News
Kingston city councillor criticizes local farmers for clear-cutting their own land
Kingston city councillor criticizes local farmers for clear-cutting their own land Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A long-time Kingston farming family has gone public with troubling correspondence received from their local city councillor in reaction to a bushlot they cut down to grow more... Read more
2026 4-H Ontario Outstanding New Volunteer Award winners announced
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Six 4-H Ontario volunteers have been recognized with the provincial organization’s Outstanding New Volunteer Award for 2026. The recipients include two from Eastern Ontario — Erin VanGilst of the Dundas 4-H Association (Region 2) and Jesseca Carlisle of the Hastings 4-H... Read more
29-year-old farmboy now minister of ag
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum QUEEN’S PARK — Raised a farm kid, Southwestern Ontario MPP Sam Oosterhoff was officially sworn in as Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) last month. Premier Doug Ford promoted the 29-year-old Oosterhof (PC – Niagara West) into cabine... Read more
Six Tim Hortons bankruptcies in rural Eastern Ontario
Six Tim Hortons bankruptcies in rural Eastern Ontario Tom Moore Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Six Tim Hortons locations operated by a single franchisee, M.G.B. Ventures Inc. (based in Alexandria, Ontario; president Paul Burke), have gone bankrupt. The company entered insolvency proceedings r... Read more
BIG DATA IS COMING: Tsunami of artificial intelligence and data centres threatens agriculture
BIG DATA IS COMING Tsunami of artificial intelligence and data centres threatens agriculture Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As if Canadian agriculture isn’t beleaguered enough, a new threat looms on the horizon: an explosive expansion in data centres and related artificial intellige... Read more
Are farmers safe? Nobody’s safe: War veteran argues wide-spread famine will occur
Are farmers safe? Nobody’s safe War correspondent tells inquiry that cutting world’s food supply is globalists’ objective Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Veteran war correspondent Michael Yon warned of critical threats to Canadian farmers’ global supply chains, fertilizer availabilit... Read more
New $129,000 ag drone can cover 135 acres per hour
Ag drones keep getting bigger Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — A new Canadian-made agricultural drone that flies with wings like an airplane — but also hovers like a chopper — wowed the crowds at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock. With a wingspan of 33 feet and a 45-foot spra... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: What strategies have you used to cut input costs?
HAVE YOUR SAY: What strategies have you used to cut input costs? Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK—Farmers Forum was at the Outdoor Farm show in Woodstock last month and asked farmers, “What strategies have you used to cut input costs on the farm?” There were a wide variety of answers from introducing a... Read more
Record-breaking crop forecast
Record-breaking crop forecast Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Eastern Ontario fields are forecast to have bountiful corn and soybean yields and Ontario as a whole is looking at a record soybean yield, according to the results of Ontario’s two major crop assessment tours. The competing efforts by... Read more
STEVE KELL: Farmers right to expect more out of grain prices
2026 has been an extraordinarily volatile year in the commodity markets. Primarily, this has been an energy driven market fueled by the escalating war in Ukraine and the U.S. intervention in Iran, but there has also been no shortage of weather crisis which has impacted global grain production and th... Read more
600,000 sq. ft. Prescott mushroom facility for three mushroom growers sources straw from local farmers
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A $78-million mushroom-compost production facility west of Prescott is running near capacity as it approaches its second anniversary — though times are tough in the Ontario mushroom industry. The 600,000-square-foot joint venture operates as Eastern Ontario M... Read more
Canada is silly and mathematically stupid on tariffs and trade with U.S., argues business professor Ian Lee
CANADA’S POSITION ON TARIFFS AND TRADE: Silly, delusional and mathematically stupid Tom More Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ottawa’s Carleton University associate professor of business management and public policy Ian Lee has come out swinging against Canada’s trade war tactics against the Unit... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report — Soybean harvest has begun
CROP REPORT: East CORN • Corn silage moisture levels between 60 % and 65 % and lots of volume. • Stalks were exceptionally tall, therefore grain percentage in the silage was potentially lower than usual. • Overall corn condition was fairly decent: no major issues beyond occasional minor disea... Read more
EXPOSING LIES ABOUT ALTO HIGH-SPEED TRAIN: Costs to be over $200 billion, ridership not even close to projections, professor says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A recently leaked federal document estimates that the Carney government’s Alto high-speed rail project will cost $150 billion to construct and operate over 40 years, although even this is an underestimate, according to Professor Ian Lee of Carleton University... Read more
TOLD TO BE QUIET: On Parliament Hill, two women’s testimony cracked open Canada’s unspoken file on vaccine-injury
IGNORED BY BIG MEDIA: They were told to be quiet Tom More Farmers Forum OTTAWA — For four raw days on Parliament Hill, Committee Room 415 became a pressure cooker. Conservative MP Dean Allison’s unsanctioned Allison Inquiry heard 50 sworn witnesses selected from more than 1,400 applicants. No findin... Read more
SOMETIMES BIGGER IS NOT BETTER: It might just mean bloated, slow to serve and living off an unfair gov’t program advantage
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum I used to believe in the old adage that bigger was better, that with size comes economies of scale, greater efficiencies. “Get big or get out,” farmers were told. I don’t believe that anymore. Sure, when you are bigger you can find greater efficiencies, there... Read more
Goat dairy farmers caught up in trade war nightmare
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Just as they feared, Ontario’s export-dependent goat milk producers have been caught up in the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade dispute. When the Trump White House slapped a 50 % tariff on Canadian dairy last month, goat cheese also fell within the targeted p... Read more
HAVE CATTLE HIT PEAK PRICE? Signs show strong prices still ahead, producers say
Ottawa Livestock Exchange owner Steve Spratt Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The historic surge in cattle prices may finally be easing just a bit. While livestock markets have reached historic highs over recent seasons, auction operators and local farmers report that values are begin... Read more
Federal government discovers high-speed train unpopular even with people who could use it
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The federal government’s plan to spend $90 billion on regional high speed rail is opposed even by Canadians able to take the train, according to federal focus groups in Eastern Ontario and Québec who called the venture costly and unnecessary. “Participants residing in th... Read more
BIG MONEY WANTS TO DIM THE SUN: Bill Gates says we can fight global warming with geo-engineering but scientists are skeptical
Meg More Farmers Forum There has been a lot of talk about geo-engineering, especially since billionaire Bill Gates has poured a lot of money into it. What is it? And should we be concerned? This might sound like a science fiction movie. Geoengineering is the manipulation of the earth’s climate throu... Read more
CHOKEHOLD: ‘Line 5’ pipeline shutdown threatens Ontario economy as Michigan governor battles Enbridge
Farmers Forum staff SARNIA — Ontario Premier Doug Ford might muse about shutting off energy to the United States, but he doesn’t hold a candle to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s ongoing efforts to actually shut down a crucial gas and oil pipeline feeding Ontario. And she recently scored a big w... Read more
CHARLES SUMMERS: Learning the hard way — He drove 18 hours in a Ford Escort filled with livestock to start his first farm and discovered that success is built on tenacity and a legion of errors
CHARLES SUMMERS SPECIAL TO FARMERS FORUM Writing in this farm tabloid is one of the more odd opportunities I’ve had in life, because unlike most of you readers, I did not have the good fortune to be raised on a farm. And so, if I have any insights into agriculture, it comes from [... Read more
Virologist warns consumers of “biochemical dark matter” in Israeli synthetic milk
Virologist warns consumers of “biochemical dark matter” in Israeli synthetic milk Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Far from being a clean, advanced alternative to traditional dairy, lab-grown milk is nothing less than an “unmapped biological soup” of fungal excretions “disguised as a dairy e... Read more
Waterloo spends $85,000 per acre to buy up 80 per cent of its target in Wilmot Township
Waterloo spends $85,000 per acre to buy up 80 per cent of its target in Wilmot Township Farmers Forum staff WILMOT — The Region of Waterloo has secured over 80 per cent of its proposed 770-acre industrial “mega-site,” spending more than $55 million since 2024 to acquire prime farmland in Wilm... Read more
National citizen inquiry: Young farmer warns of big money gobbling up farmland
National citizen inquiry Young farmer warns of big money gobbling up farmland HIGH RIVER, ALBERTA — High land prices are making it almost impossible for young people to get into farming today, a western Canadian public inquiry into the future of farming was told. A 26-year-old Saskatchewan farmer to... Read more
Farmstand camera catches theft in action
Farmstand camera catches theft in action Farmers Forum staff GREY-BRUCE — Ontario fruit and vegetable growers have been grumbling about an uptick in thefts at roadside stands and some are installing cameras. That’s how two Owen Sound men were recently caught. They face criminal charges involving a t... Read more
BILL109: Small dairy operations fear new board power will squeeze them
Bill 109: Small dairy operations fear new board power will squeeze them Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Proposed changes in the oversight of dairy farmers play into the growing fear that the government is favouring big farms to squeeze out small ones. Independent and small-scale dai... Read more
OPINION: Trade deal turns ugly
OPINION: Trade deal turns ugly Hollywood has trained us all to think in terms of good guy and bad guy. Batman good, Joker bad. We almost feel compelled to categorize every situation into hero and villain. Canadians are supposed to think Carney good, Trump bad. But real life is not like that. It’s mo... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Early weather swings challenge sweet corn growers
WESTERN ONTARIO: Early weather swings challenge sweet corn growers Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum As the late-summer sweet corn season pushed into September, producers reported a resilient crop despite a tricky growing season. Carol Veens, co-owner of Juicy-Fruit Orchards & Farm Market in Lambt... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Growers see big apples, big yield, big demand
WESTERN ONTARIO: Growers see big apples, big yield, big demand Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Southwestern Ontario apple growers looked forward to a promising crop as the fall apple harvest was just getting underway in September. While weather conditions varied, producers generally reported... Read more
Eastern Ontario man, 59, killed in collision as he drove farm tractor
Deceased lauded for his ‘strength of character’ Farmers Forum EAST HAWKESBURY — Rural Prescott County is mourning the loss of Pierre Cusson, 59, a well-known East Hawkesbury Township resident and labourer who was a fixture on local roads as he travelled around by farm tractor. Cusson die... Read more
One world government? Economist says climate change makes it ‘inevitable’
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A prominent climate doomsayer let the cat out of the bag during a heated debate and confirmed what many have long suspected: The green movement ultimately envisions a single world government to cut energy usage, and by extension, living standards around the g... Read more
FIRST TIME SINCE 1944: Canada tariffs U.S.-made farm equipment
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Carney government was set to end 82 years of duty-free importation of U.S.-made farm equipment on Sept. 8 as the ag-equipment sector got swept up in Ottawa’s retaliation against new U.S. tariffs. Critics were quick to note that the tariffs punish people,... Read more
U.S. approves on-farm beef slaughter
Bad idea say area beef farmers who urge Ontario to cut red tape for local abattoirs instead Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — American cattle producers will be allowed to slaughter, process and sell beef directly to consumers from their farms, in a move touted by U.S. President Donald Trump a... Read more
Start big or stay small: Artisanal chicken program allows for new small producers but has a catch that keeps them small
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Renaud Gagné and his wife, Anna-Marie Heron, sold their house this year in the Quebec town of Rigaud, just east of Vankleek Hill, and moved their young family to rural Eastern Ontario with visions of building a pasture-raised chicken farm. But to their unpl... Read more
KELL: What’s fuelling wheat price? War and bad weather
If you can’t make a profit a $7 per bushel, consider planting fewer wheat acres September is a really important time to take stock of the wheat market. As harvest wraps up and the industry gets a better understanding of both crop yields and crop quality, prices shift into a trading range which refl... Read more
After 13 tick bites, hobby farmer gets alpha-gal, now allergic to red meat
Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum UXBRIDGE — After years of spending time outdoors at her hobby farm, Anne Kern recently tested positive for alpha-gal syndrome caused by a bite from a lone star tick. In early July 2026, Kern requested an antibody blood test after a recurrent issue of vomiting t... Read more
Ontario man sets WORLD RECORD for plowing (video 1:23)
Background image (above) depicting overhead view is courtesy of Farmer Drone. New record set in St. Albert for most plow blades pulled simultaneously Farmers Forum staff ST. ALBERT — Mission accomplished: François Latour and his buddies’ sprawling multi-plow contraption successfully carved more furr... Read more
71-year-old farmer spent 4 MONTHS IN PRISON for not having a gun licence (video 4:14)
Eastern Ontario beef producer recounts cramped jail cell, continuous hunger and biting bugs Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CARP — A year ago, Carp-area beef farmer Ronald Greene was still languishing without trial in the notorious Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre. Then 71 years old, he was approac... Read more
Lure of Mexican cuisine increases interest in black bean production
Lure of Mexican cuisine increases interest in black bean production Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — An expanding appetite for Mexican cuisine is rekindling interest in black bean production for Ontario farmers. Among the edible dry beans grown in the province, black beans still trail white... Read more
Benefits of drone-seeding winter wheat into soybeans
Benefits of drone-seeding winter wheat into soybeans Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — Drone-seeding winter wheat into standing soybeans offers better flexibility and can potentially lower overall costs, even with a slight yield drop compared to conventionally planted wheat, accord... Read more
Most grocery prices decline, but protein prices spike in July
Farmers Forum Staff Grocery prices generally eased across Canada in July, but sharp increases in several protein products kept the overall food basket higher, according to new data from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. From June to July, the Lab t... Read more
More American dairy headed north? Trump says U.S. and Canada have reached trade deal, pauses tariffs for 3 days
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump announced a tentative trade deal between his country and Canada last night, hours before new 50 % tariffs were set to apply to a range of Canadian goods. Trump delayed the tariff deadline for three more days to allow negotiators additional tim... Read more
OPINION: Record keeping is a persistent annoyance on the farm
OPINION: Record keeping is a persistent annoyance on the farm Last year was a horrible year. We bounced from one thing to another instead of taking our time, talking things out and doing it right the first time. The fact that the Year of the Horse in Chinese astrology was looming ahead was encouragi... Read more
University-educated now using food banks
University-educated now using food banks Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The cost of living has become a “critical issue” as more post-secondary educated young people are relying on food banks to eat, the Department of Agriculture says. At the same time, the number of people going to food b... Read more
Big risk to Canadian dairy industry if gov’t allows grocers to import American cheese directly, analyst warns
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Allowing Canada’s grocery retailers to import American cheese directly onto their shelves might satisfy U.S. trade demands, but it could severely undercut Canadian dairy processors and eventually squeeze Canadian dairy farmer revenues, according to a new report by the C.... Read more
“Too Important To Fail’ – American Farmers Going Bankrupt At a Record Breaking Pace (video 13:47)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxPejuviYg Read more
If Canada is pushed to accept U.S. milk, it would mean lowering our standards, think tank says
Farmers Forum staff Ongoing U.S.– Canada trade tensions have highlighted a health safety issue surrounding American milk. Canada would have to lower its safety standards if it were to start accepting American milk, an Ontario-based think tank says. In a policy note released last month by Agri-Food E... Read more
Dairy farm not guilty but gets fined anyway
Dairy farm not guilty but gets fined anyway Farm fined $1,649 for antibiotic in milk that tribunal agrees was not used by farmer Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SOUTH DUNDAS — Iroquois organic dairy farmers Josh and Ellen Biemond are pushing for regulatory reform of Ontario’s milk-testing regime aft... Read more
World’s widest plow hopes to impress Guinness Book of World Records — Sat., Aug. 22, 2026 in St-Albert
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — François Latour’s custom 80-furrow plow is fabbed up and ready for action Aug. 22 in the latest world record attempt organized by the Casselman carpenter and vintage farm equipment fan. A team of three large tractors will pull the 80-foot-wide plow at the Lafleche family... Read more
OPINION: The political economy of lettuce: Why Mexican lettuce outsells local lettuce and how big business controls markets
The political economy of lettuce: Why Mexican lettuce outsells local lettuce and how big business controls markets Summertime is the time to enjoy fresh food at its finest. As the warm months roll on, we’re treated to the waves of seasonal crops as they ripen: we start with asparagus, then strawberr... Read more
OPINION: Super El Nino anxiety pushes up grain prices
OPINION: Super El Nino anxiety pushes up grain prices But real weather impact will have final say I really don’t trust weather forecasts. After having spent the first 45 years of my life in the beef business, I have enough experience trying to make dry hay to know that you can’t rely on the five-day... Read more
Shut up, shut it off, and listen
Shut up, shut it off, and listen James Pascual Farmers Forum Cheering at a sporting event can be fun. Talking loudly with friends can have its exhilarating moments. But most noise — the clanging and banging, humming of machines and traffic — is just unnecessary, unhelpful or unwanted. Generally spea... Read more
OPINION: Predators are everywhere
OPINION: Predators are everywhere A sheep farmer covers the pros and cons of sheep farming while promising not to embellish I was talking to sheep farmer Tom Joad and told him I was getting flack for my columns. “You mean no one stole Stompin’ Tom Connors’ hat?” “No, that’s true.” “The guy in... Read more
OPINION: Our grandparents didn’t walk around with water bottles
OPINION: Our grandparents didn’t walk around with water bottles You have probably seen it on a television newscast. There’s a political announcement, a press conference, a briefing — something where important public figures come on stage to tell us something. Have you noticed what some of them are h... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Winter wheat harvest saw mostly good yields
Winter wheat harvest saw mostly good yields Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Eastern Ontario winter wheat growers reported solid yields and good quality as combines rolled across the region near the end of July, although winterkill inflicted a toll in some cases. Near Winchester, farmer Tim... Read more
U.K. grocery store fake meat and milk contains toxic mold
U.K. grocery store fake meat and milk contains toxic mold Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — It turns out that fake meat contains a surprising amount of toxic mold as a byproduct of processing plant tissue into imitation beef, pork, chicken and milk. A new joint study from Italy’s University of Parma and... Read more
Not as much money in dairy goat farming but it helps when you love goats
Not as much money in dairy goat farming but it helps when you love goats Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum LONDON — For Michele Bowering, goat farming in Ontario is a pursuit based on a genuine affection for the animals, a passion for entrepreneurship and a heavy dose of resilience. Coming from a dair... Read more
OPINION: Goodbye democracy
OPINION: Goodbye democracy We live in discouraging times. Most Canadians don’t seem to realize that we have hit a terrible turning point from which we might not recover. We are in new territory where elections don’t decide who is in power. Post-election deals do. The Liberal Party won the las... Read more
CONTRADICTION: Federal government discovers high-speed train unpopular even with people who could use it
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA – The federal government’s plan to spend $90 billion on regional high speed rail that is opposed even by Canadians able to take the train, according to federal focus groups in Eastern Ontario and Québec who called the venture costly and unnecessary. “Participants re... Read more
Alto high speed opposition unexpected but support still high, gov’t says
Farmers Forum staff Opposition to a $90 billion high speed rail line from Quebec City to Toronto is growing and has exceeded the expectations of the federal government. At the same time, the federal government figures support for the project at 80 per cent in Ontario. “While early public engagemen... Read more
U.S. tariff threat on Canadian dairy just more bluster from the Donald, local dairy farmers say
U.S. tariff threat on Canadian dairy just more bluster from the Donald, local dairy farmers say Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum VANKLEEK HILL — Dairy farmers appear largely stoic in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest trade threats that put a bulls-eye on milk. On July 20, Trump promised t... Read more
EAST: Crop Report
EAST: Crop Report LARRY REABURN CORN: • The corn crop had good height and colour on July 29 and was doing well. • Majority was fully tasseled. Early planted corn into cold seedbed conditions was still at least a week ahead. SOYBEANS: • In general the soybeans were slow to get going and probably... Read more
FREE VACCINE QUOTA: Canadian farmers to produce 6.7 million dozen eggs for pharmaceutical company to manufacture vaccines
UPDATE: August 15, 2026 Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK — Some Western Ontario egg farmers have received free quota to provide eggs for vaccine research. All of the eggs will go to Biotechnology company Valo BioMedia that owns a facility in Woodstock, Ontario. The free national and Ontario quota... Read more
Lure of Mexican cuisine increases interest in black bean production
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — An expanding appetite for Mexican cuisine is rekindling interest in black bean production for Ontario farmers. Among the edible dry beans grown in the province, black beans still trail white beans — aka navy beans, or brown beans when served up on a plate. Bu... Read more
Life and death of Michal Ondrejovič, migrant farm worker whose family waited nearly 80 years to learn of his tragic demise in Ontario
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHATHAM-KENT — Michal Ondrejovič toiled for 16 years on Canadian farms before he lost all hope of ever being reunited with his wife and their four children. Leaving his native Slovakia (then part of Czechoslovakia) for Canada in June 1926, Ondrejovič initially worked... Read more
The rise of raw milk
More people than ever want to drink raw milk including World Cup soccer star Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum To most Canadians, milk is one of the least controversial items in the grocery store. Yet raw milk has increasingly become the centre of a renewed debate. The sale of raw milk has been... Read more
Township councils lose touch with farming
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Rural municipal halls were once commonsense places where local farm concerns were solved with little more than a quick phone call and a handshake. Today, however, grassroots leaders and local farmers say municipal governments are increasingly indifferent to t... Read more
Are you worried about your safety on the road?
HAVE YOUR SAY Are you worried about your safety on the road? Farmers Forum visited OMAFA’s diagnostic days at the Winchester research centre last month and asked farmers: “Are you more concerned about your safety when driving on the road with farm equipment these days?” Most are. They see more traff... Read more
Corn borer resistant to Bt corn is a looming threat, U of G researcher says
Corn borer resistant to Bt corn is a looming threat, U of G researcher says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — Ontario corn producers should keep their eyes peeled for the arrival of European corn borer (ECB). Genetically-engineered proteins in corn have repelled the insect pest for 30 yea... Read more
OPINION: High-speed rail is a high-speed money sucker
High-speed rail is a high-speed money sucker If you told me that the federal government was planning on spending $50,000 on a home refrigerator, I would be outraged. I understand the value of $50,000. I know the cost of a refrigerator. But the federal government doesn’t spend money in amounts most p... Read more
5,500 farms could be affected by high-speed train from Quebec to Toronto
5,500 farms could be affected by high-speed train from Quebec to Toronto Communication is key, says Ag minister who says decision is final Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Thousands of rural properties could be affected by the Alto high-speed rail project. The full agricultural impact... Read more
East Gen 4-H showcase shines in Spencerville
East Gen 4-H showcase shines in Spencerville Farmers Forum staff SPENCERVILLE — The East Gen 4-H showcase at Spencerville last month saw Leah Nurse, of Prince Edward County, win for intermediate showperson and for the grand champion heifer in the conformation class. The top county club was Dundas Co... Read more
RUPTURE: Ford gov’t sours on Carney’s Alto project
Both Ontario and possible next Quebec gov’t find reasons to block the mega-project Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Provincial politicians in both Ontario and Quebec are actively undermining the Carney government’s plans for a $90-billion high-speed rail project that would connect Toro... Read more
SHOCKING TICK BITE: Farmer has first known case of red meat allergy in Ontario and can no longer go near his cows
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MONKLAND — A painful allergy prevents Stormont County dairy farmer Howard Quail from eating beef, pork and cheese, but that may not be the worst of it. He can’t even milk his own cows anymore. If he gets too close to the them his eyes and face puff up. Quail, 58, [... Read more
FIRST KNOWN CASE of Alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy) in Ontario (video 4:40)
Ontario dairy farmer Howard Quail has developed an allergy to red meat after a bite from a lone star tick. Now, he can’t even get close to his cows without his face and eyes puffing up. This is the second publicly known case in Canada. SHOCKING TICK BITE: Farmer has first known case of red [... Read more
Rabies death of 11-year-old Ontario boy raises interest in prevention
Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum BRANTFORD — The death of an 11-year-old boy from Brantford, Ontario who died of rabies, may lead some farmers to consider getting the pre-exposure preventative rabies vaccine. The Canadian Medical Association Journal (June 29, 2026 edition) reported new d... Read more
Ottawa farmer lucky to be alive after tractor struck by transport truck going full speed (video)
A Brampton truck driver smashed full speed into Ottawa-area dairy farmer Craig Waddell as he was driving his tractor on Mitch Owens road at 4:30 a.m. on June 23rd, 2026. Thankfully, Waddell survived but he says he sees dangerous driving almost weekly. **UPDATE** Brampton truck driver charged after s... Read more
Iran war drives up all input costs
Farmers Forum Staff LONDON — Canadian farmers are once again facing growing uncertainty after fighting resumed between the United States and Iran, raising concerns that many producers could struggle to turn a profit in 2027 if the conflict continues. The collapse of an interim peace agreement... Read more
Bilingualism may be imposed on some Eastern Ontario grain elevators
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Large grain elevators and other federally regulated private businesses in a big chunk of Eastern Ontario will be forced to offer services in both official languages, under new draft federal regulations proposed by Heritage Minister Marc Miller’s department. The rules k... Read more
AG CANADA: The cost of living now “a critical issue” as 10 % of Toronto uses food bank
OTTAWA — The cost of living has become a “critical issue” as more young people are relying on food banks to eat, the Department of Agriculture says. In fact, 10 % of the population in the Greater Toronto Area uses a food bank. New federal data yesterday showed the rising price of f... Read more
OFA calls on province to cut farm property-tax rate
Farm group goes over the head of municipalities that have been reluctant to charge less than 25 % Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is calling on the Ford government to cut the property-tax rate the province’s municipalities are permitted to collect from farmers. The... Read more
Alto high-speed push back grows (video 3:09)
East Hawkesbury residents put up an anti-Alto exhibit showing the scale of the proposed train project. The corridor is estimated to be 60 m wide, and service routes might not even be included in those 60 m. Farmers Forum interviewed Kristin Muller, co-founder of AltNo.ca, and several nearby farmers... Read more
MILLER FARM WINS: Ottawa council allows new business operations on local farm to stay in business
Farmers Forum staff MANOTICK – After months of uncertainty, mediation, and emotional appeals, Millers Berry Farm will remain open following Ottawa City Council’s unanimous approval of a compromise zoning agreement, bringing an end to a dispute that had threatened the future of one... Read more
Rent-a-pasture for cows comes to Western Ontario
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WILKESPORT — Ontario’s 12th community pasture will open on a 187-acre spread next year in Lambton County, with an eye to filling demand for cattle-grazing ground at a time of increased interest in beef production. It’s a first for Southwestern Ontario. For a $4... Read more
CHARLES SUMMERS: Want to grow your farm? Be a good manager
OPINION: Want to grow your farm? Be a good manager As much I love farming, it’s a business first and foremost, and business takes good management: especially of your people Years ago, I was working on an article for this paper that never came to fruition: I wanted to try to wrap my head... Read more
TAD PECKISH: She was the antithesis of the Jersey breed, she was Punch Drunk
OPINION: She was the antithesis of the Jersey breed, she was Punch Drunk Bob was a slight 50-something Grenville County Jersey dairy farmer with a little too much attitude. He was like coffee that was too damned hot. You like coffee but not that hot and not right now. He was constantly... Read more
Farm Credit Canada CEO has terrible credit history — her card was suspended after she didn’t pay for months
Farmers Forum staff REGINA — The head of Canada’s largest farm lender, the crown corporation Farm Credit Canada, has racked up some big bills on her corporate VISA credit card and has even had her credit card suspended for failing to make minimum payments, the Ottawa investigative group Blackl... Read more
**UPDATE** WHO OWNS YOUR LAND? Gov’t ties hands behind farmers’ backs with heavy tax burdens while prompting bank to reduce borrowing power
Grain elevator operator and crop farmer Gary Derks is concerned about Canadian tax policy that limits farm borrowing power. (Nelson Zandbergen photo) **UPDATE** This news article is an updated version and clarification of the article that appeared in the July print editio... Read more
Red-meat allergy linked to ticks
Red-meat allergy linked to ticks Only 49 lone-star ticks in Ontario so far this year — no known cases of illness Meg More Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A new tick in Ontario has been linked to a red-meat allergy in the United States. The lone star tick has caused almost half a million cases of […] Read more
History of tick-borne Lyme disease filled with accusations of U.S. military research gone wrong
History of tick-borne Lyme disease filled with accusations and intrigue Meg More Farmers Forum Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread by the bite of blacklegged ticks, has a shady history. Meantime, it is on the rise in Ontario. Public Health Ontario estimates that as many as 3,000 cases could b... Read more
School bus stopped for stunt driving but allowed to drive the kids home
School bus stopped for stunt driving but allowed to drive the kids home Farmers Forum staff DUFFERIN COUNTY — A Simcoe County woman likely made Ontario law-enforcement history as the first on-duty school bus driver to be charged with “stunt driving” as she allegedly sped through rural Mulmur Townshi... Read more
After 50 years of cropping…
After 50 years of cropping… The next generation retired me “Change is the law of life” said John F. Kennedy before an assassin’s bullet ended his short presidency and, indeed, his life in the realm of the temporal. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121- 160 A.D.) tells us — quite accurately — tha... Read more
Iran war likely to cause fertilizer spike for years to come
Iran war likely to cause fertilizer spike for years to come Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum The Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are causing a massive supply chain bottleneck and spiking prices around the world. This chokepoint, located along the Iranian border in the Persian... Read more
Ontario to develop pollinator drones to replace bees
Ontario to develop pollinator drones to replace bees Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Miniature drones may one day buzz through Ontario greenhouses, mimicking the vital pollination job now largely performed by indoor bees. Led by University of Guelph researcher and professor Sheng Yan... Read more
President Trump dumps on trade deal with Canada, but not taken seriously
President Trump dumps on trade deal with Canada, but not taken seriously Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — American agricultural leaders are optimistic that President Donald Trump will come around and renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement (CUSMA). That was the gist of a June 24 Washington D.C. con... Read more
OPINION: So much s**t happens on a farm, why does the dairy board have to pile on with penalties?
