For Perth County-area pork producer Tanya Terpstra, completing the On-Farm Emergency Response Planning Guide for Ontario Pork at first “seemed like more paperwork.” But Terpstra, who operates a farrow to finish operation with her husband Darryl, understands the importance of having a plan in place. Nearly a decade ago their farm suffered a fire in […] Read more
Emergency planning summer focus for Ontario Pork
Ontario Pork offering help for producers to complete on-farm emergency plans
Editorial: Race to the finish
Nearly six weeks into spring, Mother Nature finally decided to co-operate and provide the type of weather needed to start planting across most of the province. It was ‘go time’ during the first two weeks of May and social media channels were full of photos from excited farmers showing off their progress. The weather remained […] Read more
Survey says: Latest census of ag shows farms getting bigger, more valuable
Canada’s most recent agriculture census reveals that farms are getting larger, and larger farms are netting the majority of total revenue. On May 11, Statistics Canada began releasing data from its 2021 Census of Agriculture. This first instalment, which focuses on farm and farm operator data, shows that trends identified in previous census cycles (the […] Read more
Editorial: Pre-election budget misses the mark
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party released its pre-election budget April 28. As the Legislature dissolved the following week, the budget essentially serves as a campaign platform leading up to the June 2 provincial election. The $198.6 billion, 268-page budget didn’t have many surprises. Titled “Ontario’s Plan to Build,” it outlines major commitments previously announced, but with […] Read more
Maedi Visna – the hidden disease
The illness is difficult to detect as symptoms don’t usually appear for one to three years
The Sheep Farmers of Ontario (OSF) is encouraging sheep producers to consider taking steps to mitigate a silent, hidden illness that may be having a greater impact on their bottom line than they realize. Maedi Visna (MV), also known as ovine progressive pneumonia, is a chronic viral illness that is 100 per cent fatal. The […] Read more
Editorial: Advancing the farm conversation on social media
When social media really began gaining traction about a decade or so ago, the agricultural industry was slow to get on board. This caused some problems early on, particularly for livestock producers because animal activist groups such as PETA, Mercy for Animals and HSUS were quick to realize that they could easily share unpleasant photos […] Read more
Editorial: Prevention is better than the cure
Late last month, while taking my dog for a walk I heard the familiar, distinct sound of Tundra swans overhead. They are beautiful to watch, but a reminder that with their return comes the threat of disease to the poultry industry. Many areas of the province offer the perfect ‘stop-over’ or spring habitat for migratory […] Read more
Editorial: Farmers will find a way
When I drove up the laneway to Adieu Farm near St. Jacob’s last month, the realization that it had been two years since I had been to any event or gathering with more than a handful of people, or stepped inside any kind of facility, hit me hard. Two years. The farm held an open […] Read more
Editorial: Marketing vs. educating consumers
It’s annual meeting season, and one of the highlights for me are the updates on marketing efforts and consumer outreach. I’ve attended numerous annual meetings for commodity organizations in Ontario and Canada, and I’m amazed at the exciting and creative approaches some organizations take to reach consumers. Highlighting the farmer or farmers who produce agricultural […] Read more
Permanent home for Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show finalized
The land acquisition of Discovery Farm Woodstock by Glacier FarmMedia has been finalized, Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford, announced at the farm site Mar. 16. This acquisition gives Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) a permanent home at the site and paves the way for continued growth and development. After announcing in Sept. 2020 the intention […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
