Brant County farmer Steve Sickle has been named president of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) for 2023. Sickle has been involved in the Brant Federation of Agriculture, Brant Beef Farmers, Ontario Soil Network, and the agriculture advisory council for the county. His OSCIA involvement stretches back many years, and he’s also worked… Read More

Harry Stoddart will take the helm of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) on January 16, 2023. That’s when Stoddart becomes the executive director of OSCIA, taking over from Andrew Graham who plans to retire in June 2023 after a six-month transitional period. Stoddart brings a unique combination of leadership experience in not-for-profit… Read More

The On Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) is a federal program being administered by 12 organizations across Canada. In Ontario, the funding for nitrogen management, cover cropping, and rotational grazing is largely being administered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). EcoCert is also administering a portion of funds for organic growers. Margaret… Read More

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg Radio! On today’s show hosted by Lyndsey Smith, we’ll hear from: Casper Kaastra, CEO of Sollio Ag on the fertilizer supply in to 2023; Margaret May, with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, regarding information on the Ontario On Farm Climate Action Funding; and, Today’s spotlight interview with… Read More

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) held its annual general meeting earlier in February, setting out the executive for the coming year, and naming its Soil Champion for 2022. Leading the organization will be Eastern Ontario farmer Warren Schneckenburger, who will serve a one-year term as president. Alongside his parents Arden and Rhonda,… Read More

The winners of the 2021 Soil Champion award from Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) have been announced. Henry Denotter, grain farmer from Essex county, receives the award in the producer category. Dr. Laura Van Eerd, professor at University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus, receives the research and extension win. The annual award recognizes leaders… Read More

Ontario meat processors and farmers have the opportunity to apply for funding under two new program intakes of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative is an up to $4 million program that will provide up to $150,000 per project for improvements to product handling and processing equipment. It will also cover… Read More

Finding soil fertility recommendations for different crops can be time-consuming and hard to pin down. A new app that is simple and quick to use provides tremendous value by bringing soil fertility recommendations for different crops — both field and vegetable — all to one place. “In terms of the Soil Test Manager app, it’s… Read More

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) recently named Anne Loeffler as its 2020 Soil Champion. The award, which recognizes leaders in sustainable soil management, was presented to Loeffler for her encouragement of adoption of on-farm water quality improvement practices in the Grand River watershed. “The region has a large diversity of farmers and… Read More

Jim Denys, a Middlesex County farmer, and Anne Verhallen, a long-time provincial government soil specialist, have been named recipients of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA)’s Soil Champion Award. The award recognizes leaders in sustainable soil management. This is the first time the association has presented its award to multiple recipients. “We are… Read More

Ontario grain farmers dealing with high DON (vomitoxin) levels in their corn crop can now apply for funding to cover DON testing. The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) has announced a new intake for cost-share opportunities to support DON testing under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The initiative will support producers whose corn crop or corn products… Read More

Much has changed on the Ontario soil conservation front since 1987. No-till farming has been firmly entrenched, most farms in the province now proudly tout their own Environmental Farm Plan, and soil health is recognized as key to a $13 billion food economy that fuels 800,000 jobs. It’s a 30-year journey that Harold Rudy captures… Read More

Ontario farmers have a new cost-share program to help them reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient. The GreenON Agriculture program, recently announced by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, is specifically aimed at producers of agricultural commodities in permanent, climate-controlled buildings. The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association will administer the… Read More

With government funding programs comes last minute changes and updates, but never fear, RealAgriculture and Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association regional program lead, Margaret May, have joined forces to bring you the latest updates to GF2 programming (That’s Growing Forward 2, for all of you who have been hiding under a rock). Of particular… Read More

 

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