OPINION: So much s**t happens on a farm, why does the dairy board have to pile on with penalties? If there is one thing I have learnt over the years it is that s**t happens no matter what you do. Close behind it is the fact that on a farm, regardless of the commodity, it […] Read more
Rent-a-pasture for cows has become attractive option for young farmers
Rent-a-pasture for cows has become attractive option for young farmers But in Leeds County costs are debated Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Since 1965, farmers lacking enough land to graze their cattle have turned to “community pastures.” For a fee, a farmer’s animals share space at one of... Read more
EAT AND EDUCATE: Breakfast on the farm reaches thousands
EAT AND EDUCATE Breakfast on the Farm: A glorious opportunity to correct the misconceptions Farmers Forum staff HAMILTON — Farm and Food Care Ontario came up with an ingenious idea to connect city people to where their food comes from. Feed them. At the farm. So, in 2013 Farm and Food Care held its... Read more
Transport truck slams into Ottawa farmer, breaking his back — Brampton driver charged
Surviving dairy farmer had installed dashcams because dangerous driving occurred almost weekly UPDATE, July 2: On June 23, at approximately 4:49 a.m., police officers responded to a collision in the 8300 block of Mitch Owens Road involving a farm tractor and a transport truck,” reported Otta... Read more
Remember when neonics were bee killers? Farmers can buy the insecticide-coated seeds today but without the hassle
Remember when neonics were bee killers? Farmers can buy the insecticide-coated seeds today but without the hassle Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Remember Ontario’s political panic over ‘neonic’ seed treatments as a supposed existential threat to the honeybee? It was in 2015 that the... Read more
OPINION: My favourite: A mountaintop view of farmland as far as the eye can see
My favourite: A mountaintop view of farmland as far as the eye can see For me, spectacular scenery is being on top of a mountain, or a high ridge, and looking down over a valley of flat agricultural land as far as the eye can see. When I’m overlooking such a valley, I sometimes think […] Read more
EDITOR’S OPINION: The big, beautiful nothing burger
OPINION: The big, beautiful nothing burger The government of Canada last month announced it will introduce a national food security strategy, which sounds great. We’re told there will be more food for more people at lower prices and more money for farmers. What’s not to love? The problem is that few... Read more
WORLD CUP STAR DRINKS RAW MILK – so do his teammates
Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum NEW JERSEY — One of the big stars of this World Cup soccer tournament drinks raw milk and calls it a “superfood.” Erling Haaland is a Norwegian striker who has taken this World Cup by storm, having scored 4 goals in his first two games. It was the... Read more
WINCHESTER: Home of Canada’s biggest cheese producer
Winchester: Home of Canada’s biggest cheese producer Lactalis Canada’s Winchester plant is the biggest cheese factory in the nation. And it is going to get bigger. The sprawling plant, tucked just behind Winchester’s Main Street, is spending $91 million to make plant upgrades over the next t... Read more
Bill C-34 will undermine privacy, parental rights… and be used to shut you up
Bill C-34 will undermine privacy, parental rights… and be used to shut you up Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms Special to Farmers Forum Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, is another example of the federal government’s ambition to censor the internet and undermine the privacy of al... Read more
158 farm bankruptcies in the U.S. this year
158 farm bankruptcies in the U.S. this year Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Farm bankruptcies are creeping upwards south of border. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation farm bankruptcies surged by 46 % in 2025. And the situation is getting worse. There were 216 farm bankr... Read more
Ridgetown graduates 70 aggies
Farmers Forum staff RIDGETOWN — Ridgetown College campus, of the University of Guelph, graduated 70 students with a two-year associate diploma in agriculture on June 5. The college graduated 74 students last year and 91 students in 2024. There were 113 agriculture degree graduates at the Guelph camp... Read more
Police alarmed by increase in rural intersection accidents
6 dead, including 5 children from one family, in Elmira-area two-vehicle collision Farmers Forum staff MAPLETON — The Ontario Provincial Police are alarmed by the number of vehicle accidents at rural intersections in Western Ontario, noting three accidents that claimed 16 lives in just more than one... Read more
The Inconvenient Truth meets inconvenient facts: 7 errors in Al Gore’s documentary
The Inconvenient Truth meets inconvenient facts 20 years ago, Al Gore produced a hyperbolic film that scared the English-speaking world Santiago Pascual-Meagher Farmers Forum This year marks the 20-year anniversary of the release of Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth. In this film, produced... Read more
3 farm tractor accidents — all in Western Ontario
3 farm tractor accidents — all in Western Ontario Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Three separate collisions involving farm tractors on Ontario roadways left one person dead and sent three others to hospital with serious injuries in the final weeks of spring. All three accidents occurred in Southwestern... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report — looking good
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report CORN • Most advanced corn at 8-9 leaf stage. • 80-90 percent of the crop looks excellent. • Corn almost filling in rows by mid-June. • Corn side dress nitrogen applied in mid- to late June. SOYBEANS • Switching over to nodulation phase and fixing nitrogen. • Limite... Read more
Drone use to jump from 200 to 1,000 in Ontario
But only when province follows Health Canada’s lead and approves pesticide-by-drone application, operator says Nelson Zandbergen Farmer Forum OTTAWA — After years of delay, Health Canada has finally approved agricultural drones to spray pesticides already registered for use with crop-dusting p... Read more
Rural Alto opposition ignored, but Gerretsen gets gov’t to look at adding Kingston stop
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Forget the thousands of negative online comments opposing the Alto bullet-train and the angry rural communities that have mobilized against it, the Carney government’s big takeaway from the public feedback is to possibly add a stop in Kingston. That was the upshot of Tra... Read more
EDITOR’S OPINION: Alto high speed train proposal through Eastern Ontario exposes a double-standard
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum The proposed Alto electric train, to run between Quebec City and Toronto, exposes a double-standard that looks more like a government-funded money-laundering scheme. Alto was set up long before Canadians, who would be most affected by the train, were consulted. It is a... Read more
Animal police farm investigation leads to one order: fill that groundhog hole
Farmers Forum Nelson Zandbergen NAPANEE — Ontario’s animal police recently investigated a Napanee horse farm and ordered the farmer to fill a single groundhog hole in a 50-acre horse pasture to protect the farm’s 20 horses. The taxpayer-funded inspector said she would return to see if the hole was f... Read more
Canada is in a recession but not agriculture, grain merchant says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Canada’s economy has tipped into recession, a mere “technicality” to some but a real indicator of the hardship faced by many others. When the economy contracts or stagnates for two consecutive quarters, that’s traditionally called a recession. The country hit... Read more
STEVE KELL: No shortage of demand for beans — and that’s good for price
It has been fascinating to watch the news headlines and read the market reports as analysts speculate about the potential for American soybean exports to China. It has made for a great deal of interesting conversation, but the reality of the marketplace is that American soybeans have been busy filli... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO FURY: Protests rage against high-speed train
Townhall meetings, rallies lash out at federal gov’t’s $90-billion Alto project Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Rural opposition to the Carney government’s Alto bullet-train project gathered steam in June as angry communities held rallies and townhall meetings across Eastern Ontario to prot... Read more
5 farm groups shoot down Alto high speed agreement
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Five Ontario and Quebec farm groups met on June 4 to discuss Alto’s invitation to sign a collaboration agreement related to the proposed high-speed rail project. According to Ontario’s largest farm lobby group, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), all representat... Read more
Sprayer rolled off private bridge, driver swims to safety — Napanee farm fined $423,000
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Colin Denyes was driving a crop sprayer over a narrow private bridge on a Napanee-area farm in 2017 when the bridge partially collapsed and the 31,000 lb. crop sprayer rolled into the Napanee River. It landed upright but completely submerged. Only flashing warni... Read more
Goat producers vote for marketing board but everything is done in secret
In today’s world where fewer people trust gov’t bodies, farm commission won’t reveal voting results Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ontario is about to get its newest marketing board, though not a supply-managed one, and it’s for goat milk. The province’s commercial dairy goat... Read more
Big win for farmers over spying animal rights activists
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — It is now illegal for animal rights activists to spy on farmers on their property. The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court ruling that allowed animal rights activists to get a job on a farm under false pretenses. According to the advocacy group Animal Ju... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Why are you against the Alto high-speed train?
OTTAWA – Hundreds of people protested against the proposed Alto high-speed electric train on Parliament Hill on June 10. The proposed train is now expected to cost more than $100-billion to connect Quebec City to Toronto with just three stops in Ontario. A new train line for the 300-km per hour trai... Read more
OPINION: Farming with faith. As we transform the landscape God transforms our hearts
OPINION: Farming with faith. As we transform the landscape God transforms our hearts I hate to drive on the 401, so years ago, when I found the chance to jump off and travel on the backroads near Williamstown, in South Glengarry, Ontario, I was glad to take in the fields and farms and forests... Read more
Honour system under siege: The reality of farm stand thefts
Honour system under siege: The reality of farm stand thefts SIMCOE COUNTY — Roadside farm stands, a symbol of traditional rural trust, continue to fall victim to opportunistic thieves in the deteriorating Canada of today. But surveillance camera footage is at least helping to identify and cat... Read more
MONEY SUCKER: Alto high-speed train executives pay themselves huge bonuses, spend $1.59 million to advertise a train that doesn’t exist
James Pascual Farmers Forum Ottawa — Canadian taxpayers have paid $1.59-million to advertise a high-speed rail project that does not exist. But the wasting of taxpayer money doesn’t end there. Crown corporation Alto, tasked with developing the proposed $90-billion electrified line linking To... Read more
Farmers shocked as Lennox and Addington shows little interest in protecting farmland
Farmers shocked as Lennox and Addington shows little interest in protecting farmland Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum YARKER — A small group of farmers and villagers has been fighting its township for two years over farmland protection and is now taking on the county. They say they feel dismissed and d... Read more
TICKED OFF! What to do if a tick’s on you
TICKED OFF! What to do if a tick’s on you James Pascual Farmers Forum CHATHAM — You’ve just walked in from the field and as you begin taking off your outerwear you discover a tick attached to your forearm. What do you do? If it’s crawling around or attached to your skin, remove it as […] Read more
Rural crime slightly higher than urban crime, StatCan says — but stats prove tricky
Rural crime slightly higher than urban crime, StatCan says — but stats prove tricky James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Rural crime is higher than urban crime, according to a new Statistics Canada report but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The May 26 report titled Police-reported crime in rural... Read more
Hockey rink gets to stay inside hay barn
Hockey rink gets to stay inside hay barn When hay shed transformed into hockey rink a fight broke out over zoning Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WATERLOO REGION — A rural Waterloo Region couple built a private indoor hockey rink inside a converted farm shed without getting a permit and skated past... Read more
OPINION: Families-first is a Canada-first plan that would unleash prosperity
OPINION: Families-first is a Canada-first plan that would unleash prosperity Jobs, livelihoods and people’s futures are being threatened from so many directions. We read that artificial intelligence is going to take over many jobs from accounting to data entry and even farm chores. Far... Read more
Sunrise Farms to build $100-million poultry-processing plant at Woodstock
Sunrise Farms to build $100-million poultry-processing plant at Woodstock Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK — One of Canada’s largest poultry-processing companies is building a $100 million plant in Woodstock specializing in halal chicken meat. Sunrise Farms has already started construction on th... Read more
STUDY: Children less likely to be obese if they drink whole milk
STUDY: Children less likely to be obese if they drink whole milk Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Further validating the goodness of dietary fat, a new Canadian study has found that children who drink whole milk are much less likely to be fat themselves. Researchers at the University of Toronto followed... Read more
IGNORED BY BIG MEDIA (Important stories they won’t tell you)
IGNORED BY BIG MEDIA (Important stories they won’t tell you) Vaccine-injury lawsuit goes on in Holland THE NETHERLANDS — A civil lawsuit demanding damages from COVID-vaccine injuries is ongoing in the Netherlands but is drawing little attention. Six plaintiffs are suing 17 people includ... Read more
Big win for farmers over animal rights activists
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — It is now illegal for animal rights activists to spy on farmers on their property. The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court ruling that allowed animal rights activists to get a job on a farm under false pretenses. According to the advocacy group Animal Ju... Read more
Prescott-Russell slams brakes on high-speed rail developer over secrecy and land-grab fears
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — One of the first Ontario municipalities set to be carved up by the Carney government’s controversial bullet-train project won’t grant surveyors access to municipal property and won’t stay silent, either. The council of the United Counties of Prescott and Rus... Read more
AG TOWN HALL: Supply management shielded Canadian consumers from even higher food inflation
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Supply management shielded consumers from worst-case food inflation, according to producers at a recent Ontario agricultural town hall. The assertion comes at a time of spiking input costs and trade disruptions tied to the Trump White House. “Because of suppl... Read more
Renting farmland a good deal in Ontario
Renting farmland a good deal in Ontario Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Recent data from Farm Credit Canada (FCC) confirms a continuing Ontario trend of high farmland values but rental rates that fail to keep pace, leading to a persistent and widening gap in the rent-to-price ratio. Expressed as a perc... Read more
CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Barclay Dick & Son in Renfrew County sells iconic farm supply business
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RENFREW — A landmark transition is underway in the heart of Renfrew County’s agricultural landscape as Kevin Dick, the longtime proprietor of Barclay Dick & Son Farm Supply, prepares for semi-retirement with the impending sale of the well-known feed, seed and fert... Read more
TAD PECKISH: The man they called Sunflower
The man they called Sunflower Harold Campbell was 88-years-old, completely bald and had a round head that looked a little off. It just didn’t look right, kind of like an off-centred mailbox at the end of the lane. You just wanted to do something to set it right. He received caps and hats as gifts [... Read more
OPINION: What to do with plastic wrap when the landfill won’t take it
What to do with plastic wrap when the landfill won’t take it It is one of those memories that you don’t forget: the day our neighbour wrapped his harvested round bales of hay in white plastic for the first time. We were still at our old farm so it must have been at least 32 […] Read more
Motorcyclist stunt drivers pass farm sprayers by driving underneath them
Motorcyclist stunt drivers pass farm sprayers by driving underneath them Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A thrill-seeking hotshot motorcyclist, with perhaps even a death wish, overtook an elevated sprayer on a highway near Cobourg by riding straight underneath and through the big mac... Read more
OPINION: Want a good weather forecast? Observe the sky — are old rhymes true or do they lie?
OPINION: Want a good weather forecast? Observe the sky — are old rhymes true or do they lie? It was in the middle of May, in the early 1970s, and a cold north wind blew day after day. I was disking in an open air tractor and wore overalls with a winter jacket over the […] Read more
Beef prices still shockingly high despite signs of increasing supply
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MITCHELL — While recent data hints at a turnaround in Canada’s cattle low inventory numbers, beef prices have never been so high and the picture on the ground remains complicated. Unless they are fully invested, many Ontario feedlot operators are balking at buying rep... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report CORN • Corn planting is largely complete on light- and medium-textured soils, while heavier clay soils remain unplanted due to wet conditions. • Delayed planting triggered some switching of hybrids to shorter maturities as planting extended to June. • Emerged corn range... Read more
Farms threatened by “greatest transfer of wealth in history”… to cyber criminals
Farms threatened by “greatest transfer of wealth in history”… to cyber criminals Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Farms remain dangerously underprepared for the escalating threat posed by online cyber criminals who are already raking in more money globally than the illegal drug trade.... Read more
A FARMER’S VIEW: High-speed rail is nation-dividing not nation-building
A FARMER’S VIEW: High-speed rail is nation-dividing not nation-building Andrew Michalski Guest Columnist The Alto high-speed-rail project plunges a blunt knife into rural farming communities. I must come clean about my interest: the track would slam through or near our 211-acre farm where we r... Read more
TOP 10: Reasons to hate a high-speed train that will create a ‘Berlin Wall’ in farm country
Patrick Meagher and Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA – Opposition to a pie-in-the-sky high-speed electric rail line has caused a rage in farm country. People are downright ticked-off about what they see as a completely useless and dumb idea. The federal government has proposed a 1,000-kilometr... Read more
Coyotes are top killers on Ontario farms
Coyotes are top killers on Ontario farms Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Coyotes remain the undisputed top killers of Ontario farm animals, as losses and compensation payouts for damages inflicted by all kinds of predators surged by another 28 % in the 2025-26 fiscal year ending March 31. O... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO CROP REPORT: A cool, late start to the growing season
CORN • May rainfall variable 15 to 55-plus mm across region. • 117 Growing Degree Units between April 27 and May 19, compared to 216 GDU’s in the same period last year. • Forecast looked promising for great heat unit accumulation Corn 80 % planted as of May 19. • April 27th corn just [... Read more
STEVE KELL: Be ready to sell on rumour as the big money moves commodities like stock market shares
The managed money is definitely the farmer’s friend. The spring and early summer of 2026 have been a really interesting period in the commodities markets because, fundamentally there have not been any serious concerns about the supply of grains or oilseed. But every time a news headline creat... Read more
Field Crop Research Day set for June 30 in Winchester
Farmers Forum staff WINCHESTER — A familiar summer tradition for Eastern Ontario farmers returns to the Winchester Research Station next month with a slightly new look and timeframe. Formerly known as Eastern Ontario Crop Diagnostic Day, the event has undergone a name change and is now billed as the... Read more
Dundas County farm voice Gordon Garlough dead at 83
Farmers Forum staff WILLIAMSBURG — Dundas County lost a well respected and articulate voice of the farming community with the passing of Gordon Garlough at the age of 83. Garlough died May 2 on “a quiet Saturday morning, in his garden, where he so loved to be,” according to his obituary. A 1964 grad... Read more
TAD PECKISH: Who stole Stompin’ Tom’s hat?
Stompin’ Tom in his early days. Back in 1967 Kemptville was a sleepy little town where nothing happened. If the Optimist club met it was front page news in the Weekly Advance. There were only 2,300 people in town, edging out the dog population, so there wasn’t much to bark about. Lookin... Read more
OPINION: A look back at 50 years of federal agriculture ministers
OPINION: A look back at 50 years of federal agriculture ministers A few days after a federal election campaign started some years ago, a farmer called me to chat about farming issues and politics. He said the best two federal agriculture ministers we had were Eugene Whelan and John Wise. He was prob... Read more
THE ROCK SHOP: Where local quarry boys turn highland boulders into everything from bridges to kitchen counters
THE ROCK SHOP Where local quarry boys turn highland boulders into everything from bridges to kitchen counters More often than not, when you discover a gem of a business busy at work in the rural Ontario countryside, you’ll find that it did not appear out of nowhere: rather it is the product o... Read more
Switching crops due to war-driven high fertilizer costs?
‘Absolutely not’ say farmers who are sticking with a crop plan Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — As the United States threatens to continue its war against Iran, there is no end in sight for a price break for fertilizer. Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz and 25 % of the world’s fertilizer must pass thro... Read more
FARMERS TAKE: Corn is just too darned expensive to grow now
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Despite input costs whipped up by war in the Middle East, Pembroke-area cashcropper Darcy Smith suggests he still has an even chance of making money this year growing Ontario’s most costly mainstream crop: corn. That, of course, comes with the usual caveats a... Read more
Ticks likely to cause 3,000 cases of Lyme disease in Ontario this year
Location of ticks in Ontario in 2025. Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The number of people infected by Lyme disease — a bacterial infection spread by black-legged tick bites — continues to rise in the province. Public Health Ontario (PHO) counted 152 diagnosed cases so far during the... Read more
It was a slow start to spring planting in the Ottawa Valley
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ARNPRIOR — Local farmers gathered May 12 for a sobering look at the 2026 planting season, marked by stubbornly low temperatures, sluggish heat accumulation and a significant “reality check” for those banking on winter triticale to fill any feed gap. While... Read more
MARCH FOR LIFE: Thousands join in Canada’s largest annual outdoor march (video 1:16)
https://youtu.be/KpIZXxC-k14?si=_U82farik52Wv9Dl Read more
Farewell fungal free trade: U.S. slapping duties on Canadian mushrooms
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian mushroom exports to the U.S. are set to face countervailing American duties after a trade complaint brought forward by U.S. mushroom producers. In a decision released May 13, the U.S. Department of Commerce moved to impose preliminary countervailing duties on f... Read more
Retired U.S. pig farmers explain destruction of family farming in two minutes (Video 2:29)
These pig farmers talk about being put out of business by big corporations, and how chicken and cattle farmers are experiencing the same dilemma. A few corporations want to own it all. pic.twitter.com/bPLmjuyGrp — conspiracybot (@conspiracyb0t) May 12, 2026 Read more
Chinese immigrants invest $6 million in Ontario maple sugar distillery
Chinese immigrants invest $6 million in Ontario maple sugar distillery They sell $99 bottles of maple syrup rum and find it easier to market to China than deal with LCBO Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MONKLAND — Ontario’s only farm-based maple distillery ships most of its liquor production to the o... Read more
STUDY: Children less likely to be obese if they drink whole milk
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Further validating the goodness of dietary fat, a new Canadian study has found that children who drink whole milk are much less likely to be fat themselves. Researchers at the University of Toronto followed 1,500 Canadian children for the study. Recently published in the... Read more
Dismantle supply management and you run the risk of family farms returning to poverty, groups say
Canada-US-Mexico agreement review Dismantle supply management and you run the risk of family farms returning to poverty, groups say Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — As Canada approaches the critical 2026 review and renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), supply management is... Read more
WAR AGAINST IRAN WILL CAUSE FAMINE
Millions of people will not die of starvation if the U.S. ends the war and goes home James Pascual Farmers Forum The Strait of Hormuz is on the other side of the world, yet conflict there will now cause food shortages, and likely famine, in poor countries of the world in 2027, according to [... Read more
Farmland rental gap still widest in Ontario, FCC finds
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Recent data from Farm Credit Canada (FCC) confirms a continuing Ontario trend of high farmland values but rental rates that fail to keep pace, leading to a persistent and widening gap in the rent-to-price ratio. Expressed as a percentage, the ratio is calculated by divi... Read more
Reading the tea leaves in the wheat market
Ontario mostly grows soft red winter wheat The spring of 2026 has been a really interesting time in the wheat markets. We’ve seen sharp rallies in the Chicago futures markets and an interesting assortment of cash bids to farmers for ’25, ’26 and ’27 crop wheat. But what is driving all of this excit... Read more
Farms threatened by “greatest transfer of wealth in history”… to cyber criminals
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Farms remain dangerously underprepared for the escalating threat posed by online cyber criminals who are already raking in more money globally than the illegal drug trade. According to Eugene Ng, cyber security leader at MNP, one of Canada’s largest business... Read more
SURVIVING A WHIRLWIND ON SMARTS AND ENTHUSIASM: Social media influencer with a growing family opened a bakery during COVID and is going strong
Stacey Blair in her Westport bakery. CHARLES SUMMERS FARMERS FORUM WESTPORT — Most Fridays, along County Road 42, just outside of Westport you’ll see an itsy bitsy little sign perched on the side of the road in front of a quaint and beautiful old Upper Canada stone farmhouse. It reads... Read more
Bait and switch: No more carbon tax but a hidden industrial carbon tax just increased
Bait and switch: No more carbon tax but a hidden industrial carbon tax just increased Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The consumer carbon tax was killed by the Carney government last year, but the still-escalating federal “industrial” carbon tax lives on to the detriment of Canadian agriculture and the... Read more
OPINION: Is Canada cooked? Canada headed toward communism and youth should get out, constitutional expert says.
IS CANADA COOKED? Canada headed toward communism and youth should get out, constitutional expert says. The rest of us should pray, push back “Thou art a traitor: Off with his head!” commanded Richard, Duke of Gloucester, on the mere suspicion that his close friend, Lord Hastings, was a turnc... Read more
Stop charging “rain tax,” province orders
Stop charging “rain tax,” province orders Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Ontario municipalities must stop charging a new type of stormwater fee on farmland and managed forests in areas not connected to a municipal storm sewer system, the province announced. The Ford government ordered the exemption... Read more
Farmers “spitting nails,” others hope to sue MP Marilyn Gladu over her defection to Liberals
SHE KICKED HORNET’S NEST Farmers “spitting nails,” others hope to sue MP Marilyn Gladu over her defection to Liberals Patrick Meagher and Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SARNIA-LAMBTON — Lambton County’s agricultural community was left reeling as their longtime Conservative MP dra... Read more
New mobile app ‘ON Farm Fun’ launches to promote Ontario agritourism sites
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA – More than 800 Ontario agritourism operators are featured in a new mobile app designed to funnel more visitors toward authentic farm and rural experiences across the province. “ON Farm Fun” is a digital directory and one-stop for you-pick schedules, farm tours and seasona... Read more
Canadians cut back meat and prioritize affordable groceries over nutrition and taste: Report
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Rising food prices continue to squeeze Canadians as a majority of households cited affordability as their top priority when shopping for groceries, ahead of nutrition and taste, according to a recent survey that also measured a marked shift away from eating as much meat.... Read more
Tractor driver charged after fatal collision
Tractor driver charged after fatal collision Farmers Forum staff MAPLETON — The 43-year-old driver of a farm tractor faces a charge of having improper lights on a farm vehicle, following a fatal crash that took the lives of two people in a pickup truck more than six months ago in rural Wellington Co... Read more
Pakistani farmers drive burning combine into lake, operator narrowly avoids drowning (VIDEO – 2:18)
A combine catches fire in Pakistan. The solution? Of course it’s to drive the combine into shallow lake right by the field. The IQ wars have begun. pic.twitter.com/HIt63jtATI — bu/ac (@buperac) May 4, 2026 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Pakistani farmers recently doused a burning combine by driving th... Read more
OPINION: Chipping away at supply management with fake milk
Chipping away at supply management with fake milk Most farmers producing supply-managed commodities (milk, poultry and eggs) in Canada thought that the passing of Bill C-202 on June 26, 2025, would halt the never-ending use of granting access to our managed markets in future trade agreements... Read more
High gas prices mean higher taxes paid at the pump
High gas prices mean higher taxes paid at the pump Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As fuel prices soar, so do fuel-tax revenues. Governments are raking in millions of additional fuel-tax revenues at the pump every single day. This money bonanza is unexpected tax revenue and consumers are ti... Read more
FAT FINE FOR WHAT? Hamilton farmer faced $160,000 city fine for cutting his own trees — since reduced to $50,000 — and he’s still fighting it
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum HAMILTON — Market-gardening farmer Wendell Leytham is a retired police officer who’s been to court plenty of times on behalf of the Crown. But this month, for the first time in his life, the grandfather of four finds himself on the other side, accused of cutting down... Read more
Waterloo buys up Wilmot Township land in spite of protests
Farmland purchases close, hitting key 500-acre threshold Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WILMOT — The Region of Waterloo has reached a significant milestone in its controversial quest to create a shovel-ready industrial “mega-site,” having successfully assembled more than 500 acres of pr... Read more
Nobody is happy: Surveys reflect pessimism across the country
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadians are worried about war overseas, tariffs from the south and policy decisions at home. A Bank of Canada Canadian survey of consumer expectations released in January found that consumers expressed ongoing anxiety over high prices and economic uncertainty tied to t... Read more
Battle over highway free speech hits the courts
Battle over highway free speech hits the courts Gov’t says you can’t say that on a road sign Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Motorists in rural Ontario may spot the occasional roadside sign inscribed with Bible verses — or even expressions of blistering political discontent like “Back off g... Read more
Israel’s war exposes interconnected economies, global race for finite resources
Israel’s war exposes interconnected economies, global race for finite resources Farmers Forum staff ROCKWOOD — The conflict in the Middle East has snapped into focus how energy and food are no longer independent sectors, but a single, interconnected market for calories on a finite plane... Read more
The Bobolink bird no longer has more power on your land than you as Endangered Species Act gets dumped
Farmers welcome repeal of Endangered Species Act Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Score a victory for rural landowners and farmers as Ontario’s “Species at Risk” law — aka the Endangered Species Act — is no more. Doug Ford’s governing Conservatives have repealed the legislation, 18 years after Dalton Mc... Read more
Ontario to restrict foreigners from buying farmland
Ontario to restrict foreigners from buying farmland TORONTO — Ontario is moving to restrict foreign ownership of agricultural land. The Ontario government introduced a new law called the Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act in a move to protect food sovereignty. For years, rural advocates have... Read more
IGNORED BY BIG MEDIA (Important stories they won’t tell you)
IGNORED BY BIG MEDIA Bayer Science blasted in U.S. Congress, gov’t exposed as corrupt WASHINGTON — Thomas Massie is a farmer, inventor and a U.S. Republican congressman but is considered more of an independent voice as he is one of the very few who is not paid by Israeli lobby group AIPAC. On... Read more
Farmers confident in their own businesses
But not in the poor business environment around them, OFA survey says Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — There’s a striking “confidence gap” in Ontario farm country amid overarching concerns about rising input costs and taxes, according to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s latest farm business confi... Read more
Thank God you’re living on a farm. Israel’s war has farmers stockpiling, worried about the price of everything
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As tensions escalate and munitions explode across the Middle East, ripples are felt across the ocean and along the concession roads of Ontario. Farmers are greatly concerned about the soaring cost of fertilizer and fuel, alongside weak or unimpressive commodi... Read more
Family farms face extinction thanks to gov’t policies, public inquiry told
Family farms face extinction thanks to gov’t policies, public inquiry told Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — In the wake of the Universal Ostrich Farms fiasco in British Columbia, a three-day private hearing last month considered the question: “Are farmers safe in Canada?” The National Citizens’ Inquiry,... Read more
OPINION: You’ve gotta serve somebody
In case you haven’t noticed, we are not going back to the Canada you grew up in anytime soon. We might never go back. It’s not just that crazy is at the door or that unscrupulous politicians will betray their constituents and the democratic process by crossing the House of Commons floor for their ow... Read more
Record corn acres foreseen for Ontario, but financial pressure may see more marginal land left unseeded
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario farmers are positioning themselves for a potentially record-breaking year for planted corn acres, although rising fertilizer prices and tight margins may see more marginal land left unseeded this spring. According to Statistics Canada data, the province’s growers... Read more
HIGH-SPEED FANTASY: Rural fury as impending ‘Alto’ land grab triggers gathering of 500 farmers, residents
Ottawa granted itself more power to take land for a $90-billion high-speed train that you will never use and will rip through your countryside Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NAVAN — Around 500 Eastern Ontario farmers and rural landowners were left aghast and agog when told the federal Liberal gover... Read more
Ontario crop insurance payout doubles
Agricorp pays out more than $253 million after challenging 2025 season with soybeans recording the biggest losses Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As of mid April, Ontario farmers claimed more than $253 million in Agricorp production insurance for the 2025 season, more than double the $115 m... Read more
THE MANURE PUMP GUYS: They handle 20-million gallons of hog manure a year so they invented a better pump
THE MANURE PUMP GUYS: They handle 20-million gallons of hog manure a year so they invented a better pump Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Dissatisfied with current manure-pump technology, a couple of Stratford-area farmers working as manure-spreading contractors took matters into their own h... Read more
A hive for everybody: Apiverte reimagines beekeeping accessibility
A hive for everybody Apiverte reimagines beekeeping accessibility OTTAWA — The box-like sections of a standard, stackable honeybee hive can weigh upwards of 100 pounds when full of honey. For many, that’s a physical barrier denying them entry to beekeeping as a pastime. But Quebec-based Apiverte off... Read more
TAD PECKISH: What to do in mud season? Between hockey and planting, Carson discovered squirrel sniping
What to do in mud season? Between hockey and planting, Carson discovered squirrel sniping Carson Elliot was a crop farmer from just outside Moose Creek who was as keen on hockey season as he was on planting season. One tickled his ego, the other his manhood. Every winter since he was a kid, w... Read more
Farmers optimistic about future. But potential world war has them prepping for downside
Farmers optimistic about the future But potential world war has them prepping for the downside Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As tensions escalate and munitions explode across the Middle East, the ripples are being felt across the concession roads of Ontario. While farmers are great... Read more
It now costs more to own farmland in Canada than in the U.S., FCC economist reports
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian farmers no longer enjoy an “affordability advantage” over their American neighbours when it comes to the cost of farmland ownership. A new analysis by Farm Credit Canada senior economist Justin Shepherd highlights the milestone shift that occurred in 2025. In F... Read more
Despite Carney tax cut, gov’t still riding motorists hard at the pump
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As soaring fuel prices squeeze motorists and farmers across the country, governments are raking in billions of additional fuel-tax revenues at the pumps. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recently announced temporary federal excise tax cut — 10 cents on gas... Read more
I’ll get back to you on Canadian Bovaer trials, CFIA says
I’ll get back to you on Canadian Bovaer trials, CFIA says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Denmark disaster that saw some cows dying and many herds getting sick late last year, makes one question Canada’s own study of a new feed additive. Last year, Denmark became the first country in the world to i... Read more
Huron County makes budget cuts, taxes still increase
Huron County makes budget cuts, taxes still increase GODERICH – Huron County Council delivered a good news-bad news budget package in a March 18 press release. The good news is that council made notable, significant cuts to find savings for taxpayers. The bad news? The budget still necessitates a 4.... Read more
Supply management takes blows from both sides of the aisle
Supply management takes blows from both sides of the aisle Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — In an eye-opening moment of bi-partisan unity, a former Harper government cabinet minister and a former Liberal leadership candidate openly agreed that supply management needs to go. Tony Cleme... Read more
SURVEY: Ontario farmland values hold steady, rental gap persists
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A recent survey of 943 Ontario farmers indicates that farmland values across the province remained relatively stable throughout 2025. The latest annual Farmland Value and Rental Value Survey, conducted by the University of Guelph’s Professor Brady Deaton Jr.,... Read more
Avoid the big deceit, buy local
Avoid the big deceit, buy local Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum You’ve likely noticed that it’s hard to get through one day without hearing a string of lies. Allow me to qualify. If you’ve spent your day with people you trust, with few or no outside influences, and you have the self-disc... Read more
Rural Lambton County “spitting nails” over MP Marilyn Gladu’s defection to Liberals, now in majority control
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SARNIA-LAMBTON — Lambton County’s agricultural community was left reeling as their longtime Conservative MP dramatically defected to the Liberal Party. The April 8 “floor-crossing” by Marilyn Gladu (LIB Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong) put the Carney Liberals within one sea... Read more
A “little different” strategy leads to big results for High Bridge Holsteins
A “little different” strategy leads to big results for High Bridge Holsteins Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PARKHILL — In a dairy landscape dominated by black and white, Adrian and Jolanda Hoogerbrugge have found their niche by embracing the red. The founders of Highbridge Holsteins Ltd. wer... Read more
Tile drainage business still booming after 15 years
Tile drainage business still booming after 15 years Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Decades after tile drainage technology was first widely deployed across Ontario, there’s still plenty of demand to put tile in the ground, according to Embrun-based contractor Marc-Antoine ‘Marco’ Sauvé. Tho... Read more
Calls to preserve supply management or face ‘disastrous implications for family farms’
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — As Canada approaches the critical 2026 review and renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), voices in the ag sector continue to stress the importance of preserving supply management in the face of a Trump administration that has repeatedly denou... Read more
Drew and Heather Spoelstra named 2026 Ontario Outstanding Young Farmers
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Hamilton-area dairy farmers Drew and Heather Spoelstra were named the 2026 Ontario Outstanding Young Farmers at a St. Jacobs event announcing their selection on April 9. The couple, partners in Roy-A-Lea Farms Ltd., are now set to compete against six other regional fina... Read more
Are farmers safe in Canada? Private inquiry ponders the question after ostrich farm debacle
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — In the wake of the Universal Ostrich Farms fiasco, a three-day private hearing last month considered the question: “Are farmers safe in Canada?” The National Citizens’ Inquiry, an independent organization, received testimony under oath from experts and witnesses about a... Read more
Cowboys and spacemen: Policy note explores energy and food link, Middle East war impact
Farmers Forum staff ROCKWOOD — The conflict in the Middle East has snapped into focus how energy and food are no longer independent sectors, but a single, interconnected market for calories on a finite planet. In a policy note released last month by Agri-Food Economic Systems, Al Mussell, research... Read more
Industrial carbon tax increased again on April 1; report predicts 50,000 job losses, lower living standards, by 2030
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The consumer carbon tax was killed by the Carney government last year, but the still-escalating federal “industrial” carbon tax lives on to the detriment of Canadian agriculture and the broader economy. Just as the hated consumer carbon tax automatically inc... Read more
War is simply bad for business everywhere
War is simply bad for business everywhere The recent U.S. led military action against Iran has dominated both news headlines and global markets since the air raids began. While Canadian grain producers are relatively safe living half a world away from the hostilities, our businesses face both long-t... Read more
Young brain cancer survivor and agronomist Kelsey Banks tells others not to let challenges end your journey
Road to recovery Young brain cancer survivor and agronomist Kelsey Banks tells others not to let challenges end your journey Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — For Kelsey Banks, the fast-paced life of an agronomist and farmer slammed to a halt at the age of 26. A promising career in the fields... Read more
OPINION: In this messed up world prepare for shortages
OPINION: In this messed up world prepare for shortages The world is messed up. Countries are re-aligning their partnerships, western leaders in predominately white and formerly Christian nations are abandoning their own people. Leaders are passing laws that choke their own citizens and are pr... Read more
Lab-grown milk coming to Canada?
