A drought forced the federal and western Canadian governments to reach an agreement on AgriStability but is it a sign of what’s to come? Near the start of August, the two governments agreed to allow Saskatchewan producers early access to the 2021 payments to which they are entitled. The two ministers of agriculture involved, Marie-Claude […] Read more
Opinion: Drought-prompted AgriStability changes not a sign of continued co-operation
Simplifying conservation programs
Researcher sees unnecessary overlap of funding options in southern Ontario
Many dairy farms in Ontario have a wide range of environmental programs available to them, but a University of Guelph researcher is wondering why the programs aren’t more streamlined. “Many organizations seem to put out similar resources or programs or overlap in program activities,” says Emily Sousa, who spoke to Farmtario about the work she […] Read more
Editorial: The need for more efficient nitrogen
Reducing use of nitrogen fertilizer is a big potential win for farmers and critics of farm practices. The discovery of the Haber-Bosch process and its ability to pull molecular nitrogen from the air is one of the foundations of modern society. Nitrogen fertilizer allowed farmers to feed crops and people as yields grew. They can […] Read more
Harvesting nitrogen a sustainable option, says Corteva
Biological product works with plants to draw nitrogen from the atmosphere
Glacier FarmMedia – Nitrogen makes up 78 per cent of Earth’s atmosphere. It is also one of the biggest cost factors in growing crops. So why not use the nitrogen in the air around us? It’s an exciting concept — extracting nitrogen from thin air and putting it to use growing a crop. As a […] Read more
African swine fever puts pork producers on high alert
Deadly virus found in the Dominican Republic
The arrival of African swine fever (ASF) in the Caribbean is fuelling concern that the virus could move onto the North American mainland. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed that the deadly hog virus was found in samples from pigs in the Dominican Republic on July 28 as a result of […] Read more
Above-average yields likely for corn, soybeans
Weather in critical month of August favourable for seed development
Most of the Ontario growing region has received 115 to 150 per cent of normal precipitation in the last 30 days. July temperatures were two to three degrees below normal. It’s been a cool and wet summer in Ontario. Above average yields are expected for Ontario corn and soybeans. After a prolonged harvest period, we’re […] Read more
Ontario 2021 wheat yields the highest in years
Ideal rainfall led to high wheat yields but it also compromised quality
The 2021 winter wheat harvest has been a bin-buster. Timely rains, adequate heat and ideal planting conditions provided excellent yields. “In areas with adequate moisture, and early planted wheat, we are seeing yields well above 100 bushels to the acre, with some reports showing 120 to 140 bushels to the acre average,” says Joanna Follings, […] Read more
Funds support drought-stricken Ontario farmers
Payments will help but the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work long-term, says industry
[UPDATED: Aug. 23, 2021] A collective sigh of relief greeted the Aug. 6 federal government announcement of a $100 million emergency drought fund. “We haven’t received any details on what that will look like, but,” said Beef Farmers of Ontario president Rob Lipsett. “It seemed almost like a weight lifting off a lot of people’s […] Read more
Northwestern Ontario farmers wait for hay
A Beef Farmers of Ontario project has already started moving hay to the area
The far-reaching drought in Canada is sparking widespread mental health concerns for livestock and cash crop farmers. The pressure for livestock producers in north-western Ontario and the Prairies to secure feed to get through the summer increased as hay and forage fields scorched, crops were stunted and water sources ran dry into July. Winter feed […] Read more
China’s hog slaughter recovery bodes well for feedgrains
Lenders, market analysts predict the country will be an active buyer
Glacier FarmMedia – A major farm lender in the United States forecasts another strong year of Chinese grain and oilseed demand in the new crop year, and that bodes well for prices. “Predicting with certainty whether China will purchase the same levels of U.S. soybeans, corn and sorghum over the next year as it has […] Read more
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