Governments can be ham-fisted and tone deaf, a symptom of their huge, creaking architecture. They throw new coats of paint out to different areas of the economy just before elections. […] Read more
Editorial: Dairy compensation plan announcement ill-timed
Editorial: Lessons from the European market
There are opportunities in Europe for Canadian agriculture and food products, but we have to learn to play their game if we want a piece of the lucrative export market. […] Read more
Dairy farmers to get direct cash payment as trade compensation
Canadian dairy farmers will be getting direct cash compensation after the government gave up dairy market access to other countries in recent trade deals. The compensation follows promises by the […] Read more
The challenges of upgrading a farm for modern production
A Grey County producer transformed a stony farm with many fields
Adrian Op’t Hoog knew he was taking on a challenge when he bought about 200 acres that had been in cow-calf production for generations. There were 16 different fields and […] Read more
Young farmers jump into direct marketing with on-farm stores
Ontario producers see the benefit of events and local food networks, and their hard work is paying off
Some young farmers are making direct-to-consumer sales an important part of their farm business plan. They’re using creative thinking on events and bringing new skills to the expansion of their […] Read more
Editorial: Selling the story of food to reach consumers
There are several forces driving change in the way consumers act, and food companies and farmers need to make sure they’re ahead of them. At this point they are not, […] Read more
Increasing enforcement coming for farm vehicles using Ontario roads
Farm vehicles haven’t always had the same level of enforcement as other industries
Farmers are paying more fines and will need to be more vigilant about their vehicle identification and safety in the future. That’s according to a long-time supplier of lighting and […] Read more
Bale and wrap in one pass: new farm technology comes to Canada
Units from several manufacturers debuted at the Ontario Forage Expo
European technology to bale and individually wrap hay in continuous operations is coming to Canada. Four such machines for round bales were on display at the Ontario Forage Expo recently […] Read more
Managing fusarium in wheat in harvest and storage
Drying wheat may make sense and there are lessons to be learned from drying soys in 2018
Fusarium will likely be an issue in this year’s wheat crop with wet and cool conditions turning wet, warm and humid around grain fill. However, there are ways to manage […] Read more
Editorial: In praise of hay
The Ontario Forage Expo is one of my favourite farm events of the year. It’s outside, in the heat of the summer, it’s usually well attended and there’s lots of […] Read more