(Guelph, ON – August 22, 2006) The Agricultural Management Institute (AMI) Advisory Panel recently elected Peter Vander Zaag as its new Chair. Vander Zaag’s extensive experience in agriculture and his involvement with numerous farm organizations, including the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and AgCare, will greatly benefit the AMI.

In addition, the AMI is pleased to welcome Ron Bonnett and Susan Coverdale to the AMI Advisory Panel. Bonnett is the President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Coverdale is a Business Development Consultant for the City of Hamilton. The 11-member government-appointed AMI Advisory Panel is responsible for reviewing all AMI projects. The panel is comprised of members from producer organizations, research groups, the agri-food industry and the financial and business service sector.

“With the agricultural environment rapidly changing, Ontario farmers are finding a need for new business management skill sets,” explains Vander Zaag. “As Chair, I look forward to working with the Panel to ensure that farmers, farm managers and their business advisors have access to funding to acquire these new skills.”

The goal of AMI is to increase the understanding of business management practices to enable Ontario farmers to meet their business goals. The AMI provides funding for projects to develop business management tools, products, information, resources and training for farm families, farm managers and farm business advisors.

To date, a total of $934,137 has been allocated and 10 projects have been approved through AMI. At the June 23 AMI panel meeting four projects were approved, totaling $212,120, including a project led by ACC Farmers’ Financial. Under the Human Resource Development and Training focus, ACC Farmers’ Financial will establish a training and development program to support producers in understanding their financial assessment needs and investment opportunities in renewable and alternative energy systems on the farm.

For more information about AMI or to discuss AMI project ideas please contact the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) at (519) 822-7445 or visit www.adaptcouncil.org.

The AMI program is funded through the Renewal chapter of the federal-provincial-territorial Agricultural Policy Framework, an initiative designed to position Canada’s agri-food sector as a world leader. The AAC administers the AMI program on behalf of the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. For more information on the AMI program, contact the Agricultural Adaptation Council at (519) 822-7554, ami@adaptcouncil.org or visit the AAC website at www.adaptcouncil.org


APPROVED PROJECTS – June 2006:
 

Project Title/Applicant	Priority Area	Project Description	Total AMI Funding
Farm Financial Business Planning-Awareness Campaign/ACC Farmers' Financial	Benchmarking and Business Management Best Practices	This project aims to increase awareness of the importance of farm business planning through an aggressive information campaign and measure the results. Additional component funding for milestone 4.	$28,845
Support/Accompaniment Service for Farm Transfer/L'Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens	Business Succession Planning and New Entrants	This project will provide support to people and families in the planning and implementation of farm transfers in the francophone agricultural community.	$106,950
Renewable and Alternative Energy Financing Proposal/ACC Farmers' Financial	Human Resources Development and Training	The purpose of the project is to undertake an education, training and development program to support producers in understanding their financial assessment needs and investment opportunities in renewable and alternative energy systems on the farm.	$62,825
Renewal Strategy for Ontario Tender Fruit and Ontario Apples/Ontario Tender Fruit Producer's Marketing Board and the Ontario Apple Growers	Benchmarking and Business Management Best Practices	The purpose of this project is to create a Renewal Business Plan which will focus on implementing a nationally developed and supported Canadian Horticulture Council Renewal Strategy which includes all apple and fruit producing provinces. This plan is geared towards the specific needs of the Ontario tender fruit and apple producers but may be used as a template by other provinces as they develop their own plans for implementation.	$13,500

AMI Chair Biography – Peter VanderZaag

VanderZaag earned a PhD in Agronomy from the University of Hawaii. He has spent 20 years doing agricultural development work in 60 countries of the Third World with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the International Potato Center and consulting for various agencies. VanderZaag worked with governments to improve potato production through policy development, relevant research and training programs. He was also on the faculty of several universities, teaching and advising MSc and PhD graduate students. Peter has authored and co-authored over 50 scientific journal publications and has helped plan and organize international conferences.

Since 1991, VanderZaag has put roots down on a potato farm in Alliston. Together with his wife, Carla, and his daughter, Ruth he grows chipping potatoes. Their venture for the new decade is organic potato production-a growing part of their farm. They are also working towards developing their own potato varieties, ‘just right’ for Ontario, in a small on-farm breeding program.

AMI Advisory Panel Members

• Peter Vander Zaag (Chair)
• Pierre Glaude (Vice-Chair)
• Jim Bennett
• Ron Bonnett
• Peter Coughler
• Susan Coverdale
• Peter Dowling
• Rick Kush
• Mary Lou McCutcheon
• Scott vanEngen
• Dr. Alfons Weersink

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For more information contact:
Nadine Buitenhuis
Communications Manager
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Phone: (519) 822-7554
Fax: (519) 822-6248
E-mail: nbuitenhuis@adaptcouncil.org
Website: www.adaptcouncil.org