Announced changes to how Ontario carrot and tomato growers and processors negotiate price are being blasted by the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG). Provincial Agriculture Minister, Ernie Hardeman recently announced that the tomato industry will move to a direct marketing system: Every producer will have a written “associated producer agreement” with their processor for a… Read More
Tag: Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers
RealAg Radio is back with a new show after the Easter break. Today’s show includes: Jessika Guse with the top ag news stories of the day; Claude Vielfoure, president of Hylife, on the company’s sale to a Thailand-based company; Cathy Lennon, of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers, on the Ontario government’s unexpected changes to the… Read More
Ontario’s processing vegetable growers are expressing their disappointment over a recent provincial ruling concerning contracts for the 2020 processing tomato crop. The provincial agriculture department announced recently its intent to overhaul the regulated marketing system and move to a direct contracting model versus the current negotiation model between growers and processors. The Ontario Processing Vegetable… Read More
Ontario’s vegetable processing industry has certainly faced its share of challenges in the last few years, but Cathy Lennon, general manager with Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers, says that there are also some great news stories of companies investing and expanding in the province. Lennon, whose organization represents over 380 tomato, cucumber, carrot, squash (and more!) growers,… Read More
It’s day three at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, and that’s where you’ll find host Shaun Haney at the Climate Fieldview booth for today’s show. Although it’s been partly cloudy for the day at the farm show, that doesn’t mean our guests can’t brighten up your day. On today’s show you’ll hear from: Mathew Pot from… Read More
What happens when a supplier and a processor can’t agree to a contract? In some cases, the parties walk away from the deal. In others, such as is usually the case between Ontario’s processing-vegetable growers and processors, there’s a set out and agreed upon mediation process. If that doesn’t result in a deal, the parties… Read More
In a rare, but completely legal move, Ontario’s provincial government has removed an elected board of directors and named a trustee to oversee the organization. Late last week, Jeff Leal, minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) fired the entire Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) board, and appointed Elmer Buchanan, a farmer and former OMAFRA minister… Read More
When your back’s against the wall, and talking and reasoning isn’t working, sometimes a 1-2 punch seems like the only forward. For example, in recent times, some Ontario farm groups — grain farmers, in particular — have used what appeared to be a pretty tough approach in dealing with pressure over neonicotinoid pesticides. People in… Read More