COVID-19 has been challenging for many businesses but for some, the pandemic has also presented new opportunities. One such company is FreshSpoke, an online Ontario wholesale marketplace for local food that has expanded into home delivery and curbside pickup in response to consumer shopping behaviour changes. That expansion has also had positive impacts right back […] Read more
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Online driven home delivery of local food products spells opportunity
FreshSpoke connects producers of food with local markets, home delivery and retailers
Agri-Food network gets greater funding
For the first time in its 10-year history, the Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network (EOAN) has funding commitments from three municipalities in the region. This year the United Counties of SDG and the City of Cornwall have joined with the United Counties of Prescott and Russell in making substantial financial commitments to the network to expand […] Read more
Farms pivot to guard finances during COVID
Farms have been forced to make changes, with varying levels of success
Agri-food Management Excellence (AME) is looking to the experiences of graduates of its CTEAM (Canadian Total Excellence in Agricultural Management) program to better understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sector’s finances. Norfolk County cash crop and horticulture producer Brett Schuyler, Staffa-area sheep farmer Sandi Brock, and Oxford County goat dairy producer Cheryl […] Read more
AGvisorPRO to be available in xarvio Scouting app
BASF Digital Farming (BASF) has signed an agreement with AGvisorPRO to provide farmers, who have identified in-field problems using the xarvio Scouting application (app) on their smartphone, with expanded access to a local, accredited agronomic advisors. The agreement pairs the capabilities of two digital farming applications – BASF Digital Farming’s Xarvio Scouting with AGvisorPRO. Both […] Read more
Zoning orders create farm group concerns
Farm and environmental groups band together to slow down development outside of settled areas
A significant spike in Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs) has prompted agricultural organizations and environmental groups to join forces. “(We are) coming together with a common concern about protecting farmland, protecting green space,” said Suzanne Armstrong. “And to recognize the value of farmland in green spaces, over and against the value that’s being placed on development.” […] Read more
New Enlist product contains only 2,4-D
The product will enable more flexible tank-mixing options
Corteva Agriscience has launched a new herbicide, Enlist 1, a standalone version of its new 2,4-D choline product. The product is registered for use on Enlist E3 soybeans and Enlist corn. Why it matters: Diverse herbicide options help with the control of the growing number of herbicide-resistant weeds. Enlist 1 is a stand-alone version of […] Read more
Opinion: Changing agriculture from the inside
Attracting more diversity to agriculture starts with change within
Jesse Wente shared some hard truths in his Canadian Centre for Food Integrity keynote presentation last month called Growing Organic Inclusion. Perhaps one of the biggest takeaways for me was how much we still need to unpack, then accept and acknowledge about ourselves, before we can critically analyze barriers and begin formulating solutions to be […] Read more
Farm groups form carbon coalition
The potential of much higher carbon taxes has caused concern
Glacier FarmMedia – Proposed federal carbon tax hikes seen as a threat to farmers have prompted the formation of a national coalition to oppose the carbon plan. “I think it raised a lot of concerns for how farmers would disproportionately be impacted because of their reliance on fuel and on natural gas to feed Canada […] Read more
Sollio posts strong financial results
There were lots of challenges in 2020, but Olymel and retailing had gains
Sollio Cooperative Group posted strong fiscal gains in 2020 despite a global pandemic, harvest woes, processing closures and rail strikes. Amid turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghislain Gervais, SCG president, said operational agility proved to be the cooperative’s strength. Why it matters: Sollio Agriculture, formerly La Coop federee, has become a leading supplier of […] Read more
Fitting insect production into current regulations a challenge
Canadian and EU companies call for fewer limits on feedstuffs
Insect-rearing innovators in Canada are ahead of the United States and the European Union when it comes to approvals for use in animal feed products. However, that hasn’t translated into a broad opening up of new markets. In all three jurisdictions, more work is needed to convince regulators and others in the livestock sector about […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
