Reading Time: 3 minutes An idea for better waste water management at a local brewery won top honours in the third annual Improve Life Challenge Hackathon at the University of Guelph on March 6. The theme for this year’s day-long event was Hack the Farm in a Climate of Change where teams of students worked with community partners to […] Read more
News — page 2
Guelph students ‘hack the farm’ for innovative solutions
Students tackled agricultural issues ranging from improved food packaging to better crop yield predictions
Fairlife plant opening delayed by COVID-19 travel restrictions
It needs experts to help it with final testing of the new Peterborough milk plant
Reading Time: < 1 minute A limit on the movement of people around the world due to COVID-19 means a delay in the start up of the new Fairlife Canada milk plant in Peterborough. Company officials announced today that start up will be delayed until later in 2020. The plant was weeks from receiving its first shipment of Canadian milk. […] Read more
Farmer ready to cut woodlots to pay carbon tax
Government needs to pay for carbon sinks like woodlots and crops, he says
Reading Time: 2 minutes A Lambton County farmer, a winner of environmental awards, says he is ready to rip out his woodlots to help pay for carbon taxes on his farm. Joe Kerr, his wife and their company own about 1,800 acres, about 365 of which is woodlot. He doesn’t expect to clear it all, because it wouldn’t make […] Read more
The challenge of raising beef and dairy in a desert
Science Notes: Irrigation to feed crops for cattle in western U.S. drops river levels
Reading Time: 2 minutes Humans are using freshwater resources faster than they can be naturally replenished. In the western United States, for example, water extractions from the Colorado River have exceeded total river flow, causing rapid depletion of water storage reservoirs. In addition, as these water sources dry up, species of fish, plants and animals are also adversely impacted. […] Read more
Ontario ethanol production drops with low prices and demand
The move by Ontario producers follows deeper reductions in the U.S.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Updated April 1, 2020 As prices and demand for ethanol slump amidst the ongoing pandemic, fuel producers are reducing – or temporarily stopping – production. At IGPC Ethanol in Aylmer production continues, albeit at a reduced capacity. Ashton Nembhard, chief executive and operations officer for IGPC, says demand liftings are “off a minimum of 30 […] Read more
Connecting with consumers: Food trends for 2020
Consumers are changing their food-buying habits and adopting new attitudes toward food technology
Reading Time: 2 minutes Consumer preferences are changing rapidly and the trends that are showing up illustrate those changes. Nourish Network has identified nine food trends for 2020 that will also affect farmers, in everything from packaging to science and entertainment. Why it matters: Consumer trends eventually filter down to farmers and the products they sell. Jo-Ann McArthur, president […] Read more
China announces step forward on African swine fever vaccine
The pork sector has welcomed news that a viable ASF vaccine might be in the works out of China, but it’s early days yet
Reading Time: 4 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The world may be one step closer to a workable vaccine for African swine fever (ASF), but one expert warns that a local debut is a long way off — if the vaccine makes it to Canada at all. According to a research article, recently published in a Chinese science journal, researchers […] Read more
Scharringa acclaimed as new CFFO president
Former president Clarence Nywening will serve as interim general manager
Reading Time: < 1 minute Provincial delegates have acclaimed a new president for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO). This year’s annual business meeting was held March 24, 2020, via remote communications. Ed Scharringa will now lead the CFFO as president. Scharringa has been vice president of the organization and has served on the CFFO board of directors for […] Read more
5G and the future of farming
The challenges of moving a new technology into rural areas could create new partnerships and opportunities
Reading Time: 6 minutes Users of the Samsung Galaxy S20 phone will be the first to have access to 5G technology in Canada. Rural residents and farmers will have to wait much longer – if the technology ever arrives. Rogers announced in early March that it is rolling out 5G networks in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal, with 20 […] Read more
Ideas conference goes virtual due to COVID-19
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alltech is making its large ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference a virtual event for 2020. The feed and inputs company hosts about 3,500 attendees from 70 countries in Kentucky for the conference each year to explore ideas and solutions for the global food supply chain. It is scheduled for May 17-19. “Our first priority remains […] Read more
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