The federal government should be taking a more assertive position in the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines. When the first batch of vaccines arrived in Canada, Ottawa released recommendations on who should receive the first doses — but the ultimate discretion was left to individual provinces. Recommendations, according to the federal government, were made to […] Read more
Comment: Vaccines need national co-ordination
Livestock feed imports restricted to limit disease risk
There are cascading effects in the global feed and ingredients system as countries, including Canada, clamp down to limit African swine fever risk
North America’s livestock feed system continues to change to manage the risk of disease travelling on feed. The changes have meant world-leading restrictions on feed imports to Canada and a decline in imports of soybean meal into the U.S. from areas of major swine diseases. It’s also meant that some large farms are adopting supplier-to-farm […] Read more
First new 4-H scholarship awarded
The first Hugh Mitchell — Western Fair 4-H Endowment Fund Scholarship has been awarded to Emily Duenk of Denfield. Duenk is pursuing her Masters of Science in the Plant Science department at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus. She was recognized for her involvement in several initiatives that demonstrate unique collaborations within 4-H, her school, […] Read more
Editorial: New dairy genetic direction will have multiple benefits
The speed of genetic improvement in livestock is one of the modern miracles of agriculture. The systems, which involve farmers, farmer-driven groups and researchers, have shown that great leaps in productivity improvement can be created, but the systems can pivot when needs change. I grew up fascinated by making genetic improvement recommendations on my family’s […] Read more
Soybeans, corn, wheat continue strong runs
Soybean demand remains firm in midst of heavy farmer selling
Ontario soybean stocks are expected to drop to historical lows at the end of the 2020-21 crop year due to the year-over-year increase in export and domestic demand. Quick look Soybeans: South American crop will have an impact on prices after March. Corn: Earlier-than-usual export holding Ontario corn prices. Wheat: Russian, Ukraine wheat limits supportive […] Read more
Attracting the next generation of workers
Workers new to a job are three times more likely to be injured during the first month on the job compared to experienced workers. The statistic, across all sectors of the economy, is staggering and points to the need for adequate training. The Ontario agri-food sector, with a diverse range of career opportunities, struggles to […] Read more
Education campaigns about agriculture have drawbacks: professor
Engaging the public about animal agriculture’s vision is called a better option than abruptly pulling back the curtain
Glacier FarmMedia – Engaging the public rather than trying to educate the public could be the best path to ensure continued trust in animal agriculture. Marina von Keyserlingk, a professor in animal welfare at the University of British Columbia, said she has given a lot of thought about the future of animal agriculture and the […] Read more
Urban farm fills niche while mentoring marginalized youth
The farm owner didn’t see herself reflected in agriculture and set out to change that
As a new urban farmer, Cheyenne Sundance is intent on growing more than just fresh produce. Sundance, who is mixed-race Black-identifying, saw a void in access to two things in her local farmer’s market – year-round fresh greens and diversity. So she decided to fill them both. Why it matters: Agriculture has not been a […] Read more
Dairy resiliency index to encompass several traits
New traits are expected to be available for farmer use in 2023 or 2024
A program that has worked to create an elusive feed efficiency genetic index for dairy cattle has new funding to add more traits. The Resilient Dairy Genome Project (RDGP), to be co-led by University of Guelph-based Canada Research Chair in Livestock Genomics Dr. Christine Baes, is funded through Genome Canada, and directly involves researchers in Guelph, […] Read more
Opinion: The privilege of many problems
Availability, authenticity and accountability are the hallmarks of a trusted food supply
“A person with empty stomach has one problem, but a person with full stomach has many.” Most Canadians are not used to worrying about access to food. Despite a few short-term impacts resulting from adjustments in the supply chains, even COVID-19 left the shelves stocked. According to recently released research by the Canadian Centre for […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
