Ontariofresh.ca Now Open for Registration

- New website grows the Business of Local Food -

TORONTO, April 4, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Great news! Starting today, a groundbreaking online marketplace will be available for registration to help everyone involved in local food grow their business. Whether a farmer, producer, chef, caterer, buyer or foodservice distributor, Ontariofresh.ca will provide new opportunities to source local food quickly and easily.

The site will provide buyers with the opportunity to find new local food sources that are right for their business. While, farmers will be able to make new business connections with buyers who are interested in the products they raise and/or grow.

"Ontariofresh.ca will provide new economic opportunities and benefits for our agribusiness community," commented Burkhard Mausberg, President of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. "Now is the time to make changes to help more Ontario food reach our public institutions and beyond."

Information collected on the Ontariofresh.ca site will help to populate it with four profile types: farmers, buyers, distributors and friends/supporters. Via a short survey profiles will be built that address questions such as, location, availability, seasonality, traceability and more. The business focus of the site will make connections between buyers and producers, building a community that celebrates Ontario food.

Throughout the spring and summer, information will be collected and profiles built to prepare for the full Ontariofresh.ca launch in September. Pre-registration opens today online at Ontariofresh.ca or by calling 1-888-249-9399 or 647-426-8420.

Don't wait, join today!

Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation:

Ontario's Greenbelt is over 1.8 million acres of green space, farmland, vibrant communities, forests, wetlands, and watersheds - all permanently protected by world-leading legislation. In return, the Greenbelt gives back much to Ontario, providing $5.4 billion to Ontario's economy through farming and food production, and $2.6 billion in ecosystem services annually.

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is working to help farmers in the Greenbelt be more successful; to protect and enhance natural features; and to strengthen local economies. To learn more about the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, please visit www.greenbelt.ca.

Be a part of Milk Calendar history

Dairy Farmers of Canada invites Milk Calendar fans to vote on all-time favourite recipes for 35th anniversary edition

TORONTO, April 4, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - It has been the centrepiece of kitchen walls across the country for 35 years; it has inspired millions of meals; and its recipes are passed down through generations. The Milk Calendar is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2012, and Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is inviting Canadians to become a part of its history. For the first time ever, DFC is compiling the Milk Calendar's greatest hits into a special collector's edition.

From now until April 27th, Canadians are invited to vote for their favourite Milk Calendar recipes at www.mymilkcalendar.ca/vote or by phoning 1-866-514-5773 and to take part in creating what is sure to be the ultimate Milk Calendar.

"The Milk calendar holds a special place in the hearts of Canadians," said Jennifer MacKenzie, Milk Calendar recipe developer. "It is so wonderful that Milk Calendar enthusiasts are being given the chance to be a part of this long standing tradition - who better than loyal fans to choose which recipes will make the final cut."

DFC has reviewed hundreds of Milk Calendar recipes and chosen the top 10 in six different categories - soups and salads, side dishes, main meals with meat, meatless main meals, desserts and baked goods.

Once the voting has been tallied, the recipes which received the most votes will be featured on the monthly pages of the special 35th anniversary edition. DFC will work with recipe developer Jennifer MacKenzie to update each of the winning recipes to reflect 2012 nutrition considerations. For those food aficionados who eat with their eyes, stunning new recipe photos will be part of this special edition, and new recipe demonstration videos will also be posted on www.mymilkcalendar.ca


Canadians can find out the results of the Milk Calendar recipes voting on Saturday, November 19, 2011 when the special 35th anniversary edition appears in local daily newspapers and online at www.mymilkcalendar.ca

About Dairy Farmers of Canada

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) strives to create favourable conditions for the Canadian dairy industry, today and in the future. DFC works to maintain policies that foster the viability of Canadian dairy producers and to promote quality Canadian dairy products made from 100% Canadian milk as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Extreme Sheephearding

What sheep herders do when they're bored; Extreme Sheephearding

This video will put a smile on your face. Can't imagine anyone going to all this work.


http://www.wimp.com/sheeplight/

Best Online Videos | Wimp.com - A collection of the best online videos

Canadians Asked How Health Care can be Improved with Information Technology

Imagine an innovative approach to make our health and health care better using information or communications technologies - what's your idea?

TORONTO, March 31, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) today launched its ImagineNation Ideas Challenge, asking Canadians how they would improve health and health care through innovation in information and communications technologies (ICT).

Infoway is looking for bold, new ideas — or creative combinations of existing ideas — and will award more than $35,000 to recognize the leading ideas. All Canadians - whether they work in the health system, receive health services, or care about the future of health care in Canada for other reasons - are invited to participate. Individuals or teams of up to five people may enter at www.imagineNationchallenge.ca

"How many times have you thought 'if only there were a digital solution that would do this faster or make it easier to provide great care' but didn't know how to share your idea?," said Dr. Jennifer Zelmer, Senior Vice President, Clinical Adoption and Innovation, Canada Health Infoway. "Now is your chance to share your inspiration and perhaps be recognized for your creativity in the process."

Submissions will be accepted until May 15, 2011. Ideas will be evaluated against four criteria by an esteemed panel of experts. The top ideas will be announced in early July. A special "Canada's Choice Award" selected by the public through online voting will also be announced at that time. Canadians are encouraged to participate by both submitting and voting on ideas. Further information about the ImagineNation Ideas Challenge, including the submission process and evaluation criteria can be found at www.imagineNationchallenge.ca.

