Guelph, ON – The 2021 slate of Provincial Directors for the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) was introduced in early February at their virtual annual meeting. Taking the reins as president for the one-year term is Chad Anderson from Lambton County.
Chad Anderson, 2021 OSCIA PresidentOSCIA, founded in 1939, is a unique not-for-profit grassroots farm organization. The organization is comprised of more than 50 local associations around the province and a membership of over 4,000 producers that reflects all major sectors. OSCIA is farmers actively seeking, testing and adopting optimal farm production and stewardship practices. Their number one applied research priority is soil health.
As a leader in agricultural stewardship program delivery for more than 30 years, OSCIA works with producers to support environmental stewardship activities in agriculture through education-based programs and cost-share funding opportunities.
Chad and his wife Debbie farm just south of Sarnia in Lambton County. As the fifth generation, they operate a beef farm on the original Anderson homestead settled in 1856, where they also raised 3 children: Kaitlynn, Daniel, and Kendyl.
Along with farming Chad operates an independent crop consulting business under the shingle “Anderson Agronomy Services”. He is a University of Guelph graduate and holds the designations of Certified Crop Advisor as well as Professional Agrologist.
Chad teaches nutrient management at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus and in the past the environmental stewardship course. He is proud of the fact that he was able to acquire provincial certification for students looking to go on further in nutrient management development and introducing the Environmental Farm Plan to the stewardship curriculum, in which students can now complete their EFP as verified and eligible for cost share funding.
“It is a real privilege and honor to have the support of the board, the St. Clair Region and my family to be the 2021 OSCIA president” states Anderson. “Having been involved on the board over the span of two strategic plans, I am excited to see us continue to build on our plans to strengthen our grassroots and build on past association success for a great Soil and Crop future.”
The OSCIA Annual Meeting took place on February 2, 2021 and was held over Zoom Webinar, due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. The annual meeting was split into 4 2-hour sessions throughout the day and featured both live and pre-recorded presentations, all of which will be made available on the OSCIA website/2021-annual-report/.
OSCIA’s business of the association took place during the morning session and had the privilege of both the Honorable Minister Hardeman, OMAFRA as well as the Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Ellis (on behalf of the Federal Agriculture Minister Bibeau) AAFC bring greetings to the attendees.
The second session focused on Association updates including featured presentations from Margaret May, OSCIA and Ian McDonald, OMAFRA highlighting a new OSCIA project “Taking Field Learning to the Next Level!” as well as an ONFARM update and Farm cooperator panel discussion. The third session focused on the many OSCIA awards as well as an OMAFRA panel discussion covering topics ranging form Tar Spot (Albert Tenuta), Corn Rootworm Resistance and Impacts on Feedstock (Tracey Baute & Christine O’Reilly) to Winter Barley and Winter Canola in the Rotation (Joanna Follings & Meghan Moran).
The 2021 OSCIA Soil Champion winners are Dr. Laura Van Eerd, UofG in the Research and Extension category and Henry Denotter, Essex County in the Producer category. This year’s winner of the Don Hill Legacy Award is Buurma Farms. These individuals, as well as Scholarship winners will be profiled on the OSCIA website, media releases, and the OSCIA newsletter The Innovator throughout the year.
“Our board is made up of a dynamic and passionate group of farm leaders” comments Anderson when discussing the OSCIA Board of Directors “and I am confident our efforts with the help of the talented OSCIA staff will be very fruitful in empowering our locals and regions to be the best farm organization we can be, whether that be in knowledge transfer, applied research, membership engagement or whatever else comes along.”
Source : OSCIA