By Gary Sliworsky
Ag rep, Emo
Would you like to find out how to improve your farming production and become an even better steward of your land?
Then you should attend the upcoming “Land Stewardship and the Farmer Workshop” to learn how.
The workshop, slated for Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Emo Legion (lunch provided), is being presented by the Rainy River District Stewardship Council in partnership with the Soil & Crop Improvement Association.
The keynote speaker for the workshop will be Brian Gilvesy. After graduating from the Richard Ivey School of Business at University of Western Ontario, Gilvesy became the proprietor of the Y U Ranch—an award-winning ranch located in Norfolk County.
While Gilvesy produces Local Food Plus-certified beef at the Y U Ranch, he also is the chairman of the Norfolk County ALUS Pilot Project and co-chair of the Sustain Ontario Steering Committee, a coalition for good food and farming.
In 2009, Gilvesy received the International Texas Longhorn Association Breeder-of-the-Year award. He also was the 2008 recipient of the Canadian Agri-Food Award of Excellence for Environmental Stewardship and a 2007 recipient of the Ontario Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation.
Others on the agenda for the workshop, and their topics, are:
•John Van Den Broeck (MNR Biodiversity/Species at Risk biologist)—“Our Communities: Living on the Edge” and “Farming and Species at Risk Conservation”;
Dick Trivers (Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association)—Environmental Farm Plan, incentive programs;
•Jeff Pollard (beef farmer)—local stewardship project; and
•David May (Stewardship co-ordinator)—Rainy River District Stewardship, local opportunities.
The workshop host will be Kim Jo Bliss, a member of the Rainy River District Stewardship Council.
For more information, visit www.ontariostewardship.org/councils/rainy-river/
Those interested in attending are asked to please RSVP by Friday, Feb. 25 with David May at 274-8637 or via e-mail at david.may@ontario.ca
Attendees must RSVP in order to be eligible to win a door prize and to assist in ensuring there is enough lunch for everyone!
