Latest Newsletter

Low moisture and enough days for maturity are risks when planting soybeans after wheat in mid summer.
Crops, News

Is this the year for double-crop soybeans?

Sky-high prices make it an alluring strategy but risks and tradeoffs remain

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Are high commodity prices a temptation to try double-crop soybeans?  More growers are considering the option this year, but experts remind producers not to let the prospect of good returns overshadow inherent risks.  Why it matters: Double-cropping soybeans could complement sky-high prices. But there’s no guarantee of a crop and the opportunity to improve fields […] Read more
Five-year phase-in underway for farm boiler inspections
News

Five-year phase-in underway for farm boiler inspections

Agricultural exemption was highlighted by auditor-general in 2018 and will soon be closed

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A five-year phase-in is now underway for owners of pressure boilers used in agricultural applications to bring their equipment into compliance with Ontario regulations. The change affects greenhouse operators and some maple syrup producers, wineries and mushroom growers. Why it matters: Compliance with TSSA regulations will increase safety for farm operators who use boilers. “The […] Read more
Thrive’s Greybeard Cannabis shop near Jarvis.
News

Farm gate cannabis shops open

Farm shops create opportunities for outreach to community

By
Selling produce from a farm gate is nothing new for many farmers, but they soon will be joined by their cannabis-growing neighbours. The inability to sell cannabis from the farm gate has been a sore spot for cannabis producers who want to supply more boutique types of the product from the farm. Why it matters: […] Read more
News

Editorial: Will high prices cure high prices again?

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It’s always good to be able to write a “prices are awesome” column. Despite a recent pullback, corn and soybean prices are well into profitability territory and have touched near the highs of 2012, when the Chicago Board of Trade corn price briefly went over $8, before falling to half that a year later. While […] Read more
Jaime and Ericka Wilson hosted an online tour of their family’s dairy farm as part of Durham Farm Connections’ virtual farm tours.
News

Local ag education turned virtual during COVID-19

Programs that had focused on their area schools suddenly had a larger audience

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A virtual on-line format has allowed locally driven agriculture education programs to reach classrooms across the province. COVID-19 put a halt to school attendance and many regularly scheduled events, including Bite of Brant, an agriculture awareness program for Grade 5 students across Brant County.  Last year would have marked the 25th anniversary for Bite of […] Read more
A cool early spring has turned into a dry and warm late spring, helping with planting, but not with crop emergence.
Markets, Markets/Business

Timely rains needed to sustain yields in Canada and U.S.

Dry fields have pushed planting progress ahead of normal rate

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Over the past 30 days, most of Ontario has received 60-85 per cent of normal precipitation. However, the region from Toronto south to Windsor is relatively dry.  Quick lookSoybeans: The 2021 U.S. soybean crop is expected to be much larger than in 2020.Corn: Demand for corn for cattle finishing is hitting seasonal highs.Wheat: Ontario wheat […] Read more
After 50 years of paperwork in offices around the globe, Ron Davidson is retiring from his position as executive director of Soy Canada.
News

Retiring Soy Canada head had storied career

Ron Davidson worked around the world, opening markets for Canadian products

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Glacier FarmMedia – Few people have a Fidel Castro story. Ron Davidson has two. Davidson met Castro in the 1980s, when he traveled to Cuba with former agriculture minister Eugene Whelan. Davidson was working in a newly formed market development division in Agriculture Canada. He was responsible for expanding trade with Latin America and the […] Read more
Decreasing inflammation and stress could be a strategy to prevent disease in early lactation, improve the welfare and performance of dairy cows and lower disease-related costs for producers.
Livestock

Aspirin may ease calving stress in dairy cows

Cows can experience inflammation and stress during calving, which can increase the risk of diseases such as mastitis

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Glacier FarmMedia – Aspirin could become another inflammatory medication to provide pain relief for dairy cows. A year-long American research study found cows that received a short course of acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin or ASA) after calving had lower metabolic stress and produced more milk than untreated cows. Why it matters: Decreasing inflammation for cows that […] Read more
“If there aren’t groups like us that are actively trying to bring attention back to this topic and keep it in front of the government and media, it will very likely get pushed aside.” – Jennifer Christie, Ag Women's Network.
News

Rural child care faces a long road ahead

There is reason to be optimistic, but local initiatives will be key for implementation

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The federal government has pledged $30 billion over the next five years to help offset the cost of early learning and child care services. Its goal is to create a national child care system with costs of $10 per day for the average Canadian family. The proposed program has created optimism that child care services […] Read more
The HydroGreen feed on a conveyor being moved to where it will become part of a total mixed ration.
Livestock, News

Hydroponic system offers year-round on-farm feed solution

The vertical farm system can make sense where land is expensive and dairy feed scarce

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Imagine having a steady, fresh supply of livestock feed available daily that’s not subject to price fluctuation or unpredictable weather.  That’s the vision behind HydroGreen’s fully automated system that applies the principles of indoor vertical farming to producing livestock feed.  “In agriculture specifically, we have some very important dilemmas where farmers are being asked to […] Read more

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