Why a Challenge? Why now?

Challenges are a good way of eliciting and spreading innovation: In an Ipsos survey conducted in the fall of 2010 gathering information about Canadians' priorities for consumer health solutions, 85 per cent of respondents agreed that running challenges like this one was a good way to get and test new ideas about how to provide health information products and services. Almost eight in ten also said that they would be proud if someone in their community took part in a challenge. Infoway has committed to engage in open challenges to encourage broader innovation in a cost-effective and timely way, while fostering a community of innovators across the country. The ImagineNation Ideas Challenge is part of Infoway's ongoing innovation program.

About Canada Health Infoway:

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of information and communications technology projects in Canada. Fully respecting patient confidentiality, these secure systems will provide clinicians and patients with the information they need to better support safe care decisions and manage their own health. Accessing this vital information quickly will help foster a more modern and sustainable health care system for all Canadians.

How One Farm Plans to Survive Peak Oil

from TreHugger.com
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA

When film maker Rebecca Hosking and her partner Tim Green explored the implications of peak oil for her family farm, the resulting documentary called A Farm for the Future became a surprise hit on the BBC. Now they are following up with regular blog posts as they try to explore transitioning a traditional, working non-organic British farm into an age of rising oil prices through the applied use of permaculture. Looks like they could be in for a bumpy ride:

"When we left television, most of our colleagues thought we were mad (sad to say many of them have since lost their jobs), now we're on the farm with our new ideas of ecologically sound food production, most farmers think we're mad. Generally we can live with that but we do have one (or two) small problems; an ageing father and an ageing uncle who still hold full power of veto on any changes we want to make on the farm and - putting it very mildly - they don't like change!"

Topics for the future range from mushroom growing to building hugelkultur raised beds to the idea of worm seeding. Watch this space. It should be fascinating stuff... read more stories at TreeHugger.com

Railway Service Announcement Is Important Step Forward

OTTAWA, March 18, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Canadian fertilizer industry is encouraged by today's commitment by the federal government to improve railway service, which is an important step to ensuring that farmers and businesses get the service they are paying for.

Today, Ministers Rob Merrifield and Gerry Ritz announced that the Canadian Government will require railways to establish a process to settle commercial disagreements over the delivery of their service commitments.

This announcement adopts key elements of the railway service solution that the Canadian Fertilizer Institute (CFI) has been advocating for a number of years. CFI has been a champion of commercial solutions and has developed a Railway Customer Charter that would guarantee shippers essential rights.

"The federal government has taken an important step towards balancing the commercial relationships between railways and their freight customers," said Roger Larson, President of the Canadian Fertilizer Institute. "Fertilizer companies have commitments to their customers in Canada, the United States and around the world. Railway service cannot be allowed to continue to be the weak link in Canada's export pipeline."

CFI recognizes there have been some recent improvements. CFI looks forward to building stronger commercial partnerships with the railways so farmers can be assured that they will get the fertilizer they need in time for each growing season.

"We urge farmers, shippers, the railways, and members of all political parties to support the Government's approach. This is about the future of the Canadian economy," said Larson.

For more information on CFI's railway customer charter see www.cfi.ca

The Canadian Fertilizer Institute

The Canadian Fertilizer Institute is an industry association representing manufacturers, wholesale and retail distributors of nitrogen, phosphate, potash and sulphur fertilizers. Our mission is to be the unified voice of the Canadian fertilizer industry by promoting the responsible, sustainable and safe production, distribution and use of fertilizers. Our industry employs 12,000 Canadians and contributes $12 billion annually to Canada's economy. Our products contribute to the supply of safe, nutritious food in Canada and around the world.

High School Students Visit Campus for Reach Ahead Days

GUELPH, Ontario March 02, 2011 - U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC)

High school students and teachers from across southwestern Ontario will visit the University of Guelph for “Reach Ahead Days” March 3 and 10.

Offered by U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), the event will highlight the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics and support the Ontario Ministry of Education’s specialist high skills major (SHSM) program. Under that program, Grade 11 and 12 students focus on an economic sector to prepare for post-secondary education, apprenticeship training or work.

“The Ontario Agricultural College welcomes the opportunity to support the high skills major program through the Reach Ahead Day events,” said Jonathan Schmidt, OAC associate dean (academic). “We recognize the significant role the program can play in the education of highly qualified professionals in the vital environment and agri-food sectors.”

More than 100 students will tour the U of G campus, meet business undergraduates, attend lectures and enter a business case study competition.

OAC will also hold a professional development workshop March 3 to connect Ontario high school teachers in the SHSM program with the University’s School of Environmental Sciences (SES).

Supported by Knowledge and Technology Transfer funding, the workshop will address initiatives and resources that support SHSM programs. Teachers will discuss best teaching practices with each other and with SES faculty.

“We look forward to hosting students and teachers at our Guelph campus and helping them learn about exciting research and career opportunities as well as explore a cross-section of university life,” said Schmidt.

For more information, contact OAC liaison officer Jason Tran at tranv@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120, Ext. 56812.