Canada’s agriculture industry has been undergoing significant changes over the past 45 years. Since the 1970s, the number of farms has been steadily declining, but not all farms have been impacted equally — mid-size farms have been hit the hardest, as the number of small and large farms increases. The mid-size farm category used to cover the majority of agricultural operations. […] Read more
Tag Archives Other — page 17
Opinion: One-size-fits-all policies no longer work
National Farmers Mental Health Alliance seeks to support farmers, rural social support systems
New group offers ag-minded and farm-lived experience training to support farmer mental health in a more relatable approach
The newly formed National Farmers Mental Health Alliance (NFMHA) offers a way to help farmers get support that understands the unique lifestyle and circumstances of farming. “We’re combining real farm-lived experience with our professional practices and connections to develop agriculturally informed therapy training for on-the-ground social workers and therapists to serve farmers, their families and […] Read more
Keeping weigh scales accurate means regular upkeep
Industry professional says the machines shouldn’t be taken for granted
Farm scales are so well designed that they are often taken for granted. That’s great, so long as they’re working. But when farmers and agricultural businesses forget about them, problems can literally build up. “If it’s got mud and whatnot, or cows are tracking in debris and it’s building up between your approach and your […] Read more
Diversifying on-farm land use
Farmers look for municipal guidance when diversifying operations
University of Guelph — Ontario has lost 319 acres of farmland a day since 2016, according to the recently released 2021 Census of Agriculture. The number of small- to medium-sized farms is decreasing while the number of larger farms is increasing. These numbers show some family farms’ difficulties in maintaining a viable agricultural livelihood. But […] Read more
Common weed may be ‘super plant’ with key to drought-resistant crops
A common weed harbours important clues about how to create drought-resistant crops in a world beset by climate change. Yale scientists describe how Portulaca oleracea, commonly known as purslane, integrates two distinct metabolic pathways to create a novel type of photosynthesis that enables the weed to endure drought while remaining highly productive. “This is a […] Read more
Acute food insecurity now touching 345 million worldwide
Baghdad | Reuters — The number of people facing acute food insecurity worldwide has more than doubled to 345 million since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and climate change, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday. Before the coronavirus crisis, 135 million suffered from acute hunger worldwide, Corinne Fleischer, the WFP’s regional […] Read more
Private antique tractor collection being auctioned
Gordon Brindley, known to many as Harry, is auctioning his private antique tractor collection this week to give back to his community. The owner of Brindley Auction Services’ private antique collection includes more than 500 gas, diesel, propane and steam tractors. Brindley plans to donate 100 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of […] Read more
Opinion: Livestock, climate and a context embargo
Industry needs to lead the development of a balanced vision for the future
“We are living under a context embargo.” I recently heard that statement and thought it was a good way to summarize the tendency to focus on an issue at the expense of understanding the bigger picture. Unfortunately, those who try to bring attention to the bigger picture are often vilified. If you need proof of […] Read more
What are agrivoltaics, and can they make money?
Researchers and energy experts say better policies could help solar; 10 sites being tested in the province next year
Canada’s pastures and cropland are prime sites for the mass deployment of solar energy infrastructure, according to advocates of agrivoltaics – a term used to describe the simultaneous use of land for solar energy and food production. The use of solar panels on buildings, in pastures and in other areas of working farms is not […] Read more
Opinion: Different approach, same goal
Like their Canadian counterparts, U.S. farmers will soon have more funding available to adopt climate-friendly production practices. But unlike Canada, the U.S. is not adding to the federal deficit to fund its climate change initiatives. It is aiming to reduce its environmental footprint and decrease its deficit at the same time in a bid to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
