New – Food Safety and Traceability online courses!
Give your company a competitive edge – take free eLearning courses to learn more about industry best practices and to be more competitive in the marketplace!
Access the new Food Safety and Traceability eLearning courses online on the Agriculture and Food Education in Ontario online learning system through the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
The new Traceability eLearning courses show how good practices can:
- maximize productivity, improve business efficiency, reduce costs and improve business processes
- be used to increase competitive advantage by accessing new markets
- improve supply chain management
The new Food Safety eLearning courses will help you to:
- identify food safety hazards that can occur in your operation
- understand best practices and develop programs to control these hazards
- decrease the likelihood of food safety hazards that can lead to a foodborne illness outbreak or product recall
Visit the University of Guelph website to register for a FREE account. Then simply log in and begin learning – wherever and whenever is convenient for you! Accessible versions of the courses are available. For more information, contact the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus at rcagfood@uoguelph.ca or 519-674-1500 ext. 63295.
Do you prefer classroom-based learning? Food Safety and Traceability courses and workshops are still offered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). Visit their website for the dates and locations of upcoming in-person opportunities.
Online course development was funded through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative that encourages innovation, competitiveness and market development in Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sector.
Also New – free soil health publications now available to order!
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is rolling out a total of 21 new soil health publications. These publications provide best management practices to help you preserve and conserve soil while improving soil health and crop production. Check out these five new titles on our Soil Health in Ontario web page:
- Adding Organic Amendments
- Erosion Control Structures
- Cropland Retirement
- Soil Health in Ontario
- Field Windbreaks
You know that high quality, healthy, productive soil is the foundation of a strong, sustainable agri-food system. These publications, part of our Best Management Practices series, can help you plan and implement practices to improve soil health and increase yields. Unfortunately, the health of Ontario’s soils is on the decline. While many farmers apply good land management practices, there is much more that can be done to improve soil health and protect soil for long-term productivity.
The five titles above are just the beginning. Check our web page regularly for future publications, which will include:
- Cover Crops and Manure
- No-Till for Soil Health
- Perennial Systems
- Subsurface Drainage
- Soil Erosion by Water
- Plus many more!
Our soil health publications were developed to support the upcoming Agricultural Soil Health and Conservation Strategy. We’re working in partnership with stakeholders and experts to develop the Strategy with the goal to sustain Ontario’s strong agricultural production while protecting the environment and adapting to a changing climate.
All of the titles can be ordered through ServiceOntario once published. You can find the ordering information on the Soil Health in Ontario web page.
Do you have soil health questions? Contact our Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.