Lab-grown milk coming to Canada? Farmers Forum staff Remilk, an Israeli foodtech company founded in 2019, is leading the charge in producing real dairy proteins without cows. And astonishingly there is no pushback from the Dairy Farmers of Canada. Health Canada has approved the sale of lab-gr... Read more
Court said the Emergencies Act was unlawful during Freedom Convoy but Carney wants Supreme Court
What emergency? Court said the Emergencies Act was unlawful during Freedom Convoy but Carney wants Supreme Court to overturn that and uphold Trudeau’s unlawful crackdown Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Liberal government is doubling down and appealing to the Supreme Court of Cana... Read more
DEBUNKED: Ontario not losing 319 acres of farmland a day to development, says Norfolk farmer who did the research
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORFOLK COUNTY — Ontario loses an alarming 319 acres of farmland to development each day, or so says the accepted orthodox view pushed for years in ag policy circles. But a Norfolk County farmer who has done a deep dive on the Statistics Canada numbers says it just ai... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: What has happened to community spirit?
OTTAWA — Farmers Forum was at the Ottawa farm show last month where we asked farmers, “Has rural community spirit changed in the last 10 years?” The answers were surprising. Many said that community spirit had changed and not for the better. Fewer people are getting involved and city folk moving out... Read more
Conservatives would kill Alto bullet-train ‘boondoggle,’ Poilievre says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to scrap the Liberal government’s proposed Alto high-speed rail project, branding the $90-billion initiative a “Liberal illusion” that echoes the infamous Mirabel Airport fiasco of the 1960s and 1970s... Read more
The day the maple trees exploded
One tap typically produces one gallon of sap in 24 hours, but producers got triple that amount on March 16 Charles Summers Farmers Forum LYNDHURST — As a rule of thumb, maple producers calculate a decent sap run at roughly one gallon of sap per tap in a 24-hour period. A really, really good run [... Read more
ANALYSIS: High-speed rail that no one asked for
A bullet-train line to rip through Eastern Ontario and make life more inconvenient for everyone Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum assistant editor Remember when a cocksure Justin Trudeau, enraptured by net-zero zealotry, claimed there was no “business case” to export liquified natural gas from Canada’... Read more
MILK RUN: Hamilton-area dairy farm produces, processes and retails milk, yogurt and cheese
Known for delivering milk in old-fashioned glass bottles, Summit Station Dairy & Creamery started in 1947 with only 15 cows Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum COPETOWN — In 2023, after more than 75 years of milking cows, the Loewith family embraced a monumental $8 million expansion to process and r... Read more
SLOWDOWN: Ontario average farmland prices increased 2.2% in 2025
Ontario trails national farmland price increase of 9.3% Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian farmland values continued to rise in 2025, but Ontario has clearly fallen off the rocket ride with the smallest increase in a decade. According to the latest Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Farmland Values Report,... Read more
Ontario farmers especially vulnerable to fertilizer price shocks this spring; FCC expands program to assist
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Only 10 % of Ontario producers currently possess the fertilizer they will need for the coming crop year, leaving the vast majority highly vulnerable to fertilizer price shocks and possible supply disruptions supercharged by the escalating war in the Middle Ea... Read more
Wolfe Island turbine loses blade; 86 turbines shut down for investigation
Farmers Forum staff WOLFE ISLAND — All 86 of the wind turbines on Wolfe Island have been idled after high winds ripped a blade from one of the towers on March 16, triggering an investigation into the catastrophic failure. TransAlta, the Calgary-based owner, confirmed the site was immediately taken o... Read more
OFA highlights farm safety with spring fieldwork just around the corner
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — On the cusp of spring planting, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has released a new farm safety fact sheet as a timely reminder for farmers to always put safety first. “Tips for Staying Safe on the Farm” focuses on the “big three” of fa... Read more
OPINION: Demons? Yes, demons and they are causing more harm than you might think
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum For those who remember Sunday school or who received even a rudimentary Christian upbringing you will remember that God created the universe and the angels but that one-third of them rebelled and would not serve God. By their own free-will they entered into a hel... Read more
Property rights not protected by constitution and in British Columbia it can mean the property you paid for is not yours
Property rights not protected by constitution And in British Columbia it can mean the property you paid for is not yours James Pascual Farmers Forum We used to think that government was here to help. Now we just want them to stop taking more of what’s ours. British Columbians are beginning to think... Read more
Carney wants Supreme Court to overturn Emergencies Act decision, uphold Trudeau’s unlawful crackdown
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA – The Liberal government is doubling down and appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada in a last-ditch bid to legitimize its controversial invocation of the Emergencies Act that quashed the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa four years ago. The feds filed an appeal applicati... Read more
Ford proceeding with conservation authority mergers
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO – The Ford government is pulling the plug on the province’s 36 conservation authorities whose function will be absorbed into 9 new, much bigger, conservation authorities. The government confirmed on March 10 that the major consolidation of Ontario’s conservation authorit... Read more
OPINION: Living one of the best lives on Earth
Living one of the best lives on Earth The Wheelers have launched into ‘crazy’ upgrades adding maple sap silos and high-efficiency measures to their tradition of syrup wizardry Vernon Wheeler is showing me a small cut he made to his hand earlier that day to illustrate, through a detailed and in-depth... Read more
Ray Robertson inducted into new Ontario Forage Council ‘Wall of Fame’
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Add another hall of fame induction to Ray Robertson’s resume, this time on the new “Wall of Fame” established by the Ontario Forage Council (OFC). The veteran agricultural leader and forage champion became the OFC’s first Wall of Fame inductee on March 10 at the Forages... Read more
Supply management takes blows from both sides of the aisle
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — In an eye-opening moment of bi-partisan unity, a former Harper government cabinet minister and a former Liberal leadership candidate openly agreed that supply management needs to go. Tony Clement and Martha Hall Findlay, who served on opposite sides of the fe... Read more
OPINION: Watch how planting intentions move markets:
OPINION: Watch how planting intentions move markets: And pick your price to pull the trigger March is the month when things finally start to get interesting in the grain futures markets in terms of the northern hemisphere’s potential crop size for the upcoming year. Up until this point, there... Read more
OPINION: If consumers want protein, they will get protein
OPINION: If consumers want protein, they will get protein If you have noticed shoppers pouring over food labels in the stories and assumed they were still checking for Canadian- vs. American- made contents, you might be wrong. After all these months most shoppers know what they buy and where it is m... Read more
OPINION: Alberta independence is the way to go
Alberta independence is the way to go James Pascual Farmers Forum Like it or not, Alberta is going to vote on whether or not to separate from Canada. Thousands of people have already lined up for blocks to sign petitions for a referendum. But it’s far from a reality as polls show that the majority [... Read more
Ontario ag minister can’t guarantee supply management’s survival, but Trevor Jones says he’s optimistic
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Though “optimistic” about the future of supply management, Ontario ag minister Trevor Jones couldn’t give iron-clad assurances that Canada’s regulated dairy, egg and poultry production system will survive a free-trade review now underway with the United State... Read more
Open house in Elgin: Family-run dairy in tie-stall has Master Breeder distinction
Open house in Elgin Family-run dairy in tie-stall has Master Breeder distinction and impressive finishes at the Royal and World Dairy Expo Charles Summers Farmers Forum ELGIN — I had the good fortune to attend one of Holstein Ontario’s annual convention’s Open House days: a chance for dairy breeders... Read more
Grimsby event focuses on how judges now favour native rights over the guy with the land title
Grimsby event focuses on how judges now favour native rights over the guy with the land title Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A group of local researchers is sounding the alarm over the erosion of private property rights in Canada, and they’ve lined up two prominent legal experts to address the serious... Read more
Protein craze reshapes milk composition as weight-loss medications reshape appetites
Protein craze reshapes milk composition as weight-loss medications reshape appetites Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ontario dairy producers face a “metabolic change” as a surge in protein demand catches up to years of intensive breeding and bovine dietary changes to spur more butterfat. Pr... Read more
Ontario farmers increase total revenues in 2025 by 3.6 %
Ontario farmers increase total revenues in 2025 by 3.6 % Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario farmers pulled in total cash receipts of almost $23.5 billion in 2025, up 3.6 % from 2024, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada. Of course, this is gross revenue that doesn’t take into acc... Read more
Good-bye to the mom-and-pop shop
Good-bye to the mom-and-pop shop 10 per cent of Canadian businesses wiped out and family-run businesses are hardest hit, thanks mostly to onerous government policies Farmers Forum staff Small businesses in Canada are taking a beating. In fact, 10 % of small operators have closed down since the pande... Read more
Tribunal tosses $10,000 quarantine penalty for B.C. Ostrich Farm
Tribunal tosses $10,000 quarantine penalty for B.C. Ostrich Farm Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency failed to properly notify Universal Ostrich Farms of the controversial quarantine measures imposed at the Edgewood, B.C., operation last year, according to a recent feder... Read more
Will MPs ride for free on Alto’s high-speed rail service?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Will members of parliament ride for free on the Alto high-speed rail line as they currently do on VIA Rail’s conventional passenger train service? In a longstanding tradition, MPs and senators get a free VIA Rail pass, and 2026 is no exception, as per... Read more
Bank error empties 13-year-old girl’s account
Bank mistakenly withdrew $7,232 and withheld it until pressed by family Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ALEXANDRIA — Clare is a 13-year-old girl who earns about $185 each week helping with chores on her family’s Alexandria-area dairy farm. She feeds calves and scrapes stalls, and like a lot of farm... Read more
Two families nominated for title of Ontario’s outstanding young farmers
Two Ontario farm families will compete for the province’s Outstanding Young Farmer title on April 8 at Cellar 52 in St. Jacobs. Tyler and Allison McBlain of Caledonia rebuilt a 4,000-acre cash crop operation from the ground up after a family farm division in 2013. Tyler is also Deputy District... Read more
DFO responds to public relations hit after skim milk ‘dumped’ in November
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST-ISIDORE — The Dairy Farmers of Ontario have been urged to do a better public relations job after the latest headlines about wasted milk. But it’s not just the public demanding answers. Dairy farmers want their milk marketing board to do a better marketing job. A da... Read more
Canada’s stagnant economy: no growth in 10 years
Canada’s stagnant economy: no growth in 10 years Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST-ISIDORE — The declining prosperity of Canadians over the last decade has not gone unnoticed by the companies that process farmers’ milk into the variety of dairy products found on store shelves. Dairy Processors Asso... Read more
Proposed bullet train to likely cut through Eastern Ontario farmland
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The proposed high-speed rail line to run from Quebec City to Ottawa to Toronto is facing a firestorm of opposition from rural Eastern Ontario residents. Northumberland-Clarke MP Philip Lawrence said he received two calls in one day from constituents in tears. “They are n... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Costs and inflation are on every dairy farmer’s mind
HAVE YOUR SAY: Costs and inflation are on every dairy farmer’s mind Farmers Forum staff ST. ISIDORE — There is so much going on in the world today and so much affecting farmers at every level. Farmers Forum went to Dairy Days in St. Isidore last month and asked dairy farmers what is the biggest [... Read more
Beef Farmers of Ontario passes 17 resolutions including tax relief for abattoirs and objection to Alto bullet train
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO – The Beef Farmers of Ontario passed 17 resolutions at their annual meeting and voted in a new president. Former BFO vice-president Jason Leblond, from Northern Ontario, was elected president at the organization’s 64th annual general meeting held in Toronto Feb. 18. “I lo... Read more
Pressured by high input costs, farmers want OFA to push for tax cuts as top policy priority
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH – There’s a striking “confidence gap” in Ontario farm country amid overarching concerns about rising input costs and taxes, according to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s latest Farm Business Confidence survey. The survey of 854 OFA members ran online from Dec. 1, 20... Read more
Farm groups urge gov’t to slam brakes on Alto bullet train
Final public info sessions set for March Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GUELPH — Two of Ontario and Quebec’s most prominent farm groups are calling for the “immediate suspension” of the controversial Alto bullet train because of the planned project’s unconsidered impact on farmland and rural commun... Read more
Ontario farmers increase total revenues in 2025 by 3.6 % — but corn, soybean revenues drop
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario farmers pulled in total cash receipts of almost $23.5 billion in 2025, up 3.6 % from 2024, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada. Of course, this is gross revenue that doesn’t take into account rising expenses on the other side of a farmer’s ledg... Read more
U.S. says glyphosate toxic but essential for agriculture — meantime herbicide maker spends billions to settle lawsuits
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — One day after Roundup maker Bayer AG unveiled a plan to spend billions more resolving a mountain of glyphosate-related litigation, the White House stepped in to protect the crucial herbicide. President Trump declared glyphosate and its chemical precursor, elemental phosp... Read more
Ontario beef farmers pass 17 resolutions, object to bullet train from Quebec to Toronto
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO – The Beef Farmers of Ontario passed 17 resolutions at their annual meeting and voted in a new president. Former BFO vice-president Jason Leblond, from Northern Ontario, was elected president at the organization’s 64th annual general meeting held in Toronto Feb. 18. “I lo... Read more
75% EV sales target makes exception for gas-burning hybrids
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Contrary to how some might spin it, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly announced electric-vehicle “sales target” won’t turn gasoline-burning cars into a minority or speed the demise of your local gas station any time soon. In fact, gas-burning plug-in h... Read more
Canadian food inflation soared to 7.3 % in January 2026
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian food prices in January 2026 soared 7.3 % over January 2025, according to Statistics Canada, a figure that includes food purchased both at grocery stores and at restaurants. It’s the second month in a row that Canada has posted the highest year-over-year food inf... Read more
Ottawa broadcaster Lowell Green dead at 89
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — For decades, pretty well every barn and farm-truck radio in Eastern Ontario was tuned into 580 CFRA where the voice of Lowell Green coloured the local AM airwaves with news and opinion. Green died suddenly on Valentine’s Day at the age of 89, a decade... Read more
‘Listen, we’re coming for your supply management’: former premier recalls conversation with Trump trade chief
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney says that a key Trump administration official flat-out told him that team Trump was “coming for” Canadian supply management, the 55-year-old system of regulated price, production and import controls supporting this country’... Read more
MPs support apology to farmers subjected to Mirabel airport land grab
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The construction of Mirabel airport upended the lives of 3,000 Montreal-area farm families whose land was expropriated in 1969 by the first Trudeau government. Nearly 60 years later, the Canadian parliament has called on the current Liberal regime to apologize to those m... Read more
UPDATE: Is dumping milk a public relations disaster or the price of doing business?
AI generated Image of milk dumping in The Western Standard magazine. James Pascual Farmers Forum Canadians learned that in the month of November Ontario farmers dumped $18-million to $30-million in retail value of milk. But what does dumped mean? Almost immediately, X (f... Read more
TAD PECKISH: A misunderstanding about a BULL, a PIE and a GIRL
OPINION: A misunderstanding about a BULL, a PIE and a GIRL Dave Power was a 25-year-old crop farmer of the sort that Eastern Ontario breeds like mosquitoes in a stagnant pond — sturdy, solitary, and stubbornly convinced that green energy was a plot hatched by the government to increase the tax base.... Read more
OPINION: How Maynard stays healthy
How Maynard stays healthy He wears a hat, drinks lots of water, eats citrus fruit, takes cod liver oil, works outside every day and eats pickled herring I do everything I can to stay healthy during the cold winter months. Actually, I do that all year but winters are especially important to not be ai... Read more
ANGELA DORIE: It was right to cull the ostriches
OPINION: It was right to cull the ostriches They became the centre of a fight with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the past year in regards to euthanizing ostriches due to Avian Influenza. The couple who owns Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, B.C. has lost its final fight with the C... Read more
OPINION: Net-zero carbon worshippers overplayed their hand
DUMPING NET-ZERO: Net-zero carbon worshippers overplayed their hands and voters howled. Now countries around the world are retreating from the high cost of going green James Pascual Farmers Forum Unless you want to go broke heating the home or accept a lower standard of living the idea of any... Read more
TIPS FROM THE TAXMISER — Farmers already have it so good
Invest in your farm, hold onto your farm and know that there are no “tricks” as tax laws already favour the farmer They say there are only two sure things in life: death and taxes. And while no farmer will live forever, one thing the profession has done well over the years is avoid the […] Read more
DON’T BE FOOLED: Scammers offer love, companionship, then take your money
DON’T BE FOOLED: Scammers offer love, companionship, then take your money Farmers Forum staff RIDGETOWN — From fake love to fake grandchildren, fraudsters are pulling at the heartstrings of unsuspecting rural Ontarians and taking their money by the millions. The ‘romance scam’ and the ‘grandparent s... Read more
FROM BARN TO BALLOT: Huron County farmer Tony McQuail wants to be the next federal NDP Leader
FROM BARN TO BALLOT: Huron County farmer Tony McQuail wants to be the next federal NDP Leader Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum LUCKNOW — Federal NDP leadership candidate Tony McQuail is the furthest thing from a silver-spoon socialist. There’s no whiff of Rolex watches, fine suits and Maserati automo... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Despite drought, Agricorp posts average year for corn and soybeans in Southwestern Ontario
Spared the hurt Despite drought, Agricorp posts average year for corn and soybeans in Southwestern Ontario Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Overall Ontario corn yields were average while soybean yields were below average, according to the 2025 harvest figures recently released by Agricorp, the provincia... Read more
Ottawa’s use of Emergencies Act to crush Freedom Convoy in 2022 was illegal, and here’s why, lawyer argues
Ottawa’s use of Emergencies Act to crush Freedom Convoy in 2022 was illegal …and here’s why, lawyer argues John Carpay The Federal Court of Appeal has thankfully affirmed a powerful 2024 ruling in which the Federal Court’s Trial Division declared that the federal government acted illegally whe... Read more
Tribunal tosses $10,000 quarantine penalty, a win for B.C. ostrich farm
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency failed to properly notify Universal Ostrich Farms of the controversial quarantine measures imposed at the Edgewood, B.C., operation last year, according to a recent federal tribunal decision siding with the owners and quashing a $10,00... Read more
Minister Marc Miller full wants king powers to exempt favoured companies from federal law (video 2:33)
INCREDIBLE. The Minister wants the power of a king, not because it is needed, but because it would be “helpful”.#cndpoli pic.twitter.com/5YgAAaYj1q — SandraCobena (@SandraCobena_) February 9, 2026 Read more
New type of phosphorous fertilizer shows promise for corn and soybean yields with reduced runoff risk
New type of phosphorous fertilizer shows promise for corn and soybean yields with reduced runoff risk Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — A five-year field trial at the University of Guelph has shown that a new phosphorous fertilizer can increase yield and possibly lower the risk of phosphor... Read more
Net-zero carbon emissions policies are “Economic vandalism,” former Liberal MP says
Net-zero carbon emissions policies are “Economic vandalism,” former Liberal MP says Former Liberal MP Dan McTeague is not optimistic about Canada’s future — unless we have a change of government. McTeague, keynote speaker at the Perth Christian Farmers Federation January AGM in Stratford, expressed... Read more
End taxpayer-funded Halal, Kosher meat processing and cruelty to animals, MP says
End taxpayer-funded Halal, Kosher meat processing and cruelty to animals, MP says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Muslim halal and Jewish kosher meat processing skirts the law that requires first stunning the animal and causes pointless suffering, argues a Bloc Québécois MP. Even worse, taxpayers are f... Read more
Average Ontario farm family earned 64% of income off-farm in 2023; it was a whopping 89% for beef farmers
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Paycheques earned off-farm accounted for an even bigger slice of Ontario farm families’ income in 2023, according to the latest Statistics Canada data. The StatCan figures show the average Ontario farm family had a total average income of $200,716 in 2023 — of which 64... Read more
A public relations problem? Ontario producers dumped 4.9 % (10.2 million litres or $30 million in retail value) of milk in November
In November 2025, Dairy Farmers of Ontario dumped 4.9% of milk, according to Milk Producer magazine. That’s roughly 10.2 million litres of milk — about $18M in retail value for the month. The butterfat embedded in that milk alone was worth roughly $10M at retail. Now you know. pic.twitter.com/xhgMIa... Read more
Canada will increase productivity if it drops all inter-provincial trade barriers, IMF says
Canada will increase productivity if it drops all inter-provincial trade barriers, IMF says Farmers Forum staff Canada’s economy would see a significant boost if the trade barriers were dropped between the 13 provinces and territories, according to an International Monetary Fund report. Canad... Read more
OPINION: Be open minded about cropping plans
OPINION: Be open minded about cropping plans The U.S. gives its farmers too much money and the rest of the world will just have to put up with it and adjust cropping plans to manage the surplus supply Over the recent decades, the United States has become somewhat legendary for providing financial su... Read more
U.S. farmer nets world-record soybean yield at 155 bu/ac
U.S. farmer nets world-record soybean yield at 155 bu/ac Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — An American farmer’s soybean crop yielded almost 155 bu/ac, a new world record for non-irrigated soybeans. To be precise, Maryland-based Chris Weaver of Hickory Hollow Farms yielded 154.98 bu/ac on two acres within... Read more
LETTER: Say no to an unnecessary and expensive goat marketing board
Say no to an unnecessary and expensive goat marketing board RE: January 2026 edition “Goat Vote” on goat producers voting this year on whether or not to form a marketing board. When you stated that 50 % of the goat milk and goat dairy products are exported to the U.S. you are correct! Goats do [... Read more
Homeless crisis in rural Ontario getting worse
TENT CITIES ABOUND: Homeless crisis in rural Ontario getting worse Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The number of homeless people living in tents, abandoned buildings and vehicles in rural Ontario surged in 2025, says the Association of Ontario Municipalities (AMO) in its newly updated report on the hom... Read more
5 % of tested bats have rabies
5 % of tested bats have rabies Animal rabies jumps 33 % in 2025 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Documented cases of animal rabies jumped 33 % in Ontario last year. There were 114 cases of bat rabies and 6 cases of fox rabies, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reported. That’s up from the [... Read more
DROUGHT HANGOVER: Thanks to last year’s bone dry summer Eastern Ontario farmers culled herds, installed pumps and dug deeper wells
DROUGHT HANGOVER: Thanks to last year’s bone dry summer Eastern Ontario farmers culled herds, installed pumps and dug deeper wells Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — At least one Ontario livestock producer is still feeling the pinch of last year’s severe drought. While most water-table... Read more
Don’t touch your cellphone or tablet while driving farm equipment on a public road or you will be charged
Don’t touch your cellphone or tablet while driving farm equipment on a public road or you will be charged Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Be careful with that cell phone or tablet in the tractor or combine cab. Ontario’s distracted driving law applies to vehicle drivers and to farmers at the wheel of t... Read more
Start the succession plan now: Don’t think of it as retirement but as business continuation
Don’t think of it as retirement but as business continuation, advisor says James Pascual Farmers Forum Most farms don’t have farm succession plans and this farm advisor says you need to start one soon by first calling it a business continuation plan. In an interview with the Soil and Crop associatio... Read more
Barn fires up in 2024 but half of all causes are never determined, fire marshal says
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Ontario recorded 125 barn fires with total damages of just over $77.5 million in 2024, according to the most current statistics from the Ontario Fire Marshal Office. Half the time the cause of the fire is never determined. The number of barn fires was up from the 113 fi... Read more
FLIP-FLOP: After telling the world to go green, Larry Fink tells World Economic Forum that wind and solar will cause power outages (video 18 sec.)
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink now admits that transitioning to solar and wind will cause a global power shortage, after he spent years pressuring companies to do exactly that. “The world is going to be short power, and to power these data companies you cannot have just this intermittent power like... Read more
Police, provinces say ‘no’ to Ottawa, they will not collect guns for federal buyback program
Police, provinces say ‘no’ to Ottawa They will not collect guns for federal buyback program but you have until Oct. 30 to hand them in or it’s a criminal offence Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A lot of rifles will be flat-out criminal to own later this year, and that includes models that w... Read more
U.S. farmer spitting mad about 8 years of paperwork to buy Saskatchewan combine
U.S. farmer spitting mad about 8 years of paperwork to buy Saskatchewan combine Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — An American grain farmer is disappointed, frustrated and ticked off because his purchase of a used Canadian combine last summer went absolutely nowhere. Oklahoma’s Ryan Sorrels was prevented... Read more
Dairy Days speakers come to St. Isidore and Kemptville
Dairy Days speakers come to St. Isidore and Kemptville Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The annual Eastern Ontario Dairy Days conference is set to churn up some interesting discussion and topics in February. The yearly conference began 50 years ago as several regional gatherings of Eastern Ontario dairy... Read more
A five-day delay in weed control can cost you 10 bushels per acre of corn
A five-day delay in weed control can cost you 10 bushels per acre of corn Studies show weeds stunt crop growth by just being there Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GUELPH — Imagine a tiny corn or soybean seedling pushing through the soil, only to “spot” a green weed lurking nearby. In an instant, the... Read more
Ottawa axes key ag research but spends almost as much to empower women in Asia
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Carney government is chopping millions of dollars out of Canadian ag and food and simultaneously spending a similar amount in other countries on projects heavy on climate change and gender rhetoric. Last month, the federal government cut $154 million to Agriculture C... Read more
Learn to forward contract your crop if you want to stay in business, grain merchandiser says
Farmers Forum staff RIDGETOWN — In today’s world of “really good” farmers and ample crop production the only guys who are going to stay in business are the sharp financial managers with a realistic proactive commodity marketing strategy, says lifelong grain grower and merchandiser Steve Kell. In his... Read more
CLIMATE CHANGE EXTREMISM: Montreal university cuts beef from menu to save the planet
Farmers Forum staff MONTREAL — Goodbye smoked meat, hello quinoa sald — at least from the cafeteria at Polytechnique Montreal where egghead decision makers have cut all beef from the menu. The engineering school is the first North American university to acknowledge pulling beef from its cafeteria fo... Read more
The cause of half of all Ontario barn fires are never determined
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Ontario recorded 125 barn fires with total damages of just over $77.5 million in 2024, according to the most current statistics from the Ontario Fire Marshal Office. Half the time the cause of the fire is never determined. The number of barn fires was up from the 113 fi... Read more
DROUGHT HANGOVER: Thanks to bone dry 2025, Eastern Ontario farmers culled herds, installed pumps, dug wells deeper
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — At least one Ontario livestock producer is still feeling the pinch of last year’s severe drought. While most water-table concerns have eased, last year’s reduced hay and forage yields left Stormont County’s Jamink Farm with enough feed for the organic milking... Read more
Proposed hunting restrictions could increase conflicts between farmers and bears, OFA says
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario wants to curb black bear hunting which could increase their population and cause more headaches for farmers, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) argues. The province wants to start a pilot project restricting hunting tags in the Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula be... Read more
Bovaer affected every herd in Denmark using new feed additive, veterinarian says
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum DENMARK — Danish dairy farmers are incensed that their government coerced them to include an additive in the feed ration that made their cows sick and even killed some of them. In 2025, Denmark ordered all dairy farmers with at least 50 cows to feed the additive 3-NOP (... Read more
OPINION: Who is running Canada?
Who is running Canada? Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was in China last month where in his own words he was repositioning Canada for the “New World Order.” What does that even mean? Carney is a man with three nationalities and is a disciple of the World Economic Forum, so we at least know his [... Read more
REMEMBER THE FREEDOM CONVOY 4 YEARS AGO: OTTAWA’S STATE OF EMERGENCY? (video 2:13)
The Ottawa mayor says the the city core has become too dangerous for people as protestors have put up bouncy castles, hot tubs and are having a party. Read more
Agricorp posts dismal 2025 corn and soybean yields by county
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Overall Ontario corn yields were average while soybean yields were below average, according to the 2025 harvest figures recently released by Agricorp, the provincial crop insurer. The middling results followed a dry summer that affected growth in many areas. Production i... Read more
TAD PECKISH: Suzie Q’s prayer-and-water diet became a generational sensation
OPINION: Suzie Q’s prayer-and-water diet became a generational sensation Suzie Q was different. She stood out for many reasons and not just because her legs were the size of two tree trunks. She lived in Prescott County where the cornstalks whispered secrets to the wind and where Suzie Q and her hus... Read more
CHARLES SUMMERS: Managing the young man
Managing the young man Tempering youthful energy takes patience, but when focussed, it can be one of the most powerful forces on the farm As someone who did not grow up on a farm, let alone in a rural community, there are many customs in the world of agriculture I discover along the way [... Read more
OFA convention highlights going back to 1981
OFA convention highlights going back to 1981 If you’ve been a long-time county delegate elected to attend the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) annual general meetings (AGM) held every year in November, you probably enjoyed the reunion aspect of the annual conventions. Seeing and chatting with... Read more
ANGELA DORIE: Statistics Canada has been calling us for 40 years and won’t stop
As the ‘Do Not Call’ list on which we have our phone numbers registered doesn’t work, we choose to not answer any numbers that we don’t recognize or choose not to speak to. An easy way to avoid scams, sales pitches supposed contest and arguments with one frequent caller. We started our over 40 year... Read more
PETERBOROUGH FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR: 4th generation returns to farming
4th generation returns to farming Peterborough farm family of the year started milking 12 cows in 2012 and needs off-farm income to make it work Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — With just a dozen cows in 2012, Thom and Krista Murray revived a long-dormant family dairying tradition with... Read more
OPINION: Dinged the barn and my dignity
Dinged the barn and his dignity Confessions of a humbled farmer “Confession is good for the soul,” they say. I’m about to test that maxim right here. In public. In a widely-read farm paper. A paper that my neighbours read, they tell me. We sometimes have little slip-ups that are relatively easy to o... Read more
Dairy farmer goes to Germany for spinal surgery
Farmer hasn’t been able to work in the barn in 7 years as she can’t get help from Ontario healthcare system Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — Be prepared to take the bull by the horns if confronted by serious health challenges as a resident of Ontario, even if you’re a young farmer without... Read more
Premier Doug Ford salutes supply management at annual dairy meeting — but his campaign manager says dairy screwed the rest of ag
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford gulped chocolate milk for the cameras and vowed to “protect and support” supply management as he addressed the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s 2026 annual general meeting. Ford was reportedly the first premier in years to attend the Ja... Read more
PUD JOHNSTON: 100 years old and still working
PUD JOHNSTON: 100 years old and still working Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OXFORD STATION — Eugene ‘Pud’ Johnston started his Christmas tree farm more than 70 years ago and went full-time into it after retiring from a long career in the Ontario public service back in 1985. Now 100 years ol... Read more
JOHN BARLOW: When farmers cannot survive, Canadians cannot survive (video 3:47)
This is not just an economic story; it is a food security crisis happening here at home. When farmers cannot survive, Canadians cannot eat. Have a listen.👇 pic.twitter.com/u1YtdCH4Nu — John Barlow (@JohnBarlowMP) January 20, 2026 Read more
Railway ordered to pay share of rural drainage but isn’t giving in without a fight
Railway ordered to pay share of rural drainage but isn’t giving in without a fight Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Railway companies might have to start paying their share of drainage maintenance but one operator isn’t giving in without a fight. Canadian Pacific Railway says it will appeal a dra... Read more
Three-day Peterborough crime spree includes stealing tractor, school bus
Three-day Peterborough crime spree includes stealing tractor, school bus Farmers Forum staff PETERBOROUGH COUNTY — A 62-year-old Peterborough man faces several charges in connection with an alleged three-day crime spree that included stealing a farm tractor and a school bus, with break-ins at... Read more
Creative environmentally-minded farmer can win $1,000
Creative environmentally-minded farmer can win $1,000 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Do you know a farmer or agricultural business that has tackled environmental challenges with outstanding ingenuity and innovation? The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association wants to honour such an indiv... Read more
Canadian milk doubles Vitamin D content
Canadian milk doubles Vitamin D content Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The dose of vitamin D added to retail milk in Canada has been doubled, effective Jan. 1. For 50 years, Health Canada has required that dairy processors fortify milk with a microscopic quantity of vitamin D set by the federal... Read more
GOAT VOTE: Ontario’s 198 dairy goat farmers to vote on a marketing board
GOAT VOTE: Ontario’s 198 dairy goat farmers to vote on a marketing board Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A new milk marketing board could be created in Ontario if at least two thirds of the province’s 198 commercial dairy goat farmers vote in favour of the idea. Worry about becoming collate... Read more
Supply management critic is Canada’s new ambassador to U.S.
