Messenger April 2013

T HEMessenger M ESSENGER The APRIL 2013

Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency, 130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON, N1K 1B1 www.ontariosheep.org Tel: 519-836-0043

Inside This Issue  OSMA Board Welcomes New GM  Board Decisions / Actions  Awards  Religious & Ethnic Holidays  General Interest  Programs - Workshops  Upcoming Events  District Information  Other District Organizations  OSMA Reaching Out

Photo Contest Winner

THIRD PLACE

“Position Girls” Taken by Jamie Neeb

OSMA and the Industry – Messenger

April 2013

BOARD DECISIONS / ACTIONS

NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD MEETINGS FOR 2013 April 17 (Webex) May 29

July 10 August 21

October 9

OSMA Board Welcomes The New General Manager The Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency welcomes the new General Manager, Jennifer MacTavish who joined the organization on April 1, 2013.

Jennifer has been Executive Director of the Canadian Sheep Federation since 2004 and brings significant expertise and knowledge of the Canadian sheep industry. Her experience working with industry and government organizations is a strong asset that will enable her to provide the leadership for Ontario sheep industry.

BOARD MEETING – March 5 & 6 The Board spent a whole day reviewing the Strategic Plan at its March meeting. It is planned over the next few months to hold combined producer meetings to give producers a chance to have input into the strategic direction of OSMA. If completed the Strategic plan will be presented at the OSMA AGM in October.

The board will continue to be a partner in the OASC group and continue our work on the RMP program and advocacy issues.

OSMA staff will continue to update our promotional items for producers to market their products at farmers markets and farm gate sales.

Newly elected directors have attended the Farm Products Marketing Commission governance training day that was held in April.

OSMA has committed a sponsorship of $750.00 to the Holstein rodeo shearing competition.

Financial Statements were reviewed and accepted for November, December and January.

The Board received an excellent presentation of Growing Forward 2 and will be looking at what opportunities for funding can be accessed.

OSMA and the Industry – Messenger

April 2013

AWARDS

THATCHER FARMS WINNER OF THE 2013 ONTARIO’S OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS AWARD Congratulations to Adam and Dana Thatcher of Rockwood!

Thatcher Farms is located on 140 acres in Eramosa Township, in beautiful Wellington County. The family owned and operated farm offers customers locally produced meat products that are naturally raised, and that are hormone and additive free. Adam, a graduate of the Ontario Agriculture College and Dana an elementary school teacher enjoy farming and the lifestyle it provides for their family. Thatcher Farms is entering its fourth year of business, which grew out of necessity and a love for “good” food.

Visit the Thatcher Farms website.

RELIGIOUS & ETHNIC HOLIDAY’S For more information on the Holidays please click the link below to go to the OSMA website: Religious & Ethnic Holidays - http://www.ontariosheep.org/ - Market Information – Market Reports

GENERAL INTEREST OSMA TWITTER ACCOUNT OSMA has a new twitter account that you should visit. https://twitter.com/OntarioSheep https://twitter.com/OntarioLamb

OSMA FACEBOOK PAGE ‘Like us on Facebook’ visit www.facebook.com/ontariosheep

DINNER STARTS HERE OSMA supported the development of a new website/blog Dinner Starts Here. The website, facebook page and twitter feed, have been designed to allow young farmers to share stories about bringing food to your table. You can check out Dinner Starts Here at www.dinnerstartshere.ca / www.facebook.com/DinnerStartshere or on Twitter @HowDinnerStarts

OSMA and the Industry – Messenger

April 2013

PREDATION AND WILDLIFE DAMAGE For more information on Predation and Wildlife Damage and the program application form visit the OMAFRA website at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/predation.htm

AGPAL An On-line Information Source for Government Programs and Services Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) recently launched AgPal, a web-based tool to help producers and others in the agriculture and agri-business sector find the federal, provincial and territorial programs and services that specifically apply to them.

Currently, the site has information on 169 different programs including AAFC programs, Farm Credit

Canada programs, programs from Nova Scotia, and Ontario’s Growing Forward programs. It is expected that additional information will be added to the site over the coming months.

AgPal is part of Growing Forward, a federalprovincial-territorial initiative.

AgPal can be accessed directly at www.agpal.ca

SHEEP INDUSTRY’S PROGRESS TOWARDS MANDATORY RFID TAGS Sheep producers are allowed to transport sheep and lambs bearing Ketchum Kurl-lock tags past December 31, 2012. Producers are encouraged to apply RFID tags however they may use up their existing stocks of pink Ketchum Kurl-lock tags until a future date is established. The tag revocation date

will be established when CFIA audits show that less than 10% of the sheep and lambs on offer on a consistent basis bear Ketchum Kurl-lock tags. The revocation date will be communicated to producers and industry partners in a timely matter.

