The Ontario Dairy Goat Cooperative (ODGC) has lost members in the past six months, but it is forging ahead with a joint venture with Netherlands-based Unica Global aimed at marketing goat’s milk powder around the world. A newly-formed co-op that includes some former ODGC members from eastern Ontario, meanwhile, recently secured approvals to act as […] Read more
Goat milk market rearranged
A price plunge late last summer sent goat milk farmers and brokers scrambling. New players have emerged
Goat milk intake to start slowly at Feihe plant
The Chinese company with plans to export baby formula will mostly use cow’s milk once it starts processing next year
The Chinese company building a $225-million infant formula factory in Kingston has yet to secure a source for goat’s milk — needed for the facility’s planned second phase — but remains confident production will begin “around the middle of 2019.” “It will take three to five years to reach full capacity,” said Justin Zhou, a […] Read more
Fast-tracking the construction process
Prefabricated beams made from laminated timber can cut construction times by as much as 30 per cent
A strong farm economy and the demand for new dairy facilities have brought some new building technology to the Ontario market. Guardian Structures had photos on display at the London Dairy Congress of a newly built dairy barn on the Slegh farm near Salford that featured a different approach to beams. Guardian Structures worked with […] Read more
Farm facilities: Braving the building backlog
More rules and a shortage of builders means Ontario farmers are waiting longer for new barns and shops
“Plan early, plan early, plan early.” That’s the first piece of advice from the Canadian Farm Builders Association (CFBA) for farmers looking to decrease their time on a waiting list for a barn builder. Oh, and No. 2 on that list? It was also “plan early, plan early, plan early.” Sally Akroyd Bombino, general manager […] Read more
How can hay compete with corn, soy and wheat?
Applying more intensive management, especially fertilizer, can bump hay yields
There is significant potential to increase yields on Ontario’s hay fields by implementing strategies commonly used growing crops like corn and soybeans. Why it matters: The Ontario Hay and Forage Co-operator is looking to increase the amount of acres of high quality hay, especially timothy, grown in the province and in order to increase hay […] Read more
Biosecurity prompts concerns about municipal officer change
Across the province changes are allowing more municipal employees on properties to enforce standard bylaws
Farmers in the Township of Perth East raised the alarm earlier this month about a move by municipalities across Ontario to make more specific the details about enforcing property standards bylaws. “Some of the stuff in these bylaws just doesn’t make sense,” said Perth County Federation of Agriculture (PCFA) President Bob Martin. “It’s a bylaw […] Read more
The details on CAP
Details are now available for the first intake of the new federal-provincial program, which closes May 8
With maximum funding ranging between $25,000 and $35,000 per project, aspects of manure and nutrient management and livestock handling and housing represent key areas of focus for government support in the recently-released Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) suite of programs. Also on offer is a maximum of $75,000 for either livestock or food crop producers for […] Read more
Hay co-op using existing compactor this year to hit export markets
Ontario-grown hay – both pure alfalfa and pure timothy – will make its way by container ship to the Middle East this summer, through the efforts of the Ontario Hay and Forage Co-operative Ltd. That assurance was given by the organization’s chair, Fritz Trauttmansdorff, during a first-ever production information meeting recently in Mount Forest. Why […] Read more
Chicken farmers launch product innovation program
Are you part of the Ontario chicken industry and have a great idea for completely new chicken products? Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) may be willing to give you chicken supply to produce it. Why it matters: The Ontario Chicken Innovation and Growth Program, announced Wednesday, is the third element in what was described by […] Read more
Seven tips for better dairy goat performance
A herd’s average production may be a go-to parameter for many goat dairy managers, but Amanda Davison believes their focus should shift instead to the average among a select group of that herd. “Don’t look at average production,” advised Davison on March 21 in Woodstock, as she addressed producers attending the annual general meeting of […] Read more
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