2018at

COAC MAJOR SPONSORS

CENTRAL ONTARIOAGRICULTURALCONFERENCE

“Building a Better Farm Business”

www.CentralOntarioAgConference.ca

Pre-Register before February 22, 2018 atwww.CentralOntarioAgConference.ca

Regular $35 (includes hot, sit-down lunch & parking) Students $20 (includes lunch)

Registration at the door$50

(includes lunch & parking)

ORGANICSBACKYARD FARMING

DAIRY & SHEEPTHUR

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PRE-REGISTER ON OUR WEBSITE REGISTRATION AT THE DOOR

Bring this program with you to the conference. It is your reference and program guide. For more information contact Connie Brown @ 726-9300 ext. 1224

CONFERENCEEXHIBITS

MANY THANKS TO OUR CONFERENCE SUPPORTERSCollwest • Conestogo Agri-Systems • FS Partners • Holmes Agro Ltd.

John Fischer - Desjardins Financial Security Investments Inc. • National BankRoyal LePage - Cal Madill • TD Bank • Simcoe County Christian Farmers Association

Be sure to visit and talk to Exhibitors throughout the conference. Also, please join us in the Exhibitor Area for a

Complimentary Reception from 4-5PM each day.

ARRANGED BY SIMCOE COUNTYFARM ORGANIZATIONS

CONFERENCE LOCATIONGeorgian College - 1 Georgian Drive, Barrie, ON

Administrative Centre, Building CUse the Entrance off Bell Farm Road(Entrance 1) to access Parking Lot 15

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CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE

Andrew RitchieEric WrightChris LitsterMaureen RundleBruce Gillies & Pat FileHolly SandersBev AgarAndy Van NiekerkBecky BreedonMarilyn BidgoodSuzanne AinleyJohn Miller (Past Chair)

Dairy:

Organic:Sheep:

Backyard Farming:Equine:

Crops:

Members:

Paul MauriceAndy Van NiekerkConnie BrownMary Lynn Vander Wielen

Chairman:Vice-Chair:

Exhibit Coordinator:Treasurer:

CROPSEQUINE

Zach LoeksKula Permaculture Farm

Zach Loeks is an educator, designer/consultant and farmer in Ontario. He grew up in New Mexico on a permaculture homestead and now runs Kula Permac-ulture Farm, a Certified Organic and off-grid perma-culture farm in the Ottawa Valley.

The farm specializes in heirloom seed garlic, fresh produce/fruits and sustainable education/consulting.

Dr. Trevor DeVriesCanada Research Chair in Dairy Cattle Behaviour and Welfare

Dr. Trevor DeVries is a Canada Research Chair in Dairy Cattle Behavior and Welfare and an Associate Professor in the Depart-ment of Animal Biosci-ences at the University of Guelph.

Trevor leads a highly-productive research program focused on dairy cattle nutrition, management, behav-ior, and welfare.

Tracey EvansOwner/Program Director/Master Certified EAL Instructor, Dreamwinds Equine Assisted Learning Centre

Tracey is a Certified Business Coach and Master Certified Equine Assisted Learning Instructor, who owns and operates Dream-winds Equine Assisted Learning Centre.

Using the horse's natural herd instincts, Tracey offers leadership, team building, and life development skills for her clients. Dream-

winds Equine Assisted Learning Centre is also the only Certified Satellite Training Facility for Cartier Farms EAL Certification Program. Tracey's passion is helping her client's realize their full potential, and providing an avenue for people to make their dream career a reality.

Darrell Wade, CAFA, FEAFounder and Principal Advisor, Farm Life Financial Planning Group

Darrell Wade grew up on his family farm in South-ern Ontario. This was until the year 2000 and the sudden loss of his father. He and his family realized the proper planning had

not been in place prior to his father’s death and as a result, the farm was lost. Darrell then joined the financial services industry where he now dedicates his time to helping other family-owned farms implement customized succession plans. His mission is to ensure no other family experiences a loss like his family did. Darrell is the founder of Farm Life Financial Planning Group, which currently helps clients across Ontario find stability on their farm and ensure the farm can live on for future generations to come. His role is to empower farm families to keep farming and ensure there is family harmony when building tax efficient succession plans.

