The West Nipissing East Sudbury Soil and Crop Association’s Seed Fair winners were honoured at the recent OFA conference in Sturgeon Falls.Caisse Populaire Grand Champion, James Parsons of Parsons Grain accepting from Caisse Director Stephane Methot. 
C&M Seed Grain Champion. Kyle Parsons of Parsons Grain accepting from Co-op Regionale’s Tanja Seed 
Caisse Populaire Forage Champion Normand Venne, accepting from Caisse Director Stephane methot 
Birgit Martin from Manitoulin Island illustrates soil sampling, how to interpret results and the best practices for applying soil amendments to crops and pasture. 
Phil Dick of NOFIA, from Guelph, discussed different ways to expand or add value to a farm-based business.
Local seed fair winners unveiled at big OFA conference
Isabel Mosseler
Tribune
Approximately 80 farmers braved the freezing rain on Saturday, March 22, to attend an informative conference hosted in Sturgeon Falls by the West Nipissing /Sudbury East Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) in partnership with the provincial OFA. Titled From Field to Market: Knowledge for every farm, the event featured a line-up of speakers and workshops catering to the over 200 farms in the area. The day wrapped up with awards presented to top performers in the Soil & Crop Seed Fair.
It was a difficult choice for local farmers as to which of the many sessions to attend. Madeleine Beaudry, president of the local OFA, noted, “This is the first time for us trying something like this. I know it has been done in Sturgeon Falls in the past, many, many years ago. (…) Stephanie [Vanthof of OFA provincial] and I worked very closely. We wanted to make sure that there was something for everybody, regardless of if you wanted to raise the backyard chickens, or you’re into horticulture and want to learn more about record keeping (…) We tried to make sure that we covered all the areas of farming that was possible to do in one day.”
West Nipissing Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon welcomed everyone by noting the importance of agriculture in the local economy. “The [OFA] has been instrumental in advocating for the needs of local farmers, providing educational resources and creating a network for collaboration amongst agricultural professionals. Their work has made a tangible difference in ensuring that agriculture remains a thriving part of our economy and culture.”
The day brought in both local and provincial expertise, with Ryan Spence of Field Good Farms in Cache Bay sharing methods of good record keeping; keynote speaker Phil Dick from Guelph addressing successful ways to expand or add value to an agri-business, from farm gate merchandising to off-farm processing and manufacturing; to Ben Schapelhouman of New Liskeard giving a historical perspective on how technological advances in farming have changed whole societies, from drones to ground mapping and precision fertilization techniques. It was a costly process to bring in the calibre and variety of speakers for the local OFA, even with the support of various funding agencies.
Madeleine Beaudry notes that every speaker was chosen to address a different aspect of farming so that there was something of interest for everyone. “Soil and soil testing, applying what your soil needs where your soil needs it (…), and [Charlotte Wall of the Poultry Industry Council] doing the presentation for small flock management, a very popular seminar (…). If somebody walked away with one thing from one session that they attended, that they felt was worth it, then we achieved what we were trying to do.”
The local OFA has been acting proactively for regional agriculture for some time, from purchasing equipment local farmers can use collectively to addressing bylaws that affect farmers, to public awareness campaigns. One of the sessions concerned slow moving farm equipment on highways. The local OFA has erected signage along the Hwy 17 corridor advising travelers to expect slow traffic in farming areas. The session was given to make sure farmers also know what is required of them on the road. “There’s been a lot of confusion as to what they can and can’t do (…). We have seen a couple of accidents involving farm equipment. It was about making sure that our farmers are safe and that they’re following the rules of the road. Many people don’t realize that when I’m driving down the road with my tractor, I must remain on the traveled roadway,” says Beaudry. She explains that it is more dangerous with a heavy load to travel on soft shoulders, so the legal requirement is to stay on the roadway, not pull to the side. “If we go to the side and it results in an accident, we are at fault.” In other words, drivers just need to be patient with slow moving vehicles. “We understand it’s an inconvenience. We try to pick times (…). The farmer isn’t being rude or ignorant. He’s not trying to create an issue. It’s what’s required.”
The OFA has also addressed farm accidents through funding Emily Farm 911 signage for field entrances. Beaudry explains that there was an incident where a young girl named Emily experienced an accident in the field and when her parents called 911, “the ambulance drove up and down the road three times and couldn’t find them, which resulted in them starting this Emily Farm 911. Our [municipal] council did adopt that, but nobody ever did anything with it.” The local OFA found the funding, it was pre-approved by WN and French River councils, a local campaign was created and the OFA paid for the first 44 yellow and black 911 signs at field entrances. “Our funding has ended (…) but anybody can go to the municipality, pay their $75 and they can have their field entrance marked.”
Another recent project was the purchase of Grain Rescue Equipment, in partnership with the Verner Co-Operative Régionale. Beaudry explains, “If you fall into a silo where there is grain, unlike other silos, the second you start moving, it just starts choking in (like quicksand) (…) you can’t move, you have to stay still. And of course that’s very hard to do because it’s applying pressure, your breathing is restricted (…) We thought this is perfect for us, it fits right into what we do. We aligned with the Co-op, as partners, applied for revised funding from OFA (…), the three of us together have been able to purchase the equipment.” A rescue tube goes around the victim and a device goes into the tub and extracts the grain so the victim can be rescued. Along with the equipment purchase, training was provided to the West Nipissing Fire Department to use it.
Beaudry also reveals that the local OFA has been approved through a SNAP grant, in partnership with the Co-Op and the WNES Soil & Crop Association, to purchase an agricultural lime spreader that can be rented out to local farmers. “Again, with a little bit of new technology, it’s going to have a scale on it, so when the farmers are applying, they will be able to get a much more accurate rate of application.” She is hoping that the equipment crosses the border before tariffs are applied. “It has been ordered a couple of weeks ago and our fingers are crossed hoping that it will get across in time, but that also was a big project and, again, without the Co-op and Soil & Crop, we wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
OFA has also advised WN Council on bylaws which would have deleterious effects on farming, such as rules on open air burning. “Sometimes some bylaws are coming into place, and they’ve forgotten the component of agriculture,” explains Beaudy. In clearing brush, farmers do practice open air burning, so coordination on off-season burning and brush pile size were addressed. “We still need to do it responsibly. The changes that we asked for were changes to allow our farmers to be able to do the normal burning that they do, in as safe a way as they can, but [without] somebody surveilling it 24-hours a day, because when they get down to a certain point, it may smolder and burn for 3-4 days.” Beaudry says that continued education and advocacy efforts are critical to the agricultural sector. “We have been fortunate that both West Nipissing and Markstay-Warren have been receptive to listening to us.”
