Grey Agricultural Services offering different courses for farmers

Dec 30, 2016

Courses run from January to March

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Farmers looking to pick up a few additional skills over the winter can take a variety of courses offered by Grey Agricultural Services.

Between January and March, producers can participate in up to 13 different courses, each with a specific topic of discussion, ranging from starting a farm to necessary tools for a mobile office. And certified crop advisors who take part will be eligible for CEU credits for some of the courses.

All courses will be held at the Grey County Agricultural Services Centre, 206 Toronto St. South, Unit 3, Markdale, ON.

The course listing includes:

Becoming a carbon farmer (Thursday, Jan. 26)
Summary: Chuck Mitchell will discuss how farmers can reduce carbon emissions and "Cap and Trade," whereby farmers may be able to receive payments from carbon emitters to sequester carbon on their farms.

Cost: $10 per person
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Farmers must register by Monday, Jan. 23.

Starting a farm in Ontario (Thursday, Mar. 2)
Summary: Nick Betts of OMAFRA will discuss the resources available to farmers and answer questions about starting a farm in the province.

Cost: $10 per person
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Farmers must register by Friday, Feb. 24.

Tips and tricks for fire prevention (Monday, Mar. 6, and Tuesday, Mar. 21)
Summary: OMAFRA’s Jacqui Empson Laporte will demonstrate a camera that fits onto your smartphone to help you identify electrical problems before they turn into something tragic. She will also explain the camera lending program which helps people use the technology, and explain how it fits with more detailed inspections by insurance companies. John Van de Vegte, OMAFRA, will explain how fires start and how preventative maintenance on the electrical system in your barn can help reduce your risk of fire.

Cost: $10 per person
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Farmers must register by Thursday, Mar. 2 or Friday, Mar. 17.

Farm technology – tools for your mobile office (Wednesday, Mar. 8)
Summary: Representatives from OMAFRA, AGnition and Agronomy Advantage will be on hand to lead farmers through an interactive discussion about new ways of collecting data. Farmers are encouraged to bring their smartphones and tablets to participate in the session.

Cost: $20 per person
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Farmers must register by Wednesday, Mar. 1.

To register for any of these courses, producers can call 519-986-3756 or email info@greyagservices.ca.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.