The 2021 Ontario winter wheat crop is ahead of schedule and shows promising development. Tim Meulensteen, an agronomist with C&M Seeds in Palmerston, Ont., said two dynamics are at play; early planting last fall and a gentle winter with consistent snowmelt in March. Why it matters: An early wheat crop can quickly mature and be […] Read more
Ontario wheat harvest looks optimistic
Warm spring temperatures moved the crop along nicely, although a cool late May slowed it down
Soil road trip app ready for July 1
Farmers will be able to explore fields across Ontario this summer thanks to a new, free app that will allow them to view cover crops, min-till, amendments, and innovation for soil health. The free Ontario Soil Road Trip app will be launched and available for iOS and Android in time for the July long weekend. […] Read more
Food literacy bill to get roundtable ag support
The bill aims to make food literacy part of the curriculum throughout elementary and secondary school
A private member’s bill advocating for experiential food literacy education in the provincial school curriculum is gaining traction. Why it matters: Increasing food literacy among youth will help them understand the impact of their food choices on their health, the local economy, and the environment. Bill 216, ‘The Food Literacy for Students Act,’ seeks to […] Read more
Opinion: Energy agency report has consequences for agricultural producers
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) widely publicized report on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to achieve global targets further bolsters the case that more needs to be done in agriculture to combat climate change. Producers, as the report notes, can’t be excluded from that effort. Released last month, the report lists 400 actions that will be […] Read more
Less demand means soybeans to hit seasonal low from now to October
Chinese demand for corn will be a large and unknown factor for the 2021 crop
Ontario farmers were in the final stage of planting corn and soybeans during the last week of May. The region between Toronto and Windsor has received less than 40 per cent of normal precipitation over the past 30 days; cropping area north of Toronto has received 40 to 60 per cent of normal precipitation. Timely […] Read more
Reducing methane can benefit livestock
A combination of strategies is focus of new research
Reducing methane emissions from cattle likely depends on more than one strategy, a researcher told the Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada. Dr. Cecile Martin from the Université Clermont Auvergne in France said feeding strategies and phenotypic selection both have roles to play. Why it matters: Strategies have emerged over the years to combat methane emissions, […] Read more
Getting proactive with PRRS
Ontario’s swine industry looks to collaborate on better diagnostics, surveillance to mitigate
A highly virulent strain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV) has renewed focus on the importance of disease surveillance and vaccination programs in the province. Swine Health Ontario (SHO), along with the Ontario Pork Industry Council and Ontario Pork, recently held a webinar for producers and industry to highlight veterinary and producer experiences […] Read more
Viewing your farm debt differently
FCC veteran John Geurtjens discusses how attitudes to debt and business opportunities have changed on the farm
Decades of experience with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) showed John Geurtjens, former vice-president of operations in Ontario, how adaptable the province’s agriculture sector really is. And while issues may change, opportunities remain. In modern times, where debt levels and prices diverge from interest rates, those opportunities start with a general reconsideration of how farms look […] Read more
Home Grown campaign educates citizens on farmland loss
OFA initiative seeks agriculture impact assessments as part of urban planning
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is sowing seeds of advocacy through its recently launched Home Grown campaign. It wants to educate Ontarians on how development threatens finite farmland resources and emphasize that agriculture is under pressure to provide affordable food options for Canadians. Why it matters: Urban sprawl is threatening the viability and sustainability […] Read more
Editorial: Will agriculture seize the moment?
There’s growing interest from outside the traditional agriculture world in what’s happening on the farm and the arrival of new ideas and people will change the sector in ways we can’t yet predict. I continue to hear stories from people about academics with no connection to agriculture becoming involved in agriculture research. Consultants say they […] Read more
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