The Draft Goat Code of Practice is now open for public comment ahead of a Feb. 22 deadline. “Whether you have a small herd or a large herd, the impact of the revised Goat Code of Practice on your farm will be the same,” stated Ontario Goat President Dirk Boogerd. “It is important for goat […] Read more
News — page 348
Goat code open for public comment
OFA increases leadership program contribution
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) contributed an extra $10,000 to the current class of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP). The money raised will offset costs of additional COVID-19 related travel requirements for more social distancing and re-planning of AALP Class 18’s international study tour. A foundational partner of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership program, […] Read more
Letters: European equipment imports happen for a reason
Dear editor, I have read the story in Farmtario quoting Bev Leavitt, head of CEEDA, Canada East Equipment Dealers Association, crying wolf about farmers buying agricultural machinery from Europe. Maybe it would be good to consider the reasons why this is happening. First of all, this is far from being a common practice. Between the […] Read more
Ridgetown grad’s gap year takes winding farm road
Abbey Taylor worked at various farm jobs while crossing Canada
Belmont-area Ridgetown College grad Abbey Taylor recently returned from several months working her way from farm to farm across Canada, learning about a wide range of products and production strategies. She was inspired, in part, by a podcast created for the Canadian Gap Year Association. Taylor most recently returned to Ontario after leaving a position […] Read more
Comment: Vaccines need national co-ordination
The federal government should be taking a more assertive position in the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines. When the first batch of vaccines arrived in Canada, Ottawa released recommendations on who should receive the first doses — but the ultimate discretion was left to individual provinces. Recommendations, according to the federal government, were made to […] Read more
Livestock feed imports restricted to limit disease risk
There are cascading effects in the global feed and ingredients system as countries, including Canada, clamp down to limit African swine fever risk
North America’s livestock feed system continues to change to manage the risk of disease travelling on feed. The changes have meant world-leading restrictions on feed imports to Canada and a decline in imports of soybean meal into the U.S. from areas of major swine diseases. It’s also meant that some large farms are adopting supplier-to-farm […] Read more
Farm sector part of emergency child care extension
The programs support families where students are learning remotely
Farmers and those who support the food and agriculture product supply chains now qualify for a no-cost child care program. As of Jan. 27, the program will be open to a new list of workers along with several other categories, in addition to other essential workers who were previously eligible. The program aims to help […] Read more
First new 4-H scholarship awarded
The first Hugh Mitchell — Western Fair 4-H Endowment Fund Scholarship has been awarded to Emily Duenk of Denfield. Duenk is pursuing her Masters of Science in the Plant Science department at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus. She was recognized for her involvement in several initiatives that demonstrate unique collaborations within 4-H, her school, […] Read more
Editorial: New dairy genetic direction will have multiple benefits
The speed of genetic improvement in livestock is one of the modern miracles of agriculture. The systems, which involve farmers, farmer-driven groups and researchers, have shown that great leaps in productivity improvement can be created, but the systems can pivot when needs change. I grew up fascinated by making genetic improvement recommendations on my family’s […] Read more
Attracting the next generation of workers
Workers new to a job are three times more likely to be injured during the first month on the job compared to experienced workers. The statistic, across all sectors of the economy, is staggering and points to the need for adequate training. The Ontario agri-food sector, with a diverse range of career opportunities, struggles to […] Read more
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