Minister of Agriculture visited Vogelsang demonstration
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
There are many reasons for farmers and ranchers to attend Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show.
From the over 750 exhibitors to networking and making new friends, there’s something for everyone at the three-day event which wraps up Thursday, September 17th in Woodstock, Ontario.
Technology is one of the main attractions of the show. New lines of tractors, new seed and crop technology, and new livestock equipment are all available for demonstrations and information.
One of the more popular demonstrations was put on by German- based Vogelsang, who demonstrated their manure dribble bar.
The bar features a series of tubes along a boom measuring about 15 metres (49 feet). The tubes are nearly ground level which provides a series of benefits to the farmer.
“By presenting manure on the ground or low to the ground, the odour is reduced, (and) the amount of volatilization and loss of nutrients is reduced,” said Bruce Kelly, Environmental Program Coordinator for Farm and Food Care Ontario. “Because it’s not spraying on a crop it doesn’t burn the crop and allows you to spread manure more in the spring and in the summer on the growing crops when the potential for runoff is lower.”
Ontario Minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal visited the demonstration and echoed the importance of technology for agriculture’s future in Ontario.
“The more efficient that our agriculture sector can become, we have the ability to play a significant role in providing both commodities and processed agricultural products throughout the world,” Minister Leal said. “If you’re looking for a career of the future, get into agriculture.”