An Ontario hay co-operative hopes to have a double-compaction facility running by 2018, giving it access to global markets for hay. Ontario hay has traditionally been at a shipping cost disadvantage compared to most competitors, as hay headed for Asia or the Middle East has had to be shipped by rail to the West Coast.
Technology could open up hay export markets for Ontario
Lake Erie plan’s farming recommendations released
A federal/provincial action plan to reduce phosphorus loading in Lake Erie has been released for public comment — and many of its recommendations will have implications for farmers in the Lake Erie basin. None of the numerous recommendations are particularly new or surprising and mostly call for using existing funding programs to encourage certain production
Ontario names trustee to break tomato impasse
The Ontario government has appointed a trustee to assume the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers’ power to negotiate 2017 contracts with processors for the growing of processing tomatoes in the province. The board of directors of the marketing board has been dismissed until new elections are held, as expected by the end of 2017. “I have
Bioproduct innovators adding unique value to agriculture seed stocks
Flax is one crop that’s been receiving plenty of attention from this Ontario-based effort
Researchers and entrepreneurs are delving deeper into the natural properties of crops, as seed stocks for everything from construction resins and boards and panels for buildings and cars to concentrate health foods. Many of those projects are being funded by the BioProducts AgSci Cluster, brought together as part of BioIndustrial Innovation Canada with funding from
Dairy sector still working toward ingredients strategy
The Canadian dairy industry has missed a self-imposed deadline for the Feb. 1 implementation of a national ingredients strategy — but work continues toward that implementation. The strategy is meant to create a lower-priced class of milk, Class 7, to encourage the use of skim milk powder in further-processed ingredients. Ontario has already independently implemented
Phosphorus program aims to reduce Lake Erie nutrients
Chatham, Ont. — Henry Denotter’s farms near Kingsville, Ont. are close to the Wigle Creek, which flows into Lake Erie and takes with it any residues it pulls from nature and farmers’ fields. The Wigle Creek subwatershed, west of Leamington, has turned into ground zero in long-term research on how farmers can reduce phosphorus running
Corn/soy price ratio favours soybean acres, analyst says
Chatham, Ont. — Most underpinnings for higher corn, soybean and wheat prices appear to have fallen away — leaving biodiesel the only area that could drive higher prices. A growth mandate for U.S. ethanol production ends in 2017, and oil prices continue to stagnate well below the highs of a few years ago, according to
Cover crops driving planting and tillage innovation
Ontario farmers are on the cutting edge of adopting this technique in Canada
Cover crops continue to be one of the most discussed topics in Ontario crop farming. However the discussion has moved beyond the existence of the soil-health-building practice, to the fine details of how to manage such a complex biological system. There were several sessions at the recent Southwest Ag Conference (SWAC) in Ridgetown dedicated to
Greig: A year of farm policy decisions ahead for Ontario
Ontario’s agriculture minister stands by his decision to halt a process that was expected to open up how processing tomatoes are priced in the province. Jeff Leal’s decision, announced in August, resulted in a Dec. 21 threat from Ontario’s largest tomato processors to significantly cut back their tomato purchases from Ontario farmers in 2017. Processing
Ontario dairy sector optimistic with expanding demand
Ontario’s dairy industry is in a period of unprecedented growth, with over 15 per cent more quota going to dairy farmers in less than two years. There are almost certainly more quota increases to come, in order to increase milk production to displace significant volumes of butter now being imported. “It’s an absolutely great time
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