Supply management critic is Canada’s new ambassador to U.S. Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — An avowed critic of supply management will become Canada’s new ambassador to the U.S. on Feb. 15. Mark Wiseman, 55, a personal friend of Prime Minister Mark Carney, assumes the post just as Canada tr... Read more
FCC OUTLOOK: Cattle prices to stay strong in 2026 and into 2027
FCC OUTLOOK: Cattle prices to stay strong in 2026 and into 2027 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Tight cattle supplies drove prices to record highs in 2025, and the market continues to show historic strength. Farm Credit Canada senior economist Leigh Anderson predicts that prices should stay high... Read more
REPORT: Farmers face increased costs while consumers brace for even higher grocery bills in 2026
REPORT: Farmers face increased costs while consumers brace for even higher grocery bills in 2026 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The price of meat and other food will continue to rise in 2026, which may bring a smile to some farmers’ faces, but that’s tempered by possible labour shortages... Read more
FARMERS FORUM FABULOUS PHOTO CONTEST IS BACK
The Farmers Forum fabulous photo contest is back. This year’s theme is FARMING IS A DIRTY BUSINESS! Send up to 5 photos by midnight on Thursday. February 19, 2026. See contest rules below: CONTEST RULES 1. How many photos can I submit? Up to 5 per person. 2. What format should photos b... Read more
Private property ownership erased by B.C. decision on native land claim
Do you own what you think you own? A recent British Columbia Supreme Court ruling on an indigenous land claim in Richmond, B.C. says you don’t. Canadian property owners can no longer claim to have incontestable free title to their homes and farms. After a 10-year, $100-million legal battle, in Augus... Read more
STEVE KELL: Brazil to set world-record soybean harvest
Price rally potential in period from April to June Brazil has quietly spent these last few months growing what is expected to be the biggest soybean crop in history. There is a bit of variation between the USDA’s 175 million metric tonne and the 177 million metric tonne crop size from Conab (Brazil’... Read more
Future of Wilmot Twp. could be determined next month
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WILMOT — The Region of Waterloo appears to be on the verge of finalizing the purchase of key chunks of farmland being assembled for still undisclosed industrial purposes in Wilmot Township. As it attempts to amass a 770-acre swath of land in the township, the region i... Read more
The top news themes of 2025
Patrick Meagher and Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum 2025 was filled with political drama, economic uncertainty and a bone dry summer in much of the province. In short, it was another tumultuous year. Here is Farmers Forum’s list of top 10 news themes that captured the attention of Ontario farmers i... Read more
Ontario on-farm fatalities jump to 10 in 2025
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ten people were killed in on-farm farming-related accidents in Ontario last year. That more than doubles the four fatalities in 2024. There were 5 on-farm fatalities in in 2023. The 10-year average is 7 fatalities per year. The last time the province record... Read more
OPINION: What to do about Bovaer?
Canada approved a Bovaer feed additive for cattle in 2024 but now needs to monitor closely the chemical mixture before anyone feeds it to beef or dairy cows. Bovaer contains 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), designed to suppress methane-producing enzymes in cows’ rumens, potentially cutting methane emissi... Read more
Grain Farmers of Ontario join national group to strengthen one voice
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — The Grain Farmers of Ontario announced Jan. 8 that it will formally join forces with the Grain Growers of Canada on issues of national policy while remaining independent. The move was made to strengthen Canada’s grain sector’s national advocacy voice in agre... Read more
Farmers in France escalate protests over cattle cull and European trade deal and the public approves
#BREAKING 🚨🔥🇫🇷 Meanwhile across France French farmers are making their mark everywhere, letting everyone know what they think of their tyrannical government. The French farmers had blocked all the major roads Yesterday. There was a complete chaos in everywhere across there. pic.twitter.com/pWa3KjRoX... Read more
Woodstock dairy symposium to discuss trade challenges, shifting consumer expectations
Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK — Trade with the Americans and consumer expectations around supply management are among the issues on the agenda as milk producers gather at the 41st South Western Ontario Dairy Symposium on Feb. 19, 2026. Participants will gain insights into those key challenges when t... Read more
FCC foresees continued weakness in new farm equipment sales in Canada
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian farm equipment market faces a sobering 2026, although there is also reason for cautious optimism because of demand from livestock farmers, according to Farm Credit Canada’s latest outlook. The recent economic analysis by senior economist Leigh Anderso... Read more
FCC OUTLOOK: Cattle prices to stay strong into 2027
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Tight cattle supplies drove prices to record highs in 2025, and the market continues to show historic strength. Farm Credit Canada senior economist Leigh Anderson predicts that prices should stay high and “well above” the 5-year average through 2026 and into 2027. Howeve... Read more
Three Ontario farms added to virtual reality video series
Farmers Forum Staff OTTAWA — Three Ontario farms are newly featured in a collection of online virtual reality tours allowing viewers to get a better, immersive sense of agriculture in the province. The producers used state-of-the-art 360-degree cameras to create videos watchable on a regular compute... Read more
Jersey auction sale averages $3,030 per cow
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Bidders from Ontario and Quebec paid a combined $81,800 for 27 animals in Jersey Ontario’s online ‘SNF Buster Sale.’ The virtual Dec. 6 auction — whose name refers to the Jersey breed’s desired ability to bust down the ‘Solids Non-Fat’ to butterfat ratio in the bulk t... Read more
SURVEY: Canadian ag pessimistic about Trump’s impact on sector but still optimistic overall
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Amid ongoing U.S. trade tensions, farmers and others within Canada’s agricultural landscape are deeply pessimistic about the economic impact of President Donald Trump’s second term, according to a 2025 survey of just over 500 people within the broader ag sector. F... Read more
STEVE KELL: Despite U.S. corn bin buster there’s a sweet price point to be had
The dominant headline news story in grain markets through the 2025 growing season has been about how big of corn harvest American farmers have expected to bring in this year. Projections have not only been for a massive harvest, (currently pegged at 16.8 billion bushels, up 12 % from 2024), but also... Read more
Police bust car theft ring and arrest 20, but 14 already back on the street
306 cars recovered worth $25M Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Police have recovered 306 vehicles stolen in Ontario and arrested 20 individuals — 14 of whom were already back on the street when law enforcement leaders presented the outcome of ‘Project Chickadee’ to the media on Dec. 17. Worth a combine... Read more
Communist China takeover of P.E.I. (video 2 min.)
END GAME – How Prince Edward Island became China’s next target A preview of my upcoming investigation. pic.twitter.com/iXbsZDqpDb — Harrison Faulkner (@Harry__Faulkner) December 16, 2025 Read more
NEW YORK TIMES: Fight against climate change led by China — the world’s largest emitter of C02
Climate fact check: New York Times: The fight against climate change is “now mostly led by China” Please: China is world’s leading emitter Its primary energy supply is 87% fossil fuelshttps://t.co/KuFNdIPfHZ https://t.co/QgozKumSMO pic.twitter.com/BkA9rXBAFT — Bjorn Lomborg (@Bjorn... Read more
PENNSYLVANIA LAND AUCTION: 123 acres sells for $57,000 CDN per acre (video 56 sec.)
Want to hear what it sounds like when selling our neighbor’s 123.8 acre farm for $41,500 an acre? pic.twitter.com/JMZ6LX7dfu — Steve Groff (@CoverCropCoach) December 16, 2025 Read more
OPINION: Our Christmas — Home-cooked everything, almost, and no opening gifts until after the cows are milked
OPINION: Our Christmas — Home-cooked everything, almost, and no opening gifts until after the cows are milked If anyone were to ask our four children if Christmas on the farm was different than one celebrated by city families, I am sure there would be a resounding “YES!” I will also bet that I... Read more
38-year-old dies in equipment mishap at Lambton greenhouse operation
Farmers Forum staff FOREST — Ontario’s 10th farm fatality of the year took the life of a 38-year-old London resident working Dec. 9 at a rural Forest, Ontario, greenhouse operation. Lambton County OPP responded to the rural Douglas Line address shortly before 4 p.m. and reported that the unnamed in... Read more
French police tear gas farmers in protest after culling of 3,000 cows
French farmers in southwest of France are intensifying protests t against the government’s handling of the contagious nodular dermatosis (DNC), also known as lumpy skin disease (LSD), a viral cattle illness not transmissible to humans. The outbreak, first detected in June in the Savoie Regio... Read more
GEO-ENGINEERING IS REAL: There are ongoing programs to manipulate weather but is it worth it?
GEO-ENGINEERING IS REAL: There are ongoing programs to manipulate weather but is it worth it? James Pascual Farmers forum Geoengineering isn’t new. U.S. President Lyndon Johnson spoke about it 1962. You can easily find online his speech to the Southwest Texas State University in 1962.... Read more
FRANCE REVOLTS: French gov’t goes hyper-vigilant on diseased cattle as farmers set fires, blockades, shoot manure
🚨🇫🇷 All across France today French Farmers have been telling the EU to “Eat Shit” whilst spraying Government Buildings with literal shit. The EU actively works against the interests of European people including the Farmers. pic.twitter.com/MDlYkPaVbd — Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) December 1... Read more
FRENCH POLICE EAT S—: Farmers spray police cars
🚨🇫🇷 FRENCH FARMERS TO EU… “EAT SHIT”: POLICE CARS SMEARED IN MANURE AS RAGE BOILS OVER French farmers have escalated their protests… literally, by dumping piles of manure on police vehicles in a furious rejection of EU policies that they say are killing their livelihoods. At… pic.twitter.com/H08Kad9... Read more
French farmers blockade government buildings, set fires in the streets
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) December 12, 2025 Read more
TAD PECKISH: The prodigal son
OPINION: The prodigal son Let me tell you about young Caleb McAllister, third and least essential son of Angus McAllister who farms 400 acres of the rockiest, stingiest clay in Renfrew County. Caleb grew up milking cows before the sun bothered to nudge the roosters. One spring morning in his 20th ye... Read more
OPINION: Classic rock work day — Funny how hard work in a loud space seems to require hard rock cranked up
OPINION: Classic rock work day Funny how hard work in a loud space seems to require hard rock cranked up As the demands of vegetable growing die down, this business of building a house speaks for every daylight hour we have. The builder we’ve hired to accomplish this has really impressed me.... Read more
Supply management critic in the running to represent Canada as ambassador in Washington
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Is Prime Minister Mark Carney about to appoint a supply-management critic as our next ambassador to the U.S. at a time of attempted trade negotiations with an American president who also has it out for Canadian dairy? Current ambassador Kirsten Hillman recent... Read more
Canadian meat advocacy office opens in Beijing
Canadian meat advocacy office opens in Beijing Canada-China trade tensions still persist Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada is trying to thaw its relations with the Chinese, and that includes on the agricultural front. There’s no headway yet on China’s canola tariffs, but the Chinese customs... Read more
New funding up to $16,000 to improve marginal lands in East-Central Ontario — but not for farming
New funding up to $16,000 to improve marginal lands in East-Central Ontario Special to Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH – Farmers in East Central Ontario now have access to up to $16,000 in cost-share funding to transform marginal and less productive farmland into resilient, eco-friendly landscapes throug... Read more
CRIME RING BUSTED: Group terrorized Canadians —- murder, attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, armed robbery — from Western Ontario to Eastern Ontario
ONTARIO & QUEBEC – Investigators with York Regional Police, along with joint-forces operation partners, have made 13 arrests and have dismantled a violent criminal group operating in Ontario and Quebec. Between April 15, 2024 and March 20, 2025, a series of violent incidents… pic.twitter.com/lOI... Read more
Average Ontario farmer’s profit dropped 7 % in 2024
Hog producers earn most revenue but potato producers earn most profit Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The average Ontario farm’s basic profit declined 7 % to just less than $98,550 after expenses in 2024, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada. The 2024 drop in basic... Read more
HELL NO: Ontario wants 96 new wind turbine projects but rurals not interested
Ontario wants more wind turbine projects but locals not interested OTTAWA — Wind turbine projects are so controversial that we stopped seeing new projects after 2021. But Ontario has just opened the door to more projects. Depending on where you live, you might never see a wind turbine. But there are... Read more
Agri-tourism hot spot thrives on simple real-world experiences, innovation and an ‘ideas’ man
Agri-tourism hot spot thrives on simple real-world experiences, willingness to innovate and an ‘ideas’ man Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum UXBRIDGE — Running Hy-Hope Farm has been a family adventure into the wild world of agri-tourism. What began with a folding table on the roadside selling s... Read more
More Canadians buying local, less trust in food retailers, survey says
More Canadians buying local, less trust in food retailers, survey says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Driven by a combination of patriotism and a desire for higher quality, nearly 42 % of surveyed Canadians reported “often” choosing to buy local food this fall, a “drastic” increase from the 25.3 % mak... Read more
REPORT: Farmers face increased costs while consumers brace for even higher grocery bills in 2026
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The price of meat and other food will continue to rise in 2026, which may bring a smile to some farmers’ faces, but that’s tempered by possible labour shortages hiking the on-farm cost of production, according to the latest food price report published by Dalhousie Univer... Read more
Canadian government to buy 4,000 acres of mostly farmland for $40-billion radar system in Simcoe County
Canadian government to buy 4,000 acres of mostly farmland for $40-billion radar system in Simcoe County 50 landowners received letter of government intention to buy their land or their neighbours The shocking letter from the Department of Nation Defence (DND) “came out of the blue,” said Rachel Broo... Read more
Three pickup truck models among most common stolen vehicles in Ontario
Three pickup truck models among most common stolen vehicles in Ontario Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Three pickup truck models very familiar to farmers were among the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Ontario in 2024, according to the latest figures from Équité Association, the national insurance crime... Read more
COURT TRANSCRIPT: 6 months in jail and 18 months probations for not having a firearms possession licence
Even judge seems surprised that Ronald Greene’s charge was just for not having a licence Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — It’s a cautionary, and scary, tale for any senior farmer with an old groundhog gun and little time for the paperwork changes that have occurred over the decades. Because he neg... Read more
OPINION: The state vs. the ostriches — Rules are rules, says food inspection agency
OPINION: The state vs. the ostriches — Rules are rules, says food inspection agency Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Lack of evidence of sickness in the 300-plus doomed birds be damned. What does the macabre mass shooting of those B.C. ostriches tell us about the Canadian Food Ins... Read more
PEI to investigate foreign land ownership
PEI to investigate foreign land ownership CHARLOTTETOWN — The Prince Edward Island legislature has responded to concerns that the small island province has sold too much land to Chinese nationals. The premier has asked the RCMP to investigate foreign interference in the province with specific emphas... Read more
FALSE POSITIVE: Organic dairy farmers speak out against faulty milk test and unfair fine
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum IROQUOIS — An Eastern Ontario dairy-farming couple are steamed and stressed out after their October milk cheque was docked $1,649 because a sample of their fully organic milk tested positive for an antibiotic they say couldn’t be there. But then three follow-ups teste... Read more
Sheep producers promote ramping up production: Aim to supply 50 % of Canadian demand
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario’s sheep farmers want 50 % of domestic demand for lamb to be filled by Ontario producers by 2040. It’s a new goal promoted at the Ontario Sheep Farmers’ annual general meeting, Oct. 30 in Cambridge. Ontario’s 3,000 sheep producers currently supply only 30 % of Can... Read more
10 years making their own ice cream, cheese and yogurt
Stocking big stores was not worth it and the financial stress has taken a toll Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum IROQUOIS — It’s a rare breed of Ontario dairy farmer who processes and markets his own milk, and Josh Biemond knows well the joys and pitfalls of plunging into the on-farm dairy-proc... Read more
OPINION: Liberals wage unnecessary war against religion
The federal Liberals insist their new bill is needed to protect religious Canadians from hate. In reality, it does the opposite — it will expose people of faith to criminal prosecution for the simple act of quoting their own sacred texts. The Liberals and Bloc Québécois have made a deal to eliminate... Read more
Join Ontario farmers on trip to Chile dairy with 90 robotic milkers
Special to Farmers Forum The Progressive Dairy Operators have planned a March 2026 educational tour of South American dairy farms, but because of airline flight deadlines they face very tight timelines for registration. Dairying on that continent is progressing by leaps and bounds with some very lar... Read more
CATTLE ROYALE: Eastern Ontario scores big wins at Toronto Royal
CATTLE ROYALE: Eastern Ontario scores big wins at Toronto Royal Farmers Forum staff TORONTO —Eastern Ontario cattle had a significant impact in the livestock show rings at the 2025 Royal Winter Fair last month. While the overall supreme dairy championship was captured by an American Jersey cow, the... Read more
STEVE KELL: Our competitive advantage is moving 900 shipping containers each week
STEVE KELL GRAIN MERCHANDIZER FARMERS FORUM There is really no debating the fact that bulk cargo vessels are the most cost effective way to ship large volumes of grain to export markets around the world. Ontario grain and oilseed producers enjoy a distinct advantage over their competitors in other g... Read more
OPINION: Ottawa doesn’t care about you (and the budget proves it)
OTTAWA DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOU Patrick Meagher Editor Farmers Forum What more needs to happen before people realize that their government is broken and doesn’t work for them anymore? What more evidence must there be before people notice that the federal government, in the words of former Prime... Read more
CANADA’S OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS: Western Ontario family nixed diversity to focus on sheep and wool
They went all in for sheep: meat cuts, breeding stock, as well as wool blankets, pillows and socks James Pascual Farmers Forum WALLENSTEIN — Remember those days, not so long ago, when the most common advice for farmers was to diversify? Ryan and Romy Schill went the other way. The Wallenstein couple... Read more
Constructions starts on Canada’s largest battery energy storage project — next to the village of Spencerville
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EDWARDSBURGH CARDINAL — A nearly $1 billion battery storage project has broken ground on 30 rural acres in the Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal, 60 km southwest of Ottawa, and a few kilometers east of Spencerville. Set for completion in 2027, the lithium ion batterie... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Corn yields look sad, bad and unmentionable
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — This year’s corn harvest in parts of central and Eastern Ontario will go down as poor at best and an outright disaster at worst, farmers and grain handlers say. The crop often suffered from a brutal combination of a wet spring, summer drought and a late-seaso... Read more
WHAT A RELIEF: No carbon tax on grain drying this year
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — This fall marks the first grain-drying season in seven years without the federal carbon tax on propane and natural gas, and the reaction from farmers and commercial dryers is unanimous: relief, tempered by the knowledge that dollars paid into the former Trud... Read more
Crowds gather for shotgun pumpkin cannon (video 5 sec.)
Targets old cars and grain buggies with pumpkins Charles Summers Farmers Forum SEELEY’S BAY — At this point in my life and career in agriculture, I no longer really experience jealousy. I used to burn with it when I saw someone with something I wanted, but the humiliations of striving have tempered... Read more
IT’S IN THE BUDGET: Ottawa proposes Farm Credit Canada to prefer transgendered farmers over “older white men”
James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Canadian Liberal government is going to review how much money is loaned to old white farmers. Why? A re-balance of the share of loans to favour unrepresented groups that include blacks, gays, Lesbians, transgendered men, transgendered woman and women farmers... Read more
Farmer to fight City of Ottawa over zoning change or says he will have to shut down
Flower and vegetable farm spent $150,000 to apply for minor zoning amendment Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A hint of emotion rises in the voice of vegetable farmer Ron Miller as he acknowledges the community support he’s received in a public battle with city hall that could push him out o... Read more
COURT TRANSCRIPT: 6 months in jail and 18 months probation for not having a firearms possession licence
Even judge seems surprised that farmer Ronald Greene’s charge was just for not having a licence Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — It’s a cautionary, and scary, tale for any senior farmer with an old groundhog gun and little time for the paperwork changes that have occurred over the decades. Because... Read more
OFA ANNUAL REPORT: Ontario’s largest farm group records 10th stellar financial year
James Pascual Farmers Forum TORONTO — Ontario’s largest farm organization completed its 10th stellar year in a row with a handsome profit. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture recorded a profit of $1.286 million for its 2024-2025 fiscal year ending August 31. As a non-profit, the OFA does not pay i... Read more
EXPERTS SAY: Stamp out CFIA, not the ostriches
James Pascual Farmers Forum GUELPH — Last month the Canadian Food Inspection Agency corralled almost 400 healthy ostriches into an enclosed pen and shot them dead. The ostriches had contracted Avian flu last year and the remaining 396 birds were apparently quite healthy, according to the birds’ Bri... Read more
BOVAER UPDATE: Sweden and Norway stop feed additive trials; Denmark allows dairy farmers to opt out if cows are sick
James Pascual Farmers Forum Denmark’s dairy industry has erupted in anger as farmers accuse the government-mandated feed additive Bovaer of poisoning livestock in a bid to curb methane emissions. Since October 1, farms with over 50 cows have been required to dose rations with the chemical 3-nitrooxy... Read more
TRACTOR ROLL TO JAIL: Police arrest British farmers in London protest over inheritance tax changes (video 1:23)
BREAKING: British farmers are in London to protest against tax changes. Police are now ARRESTING the farmers.pic.twitter.com/CXWWkgrbVp — PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) November 26, 2025 Read more
New Funding up to $16,000 to improve marginal lands in East-Central Ontario
New Funding up to $16,000 to improve marginal lands in East-Central Ontario Special to Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH – Farmers in East Central Ontario now have access to up to $16,000 in cost-share funding to transform marginal and less productive farmland into resilient, eco-friendly landscapes throu... Read more
Retiring at 77: Eastern Ontario’s only cranberry farmer calls it quits – he got into the business at age 52
Retiring at 77: Eastern Ontario’s only cranberry farmer retires – he got into the business at age 52 Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GREELY — The 15-acre pond at Upper Canada Cranberries has produced its last crop of the tart red berries for owner and founder Lyle Slater, who carved the opera... Read more
Remember Junior Farmers? Even townies wanted to join!
Remember Junior Farmers? Even townies wanted to join! Farmers Forum staff NAVAN — Everyone remembers the Junior Farmers: The broomball tournaments, hockey games, track and field events, baseball, square dancing and banquets. It was a great social club and even non-farming kids and townies joined. “T... Read more
OPINION: Ottawa doesn’t care about you
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum editor What more needs to happen before people realize that their government is broken and doesn’t work for them anymore? What more evidence must there be before people notice that the federal government, in the words of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is run by g... Read more
MEAT PRICES: Increase more than 20 % in one year (CTV video 1:39)
“For skyrocketing meat prices, the government can take action right now: lift import restrictions on beef products and get our supply-management house in order for poultry. Meat prices are out of control, and they shouldn’t be.” pic.twitter.com/e4p5Rn9Nct — The Food Professor (@FoodProfe... Read more
Free farm transition workshop in London Jan. 20 — progress made as more farms have a plan
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — It may be hard to believe but 2026 is just around the corner. As the calendar flips, the time is right for Ontario farm families to take another look at making or fine-tuning their succession plans for the future. “The New Year is the perfect time to celebrate our succes... Read more
REPORT: Canadians choosing local food surges as rising prices remain key concern
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Driven by a combination of patriotism and a desire for higher quality, nearly 42 % of surveyed Canadians reported “often” choosing to buy local food this fall, a “drastic” increase from the 25.3 % making that same choice last fall. That’s according to the latest Canadian... Read more
Conservation Authorities to get bigger: Ford plans to merge CAs
Province opens 45-day public comment period Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Ford government plans to amalgamate the province’s 36 conservation authorities into seven regional bodies, and the province wants to hear from the public before enacting the mergers through amendment to the Conservation Aut... Read more
Parliamentary Budget Officer speaks the ugly truth, and now his job is on the line
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney took a downright ‘Trumpy’ turn last week as Canada’s outspoken interim Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) Jason Jacques stared down the barrel of a “You’re fired!” outcome for upsetting the boss. At the end of September, Jacques annoyed the gov... Read more
CHINA AT THE FARMGATE: No way of knowing how much Chinese nationals own in Canada
CHINA AT THE FARMGATE: No way of knowing how much Chinese nationals own in Canada but critics say transparency of ownership needed Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Prince Edward Island has been embroiled in a controversy over farmland purchased by a religious group with connections to the Ch... Read more
Foreign farmers to get lion’s share of $392 million in Canadian climate money
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian taxpayers will cough up another $392 million for “international climate action projects,” including a big chunk earmarked for farmers in the developing world. Federal Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin announced the whopping expenditure Nov. 13 at the 30th Uni... Read more
Construction starts on province’s largest battery energy storage project, in Edwardsburgh Cardinal
Like 22,000 Tesla cars parked in one spot Farmers Forum staff EDWARDSBURGH CARDINAL — A nearly $1 billion battery storage project has broken ground on 30 rural acres in the Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal, 60 km southwest of Ottawa. Set for completion in 2027, the lithium ion batteries in the 411-... Read more
If your dog bites, you can be charged
If your dog bites, you can be charged Farmers Forum staff HURON COUNTY — Farmers love dogs but a grumpy dog can land you in a mess of trouble. A Goderich dog owner has been criminally charged after her three pitbull mixed dogs attacked and bit two people in separate incidents. In the first attack [... Read more
ANALYSIS: The state vs. the ostriches
Rules are rules, says food inspection agency Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Lack of evidence of sickness in the 300-plus doomed birds be damned. What does the macabre mass shooting of those B.C. ostriches tell us about the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and its relentless push for this fatal outco... Read more
OPINION: Why so many highway accidents and what can we do?
Why so many highway accidents and what can we do? WHAT is happening on our highways? Highway traffic collisions resulting in deaths have reached staggering numbers across Ontario. In just one month, there have been vehicle crashes with double-digit fatalities scarcely more than an hour’s drive of ea... Read more
OPINION: The man who cheated at the Holstein show with a cow that became a legend
OPINION: The man who cheated at the Holstein show with a cow that became a legend In the rolling hills of Eastern Ontario, where the air smells faintly of maple syrup — that gives it away, we’re talking Lanark County — lived Clem Chesterbuttons, a farmer with a dream bigger than his barn. Clem wasn’... Read more
OPINION: Thank you foodie Mom!
OPINION: Thank you foodie Mom! Thanksgiving dinner with Oma gives pause and time for warm memories of her Spartan sensibilities and hard-nosed work ethic Morgan and the kids and I got to spend Sunday with my mother and sister, and my nieces. What a pleasant time it was, and what a remarkable spread... Read more
Animal Justice files complaint over CFIA’s ‘mass killing’ of ostriches
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A prominent Canadian animal rights organization claims that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency likely broke animal cruelty laws in the way it shot and killed more than 300 ostriches at an Edgewood, B.C., farm earlier this month. Toronto-based Animal Justice says it has... Read more
OPINION: Tariffs 101 — U.S. tariffs are paid by U.S. buyers
Tariffs 101: U.S. tariffs are paid by U.S. buyers The tariffs imposed worldwide by Donald Trump are perhaps the most misunderstood and misinterpreted thing any politician has ever said or done. It is just Americans who don’t realize who is paying them nor where the money comes from and where it goes... Read more
CBC host Terry O’Reilly, psychologist Dr. Jody Carrington keynote speakers at January Ontario Agricultural Conference; registration open
Farmers Forum staff KEMPTVILLE — The Ontario Agricultural Conference returns to Kemptville, Ridgetown and Waterloo in January with a full suite of informative and educational sessions for farmers looking forward to the 2026 cropping year. “Planting Knowledge, Growing Prosperity” is the theme for th... Read more
CARNEY ON WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM VIDEO: We “need a revolution in the financial sector;” “accelerate omission reductions;” Net zero goals
Watch as Carney speaks in this promotional video for the WEF. Read more
AFTER THE WIND STORM: 4th generation dairy farmer goes for tie-stalls over free stalls in new barn
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum HAMMOND — An Eastern Ontario dairy farming family will celebrate 100 years and four generations of dedication to milking cows on Nov. 15. And although the modest owners don’t like to dwell on the fact, this milestone is all the more heartening after they endured a tra... Read more
Federal ag minister opens China meat office as Carney gov’t looks to thaw relations
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada is trying to thaw its relations with the Chinese, and that includes on the agricultural front. There’s no headway yet on China’s canola tariffs, but the Chinese customs service and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will continue to collaborate on tec... Read more
Ontario sheep farmers aim to supply 50% of domestic lamb demand in Canada by 2040
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Ontario Sheep Farmers organization wants 50 % of domestic demand for lamb to be filled by Ontario producers by 2040. It’s a new goal promoted at the Ontario Sheep Farmers’ annual general meeting, Oct. 30 in Cambridge. Ontario’s 3,000 sheep producers currently suppl... Read more
OPINION: LIAR LIAR… Carney’s pants are on fire
LIAR LIAR… Carney’s pants are on fire Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held a pre-budget press conference on Oct. 23 and in 60 seconds declared six things that are untrue at best or proveable lie at worst. He said: “I will always be straight about the challenges we face and the choices we m... Read more
DEAD OSTRICHES: Rounded up, shot and killed (Dacey Media video 1:46)
Universal Ostrich Farms – Edgewood, BC “That’s your Canadian government right there that just did this. I went to Bosnia, Somalia and Afghanistan and I did not serve my country for this bullsh*t that’s in front of us. The government committed their own a-f*ucking-trocity... Read more
Ford ponders pulling plug on F-150 Lightning electric truck
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ford’s all-electric pickup truck may be hitting the end of the road, according to the Wall Street Journal. The publication reported last week that Ford Motor Company executives “are in active discussions about scrapping” the F-150 Lighting, the electric version of the c... Read more
BOVAER IS EVERYWHERE: Feed-additive approved in 70 countries; could Denmark case be the outlier?
