronomy, Lecture Theatre 137
Jan 5, 9:00 AM – Agronomy, Classroom 127

Cover Cropping KSEs:
Cover Crop Panel
Ken Schaus, Hanover; Chris Wood, Bornholm; Woody Van Arkel, Dresden; Jake Munroe, OMAFRA [Moderator]
From the best to the worst, these avid cover croppers discuss failures, experiences, and what works on their farms.

Jan 4, 2:10 PM – Agronomy, Classroom 126
Jan 5, 9:00 AM – Rural Development Centre, Lecture Theatre 125

To register and view the conference agenda, visit https://www.ontarioagconference.ca/swac1/.

Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) Information Session
2024-01-03 11:30 - 13:00 | 9
The Application Intake for the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) is STILL OPEN!
If you were not able to join us for our December virtual information sessions, we have added some NEW DATES for January!
Online information sessions are an opportunity to learn more about RALP, a funding program being delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. As part of the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative, RALP provides funding to support Ontario farmers in making their agricultural lands more productive and resilient. The Program provides funding to support:

Natural Grassland Establishment
Perennial Biomass & Warm Season Pastures
Reduced Tillage
Tree & Shrub Planting
Water Retention Features
Wetlands

During the information sessions, OSCIA staff will walk you through program eligibility, application requirements and how to apply. Sessions will run for 1.5 hours and will include an opportunity to ask questions about the program.
The first intake opened to accept applications on October 24th, 2023, at 9am, ET, and will remain open until the budget for this program year is fully allocated. Information on the initiative can be found in the online program guide: Program Guide
To participate in an online information session, you must register in advance. To register, click the link below for the session you would like to attend. All sessions will offer the same information, so please only register for one session.
ENGLISH SESSIONS
January 3th, 2024, 11:30AM ET – click here
January 9th, 2024, 7:00PM ET – click here
FRENCH SESSION
January 10th, 7:00PM ET – click here
If you have any questions, please contact us at s-cap@ontariosoilcrop.org.

Grey Bruce Farmers' Week - Beef Day (In Person and Livestreaming)
2024-01-03 09:50 - 10:40 | Elmwood Community Centre, 38 Concession Rd 10, Elmwood, ON, N0G 1S0, Canada
Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week (GBFW) has been a main stay for the agricultural industry in Grey County since 1966. The featured commodities have changed as our agricultural focus has evolved, but the mandate to educate farmers and agribusiness has remained firm. #GBFW24 includes several KSEs, including:
Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing Affects Both the Quantity and Quality of Soil Carbon in Ontario Pastures
January 3, 2024 at 9:50 a.m.
Dr. Kim Schneider, Associate Professor, University of Guelph
Rotational grazing is often touted for its ability to increase carbon sequestration on pastures, however, little Ontario data is available to support this claim. This presentation will outline the scientific results obtained from an Ontario grazing management study obtained using data from five ‘across the fence comparisons’ of beef farms managed according to adaptive multi-paddock grazing principles or continuously grazed. Results found changes in soil organic carbon quantity and quality. Scientific reasoning explaining the results will be presented.
Note: GBFW sessions that qualify as KSEs must be attended in person or watched via the livestream. Watching the recorded or on-demand sessions do not qualify.
For more information, including the full agenda, or to register, visit Agriculture | Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week | Elmwood (greybrucefarmersweek.ca)

Ottawa-Rideau SCIA Annual General Meeting
2023-12-28 | Stittsville Legion, 1481 Stittsville Main Street, Stittsville, ON, Canada
Join us on January 8th, 2024 for Ottawa-Rideau SCIA’s Annual General Meeting.
More details will be shared shortly.

SWAT and Managing Nitrogen for Optimum Rates in Corn and Wheat (Virtual)
2023-12-19 19:00 - 20:15 | 9
Dive into SWAT mapping with agronomists at PT Sullivan Agro Inc. and learn how this technology can help farmers optimize nitrogen use in corn and wheat.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkfuyuqD4oGtyMX6FVaeV8Ah7Y2laNEFNW

Lanark 2023 AGM
2023-12-19 10:30 - 15:00 | Lanark Civitan Hall, ON, Canada
We look forward to seeing everyone at our 2023 AGM.

Date: December 19th, 10:30 start, lunch at noon
Location: Lanark Civitan Hall
Guest Speaker: Dean Bowes, Mississippi Mills Malting Co.

Please RSVP to Ashley before December 15th to ensure you get lunch.

