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MARCH 2021

LDSS introduces new agriculture-based High Skills Major program Grade 11, 12 students to gain real-world, hands-on experience through evolving industry DAN MCNEE

he emergence of new technologies and applying the latest ideas through T practical means have become commonplace across every industry, and perhaps none more than in the agricultural sector.

To that end, Listowel District Secondary School (LDSS) and the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) have introduced a timely new agricultural program that aims to connect students with industry professionals in one of Ontario’s prime farming and agri-business communities. Perth County has long been established as exactly that, and the introduction of a Special High Skills Major (SHSM) in agriculture was a logical transition for LDSS as secondary schools continue to evolve their learning experiences beyond the confines of the classroom.

“The High Skills Majors are set up as a way of providing real-world experience and certifications, and career awareness to students,” explained LDSS Agriculture SHSM Lead and Co-operative Education Head John Kuepfer. “It builds on their learning that they have already as part of the courses they’re taking already in school.

“So many students may not live on a farm or have an immediate connection right now to the farming community, but if I go into a careers class and poll the students, asking them how many of them have a connection to agriculture maybe through their parents or grandparents, it’s amazing to see how many people would be able to raise their hand. There’s so many possibilities out there for great careers that will let you come back and live in this area, and have a very rewarding career. We want to spread the good news.”

According to a release from the AMDSB, SHSM programs offer students greater choice for customized, career-focused sec-

ondary school learning in a specific sector of the economy that meets their particular interests and talents. Focused learning experiences help students explore, identify and refine career goals and make informed decisions related to post-secondary goals.

Students are able to recognize the connection between secondary school learning and future employment by establishing relationships and networks in their chosen career field.

Students gain confidence in their ability to be successful, improve their skills and work habits, in addition to earning sector-recognized certifications leading to a specialized Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

On the co-op side of things, Kuepfer said that despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, SHSM students have still been able to utilize in-person placements with local businesses and primary agricultural producers. LDSS hopes to be able to increase placements as a resolution of the pandemic becomes clearer in the coming months.

“This a shift away from providing things within the school, and reaching out into the community through these partners,” said Kuepfer, adding that the new program has garnered a lot of interest within the senior student population at the school.

“You really can’t duplicate or replicate that within the walls of the school. This is tapping a lot of experience and expertise that is start-of-the-art, really.”

LDSS has also been recognized in the past for a number of programs that have been designated by the province as providing a breadth of programming that best prepares students for the initial post-secondary transition. The other SHSM programs include Business, Construction, Health and Wellness, and Manufacturing.

The Agriculture SHSM program welcomes additional community partners and

sponsors, whether they be agri-business companies, organizations or producers.

Other schools in AMDSB that offer the Agriculture SHSM are Central Huron Secondary School, Mitchell District High School and F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham.

Those interested in partnering with LDSS can reach out to the school by calling 519291-1880.

Kuepfer added that the agricultural education opportunities won’t stop at the SHSM, but will continue in the future by extending the agricultural learning aspects across many other traditional secondary school subjects.

“When students see themselves repre-

sented, and their aspirations represented within the school community, that goes a long way towards awareness and engagement,” he said. “I think there’s a been a sense for a long time that agriculture is just a key part of our community here.

So many of our graduates have gone on to play important roles in the industry, including provincially and federally. We have companies in our community where they’re playing lead roles within the industry. And we have companies who are shipping product and providing expertise internationally, and they’re based right here in North Perth.

“We don’t have to go far to offer great experiences to the students.”

Banner File Photo

Listowel District Secondary School and the Avon Maitland District School Board have introduced a timely new Agriculture Specialist High Skills Major program that aims to connect students with industry professionals throughout Perth County, one of Ontario’s prime farming and agri-business communities.

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With school trips cancelled some local farmers offer virtual farm visits JOANNE SHUTTLEWORTH

They are currently geared to kindergarten students, but even grown-ups are likely to learn something new. n the absence of school trips due to the pandemic, two The series is called Fun Facts and Farm Chats and can be area farms are offering virtual trips so children can found by searching “Mapletwiss Farm” on YouTube. The learn about farming and where their food comes from. farm is also on Facebook and Instagram.

