Leaders of Ontario’s organic food production and processing sectors aren’t ready to declare a trend but there are indications that recent food price inflation has affected consumers’ willingness to pay premium prices for organic options. “There have been a few emails coming through from people concerned about how this is going to affect organics,” Organic […] Read more
Organic groups watch for trends as food prices rise
DFO cuts organic production in anticipation of slowed market growth
Editorial: Let’s be careful not to greenwash regenerative
Food companies like to use descriptors such as “non-GMO”, “gluten-free”, “humane certified” and numerous others to try and differentiate their products in the marketplace. These often follow consumer trends, usually initiated by lobbyists for environmental, animal welfare, nutrition and health groups. They can also be considered greenwashing when they are used incorrectly, or fraudulently. The […] Read more
Regenerative agriculture reaches a crossroads
The jury is still out on whether the production philosophy will become a niche brand or a mainstream practice
Glacier FarmMedia – In early August, Prince Charles gave his stamp of approval to regenerative agriculture. While addressing an international soil conference held in Glasgow, the Prince of Wales said regenerative farming is the future of food production. “We have to be proactive in encouraging regenerative agriculture, with a diversity of plants and of grazing […] Read more
Jury still out on U.S. corn, soybean yields
August USDA report lowered corn, raised soybean expectations
From July 15 through Aug. 15, most of the Ontario growing region experienced average temperatures and normal precipitation. Eastern counties such as Durham, Northumberland, Peterborough and Hastings have been on the drier side but crops have held up fairly well. We continue to project above average yields for Ontario corn and soybean crops. The Ontario […] Read more
Keeping weigh scales accurate means regular upkeep
Industry professional says the machines shouldn’t be taken for granted
Farm scales are so well designed that they are often taken for granted. That’s great, so long as they’re working. But when farmers and agricultural businesses forget about them, problems can literally build up. “If it’s got mud and whatnot, or cows are tracking in debris and it’s building up between your approach and your […] Read more
Plots to see at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show
There will be lots of plots for farmers to see when Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show returns in September. Fifteen different companies and organizations have crops growing on the show site, ranging from corn, soybeans and wheat to alfalfa, alternative crops and demonstrations of numerous crop treatments including strip tillage. The crop plots are a popular […] Read more
Diversifying on-farm land use
Farmers look for municipal guidance when diversifying operations
University of Guelph — Ontario has lost 319 acres of farmland a day since 2016, according to the recently released 2021 Census of Agriculture. The number of small- to medium-sized farms is decreasing while the number of larger farms is increasing. These numbers show some family farms’ difficulties in maintaining a viable agricultural livelihood. But […] Read more
Common weed may be ‘super plant’ with key to drought-resistant crops
A common weed harbours important clues about how to create drought-resistant crops in a world beset by climate change. Yale scientists describe how Portulaca oleracea, commonly known as purslane, integrates two distinct metabolic pathways to create a novel type of photosynthesis that enables the weed to endure drought while remaining highly productive. “This is a […] Read more
Improving food security in northern Ontario
Finalists named for Northern Ontario Innovation Challenge
Seven agri-food entrepreneurs from across northern Ontario have been chosen as finalists in the Northern Ontario Innovation Challenge run by Bioenterprise Canada, a national accelerator known as Canada’s food and agri-tech engine. The seven agri-businesses will showcase their innovations at a public demonstration day in September with short pitch presentations to a panel of judges […] Read more
Hunt for disease pathogens goes even smaller-scale
AAFC scientists are developing biological assays that can be used to detect crop and livestock diseases
Researchers at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research centre in Saskatoon are developing molecular diagnostic assays to detect significant pathogens associated with crops and livestock production. Biological assays are methods for assessing the presence or biological activity of a substance in living cells and biological matter. Tim Dumonceaux of AAFC said many pathogens are […] Read more
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