This annual award will recognize an individual farm business in Ontario who successfully applied on-farm innovation and ingenuity to effectively address an identified environmental risk associated with soil, water, air or biodiversity on their farm.Online entries will be received by Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) throughout the year.

All entries received by December 1 of each year will be judged by the OSCIA Executive Committee using established evaluation criteria. A single winner will be announced the following February and profiled in the OSCIA newsletter, website and farm media*.

Guidebook

The Don Hill Legacy Award recipient will be recognized each year at the OSCIA Annual Conference and will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Be an Ontario farm business
• Have an Environmental Farm Plan that has been verified within the last five years
• A contestant can enter as often as they wish, but can win only once
• All entry forms and supporting materials become the property of OSCIA and will not be returned
• Any proprietary rights associated with the innovation remain the property of the contestant

Scoring Criteria:

• Originality and appeal
• Adaptability to general farm use
• Ability to reduce identified environmental risk
• Cost-effectiveness
• Personal safety

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About DON HILL

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Early in his career Don was a soils and crops specialist for the provincial agriculture ministry, before turning his full attention to the family farm in Grey County. Throughout this time Don was a strong supporter of Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), serving as President in 1988. He was proud to wear his Past President’s pin. In the early nineties when the concept of an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) was being introduced to Ontario agriculture, Don worked with OSCIA, playing a key role in promoting the program and training the workshop delivery team. His commitment has left an indelible mark on the tremendous accomplishments associated with the program.
Don’s passion towards the EFP was widely known and admired. To him, the process was all about farmers sharing their experiences in support of continuous learning and discovering best management practices. He took real satisfaction in finding simple and creative solutions to environmental challenges faced on the farm. Don’s passion lives on through the Legacy Award that bears his name.

OSCIA wishes to sincerely thank the Community Foundation Grey Bruce and the Rural Institute of Ontario for their expert guidance and assistance which was essential in establishing the Don Hill Legacy Award. Individuals wishing to make a contribution to help sustain the Legacy Award are encouraged to approach the Community Foundation Grey Bruce in Owen Sound at http://www.communityfoundationgreybruce.com

* The winner will be asked to share a summary of their innovation at the OSCIA Annual Conference.