The provincial government has recognized a group of local farmers.
The Premier’s Agri-Food Innovation Excellence awards were handed out to the 12 recipients in Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth County yesterday (TUES) in Lucknow.
The awards is into it’s 2nd year and recognizes provincial farmers innovations which contribute to the success of Ontario’s agri-food sector.
The 12 recipients were of 55 regional award winners who receive 5 thousand dollars.
The winners include:
Bruce County – Blue Water Black Calf Producers Association of Lion’s Head
Lang Farms of Chepstow
River Valley Cooperative Market of Teeswater
Grey County – Country Meadow Meats of Owen Sound
Freeman Farms of Meaford
New Life Mills of Hanover
Scotch Mountain Meats of Meaford
Stoneyfield Elk Farm of Meaford
Huron County – St. Anne’s Catholic School of Clinton
Perth County – Energrow/Hofarm of Newton
McCully’s Hill Farm of St. Mary’s
Van Bakel Farms of Sebringville.
Freeman Farms not only won the regional award but was the recipient of the Minister’s Award and 50 thousand dollars.
David Freeman of Freeman Farms says it’s a great honour to be recognized for their innovation and says the money is also a plus as farmers don’t make a lot of money.
Freeman says on their farm they mainly grow garlic and freeze dry it which keeps all of its nutritional and medicinal values.
The freeze-dry technology is the first of it’s kind in Ontario.
Allan Taylor of Country Meadow Meats in Owen Sound says he has humbled to be recognized as one of the 55 award winners across the province in just a short time their business has been open.
Taylor says as an abbatoir meat market, provide local producers to have custom processing down at their location.
Taylor says they also sell a variety meat and other products from local producers.
The Blue Water Black Calf Producers Association is made of a group of Bruce Peninsula area calf producers.
Don Cesear a member of the Association says they have developed a vaccination protocol for use by a group of smaller producers to enable the production of a uniform herd.
Cesear says as a result, the calves are sought by buyers looking for large uniform lots of healthy animals.