He is certified through the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors and is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor.

Darrell enjoys spending time with his wife Liane and their 4 children, Dylan, Cameron, Sydney and Kayden. They live on a farm east of Peterborough.

Gord MillerRetired Environmental Commissionerof Ontario

Gord Miller is an ecologist and environmental policy analyst with many years of experience.

He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Guelph and has worked in the manufacturing industry and consulting business as well as in academia as a professor. However, most of

his career has been spent in the public sector starting as a scientist with the Ministry of the Environment and concluding his career by serving three five year terms as Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner.

In that role he was an independent Officer of the Legislative Assembly overseeing and critically evaluating government decision-making on the environment, climate change and energy conservation. Gord retired from that role in May, 2015. He now does public speaking on environment and energy topics and occasional consulting projects. He also chairs the Board of Directors for Earthroots the environmental group and the Public Advisory Board of the Canadian Electricity Association.

For more information about our speakers, please visit www.CentralOntarioAgConference.ca

March 1st & 2ndMarch 1st & 2nd

The AdministrativeCentreBuilding C

Please parkat Lot 15

The AdministrativeCentre, Building C

1 Georgian Drive, Barrie, Ontario

CEU creditsfor CCAs will

be offered

Dr. Ronnie HeinigerNorth Carolina State University,Vernon G. James Research Center

Dr. Ronnie Heiniger is a professor in the Department of Crop and Soils Sciences at North Carolina State University.

He received his PhD in crop ecology from Kansas State University in 1994. Dr. Heiniger has worked for the past 23 years as a research and extension specialist at the Vernon G. James Research and Extension

Center in Plymouth, NC. His responsibilities include research into precision agriculture and corn-wheat-soybean cropping systems.

Dr. Heiniger is known for his applied research. He has published over 50 research publications, 80 extension articles, and presented numerous abstracts and papers covering his work in precision agriculture, the use of aerial photography to determine nitrogen requirements for corn and wheat, phyllochron intervals in wheat and managing high-yield corn from emergence to harvest.

Dr. Heiniger has received the Gerold O Mott Award for outstanding research from the American Society of Agronomy, is a three time recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from both the North Carolina Corn Growers’ Association and the North Carolina Small Grain Growers’ Association and is a member of the Academy of Outstanding Extension Specialists at North Carolina State University.

Be sure to visit and talkto Exhibitors throughout

the conference.

Also, please join us in the Exhibitor Area for a

Complimentary Reception from 4-5PM each day!

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COAC appreciates the on-going support provided by Pioneer sales reps, specifically: Alex Brower,Andy Van Niekerk, Bowman Bros., Ed Piotrowski, Garnet Gratrixand Holmes Agro.

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Dairy / SheepKathy WillisExecutive Director, Huronia Transition HomesVertical food cultivation - establishing “Operation Grow”, a social enterprise project to grow food and provide skills and opportunities for women using state-of-the-art vertical farm technologies and equipment.

Eric Blondin Three Forks FarmsArtisanal chicken production - Eric will talk about his experi-ence with the Artisanal Chicken Production program which is run by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario. This Program licenses farmers to raise up to 3000 chickens outside the regular quota system. Eric will touch on the application process and then his production program. Eric has two years of experience with this new program and can provide us with a good overview.

Dr. Trevor DeVriesCanada Research Chair in Dairy Cattle Behaviour and WelfareFeeding Dairy Cows for Best Behaviour - Despite many advances in our knowledge of dairy cow nutrition, we are still faced with the challenge of ensuring consistent and adequate dry matter intake to maximize production and maintain health. Dairy cows do not always consume feed as it is delivered or in a manner which is good for them. This presentation will review research on this topic, focusing on strategies that may be implemented that allow cattle to have good access to the feed provided to them, and consume it in a manner which is condu-cive to good health, productivity, efficiency, and welfare.

Honeywood & Warder Veterinary ServicesSheep Deworming and Other Veterinary Issues - This session will focus on the importance of deworming sheep. What are the best practices to follow to ensure your sheep stay parasite free? Bring your questions about deworming and other issues.