Amanda Twiss and her husband James bought Mapletwiss Jess and Ryan Pfisterer had a similar thought about bringFarm in 2018. ing their farm to students during COVID-19.

It’s located in Damascus, northeast of Arthur, where they Pfisterer Farm is also located near Damascus and the couraise cattle, pigs and chickens and sell direct from the farm ple moved there in 2019. gate – although with COVID-19, it’s online or by appoint- Jess Pfisterer said it was talking with friends that got her ment. thinking about making Their dream is to open a store videos. on site and offer the opportu“I’ve been hearing about nity for customers to see the the struggle with online farm and the animals. They learning, for teachers and had their first season in 2019. parents,” she said in an in“Last year (2020) was to be terview. our big year,” Twiss said in an “I started thinking about interview.

TikTok and how you can That didn’t happen, of course, learn so much in a oneand in an effort to keep her son minute video.

Colton, 10, gainfully occupied “So, I consulted with during stay-at-home orders, some educators to come Twiss and her son started up with something that’s making videos about farm life. tied to the curriculum.”

Colton is particularly animatHer one-minute videos ed when he talks about raising are geared to students chickens. from Grades 1 to 3.

Twiss said she originally Contributed Photos “They remind me of posted the videos on Insta- Colton Twiss, 10, enjoys talking about chickens as much as hug- those Heritage Minutes – gram, but almost immediately ging them. He is part of the informational videos his parents are short and impactful. Kids got requests from teacher- producing about farm life as a resource for teachers. can’t sit still very long,” friends asking if she could she said. post videos in a format they Pfisterer said she and her husband are committed to recould share with their classes. generative, sustainable practices and are keen to connect “So now I’ve created a YouTube page,” Twiss said, add- with the community. ing she’s surprised how quickly it has gained traction.

“I grew up in the city and didn’t have access to this, so I “It really came about as something Colton and I could really wanted to give people a way to spend a fun, family do.” day at the farm,” she said.

Twiss and her husband are not teachers, but the couple is Their long-term vision is to have community days on the involved with 4-H and they produced a video as part of the farm to reinforce the message of farm to fork and using Arthur Agricultural Society’s virtual fall fair. local food sources.

“We’re heavily involved in agriculture and education,” She has posted videos on their website, www.pfistererTwiss said. “We saw an opportunity to share what we’re farm.com, and will launched Pfisterer Farm School (also learning on the farm.” on the website) in January.

Twiss is developing the videos based on elementary The videos are free, and parents are invited to use them as school curriculum. a resource, as well as teachers.

I

Amanda and James Twiss with their children Colton and Kherington. Mapletwiss Farm is producing videos about farm life for teachers to use in class.

Jess, Ryan and Boone Pfisterer have opened Pfisterer Farm School, a series of videos to help teachers and parents with online learning. At 18 months old, Boone didn’t really have much to do with it.

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MARCH 2021

PAGE 7

Moorefield native to enter Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Dr. Peter Sikkema recognized for contributions to Ontario agriculture MIKE WILSON

Moorefield native is being enshrined A into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame (OAHF).

Dr. Peter Sikkema is one of seven agricultural leaders being inducted into the hall of fame this year.

Sikkema grew up on a farm at RR #3 Moorefield and graduated from Norwell District Secondary School in 1977.

Currently, he is a professor of field crop weed management at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus. He is widely regarded as a leader in the field of weed management research.

“He is a world leader in the field of surveillance and management of glyphosate and multiple resistant weeds,” states a press release from the OAHF. “Through his work, he has made a major impact on the sustainability of crop production in Ontario.”

After graduating from Norwell, Sikkema wanted to pursue a career in agriculture.

“My interest was possibly working for farm credit, in terms of agricultural finance or working in international development,” he said.

Sikkema attended the University of Guelph for his undergraduate studies, and it was a summer job with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in 1980 that forever changed his career path.

