Tag Archives: farmers

Agrarians From Ancient World Knew About Biochar

Agrarians from various ancient cultures around the world discovered the soil fertility benefits of charred biomass over two thousand years ago.

Now known as ‘biochar’, this ancient soil management practice has been enjoying a renaissance of late for a number of reasons largely related to the need for more resilient and productive soils and biochar’s ability to sequester carbon in a safe and beneficial manner.

Biochar is made by baking organic material in an oxygen-limited environment, called pyrolysis. Benefits vary depending on the soil, crops and climate where biochar is used with poor soils benefiting the most. Providing long-lasting organic material, improving water and nutrient holding capacity, and improving overall soil tilth are all potential benefits.

Due to its porous nature and cation exchange capacity, biochar can also be used as a filtration medium to prevent nutrient run-off from farms into local water bodies. In Europe livestock farmers are adding small amounts of biochar to feed rations to improve feed conversion ratios and overall animal health. Biochar as carbon fodder has also shown promise as a way to reduce enteric methane emissions.

Biochar
“When we first started in 2011 to load biochar with high amounts of liquid NP-fertilizer and tested them in pod trials, we could prove reduced nutrient leaching after simulated strong rain events. When we planted a second culture (paprika after radish) in the same pods without additional fertilization, plant growth was significantly improved in the biochar treatments (see image). From an economic point of view, the difference in growth might have been not relevant as some additional fertilization would have been cheaper than the price of biochar that saved some mineral fertilizer. However working with low amounts of nutrient enhanced biochar [1 t per hectare] applied as slow release fertilizer close to the roots every year seems very promising when viewed from both an economic and ecological perspective. ” Ithaka Institute

Biochar is increasingly available to purchase but farmers can also convert their on-farm waste biomass in to biochar.

Farm scale equipment for making biochar is evolving and shows promise not just as a waste conversion technology which produces a valuable soil amendment, but also as a means for farmers to generate renewable energy in the form of heat, and in some cases electricity.  For the Silo,  Kathleen Draper.

Seen here: “…we focused on organic plant nutrients and started multiple tests with a wide variety of nutrient rich biomass wastes including: liquid animal manure, urine, feathers, yeasts, wool, vinasse etc. Over the past four years we have developed a panoply of organic carbon fertilizer that can be produced commercially or manufactured by farmers themself all over the world. One of our favourites is the sheep wool, vinasse, pyrolyse ash, biochar pellets with 7% Norg / 6.5% P2O5 / 6% K2O “

Kathleen Draper is the US Director of the Ithaka Institute for Carbon Intelligence, a non-profit focused on research, education and program services that promote climate positive solutions which enhance land management, urban design, and resource efficiency.  

Winds Of Change Bring New Environmental Reality

The Ontario government is taking action to address issues of climate change.  Once in office, we have been acting as quickly as possible to fulfill our commitment to Ontario families and businesses.  For example, we revoked the cap-and-trade carbon tax and ended emissions trading and allowances. In addition, we have now released our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan that takes concrete steps to protect our air, water, and land and fight climate change.

Climate change is here.  It is a reality and our environmental legacy will be predicated on our capacity to adapt, and to stop the worst consequences from materializing.

Fortunately, another reality is the fact the Ontario government is committed to protecting the environment using a sensible and balanced approach that creates jobs, respects taxpayers and grows the economy. But it is important to discuss what we’re fighting…the actual impact climate change can have on all of us.

Our government understands that climate change is a reality. It is a serious, worldwide problem.

More frequently, we hear media reports of severe weather that results in flooded basements, structural damages, and costly cleanups—sometimes in our own backyard. And the insured losses we’ve incurred in Ontario during 2018 give an unnerving snapshot of the consequences.

Earlier this year, a storm caused more than $46 million of insured damage in Brantford, Cambridge, London and the GTA. A spring storm in southern Ontario resulted in almost $80 million in costs. Soon after, winds and rains hit Hamilton and the GTA and caused over $500 million in damage. Last summer, a rainstorm in Toronto caused $80 million in damage. Further, we can’t forget the destruction left in the path of the Ottawa tornadoes this September.

The people across Haldimand-Norfolk are close to the land and are among the first to notice changes in the weather and the attendant damage and costs extreme weather can inflict on crops and buildings.  Farmers and those that work outdoors have long been aware of fluctuating temperatures and are taking note when scientists predict that the average annual temperature in Ontario could be increasing significantly.

Prediction Ontario Rising TemperaturesMilder winters and hotter summers create a paradise for insect and plant diseases. Are you getting more tick and mosquito bites? Lyme disease and West Nile virus, and other mosquito and tick-borne diseases, have been moving northward as our part of the world warms.  And with increasing temperatures and phosphorus loads, many have taken notice of Lake Erie’s more frequent algal blooms and accelerated aquatic plant growth.

These aren’t news items from a far-off land.  These events effect our health, increase food costs, hurt our communities, and can mean large repair bills and higher insurance premiums.