Mark CarsonReproductive Solutions Manager, EastGenIncreasing Production Through Improved Reproduction

Erica Shelley, Ph.D. Best for BeesBackyard Beekeeping with Top Bar Beehives - Getting into beekeeping can be easy and accessible to almost anyone. One type of hive, the top bar hive, is perfect for individuals who want to avoid heavy lifting, bending, or would prefer to have an aesthetically beautiful hive for their own backyard. In this session we will cover the basics for getting started into top bar beekeep-ing, including regulations, basic tools, and start-up costs.

Markus Wand Wand Family Livestock Farm Making the leap: Expanding to Large Scale - Thinking of expand-ing your flock from 50 to 500? In the session tips and lessons learned from someone who’s been there and done it will be shared. Wand Family Livestock Farm is also the 2017 Ontario Sheep Pasture award recipients.

Zack Loeks Kula Permaculture FarmThe Permabed System - One of the ways to farm more ecologi-cally and improve long-term profitability is to diversify production. However, this can be challenging when efficiency and income must be maintained in the short-term while transitioning to better management practices. In addition, diversity of produc-tion can require different tools, techniques and knowledge which may strain the farm manager. Our Permabed System is a garden management solution that includes a garden layout, principles and techniques for transitioning towards Guild Crop Production and Agro-ecological Land Patterning. It is scalable from 300 sq. feet to 3000 acres and emphasizes soil building practices alongside practical field management.

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Darrell Wade, CAFA, FEA Founder and Principal Advisor, Farm Life Financial Planning Group Keeping Up with Change - Significant changes and propos-als surfaced in 2017 from the federal government that are shaping the way we view farm succession today. Now more than ever, professional planning is required to ensure your farm is transferred in the most tax efficient and harmonious way. Come and learn the tools needed for continuity planning to the next generation and protecting your family legacy.

Elizabeth Burrows Jewels Under the Kilt Jewels Under the Kilt - Elizabeth’s presentation will tell how she and husband, Mitch and daughter Jessie left professional lives in Toronto to acquire a farm in Fergus. Soon after arrival they began planting fruit and nut trees. Lis soon developed another hobby- roasting nuts. The growth and development of Jewels Under The Kilt should prove to be inspirational.

Zach Loeks Kula Permaculture FarmPermaculture Market Garden - This workshop delves into home and market garden production in small plots. Whether your back, side or front yards; whether urban, suburban or rural, there are tools and techniques that can help to grow like a pro in limited space. This workshop delves into the best tools, small equipment, crop rotation in time/space and how to turn any lawn into an efficient garden step-by-step.

Jillian CraigSmall Ruminant Specialist, Agriculture Development Branch, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural AffairsRaising ewe lamb replacements - OMAFRA’s sheep specialist will cover proper growth and management of ewe lamb replacements. Typical target breeding , body weight / frame size and culling recommendations will also be discussed.

Henry VerhoogSenior Dairy Specialist, Grand Valley FortifiersGetting dairy farm succession right - Henry will focus on growing the dairy operation and the importance of getting farm succession right. Outlining why dairy operations need to expand during a transition for there to be a successful outcome for both the retiring party and the younger party taking over the dairy operation will be addressed.

Ann McDow Founder, Wool 4 Ewe Fiber MillFibre Options for EWE - Options for wool and other fibres. How these fibres are processed and what you can do with them. Ann McDow will share her experience of raising sheep and running Wool 4 Ewe Fiber Mill.

Peggy Baillie Cultivating Food CoopsFood and Farm Co-ops: their role in thriving rural food systems - For over 100 years, co-ops have been addressing community problems through collective and democratic business based on a set of shared principles. The business structure with the highest rates of success, co-operatives are a wise choice for future businesses. As a result we have seen a wave of new successful food and farm co-ops across North America to address issues of local food systems and econo-mies. This presentation will explain the fundamentals of what a co-op is, how food and farm co-ops are structured and will provide concrete examples of how co-operatives support farmers.

Henry Verhoog & Dairy FarmersSharing our stories of transition and expansion - Henry Verhoog will moderate a session where some of his clients will tell us about their own experience of transitioning and expanding dairy operations. Learn from dairy farmers who have been there and done it.