“I worked with a very knowledgeable fellow, Harvey Wright, and I assisted him with some weed control experiments on farms in southern Ontario,” he recalled.

Those experiments were focused on improving weed control in corn, specifically pigweed control, on a few farms in Brant County.

“I was quite interested in it and because

Contributed Photos

Moorefield native Peter Sikkema is one of seven agricultural leaders who will be inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame this year. of that, I applied to do a master’s degree with a weed scientist in the department at the time, Dr. Jack Dekker, and that is how I got into weed science.”

Since then, Sikkema and his team have conducted over 3,000 field experiments and have published more peer-reviewed manuscripts on field crop agronomy than any professor in the 146-year history of the Ontario Agricultural College.

That research has impacted many of Ontario’s field crops, including corn, soybeans, cereals and edible beans.

Much has changed in weed management over the past four decades, Sikkema said, with the biggest change being the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, specifi-

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cally glyphosate-resistant weeds.

“For some amazing reasons, some weed bio-types have evolved a resistance to these herbicides and provide zero control,” he said.

“Some bio-type have developed resistance to four different herbicide modes of action, and if a particular farmer has that bio-type on this farm, it is really going to reduce the number of effective weed management options he has left.”

Looking ahead to the future, Sikkema believes that farmers will be “far more proactive” in developing long-term, diversified and integrated weed management programs.

“By doing that, hopefully the current herbicides we have available will be more sustainable long-term,” he said.

“I think farmers need to incorporate far more diversity into their weed management programs.”

Proudest accomplishment Of all the papers published, experiments conducted, and classes taught, Sikkema is most proud of passing on his knowledge to the next generation of agricultural students.

“Hopefully they know a little bit more about weed science after they’ve completed my courses, and to help Ontario farmers do a little bit better job of weed management on their farms,” he said.

“That’s what I find the most rewarding in my position.”

Getting into agriculture Sikkema says he’s had a really rewarding career working in agriculture and that he is constantly learning.

“The level of science, in terms of farms in 2021, just continues to go up. The level

of science in crop production and animal husbandry continues to go up, and I think it makes it more fascinating and more rewarding to work in this discipline,” he said.

“It’s an exciting area to work in and there is a lot to learn. I’m still learning.”

When asked if he had any words of wisdom for aspiring agriculture students, he stressed that you don’t need to have a farming background or live on a farm to get into the industry.

“If you are not from a farm, that sure doesn’t preclude you from working in the agricultural industry just because it is so diverse and there are so many different supporting industries,” he said.

Most know agriculture as primary production on the farm, but he stated there are so many support industries that support those producers, such as agricultural economics, ag retailers, animal nutrition, crop production, crop fertility, pest management and seed industry.

“Agriculture is a very diverse industry and there’s many, many different ways that you can get a career in agriculture,” he said.

Hall of Fame Regarding his upcoming induction into the OAHF, Sikkema says he was surprised and humbled to receive the honour.

“When I started in this industry, that was the furthest thing from my mind,” he said.

“It’s surprising and humbling. It’s nice to be recognized for that work that I have done for the past three or four decades.”

Sikkema was quick to mention that while this may be an individual honour, he feels it is a team award.

Continued on page 10

COUNTRY LIFE SPRING EDITION

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MARCH 2021

Minto moving forward with flood mitigation planning Ultimate goal remains multi-million dollar diversion of Maitland River around Harriston PATRICK RAFTIS

own of Minto council has T approved the Harriston Flood Mitigation Study and directed staff to work on designs and a financial plan to implement the study’s recommendations, including diversion of the Maitland River around the town.

A resolution, approved unopposed at town council’s Feb. 2 meeting, calls for staff to work with Triton Engineering and Dietrich Engineering to develop detailed designs and formal cost estimates to allow study alternatives two, three and five to be phased in over time as recommended in the study.

Staff was also directed to work with Triton Engineering to develop a financial plan once the scope of the project is finalized.

The resolution also calls for the study to be forwarded to Maitland Conservation and for the town and authority to “continue their strong partnership as the recommendations are implemented.”

