Lisa Thompson was recently named the new minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for Ontario, another in a line of female agriculture ministers from Huron-Bruce. I’ve known Thompson for a long time and she’s spent her life in agriculture. I remember riding the bus while I was taking the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) […] Read more
News — page 316
Editorial: The two routes to agriculture minister
Could COVID vaccine development speed change the game for food?
Could bio-innovation be the disruptive technology that addresses the challenges of feeding a growing population and reversing climate change? A McKinsey Global Institute report was released in May 2020 called The Bio Revolution: Innovations transforming economies, societies and our lives. It surveyed scientific advances and explored 400 use cases to create a roadmap of the […] Read more
UV light holds grain decontamination potential
Researchers want to build pilot-scale UV sanitation unit to test stored grain
Glacier FarmMedia – Tatiana Koutchma foresees a slew of new applications for ultraviolet sanitation, whether it’s helping to keep meat packing lines free of SARS-CoV-2 or knocking fusarium fungus out of grain. “Before we only had lamps as a source of UV light,” she said. “Now, we have LEDs. They are small, flexible and their […] Read more
Can-Am releases new side-by-sides
Better performance and more hauling and towing capacity promised for 2021 Commanders
Glacier FarmMedia – It’s been 10 years since BRP’s Can-Am brand first introduced its side-by-side Commander models in 2010. Now, the company has given them a major redesign for 2021. BRP claims the revamp not only enhanced the Commanders’ performance but made them more versatile as well. “The 2021 Can-Am Commander is our most versatile […] Read more
Researchers warn about plant pandemics
New report calls for more pathogen surveillance and monitoring systems and better strategies to address plant diseases
Glacier FarmMedia – The world is preoccupied with the COVID-19 pandemic, but plant pandemics are also a threat. Sixteen researchers published a paper in May urging action to prevent the spread of plant pathogens such as rust, which affects a variety of plants, and Panama disease in bananas. Why it matters: Establishing a global reporting […] Read more
Revitalizing soil with manure and cover crops after harvesting wheat
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for July 21
Wheat in a crop rotation provides many benefits, including spreading weather risks that can impact yields and balancing workload more evenly between planting and harvest season. Wheat also provides the opportunity to revitalize the soil; to disrupt pest cycles; alleviate compaction and increase subsequent corn and soybean crop yields. Best of all, wheat in rotation […] Read more
Farmers push back against Chatham clear-cut bylaw
Municipality says council intended to prevent aggressive cutting as wider environmental policy changes are discussed
A Chatham-Kent bylaw banning the clear-cutting of woodlots and woodlands has generated frustration and feelings of exclusion in policy development among some Chatham farmers. Passed by municipal council on April 26, the temporary, 120-day bylaw pertains to wooded landscapes more than half an acre in size, and a specified density of trees. It comes as […] Read more
Genome mapping changes wheat breeding
New technologies help unravel the mysteries of a large, complex organism
Genomic technologies are helping wheat breeders speed the process of finding solutions to longstanding production challenges. But while DNA sequencing and other approaches are a boon for understanding the large and complex wheat genome, in-field testing for yield stability remains a critical part of cultivar development. Why it matters: As the genomes of more wheat […] Read more
Province launches Winery Agri-Tourism Relief Initiative
One-time grant offered to wineries and cideries to offset on-site sales impacted by pandemic
Ontario’s alcoholic beverage industry raised a glass to the province’s Winery Agri-Tourism Relief Initiative (WATRI) grant launched July 20. The province has provided a one-time $10 million grant to offset a decline in winery and cidery’s on-site store sales and increased COVID-19 safety measure costs during the pandemic. WATRI will disperse the grants in September […] Read more
Fulvic acid produced from mushroom compost
Ontario company creates sustainable crop additive that boosts plant responses
As the focus on soil health and environmental sustainability grows, new products can help farmers improve their soil as well as boost crop nutrient and water use. BioLiNE Corp., located near Alvinston in southwestern Ontario, is producing biostimulants — products that when applied to crops, stimulate the plants’ natural processes. It was founded in 2016 […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
