Truckers in North America and farmers in Europe know all about regulations related to weight of equipment — and innovative solutions to deal with those regulations. At a session during the recent FarmSmart Expo at the University of Guelph’s Elora Research Station, Ontario farmers heard they might need to learn those strategies one day. “The […] Read more
Farmers look to trucking industry to help soil compaction issues
Weight distribution across increasingly heavy equipment is critical
Hands to larger service
A new 4-H program sends youth leaders to do community work across the country
Travelling to Canada’s east coast to work with like-minded small-town and rural people and contributing to a community project sounds like the perfect summer job for Peel Region’s Nicole French. But to the leadership at 4-H Canada, the opportunity to set up a pilot project under the newly formed Canada Service Corps, one of 10 […] Read more
Looking for answers on sulphur
OMAFRA is looking for co-operators to further knowledge on sulphur needs in corn and soybeans
For years, Ontario agronomists have pointed to changes in air pollution from U.S. industries as the reason for the rise of sulphur deficiency in north-of-the-border crops. Why it matters: Back in 1990, southern Ontario was at the heart of a widespread “dark red” patch of high sulphur deposition, but by 2015, not just the dark […] Read more
Getting crackin’
Young entrepreneurs tie farm-fresh eggs with end food product at farmers’ market
Three students from A.J. Baker Public School in Kintore have decided that a working summer vacation may be just what they need. Alia and Jorja Linton will be collecting eggs and carrying out other responsibilities on their family’s Uniondale farm. Hudson Seaton is going to help feed the chickens at what’s known as the Seaton […] Read more
Strawberry expansion proves to be good business decision
Mucci Farms identified many potential pitfalls to growing indoor strawberries, but two years later, it is looking at adding more
The owners of Mucci Farms saw many good reasons to stay away from expanding their Leamington-area greenhouse operation to grow strawberries. But as the company looks back on its 2015 decision to proceed anyway, following two years of acreage expansion and expected construction of a third 12-acre strawberry facility in 2018, those perceived obstacles have […] Read more
Loblaw expects to buy more Ontario produce
Changing ability to produce and store Ontario fruit and vegetables and consumer demand to drive growth in ‘local’
Supermarket chain CEO Galen Weston pledged an increased commitment to Ontario-grown produce and promised to “lean in” to a growing market for vegan foods during a speech to kick off a high-profile, first-ever food security thinktank event in Toronto. Why it matters: Grocery stores are where food trends hit the mainstream, so the food moves […] Read more
Managing poultry euthanasia
A large research project is looking at how farmers can finetune the humane death of poultry on their farms
Poultry producers across North America should soon have access to expert advice about the most practical, effective ways to deal with euthanasia on their farms. Why it matters: In both the U.S. and Canada, the past decade has seen enhanced regulation related to on-farm euthanasia, driven largely by a desire to decrease the potential for […] Read more
Finding agriculture innovation triggers for Africa
The continent doesn’t have access to many of the inputs of developed countries, but that is changing
On much of the African continent, 15 years ago there was an almost total absence of landline telephone technology. Now, with smallholder farmers as much at the forefront as any of their urban small business counterparts, the landline situation remains the same, but the bandwidth of Africa is abuzz with smartphone communications that have transformed […] Read more
Animal welfare studies lead to ag careers
Students find there are good jobs to be had because of their studies of animal welfare
The growing interest in animal welfare is providing opportunities for students studying animal behaviour and management. The most recent edition of the annual Research Symposium of the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW) provided strong evidence there are now post-university career opportunities for those interested in the topic. Why it matters: With […] Read more
Why cull dairy cows are discounted
The price paid for cows with poor body condition score is dropped 20 cents per kg, meaning there may be opportunities to dry off and feed those cows
Instead of calling in the livestock trucker as soon as milk production drops off from a cow with an infected hock or low body condition, it may pay Ontario dairy producers to dry those cows off, feed them long enough to regain condition, then send them to auction. That was a major finding from a […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