Council had its first look at the report, in the works since a onein-a-hundred-year flood struck Harriston in 2017, at a special meeting on Jan. 26.

Triton Engineering senior planner Bill White, who presented the report, explained alternative one, which is to “do nothing,” is considered a baseline for comparison with other alternatives: alternative two, floodplain hydraulic improvements downstream of Harriston over the next

processes have been completed and funds are budgeted and allocated.

“Public consultation will continue as required to allow for a smooth project transitioning from property to property and to ensure all voices are heard and addressed,” the report notes.

“Due to the magnitude of the Harriston Flood Mitigation Project, various components will continue to be presented to council for discussion and approval over the upcoming years and budget deliberations,” McIsaac added in the report.

Town of Minto council image Coun. Ron Elliott asked for A concept rendering showing how the Maitland River could be re-routed around more information on why alterHarriston, from the Blind Line to Dredge Creek, to prevent future flooding. native four “was pulled out of the equation.” five years at a projected cost of At the Feb. 2 meeting, Minto McIsaac replied the option was about $2.1 million; roads and drainage manager rejected “due to the expense and alternative three, encompassing Mike McIsaac reported the prov- the limited positive results” in the work from alternative two, ince had, the previous day, in- comparison to other options. plus downstream river channel dicated support for the town’s “There was a lot of work to unimprovements over 10 years for funding application through the derpin the current buildings and around $4.5 million; latest round of National Disas- with the work associated with it, alternative four, dismissed due ter Mitigation Program (NDMP) the results really wouldn’t justify to lack of benefits in relation to prepare final designs for the moving forward with that option to potential cost, included im- mitigation work on the section of at this time,” McIsaac explained. provements to the river channel the Maitland River west of Har- Coun. Judy Dirksen said, “I think through Harriston; and riston. it’s fair too to say scenario two alternative five, creation of a “So we are just awaiting federal and three, they build us toward Maitland River Harriston bypass approval… which we hope to scenario five, which is where we from the Blind Line northeast of hear sometime in March,” Mc- kinda thought we wanted to end Harriston to Dredge Creek, just Isaac told council. up, whereas four didn’t help scesoutheast of town.

In his report, McIsaac recom- nario five, so that’s maybe why The diverted river would recon- mended moving ahead with the four maybe got left behind.” nect with the existing Maitland design and financial plan aspects Elliott asked when the project channel at a point beyond the of the mitigation study. would be budgeted, and work sewage lagoons west of town.

However, he noted, approving would begin.

The estimated capital cost of the the study does not commit the “Right now, if we move forward river diversion alternative would town to doing any work until as proposed with the current be $38.1 million over 20 years. the municipal drain or Class EA NDMP funding, we do anticipate

that we can basically formalize the plans and come up with cost estimates to complete two and three” and “as much as possible” of alternative five by the time 2022 budget planning gets underway, said McIssac.

“We would hope that moving forward that we’d be close enough to budget 2022,” that the town could move forward with “some bite-sized components” during 2022, McIsaac added.

CAO Derek Thomson said, “Really our next step is to do the financial model and the plan to bring it back (to council).

“That will help us with the overall plan to start to lobby both levels of government for intense funding. That’s really where we want to go.”

He added, “But in the near term it is (alternatives) one and two that we want to move on quickly, but not to lose sight of five, because you need to get a head start on five and really need that package to be able to go lobby different levels of government.”

“I think it’s a good sign to us, having the provincial government endorse this (the NDMP grant) and the sooner that the feds can do it as well. We have their attention and I think it’s important that we all understand what these steps are about… this is a big, big project and we have spent money already and were kind of committed, but the big deal is the funds,” said Deputy Mayor Dave Turton.

Continued on page 14

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PAGE 14

Minto moving forward with flood mitigation planning Continued from page 12 Mayor George Bridge said, “When we say we are committed, we are committed to the process.

We haven’t committed to anything as to what were actually going to finally do.”

