From a news release Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lawrence MacAulay, has announced the details of the federal government’s transformational $70M investment, over five years, to address significant environmental challenges and hire approximately 75 scientists and science professionals in emerging fields of agricultural science. The minister made the announcement on Sept. 21 at AAFC’s research centre in Harrow, Ont. … Read More

Producers call for the Canadian government to protect their industry and supply management Lauren Arva Staff Writer Farms.com Pierre Lampron, president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC), and producers from across the country met in Ottawa this morning to discuss their concerns about NAFTA negotiations and their impacts on the dairy industry. Several farmers spoke of their passion for … Read More

Last week, we looked at our off shore workers and the positive impact they have in our work place and in our community.  This week, I want to introduce you to Hopeton Thompson, one of the off shore workers I had the opportunity of recently meeting. Hopeton was born in Jamaica 57 years ago, is married to his beautiful wife … Read More

CHATHAM, ON – On August 27th, 2018, South West Ag Partners Inc. of Chatham, Ontario reached an agreement on the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Veritas Farm Management to Deveron UAS of Toronto, Ontario. “South West Ag Partners and Veritas Farm Management have enjoyed a very beneficial partnership with Deveron UAS for several years. South West Ag Partners constantly focuses … Read More

Although the U.S. is on track to produce a big crop for 2018-19, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada expects corn prices to improve over the previous year. AAFC market analysts attribute the potential price increase to lower ending stocks in the U.S. In their latest outlook for principal field crops, released on Aug. 17, the analysts note that the ending stock … Read More

When I was much younger, I was a member of the Cub and Boy Scout troop at Victoria Avenue United Church.  The motto for the Boy Scouts was ‘Be Prepared.’ That is always a good plan in all areas of life, including the agriculture sector. In Chatham-Kent, our producers grow over 70 different crops.  Weeds, insects and diseases can have … Read More

From FCC Express By Owen Roberts Parts of Ontario are experiencing a summer with wide swings in precipitation levels this year, says a provincial agronomist. Dale Cowan, senior agronomist for AGRIS and Wanstead Coops, says rain has been incredibly sporadic. In July, it was not unusual for one field to receive two millimetres of rain and another field a few … Read More

Corn, soybean and wheat prices plummeted on Friday as the United States Department of Agriculture delivered some bearish data in the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. Projections for a record corn yield in the U.S. and a significant boost to the soybean ending stocks had the markets reeling. After the dust settled, corn and wheat suffered … Read More

A filmmaker hopes a new documentary will highlight women in ag By Diego Flammini Staff Writer Farms.com An Alberta filmmaker wants to showcase the diversity in the province’s ag industry. Kelsey van Moorsel, pictured above, is one of the producers of Picture A Farmer, a documentary that focuses on women who are taking ownership of the title of farmer. Women have always been … Read More

Ontario Federation of Agriculture Commentary By Jackie Kelly-Pemberton, OFA Director On any given day, farmers are talking about the weather. It dictates what we do across all seasons and dominates our thoughts and conversations as we try to work with or around whatever nature dishes out. And this season has provided plenty of fodder for commenting, comparing and complaining about … Read More