Ashley Knapton
lanarkscia@gmail.com
Secretary-Treasurer
Lanark Soil & Crop Improvement Association

Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) Information Session
2023-12-18 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-12-11 12:00 - 13:30, 2023-12-06 19:00 - 20:30 | 9
Join us for an online information session to learn more about the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP), a funding program being delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. As part of the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative, the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) provides funding to support Ontario farmers in making their agricultural lands more productive and resilient. The Program provides funding to support projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon. Projects will focus on:
• Natural Grassland Establishment
• Perennial Biomass & Warm Season Pastures
• Reduced Tillage
• Tree & Shrub Planting
• Water Retention Features
• Wetlands
During the information sessions, OSCIA staff will walk you through eligibility information, application requirements and how to apply. Sessions will run for 1.5 hours and will include an opportunity to ask questions about the program.
The first intake opened to accept applications on October 24, 2023, at 9 am, ET, and will remain open until the budget for this program year is fully allocated. Information on the initiative can be found in the online program guide: Program Guide
To participate in an online Information Session , you must register in advance. To register, click the link below for the session. All sessions will offer the same information, so please only register for one session.
Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 7 pm – 8:30 pm: Register Here
Monday, December 11, 2023, 12 pm – 1:30 pm: Register Here
Monday, December 18, 2023, 7 pm – 8:30 pm: Register Here
Information sessions are delivered in English, but if you need support in French, please contact us at s-cap@ontariosoilcrop.org.

Grey County SCIA's Winter Meeting
2023-12-15 10:00 - 16:00 | Rocklyn Hall, Rocklyn ON, 156371 7th Line,, Rocklyn, ON, N4L1W6, Canada
Please join Grey County Soil & Crop on December 15th 2023, from 10 am to 3:30 pm, at the Rocklyn Hall for their annual Winter Meeting.
More information to follow regarding presentation topics and speakers.
Pre-registration is REQUIRED in order to secure your meal! Please reach out to lorie@greyagservices.ca, or call 519-986-3756.

2023 High Yield Corn Competition- DEADLINE TO REGISTER
2023-12-15 | 9
2023 High Yield Corn Competition
Fee- $50 deadline Dec15; Prize: Trophy 1st 2 bags of corn seed, 2nd 1 bag of corn seed and 3rd place gets $100; need to have 10ac of 1 hybrid, have an outside person onsite to do the yield on 1 acre, use weigh wagon/elevator for weight corrected to 15.5%. SAMPLE to be tested on a certified scale. Harvested weight is used.
Deadline December 15 for harvest results and entry fee.
Forms available from the SSCIA Secretary-Treasurer > stormontscia@gmail.com.
Entry Fees: submit to SSCIA Secretary-Treasurer > stormontscia@gmail.com

Northumberland SCIA AGM
2023-12-14 09:00 - 15:30 | Codrington Community Centre (Brighton), 2992 Highway 30, Codrington, Ontario, Canada
For more information: Eric Lawlor at 905-269-8555 or foxfire@xplornet.com

Using the Soil Health Assessment & Plan (Virtual)
2023-12-12 19:00 - 20:00 | 9

Grenville AGM
2023-12-12 10:30 - 15:00 | Nation Masonic Lodge, 36 Bennett St, Spencerville, ON, Canada
AGENDA
10:30 AM – Colleen Acres – Regional Program Lead
11:15 AM – Eleanor Renaud – Provincial Director
11:30 AM – Laura Scott, OMAFRA – Regional Projects
11:50 AM – Seed Growers Association Report
12:10 AM – 1:00 PM – LUNCH ($25)
1:00 PM – Carleton Farms – New Compost Facility in Grenville
1:30 PM – Treasurer Report and New Business
** Please confirm attendance to lunch, if possible

Renfrew AGM
2023-12-08 10:30 - 17:00 | Renfrew Armouries, 115 Veterans Memorial NULL, Renfrew, 9, Canada
Stay tuned for more details.

North Simcoe SCIA's Annual General Meeting
2023-12-08 10:30 - 15:30 | Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall, Elmvale, ON, Canada
Please join the North Simcoe Soil & Crop Improvement Association on December 8th at 10:30 am at Our Lady of Lourdes church hall in Elmvale for their Annual General Meeting.
Guest speakers are Alan Priest of Powell Jones, Barrie, talking about succession planning and Horst Bohner, OMAFRA, presenting ‘100 bushel beans’.
All members (family as well) are welcome to attend. Please contact John Nahuis for more information.

Essex SCIA AGM
2023-12-07 09:00 - 15:00 | 9
The Essex Soil & Crop Improvement Association Annual General Meeting
Where: St. John’s Parish Hall, Woodslee
When: Thursday, December 7st, 2023

Preregistration Required: MDick@erca.org or 519 259 1461
Time: Registration/payment – 8:30 am. Meeting starting – 9:00 am
Admission: $50.00 (includes lunch & 2024 ESCIA membership) Cash or cheque at the door please
For further details, please contact Michael Dick at MDick@erca.org.