In a subsequent column, I’ll discuss our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan and how it’s constructed to meet the needs of Ontarians by protecting and conserving our air, land and water; fighting litter and waste; building resilience to the impacts of climate change—particularly extreme weather—and illustrating ways for all of us to do our part to decelerate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As one with a background in agriculture and the outdoors, I’m excited about our environment plan. It draws on the expertise of environmentalists, scientists, stakeholders, Indigenous people, and the general public—more than 8,000 ideas and recommendations were received through our online portal.   But more on that in a future column. For the Silo, Toby Barrett.

Funding Announced To Help Ontarians Save Energy And Money In Homes And Businesses

I’m sure we all read the distressing poll that about a third of Canadians still don’t believe the threat of climate change is real.  Even more illuminating: only 30 per cent even know we are taking action in Ontario to fight climate change.

This is the reason why Canada and Ontario are working together to take action on climate change and find clean solutions to help homeowners and families save money, reduce energy waste, create jobs and support healthy communities.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, announced a federal investment of up to $100 million to help the people of Ontario make energy efficient retrofits to their homes – including apartments, townhouses and low-income housing – and businesses.

This funding will support the province’s GreenON Rebates program, which helps cover the cost of eco-friendly retrofits across the province. This investment is supported by the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund.

GreenON Rebates will assist property owners make energy efficient changes like installing better insulation, high-efficiency ventilation systems and heat pumps, and other devices to save energy and reduce costs.

This is an opportunity for us here in Haldimand-Norfolk to take action and do our part in fighting the climante change. We can take advantage of receiving some of our own tax dollars back by improving our houses and businesses while saving money in the long run at the same time.

As part of its Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), Ontario in investing up to $1.7 billion over the coming years into GreenON to support a wide range of programs, including rebates and programs to help families, business and farmers make environmentally friendly changes. The CCAP is a five-year action plan that is making life more affordable for people across the province and making Ontario a leader in the global fight against climate change. Revenues from Ontario’s carbon market, which puts a cap on the carbon pollution businesses can emit, are funding this action plan.

The Government of Canada’s Low-Carbon Economy Leadership Fund provides $1.4 billion to provinces and territories that have adopted the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), to deliver on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today’s announcement is part of the almost $420 million Ontario is receiving through the Leadership Fund.

Did you Know:

  • Through GreenON, property owners are currently eligible for rebates up to $7,200 in savings on new insulation; $5,000 in savings on replacement windows; $5,800 in savings on some air source heat pumps; and $20,000 in savings on installation of some certified ground source heat pumps.
  • In January, Ontario became part of the second-largest carbon market in the world, which forms the backbone of Ontario’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas pollution to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, 37 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050.
  • Ontario’s carbon market has generation approximately $2.4 billion in revenue to improve schools, hospitals, transit and other projects like new bike lanes that are building a greener, more energy efficient province.
  • Ontario has committed up to $1.7 billion over three years to support a wide range of programs under the Green Ontario Fund (GreenON).

 

Click Me!

Funding Available To Cover Up To 80% Of Tree Planting Costs On Your Open Land

ironwood tree early ontario settlersSpring is for new ideas. Do you have idle land or extra acreage that could be enhanced? Planting trees is an excellent way to add value to your property and has never been easier. If you have 2.5 acres or more of open land, you may be eligible for the 50 Million Tree Program, and the trees are planted for you!

If you are considering a large-scale planting on your property, the 50 Million Tree Program can help by providing both funding support to cover a significant portion (up to 80%) of the total planting costs and technical assistance. A local planting partner will work with you to develop a site plan that suits your property’s unique needs; they will do the planting and conduct follow up assessments in subsequent years. The landowner can relax while the work is conducted by experienced professionals.

Mark McDermid
Mark McDermid

“One of the great things about the 50 Million Tree Program is that it’s full service. Landowners work with the Planting Delivery Agencies (PDA) to develop the plan and choose the species of trees being planted on the property,” explains Mark McDermid, a Field Advisor at Forests Ontario. “The PDAs – forestry professionals – are responsible for the purchase, delivery and planting of all trees in the program.”

The 50 Million Tree Program plants for landowners who want to make their property more aesthetically pleasing, for farmers who have an idle field or want a windbreak, and for golf course owners who want to add some shade. Every landowner has a different vision so the planting agents work with you to make sure that vision becomes a reality.

The 50 Million Tree Program makes tree planting as easy as possible for landowners in Ontario. To book a site visit, contact Suzanne Perry, our Forestry Outreach Coordinator at 1-877-646-1193 or sperry@forestsontario.ca. Please mention thesilo.ca when contacting.



About 50 Million Tree Program
Forests Ontario administers the Ontario government’s 50 Million Tree Program, part of the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign. The United Nations’ goal is to plant one billion trees worldwide each year. Ontario is committed to plant 50 million trees by 2025.

The 50 Million Tree Program is designed to significantly reduce the costs to landowners of large-scale tree planting and thereby increase the number of trees planted across the province.

forests-ontario-million-tree-planting-program-banner2About Forests Ontario

Forests Ontario is the voice for our forests. Working to promote a future of healthy forests sustaining healthy people, Forests Ontario is committed to the re-greening of Ontario through tree planting efforts on rural lands and in urban areas, as well as the renewal and stewardship of Ontario’s forests through restoration, education and awareness. Visit www.forestsontario.ca or follow us @Forests_Ontario.