Farmers Forum staff The Denmark case of cows getting sick, even dying, after receiving Bovaer, appears to be an outlier. Bovaer is authorized in over 70 countries, including Canada, the EU (since 2022), the US (since May 2024), Australia, Brazil, and Japan. Regulators and users consider the feed-add... Read more
ANOTHER HERD ON FEED ADDITIVE BOVAER: More sick, dead cows in Denmark
The fifth farmer Kent Davidsen from Denmark, has now come forward and talks about sick and dead cows, due to the use of Bovaer. He urges other farmers to stop using Bovaer and his vet agrees with him. Please share this and help us stop the madnees🐄🇩🇰 Kent Nielsen 11/8 25 pic.twitter.com/bJEqODurML —... Read more
Farmer says Perth County using climate ‘fear’ tactics to justify potential new rules that restrict tree-cutting and woodlots
Farmer says Perth County using climate ‘fear’ tactics to justify potential new rules that restrict tree-cutting and woodlots Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Perth County’s new official plan became law in late September, and local dairy farmer John Van Dyk isn’t impressed with its new... Read more
Farm Credit Canada to prefer loans to transgendered farmers over old white guys
Farmers Forum staff The Canadian Liberal government is going to review how much money is loaned to old white farmers in Canada to re-balance the share of loans to favour unrepresented groups that include blacks, gays, Lesbians, transgendered men, transgendered woman and women farmers. A Finance Depa... Read more
Global warming is better than global cooling, researchers say
Global warming is better than global cooling, researchers say CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — Global warming might not be so bad. After all, cold temperatures kill more people than warm temperatures, concludes a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. A team of Cambridge, Massachusetts, researchers us... Read more
BACKGROUND: Ontario wants more wind turbine projects but Eastern Ontario not interested
BACKGROUND: Ontario wants more wind turbine projects but Eastern Ontario not interested James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Wind turbine projects are so controversial that we stopped seeing new projects after 2021. But Ontario has just opened the door to more projects. Depending on wh... Read more
U.S. dairy families want supply management too
U.S. dairy families want supply management too A group of family-owned dairy farms want supply management for the United States. The National Family Farm Coalition representing 100,000 American small-scale American farms lists supply management as one of its priorities, noting that “current f... Read more
CROP REPORT: Southwestern Ontario hauls in surprisingly good yields at high moisture levels
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report CORN • Corn harvest continued steadily as weather allowed. Grain Farmers of Ontario reports that corn harvest was 39 % complete as of Nov. 5. • Now that the calendar has turned to November, crop drydown will decelerate and, in some cases, halt. • Harvest moistures... Read more
OPINION: The budget is in the possession of a wolf
The Liberal government’s 333-page budget was filled with all the encouraging happy words like “Empowering,” “strengthening,” “protecting” and “enhancing.” If you’re new to politics, it sounded great. To anyone who has watched 10 years of planned destruction, it’s a euphemism for theft. Anyone... Read more
FLIP-FLOP: Billionaire Bill Gates says global warming will no longer kill us all
Billionaire Bill Gates says global warming will no longer kill us all Meanwhile his green empire profits either way James Pascual Farmers Forum analysis Bill Gates has called for a “strategic pivot” away from doomsday climate rhetoric, insisting the crisis “will not lead to humanity’s demise” and ur... Read more
Winter chicken transporting decision avoids winter shutdown, lawyer argues
Winter chicken transporting avoids winter shutdown, lawyer argues Moonfleet Poultry beats Canadian Food Inspection Agency in three cases Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FERGUS — A poultry trucking company has won a huge victory absolving it of responsibility for the deaths of 172 broilers on... Read more
OPINION: Bin buster vs. lackluster
OPINION: Bin buster vs. lackluster Corn bin buster in U.S., lower yields in Ontario but good news is we have just enough to supply Canadian end users and there’s a sweet price point to be had The dominant headline news story in grain markets through the 2025 growing season has been about how big of... Read more
Dairy farmer buys 3-year-old Holstein and wins regional show the next month
Dairy farmer buys 3-year-old Holstein and wins regional show the next month Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum METCALFE — ‘Famipage Believe Blue’ sashayed into the Metcalfe exhibition barn and was named grand champion at the 2025 Eastern Ontario Western Quebec Holstein show for her new owners, Velthuis... Read more
DAIRY CRISIS IN COPENHAGEN: Farmers accuse government of poisoning cows
Danish Dairy Crisis: Bovaer Feed Additive Sparks Outrage Farmers Forum staff Denmark’s dairy industry has erupted in anger as farmers accuse the government-mandated feed additive Bovaer of poisoning livestock in a bid to curb methane emissions. Since October 1, farms with over 50... Read more
From stolen trucks to shoplifted steaks, crime shocks rural Ontario
From stolen trucks to shoplifted steaks, crime shocks rural Ontario Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHESTERVILLE — In the latest sign of Canada’s societal rot and economic deterioration, a rural grocery chain is slapping down new security measures as shoplifting losses have recently surged to $1,000... Read more
Southwestern Ontario man hit with hefty fine for running unlicensed milk plant
Southwestern Ontario man hit with hefty fine for running unlicensed milk plant CLIFFORD — Steven Martin has been fined again for operating an unlicensed milk plant outside rural Clifford, in Huron County. Justice of the Peace Karl McNamara handed down the $68,750 penalty, including $13,750 victims’... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO Crop Report: Wild corn yield variations; soybean yields down 50 % in Quinte West
CORN • About 75 % of the corn harvested by Oct. 29. • In general, yields are about 20 % to 30 % lower than the last 5-year average. • Most growers are saying yields are better than expected, based on what they thought the year would be like. • A lot of corn at 19 % […] Read more
SOMETHING ROTTEN IN DENMARK: Second farmer sees herd sickened after gov’t orders Bovaer feed (video 5:17)
Now the second farmer from Denmark has come forward. It’s the same story about sick cows and reduced milk production. Remember that food poisoning is also taking place. But farmers must feed Bovaer or face heavy fines. See Denmark farmer Kent Nielsen’s video posted on Nov. 3. Now the sec... Read more
Highway accidents involving farm machinery tick upwards
Farmer slammed from behind says there are more accidents as equipment gets bigger Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORWOOD —Peterborough-area beef farmer John Lunn escaped serious injury on a local road after a pickup truck violently rear-ended the baler attached to his tractor, snapping his head bac... Read more
Highway accidents up as more than 1-million more drivers on the road since 2018
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Many farmers have been complaining that there are too many dangerous drivers on the road. They’re right. By late October, the number of collisions between regular motorists and farm equipment was up 8.5% over the same time frame last year, according to the Ontario Provin... Read more
Distraction thefts hit rural Ontario
One theft in Peterborough County, three in Southwestern Ontario Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — A trio of bearded thieves pretended to be customers at a farmgate market while one of them broke into the farmer’s house and stole jewellery. The ruse unfolded Sept. 25 at a farm on County... Read more
Cross-border winter wheat competition sets new program record of over 180 bushels per acre
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Grey County’s Wayne Metzger posted the highest winter wheat yield among Ontario competitors in the 2024-2025 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network competition, an event open to growers in Ontario and the state of Michigan. He placed second overall. But Nick Suwyn, of Wa... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO CORN HARVEST: From good to “I’m amazed that there’s anything”
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — By the end of October, Eastern Ontario’s corn harvest was coming off the field with variable yields demonstrating the dramatic difference just a little extra rain could make during an exceptionally hot and dry growing season. Whatever the yield, growers gene... Read more
Canadian variable combine concave among top 100 innovations of year, TIME magazine says
Farmers Forum staff MANITOBA — In a nod to Canadian agricultural innovation, Thunderstruck Ag Equipment’s new combine concave has been selected as one of TIME magazine’s 100 best inventions of 2025. According to TIME, the variable concave design boosts harvesting speeds by 25 %, slashes grain loss,... Read more
Warkworth dairy farmer Mark Atkinson killed while planting; fundraiser set up for his young family
Farmers Forum staff WARKWORTH — An Ontario dairy farmer lost his life in a Thanksgiving Day accident on his family’s Warkworth-area farm. Mark Atkinson, 41, the father of two young boys, died on Monday, Oct. 13, while out in the field planting wheat, Northumberland County Federation of Agriculture... Read more
CHINA WAS THE BIG SECURITY THREAT LAST APRIL: But our strategic partner six months later
Below: Durring election debate this year, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the biggest security threat to Canada was China That was just another election lie pic.twitter.com/9WIJ17zr6W — MBrant75 (@MBrant75) October 24, 2025 Fast forward six months and China is now our partner. What happened t... Read more
Ericka Mathers is grand champion 4-H dairy showperson at Metcalfe Fair
Ericka Mathers is grand champion 4-H dairy showperson at Metcalfe Fair METCALFE — Ericka Mathers’ skill in the ring earned her the overall title of Grand Champion showperson at the 2025 4-H regional dairy show at the Metcalfe Fair, Oct. 4. And she’s still only a junior. The 14-year-old Dundas County... Read more
CANADA HEALTH MINISTER APPEARS STUNNED: Not able to answer question, or say even one word, about ostriches (video 1:33)
This is an embarrassment to the new minister. She actually looked engaged as I spoke but before she could say a word some handler (An assistant? A minder from the PMO?) shut her down. I had my say; the minister herself was silenced. By whom? And why? Totally undermined her. https://t.co/kp5cE6CdYD —... Read more
SHOCK STUDY: Stop worrying about global warming, the cold kills more than the heat
Read the document: Click link Cold kills more than heat Read more
Canada falls to 27th in quality of life, according to popular online data collector
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada has fallen to 27th place on a global quality of life index maintained by popular online survey operator Numbeo. But even worse, almost every country in the world has been on a five-year trend downward in quality of life and freedom. So, in a world that is less-fre... Read more
What a difference a month makes: ‘Blue’ is Grand Champion at Eastern Ontario Western Quebec Holstein show
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum METCALFE — ‘Famipage Believe Blue’ sashayed into the Metcalfe exhibition barn and won the Grand Championship at the 2025 Eastern Ontario Western Quebec for her new owners, Velthuis Farms Ltd. of Osgoode. Steven Velthuis was already a believer in Blue when he watched h... Read more
MEET THE SQUASH FAMILY: There’s easy-peasy butternut, tough-as-nails spaghetti squash, unassuming Delicata & ever popular pie pumpkin
Meet the Squash family There’s easy-peasy butternut, tough-as-nails spaghetti squash, unassuming Delicata and ever popular pie pumpkin We get so much love from our customers, always cheering us on (thank you!). But some things make them angry. Top three: 1) when we’re sold out of strawberries... Read more
GET YOUR OCTOBER FARMERS FORUM AT THESE LOCATIONS NOW
Due to the current Canada Post strike, the current issue of Farmers Forum (Eastern Ontario edition) will be available at select locations from Uxbridge to the Quebec border. Please see the posted map for locations where Farmers Forum can be picked up today. Other locations will be added as drivers d... Read more
Why buy nitrogen when you can make it yourself?
Kentucky business sells nitrogen maker for Cdn $67,000 Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — A new on-farm nitrogen-manufacturing technology promises to lessen farmers’ dependence on increasingly expensive commercial fertilizer — and at a starting capital cost roughly the same as a pickup truc... Read more
Boost your corn yield “50 bushels” with this man-made rain maker
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — A new autonomous irrigation machine on wheels about the size of a combine nourished a handful of Ontario fields this year.. The impressive 360 Rain machine, distributed in Ontario by Grand River Robotics, drives through the field like a towering tractor on... Read more
OPINION: The man who could grow corn
The man who could grow corn Warren Jenkins was a corn and soybean legend north of Maxville. He was the kind of guy who’d stare down a tractor tire like it owed him money. He was focused. But it wasn’t always that way. When he started out he didn’t run a business. He ran a […] Read more
Warkworth dairy farmer dies in Thanksgiving Day farm accident
Farmers Forum staff CAMPBELLFORD — An Ontario dairy farmer lost his life in a Thanksgiving Day accident on his family’s Warkworth-area farm. Sources in the community have identified him as Mark Atkinson. The farmer died on Monday, Oct. 13, while out in the field planting wheat, Northumberland County... Read more
High tech ideas at the Farm Show
Farmers Forum staff A highlight of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock last month was the high tech and robotic innovations. There were drones, autonomous tractors and robots that will follow you like a dog. Here is a sampling. Strongbo weight scale Ontario manager James Clark demonstrates the $... Read more
OPINION: More common sense advice from old cranky pants
More common sense advice from old cranky pants A farmer slapped me on the back at a crop plot gathering of farmers in my neighbourhood last month and asked me what cranky pants Maynard was going to be writing about this month. He remembered the article I wrote last Thanksgiving for the Ottawa Citize... Read more
Ostriches with avian flu or immunity? Government doesn’t care, virologist argues
Ottawa vs. ostriches Federal government not interested in knowing if ostriches are infected with avian flu or even if they have immunity, virologist argues Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A scientific advisor to the British Columbia farm that’s home to 400 threatened ostriches... Read more
OPINION: New hate bill and you are the target
OPINION: New hate bill and you are the target Fear and hatred are emotions that fluctuate and are impossible to measure but our Canadian Liberal government plans on measuring them anyway and jailing up to 10 years those who stir them up. Yes, thoughts could become criminal. Bill C-9 is being debated... Read more
Federal-provincial funding boost for marginal lands farming
Federal-provincial funding boost for marginal lands farming Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — The federal and Ontario governments announced up to $14.6 million through the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) targeting Eastern Ontario’s farm-dependent rural economies. The funding, part of the... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: It’s been a tough crop year for many farmers. How has it been for you?
HAVE YOUR SAY: It’s been a tough crop year for many farmers. How has it been for you? WOODSTOCK — Farmers Forum’s Nelson Zandbergen was at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show last month and asked farmers how their crops were doing in a drought year. As you would expect, crops were awful, average or awesome,... Read more
Kemptville College Alumni Association has two more $1,500 scholarships to give away
Farmers Forum staff KEMPTVILLE — A pair of $1,500 scholarships are up for grabs from the Kemptville College Alumni Association. The organization is calling for applications from students at accredited colleges who entered their second year in a food- or agricultural-related program in September 2025... Read more
OPINION: JUSTICE NOT SERVED IN THE CASE OF FARMER RONALD GREENE
The Canadian justice system owes 71-year-old crop farmer Ronald Greene much more than an apology. Greene spent 130 days in jail only to discover that the crown had such a flimsy case that in the Ottawa courthouse on Oct. 3 it dropped the charge of uttering threats. But then there was the charge of n... Read more
OPINION: The seven sisters (all Holsteins) from Hell
The seven sisters (all Holsteins) from Hell I was recently asked, “In the years you have been writing, which column had the greatest and most varied responses from readers?” It didn’t take much thinking to come up with the answer and it was hands down the winner of everything I have written in any p... Read more
The Great Ostrich Debacle: Kill the now healthy birds or study them for clues to immunity?
ANALYSIS The Great Ostrich Debacle: Kill the now healthy birds or study them for clues to immunity? James Pascual Farmers Forum In the remote hamlet of Edgewood, in southern British Columbia, a feathered standoff has unfolded pitting an ostrich farm with an increasingly obvious inept federal... Read more
If your dogs bite, you can be charged
If your dogs bite, you can be charged Farmers Forum staff HURON COUNTY — Farmers love dogs but a grumpy dog can land you in a mess of trouble. A Goderich dog owner, in Western Ontario, has been criminally charged after her three pitbull mixed dogs attacked and bit two people in separate incidents. I... Read more
OPINION: The three pillars of civilization but only one really counts
OPINION: The three pillars of civilization but only one really counts Most Western World governments seem to be heading in the same wrong direction no matter who they elect. Voting doesn’t seem to change anything even though these countries all proudly claim to be democracies. Across Europe and Engl... Read more
CANADA A POLICE STATE BY CHRISTMAS: If Bill C-2, Bill C-8 and Bill C-9 pass (VIDEO 5:24 min.)
An important video by John Carpay: “Canada will be a police state by Christmas if Parliament passes bills C-2, C-8, and C-9 in their current form. Our freedoms are fragile – it is imperative that every Canadian contact their Member of Parliament, whether your MP is Liberal,… pic.twitter.com/xqjB5SqP... Read more
Mobile oil-spraying franchise could be a perfect fit for a young farmer
Mobile oil-spraying franchises could be a perfect fit for a young farmer Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK — Ontario farmers know all about rust — what with moisture, salt, manure gases and harsh weather inflicting rusty damage on equipment, bins, buildings, and of course, vehicles. So farmers ju... Read more
Laird Weagant reflects on a life in the equipment business and when dad traded forage equipment for a cottage
45 years in the farm equipment business Laird Weagant reflects on a life in the equipment business and when dad traded forage equipment for a cottage Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum staff Laird Weagant was in the farm equipment business for 45 years. He was the president of Weagant Farm Suppl... Read more
Minister says his own gun buyback program won’t work, then says he was only kidding
Minister says his own gun buyback program won’t work, then says he was only kidding Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Don’t worry, rural rifle owners, police won’t be able to enforce Ottawa’s vaunted gun buyback program anyway. So forgive this nothingburger of a policy that’s really intended... Read more
CRICKET FACTORY SOLD: Taxpayers poured $35 million into massive failure
CRICKET FACTORY SOLD: Taxpayers poured $35 million into massive failure Farmers Forum staff LONDON — The carcass of the world’s largest cricket factory supported by millions in federal tax dollars is now owned by a real estate and manufacturing firm after the recent conclusion of receivership procee... Read more
79-year-old South Dundas farmer killed in tractor rollover
Farmers Forum staff SOUTH DUNDAS — A 79-year-old former South Dundas dairy farmer was killed Sept. 29 in a tractor rollover accident. Beat Schraner was pronounced dead on a trail near the intersection of Caughnawaga Road and Forest Road, northwest of Morrisburg while doing preparation work on his pr... Read more
STEVE KELL: Forward contract soybeans and avoid U.S. glut and price pressure
OPINION: Forward contract soybeans and avoid U.S. glut and price pressure The hard reality of the fall of 2025 is that the United States has no chance of running short of soybeans. Between great yield expectation and being shut out of the world’s largest export market, American soybean inventories a... Read more
Highline Mushrooms fined $143,750 after worker injury amid shift to robotic harvesting
Highline Mushrooms fined $143,750 after worker injury amid shift to robotic harvesting Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ESSEX COUNTY — Highline Produce Limited, Canada’s largest mushroom grower, will pay a $143,750 fine after a worker became entangled in netting material and was critically injured. T... Read more
DISPLACED BY ROBOTS: Prince Edward County mushroom plant to close
DISPLACED BY ROBOTS: Prince Edward County mushroom plant to close Farmers Forum staff PICTON — Highline Mushrooms will shut down its Prince Edward County production facility by the end of the year, eliminating 300 Eastern Ontario jobs as the company brings a new state-of-the-art robotic mushr... Read more
Frozen chickens delivered in January could have chill effect on winter shipping, lawyer argues
Frozen chickens delivered in January could have chill effect on winter shipping, lawyer argues Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A $13,000 penalty imposed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on a chicken-catching company after 172 broiler chickens were discovered frozen in a... Read more
DROUGHT YEAR BUT NOT DIRE STRAITS: Corn, soybean yields average unless you farmed in bone dry regions
Drought year but not dire straits Corn and soybean yields will be average unless you farmed in the bone dry regions Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — Despite drought conditions affecting large areas of the province, Ontario farms as a group are on track for corn and soybean yields matching... Read more
South Dundas fire chief gone after wheat field fire debacle
South Dundas fire chief gone after wheat field fire debacle Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SOUTH DUNDAS — Two months after controversy erupted over a local fire department’s handling of a South Dundas wheat-field fire and its fire chief has left the job. The municipality announced the departure of... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report CORN • September rain varied from 10-40 mm. Frost across most of the area Sept. 20 and 21 ended the 2025 growing season.• Grain corn was mainly at ¾ milk line to black layer maturity when frost hit. • Yield loss from frost expected to be 2-10 %. • Standability may [... Read more
HE’S OUT: After four months in jail, Carp farmer Ronald Greene, 71, released after quick trial
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — In an apparent plea deal, Carp-area beef farmer Ronald Greene, 71, was finally released from jail on Oct. 3 — after 130 days in a cramped jail cell following his arrest for not being licensed to legally own his old .22 rifle and for allegedly uttering threats. A friend... Read more
Arkona boy, 15, dies in farm accident; found in water tank in presence of hydrogen sulfide gas
Farmers Forum staff MIDDLESEX COUNTY — A 15-year-old boy died Sept. 20 after he was found unconscious in an underground water tank at a North Middlesex farm in Western Ontario. The death of James Aaron Brown was the sixth on-farm fatality in Ontario this year. He was the second minor killed. The... Read more
Highline Produce fined $115,000 after mushroom worker critically injured in Kingsville
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ESSEX COUNTY — Highline Produce Limited, Canada’s largest mushroom grower, will pay a $115,000 fine after a worker became entangled in netting material and was critically injured. The worker was seriously hurt on July 20, 2023, while operating a net washer machi... Read more
100-acre bush and bog fire burning out of control in North Dundas
Farmers Forum staff WINCHESTER — A 100-acre bush fire is burning out of control southeast of Ottawa in a swampy area known for its flammable ‘muck’ soil that can burn in dry conditions. The Township of North Dundas has declared a state of emergency in response to the blaze. North Dundas firefighters... Read more
DISPLACED BY ROBOTS: Prince Edward County mushroom plant closing down
Farmers Forum staff PICTON — Highline Mushrooms will shut down its Prince Edward County production facility by the end of the year, eliminating 300 Eastern Ontario jobs as the company brings a new state-of-the-art robotic mushroom plant online in Southwestern Ontario. The impending closure of Highli... Read more
FOUR MONTHS AND COUNTING: Another delay in 71-year-old farmer’s quest for bail
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Beef farmer Ronald Greene, 71, is approaching four months behind bars on unproven charges that include the alleged improper storage and unlicensed ownership of his old .22 rifle that police turned up while raiding his Carp farm in response to an individual’s... Read more
Christian Syrian odyssey: From war-torn homeland to Eastern Ontario
Christian Syrian odyssey: From war-torn homeland to Eastern Ontario Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RUSSELL — From the terraced wheat fields and olive groves of Syria, Ramy Fahoom and his wife, Maya Sallourn, have been putting down roots in Eastern Ontario farm country with the help of local grain... Read more
Drought-related variability aside, average corn, soybean yields predicted by Great Lakes Grains in 2025
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — Despite drought conditions affecting large areas of the province, Ontario farms as a group are on track for corn and soybean yields matching the 10-year provincial average, according to the 16th annual crop assessment tour conducted by Great Lakes Grain an... Read more
Q&A: with Maggie Hope Braun
Q&A: with Maggie Hope Braun Grassroots push back against global agenda messing with municipalities Q. Does KICLEI have more activities coming up in Eastern Ontario? A. We do have a number of counties, regions, and individual towns actively engaged right now. Our local advocates are meeting with... Read more
I get the latest news from ‘The Rock’
I get the latest news from ‘The Rock’ Over the past several years, as news gets more volatile and our lives become busier and complicated, it seems that the local news about our community, friends and neighbours has been harder to find and keep up to date with. Here, in our area, the Cornwall... Read more
He head-faked potato beetles and planted his garden potatoes in July
He head-faked potato beetles and planted his garden potatoes in July The last Sunday in June, a man at church asked me how my potatoes were doing and I told him they weren’t planted yet. He was surprised because for years I had new potatoes ready to eat the first week of July. I […] Read more
American buys combine, stuck in Canada
American buys combine, stuck in Canada Must document how much non-US steel is in the machine OTTAWA — A Trump administration crackdown that aims to tariff every bit of non-U.S. steel in manufactured imports left an American custom farm operator in the lurch after he purchased a 17-year-old combine f... Read more
SHOCK IMPORT: U.S. supplies Canada with its ‘parent’ broiler eggs and it comes with declining fertility
SHOCK IMPORT: U.S. supplies Canada with its ‘parent’ broiler eggs and it comes with declining fertility Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The grandmother of every chicken served for supper today in Canada lives — or lived — in the United States. In short, the root of the Canadian poultry mea... Read more
Re-arrange your priorities and make room for family
There’s always work to do Re-arrange your priorities and make room for family I got arrested a couple of weeks ago. Right in our front room. Not by the local cops. Not by the RCMP. Completely unexpected: Bound, rendered immobile and helpless. I offered no resistance. It was among the most gri... Read more
OFA asks Ottawa for farm tax breaks, interest-free loans
OFA asks Ottawa for farm tax breaks, interest-free loans Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has asked the federal Department of Finance to provide tax incentives to allow farming to thrive. Ontario’s largest farm lobby group made it submission to the pre-budget consul... Read more
Japan proves excess deaths in COVID vaccinated
Japan proves excess deaths in COVID vaccinated One year after your last COVID jab and if you’re still alive you’re as likely to die as an unvaccinated, Japanese researcher says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A Japanese professor claims to have uncovered proof of a stunning surge in excess deaths 3 to... Read more
GOD IS COOL AGAIN: Sharp rise in interest in Christ, but not covered by big media
Sharp rise in interest in Christ, but not covered by big media Farmers Forum staff Just when you thought that Christianity was dying, there is a surge in widespread conversions from Islam and atheism to Christianity, and Protestant conversions to Catholicism. According to Global Christian Relief the... Read more
The good, bad and ugly in the Ontario farm commodity insurance program — Are small farms getting left behind?
The good, bad and ugly in the Ontario farm commodity insurance There’s now more money in the Risk Management Program but some fear that costs are rising faster than coverage and small farms are getting left behind James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — One of the biggest concerns among Ontario farmers... Read more
CHARLES SUMMERS: When Mother Nature gets ugly
A wicked wind and a spark while harvesting wheat and 30-acres of Charlie Forman’s field burned up. WHEN MOTHER NATURE GETS UGLY A merciless weather season brings stress, anxiety and humility — if we only step back we’ll notice how blessed we ar CHARLES SUMMERS FARMERS FORU... Read more
Eastern Ontario equipment dealer Laird Weagant retires
Laird Weagant retires Helped to steer family farm equipment empire for decades Farmers Forum staff BROCKVILLE — After 45 years in the farm equipment business, Laird Weagant has hung up his hat and parked his forklift for good. The Weagant Farm Supplies president and general manager of its Brockville... Read more
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers offer scholarships to four outstanding local youth
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers offer scholarships to four outstanding local youth OTTAWA — At the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers annual general meeting held recently in Kinburn, four Eastern Ontario youth were each presented with a $2,500 scholarship to support their ongoing pursuit of a post-secondary educ... Read more
TAD PECKISH: The irony of life — The world hates what Lucky loves
The irony of life: The world hates what Lucky loves Meet Luke, a 22-year-old crop farmer from the sunbaked fields of Southwestern Ontario when I met him and I can’t get more specific about his whereabouts or his father will kill me. Luke was an awesome farmer. He loved the land and loved to work [... Read more
OPINION: Governments are tax monsters
Governments are tax monsters Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum There’s some misplaced anger among some of the youth. They can’t stand the boomer generation, born after the Second World War and today includes everyone from their early 60s and older. Our youth loathe them. I am talking about the red-pille... Read more
Sweet corn suffers across the province (Eastern Ontario and Western Ontario reports)
SWEET CORN SUFFERS WESTERN ONTARIO REPORT (the Eastern Ontario report follows): NORFOLK COUNTY — Dry conditions across a lot of Southwestern Ontario challenged sweet corn producers this summer, with outcomes varying based on access to irrigation, soil conditions and rainfall received.... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Apple harvest looks good, though some apples a little small
Apple harvest looks good Farmers Forum staff LONDON — Southwestern Ontario apple growers looked forward to a generally good 2025 crop despite a summer of drought and variable weather. Sue Guenther, of Aylmer Big Apple Orchard in Elgin County, reported abundant apples across her operation’s 15... Read more
In succession planning, equal isn’t always fair
In succession planning, equal isn’t always fair Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — In farm succession planning, treating children equally does not always mean fair, as farm assets differ from liquid cash due to ongoing business risks and the need for active management. That’s the observation of Regina law... Read more
U.S. FREAK ACCIDENT – six dead in manure pit
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Six men died last month in the manure pit at a Colorado dairy farm. According to media reports, a contractor turned on a pump or valve while working inside the pit and accidentally released a surge of hydrogen sulfide. He was immediately overcome by the poison gas. Five... Read more
STEVE KELL: Until this week, Canada protected electric cars but not canola
I need to start out by disclosing that I am a capitalist. Entrepreneurs are clever. Businesses are competitive, and if you want to develop the most efficient and cost- effective way to fulfill consumers needs, you simply need to step back and let the market figure it out. Unfortunately, history has... Read more
THE GENOCIDE OF OUR DAY: Israel argues that it must kill Palestinian children for security reasons
The genocide of our day Israel argues that it must kill Palestinian children for security reasons James Pascual Farmers Forum Israel has more than a problem on its hands. It is the only country in the world that is defined as a Jewish state. That means that whatever it does will reflect well or not... Read more
GREAT ONTARIO YIELD TOUR: Great yields for some but Central Ontario a “disaster”
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — The sizzling hot and dry summer is expected to push Ontario’s 2025 corn and soybean crop yields below the 10-year average, according to the Great Ontario Yield Tour. But Southwestern Ontario largely avoided the worst of the damage that has dragged down thi... Read more
U.S. cuts back on required diesel exhaust fluid in trucks and tractors
U.S. cuts back on required diesel exhaust fluid in trucks and tractors Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Diesel engines in trucking and agriculture have been crippled by onboard software designed to enforce the use of diesel exhaust fluid. Either you add the exhaust fluid or the softwa... Read more
Sweet corn yield suffers as dry weather takes toll
Sweet corn yield suffers as dry weather takes toll Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum INGLESIDE — Amid a parched summer that left much of Eastern Ontario begging for rain, sweet corn producers reported mixed results, with some facing smaller cobs, reduced yields and even bird invasions as the drought t... Read more
Elbows down, again, as Canada backs away from tariffs on U.S. goods
Elbows down, again, as Canada backs away from tariffs on U.S. goods Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Jaws hit the floor in unison with Mark Carney’s collapsing elbows last month when the prime minister abruptly ended retaliatory tariffs on American goods, effective Sept. 1, and declar... Read more
Poilievre vows to axe EV mandate, calls it a ban on rural living
Poilievre vows to axe EV mandate, calls it a ban on rural living Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says the incoming electric vehicle mandate amounts to a “ban on the rural way of life” and pledged a nationwide campaign to scrap the policy before i... Read more
DOUBLE WHAMMY: Farmers fear low yields, low prices
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Weeks of provincial drought combined with low commodity prices has evoked a double whammy of malaise for Ontario farmers. Particularly in parts of Eastern Ontario, producers braced for yield losses that appeared to be baked in by mid-August, whatever... Read more
WHEAT FIELD ABLAZE BUT FIRE CHIEF WOULD NOT SEND IN THE WATER TANKER
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum IROQUOIS — Ian and Tammy Mudde couldn’t believe their eyes. As flames ripped through their wheat field on a blazing hot and dry summer afternoon, two fire department water tankers and a pumper truck sat idle along the road on the orders of the Municipality of South Du... Read more
Want to destroy your country? It’s easy with immigration
OPINION: Want to destroy your country? It’s easy with immigration If I wanted to destroy Canada I would embrace the Liberal government agenda. The federal government created a massive housing shortage so severe that most young people will never own a house. The federal government achieved it by flyi... Read more
Free twilight tour at Cornwall-area farm with 31,000 planted trees
Farmers Forum staff CORNWALL — Around 31,000 trees have been planted at Raisin River Farms over the last 10 years, and a free twilight tour will showcase ongoing efforts to enhance the Cornwall-area dairy and crop farm’s biodiversity on Aug. 26. Scheduled 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the tour is organized by t... Read more
71-year-old farmer still in jail after 11 weeks as bail process drags on
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A wiry and weary-looking Ronald Greene sat in the prisoner’s box in an Ottawa courtroom after 11 weeks at the city’s notoriously hot and crowded Innes Road jail. After numerous brief court appearances exclusively via video link, the 71-year-old Carp-area farmer’s physica... Read more
Dancing tractors spin up fun before world record-breaking plow in 2026
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — François Latour and his “Dancing Tractors of St-Albert” troupe return for a series of performances in Eastern Ontario and Quebec. The Casselman carpenter, known for his 2019 Guinness World Record for 243 antique threshing machines operating at one time, has rallie... Read more
Did Lyme disease come from a U.S. lab?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — It was only in 1975 that Lyme disease was discovered after a cluster of children in Lyme, Connecticut, developed arthritis-like symptoms. The disease eventually arrived in Ontario when black legged ticks — also known as deer ticks — expanded their range with... Read more
OPINION: Ousted farmers’ market vendor makes a great comeback
Ousted farmers’ market vendor makes a great comeback While all of his friends sold apples, maple syrup, cheese and sweet corn, Gordie sold women’s underwear. “Lingerie,” he called it. “Softer than a politician’s promise.” He was the kind of guy who would shout his prices, as if three shouts w... Read more
OPINION: Quota, land and glass pipeline
The best three investments we made were in 1970 and they got us into the dairy business In my June column I told you about the best investment we made on the farm in my 55 years of farming. It was De Laval’s glass pipe-line milking because we used it twice every day for 27 […] Read more
DOING IT RIGHT: Brother and sister act carry the torch of progress in Augusta Township
“Lead, follow, or get out of the way,” goes the saying, and as I join the Connell siblings for evening chores, it’s clear that this goofy vegetable farmer with a camera needs to get out of the way, as he interviews the Connells at Locus Lane farm, in Augusta Township, north of Brockville. Ashley and... Read more
U.S. expected to ban Chinese from buying U.S. farmland
U.S. expected to ban Chinese from buying U.S. farmland Farmers Forum staff WASHINGTON — The U.S. government last month announced plans to ban Chinese nationals and other foreign adversaries from buying U.S. farmland. At the state level, 14 states, mostly in the Midwest and Great Plains, have laws re... Read more
Corn and soybean prices down; wheat prices down 5.6 per cent in one year, StatCan reports
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Aside from the challenges of weather, farmers have been faced with a continued decline in crop prices. As of Aug. 6, year-over-year prices were down 2.26 % (corn), 4.27 % (soybeans) and wheat (5.6 %) — and that’s just the latest hit. Commodity crop prices have dropped... Read more
Port of Johnstown fertilizer partnership to avoid delivery from U.S.
