Latest Newsletter

Author Archives

Encouraging feed consumption in robotic milking systems is critical in the first 100 days of lactation.
Livestock

Milk price, higher production push farmers to look at different feeding options

Decisions rest on systems that farmers already have and their long-term production goals

By
Dairy farmers milking in robot systems are increasingly looking at alternatives to one traditional higher energy pellet to feed in the robot, a trend driven by decreasing milk price and increasing milk yield. Why it matters: Robot milking systems have been operating in Ontario for 20 years, with a growing diversity of feeding management styles […] Read more
News

Editorial: Assumptions about rural are grating

By
I have no doubt that there’s a divide between rural and urban folks, and little doubt that the divide seems to be increasing. But I do take issue with people who try to generalize and simplify the reasons for it. The fact that there is a rural-urban divide pains me greatly. I have people I […] Read more
E3 soybeans are expected to be available in Canada from Pioneer in 2020.
Crops

New option launched to manage resistant weeds in soybeans

Enlist E3 soybeans are resistant to multiple herbicides meaning more options to deal with weed issues

By
Ontario farmers will have more options to manage herbicide-resistant weeds with the launch of Enlist E3 soybeans in Canada. E3 soybeans are resistant to 2,4-D, glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides. That provides more flexibility when spraying fields that have resistant weeds, which are becoming an increasing problem in Ontario, especially when it comes to glyphosate. Why […] Read more
Sows have become much more productive since Flowers started his career 32 years ago. They are better able to produce large litters consistently and able to produce enough milk to raise those piglets.
Livestock

Sow longevity impacts start before they are born

Gilts born as part of small litters are much more likely to develop into productive sows

By
Sows are leaving farms long before they reach the stage of profitability, says Dr. Billy Flowers, one of North America’s best-known sow reproduction experts. Flowers, a professor at North Carolina State University, says the situation isn’t conducive to long-term productivity for the pork sector. His research shows that farmers may need to select gilts based […] Read more
Organic soybeans are mostly moving around the world for animal feed.
Crops, News

Replacing U.S. imports of organic soybeans unlikely

The rapid growth of U.S. organic livestock production has resulted in massive imports of soymeal

By
American organic soybean imports, especially as meal, continue to dwarf import of other organic crops. In fact, if American farmers tried to grow that many soybeans to make into meal, it could disrupt the whole organic system, says Ryan Koory, senior analyst with Mercaris, an American organic market intelligence company. Why it matters: Organic production […] Read more
Processing tomato exports over the past 10 years. Note that Heinz’s Leamington plant shut down in the middle of this time period. (Tomato juice, past and procuts (incl. ketchup). Source: OMAFRA International Trade Database Adapted from Statistics Canada, Economic Anaylsis Unit)
News

Processing tomato export numbers debated

Where are all the tomatoes going?

By
The processing tomato market was upended in 2013 when Heinz, the province’s largest processor left. The health of the sector since is being hotly debated. Hardeman recently tweeted a graph that showed a large decline in processing tomato exports from Ontario. In 2008, Ontario exported $75 million worth of processed tomato products (juice, paste and […] Read more
News

More squeeze coming for tomato growers

Provincial government wants open marketing considered for processing vegetables

By
Ontario’s processing vegetable growers are being hit by more re-organization and uncertainty from government regulators. The provincial government and the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission (OFPMC) is now pushing for open marketing at the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers, especially for tomatoes, after already putting the sector through two years of changes. The OFPMC is the […] Read more
News

Editorial: We are one year old

By
Happy birthday to us! Thank you for the vast amount of support and encouragement we’ve received at Farmtario during our first year. We couldn’t have done it without our readers, advertisers and supporters. A bit more than a year ago, Farmtario’s parent company, Glacier FarmMedia had an audacious idea: Create a whole new media organization […] Read more
The effects are rippling all the way back to the farm helping producers capture value through niche marketing while assuring consumers they are getting what they paid for.
Livestock, News

Traceability making its mark on food systems

From “fingerprinting” beef to blockchain technology that expose organic fraud, traceability systems are becoming more common in the food supply chain

By
You could call it traceability with a capital T. It’s taking various forms, but the notion of tracking ingredients from field to fork is sweeping through the food system thanks to a combination of new technology and marketplace pressures. The effects are rippling all the way back to the farm helping producers capture value through […] Read more
Pasture is rotationally grazed by the Sickle family’s cows and calves.
Livestock, News

TESA winner matches cover crops with cow herd

Steve Sickle rotationally grazes his cows and calves on pasture, but uses cover crops at the end of the season

By
Steve and Amanda Sickle of Brant County ended up in the beef cow business when they realized a rolling part of a farm they’d turned from pasture to crops was much better suited to pasture. The family had sold their beef cows when Steve’s dad broke his hip. “We brought them back when we realized […] Read more

GFM Network News

More GFM Network News

On Twitter