December 2018
Targeted DON initiative is opening for Ontario organizations and collaborations
The Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) is opening a new targeted Intake: Deoxynivalenol (DON) Call for Proposals. Funding for this initiative is provided through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership) funding assistance for Ontario’s organizations and collaborations. This is a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, delivered by the AAC on behalf of the Province of Ontario and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“We recognize the significance of this issue and the need for timely action to support Ontario’s grain farmers and the sector as a whole,” said Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, we are providing support to farmers and industry as they manage the current challenges caused by the DON toxin, while also looking towards future solutions to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of our grain sector.”

“Many of our farmers and others who work in our corn value chain are dealing with a significant weather-caused challenge with high levels of DON in parts of this year’s corn crop. We’re concerned and taking action to respond because we want our farmers and others working in our agricultural sector to succeed,” said Ernie Hardeman, Ontario's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “We have opened a special application intake for affected farmers for the cost of testing and will be supporting new projects in the sector to help address challenges at different points in the corn value chain, such as finding ways to best process or market corn impacted by DON.”

Cost-share funding is available for eligible Ontario organizations and collaborations to support projects that will help the corn sector value chain address challenges caused by DON, the plant disease caused by the wet weather.

Applicants may apply for DON-related undertakings under any of the 19 project categories, with preference for projects under the following two project categories:
  • Plant Health - Applied Research, Pilot Projects and Demonstration
  • Plant Health - Skills Development, Training and Education

If applicants want to apply under any other project categories, they can contact AAC to discuss project ideas.

“The AAC is pleased to be delivering this targeted initiative through the Partnership”, says AAC Chair, Kelly Duffy, “The outcomes from these projects will help address the challenges faced by the Ontario agriculture and agri-food industry a result of the outbreak of DON in corn.”

The deadline for applications will be Thursday, January 10, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. Further information can be found on the AAC website at: https://adaptcouncil.org/program/cap/don.

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion, federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of the Partnership in Ontario.
CONTINUED LEADERSHIP FOR THE 2018-2019 AAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) is pleased to announce the 2018-2019 board of directors, elected on December 6, 2018 at the at the Council’s 23nd Annual General Meeting.

The AAC is made up of 67 member organizations from the Ontario agriculture and agri-food industry, who annually elect 16 directors to serve on the AAC board and represent the collective interest of the membership. Re-elected representatives to the 2018-2019 executive committee and board of directors include:

Chair: Kelly Duffy, Agri-business/Retail/Food Processor
Vice Chair: Chris Hiemstra, Other Industries/Commodity Groups
Treasurer: Cor Kapteyn, Supply Management
Secretary: Peggy Brekveld, General Farm Interest

Doug Alexander, Agri-business/Retail/Food Processor
Keith Black, Grains/Seeds/Oilseeds/Specialty Crops
Ray Duc, Horticulture
Dennis Fischer, Livestock
Eric Hartemink, Livestock
Mark Huston, Youth-at-Large
Ruth Knight, Other Organizations
Ed Scharringa, General Farm Interest
Will Vanderhorst, Supply Management
Brian Wiley, Grains/Seeds/Oilseeds/Specialty Crops
 
Rounding out the board are the two newly elected directors, Pam Jackson, nominated by the Ecological Farmers of Ontario to serve as Youth-at-Large, and Mark Wales, nominated by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers to serve as a Horticulture representative. Pam and Mark bring a broad range of agricultural knowledge to the AAC board. 

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