Profitable Pastures 2020

This year’s keynote speaker is Bill Thomas, of BT Agronomy. During his 30 years of extension service in Nova Scotia, Bill implemented educational forage production programs at the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College, now part of Dalhousie University. His work as a lecturer at Dalhousie continues in the forage and soil management and livestock production courses. He's developed policies on nutrient management, beef development and agricultural awareness. He is a member of the Nova Scotia Institute of Agrology, Agrology Institute of Canada and the Canadian Society of Agronomy and has served on several forage and crop and research committees. In 2011, he was named a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Agronomy, the society’s most distinguished award.  Bill was the recipient of the 2019 Canadian Forage and Grassland Association's Leadership Award. 

 

In addition to our keynote speaker, John Molenhuis, OMAFRA Business Analysis Cost Production Specialist, will kick off the day with How to Determine your Cost of Production.  Attendees will be treated to a panel with the firsthand knowledge from producers experienced in managing their cost of production. The 2019 Mapleseed Sheep Pasture Award recipients Carrie Woolley/Brett Schuyler will present an overview of their operation, and Christine O’Reilly, the OMAFRA Forage and Grazing Specialist, will round off the day with a presentation on Grass Utilization.

Video: Beneficial Management Practices (BMP): Mitigating GHG Emissions on Dairy Farms | Living Labs Ontario

Soils at Guelph Executive Co-Director and Agrometerologist Claudia Wagner-Riddle collaborates with Living Labs Ontario to focus on the cropping side of a commercial dairy farm.

Claudia and her research team use BMPs like crop rotation with alfalfa, soybean, and corn to mitigate GHG emissions. Measuring nitrous oxide release on one crop with nutrient stabilizers and one without. There was a 30% decrease in emissions.

Cows have a significant contribution to the carbon footprint of milk, and Claudia’s team works with the crops they eat, using beneficial management practices in the soils to lower GHG emissions.

The Living Lab Ontario project brings together farmers, organizations, researchers, and other experts to co-develop, test, and evaluate BMPs that address climate change challenges in livestock and cropping systems