Necessity is the mother of invention and rural Canada knows about both necessity and invention, a group of rural panelists agree. It has to be agile and innovative to get things done. Why it matters: Rural municipalities are often left to figure out what’s best, with fewer resources than cities. “Rural municipalities have this great […] Read more
News — page 326
Rural strength lies in ability to make quick decisions on issues
Rural politicians point to municipalities being able to pivot to do what is needed for survival
Testing delays prevent TFWs from getting to work
Lost tests and longer-than expected results create farmer and worker stress
[UPDATED: May 13, 2021] The road to getting Temporary Foreign Workers from their flight to the field is fraught with COVID-19 challenges this season. Workers arriving at Pearson International Airport are offered a COVID-19 vaccine and receive the first of a two-step remote COVID-19 swab test. Why it matters: Producers depend on temporary foreign workers […] Read more
Vaccinations come to Ontario farm country
The local health unit interpretation of provincial guidelines determines local access
The agriculture sector isn’t needling the province to organize vaccine clinics for workers. Many employers are stepping up to make sure it gets done. Agriculture sector workers, including those in processing, temporary foreign workers (TFWs) and those in food production, including farmers, were eligible for Phase Two pre-registration in early March. By mid-April, many still […] Read more
Instant expert access allows better decisions on the farm
AGVisorPRO brings diverse expertise in agriculture into one app
There are many experts in the agriculture sector with valuable input and advice to share, but making the connection when and where it’s needed is often difficult. For Patrick Walther and Robert Saik, the solution is a virtual platform to bring farmers and agribusiness professionals together in real-time. The two co-founded AGvisorPRO last year in […] Read more
Bolstering the food system is about people, regulations
Managing risk has taken on new meaning during the pandemic
Farm sector representatives say greater investment in public outreach and improved risk management programs are needed to propel the sector beyond the pandemic. Industry representatives who were part of the launch of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s (OCC) report on the province’s food system and COVID-19, also mentioned more agriculture-oriented education opportunities for young adults […] Read more
Opinion: Officials should follow advice of migrant advocates
Glacier FarmMedia – Reports of vaccinations for seasonal farm employees and workers at processing plants are encouraging, but more attention must be paid to the needs of international farm workers. Despite federal government failure to adopt more assertive measures dictating when these essential workers will receive their shots, many provinces are starting to report COVID-19 […] Read more
VIDEO: Wheat progress in Ontario, and do you need a fungicide?
Field Talk with Emma Epp
Farmtario contributor Matt McIntosh caught up with Emma Epp – Leamington-based agronomist with Epp Ag Solutions and a sales representative for Pioneer. They talked about how this year’s wheat crop is progressing, how quickly fungicide recommendations can change with some rain and look at how to identify flag leaf emergence.
Plant mutation research aimed at predictability
Science Notes: More accurate breeding could result from more predictable mutations
Both people and tomatoes come in different shapes and sizes. That is because every individual has a unique set of genetic variations, mutations, that affect how genes act and function. Added together, millions of small genetic variations make it hard to predict how a particular mutation will impact any individual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) […] Read more
AAFC launches Living Lab – Ontario in the Lake Erie region
A $4.2 million investment has been made by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to launch Living Lab – Ontario in the Lake Erie region to collaborate with Ontario farmers on developing sustainable solutions to environmental issues. Living Lab – Ontario is the latest collaboration hub created under the Living Laboratories Initiative, which brings together farmers, scientists, and other […] Read more
Technologies driven by demand for cull-free eggs
Respeggt brand eggs now available in German supermarkets
Fuelled by the perception that many consumers want an end to the mass culling of male chicks, early-incubation gender identification of eggs continues to be a focus for researchers. A presentation at the recent Eurotier farm show in Germany, held virtually, indicated a German-Dutch collaboration may have the lead in bringing an effective technology to […] Read more
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