The Ontario Pork Congress (OPC) will be returning to the Rotary Complex in Stratford to celebrate its 50th anniversary June 21-22, 2023. It will be the first in-person Congress since 2019. A 2020 virtual option was held, but show organizers said that “didn’t go well” at the OPC’s annual meeting last month at the Mitchell […] Read more
Ontario Pork Congress returns in-person this June
Congress will celebrate its 50th anniversary
Editorial: Agrivoltaics has potential
A group of scientists, energy consultants, ag tech and green energy business owners came together last month to discuss how solar energy can help tackle the province’s looming energy crisis – and they say it could help farmers at the same time. Members of the newly-formed Agrivoltaics Canada held an inaugural conference at University of […] Read more
Ontario farmers gather once again post-pandemic
OFA annual meeting held in new host city and offered grassroots discussions
Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) president and Thunder Bay-area dairy farmer Peggy Brekveld was re-elected to a third one-year term at the organization’s recent annual meeting. The meeting, held for the first time in London, was the OFA’s first in person in three years. Of the 26 resolutions brought forward to the OFA board from […] Read more
Editorial: Smoke and mirrors
Do more with less” is without a doubt the overarching theme for Canadian agriculture in 2022. Although that exact phrase may not always be used, its sentiment has been consistent. Farmers and those working in the agriculture industry have been bombarded with information and commentary about how the climate is in crisis, and that they […] Read more
PHOTOS: Royal Agricultural Winter Fair returns to in-person
Event celebrated a century of bringing agriculture to the city
After a 2-year hiatus, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) took place Nov. 3 to 14 at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The RAWF began in 1922 when a collective group of farmers and horseman banded together to plan an exhibition to show off what Canada had to offer in agriculture. According to historical documents on […] Read more
Editorial: Will the country keep coming to the city?
Earlier this month the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) took place in Toronto, celebrating its 100th year. That’s an incredible achievement. The RAWF shares this achievement with a multitude of agricultural societies throughout Canada, some of whom have been hosting fairs almost as long as Canada has been a country. It shows that those who […] Read more
Editorial: Animal welfare legal tactics
The biggest pork market in the U.S. could no longer be accessible to Canadian pork producers if a ballot initiative, known as Proposition 12, becomes law. Proposition 12 was part of the state of California’s general election ballot in 2018. Also known as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, it aims to establish new […] Read more
Editorial: Sustainability shouldn’t be an optical illusion
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, one our freelance writers, Rebecca Hannam, brought to my attention an interesting press release from the University of Guelph on how its on-campus child care centre has reduced its carbon footprint by switching to only feeding a plant-based diet. She asked in her email to me “why is no one talking […] Read more
Editorial: A carrot with a consequence
In response to the backlash it has been receiving from farmers and industry over its nitrous oxide (NO2) emissions target, the federal government was quick to reiterate that it is a goal, not a mandate. However, whether this is an achievable goal is still up for debate. By setting a goal, the federal government has […] Read more
Editorial: There is nothing better than meeting in-person
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show made a triumphant in-person comeback for the first time since 2019 last month. A total of 43,809 visitors came to Discovery Farm Woodstock Sept. 13-15, the home of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS). What struck me the most at the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show was the smiles. They were infectious. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