McIsaac’s report points out that, “Due to the magnitude of the Harriston Flood Mitigation Project, various components will continue to be presented to council for discussion and approval over the upcoming years and budget deliberations.”

“But at the end of the day I totally agree that we said to our residents that we’d come up with some kind of a plan and I’m really hopeful that the federal government will endorse, and we’ll get that first funding that we need,” said Bridge.

“Then we’re going to have to figure out just how were going to pay

for it down the road.”

Elliott asked McIssac what will happen to the existing river channel if full river diversion is achieved.

“When and if we did scenario five and moved (the river) around the community, will there still be water going through Harriston?

Would there be two waterways, or how is that working?” Elliott asked.

McIsaac replied, “There would be some control flows going through town because it still acts as the outlet for the municipal storm system. So there would be continuous flows throughout and I do believe they would maintain a certain level of constant flow.

“We need some flows for the effluent, the discharge, of the lagoon system as well, so we need to maintain certain levels for different seasons.”

MARCH 2021

Advisory council set to shape Canada’s food policy CLOE LOGAN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter National Observer

ood, while essential to our F well-being, rarely sits at the heart of federal policy-making.

That’s slowly starting to change.

In February, Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the creation of an advisory council to guide the ministry on food-related issues, ranging from farms to food insecurity and food waste. The 23-member Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council will tackle the priorities set out in Food Policy for Canada, a 2019 report outlining the country’s future food policy direction.

“This advisory council is a first of its kind in Canada, and reflects our vision for a sustainable food system in Canada built on an inclusive approach,” said Bibeau in a news release. “Each of these members has a unique set of experiences and knowledge that will help improve the way government programs are developed and implemented.”

The council was set to have its first meeting on March 4.

Joseph LeBlanc, a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory in Northern Ontario, is the sole Indigenous member. There are other examples of grassroots voices, such as Rosie Mensah, a Toronto-based dietitian and food justice advocate, as well as industrial players, such as Lynda Kuhn, senior vice-president of

Maple Leaf Foods and chair of Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security.

Gisèle Yasmeen, the executive director of Food Secure Canada, is one of the members. Splitting her time between B.C. and Quebec, Yasmeen said her organization has long been calling for a national food council. “(The council’s membership) is multidisciplinary, and that’s important. You’ve got dietitians, producers, processors, civil society. Obviously, you can always do better in terms of even more diversity,” she said. “But it’s a good start.”

Yasmeen says the council comes at a critical time — she hopes the group can make a dent in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which include a commitment to ending hunger by 2030.

“We’ve got nine years, so let’s do it ... This is an opportunity, this is a seat at the table. It’s long overdue and has been called for for a long time,” she said. “A lot of our policies (now) are driven by all sorts of interests, as opposed to the public interest.”

The council is welcome news to Kent Mullinix, director of sustainable agriculture and food security at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

“This is absolutely a good move and long-needed. It’s nice to see the federal government is being responsive to the calls to create this council,” he said. “I know the wheels of politics and governance turn slow, but we don’t

have a lot of time to make the kinds of positive changes that we need in agriculture and the food system, so I hope this isn’t a facade.”

However, Mullinix said his excitement is accompanied by hesitance. Although he said the council’s membership is encouraging — it’s a mix of people associated with grassroots organizations, as well as larger, corporate players — he hopes their ideas will be reflected in future policy and legislation.

“I hope that this advisory council doesn’t operate in a way that is reflective of the hegemony that corporate agribusiness exerts on the food system ... there needs to be a sense of equality at the table, not a sense of who’s the major player and who’s not,” he said. “Because that’s what has driven the food system that’s unsustainable to date.”

It’s Mullinx’s hope that larger, corporate voices won’t dominate the conversation — he says the new council could be a real opportunity for the government to hear and implement alternative, sustainable ideas about food and food policy.

“We need to let alternative voices and ideas emerge strongly. It is not in our best interest to perpetuate the agriculture and food system that dominates today,” said Mullinx.

“My hope is that food systems’ corporate representatives don’t, or aren’t allowed to, overpower this.”

