Photo: File

Feds fund tomato and apple research

An Ontario research station is getting nearly a million dollars from the Federal government to develop new disease-resistant apple and greenhouse tomato varieties. The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, located in Lincoln, Ont., will build on work done earlier by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists, who will continue to be heavily involved in the research.

(Photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

PED outbreaks slow, but still top of mind in Ontario

Swine Health Ontario dedicated its recent annual Big Bug Day to continuing toward the goal of eradicating porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) from Ontario. Martin Misener, a vet and chair of the Ontario Swine Health Advisory Board, challenged the hog industry to not get complacent about stopping PED. Misener noted he had heard from people who


(VDL.umn.edu)

Cull sows no longer stopped at U.S. border

Canada’s swine industry appears to have dodged what could have been an economic catastrophe with quick action on senecavirus A. In August this year, 13 Ontario animals were identified with lesions on their snouts or hooves at a processing plant in the U.S., triggering a memo from the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service to



(OntLA.on.ca)

Ontario ag minister to get new powers on farm programs

Ontario’s minister of agriculture is expected to get direct authority to set up farm programming, as part of a legislative package resurrected from this spring to cut regulatory red tape. Provincial Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid on Tuesday reintroduced the Burden Reduction Act, a package of amendments meant to “reduce regulatory burdens and practices that

Ontario to scale back renewable energy purchases

Toronto | Reuters –– Ontario will scale back its purchase of renewable power in a move expected to result in savings of up to $3.8 billion from a 2013 forecast, the provincial government said on Tuesday. It’s not clear consumers will benefit directly, though the province’s Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault told a news conference a


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Ontario’s Leal jumps in on vegetable marketing proposal

Ontario’s Farm Products Marketing Commission has been ordered to change its approach on proposals to deregulate vegetable contract talks between growers and processors. Provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal, in a letter dated Wednesday to commission chair Geri Kamenz, said “concerns have been raised about an apparent lack of both adequate and sufficient information and consultation

(Dekalb.ca)

Ontario farmers ready for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soy

CNS Canada — Soybean producers in Ontario are eager to start planting next season with new ammunition against Canada fleabane. Monsanto’s Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, genetically modified with a tolerance to dicamba and glyphosate herbicides, were recently approved for import by the European Union. Monsanto planned to introduce Xtend soybeans in Canada for the



A wheat crop in progress on May 24, 2016 north of London, Ont. (Ralph Pearce photo)

Wheat crops excel in Ontario

CNS Canada — Ontario wheat producers are having a great start to the season, with healthy crops doubling in acreage from last year, according to a provincial cereals specialist. “Winter wheat crop this year is looking excellent,” said Joanna Follings, who works for the Ontario ministry of agriculture in Guelph. “We have some disease pressures