Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Newsletter
September 2021 | Volume 10, Issue 5
|
|
In This Issue:
- Made in Durham: The Cove Artisan Market
- Grown in Durham: Nutcracker Ridge Farm
- Virtual Farm Tour Highlights Durham Region's Agricultural Industry
- What’s in Season in Durham Region?
- Employment Ontario
- Business Re-Opening Toolkit
- Downtowns of Durham
- CareersNOW!
- Durham Farm Connection’s Celebrate Agriculture Awards
- Jobs and Growth Fund
- Funding for New-to-Ontario Automation and Machinery
- Digital Main Street (DMS)
- Agriculture Clean Technology (ACT) Program
- Rural Economic Development Program
- Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program
- CanExport
- Ontario Supporting the Wine Agri-Tourism Sector
- Student Workplace Placement Program
- Youth Employment and Skills Program
- Save the Date for the Durham Farm Connections’ Triple A Event: Celebrate Ag Gala
- Facebook Live Tours with Durham Region Farmers
- Webinar: Exporting Food and Beverages to the Philippines
- Save the Date: 2021 Agri-Food Forum
|
|
Made in Durham: The Cove Artisan Market |
|
In March 2021, The Cove Artisan Market opened its doors to customers in downtown Port Perry. The Cove works with vendors from across Durham Region and beyond to deliver a wide variety of artisan products, including home décor, lake souvenirs, fresh local jams and sauces, artwork, candles, jewelry, accessories, healing crystals, health and wellness products, handmade stationary items, and so much more.
The Cove also has a deep-rooted passion for individual and community well-being. The Cove offers a range of spiritual and personal growth workshops, certification courses and angel card readings—all of which are delivered by store owner, Rev. Michlynn Walton. They also work hard to empower women in their community and beyond.
Learn more about The Cove Artisan Market by visiting their website, Facebook or Instagram. Shop online or drop by their storefront at 94 Water Street in beautiful downtown Port Perry.
|
|
Grown in Durham: Nutcracker Ridge Farm |
|
Did you know hazelnuts grow in Durham Region? They definitely do, and that is exactly what Nutcracker Ridge Farm specializes in! Nutcracker Ridge Farm in Uxbridge has been growing hazelnuts since 2015 when their first hazelnut trees were planted. Today the farm has almost 2,500 hazelnut trees of 17 different hazelnut cultivars, planted on approximately 12 acres. Many trees have now started to produce nuts.
As an active member of the Ontario Hazelnut Association, Nutcracker Ridge is very involved in research projects — focusing on finding unique cultivars that thrive and produce the best hazelnuts in Durham’s climate, and identifying new local hazelnut markets. If you are interested in learning more about hazelnut production, visit the OHA’s website.
|
|
Virtual Farm Tour Highlights Durham Region’s Agricultural Industry |
|
The Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee (DAAC) will be hosting a virtual farm tour highlighting the full growing season of a local potato farm. From planting to growing the crop, harvesting, storing and distributing the potatoes, this year’s tour will showcase the full range of activities that take place at Smalley Produce—a family-run farm and business since 1946.
DAAC has hosted an annual farm tour for the past 18 years to members of the government and key stakeholders on the importance of farming in Durham Region. Participants gain an understanding of agricultural operations, including opportunities and challenges of the agricultural community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s tour will be virtual.
Please note that the 2021 DAAC farm tour video will be available online at durham.ca/DAACFarmTour if you are unable to attend on September 28.
|
|
What’s in Season in Durham Region? |
|
Durham has plenty of healthy, high-quality food grown on farms across the countryside. Learn what’s in season by checking out the Durham Farm Fresh ‘In Season’ guide. This allows viewers to discover what crops are coming into season over the summer and fall months!
|
|
Employment Ontario (EO) is a network of funded agencies that help job seekers, workers and employers with advice, grants, incentives and other services for public and private sector employment. The free programs and services provide direct support to individuals seeking work, companies that are recruiting, and laid-off workers interested in training for their next job.
|
|
Business Re-Opening Toolkit |
|
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve in Ontario, all Durham Region businesses are encouraged to utilize the Business Re-Opening Toolkit for sector specific information and resources pertaining to operating a business in the Region of Durham.
|
|
Originally created as a tool to help consumers identify what businesses in Durham Region’s 14 downtowns were operating (and to what extent) during COVID-19 lockdowns, Downtowns of Durham has evolved into a hub for all things local! Recent updates include the ‘Stories’ tab where you can read all about Durham Region’s trendiest small businesses, or use the ‘Shop’ tab to explore the Shop Durham Region Online Marketplace.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates coming soon!
|
|
Food and Beverage Ontario has announced CareersNOW! for Business—a free, online resource designed for food and beverage manufacturing industry employers. The platform allows you to:
- Access profiles of qualified individuals ready to start working right away.
- Post job opportunities and have them targeted to qualified candidates.
- Hire students and future employees through Work Integrated Learning and access up to $7,500 in wage subsidies.
