Perth County farmer adds Innovative Farmer to award list

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Perth County grower Mark Brock says the list of what he’s tried that hasn’t worked on his farm is likely longer than what did. “That being said, some of our greatest successes have occurred with the adaption of technology on our farm,” he states in a Wednesday news release.
 
A willingness to embrace new approaches has earned the Staffa area farmer a lot of recognition in recent years, including, earlier this year, winning the inaugural Agricultural Management Institute’s most profitable acre title. Now, he can add the title of Innovative Farmer of the Year for 2012 to the list.

Brock received the award on Tuesday at this year’s Innovative Farmer Association of Ontario’s annual meeting. The news release, issued by the award’s co-sponsor, BASF Canada Inc., notes that Brock has used vertical tillage for the past five years and has also been exploring how to manage nitrogen levels in his soil by employing manure and cover crops such as oats, buckwheat, Austrian winter pea and red clover.

“I look around this organization and the history of it and see some of the people who have been recognized for the innovation they’ve done and to be part of that group and be considered to be among them, it’s truly an honour,” Brock said at the meeting on Wednesday.

photo: Jim Patton

The association, which wraps up its meeting today, also has a new president.

Jim Patton, who farms near Alliston, takes over from Ilderton farmer Ken Nixon. Patton, who farms cash crops and has pullet and hatching egg operations, says the organization’s goal in the coming year is to look at new, innovative things and ideas. “That’s part of our mandate — is to bring that learning to the Ontario farmer and give them new thoughts and new processes,” he says. BF