Hanna Jacobs Matchbox Garden & SeedRunning a Profitable Farm Enterprise on Less Than 2 Acres - If you’ve dreamed of running a small farm as a business Hanna is a great example of having done this. Hanna will share her story and provide insights and tips to get you underway to running your own profitable farm.

Ted SkinnerPartner, Cedar Creek Charollais & Ontario Director, Canadian Sheep Breeders AssociationImportance of Purebreds in the Sheep Industry - Learn how purebred sheep impact your flock and what role purebred sheep have in the sheep industry.

Panel DiscussionHow do we attract & retain aspiring new farmers? - Given that the average age of farmers is around 60 there is an urgency to entice and retain new producers. The combined Organics and Backyard Farming panel, made up of “newish farmers”, will discuss their experiences as well as offer suggestions. Each panelist will be given 5 minutes to give their pitch with the remaining time reserved for audience participation.

DAY 2: Crops / Equine

Blake Vince & Mike JonesLearning to do by Doing, or The “Soil Your Undies” experiment - Inspiring the next generation of farmers from a young age will be highlighted by Mike Jones’ telling us about his Grade 7 4H Canada Science Fair experiment. Joining Mike will be Blake Vince. Mike referenced Blake Vince’s 2014 Nuffield Scholar report in his Science Fair. In his report Blake stated that, “soils higher in Soil Organic Matter (SOM) are generally considered to be higher yielding. This may be because SOM acts as a bank account for nutrients. SOM helps to cycle nutrients and increase nutrient efficiency. Tillage of soil tends to destroy accumulated SOM by burning off soil carbon.” This tells us that by tilling the fields it destroys microbiology that, as we estab-lished in this experiment, takes a long time to replenish.

Tracey EvansOwner/Program Director/Master Certified EAL Instructor, Dream-winds Equine Assisted Learning CentreEquine Assisted Learning: The Benefits and the Path to Your Dream Career with Horses - As an EAL Facilitator Tracey will discuss how EAL is an effective approach to human and leadership develop-ment through the eyes of the horse. Tracey will discuss the benefits of EAL and how partnering with horses helps others to develop critical skills to enable them to reach their full potential in all areas of their life. Tracey will also discuss EAL as a career. The audience will learn the ins and outs of the industry, the path to certification, and how to build a successful dream career in the EAL field.

Gord MillerRetired Environmental Commissioner of OntarioAdapting to the Realities of Climate Change - Climate change is now a reality for Ontario and it is expressing itself in some radical changes in our weather patterns. Much of the extreme weather we are experiencing was not predicted even a decade ago but scientists have recently gained insight into what is happening and why. This talk will discuss what is happening and how this will effect emergency planning and land use activities including agriculture.

Panel DiscussionGreenbelting and Natural Heritage System: A Panel Discussion on Land Use Planning - Allan Thompson, Bernard Pope and Janet Horner will make up the panelists on this lively discussion on impacts of land use planning designations for farmland and agriculture in Ontario.

Dr. Ronnie W. HeinigerNorth Carolina State University, Vernon G. James Research CenterNitrogen Management - 4R Stewardship - Dr. Heiniger is known for his applied research covering precision agriculture, the use of aerial photography to determine nitrogen requirements for corn and wheat, phyllochron intervals in wheat and managing high-yield corn from emergence to harvest.

Wendy Eagles Equine Behaviourist, Wellspring EquineLearning Theory and Its Implications on Daily Handling and Training - Learning emphasizes or suppresses genetic tendencies so that all behaviour can be modified through experiences. There are two main types of learning: associative and non-associative. Additionally, there are other terms and practices that come into play during handling and training, such as Classical and Operant Conditioning, Habituation, Desensitizing, Counter Conditioning, Sensitization, Positive and Negative Reinforcement, and the list continues. This session is an excellent opportunity to make sense of the terminology and subsequent applications that will benefit your relationship with your horse.

Mariana Wright Liberty Horse Trainer, Pair Bond TrainingPair Bond Training at Liberty - As the creator of Pair Bond Training, Marina will discuss working with the horse's natural instincts to create a foundation of trust, which results in a deep bond between horse and handler and a willing equine partner. Marina will discuss natural herd dynamics, Dominant Leadership versus Passive Leadership, and how these topics relate to liberty training, and specifically Pair Bond Training. The audience will learn about how horses have truly been transformed by building a relationship based on trust and understanding.