- Connect with new skills training programs, and resources for food and beverage manufacturer employers and employees.
|
|
Durham Farm Connection's Celebrate Agriculture Awards |
|
The Jobs and Growth Fund aims to support the transition to a green economy, foster an inclusive recovery, enhance competitiveness, and create jobs in every corner of the country. It provides up to $70 million for businesses created after January 2020 that meet eligibility criteria. Applications are being accepted on a continuous intake basis until March 31, 2024, or until funding is fully committed.
|
|
Funding for New-to-Ontario Automation and Machinery |
|
The Province of Ontario is investing in agri-food innovation to help address challenges the industry has faced related to labour shortages and the pandemic, and to support sector growth. Funding is available through the Agri-tech Innovation Program to increase productivity, and worker health and safety. This intake will be open until September 27, 2021.
|
|
Digital Main Street (DMS) |
|
Digital Main Street 3.0 is here! Eligible small businesses looking to improve their online presence are strongly encouraged to sign up for the Digital Transformation Grant. This program is focused on providing eligible small businesses with a digital assessment, online training, advisory support, and a one-time $2,500 grant to implement their digital solutions. To qualify, businesses can be located anywhere in Ontario, have a brick-and-mortar location and employ between one to 50 people.
|
|
Agriculture Clean Technology (ACT) Program |
|
The ACT Program aims to create an environment that enables the development and adoption of clean technology, in order to help drive the changes required to achieve a low-carbon economy and promote sustainable growth in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.
|
|
Rural Economic Development Program |
|
The Province has opened an intake for the Rural Economic Development Program (RED). This intake closes on October 1, 2021. The RED Program provides cost share funding for activities and projects that support rural communities. To learn more about eligibility and project streams, visit the Program Guidelines.
|
|
Enhanced Agri-Food Workplace Protection Program |
|
Ontario is providing $10 million to support more farmers and agri-food operators to purchase personal protective equipment, enhance cleaning and disinfection, and redesign workstations to better protect workers. Under the new Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program, farms and agri-food businesses that hire three or more employees will be eligible for funding. Applications will be accepted while funding is available or until November 30, 2021.
|
|
CanExport is a funding program designed to promote and enhance Canada’s trade diversification efforts. It offers grants and contributions to Canadian companies to help them prepare for, and establish, a presence in international markets. Currently, CanExport is accepting applications for the CanExport Innovation program. This provides innovators from Canadian organizations access to up to $75,000 in funding to assist with research and development for a single technology.
|
|
Ontario Supporting the Wine Agri-Tourism Sector |
|
The Ontario government is launching a new Winery Agri-Tourism COVID-19 Relief Initiative to support agri-tourism businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses that experienced a revenue decline in at least one area of their operations, such as decreased tourism, tours, events and tastings, or have faced increased expenses to comply with public health safety measures for COVID-19, will be eligible to receive support.
|
|
Student Workplace Placement Program |
|
The Food Processing Skills Canada’s Student Work Placement Program is designed to help employers in the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry to hire students in colleges and universities across the country.
|
|
Youth Employment and Skills Program |
|
The Federal Youth Employment and Skills Program provides a wage subsidy to employers who hire youth for agricultural jobs. The program offers support for 50 per cent of wages to a maximum of $14,000. Employers can apply on or after May 5, 2021 for their project to be considered. Projects may start retroactively as early as April 15, 2021.
|
|
For more frequent updates on Durham Region success stories, resources, local news, fun facts and more, follow @DurhamAgRural on Twitter. #DurhamAg #NorthDurham
|
|
Save the Date for the Durham Farm Connections' Triple A Event: Celebrate Ag Gala |
|
Join us in celebrating all the great things happening in Durham’s agriculture community at this year’s Celebrate Ag Gala. The event will take place virtually on October 28 via Zoom. This year’s gala will be a Triple A event with an exciting evening of awards, appetizers, and an auction. Be sure to mark the date in your calendar—you won’t want to miss out on a great evening of celebrations! Stay tuned for more information coming soon by visiting the Durham Farm Connections website or Facebook page.
|
|
Facebook Live Tours with Durham Region Farmers |
|
Throughout 2021, Durham Region farmers have been offering behind-the-scenes virtual farm tours. Each tour is hosted by a local farmer—sharing a beyond-the-farm-gate view of the different types of farms in Durham. The tours are broadcast live from the Durham Farm Connections (DFC) Facebook page and available for on-demand viewing after the broadcast for a period of one week.
Tours have been confirmed on many different types of farms, including beef cattle, maple syrup, egg, greenhouse, field crop, dairy, apple orchard, sheep, peas and strawberries, hay, herb (specialty tea), wheat, apple cider, field vegetables and fruit, and a flower farm.
DFC connects consumers, farmers and decision makers with opportunities to enhance knowledge, understanding and appreciation of agriculture and food in Durham Region; providing collaborative, innovative approaches to agricultural education.
|
|
Webinar: Exporting Food and Beverages to the Philippines |
|
Are you interested in exporting to the Philippines? On September 14, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., there will be a complimentary webinar focused on opportunities for food and beverage companies to export to the Philippines. Participants will learn pertinent information about exporting to importers and/or retailers in the Philippines, and will also have an opportunity to be introduced to consolidators, importers, prominent retailers, and trade commissioners who are engaged in the market.
For questions, please contact Kiran Pandey, Export Marketing Specialist for Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East at Kiran.Pandey@ontario.ca.
|
|
Save the Date: 2021 Agri-Food Forum |
|
Save the date for this year’s Municipal Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Forum, taking place virtually on November 3 and 4. Hosted by York Region, the theme of this year’s event will be Innovation and Resiliency in the Agri-Food Sector. Throughout the event participants will hear from industry speakers and expert panels to learn about agriculture in York Region and much more. Visit the website for more information on the event and registration. You won’t want to miss out!
|
|
Contact Us
Toll-free: 1-800-706-9857
As a contact of the Region of Durham's Planning and Economic Development Department, you have been added to our mailing list. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please use the unsubscribe link located at the bottom of this e-newsletter.
If this information is required in an accessible format, please contact the Planning and Economic Development Department at 905-668-7711 ext. 2609 (toll-free at 1-800-706-9857).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
