Different forage types require different harvest practices for optimal feed quality, says Courtney Vriens, ruminant nutritionist with Vriens Nutrition Consulting. Each of the four main types of forage used by sheep producers, alfalfa, grass, small grain silages and corn silage, provide excellent feed quality if harvested and managed properly. Why it matters: Accomplishing on-farm goals […] Read more
Feed quality starts with proper harvest
Different forages have different ideal harvest stages
New class of antibiotics found to fight antimicrobial resistance
Science Notes: WHO has declared AMR as one of the top 10 global public health threats
Wistar Institute scientists have discovered a new class of compounds that uniquely combine direct antibiotic killing of pan drug-resistant bacterial pathogens with a simultaneous rapid immune response for combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These findings were published in December in Nature. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared AMR as one of the top 10 global […] Read more
City eyes Welland farmer’s land for expropriation, future industrial use
Urban dwellers come to Marsha Rempel’s defense
A family-owned farm within the City of Welland is fighting back after it was threatened with a third round of expropriation. This time, the entire farm could be taken, after two portions were lost to railways in the last century. Why it matters: All three general farm organizations in Ontario have identified the loss of […] Read more
Protesting farmers key to edible oil growth in India
Billions of dollars of oilseeds are imported, but there aren’t subsidies for domestic crops
Indian farmer Shingara Singh has grown grain for 35 years and is one of thousands of protesters against agricultural reforms who have the power to help slash a huge annual bill of US$10 billion for imports of vegetable oils. But Singh, 55, says he will only switch to growing oilseeds, such as rapeseed and sunflower, […] Read more
Data, today’s hottest commodity
Collecting information today can be useful for reasons that have not yet even been considered
It seems like the agriculture sector produces more data than commodities these days. Realizing the full potential of that data, however, requires more robust programming. In other words, growers need better tools to manage more aspects of crop production, while simultaneously knowing which ones require more focus. Why it matters: More refined computing could remedy […] Read more
Opinion: Farmers and food prices an uneasy fit
Blaming the price of grain for rising food costs raises the ire of farmers
The quickest way to get farmers riled is to suggest that the price of food is going up because grain prices are higher. Say it once, and watch the rosy burn creeping up their cheeks. Say it twice and look out. Within days after the 2021 version of Canada’s Food Price Report forecasted a three- […] Read more
Perils and potential with early spring planting
Farmers find success in planting early, but on certain fields, with certain seeds and an eye on the weather
Beautiful planting conditions followed by serious cold and snow last May gave Ontario agronomists a living experiment in what happens when crops are planted into cold conditions. How did the early planters fare? It depends. As well, the story is different depending if you’re talking about early planted corn or soybeans. Why it matters: Farmers […] Read more
Introspective estate planning for your farm
Focus on the people involved in farm succession, not just assets
Estate planning means knowing where financial and material assets will go after you die, but according to veteran financial strategist Chris Delaney, forgetting to prepare people to receive those assets can actually destroy long-accumulated wealth. Not accounting for one’s fears, and failing to reconcile emotion with rational action, can make things even worse. Why it […] Read more
New agricultural worker safety course launched
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is launching an online training program for workers new to the agricultural sector, created in partnership with the University of Guelph — Ridgetown Campus Business Development Centre. The Ontario Agriculture Worker Safety and Awareness Certificate is geared towards helping job seekers become more familiar with on-farm safety, while making […] Read more
On-farm processing dream perseveres through adversity
Mistyglen revived plans to process milk during the pandemic, and after a tornado wrecked its barn
A venture that had been set aside “indefinitely” by a Belmont-area dairy farm several years ago received a full reconsideration during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result Mistyglen Creamery now aims to sell its first on-farm processed milk and yogurt in late 2021. Why it matters: An increase in interest […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
