Outdoor show finds new 'permanent' site
When the Outdoor Farm Show was launched three years ago in Burford, Brant county, it was billed as a "permanent" site.Three years later, the show has pulled up stakes and is moving 30 km west to another permanent site at a University of Guelph research farm just outside of Woodstock.
This time, however, they really mean "permanent". Show president Ginty Jocius and the University of Guelph have signed a five-year lease, renewable for five years, on the farm, just north of Highway 2, west of Woodstock.
Apart from better lease terms than he had on the Shur-Gain farm in Burford, Jocius raves about the excellent soil quality and drainage on the land, owned by the Ontario Realty Corp. and used by the University of Guelph for research under a long-term agreement with the agriculture ministry.
Heavy rains and heavy soil at last September's show challenged organizers: "We could have moved quicker in responding to the rain situation," Jocius said at the unveiling of the new site last month.
The sandy-loam partly-tiled farm, with a gravel base, is a total 500 acres, 70 of which will be used for the show, not including parking. Ontario Agricultural College Dean Robert McLaughlin called the deal "win-win", and a "bit of a lifeline" for the farm, allowing research to continue with the possibility of new industry partnerships opened up.
The land is zoned agricultural, and area farmland may sell for up to $4,000 an acre, said Woodstock mayor John Geoghegan. Jocius said the leasing terms with the University were better than the former Shur-Gain site, but still well above going land rental rates.
When Otterville farmer Jack Walther asked whether any show profits would be shared with the University, Jocius quipped that there hadn't been much profit to speak of. The show turned a profit for the first time this year.
Response to the move is positive. Demonstrations co-ordinator Clare Elston said the parking will be close to the site, eliminating most people-movers. Machinery Mall will be reduced from eight to five streets, for a tighter show. In keeping with the show's new handle "Canada's" Outdoor Farm Show, there will be a Global Agri-Trade Centre.
Jocius envisages year-round involvement on the site by agri-business, with field plots and permanent buildings for farm machinery companies.
The show, Sept. 9-11, 1997, will stay in early September, he said. Having the show in August, 1995 "was a wonderful experiment that won't happen again," he said, referring to the hot, muggy weather.
Woodstock pork producer John Van Dorp, president of the Oxford Federation of Agriculture, said the soil quality and drainage at the new site is much better. He also likes the show's stress on technology: "I don't like a flea market...This is more technically-oriented."
Local Case-IH dealer Doug Vincent said the move "adds credibility", with Ontario agriculture ministry and university involvement.
"This is the new generation of farm shows," said Glen Peart, executive vice-president of the Ontario Retail Farm Equipment Dealers Association.
As for Ontario's other September farm show, the International Plowing Match, which takes place the following week in Simcoe county, there were rumours Oxford county was planning a bid within the next decade. The 1980 match was across the road from the new Outdoor Show site. Ontario Plowmen's Association director John Hofstetter says he hasn't heard of anything specific, but doesn't see two shows across the road from each other one week apart. - JMM
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Cat sues Deere over tracks
Neither side is budging in an escalating tractor turf war over rubber tracks.Most major companies have recently introduced tracks as options for wheels, but Peoria, Illinois-based Caterpillar says John Deere has gone too far.
Caterpillar, which manufactures the tracked "Challenger" series, has filed a federal lawsuit against Moline, Illinois-based Deere & Co., charging Deere with patent infringement.
Deere, however, says in a prepared statement that "the basic concept" of rubber tracks on agricultural tractors "has been around for 50 years, and is not protected by patents. We view Cat's patents as covering only details of their particular execution of the rubber-track concept."
As for Deere's own rubber-track option on its new 8000T Series, Deere vows "to begin shipping these machines to dealers this coming June."
The faxes are flying, as Caterpillar charges that Deere has borrowed from its friction-drive system, as well as copied the shape of the undercarriage, so farmers can't tell the difference.
"We developed the Challenger 10 years ago, have spent considerable time and effort in refining its strengths, and have acquired a patent to protect them. Hence the lawsuit," says a question-and-answer prepared by Caterpillar. Caterpillar does not disclose the amount of damages sought, but doesn't rule out a recall of Deere tracks if it wins. - JMM
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Log on to cyber woodlot
Woodlot owners seeking knowledge on planning strategies attended workshops in Durham last month. Farm & Country correspondent Campbell Cork reports.Just about anything you might want to know about your bushlot is available on the Internet just waiting to be downloaded. A sampling of these Internet sources comes courtesy of the Grey County Forest Stewardship Network:
- Landowner Resource Centre: tips on land management.
http://www.worldlink.ca/~lrc;
- U.S. Forest Service: free software for planning and inventory and technical notes.
http://www.fsl.uvm.edu.edu/ned/download.htm;
- Stewardship Information Bureau at the University of Guelph:
landowner information with an agricultural theme.