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MARCH 2021

PAGE 17

Conservation authority, farmer discuss soil and water health CORY BILYEA Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Wingham Advance Times

oil health, climate change and S best management practises are on the minds of local farmers and Maitland Conservation.

Maitland Conservation (MC), formerly Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MCVA), has been monitoring two agricultural sub-watersheds to address water quality concerns and the effects of farming practices on local water.

Ben Van Dieten, Agricultural Stewardship Technician, and Chris Van Esbroeck, Stewardship Services Coordinator of MC, presented their findings to date on these projects, in terms of how and when sediment and nutrients leave the landscape, and the practices they promote to reduce these losses.

The Garvey Glenn sub-watershed has been monitored since 2012, with edge-of-field monitoring tile/overland since 2016.

The North Maitland watershed was monitored in the 1970s and part of Pollution from Land Use Activities Reference Group (PLUARG). It was recently monitored again for comparison purposes (resumed in 2015).

In both watersheds, detailed land management surveys were completed to link water quality to land management.

The most pressing water quality concerns in agricultural watersheds are excess sediment and nutrients.

One crucial finding they shared is that the non-growing season is critical. According to their report, most of the flow occurs during the

winter and spring melts, and the flow drives the losses of sediment and nutrients.

The second key point is that a small number of large events drives losses.

According to the report, the June 23, 2017 rain event was responsible for 43 per cent of the annual total phosphorus loading and 52 per cent of the total sediment loading.

“More “total phosphorus” (TP) was lost during this one event than was lost annually in all of 2013, 2015, and 2016. So how the rain falls matters. Intense storms, if they generate runoff, will increase losses,” states the report.

“With climate change, we’ll be seeing larger, more sporadic events. So, we can expect more of these events, and that will make what’s happening on the landscape more important.”

The need for more data was stressed in the presentation.

“We really need long-term data before we can begin to understand the drivers. And to understand the benefits of Best Management Practices (BMP),” states the report.

The summary included in the report said: • The non-growing season is critical for nutrient/sediment loss.

• A single, large rain event can make up a large portion of annual loads.

• To keep soil protected and control runoff must use a suite of BMPs – Avoid, Trap/Treat, and Riparian Management.

For example, cover crops, berms, and a well-buffered drain will of-

Maitland Conservation photo

This photo shows an algae-choked municipal drain, which can be a common sight during the summer months. fer the most resiliency during storm events.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) said that healthy soil is the foundation of Ontario’s agri-food sector. The local foods Ontarians enjoy…are grown on Ontario’s rich agricultural lands.

Many of the BMP’s can build and safeguard soil health, the website said. That’s why they are working to protect the province’s soils, to ensure that they remain healthy and productive for future generations.

Ontario has worked with stakeholders and the Soil Health Working Group to create a provincial soil strategy. The strategy will help grow and sustain the province’s vital agricultural sector while protecting the environment

and adapting to a changing climate.

The New Horizons: Ontario’s Agricultural Soil Health and Conservation Strategy is a longterm framework that sets a vision, goals, and objectives for soil health and conservation in Ontario from 2018 to 2030. The strategy provides actions to achieve its vision, goals and objectives, and methods to measure progress.

These actions include: • soil health in Ontario; • adding organic amendments; • buffer strips; • cropland retirement; • erosion control structures; • field windbreaks; • inter-seeding cover crops; • mulch tillage; • no-till for soil health;

• •

residue management; rotation for agronomic crops; • wind strips; • winter cover crops; and • soil erosion by water.

These action plans can be viewed in more detail on the OMAFRA website.

The BMP strategies are an ongoing process, and the watershed monitoring will continue.

The CA report said that “we see at this site and the other sites across the province that we really need long-term data before we can begin to understand the drivers and the benefits of BMPs.” “The reason is that there is a lot of variabilities in any given year and between years (wet years, dry years, etc.),” the report explained.

