Agriculture can be a difficult industry to get into, especially for those that were not raised in it. Access to land, equipment and practical experience are often essential for creating a successful business model, and while there are courses and schools that can help with the knowledge piece, agriculture is an industry that typically requires… Read More
Tag: Ontario Ministry Of Agriculture
Thanks for tuning into this Agronomic Monday edition of RealAg Radio! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by: Matt Makens with Makens Weather on the weather forecast for spring; Jason Deveau of Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, on why spray drones won’t fly any time soon on Canadian farms; and, A clip from a… Read More
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs has tapped Colin Elgie as the province’s new soil fertility specialist. Elgie fills a gap created in the OMAFRA soil management team in 2019 with the retirement of long-time OMAFRA soil management specialist Adam Hayes. Jake Munroe, who formerly handled the soil fertility duties, moved into… Read More
When it comes to determining the right rate of nitrogen for your farm there’s nothing better than on-farm data. After a winter of talking with growers about escalating nutrient prices and the most economic rate of nitrogen (MERN), Ben Rosser, corn lead with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is encouraging… Read More
After a methodical march north from the Corn Belt, tar spot has now gained a foothold in Ontario. Last year, the yield-robbing leaf disease was confirmed in five counties in the southwestern, stretching from Essex to Simcoe. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield… Read More
Potassium powers soybean yield. Nitrogen and phosphorus make key contributions and then there are the micros like sulphur and boron that pitch in and help. How much of these nutrients should growers apply in 2022 to optimize their soybean acres? How do you navigate the challenge of skyrocketing fertilizer prices and availability versus lucrative market… Read More
Originally announced in the fall 2021 budget, the $25 million Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund Program will launch April 1, 2022. “Ontario’s food processing sector faces challenges to their ability to process more of the food that is grown in the province, including aging technology and facilities,” the government says in a press release. “Many aging food… Read More
What can growers do to reduce crop injury in soybean fields where they rely on soil-applied herbicides for weed control? Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed management specialist Mike Cowbrough sees this type of injury every year in soybean fields, but he says there are always other factors at play including untimely rain, compaction… Read More
The governments of Canada and Ontario are supplying $900,000 — through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) — to launch an innovative tool to connect meat and poultry farmers with abattoirs that have available processing capacity and to support recruitment, retention, and training initiatives in the industry. The new Farmer-Processor Connections Initiative, led by Meat and… Read More
The Ontario government is increasing loan limits for the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program from $500,000 to $1 million for individual co-op members, and up to $1.5 million for corporations that participate in feeder cattle co-operatives. The government says the increase applies to “experienced” individuals and corporations only. The loan guarantee is designed to help beef… Read More