Processors want clean, intact soybeans for their food products. That’s why farmers delivering lower quality crops can be hit with significant per bushel price deductions. A few best management practices at harvest can help avoid those discounts. Why it matters: Stained or damaged food-grade soybean seeds can have a significant negative impact on farm gate […] Read more
Extra care required to ensure high quality food-grade soybeans
Clean, intact seeds critical for soybean processors
Changes in farm structure poses risk, requires policy
Average farm size an 'illusion.' Report shows that loss of medium-sized businesses creates a circular problem for larger farms
Large farms in Canada are growing in number at the expense of small and medium-sized farms, and at an accelerating pace, observes a new report. The issue is unlikely to be resolved by markets and competition among farmers alone and represents a new dimension for agri-food policy. So says a September 2021 policy paper published […] Read more
Can small pasture management changes help grassland birds?
Researchers try several strategies this summer with mixed success
The bobolink and other declining avian grassland species have received assistance from farmers and conservation researchers in Grey County. Through a $62,500 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Bird Ecology and Conservation Ontario (BECO) – a non-profit conservation organization – has been working with landowners to identify nest locations and bird population numbers in the […] Read more
Positive news reported on 2021 crop tour
Great Lakes Grain data suggest good corn and soybean crops across Ontario
The recent Great Lakes Grain crop tour showed that Ontario crop farmers could be looking at a record corn crop that should dry down quickly to an early harvest. “I think we’re doing pretty strong across the whole of southwestern Ontario, and I think we should see a good crop,” said Rachel Duesbury, grain originator […] Read more
VIDEO: Taking a tour of Ontario corn and soybean crops
Field Talk with Rachel Duesbury
Matt McIntosh, Farmtario contributor, speaks with Rachel Duesbury with AGRIS Co-operative, during the Great Lakes Grain Tour to take stock of Ontario corn and soybean crops.
Buffer strips save soil, address field trouble spots
Strategically placed areas bring economic and environmental benefits
Buffer strips do more than prevent soil loss. When strategically placed, they can improve in-crop pest control, support pollination and help save money on otherwise troublesome parts of a field. Why it matters: When established in underperforming or problem areas, buffer strips can reduce input costs and insect pest pressure while acting as a positive […] Read more
Canadian food security doesn’t look like it does in other countries
Accessibility to food is one thing — but resilience in production and processing is another
As some countries stockpile agricultural products, Canada continues to ship them out despite feed affordability concerns in parts of the country. Would investments in a stockpiled grain supply have helped what appears to be a developing food production crisis? As a leading exporter, however, the question for Canada should be different. A true food security […] Read more
Province said to lack foresight in land development policy
Ag group says more proactive strategies are needed to stem farmland loss
Some members of Ontario’s agricultural and conservation communities do not think the provincial government is taking urban sprawl seriously enough. They say current provincial land development policy is detrimental to farmland, natural heritage and Ontario’s future. On the farm side, the rate at which land is being lost to housing and other developments is due […] Read more
Shipping container crisis
What do old crop soybeans stuck in Ontario elevators mean for the 2021 harvest?
A shortage of shipping containers to export last year’s Identity Preserved soybeans is plugging elevators just as Ontario farmers prepare for a record harvest this fall. Martin Vanderloo, president of Huran Commodities Ltd., says he’s facing the most difficult shipping conditions he’s ever seen, a crisis he attributes to a change in how shipping companies […] Read more
Soil health plan works best with gradual gains
Soil experts recommend starting small for bigger long-term results
Improving overall soil health takes time – a long time. But for Kelsey Banks, crop representative and agronomist with Embrun Co-op, making gains doesn’t require immediate drastic action. Many growers opt for conventional tillage in Banks’ area of Eastern Ontario for various reasons but mostly because it’s an effective, tried-and-true approach. Why it matters: Better […] Read more
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