For a second year in a row, the Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week 2022 conference will take place entirely online. COVID-19 continues to create uncertainty, forcing organizers to make the decision to ‘go virtual’ once more. The educational content will be delivered right to producers’ farm offices, kitchen tables, or tractors. The continued partnership with CTRE Productions, will ensure the success of this virtual event, with new features based on our learnings from earlier this year. A virtual conference removes the distance barrier, so producers can attend from across the province, country, or even internationally. Networking with fellow producers and agribusiness representatives will not be limited by the online platform. Morning Mingles, Afternoon Exchanges, and speaker Q and A sessions will facilitate interactions that we are all missing.

Virtual Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week (#GBFW22), in its 56th year, will run from Tuesday, January 4 to Tuesday, January 11. #GBFW22 is a 7-day Agricultural Conference packed with a most impressive and informative line-up of speakers! The week starts with a bonus Check Your Tech Tuesday (CYTT). This day is complimentary with the purchase of any other daily ticket. It is meant to be an opportunity to log onto the conference platform, become comfortable with its navigation ahead of the commodity days of interest, plus participate in engaging discussions. Beef Day is on Wednesday, followed by Dairy, Goat, Sheep, Ecological, and Crops Days. The week will include live and pre-recorded sessions. Presentations will be available in real-time on the commodity day, but importantly will also be available during the 30-Day Encore Access, so that participants can engage in the sessions on their own schedules, at their own pace. Each day starts with a 10:45 am welcome, with the presentations concluding around 4:00 pm (varies/day). Of note, there is no programming on Sunday, January 9. The conference offers over forty-seven sessions covering a vast array of topics targeting the issues and challenges facing the farming community today.

As always, exciting Discussion Panels have been developed for 2022. These panels include:

· Organizers have lined up three excellent discussions on CYTT, Jan 4. Marty Seymour from FCC, and the Honourable Senator Rob Black, will discuss The Future of Agriculture in Canada, with Andrew Campbell, the Fresh Air Farmer facilitating. This session is sponsored by Bowler and Company CPA. In the afternoon, officers from the OPP and the MTO will respond to questions about Farm Implements on the Roadway. Please note that this presentation will not be recorded, so you must join us in real-time. As an On-Demand feature, Jackie Ralph from CMHA Grey-Bruce, and Deborah Vanberkel, a registered psychotherapist with Cultivate Counselling, will have a fireside chat about Mental Health in Agriculture. The Mental Health discussion is sponsored by Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

· On Beef Day, Jan 5, four producers, one who is also a veterinarian, will share their Calving Tips. This discussion is sponsored by Grey and Bruce Beef Farmers.

· On Dairy Day, Jan 6, three panelists will share their perspectives on the Sustainability of the Dairy Industry. This discussion is sponsored by Germania Mutual Insurance, Pioneer, and TD Canada Trust.

· On Goat Day, Jan 7, we have asked three goat producers to provide tips about Year-Round Breeding. This panel is sponsored by Partner Ag Services.

· On Sheep Day, Jan 8, one producer and two nutritionists will tease out Reducing Feed Costs.

· On Ecological Day, Jan 10, four panelists with delve into the Carbon Countdown. This discussion is sponsored by Grey County Economic Development.

· On Crops Day, Jan 11, there are 2 discussion panels. Watch the Soil Health Panel in real-time, where 3 members of the Ontario Soil Health Network will divulge their on-farm soil health tips and tricks. This discussion is sponsored by Marquardt Farm Drainage. Watch the On-Demand session where 3 researchers and an agronomist will participate in the panel, Cover Crops, Digging Deeper, to answer submitted questions pertaining to cover crops.

Here is a glimpse of some of the featured keynote speakers, and presentations:

· On Beef Day, Jennie Hodgen from Merck Animal Health will dig into Meat Matters, what is happening in the beef industry? Jennie is sponsored by Merck Animal Health.

· On Dairy Day, the GBFW committee welcomes keynote speaker and veterinarian with Zoetis, Dr. Elad Ben-Ezra to the virtual stage, where he will present, The Immune Challenges of the Young Calf. Dr Ben-Ezra is sponsored by Zoetis.

· Goat Day welcomes Terry Gipson from Langston University in Oklahoma, who will delve into Genetic Improvement in Goats.

· On Sheep Day, GBFW puts the powers of a virtual conference to great use by streaming speakers from the US and UK. Dr. Don Höglund will teach registrants The Anatomy of Skill Learning, how sheep and handlers learn. This presentation is sponsored by B&L Farm Services Ltd. And Walters Falls Milling Co. Dr. Chris Aukland, joining from the UK, will dive into Homeopathic Remedies in the Treatment of Sheep, and how they are being applied on-farm in the UK.

· On Ecological Day, Chris Wooding of Ironwood Organics will share Growing Ecosystem Services, Cost or Benefit? He will challenge producers to think of their farms as ecosystem services that could improve yield, mitigate the effects of weather extremes, and improve the sustainability/value of the farm. Chris is sponsored by Williams Drainage Inc. and Bruce County NFU, Local 320. Kim Delaney from Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds will shine the spotlight on seeds – Seed Matters, Do you Know Where Your Seed Comes From? This presentation is sponsored by NFU Bruce Local and NFU Grey Local.

· GBFW22 ends with Crops Day on Tuesday. Scott A. Shearer from Ohio State University joins the conference to speak to Ag Tech: Disruption or Distraction? Williams Drainage Inc. is sponsoring this presentation. Perennial favourite, Peter Johnson, will wrap-up the week with, Ag Myth-Busting. Peter is sponsored by Marquardt Farm Drainage Ltd.

And there will be much more with eighty speakers’ voices sharing their thoughts and wisdom over the course of the week.

The GBFW planning committee would like to thank all the generous sponsors. During the week, the Exhibitor Hall will include our supportive sponsors and exhibitors from across the province. Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week would like to acknowledge the Premier and Platinum Sponsors: Farm Credit Canada (Event and Technology sponsor); BDO Canada LLP (Brochure sponsor); Trillium Mutual Insurance Company (Technology sponsor); Country 93 (Media sponsor); Howick Mutual Insurance Company and CMR Insurance (Media sponsor); Bruce County Federation of Agriculture (Daily sponsor); Ontario Federation of Agriculture (Daily sponsor); Dairy Farmers of Ontario and the Grey and Bruce County Dairy Producers (Dairy sponsor); CTRE Productions (Daily sponsor).

For details on registration, full daily agendas, a list of speakers, and lists of sponsors and exhibitors, please visit the Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week website: www.gbfw.ca. Additionally, do not forget to follow Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @GBFarmersWeek, #GBFW22. If you have any questions, please call 519-986-3756, or email [email protected].

source: media release, Grey Bruce Farmers' Week