Agenda:
Winter Canola Works
Dr. Eric Page, AAFC
**********
Unlocking Soils Hidden Potential
Michael Stangle
*************
Conservation Farm Award Recipient – 2023

Uncover Your Soil Health (Webinar)
2023-12-05 12:00 - 13:00 | 9
Celebrate World Soil Day on December 5th by diving into the exciting research underway at the Greenbelt Foundation, Soil Health Institute and University of Guelph aimed at transforming the way farmers measure and manage soil health in Ontario. Learn how you can get involved and access free soil health assessments for your farm.
To register, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkdeqorDgqH9FlG_zVxLN-QIJfXy9xlEsP

Leeds AGM
2023-12-05 | Forfar Hall, 1544 Highway 15, Portland, ON, K0G 1V0, Canada
Join Leeds SCIA for their upcoming AGM on December 5th! Stay tuned for more details.

Reach out to Ross Hawkins for additional information, by phone: 613-483-5238 or by email: rossahawk@sympatico.ca.

Frontenac AGM
2023-12-01 11:00 - 17:00 | Battersea United Church, 2217 Wellington St, Battersea, Ontario, K0H 1H0, Canada
FRONTENAC COUNTY SOIL & CROP ASSOCIATION & Frontenac Farm Safety Association
AGENDA
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Friday, December 1, 2023 11:00 am
Battersea United Church Hall
1. President takes the chair, calls the meeting to order and welcomes
members and guests
2. Reading and Approval of 2022 Annual General Meeting Minutes
3. President’s report/comments
4. Financial report/Auditor’s report
5. Appointment of Auditor(s) for 2024
6. Brief Updates: Eleanor Renaud Regional Director updates, Melanie Hunter
Manager Regional Client Services OSCIA
7. Ottawa Valley Seed Growers update
8. Lunch
9. Guest Speakers: Jim McComb, of Farmers Edge AgriCoaching, Harris
Ivens Canadian Wollastonite
10. Call on chairperson to run the elections
11. President resumes chairmanship of the meeting
Adjourn meeting: Executive will have a brief meeting following
adjournment
Lunch is $20: For tickets please contact Henry Posthumous, Mike
MacLean or any Director

Wellington SCIA AGM
2023-12-01 09:00 - 15:00 | Alma Bible Church, Alma, ON, Canada

EFAO Conference
2023-11-29 08:30 - 2023-11-30 17:00 | Four Points Sheraton in London, London, Ontario, Canada
The annual EFAO Conference draws farmers and supporters from across the food system for two days of intensive learning, idea-sharing, networking and celebration with good food and friends. EFAO’s first province-wide in-person conference since 2019!
Rotational Grazing KSEs
Tools for Managing Pasture Using Nature’s Model for Ecological Sustainability
November 29th, 1:30-3:00pm
How do you know if your pasture is sustainable? Well, is your sward readily grazed by stock and does it remain robust throughout the season? If you wondered if there was a typo or were tempted to google “sward,” then you might learn something new in this session! E. Ann Clark suggests managing pasture in such a way as to offer “cheap feed” to animals, meaning that she recommends diverse plantings of perennials that do not require mechanized maintenance. Ann sees the task of a grazier to be both identifying and implementing principles that sustain nature in food production and environmental management via grass-based farming. Sward genetics, fertility, and defoliation will all be discussed in this practical session for graziers.
Cover Cropping KSEs
Nitrogen Calculations for Cover Crops
November 29th, 3:30-5:00pm
Jesse Way operates Milky Way Farm with his partner Meghan Brandenburg, where they use cover crops as part of their management of 1.5 acres of ecologically-focused veg production. Jesse and Meghan conducted a research trial (as part of EFAO’s farmer-led-research program) to better understand how cover cropping was impacting their soil health. This trial was designed to investigate tools available to all farmers for addressing the challenge of predicting the Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) contribution of organic amendments and cover crops in agroecosystems. At this session Jesse will go into detail about how to do biomass sampling from the field, and how to make sense of the lab results using the free online calculator from Oregon State University. He will work through an example of predicting PAN, and highlight the potential to reduce reliance on lab testing as a result of creating an on-farm database with potential for collaboration with other farms.
No-Till Potatoes: A Farmer Researcher Panel
November 30th, 10:30am-12:00pm
No-till production practices for potatoes might sound like an oxymoron for this hilling-intensive crop. Or is it? Join EFAO members and farmer-researchers Matt Jones, Patti Charbaneau, Rob Read, and Ken Laing as they describe the methods they are trialing and the varieties they are working with to make organic no-till potato production a reality in Ontario. Some of these promising methods include use of spoiled hay, woodchips, compost, and planting directly into a cover crop.
Growing Small Grains in Ontario: A speaker panel (part 2)

