It’s not totally uncommon for crop to go missing out of remote bins, especially when crop prices climb. Fuel thefts aren’t rare, either, and cattle rustling is still a thing. But lately, GPS units and pickup trucks seem to be the theft of choice for n’er-do-wells. Between a shortage of parts, high crop prices, high… Read More
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (OFVC) has elected a new president and vice president. Kelly Ciceran will take the place of president, while Doug Darling will serve as the new vice president. Ciceran has served as vice president since 2019, and replaces outgoing president Matt Peters. “I’m excited to continue the legacy built by… Read More
The enrolment deadline for the AgriStability program has been extended from April 30, 2022 to June 30, 2022, without penalty, the federal government says. The decision to extend was based on numerous uncertainties farmers are facing, including the recent onset of highly pathogenic avian flu across much of Canada, along with unprecedented pricing challenges and… Read More
If I buy the best golf club, am I the best golfer? By the same token, if someone plants a cover crop, are they taking better care of soil health than someone who doesn’t? Not necessarily, says Shaun Haney, founder of RealAgriculture and host of RealAg Radio. The trouble is, policy can be prescriptive (i.e.,… Read More
Manufacturing company Linamar Corporation has announced a deal to acquire Ontario-based fertilizer and tillage equipment-maker, Salford Group. The agreement would see Linamar, which has its headquarters in Guelph, Ont., pay approximately C$260 million to Salford’s shareholders. The acquisition would expand Linamar’s agriculture business, which is currently centred around MacDon Industries. “Agriculture and food is a… Read More
Merry Christmas in April? Plenty of Ontario residents woke to snow this morning — does this mean planting will be delayed? Chill out, says Peter Johnson, in this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. It’s only late April, and a little snow isn’t going to cause an issue. But, the growing season is underway, so it’s… Read More
Ontario farmers continue to tread water as they look to the government to provide some sort of relief or assistance in regards to the fertilizer shortage that has ensued due to the sanctions put on Russian imports following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Brendan Byrne, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), says time is… Read More
Statistics Canada has published its most recent survey of principal field crop intentions for the 2022 growing season. The survey was conducted from March 1 to March 29, 2022, and included approximately 11,500 farmers. Respondents were asked to report their planting intentions for grain, oilseeds and special crops. The results suggest that wheat acres are estimated at 25 million, up 7.2 per… Read More
Biology is forever adapting — to tillage, to cropping systems, and to selection pressure of herbicide applications. The advent of herbicide resistance has created a huge challenge for farmers across North America. Some of the worst weeds include kochia, fleabane, wild oats, waterhemp, and Palmer amaranth. Managing these weeds and delaying more resistance requires a… Read More
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS), have announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) has passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability. African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose… Read More
Chinese-owned Canada Royal Milk (CRM), based at Kingston, Ont., says it has established long-term partnerships with Ontario Goat Dairy Cooperative (ODGC) and Producteurs de lait de chèvre du Québec (PLCQ) who represent over 120 goat dairy farms between them. When the baby formula plant was first announced in 2017 by Feihe International, the plant was originally being… Read More
The number of Canadian farms – and provinces – where birds are testing positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza continues to climb. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed Manitoba’s first case on a poultry farm on April 23. The farm is located near Elma, in the Rural Municipality of Whitemouth, on the eastern side of… Read More
It’s rare that cropping plans become a choice of winners. For many, including certain crops or level of acres in any given year is more about rotation benefits, weed control plans, or contractual obligations. But this year is different. This year, many if not all cropping options could prove profitable, if Mother Nature abides and… Read More
In late March, the federal government announced a 60-day consultation on the Pest Control Products Act, specifically regarding how Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) can “transform” its pesticide review and approval processes. The review is general, and will take in comments from consultation sessions with provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations, academia, Indigenous communities,… Read More
With many still waiting for some actual spring-like weather now three weeks into April, we are checking in with farmers and ranchers across the country on this edition of Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio, brought to you today by Pioneer Seeds Canada. Host Shaun Haney will see who’s getting started or how much longer… Read More
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