 

Unique Ontario Bill 36 (designed to promote Local Food) passes final Vote

Local Food Bill

Ontario is moving forward to help promote the good things that are grown, harvested and processed in Ontario with today’s passage of the Local Food Act, 2013. The new legislation is part of a strategy http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/localfood.htm  to build Ontario’s economy by making more local food available in markets, schools, cafeterias, grocery stores and restaurants. This will create jobs and expand the province’s agri-food sector.

The new legislation — the first of its kind in Canada — will increase local food awareness, and boost sales by setting local food goals and targets in consultation with sector partners. The act will also create a non-refundable tax credit of 25 per cent for farmers who donate their surplus harvest to eligible community food programs such as food banks, and proclaim a Local Food Week that will take place annually, beginning the first Monday in June. Building a stronger agri-food industry is part of the government’s economic plan to support a dynamic and innovative business climate, invest in people and invest in infrastructure.

QUOTES

“The Local Food Act will benefit people by making the connection between buying local and helping grow an important Ontario industry. If we increase demand to homegrown food, we will create jobs and boost the agri-food sector’s contributions to our economy. It’s an important and historic step forward and I thank everyone who helped support this legislation.” — Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Agriculture and Food

“The Local Food Act will serve as a constant reminder of the bounty of Ontario. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is happy to see that it will target food literacy, local food use and will help farmers attend to the needs of others through a community food donation tax credit.” — Mark Wales, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

“By raising the profile of local food, the Local Food Act will provide Ontario food and beverage processors with an opportunity to further develop local food systems and market development strategies. Ontario consumers are demanding high quality food and drink, and our processors are willing and able to deliver. ” — Steve Peters, Alliance of Ontario Food Processors

QUICK FACTS

The Local Food Act will also require the government to produce an annual local food report on its activities to support local food.  The province’s agri-food sector contributes approximately $34 billion to the economy and supports more than 740,000 jobs across Ontario.  The province’s farmers produce more than 200 commodities, including fruits, vegetables, livestock, dairy, poultry, grains and oilseeds. Food processors in Ontario purchase about two-thirds of the food that is produced on the province’s farms. 

Ontario’s Local Food Fund is part of a $30 million investment from the province to create jobs and support innovative local food projects over the next three years (2013-2016).

LEARN MORE

About the Local Food Fund and how to apply http://news.ontario.ca/omafra/en/2013/09/growing-more-local-food-opportunities.html . Discover award-winning local food innovators in Ontario http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/premier_award/2012-13/winners/index.htm. Be adventurous in the kitchen by visiting Foodland Ontario and trying new recipes http://www.ontario.ca/foodland/foodland-ontario.

Goldie Hawn And President Clinton Foundation Focused On Malawi Farmers

A group of Malawi farmers. image: ruralpovertyportal.org
A group of Malawi farmers. image: ruralpovertyportal.org

Like many of us, he has a vision of a better world – one where babies are born healthy no matter where they live. One where farmers in Malawi earn enough to support their families. One where land is being reforested to support communities and protect the environment. One where everyone has access to affordable, lifesaving medicine.
What makes President Clinton different is his uncanny ability to bring together people from all walks of life and help them see that a better world isn’t just a nice idea. It’s really, actually achievable.

 

Of course, President Clinton can’t do it alone – and that’s why he needs people like me and you! If you’re someone who finds his vision as infectious as I do, please donate to the Clinton Foundation today and get your gift matched, dollar for dollar, before this opportunity ends June 27.

 

http://e.clintonfoundation.org/t?ctl=478A85A:90A3D84850EAF8295A45328549A61699662FB2E904AEC31B&

 

I may not be an expert on these issues. But I recognize life-changing work when I see it. The bottom line is that Clinton Foundation programs improve lives in measurable, lasting ways.

 

President Bill Clinton and Goldie Hawn.
President Bill Clinton and Goldie Hawn.

 

 

If you’re a farmer in Malawi, for example, the size and health of your crop has a huge impact on how much money you can make for your family and whether you can feed your community. The Clinton Foundation is giving farmers the tools to revolutionize their crop yields, from good fertilizer and seeds to training on up-to-date farming techniques. 21,000 farmers have participated already – and they’ve since become five times more profitable.

 

That’s 21,000 farmers who can now ensure that their families always have enough to eat, even in times of drought. They can send their children to school. They can really invest in their communities.

And that’s just one program, in one area. In reality, the Clinton Foundation is improving lives and changing communities all over the world! Isn’t that something you want to be a part of?

President Clinton is personally matching all gifts that you make between now and June 27.

http://e.clintonfoundation.org/t?ctl=478A85A:90A3D84850EAF8295A45328549A61699662FB2E904AEC31B&

Thanks for reading — but most of all, thanks for believing that together we really can change our world.

Sincerely, Goldie Hawn

Give Today http://e.clintonfoundation.org/t?ctl=478A85A:90A3D84850EAF8295A45328549A61699662FB2E904AEC31B&

Supplementalhttp://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/es/country/voices/tags/malawi