Safety crackdown surprises maple syrup producers Monday, January 31, 2011 by KRISTIAN PARTINGTONJust as Ontario's maple syrup producers are preparing to run lines and tap sugar maples for the 2011 harvest, word has hit that enforcement of regulations governing furnace oil-fired evaporators and finishers could affect some Ontario producers.The regulations aren't new, said Dan Ward, an engineer with Ontario's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs who specializes in Technical Standards and Safety Association (TSSA) regulations. “All of this had been around for a long time, since 2001, I believe,” he said, “but the issue keeps surfacing once in a while.”He noted that TSSA inspectors have the authority to conduct surprise inspections of oil-fired evaporators to ensure they meet the requirements of the TSSA code under provincial regulations.The problem, said Dan Cassie, president of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers' Association, is evaporators today don't have the same standard of manufacturer streamlining as, for example, a furnace or a water heater.“There's always been fuel-oil regulations in place,” said Cassie, “and we've always backed proper tanks, burners and the lines all hooked up properly. Where we're having the biggest problem is that they're looking at the evaporator as an appliance.”“An evaporator is a unique piece of equipment,” he said. Because many systems and manufacturers vary in design “it's hard to get the information out as to what meets the standards.”Cassie said he guesses that perhaps 20 or 30 per cent of Ontario producers use furnace-oil evaporators and to his knowledge there has been no incidence of faulty evaporators causing damage or injury in Ontario.Ward said a producer who was denied delivery of fuel because of lacking inspection verification may have prompted the recent concern about surprise inspections. Fuel suppliers are also licensed by the TSSA and are required to inspect the appliances they serve every couple of years, he explained. “If they are caught filling equipment that is not compliant they risk losing their licence.”The TSSA does have a process by which producers can have their equipment verified in order to be compliant but Ward advises producers to do their homework before ordering an inspection. There is a cost associated with each TSSA visit, he said, and there's usually paperwork that will have to be done in advance of a visit.Cassie, who's preparing for syrup production on his properties south of Elora, said his organization wants to cooperate but needs more information.“At this time of the year to put in place a wave of enforcement is a little unfair when there's 10 other months of the year to look into it,” he added.He said “the right people know of our concerns” and he's hopeful that after this year's harvest a solution to the issue of standardization can be found. BF Ontario and Quebec chicken industries reach agreement on interprovincial trade Leamington cubing mill on the drawing board
New CEO for Livestock Research Innovation Corporation Friday, September 13, 2024 Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) is promoting from within with the appointment of the organization’s newest Chief Executive Officer. Industry Services Manager Kelly Somerville has been tapped to assume the role as of September 3, replacing retiring CEO Mike McMorris.... Read this article online
Milwaukee Extended Anvil High Torque Impact Wrench Thursday, September 12, 2024 Measuring torque is a common on-farm task it can sometimes be a challenge to accomplish this for multiple and varied pieces of equipment, that where Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL™ 1" D-Handle Ext. Anvil High Torque Impact Wrench w/ ONE-KEY™ can provide value. Cordless tools create convenience,... Read this article online
Ontario and Feds look to strengthen the provincial agri-food sector Monday, September 9, 2024 The governments of Canada and Ontario have announced they will be investing an additional $3.5 million in the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) to support the development and adoption of new technologies for farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses that will enhance... Read this article online
The Great Ontario Yield Tour predicts a record-breaking soybean crop Friday, September 6, 2024 The Great Ontario Yield Tour is predicting the 2024 Ontario soybean yield will be 54.12 bu/ac—a NEW RECORD high surpassing the previous record of 53 bu/ac set last year. If the prediction is correct, it will be the best soybean crop ever produced in Ontario!... Read this article online
IPM needs volunteers Thursday, September 5, 2024 The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo 2024 (IPM) could use a helping hand for volunteers. The IPM is being held this year in Lindsay, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, between October 1 and 5, 2024. While we are aware that the majority of the popular event is being held during... Read this article online