Will import from Europe Farmers Forum staff JOHNSTOWN — A new partnership between Eastern Ontario-based fertilizer company V6 Agronomy and the Port of Johnstown will deliver phosphate fertilizer directly into the Ontario and Canadian marketplace without relying on the United States. Nearly all phosp... Read more
Energrow revamped soybean pressing system featured at open house
Farmers Forum staff MARIEVILLE, QC — Energrow, a Perth County-based manufacturer of on-farm soybean pressing systems, hosted a bilingual open house at Ferme Maxima SENC in Marieville, Quebec, showcasing over a decade of reliable performance. The event drew farmers and industry professionals to see... Read more
Spencerville couple opens educational agritourism farm
They had the empty barn so why not? Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SPENCERVILLE — When her retiring parents stopped milking cows, Lea Ardley and her husband, Alex, decided to transform the empty dairy barn into an agri-tourism business called ‘Happy Little Farmstead.’ Instead of a marketing plan or... Read more
NOT STOLEN LAND: Poll suggests many in Canada think we live on stolen land but few correct the record
NOT STOLEN LAND Poll suggests many in Canada think we live on stolen land but few correct the record Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum If you keep pounding propaganda into people they will believe it. How about telling people over and over again that Canadians are living on stolen land? That’s ri... Read more
Canadian farm profit dropped 26 % last year
Decrease mostly due to lower crop prices and higher expenses Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The realized net income of Canadian farmers fell a whopping 26 % last year, dropping from almost $12.7 billion in 2023 to $9.4 billion in 2024 — the biggest decline since 2018, according to Statistics Ca... Read more
‘Land wars’ squeeze young Canadian farmers but they can prevail, farm accountant and CEO says
New to farming? You can do it Farmers Forum staff LONDON — Fuelled by tight supply and fierce competition from both traditional farmers and deep-pocketed investment firms, Canadian farmland values are soaring. It’s the fallout of what some describe as agricultural “land wars” that have helped push u... Read more
Britain proposes to stop farming in areas farther from cities
Farmers Forum staff Farms in England could be taken out of production to boost nature, according to the British Environment secretary. Some farms could be incentivized to stop farming to make space for nature, according to secretary Steve Reed, who also argues for more intensive farming in populated... Read more
Canada Post stops raising flags on rural mailboxes
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Canada Post has lowered the flag on a commonsense tradition in rural Canada: Mail carriers have stopped raising the little flag on rural residents’ mailboxes to indicate mail delivery. Instead, the Crown corporation decreed this month that the mailbox flag ex... Read more
Winter wheat harvest reveals strong yields, happy farmers
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farmers reported generally positive yields as Eastern Ontario’s 2025 winter wheat harvest neared its conclusion at the end of July. Lloyd Crowe, of Reynolds Farms in Prince Edward County, interviewed from the cab of a one-year-old Claas Lexion combine equipped with a 50-... Read more
Ottawa bans Chinese surveillance camera company
Warns farmers against buying their products Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada booted Chinese surveillance camera maker Hikvision out of the country in early July, and agri-food companies and other businesses are being warned to stay away from Hikvision. Why? The Canadian government says the Chines... Read more
FIGHT BACK: Fight globalists from the grassroots, start with local council — here’s a tool kit to get you started
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian municipalities have quietly funnelled millions of dollars into a UN-connected climate control program for over 30 years, often without clear public disclosure and it’s leading large and small municipalities toward bankruptcy. How many of your local tax dollars h... Read more
OPINION: When you sell used equipment do the buyer a favour and include the owner’s manual
When you sell used equipment do the buyer a favour and include the owner’s manual Just about everything you buy, from a Dollar Store pencil sharpener or stapler to new machinery worth into the millions, comes with an operator’s manual or instructions….and has for years. New farm machinery comes with... Read more
Farms, small businesses gripe about spiking insurance costs
Many gamble and opt for less coverage Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Waterloo region horse farm owner Sandra Clark was shocked by her surging insurance bill, a hike of more than 45 % that her provider blamed on increasing extreme weather damage claims and uncertainty over the impact of tar... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop report
CORN Corn needs 0.2 to 0.3 inches of available water per day in the soil during peak summertime use. No rain forecast for two more weeks into August. 95 % of the corn was tasseled by July 30. Fungicides were being applied. SOYBEANS Crop was at the R3 to R4 early pod-set stage. [... Read more
Supply management criticism heats up
Political strategist disses quota system for disrupting trade opportunities Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As international trade talks increasingly become front burner issues Canada’s supply management system has increasingly faced criticism. The latest blast comes from a well-connected O... Read more
Licensed cattle dealers cut down on cattle rustling
Two men recently convicted of dealing cattle without a licence Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Why does Ontario law require cattle dealers — even small-time drovers — to be licensed? The recent convictions of two Ontario men for buying and selling cattle without a licence serves as a remind... Read more
Horrific attack on horses at Welland farm leaves community in shock
Farmers Forum staff WELLAND — A devastating act of animal cruelty has rocked Eagle Wing Ranch, a Welland horse boarding farm near Buchner Road and Highway 140. On July 31, farm staff discovered eight horses were viciously cut and stabbed overnight while outdoors in their paddocks. One of the horses... Read more
Carney fails to ink U.S. trade deal
Did preserving supply management trump everything else? Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — He vowed “elbows up” only a few weeks ago, but a slack-shouldered Prime Minister Mark Carney failed to secure a new trade deal with Donald Trump and instead watched impotently as the U.S. president impos... Read more
Grober Nutrition sold to CG Wellington
Farmers Forum staff CAMBRIDGE — Grober Nutrition, well known by Canadian dairy farmers for its line of milk replacers, is now the property of CG Wellington Inc., a family-owned agricultural investment company. The sale from Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited to CG Wellington was finalized on June 30... Read more
Cracks in supply management
Not enough chicks means not enough chicken meat, increased imports Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A shortage of chicks has triggered a shortage of Canadian chicken meat. As a result, Canadians have been eating more imported American chicken to satiate their appetite for breasts, thighs and wings. Iron... Read more
FLASHBACK: Silo collapse kills 16 cattle FAST FORWARD: New barn with robotic milker and feed pusher offers more family time
FLASHBACK: Silo collapse kills 16 cattle FAST FORWARD: New barn with robotic milker and feed pusher offers more family time Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MORRISBURG — Early on the morning of Oct. 3, 2022, dairy farmer Jeff van Moorsel headed to the barn to milk the cows as usual. The scene... Read more
STEVE KELL: Countries seek new markets due to U.S. tariff threats
Canada produces too little to affect market prices One of the most interesting things to watch in the commodity markets over the past few months has been the re-organization of global supply chains, particularly in terms of grain and oilseeds, and how those are shifting the marketplace for On... Read more
71-year-old Carp beef farmer still behind bars two months later
Farmer blew his top after animal police rounded up cows, and his unlicensed rifle got him in the slammer Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — It’s been a hot, humid summer, and as of the end of July, 71-year-old beef farmer Ronald Greene has spent all of it in Ottawa’s notorious Innes Road jail... Read more
Animal activists go to court for “legal” right to lie to farmers, get farm jobs and dig up dirt
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Animal rights activists want the right to tell big, fat lies and are willing to go to court to get it. In 2020, the Ontario government passed a law that says animal activists can be charged with trespassing if they lie to get a farm job. A portion of [... Read more
SHOCK LAWSUIT: Dutch court hears charges against COVID-19 vaccine promoter Bill Gates of using a biological weapon
James Pascual Farmers Forum NETHERLANDS — In an incredible turn of global events, a Dutch court agreed to hear a lawsuit charging that some very powerful people misled the public about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The controversial case in the Netherlands charges that 17 people, including... Read more
Knee High by the 1st of July? That’s so 20th century.
Try waist-to-chest high Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Once a hopeful sign for corn growers, the old saying “knee-high by the first of July” feels like a quaint relic as the modern crop usually outperforms this historical measure by a country mile. 2025 was no exception, although there may have been d... Read more
160 compete in 4-H summer highlight event at Spencerville
160 compete in 4-H summer highlight event at Spencerville Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SPENCERVILLE — 4-H enthusiasts between ages 9 and 21 competed in one of the biggest 4-H shows of the summer, held last month in Spencerville. The 14-to-21 age group competed in the EastGen’s annu... Read more
Car and tractor collision leaves teenager in critical condition a month after accident
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Two teenagers in a sedan suffered life-threatening injuries when they collided with a farm tractor on June 6 at about 6 p.m. in rural Ottawa. The tractor was towing tandem disc implements and one eyewitness claims to have seen the car slam into the disc implement. One te... Read more
Soil at risk in Canada: “We don’t have 40 years,” senator says
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Before too much dust settles on a one-year-old Senate soil report, its chief proponent hopes to spur action from the new Carney government. Senator Rob Black chose the first anniversary of the document’s final approval in the Red Chamber to highlight “next steps to push... Read more
OVSG: Ontario Ag Hall of Fame includes two from Eastern Ontario — genetics professor and poultry nutrition innovator
The Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony on June 9 in Elora. Five individuals were honoured for their contributions to Ontario agriculture. The inductees made their mark in diverse areas—ranging from livestock to soil health and environmental sustainability, to hortic... Read more
OPINION: Farmers didn’t make your groceries more expensive, Ottawa did
It was expected, but still jarring. In April, food inflation in Canada surged to 3.8 % — a full 2.1 percentage points above the national inflation rate, and nearly double the U.S. rate of 2.0 %. Once again, food is the primary driver behind Canada’s headline inflation, amplifying affordability conce... Read more
Supply management may hit negotiating table ‘at last minute,’ NAFTA negotiator suggests
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A former Canadian diplomat and NAFTA negotiator suggests that Canada will wait until the “last minute” to put supply management on the table in trade negotiations with the Trump administration, according to CTV News. “You have to wait until it’s getting down... Read more
Livestock prices up, crop prices down in March
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Increasing livestock prices offset declining crop prices as Canadian farmers saw a 4 % year-over-year increase in the Farm Product Price Index (FPPI) in March 2025, marking five straight months of gains, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was driven by a 17.4 % sur... Read more
Petition to end ‘long ballot’ tactic gains traction as petition deadline looms mid-day on July 12
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Activists infamously flooded the ballot with 91 candidates in the Carleton home district of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, an action that coincided with the incumbent’s loss to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy in the recent federal election. The disruptors also targeted... Read more
The big oops! Shallow-planted corn
Farmers Forum staff WINCHESTER — A moment of forgetfulness or inattentiveness can cost a farmer big money. Back in the day, dairy farmers would occasionally forget to switch on their bulk coolers, accidentally wasting the valuable milk they worked so hard to collect. Out in the corn field, an... Read more
Eastern Ontario spray day to be held at Jasper
Farmers Forum staff JASPER — Eastern Ontario Field Crop Diagnostic Day is a July tradition, but this year’s gathering of growers will be called ‘spray day’ instead. Billed as Agspray Expo, the event is scheduled July 23 in Jasper instead of the usual Winchester venue. Agspray Expo will feature a lin... Read more
V6 Agronomy and Port of Johnstown forge fertilizer partnership; $12M fertilizer terminal being installed
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum JOHNSTOWN — A new partnership between Eastern Ontario-based fertilizer company V6 Agronomy and the Port of Johnstown will deliver phosphate fertilizer directly into the Ontario and Canadian marketplace without relying on the United States. Nearly all phosphate fertil... Read more
What it looks like when Ontario authorities swoop in to take an old farmer’s cattle (VIDEO: 36 sec)
Above, video from the ground showing the roundup at Ronald Greene’s place, shot from inside a vehicle driving past a parked provincial car with Ontario government logo on the door. (Colby Flewellyn video) Farmers Forum staff CARP — Video shared with Farmers Forum offers a fascinating glimpse i... Read more
OPINION: From greasy pigs to bronco busting and angry bulls… What’s not to love?
OPINION: From greasy pigs to bronco busting and angry bulls… What’s not to love? “Billy Boo” Van Hoven grew up on a rocky patch of Lanark County where his playground was a barnyard, and his sports? They all had hooves, horns, or an attitude. His first love came early. Billy was barely taller t... Read more
OPINION: Why I picked gravelly soil instead of black soil to grow monster plants
Why I picked gravelly soil instead of black soil to grow monster plants A few years ago, a guest minister at the church I attend had a sermon on Matthew 13 — the parable of the sower. In Verse 8 Jesus tells a parable about seed falling on good soil, where it produced a crop […] Read more
Ottawa bans Chinese surveillance camera company
Warns farmers against buying their products Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada booted Chinese surveillance camera maker Hikvision out of the country in early July, and agri-food companies and other businesses are being warned to stay away from Hikvision. Why? The Canadian government says the Chines... Read more
Be a farm manager in a 2-year program
Algonquin College teaches finances, marketing, as well as crop and animal management Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PERTH — With a blend of business acumen and agricultural know-how, Algonquin College’s two-year business-agriculture program is equipping students — both local farm kids and internati... Read more
OPINION: Carbon bull exposed — but does the real truth about cows and carbon matter?
BRUSSELS, ON — Rain makes the grass grow. So maybe that’s why light showers didn’t discourage well over 300 graziers from attending a Pasture Walk and Talk, including a beef barbeque, near Brussels on June 4th. Tim and Donna Prior, owners of feed and farm supplies outlet, Brussels Agri Servic... Read more
OPINION: We need more grass-fed milk producers
OPINION: We need more grass-fed milk producers (You’ll get paid 10 cents more per litre) Would an extra 10 cents per litre of milk shipped from your farm make a difference? How about lower veterinary bills due to reduced incidents of things such as acidosis, milk fever, laminitis or some reproductiv... Read more
Unmasking the dangerous risks of COVID vaccines
James Pascual Farmers Forum Toronto Sick Kids Hospital advertising that normalizes heart problems in youth, should jolt every citizen awake. Framing myocarditis and pericarditis — serious heart conditions — as just another part of growing up is not just misleading; it’s a calculated move to downpl... Read more
Dairy farmer recovering from traumatic brain injury sustained in car crash
Farmers Forum staff CARP — The Ottawa Valley farming community is rallying around Kyle Rivington, a Carp-area dairy farmer and married father of two young children who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a June 19 car crash along Highway 417. Rivington, an active cow show judge who also serves as h... Read more
Global warming hype exposed
Nature magazine cries that crop production will decrease but agronomist with real-world observations reveals crop production will continue to rise Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Doom-and-gloom researchers are predicting a severe drop in North American crop production by the end of t... Read more
OPINION: Why Net Zero isn’t a realistic goal for agriculture
Why Net Zero isn’t a realistic goal for agriculture There’s been a lot of talk lately about “net zero” emissions. Governments, corporations, and advocacy groups are setting bold targets—many with the year 2030 circled in red. And on the surface, who wouldn’t want to reduce emissions and protect the... Read more
118-km of power lines to be erected from London to Sarnia
118-km of power lines to be erected from London to Sarnia Farmers Forum staff SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — Ontario’s greenhouse and indoor farming sector is helping to drive the province’s growing electricity demand, a fact cited by Hydro One as it plans a pair of 500-kilovolt transmission lines across a... Read more
In praise of horticulture: The best way for a wanna-be farmer to get into the business and a sideline opportunity for almost every farm
In praise of Horticulture The best way for a wanna-be farmer to get into the business and a sideline opportunity for almost every farm There are few things like a dying father to make a man out of you. I found myself in this situation in my late teens. My father had a brain tumor, […] Read more
Ticks on the rise and so is Lyme disease
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The number of people infected by Lyme disease — a bacterial infection spread by black-legged tick bites — continues to gradually rise in the province. Public Health Ontario counted 185 diagnosed cases so far during the first five months of 2025. Based... Read more
98% of Canadian ag ‘f***ed over’ by supply management: Conservative strategist
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Supply management has “f***ed over” the rest of Canadian agriculture, according to a well connected Conservative strategist and manager of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s last three successful election campaigns. In candid comments delivered June 29 on the “Curse... Read more
Carney caves to Trump on digital tax; is supply management next?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney held the line for two days before buckling to Donald Trump’s demand that Canada scrap an impending digital service tax the U.S. president described as a “blatant attack” on American companies. Left unaddressed by Carney’s concession... Read more
CATTLE ROUNDED UP, FARMER STILL IN JAIL
Farmer not convicted but jailed one month for threats he denies, and having an old unlicensed rifle in his pickup truck Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ottawa-area beef farmer Ronald Greene recently marked his 71st birthday inside the city jail where, as of June 26, he continued to be held without bail... Read more
Ridgetown graduates 74 aggies this year
Ridgetown graduates 74 aggies this year Farmers Forum staff RIDGETOWN — The Class of 2025 from the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus, in Southwestern Ontario, included 74 newly minted holders of the school’s associate diploma in agriculture, the largest single discipline on the campus. That’s... Read more
Motorcyclist killed in collision with farm tractor in Perth County
Motorcyclist killed in collision with farm tractor in Perth County Farmers Forum staff NORTH PERTH — A 29-year-old motorcyclist died in a collision with a farm tractor on June 12 in the Municipality of North Perth. Local police, paramedics and firefighters responded to the Perth Line 88 crash site,... Read more
KELL: U.S. mandated higher biodiesel volumes in fuel and handed Ontario farmers a price gift
Price Bump U.S. mandated higher biodiesel volumes in fuel and handed Ontario farmers a price gift Friday the 13th was a good day. On June 13, 2025 the United States Environmental Protection Agency released its long-awaited Renewable Fuel Standard for the next two years, and the targets they have est... Read more
Ontario tries to overturn 2024 court decision that weakened farm trespass law by empowering activist liars
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Animal rights activists and the Ontario government squared off in court at the end of June over the activists’ recently recognized right to tell lies to farmers in order to avoid prosecution under the province’s farm trespass law. An Ontario judge last year... Read more
Big birds get a break: 400 ostriches are immune from disease, virologist says and court tells federal agency not to kill them for now
Big birds get a break: 400 ostriches are immune from disease, virologist says and court tells federal agency not to kill them for now Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ontario virologist and researcher David Speicher says that those headline-making British Columbia ostriches “de... Read more
OPINION UPDATED: Beef farmer goes to jail (he’s been there for one month), criminals go free
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum editor As of this writing, 71-year-old beef farmer Ron Greene was sitting in an Ottawa jail and had been there for four weeks. He is not a criminal. He has not been convicted of a crime. About 45 beef animals that he had already sold but were still on his property [... Read more
TEXAS LONGHORNS: Now in Eastern Ontario — with horns as long as hockey sticks
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SPENCERVILLE — When Kristy Somerville sought to adorn the empty pasture in front of the cash-cropping operation, only genuine Texas Longhorn cattle could fit the bill as the “ornamental” bovine she imagined watching from her farmhouse porch. Just don’t get too close.... Read more
Coyotes are Ontario’s top livestock killer, but even bears and cougars attacked farms last year
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Coyotes continue to be the predator kings of Ontario and sheep are their favourite prey. In 2024, Ontario farmers lost 2,537 animals to wildlife predators — mostly coyotes — and collected over $1.5 million from the province from the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation... Read more
THE BILDERBERG WHAT? The annual meeting where the ultra-rich give the ultra-elites their marching orders and why it matters to you
James Pascual Farmers Forum The Bilderberg Meeting is an annual gathering of about 140 global elites held in secrecy. This year it was behind closed doors at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm, Sweden. It might seem distant to the average Canadian, but its implications ripple through national and global a... Read more
Beef farmer remains behind bars as paralegal launches awareness campaign about his plight
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A 71-year-old beef farmer remains in custody after a May 23 run-in with Ontario’s animal police culminated in his May 27 arrest by Ottawa police on a charge of uttering threats. Now approaching one month in custody, Ronald Green is next slated to have his cas... Read more
Municipalities finally fight back: take on UN climate hysteria
Thanks largely to one woman with a mission who has taken on the United Nations’ climate change lies Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — Maggie Hope Braun proves the rule that one person can make a difference. She also proves that while truth draws a crowd, it also draws enemies. The Peterb... Read more
Ottawa protects supply management from trade
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The hands of Canadian trade negotiators are now tied when it comes to supply management. The Bloc Québécois, the Quebec-only federal and separatist party, pushed its bill C-202 through the Senate on June 18, prohibiting any further concessions on Canada’s production quo... Read more
BEEF PRICES SOAR: A package of steaks can be an easy $100 at the grocery store
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Stratospheric beef prices have sparked heated social media discussions about the cost of grocery-store cuts versus farm-direct freezer beef. Online posts highlighting supermarket steaks selling for $56 per kilogram seem to fit with the notion that buying a qu... Read more
Beef farmer jailed for alleged threats after cattle hauled from farm
Three weeks in jail without conviction Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CARP — A 70-year-old Carp beef farmer spent three weeks in Ottawa’s crowded Innes Road jail — waiting for bail — on charges of uttering threats after the animal police raided the farm, accidentally killed a few cattle and hauled... Read more
BIG BIRDS ON DEATH ROW: Ostrich flock is healthy but Canadian gov’t still wants them dead
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ontario virologist and researcher David Speicher says that those headline-making British Columbia ostriches “definitely” have herd immunity against the avian flu virus and pose no threat to Canada’s broader poultry industry, despite the Canadian Food Inspecti... Read more
Bank draft fraud scores more than $1million in equipment until police sting nabs suspects and stolen goods
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum BARRIE — Police have arrested two suspects and recovered a skid steer loader stolen by using a fake bank draft from a Glengarry County business. The Kubota skid steer turned up in King City, north of Toronto, as investigators seized more than $1 million in constructio... Read more
TAD PECKISH OPINION: Mark Twain of Northumberland County
OPINION: Mark Twain of Northumberland County I don’t remember Jimmy’s last name because everyone just called him Jimmy. Even the year he won for best cob of sweet corn at the Northumberland County Fair, the red ribbon simply said “Jimmy.”I remember kids saying, “Hello Mr. Jimmy.” It was kind of weir... Read more
StatCan: Livestock gains offset crop declines in farm product price index
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Increasing livestock prices offset declining crop prices as Canadian farmers saw a 4% year-over-year increase in the Farm Product Price Index (FPPI) in March 2025, marking five straight months of gains, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was driven by a 17.4% surg... Read more
Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO) approved for continued financial assistance
Tribunal rules in favour of Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO) SUDBURY —The Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO) was granted special financial assistance for the period 2025-2030 under the act governing registration and financing of agricultural organizations. The ruling was... Read more
OPINION: Continuing tales in being diligent at the grocery store
Sometimes the non-farming segment of the population — based on what they say, complain about and explain — seem to the farmers who produce the food they buy also must shop and pay the same prices. The only difference is we see food from the other side and realize the large chunk of the price [... Read more
Quebec’s sweet innovation boom: A weekend of inspiration with millions in cutting-edge maple syrup equipment
BEAUCE, QUEBEC — In the year of our Lord, 2025, it’s safe to say that agriculture is a thoroughly globalized industry. Here in Ontario, which despite the lack of provincial and federal support, remains an agricultural powerhouse. Yet, most of what we rely on to farm comes from across borders far and... Read more
OPINION: My best investment on the farm was in 1972 — we used it twice a day, every day for 27 years
There are many things that make life much easier on the farm with machines that sped up field work and harvesting. Tractors, front-end loaders, round balers, combines, discbines and the big air planters really changed the way farming used to be done. What was the one thing you bought on the farm, fo... Read more
Former OFA president and First Line Seeds co-founder Peter Hannam dead at 85
GUELPH — Accomplished farmer, farm leader and soybean innovator Peter Hannam is being remembered for his contributions to Ontario agriculture. Hannam, 85, died June 5 at Hospice Wellington. “We are deeply saddened by news of the passing of former OFA President Peter Hannam (1977-1979),” current O... Read more
‘Cows Come Home’ is a new TV series inspired by woman’s Ontario 4-H experience
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — A lighthearted ‘dramedy’ inspired by Lindsey Middleton’s 4-H experience in Fort Erie, Ontario, has started showing on Bell Fibe TV1. Cows Come Home is about a woman whose life falls apart, causing her to move back home to her small town. With the help of her best friend... Read more
Law or no law, will Carney preserve supply management in one-on-one trade negotiations with Trump?
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian parliamentarians have resurrected a proposed law to prevent further erosion of supply management during international trade negotiations. However, it’s not binding on Prime Minister Mark Carney as he personally negotiates a one-on-one trade deal with Donald Trum... Read more
REPAIR SHOPS SAY: Ethanol gas is ruining small engines
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — From chainsaws to backup generators, the under appreciated small engines of the Canadian economy are choking on ethanol-blended gasoline now that Ottawa’s ‘Clean Fuel Regulation’ is boosting ethanol levels at the pump and making pure gasoline even harde... Read more
Senator bids to keep soil report relevant, aims for gov’t action
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Before too much dust settles on a one-year-old Senate soil report, its chief proponent hopes to spur action from the new Carney government. Senator Rob Black chose the first anniversary of the document’s final approval in the Red Chamber to highlight “next steps to push... Read more
Ontario sheep farmers call for changes to predator program
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario sheep producers want provincial program changes to address rising losses and inadequate and often untimely compensation after their animals are killed by wild predators. The challenge of dealing with coyotes and other predators is already acute enough without the... Read more
The Recovering Farmer: A neighbour’s ear was key to one man’s mental health journey
A neighbor’s listening ear was a key point in Gerry Friesen’s mental health journey Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Years ago, Manitoba hog and turkey producer Gerry Friesen was grappling with a dark period in his life, weighed down by anxiety and the pressures of the business. One morning,... Read more
344 fatal collisions on OPP highways last year
344 fatal collisions on OPP highways last year And police say most deaths could have been avoided James Pascual Farmers Forum The vast majority of people killed on provincial highways last year had their lives cut short because of poor and careless decisions and actions behind the wheel and in passe... Read more
THE $7,000 DILEMMA: You have to earn only $7K annually to be a registered farmer but is that a barrier to buying land?
