News
Hay co-operative welcomes new members

Jan. 22, 2016, Ontario – The recently formed Ontario Hay and Forage Co-operative Inc. is welcoming more producers to join its start-up hay-processing and export development venture. The co-operative will be holding public meetings for interested hay producers in Woodstock, Elmwood, and Lindsay on Feb. 1 and 4.

Meetings will be held at the following locations:

Woodstock: Quality Inn (Altidor Room) Monday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m.
Elmwood: Elmwood Community Centre Monday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m., 38 Queen Street West
Lindsay: OMAFRA Board Room, Thursday, Feb. 4, 1 p.m., 322 Kent Street West

The co-op will provide an overview of its new venture and update on the progress it has made in its initial organisation and membership drive. The co-operative’s plan is to build a major doublecompacting hay facility in Southern Ontario, which will ship farm-dried hay to emerging overseas export markets.

Members of the co-operative’s technology committee will be on hand to present their preliminary report on various big bale dryers currently on the market and their research into some of the new dryers under development. 

The Ontario Hay and Forage Co-operative will be conducting a comprehensive feasibility study to determine the economic viability of the proposed hay-processing facility. The hay compacting facility is projected to handle up to 100,000 tonnes annually and estimated to cost between $10 and $15 million. The feasibility study will determine the size and costs of the project more clearly and will identify the specific markets to be targeted. The co-operative has collaborated closely with the Ontario Forage Council in the initial development of this project.

For more information, please contact: Fritz Trauttmansdorff, chair, at 519-647-2311.

January 22, 2016  By Top Crop Manager