Continued on page 18

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COUNTRY LIFE SPRING EDITION

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COUNTRY LIFE SPRING EDITION

MARCH 2021

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COUNTRY LIFE SPRING EDITION

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MARCH 2021

Driving snowmobiles off-trail can be costly for landowners Numerous incidents reported of riders leaving marked trails this winter MIKE WILSON

his winter has been ideal for snowmobilT ers.

Large quantities of snow, cold temperatures and clear days for riding on trails.

According to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC), there are more than 30,000 kilometres of snowmobile trails throughout the province, including agreements with 18,000 landowners to use their land for trails.

Financially, Ontario’s snowmobiling industry generates more than $3.3 billion annually through tourism, hospitality, food service and fuel.

Last year, more than 88,000 trail permits were sold across the province, and according to OFSC, some districts have experienced double-digit percentage increases in permit sales this year.

And while there is much to appreciate about the snowmobiling industry in Ontario, some landowners have been left with a sour taste in their mouths this season.

“This year’s abundance of snow in many parts of the province has resulted in an unprecedented demand for snowmobiles and trail permits,” wrote Jackie Kelly-

Pemberton, director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, in a recent commentary.

“However, this newfound craze for recreational snowmobiling has also brought with it an increased level of frustration and challenges for our farming members.”

Police across midwestern Ontario have received numerous complaints this winter of snowmobilers leaving the trail and driving across private property. For those on a sled, it may not seem like such a big deal.

But for landowners, it can be very costly.

Many area farmers have planted crops, such as winter wheat, in their fields.

Winter wheat is typically planted in the fall to germinate and develop into young plants that remain in the vegetative phase during the winter and resume growth in early spring.

In addition to an earlier harvest, winter wheat has many benefits for a farm. If used as a cover crop, it can help prevent soil erosion, it out-competes many weed varieties (thus helping with weed management) and is easy to manage while still providing a good yield.

However, if the soil is compacted it can result in increased snow retention

in the spring (i.e., the snow takes longer to melt) and if there is not enough snow on the ground, a snowmobile can break off the crown of the plant, which can affect yield and growth of the crop.

In addition to crop damage, there is also the potential for damage to irrigation systems in a field.

This damage may occur through increased soil compaction.

Police have issued numerous media releases stressing that farmland is private property and snowmobilers do not have the authority to access fields unless they’ve obtained permission from the landowner.

“It’s not only a trespassing offence, but it also jeopardizes the health and nutrients of the soil and crops beneath the snow,” wrote Kelly-Pemberton.

“The fear of being liable for injuries is a constant source of fear and anxiety for farmers and landowners.”

The OFSC, recognizing the issues arising from the increasing number of reported off-trail riders, launched the ‘Friends Don’t Ride With Friends’ campaign this year. The campaign is focused on not riding with people who

trespass, disrespect landowner property, risk the safety of themselves and other riders or jeopardize the trail system.

To that end, any person riding without an OFSC trail permit or riding on a closed trail is trespassing. And any damage caused to property when trespassing can result in mischief charges, which can carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Kelly-Pemberton says there is a lack of understanding as to what the process is for reporting property damage and receiving reimbursement. Many local clubs will work with farmers and landowners, she said, to repay them for damages.

“From crop damage to irrigation sprinklers, farmers have been reimbursed following issues caused by riders veering off the trail,” wrote Kelly-Pemberton.

“But it’s clear a knowledge gap exists. Increased communication needs to occur to address these issues to help keep everyone accountable.”

The main thing that KellyPemberton wants known is that the large snowmobile network trail exists because of cooperation between landowners, farmers and snowmobile clubs across

Audrey Krotz/Facebook Photo

Numerous landowners across the region have reported incidents of snowmobile riders leaving the groomed trails and riding across farm land this winter. While it may not seem like a big deal to some, snowmobiles can cause damage to the land and crops below, leading to potential financial implications for the farmer. the province. Ensuring that riders respect the surrounding land is key to continuing that relationship.

“It’s important to remember there would be no continuous trail network

without farmers and rural landowners,” she said.

For more information about OFSC, including trail guides and permit information, visit www.ofsc.on.ca.

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