http://sib.lrs.uoguelph.ca/sib3.htm;
- Ministry of Natural Resources: maps, publications, natural resources information. http://nrserv.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/;
- The Forest Shop: catalogue of forest related books and videos. forest.shop@telos.org.Other sources
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Information Centre: aerial photos, maps, publications, posters, videos. (800) 667-1940;
- Ontario Forestry Association: consultant registry, newsletter with market prices for trees. (416) 493-4565;
- Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs - Information Centre: soil surveys and maps. (800) 567-8898;
- Ontario Woodlot and Sawmill Operators Assoc.: newsletter, woodlot owner information. (613) 692-0017;
- Landowner Resource Centre: extension notes, woodland plan workbook. (613) 692-2390;
- The Forest Shop: books and videos on trees and forestry topics. (800) 668-1345;
- The Federation of Ontario Naturalists: reference material on wildlife habitat. (800) 440-2366;.
- Woodlot Management by Bruno Wiskel. Lone Pine Publishing, $14.95;
- Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Subsidies Management Branch. (800) 268-8959.
Forest tax rebate costs in first year
Woodlot owners could be getting a tax rebate of between $200 and $25,000 by joining Ontario's Managed Forest Tax Rebate Program.The rebate applies to 75 per cent of taxes paid on the forest portion of a property. To be eligible, a property must be Canadian-owned and generating at least $250 in taxes on the forested portion of the property.
To qualify for the program, a landowner must abide by a management plan which is designed to improve a landowner's knowledge of the woodlot and ensure the sustainability of the forest.
All plans must be reviewed by a trained plan reviewer who will charge a fee depending on the size of the woodlot. The landowner must also agree to an audit procedure to ensure that the management plan is being followed. About 10 per cent of applicants will be audited.
However, the voluntary program requires some paperwork and some expense in the first year. Even if you can draw up your plan without help, you will pay $10 for the management plan workbook, and then $50 to $300 to have your plan officially reviewed. For example, a plan for a 100-acre bush will be reviewed for $100.
If you aren't able to draw up a plan on your own, hiring a consultant can cost around $35 per hour.
However, those costs only happen in the first year, and after that it's clear sailing and the rebates start adding up. Properties ineligible for the rebate include those lands already collecting a tax rebate, forests where livestock graze or where timber is harvested contrary to good forestry practices, or lands that are intended for gravel extraction or housing development.
The MNR says there is no penalty for withdrawal from the program. However, under some circumstances, a landowner could be required to repay with 10 per cent interest up to 10 years of rebates if, for instance, the property is no longer managed according to the plan.
For more information on management plan requirements consult Standards for Woodlot Plans Under the Managed Forest Tax Rebate Program brochure, available through the MNR, the Ontario Forestry Association or the Ontario Woodlot and Sawmill Operators Association. Also available is an easy-to-follow workbook to help landowners prepare their woodlot plan.
The application deadline is April 30, 1997.
Know what you've got in your bush.
The heart of a woodlot management plan is knowing what trees are growing in your woodlot, how big they are and how dense they are.A tree inventory is one of the requirements of applying for a Managed Forest Tax Rebate Program. It means you will have to identify trees by species as well as size.
You don't have to have a lot of special equipment to measure tree size and density, professional forester Peter Williams told a recent Grey County seminar on the tax rebate.
A cloth measuring tape can easily determine circumference at chest height which, when divided by 3.14, gives you the diameter of your tree.
If you are managing your woodlot for wildlife habitat, you can be a lot less detailed in your tree inventory than if you are managing for saw logs, he said.
If your bush has pockets of different kinds of trees, you will have to divide the forest into separate compartments.
He recommended Woodlot Management by Bruno Wiskel ($14.95, Lone Pine Publishing) as an excellent reference book for learning to measure a woodlot.
Regardless of the tax rebate, woodlot owners would be well advised to have an inventory of their woodlots, Williams said. "A lot of people haven't been to the back of their property in 20 years. If a timber buyer comes to your door, you should know what you've got to sell," he said.
Here are some other tips arising during the seminar organized by Jim Faught, co-ordinator of the Grey County Forest Stewardship Network: - There are different application deadlines for different sized woodlots. If you are applying for a rebate on several different properties, determine your deadline based on the size of the smallest parcel;
- Include your property assessment roll number on each part of your application. That is the same number as on your tax bill; - Your assessment office can tell you what portion of your property is taxed for woodlot;
- When equalized assessment comes to your area, woodlots which are not under a management plan will pay a higher rate than those in a plan; - A photo of your property is not required, but one is helpful and available inexpensively from the MNR;
- When making a five or 10-year plan consider where the trees will grow. Will they block view or sunlight? Will they do what you want them to?
- You can use metric or imperial measure in your plan, but stick to one throughout;
- When indicating your "objective" for managing the forest, don't be too narrow or you may wind up paying for a new management plan if plans change. It is fine to have more than one objective and it is also fine to have an objective of "leaving the woodlot in its existing state";
- Make your objective achievable.