Cropping in North Eastern Ontario: The New FrontierThis session brings together 3 Simcoe County farmers, Steve Kell, Brian Dunlop and John Hambley, whom in the past few years have purchased and begun cultivating acreage farther north in the province to expand their farm enterprises. Find out what motivated each of these farmers to invest in the north, and what opportuni-ties, benefits and challenges they’ve faced as they expanded their enterprises in the “north”.

Dr. Ruth Pugh Equine Chiropractic Care Chiropractic Care for Horses: When, Why, and How? - Whether our equine friend is a backyard pet or a high performance athlete, their backs are consistently impacted by the activities required of them. It is imperative to our horse's health that we learn to how to properly care for their backs to ensure optimal health and welfare. Dr Ruth will discuss how to know when our horse is in need of chiropractic care, how chiropractic care can help our horse's overall wellbeing, as well as how to go about finding a qualified Equine Chiropractor. The audience will walk away having a better concept of how to care for their horse's back on a regular basis to ensure a healthy, happy equine partner.

Cage MatchBack by popular demand, COAC’s ‘Agronomy Candor Team’, Peter Johnson, Greg Stewart & Aaron Stevanus, will again deliver an exciting discussion. Our ‘Team’ has put forward these ideas: “The Summer that Wasn't" - Recap of 2017 season and harvest; What does 150 bushel wheat look like and need?; and VRT everything - what we need to know. This is an interactive panel discussion. Also, remember to bring along your questions for these agronomy experts.

Andrew Leach, CAFA Advisor, Farm Life Financial Planning GroupWorking Today for Tomorrow’s Success - There’s more to succes-sion planning than writing a will and talking about transition. A professionally developed succession plan can save you and your family significant tax dollars and ensure there are no surprises amongst your family members. Empowering and communicating today with the next generation will help your family now as you plan for your future.

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Making the LeapMarkus Wand

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Food & Farm Co-opPeggy Baillie

Transition &SuccessionHenry Verhoog

RaisingReplacementsJillian Craig

The PermabedSystemZack Loeks

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Increase Production& ReproductionMark Carson

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Cover CropsBlake Vince & Mike Jones

Farming In the NorthBrian Dunlop, John Hambly& Steve Kell

4-R Stewardship -Nitrogen ManagementDr. Ronnie Heiniger

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Jewels Underthe KiltElizabeth Burrows

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Wool 4 EweFibre MillAnn McDow

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Global WarmingGord Miller

Global WarmingGord Miller

Pair Bond TrainingMariana Wright

Learning TheoryWendy Eagles

Equine AssistedLearningTracey Evans

Equine ChiropracticDr. Ruth Pugh

Cage MatchPeter Johnston, Greg Stewart &Aaron Stevanus

Working Today forTomorrow’s SuccessAndrew Leach

Cover CropsBlake Vince & Mike Jones

Greenbelting & NaturalHeritage SystemAlan Thompson, Bernard Pope,& Janet Horner

4-R Stewardship -Nitrogen ManagementDr. Ronnie Heiniger

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Purebred SheepTed Skinner

Keeping Up WithChangeDarrell Wade

Attract & RetainNew FarmersPanel Discussion

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Lunch Break ~ 12:00 - 1:00PM ~ Please visit our exhibitors!

9:00 - 10:00AM ~ Registration & Exhibitor Trade Show Open

4:00PM Onwards ~ Exhibitors & Conference Participants Reception

4:00PM Onwards ~ Exhibitors & Conference Participants Reception

9:00 - 10:00AM ~ Registration & Exhibitor Trade Show Open

Artisanal ChickenProductionEric Blondin

Feeding For BestBehaviourDr. Trevor DeVries

Sharing Our Stories ofTransition & ExpansionHenry Verhoog &Dairy Farmers

Vertical FoodCultivation Kathy Willis

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Honeywood &Warder Vets -Deworming

PermacultureMarket GardenZack Loeks

Profitable SmallFarmHanna Jacobs

Lunch Break ~ 12:00 - 1:00PM ~ Please visit our exhibitors!