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Is the $7,000 minimum gross income needed for farm status in Ontario so low and out of date that it’s partly responsible for Ontario’s rising farmland prices as an unintended consequence? Brechin-area cash cropper Don MacDonald has a theory that the $7,000 minimum thresh... Read more
STATCAN: Realized net income for Canadian farmers fell 26% in 2024, largest decrease since 2018
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The realized net income of Canadian farmers fell almost a whopping 26 % last year, dropping from almost $12.7 billion in 2023 to $9.4 billion in 2024 — the biggest decline since 2018, according to Statistics Canada. Ontario farms posted a realized-net-income drop of 19%... Read more
Surprise, surprise, consumer carbon tax drove up prices
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — No surprise to anyone with common sense, but it turns out that the consumer carbon tax did fuel inflation in Canada, based on the real-world impact of eliminating the unpopular levy. The Bank of Canada’s April 2025 report shows that the inflation rate fell to 1.7% from 2... Read more
When did justice die? The day Bishop Mose Baer taught a lesson and the day we learned it didn’t stick
Tension rose in the Goderich courtroom when the judge asked the big man ,“HOW DO YOU PLEAD?” Once upon a time, there was this notion of “Justice.” It seemed normal that if someone did wrong, they could expect to receive timely punishment that fit the crime. More or less. Today, however, Canadian law... Read more
Families spend $2.88 of their weekly food budget at farmers’ markets
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO —Farmers’ markets capture only a fraction of the average family’s food budget, according to a new British Columbia study. The study by University of Northern B.C. professor David Connell surveyed 11,500 shoppers and interviewed 350 market-goers at 70 farmers’ markets in... Read more
DOME HOME: Exotic home with tunnel built into the hillside
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MARMORA — The concrete dome home discretely rises from the crest of a rural Eastern Ontario field, topped with an octagonal sunroom whose windows overlook the countryside. Partly embedded into a hillside ridge, the vacant structure is so incredibly strong that a 28,00... Read more
OPINION: How to embrace AI and be happy
OPINION: How to embrace AI and be happy MBA graduates, business owners, corporate and government leaders could learn a thing or two from a 30-page historical document that dates way back to 1891. Even the new pope has learned a thing or two from it. Cardinal Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo XlV)... Read more
Insurance is farmers’ second-biggest worry and has expanded to include cybersecurity and business interruption
Insurance is farmers’ second-biggest worry and has expanded to include cybersecurity and business interruption Mark Reusser Ontario Federation of Agriculture director Insurance is important in any situation, but it is a particularly high priority for farmers. From hail and damaging winds to flooding... Read more
Over $109K raised for sprayer operator severely injured in collision with train
Farmers Forum staff NEW TECUMSETH — A collision between a freight train and a large crop sprayer sent an agribusiness employee to hospital with life-threatening injuries on May 20. The crash occurred at a public railway crossing just south of Alliston around 4:45 p.m. Sprayer operator, Jamie Giffen,... Read more
BIRD BRAIN STRATEGY: Ostriches have bird-flu herd immunity but Ottawa plans cull anyway, owner says
All infected large livestock could see same fate Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EDGEWOOD, B.C. — Your livestock could be more in danger from invasive tactics of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency than from bird flu. The agency recently ordered the destruction of a flock of ostriches in British Col... Read more
THEY ARE WEATHER TAMPERING FROM ABOVE: 30 U.S. states say no more
WEATHER TAMPERING FROM ABOVE Critics explode while more than 30 U.S. states move to ban planes from pumping weather-changing substances into skies James Pascual Farmers Forum We’re tampering with the weather but five years ago nobody would have believed it. Believe it. The state of Florida is about... Read more
SCIENCE FICTION? No, governments are studying how to decrease sunlight because they think it will be good for us. Here’s how
Science fiction? No. Our governments are studying how to decrease sunlight because they think it will be good for us. Here’s how James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Geo-engineering is weather modification, an act of intentionally manipulating or altering the weather. The most common form of weather... Read more
FCC: Mixed outlook for Canadian food and beverage industry but looks great for dairy
FCC: Mixed outlook for Canadian food and beverage industry but looks great for dairy Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farm Credit Canada foresees another strong year for dairy product manufacturing sales in 2025, in contrast with the broader food and beverage sector that faces uncertainty amid economic... Read more
‘Crazy’ record auction prices thanks to short beef supply
Farmers Forum staff HURON COUNTY — Beef cattle continue to fetch eye-popping prices on the auction block. Huron County beef producer and sale barn operator Mark Ferraro marvelled at the record figures cattle are commanding at auction, including his own animals that he’s sold lately. “You know, $4,00... Read more
OPINION: The ugly part of the corn market lies just ahead
The ugly part of the corn market lies just ahead In agriculture, we spend May planting crops and doing our best to get the crops started in a way that leads to the best yield outcomes at harvest. It’s an extremely busy time. With varying degrees of co-operation from the weather, decisions need to be... Read more
HARD WORK AND HAPPY MEMORIES: David Carson sells the Listowel sale barn
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum LISTOWEL — In 2003, the BSE crisis hit David Carson’s dairy farm like a sledgehammer, forcing him to sell off a good chunk of his quota and drastically downsize his 125-head milking herd to just 30 Holsteins to stay afloat. The long-time farmer and auctioneer was majo... Read more
Targeted Wilmot Township farmland slips away: Waterloo Region gobbles up 70 % of what it wanted
Targeted Wilmot Township farmland slips away Waterloo Region says it now has 70 per cent of what it wants Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WILMOT — Waterloo Region is getting closer to locking up all of the Wilmot Township farmland it has controversially targeted for future industrial development. Th... Read more
Waterloo farmer fined again for illegal raw milk operation
Farmers Forum staff WILMOT — Joris Salverda, known as “George the Milkman,” was recently fined $50,000 for operating an unlicenced milk plant, under the provincial Milk Act. He was also hit with an additional $1,000 fine for breaching a prior probation order after he was caught selling r... Read more
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers offers $10,000 in youth scholarships
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers offers $10,000 in youth scholarships The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) is proud to announce that applications are now open for its annual youth scholarship program. Four scholarships, each worth $2,500, will be awarded to students pursuing post-secondary e... Read more
Record beef prices at Renfrew auction
Record beef prices at Renfew auction Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum COBDEN — Beef cattle fetched eye-popping prices at the Renfrew Pontiac Livestock Auction in Cobden on May 17. Auctioneer Preston Cull estimated an average sale price of between $5,300 and $5,500 per animal. “It’s a record,” Cull sa... Read more
MILKING SHORTHORNS: Because they believe in diversity and going against the flow
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORWOOD — Dairy farmers Tim Shearer and Irene Vietinghoff went against prevailing wisdom when they embraced the Milking Shorthorn as their predominant cow breed at Lynmark Farms. The couple was milking a herd split between Holsteins and Jerseys but began adding Milki... Read more
THEY GOT BUSTED, HE GOT BOOTED: Christian Farmers board endorses global warming narrative and fires the dissenter
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum STRATFORD — A recently ousted farm leader is sounding the alarm over Ontario’s upcoming update to the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) because of added climate change ideology in the document required by many Ontario farms. John Van Dyk, a Stratford-area dairy farmer, sa... Read more
Want to know the immediate future for commodities? Volatile, upheaved and uncertain
Farmers Forum staff CHESTERVILLE — With the global trade landscape roiled by upheaval and uncertainty, farmers — as key commodity producers — find themselves in the thick of it. Veteran grain trader Todd Ross of Willcraft Consulting tried to make sense of the situation for producers gathered at the... Read more
Make good money by putting wheat in the rotation
Make good money by putting wheat in the rotation But you have to throttle the geese Farmers Forum staff CHESTERVILLE — The economic benefits of growing winter wheat were spelled out by agronomy consultant Paul Sullivan at the Dundas Soil and Crop Improvement Association’s spring update meetin... Read more
Maple syrup industry game changer
Electric evaporation makes Ontario debut Charles Summers Farmers Forum UXBRIDGE — Jake and Josh Carrick dove head first into the maple industry. Going from a couple hundred buckets at home in Uxbridge to purchasing a turnkey operation of 20,000-plus taps on the southern rim of Algonquin Park six yea... Read more
Watch for tar spot in corn and potato leaf hoppers and aphids in soybeans, agronomist says
Watch for tar spot in corn and potato leaf hoppers and aphids in soybeans, agronomist says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHESTERVILLE — Be prepared for the potential arrival of tar spot in Eastern Ontario this corn-growing season, independent agronomist Gilles Quesnel warns. Quesnel, who worked as... Read more
OPINION: Banks have become a customer service nightmare
Banks have become a customer service nightmare It seems that Canada’s big banks are using more and more advertising dollars to attract customers. Free stock trading, budgeting, planning and let’s not forget, pointing out how much richer you are than you thought. It all sounds alluring, a bank... Read more
New group — Farmers of Canada — to fight climate change policies
Farmers Forum staff STRATFORD — Southwestern Ontario dairy farmer John Van Dyk has started a new national farm organization — Farmers of Canada — with the sole purpose of opposing ‘Net Zero’ carbon dioxide emissions policies. Van Dyk was ousted in February from the board of the Christian Farmers Fe... Read more
Train smashes into tractor near Barrie, driver airlifted to trauma hospital
Farmers Forum staff BARRIE — A farmer was transported by air ambulance to a trauma hospital following a collision between a farm tractor and a CP Rail freight train, south of Alliston in Simcoe County on Tuesday afternoon May 20. Nottawasaga OPP say the collision happened around 4:45 p.m. The accide... Read more
12-year-old struck, killed by skid steer in Western Ontario
12-year-old struck, killed by skid steer in Western Ontario WELLINGTON COUNTY — A 12-year-old child is dead after a collision between a bicycle and a skid steer on a farm near Mount Forest. Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police were called to the property near Highway 6 and Sideroad 2 around 1... Read more
TAD PECKISH: He traded his wife for a car
He traded his wife for a car Out here in evergreen and farm country, near Spencerville, Ontario, long before Hwy 416 turned a local fixer upper into a cash cow listed with Re/Max, life moved a little slower —like a tractor pulling a manure spreader, and about as glamorous. This story goes back almos... Read more
CFIA confirms it will destroy 400 ostriches, but won’t say when
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed that it will proceed with the culling of 400 ostriches at a British Columbia farm that experienced an avian flu outbreak in December and January, though the agency won’t disclose when it will carry out the mass kill after... Read more
COURT UPHOLDS ORDER: Kill 400 healthy British Columbia ostriches
Farmers Forum staff BRITISH COLUMBIA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency can proceed with the killing of 400 ostriches at a British Columbia farm, under the agency’s policy of “stamping out” avian flu, the Federal Court ruled this afternoon. A family member at Universal Ostrich Farms has vowed to... Read more
DEATH BY DRIVING: 344 fatal collisions on OPP-controlled highways in 2024
James Pascual Farmers Forum The vast majority of people killed on provincial highways last year had their lives cut short because of poor and careless decisions and actions behind the wheel and in passenger seats. There were 344 fatal collisions in 2024, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (O... Read more
World’s biggest cricket factory placed in receivership
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Aspire Canada’s multi-million-dollar cricket-farming factory in London, Ontario — reported to be the largest of its type in the world — has gone into receivership. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice on May 6 appointed Toronto-based FTI Consulting Canada as receiver at... Read more
Prepare for the end of Canadian auto manufacturing by boosting ag exports, expert says (VIDEO 5:06)
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — As a help to farmers, should Ottawa end its electric vehicle trade war with China because the Canadian auto industry is headed for extinction anyway, courtesy of Donald Trump? Ian Lee, associate professor at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, told broadcast... Read more
Oh Canada! We stand on guard for cheese! Great Canadian Cheese Festival returns May 24-25
Farmers Forum staff KINGSTON — After an eight-year hiatus, the Great Canadian Cheese Festival marks its return later this month, and it comes at a time when many Canadians are even more keen to support local food amid Donald Trump’s trade war. Fort Henry in Kingston — site of pivotal resistance to t... Read more
Welcome to onion city in the Holland Marsh
You can tell that Avia Eek loves this time of year by the the enthusiasm in her tweets. She posted these online photos of onion transplants that arrived April 29 for planting at Eek Farms in the Holland Marsh, north of Toronto. She announced that the Holland Marsh this year celebrates 100 years sinc... Read more
White House visit starkly contrasts with Carney’s Canadian puffery (VIDEO 2:19)
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statements and posturing north of the border are starkly juxtaposed with his recent visit to Donald Trump’s White House, in this video clip compiled by Canadian online influencer and podcaster Jasmin Laine. Mark Carney got CRUSHED by Trump today and... Read more
Fraud and mischief charges for farmer who reported 45,000 stolen chicks, made $139K insurance claim
Farmers Forum staff SOUTH HURON — The Huron County farmer who reported the mysterious theft of 45,000 young broiler chickens two years ago has been charged with fraud over $5,000 and public mischief in the headline-making case. Police say that Henk Veldman, 41, made an insurance claim of just over $... Read more
Lessons from a tractor crash: One farmer’s experience of getting hit from behind
Be sure all your lights are on, your insurance policy is up to date and call your local firefighters Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FINCH — In the rear-view mirror of his New Holland tractor, Bernard Daoust saw the rapidly approaching headlights of a vehicle behind him on County Rd. 43. It was dusk... Read more
FCC: Mixed outlook for Canadian food and beverage industry
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farm Credit Canada foresees another strong year for dairy product manufacturing sales in 2025, in contrast with the broader food and beverage sector that faces uncertainty amid economic challenges, trade disruptions and shifting consumer habits. That’s according to the l... Read more
Glyphosate glory days are over
Farmers urged to revisit older herbicides Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHESTERVILLE — Old-school herbicides are returning to prominence as weeds grow more resistant to glyphosate. Speaking candidly about the challenges of modern weed control to a gathering of farmers in Chesterville, crop consult... Read more
How glyphosate became agriculture’s scapegoat
In a quiet but seismic signal to the global agri-food industry, Bayer is warning it may halt the production of glyphosate — the world’s most widely used herbicide — amid mounting legal pressure and ballooning compensation payouts. The German agrochemical giant has already earmarked US$16 billion to... Read more
Handful of woollies and a future was born: Young couple turned hard work into a growing business of their own
Handful of woollies and a future was born Young couple worked for others, pinched pennies, rented, then bought, expanded family and herd and turned all that hard work into a growing business of their own BAILIEBORO — One of the great paradoxes is that farming is considered an enterpris... Read more
Secure your fertilizer as market faces geopolitical storm
Secure your fertilizer as market faces geopolitical storm A tweet from a world leader can send prices upward overnight Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHESTERVILLE — Buffeted by geopolitics and trade wars, the fertilizer market has been caught in a whirlwind of tariffs, supply-chain disruptions and... Read more
Go west but bring it home — the farm technology that is
Ontario youth get cutting-edge tech training in Olds, Alberta Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ELMIRA — Connor Dawson, 21, works as precision agriculture specialist at Premier Equipment in Elmira. He landed the position in January with the help of his Precision Agriculture ‘Techgronomy’ (PAT) diploma... Read more
Agricorp crop insurance claims for 2024 increase to almost $115 million
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — The 2024 harvest was outstanding with record-breaking average Ontario corn yields and record-matching soybean yields, according to Agricorp, the provincial crop insurance provider. But there are always exceptions in a bountiful year: Claims paid out on the big three fiel... Read more
OPINION: Now we’re pretending the dairy tariff wall isn’t real
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Imagine a popular Niagara Falls boat tour, the kind that gets you soaked in the mist. The attraction is always packed with American tourists who are charged the going rate of $50 per ticket. But then the Canadian government slaps a 300 % surtax on the American passeng... Read more
OPINION: 5 years since lockdowns, and now we know our governments inflated Covid cases and deaths
Mid-March marked the fifth anniversary of lockdowns being imposed across Canada and around the world. Much of the fifth anniversary commentary merely repeats the false media narrative that was first presented to us in March 2020. Covid was not just a bad annual flu, we were told, but an unusually d... Read more
They drove car on farmland to get closer to wind turbines, but got stuck, ticketed instead
Farmers Forum staff DUFFERIN COUNTY — Four Barrie residents were charged with trespassing after driving across a farmer’s field to get close-up photos of wind turbines on Easter weekend. They were travelling together in a small car when they decided to make the off-road excursion to get tighter sho... Read more
OPINION: You can do all the right things and have a poor crop, and you can do all the wrong things and have a good crop
You can do all the right things and have a poor crop And you can do all the wrong things and have a good crop, it all depends on…. Some years ago I watched a novice young farmer do what I thought were all the wrong things trying to grow a crop. But he […] Read more
Ontario farmland prices flatten but still smoking hot
Most expensive farmland in Western & Southwestern Ontario is in Peel, York and Perth Counties Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum A recent survey of 1,206 Ontario farmers suggests they saw mostly flat or static farmland prices in 2024. Reported land price increases in individual counties were largel... Read more
Vera Mitchell, Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame inductee, dies at age 96
Farmers Forum staff KENMORE — Over the decades, Vera Mitchell made an impression in her community and in Ontario’s agricultural scene. Vera Evelyn (Marra) Mitchell, who died peacefully April 18 at the age of 96, was the respected family matriarch and co-founder of Donevelyn Farms in Kenmore. She and... Read more
Police can now go on private property to check for drunk driving
Police can now go on private property to check for drunk driving Even if the vehicle is a lawnmower James Pascual Farmers Forum In case you thought you were the master of your own land and that included having a couple of pints while tooling around on the tractor under the hot sun you could [... Read more
SUV driver charged in death of Huron cattle hauler
Farmers Forum staff HURON EAST — A 25-year-old motorist has been charged with dangerous driving causing death following a New Year’s Day collision that took the life of a Central Huron man who was hauling cattle in a trailer behind a pickup truck. Huron County OPP say they charged North Huron reside... Read more
China, not Trump pounds Canadian ag with tariffs
And 23 Ontario farm groups are worried Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Despite all the worry about Trump tariffs, Canadian agriculture got whacked by China tariffs not the U.S. Canadian agriculture was spared new American tariffs in President Donald Trump’s shock ‘liberation day’ imposition last month... Read more
Ontario records 5th farm fatality of 2025: Milton-area farmer dies in trench collapse on farm
Farmers Forum staff WESTERN ONTARIO —Sixty-two-year-old beef and cash crop farmer Richard James Anderson died in a trench collapse at his Milton-area farm last month. He was the fifth on-farm farm-related fatality in Ontario this year. Emergency crews found Anderson on April 18, trapped under four f... Read more
SHOCK ELECTION: Carney and Liberals win — Conservative leader Poilievre loses his seat, so does NDP’s Jagmeet Singh
UPDATED: April 30, 2025 at 6:55 a.m. By James Pascual Farmers Forum analysis Ottawa — It was a shocking national election for the Canadian right. The Liberal Party won again after 10 years of leading Canada toward a cesspool of economic stagnancy while ramming ideological agendas down Canadian throa... Read more
Portrait of a system on fire: Ontario’s most popular politician warns of polarizing ideologies and power grabs
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — After a much-heated federal election and a February provincial election, Ontario’s most popular politician offered a sobering take on the state of Canadian politics. In an interview with Farmers Forum, Bobbi Ann Brady — the headline-making independent MPP who... Read more
OPINION: Grain markets got bounce (70 % chance of higher corn and soybean price in May and June than at harvest)
Spring is the time for monitoring expectations. Throughout the winter market, analysts put a great deal of effort into mapping out what the coming crop year might look like. We estimate seeding expectations, model trendline yields, and project potential usage of the upcoming crop in an attempt to an... Read more
Thieves steal skid steer with fake bank draft
$108,000 skid steer stolen from Cornwall equipment dealer and up to eight more dealerships scammed Farmers Forum staff CORNWALL — An Eastern Ontario excavation contractor and used equipment seller is warning equipment dealers — or anyone selling big-ticket items — to take precautions when accepting... Read more
SURVEY SAYS: Prescott-Russell has highest farmland prices in Eastern Ontario
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum A recent survey of 1,206 Ontario farmers suggests they saw mostly flat or static farmland prices in 2024. Reported land price increases in individual counties were largely offset by decreases in other counties, according to the annual farmland value and rental value s... Read more
First dairy farmer to sit as Ontario MPP since 2014
Farmers Forum staff MEAFORD — The Ontario Legislature resumed last month for the first time since the February election, with a crop of MPPs that includes the first active dairy farmer to take a seat at Queen’s Park in quite some time. Paul Vickers (PC – Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound) captured 44 % o... Read more
RETURN OF THE KING: Why this is a great moment in time and Joe Rogan gets it
Return of the King Why this is a great moment in time Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum If you were old enough to remember 9/11 you know exactly where you were when the twin towers in New York crashed to the ground. It was a seminal moment in history. Laws changed. Airports were never the […] Read more
Ontario farmers slash costs with on-farm biomass grain-dryer
Ontario farmers slash costs with on-farm biomass grain-dryer Savings of up to 90 % reported Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — There’s no escaping the need to dry grain in Ontario, but a Manitoba company is making it happen by burning biomass like wood chips or corn stover instead of propane a... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are farmers pessimistic or optimistic about Canada?
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are farmers pessimistic or optimistic about Canada? They’re generally optimistic but mostly pessimistic when it comes to politics Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA – As globalists expand their powers and undermine legitimate governments, Canada and much of the world is in a state of economic... Read more
Ontario booms with municipalities saying no to wind turbine projects
Ontario booms with municipalities saying no to wind turbine projects Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Wind project developers will have much less Ontario real estate to work with as the province prepares to issue a call for more energy development that could include more wind turbines. That’s the impres... Read more
OPINION: Gidday-eh! Greetings and expressions from the Ottawa Valley, eh
Gidday-eh! Greetings and expressions from the Ottawa Valley, eh Well, Gidday-eh, howreu doin? Dat was a big blow (big wind) last week. Oh ya it was a big one fer sher. I seen wadder from the ditch blowin’ over the road. One of the first columns I penned when I started as a newspaper columnist [... Read more
OPINION: Carney’s Canada: More woke, more climate alarmism
OPINION: Carney’s Canada: More woke, more climate alarmism I know two families who moved from Canada to the United States. I know another who moved last summer from Canada back to Lebanon. I know others planning their escape to Western and Eastern Europe. These people have one thing in common. They... Read more
OPINION: The year Carl became a crop-selling genius
OPINION: The year Carl became a crop-selling genius I remember it like yesterday. Carl “Corncob” McTavish can barely contain himself. His itch to plant is a full-body rash that no amount of calamine can cure. The fields are still a mucky mess, the calendar’s mocking him, and Carl’s wiry body is like... Read more
OPINION: This family supports Canadian producers and avoids American and Chinese products
Our family is spread out across several different occupations and it has been interesting to listen as to how they are using their purchasing power to support Canada. Three of us are self-employed dairy farmers on a farm my husband and I started and has grown over the years. Our son has been a partn... Read more
Farmer installed soybean press to feed cows and saves $15,000 each year
Farmer installed soybean press to feed his dairy cows and saves more than $15,000 in savings each year More than 80 soybean presses on Ontario farms Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TIMISKAMING — When a massive snowfall collapsed Kim Laframboise’s barn in 2019, the Northern Ontario dairy farmer didn’... Read more
Why are there higher than normal death rates across Canada?
Some point to the COVID vaccine and increases in cancer and blood clotting Read more
OPINION: Is Canada controlled by Chinese drug cartels?
“Did Canada really win the War of 1812? Think about where we’d be if it had gone the other way.” This scenario was raised by someone who recently dared to reconsider the possibilities amidst the noise from U.S. President Donald Trump about annexing Canada. Noise, because that is what most hear, rat... Read more
3rd-generation rallied after Wingham fire to rebuild abattoir and store
John Schwartzentruber Farmers Forum WINGHAM — Greek mythology presents the story of the phoenix – a magnificent, fabled bird that spontaneously bursts into flames when it grows old, only to resurrect from its own ashes in a newly reinvigorated form. Could such a fable ever have real-life parallels?... Read more
Proper farm management can be lifeline to good mental health, advocates say
Proper farm management can be a lifeline to good mental health, advocates say Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The difference between a happy farmer and his stressed-out neighbour can be as simple as the former starting the day with a to-do list and the latter flying by the seat of his pants. Put simply... Read more
FUTURE BELONGS TO DRONES: Farmers already illegally using drones to spray crops; wait for law to catch up
Farmers are already illegally using drones to spray crops as they wait for the law to catch up to the technology Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Another cropping season is about to begin, and Ontario farmers still can’t legally deploy drone technology against existing and emerging pest thre... Read more
New maple supply shop opens in the Frontenac Highlands
Charles Summers Farmers Forum Mississippi Station really seems like the middle of nowhere. In the rugged hills, and winding roads “North of 7,” in North Frontenac Township, you have to go a ways to get gas or a cell phone signal. But sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees: despite its seem... Read more
Worm poop works like magic: Offers up to 10 % yield bump
Manure acts as fertilizer enhancer and offers at least a 10 % yield bump in vegetables and field crops, business owner says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FRANKFORD — Jeffrey Moorhouse is sowing the seeds of an agricultural revolution — straight from the intestinal tract of the red wiggler e... Read more
Ontario public servants earning more than $100,000 up 26 %
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — The province’s latest “sunshine list” shows that 377,667 taxpayer-funded workers collected a salary of $100,000 or more in 2024 — up nearly 26 % over 2023 — at a total cost of just over $50 billion to the public purse. In the name of transparency, the Ontari... Read more
Toy tractor sells for $14,000 at Ottawa farm show
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — When the dust settled, it was George Tackaberry who again outbid everyone for a featured toy tractor at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show’s annual charity auction for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. The G. Tackaberry & Sons Construction Company founder paid a w... Read more
OFA makes election demands
GUELPH — Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Drew Spoelstra is urging federal candidates in this month’s election to prioritize agriculture. In a recent opinion piece, the Binbrook dairy farmer emphasized the sector’s $50 billion annual contribution to the Ontario economy — an economic footp... Read more
Buy-Canadian wave turns Belleville canning factory into a household name
10-million pounds of goodness Buy-Canadian wave turns Belleville canning factory into a household name The first job I ever had on a farm was with my friend Keenan. We were both townies, maybe about 12 years old, growing up on the East Hill of Belleville, but his family, the Spragues, were an old fa... Read more
Ukraine gets approval to export eggs to Canada
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA —The Canadian market is now open to in-the-shell egg imports from the Ukraine. Canadian approval was granted April 1. Negotiations to allow the imports of shelled eggs and other goods from the Ukraine have been ongoing since 2019, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says.... Read more
FOOD PROFESSOR SCHOOLED: Canadian dairy catch-22 explained by an anonymous dairy farmer
Another ANONYMOUS LETTER from an Ontario dairy farmer to Dalhousie University food professor Sylvain Charlebois highlighting the growing complications of supply management. “And it’s only going to get worse,” Charlebois said. “Sylvain, thank you for calling out a misleading idea t... Read more
No bird flu threat: Humans, cows rarely infected, agriculture adapting to virus
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Three years after the virus arrived in North America, H5N1 bird flu remains a serious economic risk to Ontario’s poultry and egg-laying flocks. The last four months (December 2024 through March 2025) have seen a bit of a bird flu comeback with 11 infected Ontario farms... Read more
Federal government introduces new financial aid programs for businesses affected by U.S. tariffs
Federal government introduces new financial aid programs for businesses affected by U.S. tariffs Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — In response to the threat of U.S. tariffs the Canadian government has introduced new financial assistance programs that could help your farm. Here are four programs in a nuts... Read more
Canadian Grain Growers launch election campaign tool for producers
Canadian Grain Growers launch election campaign tool for producers OTTAWA — With Canadians headed to the polls, the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) has launched Vote for Grain to ensure producer voices are heard by the political players. The online campaign — www.VoteforGrain.ca — features a click-and... Read more
STEVE KELL: Ideas on managing a trade war
Canada is America’s biggest market for corn-fed ethanol and maybe that should stop ... Read more
Super-hot interest in Ontario farmland prices, but price increases have cooled down
Farmers Forum staff Ontario’s farmland prices have been superhot and rising rapidly, but not this year. But prices are still rising. The latest Farm Credit Canada farmland value report noted that farmland prices have been rising by at least 10 % each year for the past three years. But last year, fa... Read more
Quilters take note: Quilt block challenge to mark 100th anniversary of Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association
OTTAWA — Beautiful quilts are always displayed at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show, including this one (shown above) by Chesterville dairy farmer Ruth Puenter. Quilters like Puenter are keen to take part in a special Quilt Block Challenge that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Ottawa Seed Gr... Read more
HIS VISION, YOUR NIGHTMARE: Pundits sound off on China-first globalist prime minister
His vision is our nightmare: Pundits sound off on Canada’s new China-first prime minister and self-proclaimed globalist “(Mark Carney) wants diversity. He wants woke. He wants ESG. He wants net-zero. He is going to further destroy your country.” — Dave Rubin, NY Times bestselling author and host of... Read more
Dairy farmer fears summed up in one word: TRUMP
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ask a dairy farmer what worries him most and it’s not bird flu, the carbon tax or even our government. Ontario dairy farmers are most concerned about U.S. President Trump. Farmers Forum spoke with dairy farmers at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show last month and while their wo... Read more
Guinness world-record holder for back-in-the-day farming seeks new record
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — François Latour is gunning for a couple more entries in the Guinness Book of World Records and, in the process, more money raised to fight breast cancer, the disease that took his beloved wife 10 years ago. The Casselman carpenter and antique farm equipment collector pla... Read more
Monster battery sites are coming, and farmers are fighting back
Green energy visionaries want more farmland — this time for large battery storage sites — but North Glengarry farmers are so opposed they’ve lawyered up Read more
Massive wind turbine blades crash to the ground in Western Ontario
Farmers Forum staff PORT BURWELL — A massive rotor and its three long blades detached from a wind turbine near Port Burwell in Western Ontario on March 15 and crashed to the ground. The average length of a wind turbine blade is about 165 ft. — about half the length of a football field. Capstone [... Read more
Eganville farmer charged, one dead, in tractor-motorcycle collision
Farmers Forum staff EGANVILLE — The driver of a farm tractor has been charged with careless driving causing death, six months after a fatal collision at a rural intersection 15 km north of Eganville. The Upper Ottawa Valley OPP recently laid the charge, under the provincial Highway Traffic Act, aga... Read more
Two-thumbs way up for Ottawa Valley Farm Show 2025
The 2025 Ottawa Valley Farm Show wrapped up its three-day event on March 13. Held at the EY Centre in Ottawa, the event drew more than 11,000 people, including farmers, agribusiness leaders, suppliers, and experts from across Canada. As the longest running agricultural trade show in Ontario, the Ot... Read more
Super-hot interest in Ontario farmland prices, but price increases have cooled down
Farmers Forum staff Ontario’s farmland prices have been superhot and rising rapidly, but not this year. But prices are still rising. The latest Farm Credit Canada farmland value report noted that farmland prices have been rising by at least 10 % each year for the past three years. But last year, fa... Read more
Essex worker killed at greenhouse operation
KINGSVILLE — A 59-year-old female farm worker was fatally struck by a vehicle at Sunsation Acres, an Essex County greenhouse operation, on March 17. The woman died at the scene shortly after 5 p.m., according to the OPP, who characterized the situation as a “pedestrian who was struck by a motor vehi... Read more
CANADIAN GRAIN FARMERS: Trade war threat on two fronts — U.S. and China
OTTAWA — Canadian grain farmers are facing a trade crisis on two fronts, with escalating tariffs from both the United States and China threatening billions in exports and putting the future of family farms at exceptional risk. The Chinese government’s decision to i... Read more
Trevor Jones sworn in as Ontario ag minister
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones is Ontario’s new minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. A former Leamington town councillor first elected to Queen’s Park in 2022, Jones previously served in Premier Doug Ford’s provincial cabinet as Associate Minister o... Read more
The USA and China are both engaged in trade wars with Canada, but China gets a free pass at the LCBO
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The LCBO continues to carry dozens of made-in-China items and alcoholic beverages despite Beijing’s recently ramped-up trade war slapping key Canadian agricultural and seafood exports with heavy tariffs announced on March 8. That’s in stark contrast to the Fo... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you concerned that Canada might give up a little more access to our dairy market?
There’s a lot of talk these days about tariffs. U.S. President Donald Trump said that he is not happy that Canada has triple-digit tariffs on dairy products but also that Canada is not paying its fair share to NATO, which protects our borders and the seas, and that Canada needs to crackdown on the... Read more
IN ZAMBIA WITH JOHN SCHWARTZENTRUBER: Caught up in universal tensions halfway around the world
Once again, we traded the wintery blast of an Ontario February for the warm climes of Zambia, where our daughter and her family welcomed us. Again, we experienced the pervading tension between life in this beautiful nation with its many needs and life in our homeland where we enjoy the under-appreci... Read more
The food professor says supply management shields Canada from $11 per dozen eggs now in U.S.
The price of eggs in the United States is soaring. In some states, a dozen eggs now retail for over $11, among the highest prices ever recorded. The ongoing avian flu outbreak is wreaking havoc, with the U.S. having culled more than 10% of its laying hen flock in recent months. With supplies dwindli... Read more
British farmers protest inheritance tax that Canadian Liberal Mark Carney approves
Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum In early February, hundreds of farmers in England gathered in Central London with their tractors, protesting against changes to inheritance tax laws introduced by the British government in its October 2024 budget. These changes, set to take effect in April 2026, will remo... Read more
MAPLE SYRUP EVANGELISTS: George and Chris created enchantment in a storybook sugar bush where 20,000 people are about to descend
Maple syrup evangelists George and Chris created enchantment in a storybook sugar bush where 20,000 people are about to descend Nestled in the rolling hills of Northumberland County is a unique geological, biological and social phenomenon: a spot where soils, plants and people meet to... Read more
Why ‘wifey’ needs to be in the barn: It’s a win-win for everyone, says farm wife who once said she would never marry a farmer
Why ‘wifey’ needs to be in the barn It’s a win-win for everyone, says farm wife who once said she would never marry a farmer Rochelle Anderson Special to Farmer Forum My family moved from the West Coast and I had my 10th birthday in the little town of Dalkeith in Eastern Ontario. I hated... Read more
THERE’S MONEY IN MANURE: Winchester-area dairy farm with methane digester set to send each $10,000 truckload to the U.S.
There’s money in manure Winchester-area dairy farm with methane digester set to send each $10,000 truckload to the U.S. Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. ISIDORE — The USA will get the renewable natural gas that’s set to be produced by the first four centralized biogas digester hubs processing Ont... Read more
OPINION: Black Friday, Boxing Day, Cyber Monday and No-Tax events are often not sales at all
I had a few good laughs when I watched the recent episode of CBC Marketplace about retail advertised sales events. Marketplace tracked the price of items sold at two major retailers — Old Navy and Canadian Tire — for seven months checking to see how often those items went on sale and whether the pri... Read more
OPEN HOUSE MARCH 29: State-of-the-art rises out of storm wreckage
State-of-the art rises out of storm wreckage Dairy family rebuild and now its ‘fun’ to be in the barn with a soaring ceiling and the first GEA robotic milker in North America Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NAVAN — A quiet spring afternoon abruptly turned violent and forever altered th... Read more
Ottawa-area dairy named Ontario’s top-managed herd
Ottawa-area dairy named Ontario’s top-managed herd Same herd is 4th best in Canada Farmers Forum staff ST. ALBERT — Rosenhill Farms Inc., of St. Albert, was Ontario’s best managed dairy herd in 2024 — and Canada’s fourth best — according to the latest annual ranking released by Lactanet (formerly Ca... Read more
A measure of success: A man of hard work but his commitment to faith and family was his treasure
John Schwartzentruber Farmers Forum How do you measure success? In the farming community, the answers commonly fall toward the material, having more of the things that are visible and easily quantified. They say that the one who dies with the most toys wins, implying an insatiable appetite for the... Read more
BEEF-ON-DAIRY CROSS-BREEDING: Fastest-growing new trend that this ag specialist has ever seen
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST-ISIDORE — Barely four years into the trend, Ontario dairy farmers are making a splash with their output of rapidly improving hybrid beef cattle, and the disruption is being felt across the dairy, beef and veal sector, according to OMAF livestock sustainability spec... Read more
OPINION: Too many food recalls in Canada and in U.S.
