A coalition of farm organizations, including several in Ontario, is calling for a Canada-wide recovery plan from the COVID-19 pandemic that puts a strong emphasis on agricultural resilience to climate change. A report released recently by Farmers for Climate Solutions (FCS) — members of which include the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO), National Farmers […] Read more
Tag Archives COVID-19 — page 35
Farm group wants climate at forefront of COVID-19 recovery
Farmers for Climate Solutions says farmers should lead the way in providing solutions
CBOT weekly outlook: Harvest pressure to weigh on soy, corn
MarketsFarm — Seasonal harvest pressure may weigh on soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade over the next month, but there is also still good support on the other side, according to an analyst. “The biggest trouble now for the market is the harvest pressure coming in,” said Tom Lilja of Progressive […] Read more
Throne speech commits to rural broadband improvement
Rural health care, water management also on deck
The federal minority Liberal government is promising job creation, better rural internet access and a commitment to combating climate change in its newly revealed legislative plans. In an ambitious throne speech delivered Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s party committed itself to implementing universal child care and extending or enhancing many of the economic measures put […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat, soy, corn fall sharply on fund selling
'It is basically risk-off across the board'
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean, corn and wheat futures plunged on Monday as concerns about fresh coronavirus-driven lockdowns due to rising global case counts sparked a wave of risk-off trades. The grains, led by a 3.7 per cent drop in wheat that marked its biggest daily percentage decline since August 2019, […] Read more
Veal farmers offer thanks to processing plant workers
Essential workers at participating Ontario veal processing facilities were recently supplied with gourmet cookies for each staff member as a gesture of appreciation from Ontario’s veal farmers for their hard work and dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the commitment of the veal processing facilities and their staff, the Ontario veal supply chain has continued […] Read more
Province helps fairs with funding
The Ontario government is expanding eligibility for agriculture societies to apply for funding to help offset the financial losses due to the cancellation of fall fairs, exhibitions and activities during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. About $1 million will be made available to all qualifying agricultural and horticultural societies to help ensure operations. In previous years, […] Read more
Ontario rural employment almost back to pre-COVID levels
Rural employment in other provinces hasn’t been as strong as it has in Ontario
Rural Ontario’s employment levels are almost back to year ago level – almost making up the unemployment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) reports that Ontario unemployment is 0.6 per cent below levels in August 2019, according to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey. Why it matters: Rising employment is critical to […] Read more
New Poultry Xpo launch postponed to 2021
A new national poultry event due to launch in Stratford this fall won’t go ahead. Instead, the Canadian Poultry Xpo will launch in 2021. Organizers said that after discus- sion with the venue, the City of Stratford and the local medical officer of health, it was decided that restrictions around large gatherings meant that the […] Read more
Agriculture policy overhaul needed: report
COVID-19 has exposed significant challenges, needed changes
Glacier FarmMedia – Drastic changes to markets, labour conditions and public perceptions are driving a need for new agri-food policies, according to a report from industry experts. Agri-Food Economic Systems’ latest policy note identified 10 pressures on the industry, each one varying in “magnitude, significance, urgency and permanence.” The report cited massive losses in food […] Read more
Consumers look to healthy food post-COVID lockdown
Comfort, less healthy foods were popular early in the pandemic
Jane Dummer, a registered dietitian, says the pandemic has caused changes in Canadian eating habits. “If you had asked me in September, ‘would we have run out of baking needs, flour and toilet paper in a pandemic?’ I would have said no, especially because originally the pandemic, COVID-19, was really identified as only respiratory, and […] Read more
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