LCBO stores raise funds for Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides

TORONTO, Ontario February 26, 2014 /Canada NewsWire/ - Starting March 2, the public can help support Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides (Dog Guides) by making a donation at any of the more than 635 LCBO stores throughout Ontario. Donation boxes for Dog Guides will be displayed at LCBO checkout counters until March 31.

Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides provides specially trained Dog Guides to Canadians with disabilities. Each Dog Guide is provided at no cost despite costing $25,000 to train and place.  Six types of Dog Guides are trained to assist with a wide range of disabilities: Canine Vision, Hearing Ear, Service, Seizure Response, Autism Assistance, and Diabetic Alert.  Approximately 64 per cent of all current Dog Guide recipients live in Ontario.

"We appreciate the support we receive from LCBO, its employees and especially its customers. LCBO's province-wide store network and supportive staff help us raise significant funds and increase public awareness of Dog Guides," says Sandy Turney, Executive Director, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.

"LCBO is pleased to partner with Dog Guides and support a variety of worthy causes throughout the year," says LCBO President & CEO Bob Peter. "The generous support from LCBO customers and staff helps these charitable organizations make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and communities across Ontario."

Dog Guides is one of 28 provincial and numerous local charities that will benefit from LCBO's province-wide donation box program in 2014. In 2012, LCBO raised a total of more than $6.6 million for charities through special programs and initiatives, of which $6.1 million was raised through in-store fundraising. In addition, LCBO's annual dividend transfer to the Ontario government, which totaled $1.7 billion in fiscal 2012-13, excluding taxes, supports a wide range of important government programs, services and priorities, including health care and education.

Dog Guides thanks the public for its support when shopping at their local LCBO store from March 2 - 31.

Bowmanville grower receives 2013 Innovative Farmer of the Year award

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, February 26, 2014 /Canada NewsWire/ - Creativity and advancements in crop rotation systems in their no-till farming operation have earned Tom Barrie, a Bowmanville grower, and his team, the 2013 Innovative Farmer of the Year Award. Each year, BASF Canada and the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario recognize an Ontariogrower who promotes innovation and leadership in the agriculture sector to be named the Innovative Farmer of the Year.

BASF Canada presented Barrie with the award at the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario Conference at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn in London on February 25.

"BASF is proud to recognize Tom and the Barrie family as growers who implement an innovative and sustainable no-till farming operation," said Trevor Latta, Business Representative for BASF Canada. "The operation's use of soil protection practices is an excellent example of growers regenerating the landscape and farming for the future."

Barrie, who farms with his brothers Steve and Glenn from Gordon Barrie & Sons, rotates corn, soybeans and canola followed by winter wheat which is under-seeded with red clover.

Now in their 21st year of no-till farming, their commitment to improving the efficiency on their farm has led to a crop rotation system that has improved soil structure, lowered fuel costs and equipment needs, and reduced trips over the field. Creating this system has made it easy for Barrie and his brothers to formulate cropping plans.

"Adapting technology and cropping methods on our farm has led to great success with crop quality and yield," said Barrie. "We're always striving to find better methods to prevent soil erosion and maintain the land. I think the future of agriculture will bring crops that can free up trapped nutrients and tolerate colder and wetter soils for early planting."

For more information visit www.ifao.com.

BASF - The Chemical Company

BASF Canada, located in Mississauga, Ontario is a subsidiary of BASF SE, and an affiliate of BASF Corporation. BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,600 employees in North America, and had sales of $18.5 billion in 2012. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.us. To find out more about BASF's activities in Canada visit www.basf.ca or follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/basfcanada.

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet atwww.basf.com.