Reading Time: 4 minutes Animal activist Malcolm Klimowicz celebrated his criminal charge acquittal with an almost-18-minute video on Facebook. "The fur industry has attempted to punish me for publicizing the rampant animal cruelty I witnessed inside their facilities but now their baseless accusations and plans to make an example of me has backfired," said Klimowicz. Why it matters: The […] Read more
Author Archives
Activist acquittal could set precedent
Ruling won't have any bearing on charges under new trespass act
Province to fund worker safety, automation tech
The pandemic created risk where workers had to be close together
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario is investing $22 million to try to spark sector-specific innovation, especially related to worker safety. The Agri-Tech Innovation Program is a cost-share initiative spurring large and small farm operations and processors to adopt innovative and new technologies to increase the health and safety of workers and increase efficiencies and productivity. Why it matters: The […] Read more
Agriculture workplaces grapple with change
Flexible hybrid work options and managing a return to face-to-face interactions top the trends
Reading Time: 4 minutes A worldwide pandemic, technology and the ability to adapt on the fly have catapulted agriculture-based business into a new hybrid dimension that will likely continue. In rapid succession, the agriculture workplace landscape morphed from a hands-on, in-person machine to one of virtual meetings, touchless billing and payment systems and greater demand for accessible and reliable […] Read more
Treatment could manage chipping potato size
Gibberellic Acid could be a solution to using potato varieties too large for chipping
Reading Time: 3 minutes Potato growers know that size, consistency and uniformity matter to the bottom line and non-marketable potatoes at harvest can chip away at profitability. Take the Waneta potato; a good chipper variety appreciated by growers but panned by some processors due to its larger size. In 2020, Mark VanOostrum, supply manager at WD Potato Limited, along […] Read more
Shifting consumer expectations could be a challenge post-COVID
The pandemic hit the fast-forward button on trends already in progress
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pandemic ushered in technological, social and economic change for most Canadians, but did it change trends? “(It’s) simply an acceleration of trends we were already seeing, it’s not going to fundamentally transform our world,” said David Coletto, Abacus Data CEO at the annual meeting of Farm and Food Care Ontario. “But, perhaps, fast-forward us […] Read more
COVID-19 PPE supplies challenge farms
OFA survey shows some farmers concerned about PPE availability
Reading Time: 2 minutes A recent Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) survey showed some farmers and farm businesses are struggling to acquire personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet COVID-19 safety protocols. The OFA’s small-scale Agricultural Personal Protective Equipment Survey (APPES) of 498 members showed 16 per cent of respondents were concerned a lack of PPE would see them closing […] Read more
Pork research barn nears building stage
Ontario Pork board approves funds to add five observation rooms to design
Reading Time: 3 minutes Construction of the new Ontario Swine Research Centre (OSRC) is about to begin. “This is another major step forward in our industry’s commitment to innovation,” said John de Bruyn, Ontario Pork’s new chair at the organization’s annual meeting. “Investment in this new research facility will help maintain the competitiveness of our Ontario pork industry.” Why […] Read more
Brock and Nairn named 2021 Food and Farming Champions
Farmer and OFA rep lauded for their communication about agriculture with the public
Reading Time: 3 minutes Updated Farm and Food Care Ontario (FFCO) recognized Sandi Brock and Paul Nairn as its 2021 Food and Farming Champions. “This is truly an honour. To be nominated by peers is truly amazing and I, for once in my life, I’m a bit speechless,” said Brock. Why it matters: Farm and Food Care’s annual award […] Read more
Animal activists claiming a win as criminal case acquitted
Charge stemmed from breaking and entering a fur-bearing animal pen in Frontenac Township
Reading Time: 3 minutes Animal activist Malcolm Klimowicz celebrated his criminal charge acquittal with a triumphant almost 18-minute video on Facebook. “The fur industry has attempted to punish me for publicizing the rampant animal cruelty I witnessed inside their facilities but now their baseless accusations and plans to make an example of me has backfired,” said Klimowicz. “The judge's […] Read more
COVID outbreak closes Cargill chicken processing plant
Eighty-two workers test positive, all employees encouraged to get tested
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Cargill chicken processing facility in London abruptly ceased production on April 13 after 82 workers tested positive for COVID-19. The number of COVID-19 positives at the Cuddy Boulevard facility marks a steep increase from the nine reported by the Middlesex-London Health Unit the week before. “Our focus is on continuing to keep our employees […] Read more
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