New training available

Gary Sliworsky
Ag. Rep

The Canadian Agricultural Skills Service has just begun being delivered in Ontario.
This program is designed to provide producers, and their spouses, with access to skills assessment and training which may help them improve their family income.
The program is aimed at:
*improving farm management practices;
*building new agricultural enterprises;
*creating new business ventures; or
*obtaining off-farm income.
There are three parts to the program:
Skills Assessment, Development of a Learning Plan and Financial Support.
The Skills Assessment is done by a qualified career counselor to identify skills and strengths, and develop business or employment objectives.
The counselor then helps the participant to create a personal Learning Plan by selecting learning activities that best suit your needs and goals, and will determine the time and costs involved in carrying out the plan.
The third component of CASS provides financial support to the participant to carry out training identified in the Learning Plan.
Producers and their spouses may be eligible for CASS assistance if:
*they are an established producer with annual gross farm sales of at least $10,000 per year, and a net family income of less than $45,000 (three-year average);
*are a beginning farmer who has owned/operated a farm for less than six years, or intends to establish a farm that has, or will have, annual gross farm sales of at least $10,000;
*have been out of high school for at least two years;
*are not currently receiving Employment Insurance benefits.
Training can include formal training (i.e. non-degree college programs of 24 months or less) and informal learning (i.e. workshops and short courses).
The program is delivered in Ontario by Service Canada.
You can find the location of the nearest office by calling 1 800 O-Canada. In most cases, these are the offices which were previously the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) office.

Dates to Remember
Feb. 27, 28 – Day 1 of EFP course, evenings, Emo Legion
Mar. 1 – Dairy Producers Annual meeting, Morley municipal bldg
Mar. 3 – RR 4-H Awards Night/Banquet, 6:00 pm, Stratton Millennium Hall. Call 482-2863 to confirm attendance.