November 29th, 3:30-5:00pm

Part 2 of this 2-part speaker panel focuses on an agronomy deep dive. Gather in this session to hear from farmers that have been learning in the literal field of growing small grains. We’ll get into the nitty gritty agronomic decisions that go into growing high-quality grains using ecological methods. We’ll talk about tillage, timing, fertility, crop protection and all the tools an ecological farmer can use to get the most out of their small grains crops. We’ll also discuss mentorship in the grain growing community: who can we learn from, and how? This farmer panel is made up of folks who have different ways of sourcing seed, growing crops, and marketing products with one thing in common: a passion for growing grain in a way that benefits the environment and their farms. Come to hear their unique perspectives on all things grain-growing. Bring your questions!

For more information about the conference (including the full agenda) and to register for one or both days, visit https://efao.ca/efao-conference-2023/

Victoria Beef Farmers Producer Meeting
2023-11-28 18:30 - 2023-11-29 21:00 | Fenelon Falls Senior Centre, 58 Murray St, Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada

The Agronomists - Nitrogen Management and Enhanced Efficiency Products (LIVE podcast)
2023-11-27 20:00 - 21:00 | 9
Tune in to LIVE at 8 pm E for a discussion on enhanced nitrogen efficiency products with Dr Mario Tenuta, Ray Dowbenko and Dale Cowan.
https://www.realagriculture.com/agronomists/
Note: Participants must join the live stream to receive credit for participating in this KSE.

Exploring the AgriSuite Greenhouse Gas Decision Support Tool (Virtual)
2023-11-24 10:30 - 12:00 | 9
Save the date. More information coming soon!
Did you know that farmers can use an OMAFRA-designed Greenhouse Gas (GHG) decision support tool, available on AgriSuite, to measure their GHG emissions on-farm and explore options for reducing their carbon footprint?
Join OSCIA and the Ontario Soil Network on November 24th to explore the tool with the staff that helped design it, and hear from one Central Ontario farmer on how they’ve used it to make decisions and reduce their operations impact through practices like cover cropping, precision ag, applying organic amendments and more.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMuf-6sqTgsHd0uBhsnjQgoiHceGRsFApuJ

Getting the Most out of Manure
2023-11-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Clinton Legion, 95 Kirk Street, Clinton, Ontario, Canada
Join OSCIA and OMAFRA staff for back-to-back sessions on Manure Management and Cover Cropping.

Morning Session (10 a.m. to noon): Getting the Most out of Manure with Christine Brown, OMAFRA
Afternoon Session (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.): Cover Crop Management Tips with Jake Munroe, OMAFRA

To register for one or both of these sessions, please contact Lois Sinclair at lsinclair@ontariosoilcrop or 519-955-3139.

Alternative Forages, Cover Cropping & Grazing with Gordon Alblas
2023-11-02 13:00 - 15:00 | Gordon Alblas, 775 Sager Road, Branchton, Ontario, Canada
Join OSN and Gordon Alblas for a field tour and an informative discussion about alternative forage, cover cropping and grazing. They will dive into planting timing and results, root growth and top growth.
To register, visit Alternative Forages, Cover Cropping & Grazing with Gordon Alblas – Ontario Soil Network

UTRCA Soil Health Tailgate Tour
2023-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Perth/Middlesex, Perth & Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada
Join the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority for a Soil Health Tailgate Tour on October 25. This tour aims to highlight the importance of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) including cover crops, temporary set asides, and rotational grazing for preserving and improving soil health, while increasing production and profitability for farmers. Attendees will visit two farms near St. Marys to chat with local farmers and conservation staff about their insights and first-hand experiences in implementing these BMPs for soil conservation, and hear updates on ongoing demonstration trials related to these practices.
Stop 1:
1430 Rd 132, St. Marys
Stop 2:
34089 Stonehouse Line, Granton
Participants will travel in their own vehicles to two stops. All activities will be outdoors, so dress appropriately. Snacks and beverages will be provided. There is no cost to attend this event.
For more information, contact Beth Wrona at wronab@thamesriver.on.ca
To register, visit https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=yiL0Q_jidkKaJqieJ4Tta5xJxsHbLtdOmXbHiXsJHJdUMEtKRUQwVjk1SURLODU3SjlXS1pBMlI4SS4u. There is no cost to attend this event.