PROGRAMS - WORKSHOPS

AGRIWEBINAR – LEARNING WITHOUT LIMITS Presented by The Canadian Farm Business Management Council.

Current Agriwebinar season is complete but stay tuned for information on upcoming speakers and topics.

Visit the website to access over 100 archived webinars, and to subscribe to their mailing list.

Website: http://www.agriwebinar.com/

OSMA and the Industry – Messenger

April 2013

UPCOMING EVENTS For more information on any upcoming event please visit the OSMA website at: Events (http://www.ontariosheep.org/Events.aspx)

DISTRICT INFORMATION Note: For further information and details about your District please contact your District Secretary

District 1: Please contact your District Secretary for date and location of your next District meeting District 1 Website: www.OSMA_district_1.tripod.com Contact: District Secretary: Michelle Prudom at 519-845-3998

District 2: Meetings usually held the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:30 pm.

Apr 19: 6:30 pm 11th Annual Lamb Banquet – Elmwood Community Center - $25 per person For more information or tickets call: 3633819 ; 364-2149; or 363-0329 Contact: District Secretary - Kyle Harrison 519334-3928

District 3: April 11 7‐9pm at the Rostock Agricultural Hall Perth Road 135 and 46th Line

Rebecca Parker, animal technician and pregnancy scanning specialist, will be our guest speaker.

Contact: District Secretary - Neil Mesman 519504-3089 or email: neil.mesman@me.com

District 4: Last Saturday of every month: Monthly Producer Breakfasts at 9 am at Boston Common Restaurant, 2619 Cockshutt Rd. Waterford. Contact: Rob Scott 519-209-3944 e-mail bcf_222@hotmail.com. Join us for sheep chat, good people and good food.

April 23: at 7:30 pm District 4 meeting at Ancaster Fairgrounds Address: 630 Trinity Road RR#1, Jerseyville Guest speakers: Jennifer MacTavish-OSMA GM and Jay Mycroft - "Alternative forage crops" Contact: Rob Scott 519-209-3944

Contact: District Secretary - Sharon Petheram; 519443-5844 or email: petherdale@gmail.com

District 5: Meetings are usually last Wed. of every month, Location TBA Contact: District Secretary - Dawn VanKampen phone: 519-940-2202

OSMA and the Industry – Messenger

April 2013

District 6: Contact: District Secretary – Grant Cowan phone: 705-436-2236 or e-mail: gcowan@gtcnet.ca

District 7: Contact: District Secretary – Doug McCubbin phone: 705-793-1589

District 8: Contact: District Secretary – Linda Huizenga phone: 613-477-1393

District 9: Contact: District Secretary – Melissa FergusonRenaud Email: melissaruth16@jhotmail.com or phone: 613-257-8748

District 10: District 10 Website: www.osmadistrict10.ca/ Contact: District Secretary – Gary Lapier phone: 613-989-2792

District 11: Contact: District Secretary – Debra Garner Email: bill.debgarner@gmail.com phone: 705-563-2761

OTHER DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS Victoria County Sheep Producers.

Third Wednesday every month starting at 7:30 Sunderland Co-op Boardroom at Oakwood Location Membership is $20 per farm per year. Contact: Doug Walden - 705-324-7478

Southwestern Sheep Farmers Formerly known as Middlesex Sheep & Lamb Producers

Chair – Wendy McGowan, 519- 657-5197, Vice Chair – Geraldine Pennings, 519-764-2455 Secretary/Treas – Marilyn Walker, 510-287-5637, Grey Bruce Sheep Management Club Location: Grey Gables in Markdale

Western Ontario Lamb Producers District 2 and 3 area Ontario Suffolk Sheep Association

OSMA and the Industry – Messenger

April 2013

OSMA REACHING OUT OSMA Website – www.ontariosheep.org Have you visited OSMA’s website. If you haven’t, please take a moment to check it out. The following are just a few of the things you will find.

About Ontario Sheep - Messenger Programs, Services - OSN Market Information - Locators – Lamb, Guardian Animals, and Breed Sheep Production Information - Lamb Nutrition and Recipes Current Initiatives - Virtual Farm Tour Research Projects - Links and Videos News - Kids Corner Events

OSMA MARKET APP Get the latest market information directly to your smart phone. The app lets farmers make marketing decisions on the go. See the September 2012 issue of Ontario Sheep News for instructions to download the app to your Smartphone. Visit the following websites to download the app.

Blackberry - OntarioSheep.org/BlackBerry.php Android -

Apple - OntarioSheep.org/Apple.php

OntarioSheep.org/Android.php

HELP US KEEP YOU INFORMED To keep you up to date on current events by phone and email please make sure that we have your current information.

Contact us by calling 519-836-0043 or emailing admin@ontariosheep.org