Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

AALP Class 13 North American Study Tour Day 5

Individual responsibility leading to accidental leadership

July 9, 2010 - State College, PA - The hospitality and generosity of our counterpart leadership program in Pennsylvania led by JD Dunbar, CEO of RULE continues…

Our session opened with a touching interpretation of the American and Canadian national anthems led by Commissioner Erick Coolidge, a dairy farmer in Tioga County PA and Andrew Chisholm from AALP Class 13. The morning began with a panel discussion on the Marcellus Shale, a formation that encompasses parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Estimated to contain 489 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, over 100 years supply, the shale in exploitation is affecting the economic, social and environmental sustainability of rural areas of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

John Nikoloff from Pennsylvania Energy Resources Group provided a comparative perspective with Ontario about renewable energy. Their 25-’25 initiative will see 25 % of total energy production by 2025 from renewable energy. From the discussion, we can say that leaders in rural Pennsylvania have decided to take this challenge as an opportunity to raise the awareness of their citizens. Significant differences between regulations in Canada and USA lead the class to worry about environmental issues related to shale expansion. Education through communication, research and training is essential for the community to harness the potential of the resource and reduce the negative impact.

Following was a presentation on the national American rural healthcare perspectives, in particular in Pennsylvania. In the United States, twenty percent of US citizens do not have insurance coverage in a healthcare system ranked 37th among the World Health Organization (WHO) member countries, and over 100,000 people die each year because of a lack of medical care. On hearing these stats the class realised that despite all the issues we might have in Canada, we are privileged to have access to a universal health care system. Nevertheless, after the presentation, we all agreed that there is a need to take our own responsibility to maintain affordable healthcare in the future through educating good healthy habits.

The day ended with a visit to The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in the attractive and vibrant downtown core of State College. Rick Bryant, Executive Director, provided an introduction to the festival showcasing over 300 artists selected for the occasion. During five days 125,000 visitors will be enjoying the largest festival of its kind. Enrichment and education of the audience is the mission of the festival, which is directed by a local leader who has been involved since he was a teenager working as part of the trash crew for the event. Rick is a good example of accidental leadership, through his involvement in his community.

Finally, a subgroup of the class went to visit a creamery and met Joe Meyer, a third generation farmer who opened a dairy in 1970 called Meyer Dairy. They are now milking 160 cows and processing 800 gallons of milk per day. It was an impressive production system and collection of antique machinery. It was an accidental meeting with another local leader…

Gunther Csoff, Michel-Antoine Renaud and Amadou Thiam – AALP Class 13

Views: 78

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

What Separates the Top-Tier Pork Producers from the Rest?

Some would say the pork industry is on the other side of the biggest financial downturn the industry has seen for the last 30 years. Others say we are not quite there yet. In a Farm Credit peer benchmarking review, Chris Ford, vice president corporate swine lender with Farm Credit, looked back over the past several years to see what differentiated pork operations that have done well and those that have struggled. 1. Production is king. “Producers who have adhered to strong biosecurity measures, embraced technology and have taken a mindset of getting as much production out the door as possible have had as much success as anybody in this industry,” Ford says. 2. Good bookkeeping matters. “Those who have done a nice job with financial acumen and understanding where they’re at from a financial standpoint have survived this downturn,” Ford says. “As a lender, we see that every day. Those producers that keep good sets of books and understand their cost of production make the best decisions

3rd Annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark Raises $20,000 for Iowa Food Banks

Hundreds of Iowans gathered at Principal Park on June 21 for the third annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark, raising more than $20,000 to support food banks across the state. The family-friendly event was presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) in partnership with the Iowa Cubs and Fareway Stores. “Events like BBQ & Brew show how strong our communities are when we come together for a common cause,” said Doug Gruver, IPPA board member and two-time event volunteer. “Giving back is at the heart of what we do as pork producers. Whether it’s raising food or raising funds, we’re proud to serve Iowans beyond the farm. This event is also a great opportunity to showcase the high-quality product we raise in Iowa and the incredible BBQ talent and passion of the teams who compete.” This year’s event featured 24 backyard barbecue teams competing for $12,000 in prize money across three pork categories: loin, ribs, and butt. Fareway Stores played a critical role in making the event pos

Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

Canada and Ontario are investing $5M to improve community pastures, boost sustainability, support cattle farmers, and enhance soil health through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Soy Canada annual meeting emphasizes opportunity and innovation amid industry challenges

Soy Canada’s annual meeting focussed on solutions that position Canadian soy for success during industry presentations and discussions at this year’s event. The theme, Gather and Grow, challenged participants to focus on finding opportunities amid global challenges created by conflict, uncertainty and volatility.

Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmers welcome the passage of Bill C-202

 Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmers welcome any effort aimed at ensuring no further supply managed concessions are made in trade negotiations, such as Bill C-202, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service