Ponsse offers sustainable and innovative harvesting solutions based on customer needs. We want to be a forerunner in the development of digital solutions for the industry.

Ponsse is launching a new customer-oriented Ponsse Active Manual, which is an instruction and maintenance manual service with videos to support the daily work of forest machine operators.  

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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian food producers and processors have stepped up to deliver quality food for Canadians and people around the world. From the outset, the Government of Canada has helped food processors invest in safety measures and maintain their capacity to keep up with demand.

“Known as one of Canada’s richest farm belts, southwestern Ontario is an agricultural powerhouse. Despite the many challenges caused by the pandemic, local food producers and processors have shown true resilience. These investments are supporting their efforts to protect the health and well-being of workers so they can continue supplying good food for Canadians and people around the world,”

said Neil Ellis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

On behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Parliamentary Secretary Neil Ellis and the Member of Parliament for Windsor–Tecumseh, Irek Kusmierczyk, highlighted support of up to $6.1 million through the Emergency Processing Fund (EPF) for 34 food processing companies in southwestern Ontario. EPF support is helping these businesses, including a large number of greenhouse growers, keep employees safe and the food supply chain running strong.

Recipients are using this funding to make adjustments to enable social distancing, purchase reuseable personal protective equipment (PPE), implement biosecurity measures, install handwashing stations and protective barriers and develop employee training.

Parliamentary Secretary Ellis and MP Kusmierczyk highlighted this support at a virtual event with representatives from two EPF recipients:

• Lakeside Produce Inc., a family-owned produce company and greenhouse grower in Leamington, which is receiving up to $1,172,632; and,
• Under Sun Acres Inc., a greenhouse operation that produces sweet bell peppers in Staples, which is receiving up to $149,034.

The Government of Canada will continue working with food processors to protect the health and well-being of workers in food processing plants across Canada and strengthen food supply chain.

Source:Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $2.5 million to help farmers improve environmental sustainability and water quality in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds. In addition to delivering on its continued commitment to protecting our environment, this investment will also improve productivity for farm operations in the region.

The Lake Erie Agriculture Demonstrating Sustainability (LEADS) initiative will support 235
farmer-led projects to be completed this year, targeted to improve soil health and reduce
the risk of nutrient losses in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds. LEADS is a
regionally targeted cost-share program funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership
(the Partnership).

“Our government continues to invest in the sustainability of our land and water, now and for the future,”

said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“We know the importance of environmental and water stewardship to farmers and all Canadians and we are committed to supporting on-farm projects, such as LEADS activities, to further improve environmental sustainability and the health of our Great Lakes.”

“LEADS projects demonstrate our agricultural sector’s commitment to environmental stewardship and keeping our waterways clean for future generations,”

said Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

“It’s another great example of what we can do when we work with the other levels of government and our agriculture partners to improve the environment and protect our natural resources.”

“Farmers in Ontario have been and continue to be stewards of the land. We want to continue to make a positive impact on the environment, the economy and our communities,”

said Jan VanderHout, member of Environmental Collaboration Ontario (EcoAg).

“Partnership programs like LEADS are important tools for achieving innovative and effective environmental outcomes.”

Now in its third year, these 235 LEADS projects build on the environmental successes achieved through the more than 500 on-farm projects completed in this key watershed area in the first years of the initiative.

LEADS-supported projects have helped reduce the risk of soil loss and soil nutrient loss and improved water quality in its target region through implementing a variety of best onfarm management practices. These have included planting cover crops, modifying equipment to reduce soil tillage, improved nutrient placement and the planting of vegetation to serve as windbreaks.

LEADS supports the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan and aligns with the Made in Ontario Environment Plan, committing to a 40 per cent reduction of phosphorus run off into Lake Erie and its watershed.

Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed cost-share support to more than 2,500 projects through the Partnership, to help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow.

Quick Facts

• LEADS is a five-year, $15.6 million commitment by the federal and provincial
  governments, available until March 2023, to help farmers take action to improve soil
  health and water quality in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watershed areas.
• The Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial
  and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors.
• The Ontario agri-food sector supports more than 837,000 jobs in Ontario and
  contributes more than $47.5 billion each year to the province’s economy.

Source: Government of Ontario

The post The Government of Canada and Ontario Invest to Help Farmers Protect Water and Lakes appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Consuming dairy products provides nutrients that are vital to your overall health! Dairy is an excellent source of protein, potassium, vitamin D and is American’s number one source of calcium.

Dairy isn’t just a healthy and delicious food group – it contributes significantly to the American economy. The dairy industry accounts for 1% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, generating an economic impact of $628 billion while creating nearly 3 million U.S. jobs.

Since the stay-at-home order has been put in place grocery sales of dairy products have increased. However, a majority of milk processing plants service the restaurant industry, schools, as well as other food services. The surplus of milk, cheese and butter has dairymen dumping their milk down the drain.

How can you help the dairy industry?

If you are able, you should.

• Continue to buy dairy products at the grocery store.
• Support local restaurants offering carry-out orders.
• Contact your local food pantry to see what items they need! Milk is one of the top requested items from many food pantries.
• Send your local farmer a thank you note! A little appreciation and encouragement in tough times can go a long way.

Farming is a 24-hour a day, 7-day per week job. Thank you to everyone on the farm, and all those in the supply chain to the grocery store, who are working hard to keep us all fed!

DAIRY IS Essential: Stay Strong, Stay Healthy and Support our Farmers!

Source: Agromatic

The post How to help Agromatic and the entire dairy industry during Covid-19 appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.