IFAO

Morning Sessions:

8:30 AM – Doors Open: A warm welcome awaits you in the Atrium. Join us for morning coffee as we gear up for an engaging day.
9:00 AM – Welcoming Remarks: Gather in the Ballroom for the official start of the conference with opening remarks from our hosts.
9:30 AM – Economics Livestreamed: A comprehensive session on the economics of agriculture, streaming live for all attendees. Sponsored by GFO.

Mid-Morning Sessions:

10:20 AM – Networking Break: Use this time in the Lobby to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and refresh before the next set of sessions.
Room B – YEN Update: Jeff Cook of Mapleview Farms shares valuable insights on soil health’s impact on the YEN leaderboard.
Room C – Driving Profitability towards the Future: Guillaume Tant from Cerfrance offers an agronomist’s perspective on profitability in regenerative and sustainable agriculture.

Lunch and Early Afternoon:

11:35 AM – Networking Break: Another opportunity to network, and grab a bite to eat.
12:00 PM – Lunch: Enjoy a delicious lunch in the Ballroom, with time to discuss the morning’s insights.
1:00 PM – EQUIPMENT Livestreamed: Delve into the world of agricultural equipment and innovations. Sponsored by Nachurs Alpine

Afternoon Breakout Sessions:

Room A – Plant Green Equipment: Larry Dyck from St. Catherines discusses refining planting equipment for #plantgreen practices.
Room B – Pro Tips for Equipment Management: Alex Barrie from OMAFRA shares his expertise on optimizing workshop projects.
Room C – Manure Equipment Design: Bill Tenhove discusses efficient design solutions for manure management.

Late Afternoon Sessions:

2:45 PM – Break: A brief respite in the Lobby.
3:15 PM – TECH Livestreamed: A session dedicated to the latest technology in agriculture, live for all to participate. Sponsored by Premier Equipment

Evening Sessions:

4:20 PM – Breakout Sessions:
- Room A – Shifting Biology: Dr. Lori Phillips from AAFC dives into soil biology changes resulting from Woody Van Arkel’s Perennial Ground Cover trial.
- Room B – Working Agrobotics: Chuck Baresich from Haggerty Ag Robotics discusses the potential of ag robotics and how to approach this new frontier.
- Room C – Syncing Nitrogen Supply and Plant Uptake: Xavier Hébert-Couturier from Picketa talks about innovative technologies for nitrogen management.
5:00 PM – Networking Break: Last break of the day in the Lobby.

Evening Gala:

6:00 PM – Banquet & Innovative Farmer of the Year Award: The day concludes with a banquet in the Ballroom, where we will celebrate the achievements of innovative farming.

Kickstart the Day:

8:30 AM – Breakfast: Join us in the Lobby for a nourishing start to your day, with a breakfast sponsored by a generous partner.

Morning Insights:

9:30 AM – Practice Livestreamed: Engage with a critical session in the Ballroom that delves into practical agricultural methods, streamed live for all. Sponsored by Quaker.

Mid-Morning Exploration:

10:30 AM – Networking Break: Connect and converse with fellow attendees in the Lobby before diving into our focused sessions.
11:00 AM Breakout Sessions:
- Room A – Perennial Systems: Discover the latest developments in perennial systems with Brandon Schlautman from The Land Institute, including advances in the Kernza breeding program and their impact on soil health.
- Room B – Oats in Soil Health: Shawn Catherwood from PepsiCo discusses the benefits of oats as a crop for enhancing soil health through cover crops, reduced tillage, and supply chain partnerships.
- Room C – Biostrips Cross-North America Research: Joel Gruver from Western Illinois University presents a comprehensive report on biostrip till research.

Luncheon and Learn:

12:00 PM – Lunch: Refuel with a delightful lunch in the Ballroom, as the conversation continues to flow around the morning’s findings.

Afternoon Deep-Dive:

1:00 PM – Soil Livestreamed: Return to the Ballroom for an in-depth look into soil health, broadcasted live to all participants. Sponsored by A&L and Syngenta

Refresh and Reconnect:

2:00 PM – Break: Enjoy a brief interlude in the Lobby to digest the insights and prepare for the afternoon sessions.

Focused Afternoon Sessions:

2:30 PM Breakout Sessions:
- Room A – Soil Health Systems and Biologicals: Listen to Greg Stewart from Syngenta as he discusses how biologicals can enhance yields and contribute to healthier soil ecosystems.
- Room B – Setting the Standard for Soil Health: Join Sebastian Belliard (OMAFRA), Dr. Laura Van Eerd (University of Guelph), and Ryan Carlow (GreenBelt) as they dissect soil health benchmarks and what it truly looks like across the province.
- Room C – Soil Biology Showcase: Dr. Kari Dunfield from the University of Guelph unveils the activity of soil biology, including rhizophagy and mycorrhizal relationships.

Closing the Day:

3:30 PM – IFAO AGM: Participate in the annual general meeting to reflect on the past year and look forward to the future of farming.

Field Trip Announcement:

3:30 PM-6:00 PM – BIOFUEL BUS TOUR: Don’t miss out on this educational excursion led by Lorraine Vandermyden, providing practical insights into biofuel production.
Embark on an exclusive BioFuel Bus Tour at Greenholm Farms, a beacon of sustainable agriculture in Embro, Ontario. This intimate experience is scheduled for Thursday, February 22nd, departing KW at 3:30pm and returning by 6:00pm. Limited to just 50 participants, this tour offers a rare glimpse into a family dairy farm that seamlessly integrates traditional farming with innovative energy solutions
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with the past and future of farming. Reserve your spot and join us in celebrating the Green family’s innovative journey towards a sustainable tomorrow. To delve deeper into the Greenholm story before the tour, read our featured article here.
This one-hour tour showcases the farm’s anaerobic digestion system, turning both on-farm and off-farm organics into renewable energy, exemplifying the potential of biogas in transforming agricultural practices.

Conference Details:

Morning Sessions:

Mid-Morning Sessions:

Lunch and Early Afternoon:

Afternoon Breakout Sessions:

Late Afternoon Sessions:

Evening Sessions:

Evening Gala:

Kickstart the Day:

Morning Insights:

Mid-Morning Exploration:

Luncheon and Learn:

Afternoon Deep-Dive:

Refresh and Reconnect:

Focused Afternoon Sessions:

Closing the Day:

Field Trip Announcement:

Engage with top industry experts.

Discover the latest in ag tech innovations.

Build a sustainable and profitable farm future.

Expand your professional network.

YEN Update

Jeff Cook, Mapleview Farms, London

Driving Profitability towards the Future

Guillaume Tant, Cerfrance

Plant Green Equipment

Larry Dyck, St. Catherines​

Pro Tips

Alex Barrie, OMAFRA

Manure Equipment

Bill Tenhove

Perennial Systems

Brandon Schlautman

Oats, an Underrated Crop for Soil Health

Shawn Catherwood, PepsiCo

Biostrips Research Report

Joel Gruver, Western Illinois University

Setting the Standard for Soil Health

Sebastian Belliard (OMAFRA), Dr. Laura Van Eerd (University of Guelph), and Ryan Carlow (GreenBelt)

Soil Biology Showcase

Dr. Kari Dunfield, University of Guelph

Working Agrobotics with Chuck Baresich, Haggerty Ag Robotics:

Chuck Baresich, Haggerty Ag Robotics

Syncing Nitrogen Supply and Plant Uptake by Xavier Hébert-Couturier, Picketa:

Xavier Hébert-Couturier, Picketa

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FARMING

Hosted by: Design by NH

Larry Dyck, St. Catherines