CleanFARMS to develop program to manage agricultural plastic waste in Ontario

ETOBICOKE, Ontario, January 5, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - A new service for farmers who want to safely get rid of plastic agricultural waste, including bale wrap, will be piloted in 2012 in the Lake Simcoe watershed by CleanFARMS, a national, industry-led stewardship organization.

"This pilot project will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive program to responsibly manage all agricultural waste plastic across the province," says Barry Friesen, general manager of CleanFARMS.

According to recent research conducted by CleanFARMS, farmers in Ontario generate more than 14,000 tonnes of non-nutrient based waste on their farms each year.

While there are stewardship programs in place for some agricultural waste products, there are many products for which no recycling options exist.

"Farmers don't want to burn waste or send it to landfills but it's difficult for them to be good stewards when there aren't programs in place to help them," says Friesen. "Where there are programs in place, farmers overwhelmingly choose to participate. The success of CleanFARMS' empty pesticide container recycling program is a prime example."

The pilot program in Lake Simcoe is being funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

"I congratulate the folks at CleanFARMs for working with us to pilot this service that will help farmers better protect our environment," said Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ted McMeekin.

CleanFARMS' empty pesticide container recycling program has been in operation since 1989 and its obsolete pesticide collection program began in 1998. Both have earned a reputation for being among the best agricultural stewardship programs in the world.

Funding for this program comes from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. The Canadian Animal Health Institute and industry have pledged additional cash and in-kind contributions.

Turfgrass Education Initiative to Help Rural Communities

photo credit: Wildlifecontrol via Flickr

GUELPH Ontario July 29, 2011 - University of Guelph News Release

Safe school grounds and high-quality municipal sports fields maintained without the use of traditional pesticides are the focus of a new University of Guelph-based initiative.

The Turfgrass Outreach Project (TOP) offers support to rural groundkeepers across southern Ontario, providing workshops, training programs and an online knowledge centre.

The project is being run by scientists and educators from the Guelph Turfgrass Institute and is supported by the Knowledge Translation and Transfer program, a new initiative under the University's partnership agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). It sets aside funds for projects that improve the impact of research projects by transforming research knowledge into use for different research audiences across the agriculture, food and rural sectors.

Without cosmetic pesticides - which have not been permitted for use since 2009 - rural groundskeepers have had to make major changes to manage school and municipal sports fields. But so far, public outreach has focused on the impacts on residential lawns and urban sports fields. This is an outstanding need that this project is looking to address, said Eric Lyons, a professor of plant agriculture and TOP project manager.

“Urban areas have often had municipal restrictions in place for a while, but in many cases, rural communities have had to adapt very quickly to managing turf without cosmetic pesticides,” Lyons said. “The education and outreach to deal with that just isn’t in place in rural communities like it has been in urban centres.”

In response, TOP is pulling expertise from the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College and School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, and OMAFRA to create accessible educational opportunities for rural groundskeepers. It’s also partnered with the Sports Turf Association.

“We welcome the chance to learn more about the specific challenges faced by rural schools and municipalities,” said Nicole Markwick, TOP’s project co-ordinator. “For example, the safety of sports fields is important because they are used year-round for various sports and events that impact rural communities economically, socially and environmentally.”

TOP also aims to foster stronger networks for continuing education on sustainable resource management for rural turfgrass managers. It has also partnered with community organizations.

More information about the Turfgrass Outreach Project is available online.

U of G Opens Advanced Public, Animal Health Research Facility

Guelph, Ontario October 07, 2010

Canada has strengthened its capacity to solve health problems that occur at the intersection of the human and animal worlds with a new cutting-edge research and diagnostic centre that opened today at the University of Guelph.

The Pathobiology and Animal Health Laboratory will support the growing role of veterinarians in research and teaching in public health, infectious diseases, pathology and immunology.

Researchers working in sophisticated laboratories will diagnose and study a range of animal diseases and pathogenic organisms, from bird flu and SARS to E. coli and West Nile virus. The 126,000-square-foot, four-storey structure also houses a 120-seat lecture theatre, flexible lab space, seminar rooms, teaching labs and office space.

The federal and provincial governments have invested some $62 million in this project. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada committed $37 million; the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) contributed $25 million.

“The health and safety of Ontarians and a safe food supply are top priorities for the McGuinty government,” said Carol Mitchell, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. “Our government is pleased to provide funding to the University of Guelph to help support ongoing research activities that preserve consumer confidence, protect against animal disease and demonstrate our commitment to a competitive and sustainable agri-food industry.”

U of G president Alastair Summerlee said the facility places Guelph at the forefront of improving the health of animals, humans and the environment.

“Here, current and future scientists will make and share discoveries that will improve the health and well-being of animals, people and the planet,” he said. “This new building will further our ability to identify both the risks we face and the potential benefits and treatments that can be realized by taking an integrated approach to these questions."

Veterinarians have a great deal to share about health relationships among humans, animals and the environment, added Ontario Veterinary College dean Elizabeth Stone.

“About 75 per cent of new and emerging diseases are zoonotic, transmitted from animals to humans and back again," she said. "Animal health researchers play an important role in identifying, controlling and understanding this phenomenon. We will use this knowledge to improve the health of animals and the prospects for human health, here and around the world.”

As a partner with OMAFRA in the Ontario Animal Health Surveillance Network, the U of G Animal Health Laboratory helps maintain healthy animals and safe food in Ontario by providing specialized diagnostic services for veterinarians and public- and private-sector agencies.

The new lab areas include open-concept space that encourages cross-training and staff sharing. Improved facilities also allow for better control of pathogenic organisms, said Stone.

“This will greatly improve our biosecurity and biocontainment, to protect both our staff and our clients.”

The new building fulfils a key component of OVC’s strategic vision as the college approaches its 150th birthday in 2012. Key initiatives include the OVC Health Sciences Centre with its Companion Animal Medical Complex, Large Animal Medical Complex, Hill's Pet Nutrition Primary Healthcare Centre, animal cancer centre, Equine Sports Medicine and Reproduction Centre, and large-animal isolation unit.