Scoular Co. has set up a new delivery point for southwestern Ontario growers from whom it buys grain. The Omaha-based, privately held grain firm announced recently that it has made a deal with Martin Farming — which operates at Paris, just northwest of Brantford — that will direct grain to Martin’s new 22,000-tonne-capacity elevator. The […] Read more
News — page 358
Ontario elevator partners with Scoular
Agreement allows Scoular to buy directly from Ontario producers
Extruded grains may be better for pigs
Science Notes: Fibre digestibility saw little change when feeding extruded grains
Feeding extruded products is the norm in the pet and aqua feed industries, yet it remains unusual for swine feed in the United States and in Canada. The technology can improve energy and protein digestibility in pigs, according to research from the University of Illinois. “We’re not doing this much in the U.S., partly because […] Read more
New OFA president says ‘one message, many voices’ makes for stronger lobbying
Peggy Brekveld had been an OFA vice-president for five years
Peggy Brekveld’s election as Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) 32nd president is a first. Brekveld, along with the rest of the executive committee, is the first in OFA history to be elected by the board of directors and not the membership following the bylaw ratification vote at the annual general meeting Nov. 23. “I am […] Read more
Opinion: Grains and oilseed farm groups aligned on program changes
Board chair says AgriStability is “unusable” for grain farmers across the country
The point of risk assurance programs is preparedness. When they are needed, they need to be ready to go. Today, they are underfunded and unprepared and this is a major concern for farmers. Sixty-one per cent of Ontario grain farmers are worried about their farm’s ability to survive this economic downturn. But we aren’t alone. […] Read more
Brekveld elected new OFA president
The northern Ontario farmer was elected in a newly approved process
Peggy Brekveld is the new president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), elected by the board of directors in a new process approved earlier in the day at the OFA annual meeting. Brekveld is a dairy farmer near from near Thunder Bay, who has been a vice-president of the organization for six years. Why […] Read more
Tips to maximize profitability in dairy
An improved feeding strategy is likely a better route than simply cutting costs
Given the speed of shifts in demand in the Canadian dairy industry this year, it’s hard to predict with any certainty of accuracy what the next five years might look like, and how the industry might evolve. Nevertheless, during Canada’s Digital Farm Show in September, Pioneer dairy specialist Ashley Knapton hosted a virtual round table […] Read more
Cover crops reduce nitrate leaching
40-year rotation trials find diverse rotation makes for more resilient crops
Research findings released recently from the Soil Health Monitoring Station at Elora, Ont. suggest including cover crops in a rotation could significantly reduce nitrate leaching. Using soil lysimeters installed at the Soil Health Monitoring Stage in 2016, researchers are exploring how crop rotations impact soil emissions. The lysimeters are large steel drums installed in ground […] Read more
Letters: Barn severance decision raises questions
Dear Editor, It is good to see that Huron County Planning Department finally got the AG4 severance policy right. As one county councillor said, “This is a big win for Huron County agriculture.” So, it’s no longer necessary to take barns down to get an AG4 severance. But it never was, by law. But is […] Read more
Selig named new AgScape executive director
AgScape recently announced that Taylor Selig has been promoted to executive director. Selig will focus on continuing AgScape’s mission of empowering Ontario students by increasing awareness and igniting interest in careers in the agriculture and food industries. AgScape works to bring the stories, facts, and passion of the world of agriculture and food into Ontario […] Read more
Comment: Universal internet access helps make food more sustainable
Consumers who want to reduce the carbon intensity of their food should advocate for better rural internet. Producers know most agricultural towns have broadband, but in the country, cell service fades. Telematics produced by farm equipment have to be stored, getting pushed to the cloud at the farmyards while IoT devices use networks, like LoRaWAn. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