Too many food recalls in Canada and in U.S. Recently, recalls in both Canada and the United States appear to be increasing both in frequency and numbers, in food, consumer products, vehicles, medical equipment and drugs. Some recalls are serious and could cause injury or even death, while others are... Read more
THE UNCONVENTIONAL MARKUS WAY: A new way to look at succession planning
The unconventional Markus Way A new way to look at succession planning. It all comes down to this: “No farm is big enough for two brothers.” Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum WOODSTOCK — John Markus has a fresh way of looking at things. He likes to think outside the box. When it com... Read more
OPINION: Want to avoid succession planning pitfalls? Start with the idea that no farm is big enough for two brothers
Avoiding the pitfalls of succession planning on the family farm As a farmer with over 56 years of experience, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges and potential pitfalls of succession planning for family-owned agricultural operations. While the process is crucial for ensuri... Read more
Cattle well-being is paramount says new Master breeder
Cattle well-being is paramount says new Master breeder He revived a family legacy by buying back into dairy farming Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MARTINTOWN — Don Johnston was just 10 years old when health issues forced his father to sell the family dairy farm in Russell County. The family... Read more
Ontario maple syrup producer group offers new training initiative
Ontario maple syrup producer group offers new training It has more than 600 members and aims to share knowledge Charles Summers Farmers Forum In days of yore, maple syrup production was largely an exercise in brute force: your success being a measure of your willingness to trudge through the... Read more
Another study reveals concerns about COVID vaccine
Another study reveals concerns about COVID vaccine Researchers question if spike protein has contributed to side effects James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Concerns about the COVID vaccines are not going away. There are many new reports around the world, including an alarming new study by e... Read more
Marketing professional takes over at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show
Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Marketing specialist Lauren Casselman is the Ottawa Valley Farm Show new coordinator this year. Casselman comes from a background of a wide range of skills including, event organization, tourism, marketing and customer service. Her previous experience includes wor... Read more
Eleanor Renaud named Soil and Crop president for 2025
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Leeds County beef and crop farmer Eleanor Renaud has taken the helm as president of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) for 2025. She began her one-year term at the Feb. 4 board of directors meeting. Renaud owns and operates a 1,000-acre, fif... Read more
Ottawa-area hog farmer stuck between home-grown trade barrier and U.S. tariff threat
Ottawa-area hog farmer stuck between home-grown trade barrier and U.S. tariff threat Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum KINBURN — An Eastern Ontario hog operation faces an uncertain future due to trade barriers from within Canada and without. Sixth-generation Kinburn crop farmer Bruce Hudson, west of Ottawa... Read more
TIPS TO 100-BUSHEL BEANS: Plant early, pick the right variety and try sulfur
Tips to 100-bushel beans Plant early, pick the right variety and try sulfur Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — What would it take to grow 100 bushels of soybeans per acre in Ontario? Hitting the milestone will necessarily involve planting early and planting smart. That’s the word straight f... Read more
Canada, U.S. governments waste billions of dollars
Canada, U.S. governments waste billions of dollars While you got carbon-taxed, Canada spent $8 billion on other countries James Pascual and Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum OTTAWA— Never has it been more obvious that the biggest thieves are within our own governments. The new U.S. administration has launc... Read more
Ottawa Valley Farm Show includes robotic demos and young farmers luncheon
Farm show includes robotic demos and young farmers luncheon Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Ottawa Valley Farm Show returns to the EY Centre with a full complement of familiar attractions at the agribusiness extravaganza. The March 11-13 event has lined 370 exhibitors with the latest in agri... Read more
ANNUAL MEETING: BFO passes 17 resolutions
ANNUAL MEETING: BFO passes 17 resolutions Demands animal police stop treating livestock as pets Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Once again, the province’s new animal welfare enforcement regime was subject to a demand for change at the Beef Farmers of Ontario annual general meeting last month in Toront... Read more
Beef prices soar as do prices even for dairy bull calves
Beef prices soar as do prices even for dairy bull calves Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. ISIDORE — Beef and cattle prices continue to soar — and amaze — thanks to strong consumer demand in combination with an ever-shrinking North American herd. The upward trend started five years ago, hitting re... Read more
COWS VS. BIRD FLU: It’s likely coming to Canada but it rarely kills cattle and pasteurized milk is safe to drink
COWS VS. BIRD FLU: Bird flu likely coming to Canada but it rarely kills cattle and pasteurized milk is safe to drink Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. ISIDORE — Dead barn cats are the first tell-tale signs of bird flu lurking in their herd. That’s often been the American experience as the H5N1 bir... Read more
Farmer dies in Huron farm accident as did his father and grandfather
Farmer dies in Huron farm accident as did his father and grandfather Farmers Forum staff GLEN HURON — A popular school board superintendent who retired to work on his family’s ancestral orchard and farming operation died Feb. 21 when the roof collapsed on the operation’s market warehouse in Huron Co... Read more
PRICE BUMMER: Farmers everywhere are soybean-producing kings but Brazil is producing so much more that the world is now oversupplied
One thing that farmers all around the world have become really good at is growing soybeans. In addition to the agronomic skill and ever improving soybean genetics and crop protection products, the past couple of years have also come along with good weather conditions which have allowed all of the ac... Read more
POWER TO THE PEOPLE: Independent MPP wins again and says people don’t trust gov’t
Party MPPs have no voice as Ontario does not listen to the grassroots, she says Read more
GOD HELP US: God exists, and so does evil, and here’s what you can do about it
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum There’s a story about a boy named Simon who was sitting in class one day when his high school teacher asked: “Does anyone here believe in God?” Everyone stopped talking. No one moved. They knew that the teacher was a rabid atheist who roasted students on the spot when h... Read more
OPINION: Farmers have more than Trump to worry about
OPINION: Farmers have more than Trump to worry about There is a lot of talk about tariffs and our Canadian politicians are blaming President Trump for everything. There is much to worry about but we’re not pointing our fingers in enough places. Canadians should be as concerned about their own govern... Read more
Retaliating tariffs imposed by Trudeau will only punish Canadians, analyst says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The federal government is only inflicting additional unnecessary pain on Canadians by making them pay hefty new import taxes on American goods in response to the already economically hurtful actions of U.S. President Donald Trump. A few expert voices are mak... Read more
U.S. farmers will plant more corn, fewer soybeans — if there isn’t a trade war
OTTAWA — American farmers are projected to plant more corn and less soybeans this spring, although a potential trade war with Canada and Mexico may upend this predicted shift, according to a new report from CoBank, a cooperative bank operating in the rural U.S. A continuing “impressive run” in the p... Read more
Ottawa-area dairy named Ontario’s top-managed herd
Farmers Forum staff ALBERT — Rosenhill Farms Inc., of St. Albert, was Ontario’s best managed dairy herd in 2024 — and Canada’s fourth best — according to the latest annual ranking released by Lactanet (formerly Canwest DHI). Founded by Swiss immigrants Andre and Judith Hildbrand, Rosenhill is a pere... Read more
Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame announces 2025 inductees including rockstar animal geneticist
GUELPH — Five leaders who have made significant contributions to Ontario agriculture and beyond will be inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame (OAHF) in 2025. Read more
Ontario farms and food manufacturers fuel economic growth — and provide 14% of jobs, study says
OTTAWA — Nearly 900,000 Ontario jobs and billions in provincial GDP rely on the ag and food sector, an economic powerhouse that also faces significant hurdles like rising input costs and regulatory complexities, according to a new Ontario Federation of Agriculture analysis. Read more
U.S. FARMERS WIN LOTTERY : Farm Bill to boost American farmers’ income 22% this year while Canadian farmers to drop 15%
Americans share in massive subsidies while Canadians get carbon-taxed Read more
Young farm worker injured in barn roof collapse
LISTOWEL — The roof of a large Western Ontario dairy barn collapsed under the weight of heavy snow, seriously injuring a reported “young farm worker” who was trapped beneath the debris. A number of cattle were also injured in the Feb. 25 incident. Read more
Antique tractors to be sold by auction
Antique tractors to be sold by auction Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — Devoted craftsman, Allan Bolton, has a relentless passion for breathing new life into old tractors and has spent countless hours meticulously restoring these mechanical giants to their former glory. But now it’s time to... Read more
What the heck do you farmers do all winter?
What the heck do you farmers do all winter? There are always chores but also time for hockey, snowmobiling or skiing, cutting wood, paperwork and Florida The old proverb goes, “As the days begin to lengthen, the cold begins to strengthen.” And so as surely as the sun creeps higher in t... Read more
Supreme Court denies appeal of BSE class-action lawsuit
Supreme Court denies appeal of BSE class-action lawsuit OTTAWA — An $8-billion class-action lawsuit on behalf of Canadian cattle producers quietly reached a dead end at the Supreme Court last fall, concluding a legal saga that began 20 years ago in the aftermath of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopat... Read more
78-year-old’s $2-million lawsuit against the animal police could be heard in Peterborough court
78-year-old’s $2-million lawsuit against the animal police could be heard in Peterborough court Cattle confiscated, farmer given boarding bill but he was not charged with an offence Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — A multi-million-dollar lawsuit pitting 78-year-old Peterborough-area... Read more
OPINION: Pardoning Fauci — We now know that Dr. Fauci has misled and lied
Pardoning Fauci We now know that Dr. Fauci has mislead and lied James Pascual Farmers Forum Analysis I thought that the U.S. president’s chief medical advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was the hero who saved millions of lives by promoting the COVID vaccine. So, why is it that on U.S. President Bide... Read more
OPINION: The horror of how-to manuals
The horror of how-to manuals Do-it-yourself renovators suffer painfully using poorly translated instruction manuals written by those who could learn a lesson from Lego Being a mother to four children and with my parents loving to give Lego kits as gifts to all of them, I spent much of my time yellin... Read more
Forty years of writing opinionated columns and “cranky pants” Maynard still stirs up readers
Forty years of writing opinionated columns and “cranky pants” Maynard still stirs up readers Sometimes I’m a little irked when someone tells me readers won’t all agree with my column that week or that month. I tell them that’s okay and that’s good. I don’t poll people to find out how they feel about... Read more
OPINION: What, me worry about U.S. tariffs? We have a global marketplace
What, me worry about U.S. tariffs? We have a global marketplace For several months now, the Canadian media has been seized by threats of the new American administration imposing tariffs on Canadian imports, and discussion by countless Canadian officials on how our country might choose to respond. Th... Read more
Rabies cases up in Ontario
Rabies cases up in Ontario All infected animals were bats OTTAWA — Documented cases of animal rabies went up 60 % in Ontario last year, with bats accounting for all 90 cases counted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2024. That’s well up from the 56 animal carcasses that tested positive for r... Read more
Proposed tax changes: What farmers need to know
Proposed tax changes: What farmers need to know Ontario Federation of Agriculture analysis Farmers Forum On January 6, 2025, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he will be stepping down as prime minister once his party chooses a successor. Parliament is suspended until March 24 while his party g... Read more
Nurse shortage in Huron-Perth: Where they won’t hire back nurses fired for not taking COVID vaccine
Nurse shortage in Huron-Perth: Where they won’t hire back nurses fired for not taking COVID vaccine “Some days it feels like it’s all going to fall apart,” said a doctor recently, referring to our precariously overloaded, understaffed healthcare system. So, why are some health networks paying nurses... Read more
Agronomy professor says “Wheat is my favourite crop”
“Wheat is my favourite crop” There are so many variables to tweak yield, agronomist says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — Of all the Ontario field crops, winter wheat offers a good manager the best shot at influencing yield, according to University of Guelph agronomy professor Dr. David H... Read more
Farm groups happy with Risk Management Program funding increase of $100 million
Farm groups happy with Risk Management Program funding increase of $100 million Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — The Ontario government has boosted annual Risk Management Program funding by two-thirds over the next three years. The move came on the same day of a provincial election call and more than t... Read more
SELLING HOARDS STATION: New owners now operate three sale barns
SELLING HOARDS STATION New owners now operate three sale barns Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CAMPBELLFORD — It’s steady as she goes and business as usual at Hoards Station Sale Barn, which recently sold from one sale-barn family to another. The deal for the sale barn — one of only 15 left in Ontar... Read more
Most common barn fires occurred in livestock barns in 2023
Most common barn fires occurred in livestock barns in 2023 Electrical mechanical failure is most common cause but children at play can also be a risk Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Ontario had 113 barn fires with total damages of just over $91.3 million in 2023, according to the most curr... Read more
Tar spot here to stay
Tar spot here to stay When at risk, spray corn to stop yield loss of up to 80 bu/ac Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — Fungicide will be even more crucial to Ontario corn growers as tar spot continues its inevitable spread across the province. The good news is that the best fungicide... Read more
Ontario’s farms and food manufacturers fuel economic growth despite challenges
OTTAWA — Nearly 900,000 Ontario jobs and billions worth of provincial GDP rely on the ag and food sector, an economic powerhouse that also faces significant hurdles like rising input costs and regulatory complexities, according to a new Ontario Federation of Agriculture analysis. Read more
Eastern Ontario man dies after becoming trapped in corn bin
NORTH DUNDAS — A 67-year-old North Dundas Township farmer, Arden Carruthers, died Feb. 4 after becoming trapped in a corn bin near Winchester, south of Ottawa. Local firefighters, paramedics and police rushed to the site on County Rd. 7 around 2:30 p.m., OPP reported. First responders and members of... Read more
Barn-building costs estimated to rise at least 15 % to 35 % this year
Barn-building costs estimated to rise at least 15 % to 35 % this year Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Expect barn-building costs to jump an estimated 15 to 35 % this year because of recent building code changes, and that’s on top of the general inflation rate that has already driven up cost... Read more
OPINION: The World Economic Forum created Justin Trudeau and gave us a decade of destruction
The World Economic Forum created Justin Trudeau and gave us a decade of destruction Many people still have an odd notion of what the World Economic Forum is. They think it’s a club for the world’s wealthiest and most influential but things gets a little foggy after that. Many of the influencers behi... Read more
We’re in a bust cycle says ‘Machinery Pete’
We’re in a bust cycle says ‘Machinery Pete’ Tips on best times to sell and buy farm equipment Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — Amid a glut of costly new machinery on dealership lots, auction prices for late-model farm equipment softened in 2024 while older stuff in good condition bucked t... Read more
BOMBSHELL COVID REPORT: Too many COVID injuries; stop mRNA vaccines now, Alberta task force says
BOMBSHELL COVID REPORT: Too many COVID injuries; stop mRNA vaccines now, Alberta task force says Patrick Meagher and Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum EDMONTON — A 12-member Alberta task force of experts in law, science and medicine has dropped a shocking bombshell COVID-19 report on the country. The 269-p... Read more
RURAL ONTARIO DOCTOR SHORTAGE: More than 1,000 line up to get a family doctor
RURAL ONTARIO DOCTOR SHORTAGE More than 1,000 line up to get a family doctor while one town offers new doctor $80,000 bonus if he stays 5 years Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum WALKERTON – There’s a new doctor in this rural Ontario town and hundreds of people lined up to see him. Dr. Mitchell Currie is [... Read more
NEW U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY: Canada treats our dairy farmers “horribly”
James Pascual Farmers Forum WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump pick for Commerce Secretary told a confirmation hearing on Jan. 29 that Canada treats U.S. dairy farmers “horribly” and could avoid 25 % tariffs with swift border security actions and shut the door to fentanyl that is being m... Read more
Average Ontario farm revenues went up in 2023 but so did expenses
Farmers Forum Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The average Ontario farm recorded a profit in 2023 of more than $106,000. Average Ontario farm gross revenues increased almost 7 % in 2023 but higher expenses ate up those gains, according to the latest annual figures released by Statisti... Read more
Peavey Mart, Canada’s largest farm supply store, to close all 90 stores across the country
Nicholas P-M Farmers Forum RED DEER, ALBERTA — Canada’s largest farm supply and retail chain, Peavey Mart, is closing its doors in all Canadian locations. Peavey Mart’s CEO Doug Anderson announced in late January that the company has decided to file for creditor protection to avoid bankruptcy. As a... Read more
Liberal candidates say they will scrap carbon tax — but not perceived frontrunner Mark Carney
OTTAWA — Even the governing Liberals are now sharpening the axe against the carbon tax — or are at least pretending to — and that should cheer the farmers whose crop-drying and barn-heating costs have needlessly escalated as a result of the unpopular levy. Read more
GFO says core values include DEI-promoting transgendered men and women
GUELPH — Thriving farms, responsible production and trusted grain farmers. Read more
3-year-old boy dies in Western Ontario farm accident
HURON COUNTY — A three-year-old boy was tragically killed in a Huron County farm accident on Jan. 19. Read more
OPINION: Canada Revenue Agency is the new thief in town
Canada Revenue Agency is the new thief in town CRA plans to collect capital gains taxes that were not passed in Parliament The idea of no taxation without representation is as Canadian as maple syrup, a wheat field or an oil jack standing distantly in the field, but don’t tell that to the Canada Rev... Read more
Need to divert a waterway? Beavers to the rescue
Need to divert a waterway? Beavers to the rescue Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WAKEFIELD — Unless you’re a major hydroelectric company, getting a permit to build a man-made dam on a natural watercourse is next to impossible. A Wakefield tourism operator and aspiring farmer found a clever workaroun... Read more
Consumer confidence levels down in December
Consumer confidence levels down in December Why? Rising economic uncertainty, cost of carrying debt, fuel pessimism Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian consumer confidence levels plummeted in the final month of 2024. The Conference Board of Canada’s index of consumer confidence recorded the steepe... Read more
Some soybean yields were disastrous for small farms
Some soybean yields were disastrous for small farms LAMBTON COUNTY — While Ontario reported strong soybean yields in 2024, constant heavy rains made for poor yields in some areas. The 10-year Ontario soybean yield average is 48 bu/ac and farmers on average were enjoying yields north of 50. But not R... Read more
OPINION: Canada’s top New Year’s resolutions are to save more money and eat healthier
Canada’s top New Year’s resolutions are to save more money and eat healthier Here are some simple tips to do that all year long Marketing research company Sago estimates about 43 per cent of Canadians make New Year’s resolutions. Saving more money is at the top of the list with 21 %, followed by eat... Read more
OPINION: Podcasters bust the global elites
Podcasters bust the global elites Younger Canadians tend to go to social media for their news. Many are part of a growing subculture who see that traditional mainstream news media is no longer telling the truth. These people look to independent news sources and independent journalists on X, Rumble,... Read more
A lifetime of horticulture: Building an industry on the shores of paradise
A lifetime of horticulture: Building an industry on the shores of paradise Hard work, expertise and organizing leave legacy in Prince Edward County Charles Summers Farmers Forum If you want to visit Waupoos, you might travel southward off of the 401, past the weed shops and gas stations of the Tyend... Read more
Eastern Ontario Dairy Days set for Feb. 12-13
Eastern Ontario Dairy Days set for Feb. 12-13 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The annual Eastern Ontario Dairy Days conference is set to churn up some interesting discussion in February. Lessons from the avian flu outbreak on American dairy farms and an ongoing effort to generate saleable methan... Read more
CHEATING IN THE RING? Holstein Canada to re-instate test to detect udder-plumping injections
CHEATING IN THE RING? Holstein Canada to re-instate test to detect udder-plumping injections Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Holstein Canada says it will reinstate a ringside milk test at national-level cow shows to catch artificially plumped-up udders. The move comes after the Royal Winte... Read more
Mental health podcast offers well-being tips to Ontario farmers
Mental health podcast offers well-being tips to Ontario farmers Farmers Forum staff LAMBTON COUNTY — Anxiety, depression and suicide are well-reported significant issues for the farmers and other residents of rural Ontario. People may not know where to turn, but a new online audio podcast — The Rura... Read more
SHOCKING: Ottawa agrees to Bunge and Viterra merger; Study says Manitoba grain farmers to lose $10,000 per month
Viterra-Bunge Acquisition Approval Fails Canada’s Grain Farmers (OTTAWA, ON – Jan. 15, 2025) Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is extremely disappointed with the decision made yesterday by the Minister of Transport to approve the acquisition of Viterra by Bunge without a divestment of G3. While... Read more
SWEDISH STUDY: Charcoal-like substance used to reduce DDT-contaminated soil
Biochar reduces the risks of DDT-contaminated soil Biochar binds DDT effectively, so that the toxin is not taken up by soil organisms. Photo: Anja Enell, the Swedish Geotechnical Institute. DDT soil pollution is still a major problem in many parts of the world. Researchers at Chalmers University of... Read more
Liberal gov’t recommends taking charitable status away from churches, MP says
Liberal gov’t recommends taking charitable status away from churches, MP says James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Due to inflation and higher taxes, cash-strapped Canadians have tightened their belts on donations but the Liberal government is looking to make things even more difficult for churches.... Read more
Ontario farm groups pull out of federal sustainable ag strategy committee for focusing on climate change fears, not science
Ontario farm groups pull out of federal sustainable ag strategy committee for focusing on climate change fears, not science Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — In a blow to the teetering Liberal government’s key climate strategy for agriculture, six national crop organizations have abruptly pul... Read more
Ontario farm fatalities down to four in 2024
Ontario farm fatalities down to four in 2024 Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Farms are becoming safer places to work as farm fatalities continue to decline. On-farm farm-related accidents took the lives of four Ontarians in 2024, down from five last year and 13 in 2022. The 10-year average... Read more
Premier Equipment buys Stouffville John Deere dealership
Premier Equipment buys Stouffville John Deere dealership STOUFFVILLE — Premier Equipment, a multi-store John Deere dealership serving Southwestern Ontario, has conditionally purchased Stouffville-based Hutchinson Farm Supply. Hutchinson Farm Supply celebrated 60 years of business in 2024, serving ag... Read more
Trudeau resigns, farmers relieved
Trudeau resigns, farmers relieved Farmers recall his achievements: a list of oppressive tariffs, taxes and regulations Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — When Justin Trudeau finally announced his slow-as-molasses departure as prime minister in early January, Canada’s farm organizations... Read more
TOP 10 THEMES OF 2024: Biggest story of the year – Carbon tax crush
Top 10 themes of 2024 Biggest story of the year: Carbon tax crush Patrick Meagher and Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Here’s a look at the top 10 news themes and events that touched farm country in 2024. Brace yourself. It wasn’t pretty. There were once again so many crazy plans from the top... Read more
FEAR NOT: One possible human bird flu death in the U.S. but more than 20,000 deaths by the common flu
OTTAWA — A backyard poultry flock has been implicated in North America’s first death connected with H5N1 bird flu ... Read more
Rabies cases up 60 % in Ontario last year, and they were all bats
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Documented cases of animal rabies went up 60 % Ontario last year, with bats accounting for all 90 cases counted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2024. That’s well up from the 56 animal carcasses that tested positive for rabies in 2023 and the 61 testing positive... Read more
North Gower Grains founder Dwight Foster dies at 58
NORTH GOWER — North Gower Grains founder Dwight Foster has died, his family announced on Friday, Jan. 3, the day after losing him to cancer. Read more
‘The Rural Well’ podcast offers friendly discussion, tips on mental wellbeing for farmers
LAMBTON COUNTY — Anxiety, depression and suicide are well-reported significant issues for the farmers and other residents of rural Ontario. Read more
Gloomy Canada: Consumer confidence takes big dip in final month of 2024
OTTAWA — Canadian consumer confidence levels plummeted in the final month of 2024. Read more
Don’t die without a plan for the farm
Don’t die without a plan for the farm Farm wife recounts how husband’s death without a succession plan added to her burdens Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SEAFORTH — Sandra Eedy believes her husband of 38 years might still be alive today if only he had been willing to take part in far... Read more
Blackstock couple produce 2,500 lambs per year
BLACKSTOCK — Lamb producer Jenny Carnaghan says that raising lamb for the Ontario market offers a great opportunity for people looking to get into the industry. Read more
Glengarry farm boy who became WWII hero featured at upcoming Alexandria historical meeting
ALEXANDRIA — Glengarry County farm boy Dougal MacGillivray had never flown an aircraft when circumstances compelled him to take the controls of a crippled Lancaster bomber in hostile skies over enemy territory during the Second World War. MacGillivrary was serving as bomb-aimer on the massive... Read more
City kids become first generation farmers
With the megacity amalgamation of 1998, the expanded city of Toronto adopted a new coat of arms and motto for the 21st century: “Diversity is our Strength.” Read more
OPINION: Columnist talks “baloney” when he takes on dairy farming
If there is one thing that gets my dander up, it is when someone who should either know better or could know the facts through a bit of online research, makes public statements that are out-and-out untrue. Straight out lies. To really make me angry, someone doing that when their position and/or tit... Read more
Success in threes: Apples, herbs and lavender
NORFOLK COUNTY — A long-time family apple orchard has blossomed into an agritourism destination by integrating fragrant fields of lavender as an essential ingredient in the multi-generation Norfolk County operation ... Read more
OPINION: Don’t bag your leaves for the dump, make black gold compost
When I was a boy, my father and I looked after the grounds of a man who owned a large beautiful estate. He had been in India when the English ruled the country. My father took care of the many flower beds, shrubs and trees on the estate and my job was cutting the grass […] Read more
OPINION: The U.S. will not blanket Canadian exports with a 25 % tariff and here’s why
OTTAWA — Donald Trump is not yet the president of the United States and already his plans are shaking things up. Read more
ONLINE HARMS ACT: Proposed bill declares war on free speech
John Carpay President of Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms Canada proposes a new law that could make your opinion so illegal you could be fined, forced to wear an ankle bracelet or go to jail You have likely heard about the Online Harms Act, the most aggressive censorship legislation in Ca... Read more
DECEMBER EASTERN ONTARIO ISSUE: PICK UP YOUR COPY AT THESE LOCATIONS!
Due to the current Canada Post strike, the current issue of Farmers Forum (Eastern Ontario edition) will be available at select locations from Uxbridge to the Quebec border. Please see the posted map for locations where Farmers Forum can be picked up today. Other locations will be added as drivers d... Read more
OFA ANNUAL REPORT: Another fiscally stellar year for Ontario’s largest farm group
TORONTO — While Ontario’s largest farm organization might be attempting the impossible by appealing to all types of farms, one thing it seems to have mastered is keeping its financial books in order. Read more
Farm country competes in top Canadian show, the Royal Winter Fair
Big winners from Western Ontario TORONTO — The 102nd annual Royal Winter was abuzz as farmers and breeders from across the country gathered to showcase their finest livestock, and plenty of red ribbons went to Southwestern Ontario operators. The bovine belle of the ball was Jeffrey-Way Hard Rock Tw... Read more
How to compete and win your way to the Ottawa Farm Show’s Seed Court of Honour
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column Volunteers with the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association have been working closely with seed shows in the valley since 1927. Over the decades, local involvement opportunities have continued to expand with support from farmers and agribusiness. The champions... Read more
Farm groups pull out of Sustainable Ag Strategy as not in their interest
OTTAWA — In a blow to the Trudeau government’s key climate strategy for agriculture ... Read more
Premier Equipment buys Stouffville John Deere dealership
STOUFFVILLE — Premier Equipment, a multi-store John Deere dealership serving Southwestern Ontario, is set to buy Stouffville-based Hutchinson Farm Supply effective Jan. 31, 2025. Hutchinson Farm Supply celebrated 60 years of business in 2024, serving agricultural and rural property owners in the no... Read more
Food is scarce and expensive. So why are farm prices falling?
Farmers Forum staff ROCKWOOD — Canadian farmers are being confronted by much lower crop prices in 2024, and yet, staple foods are in short supply throughout the world. This contradiction stems from distortive agriculture policies in the United States, and a Trump presidency will only increase barri... Read more
Bats are by far the most common carriers of rabies
OTTAWA — Bats continue to be by far the main carriers of rabies and the only animal to infect humans in Ontario in at least 10 years. Read more
CHARLEBOIS: Don’t worry about Trump, Ottawa is the villain putting farmers at risk
Make no mistake, the real issue for Canada’s agri-food sector isn’t what’s happening in Washington — it’s what’s happening here at home. While many Canadians worry about what the next four years might hold with President-elect Donald Trump’s return, the focus should be on whether Ottawa is doing eno... Read more
Ontario vehicle theft rises 48 % in three years; RAM pickup most popularly stolen truck
OTTAWA — Pickup trucks occupy two spots on Canada’s latest list of most popularly stolen vehicles, covering the year 2023. According to insurance industry watchdog Équité Association of Canada, the top-ten most stolen vehicles were: Toyota Highlander (2021) – 3,414 stolen; Dodge Ram 150... Read more
2025 to be a challenging year, Farm Credit Canada forecasts
OTTAWA — Farm Credit Canada’s latest economic snapshot highlights a challenging year ahead for Canadian agriculture. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Happy corn harvest with dry weather, fast finish, better-than-expected yield
ARTHUR — Overcoming the slow start of a wet spring, the 2024 corn season finished with good yields that practically flew off the field as Southwestern Ontario producers made the most of exceptional harvest conditions. Read more
ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE: Township recommends dramatic tax hike to force Wilmot farmers to sell their land, local farmers say
͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ […] Read more
Bill to protect supply management from trade deals gets the boot for its potential harms to agriculture
OTTAWA — Special status for supply management whipped up some political intrigue on Parliament Hill last month. Read more
Fruit and veg growers finally granted special status when retailers go bust
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Long-sought bankruptcy protections for fruit and vegetable growers cleared their final hurdle in December when the Canadian Senate finally granted approval to Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act reforms originally passed by MPs more than a year ago. Fruit and vegetable growers... Read more
MARKET UNCERTAINTY: Canadian combine sales drop 34 %
James Pascual Farmers Forum MILWAUKEE — Tractor sales are often a strong indicator of farmer confidence and fortune. And if November is any indication, Canadian farmers are feeling uneasy about the future. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Canadian sales of farm tracto... Read more
BRITS SAY NO TO ‘CLIMATE-CONTROLLING’ FOOD ADDITIVE: Consumers protest cattle drug promoted by Bill Gates
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum UNITED KINGDOM — The backlash against treating dairy cows with a methane-suppressing drug continues to gain momentum in the UK. If the British public’s negative reaction to Bovaer is any indication, the Bill-Gates-approved pharmaceutical approach to curtailing bovine... Read more
Canada’s first human case of bird flu in a decade sends B.C. teen to hospital
OTTAWA — Agriculture has not been implicated in Canada’s first human case of H5N1 avian flu since 2014 ... Read more
OPINION: Renewed hope in the U.S. could mean positive changes for Canada
Canadians have been fed so many garbage lies about Donald Trump for eight years that I understand why many cannot see that there are strong reasons why he was the best option to save America and, with its enormous influence, perhaps Canada, too. Both countries have been on a track to hell; toward a... Read more
Eastern Ontario farmer builds Caribbean resort for farmers
ST. ISIDORE — Cash cropper and grain elevator operator Arnold Kuratli is a seasoned traveller, so he knows what farmers want in a tropical vacation ... Read more
STEVE KELL: Clues to price changes in corn
STEVE KELL: Clues to price changes in corn The least surprising thing about North America’s 2024 soybean and corn harvest is how big the yields are. We have known since mid-summer that with this much soil moisture and sunshine that production was going to achieve near record levels. The challenge no... Read more
Milk price cut: First time since anyone can remember
Milk price cut: First time since anyone can remember Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — For the first time in living memory, Canadian dairy farmers will see a price cut, albeit a small one. The 0.0237 % reduction in the farmgate price of milk works out to less than one cent per litre and takes effect [... Read more
Huge taxes on gas and diesel in Canada
Huge taxes on gas and diesel in Canada One Ontario tax has been postponed again and an election could eliminate three others Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Ontario’s temporary tax cut at the pumps has been extended again, saving motorists just over a nickel per litre in provincial fuel ta... Read more
The Trump effect: How Canadians react to U.S. election
The Trump effect: How Canadians react to U.S. election James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Donald Trump captured even more of the rural American vote in his stunningly successful 2024 presidential comeback bid. Not surprisingly, the largest farm lobby group in the U.S. — the American Farm Bureau Fe... Read more
Durham farm family of the year produces one million cauliflower heads each year
Durham farm family of the year produces one million cauliflower heads each year Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum UXBRIDGE — One of Ontario’s largest cauliflower producers says it’s a tough business with thin margins. But Tindall Farms’ longtime dedication to the white vegetable is at least yielding p... Read more
Cornwall entrepreneur markets indoor vertical farming systems that are in 30 countries
Cornwall entrepreneur markets indoor vertical farming systems that are in 30 countries Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CORNWALL — Eric Lang grew up on a Glengarry County dairy farm dependent on the weather and the bounty of the great outdoors. But since 2016, Lang has built up an Eastern Ontario com... Read more
St. Isidore business erects new barn as grain bin
St. Isidore business erects new barn as grain bin And just in time for quick harvest Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. ISIDORE — Arnold Kuratli picked a good year to give a big boost to the throughput capacity at his grain-handling and elevator business. Dry conditions sped the harvest off the fie... Read more
Squashed goals at big cricket: Despite massive federal investment, big layoffs at cricket farm
Squashed goals at big cricket Despite $8.5 million in taxpayer funding, the world’s largest cricket farm suffers from the “yuck factor,” critic says Farmers Forum staff LONDON — The Ontario cricket factory that was built with the help of an $8.5 million federal grant has axed two thirds of its workf... Read more
Ottawa Rural Summit 2024: City promises more respect, improved ditches for rural residents
With huge rural land base, City of Ottawa promises more respect and improved ditches for rural residents James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The city of Ottawa held its first rural summit in 17 years which included a promise to improve country ditches. On November 2, over 250 people gathered for Ot... Read more
Massive greenhouse operators move into Ontario
Massive greenhouse operators move into Ontario KINGSVILLE — A couple of Ontario’s biggest greenhouse operations have been swallowed up this year by an arm of North America’s largest greenhouse operator, Cox Farms in the United States. In November, Cox Farms’ brand Mucci Farms — part of the multi-bil... Read more
‘Unwilling hosts’ map shows Ontario communities that already have, or are neighbors to, wind turbines
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Wind project developers will have much less Ontario real estate to work with as the province prepares to issue a call for more energy development that could include more wind turbines. That’s the impression left by a recently released map that starkly shows a great... Read more
HISTORICAL CHART : China is world’s carbon emitter and no one cares
China has more carbon emissions than the developed world combined. But let’s blame climate change on cow burps… pic.twitter.com/Z20vw282Td — James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) November 29, 2024 Read more
FIX EVERYTHING: U.S. doctor tells Tucker Carlson that it is time for the U.S. to clean up American food and soil (Video 1:25)
Dr. Mark Hyman, author of Food Fix, is an American physician, podcaster and advocate for healthier foods and blame a lot on ultra-processed foods. Read more
Proposed Ontario law to protect agritourism from frivolous lawsuits
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Slip-and-fall lawyers have found fertile ground in farm country, where at least one agritourism outfit has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars defending the farm from visitors’ frivolous injury claims and now faces the potential loss of insurance coverage... Read more
Largest UK dairy co-op testing methane-suppressing drug on cattle herds
UNITED KINGDOM — Some farmers in Britain’s biggest dairy cooperative are feeding their cows a new methane-suppressing drug ... Read more
25 % TRUMP TARIFF: Why it won’t happen and how the threat could be good for Canada
PATRICK MEAGHER FARMERS FORUM OTTAWA — Donald Trump is not yet the president of the United States but his plans are shaking things up. He will be president on Jan. 20 and has threatened to impose a 25 % tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods. Word of caution: this is not nearly as bad as […] Read more
EAT BUGS? Canadian gov’t subsidized cricket production and taxed your beef (Video 9:49)
https://youtu.be/22Mo3vrAKAc?feature=shared Read more
Eastern Ontario municipality urged to save money and drop UN-affiliated climate program
KAWARTHA LAKES — Grassroots opponents of a global climate-control program that has wormed its way into hundreds of Canadian municipalities urged local politicians in the City of Kawartha Lakes to pull out of the controversial program and save millions of dollars for true local priorities. Read more
OFA ANNUAL REPORT: Ontario’s largest farm group has another fiscally stellar year
TORONTO — While Ontario’s largest farm organization might be attempting the impossible by appealing to all types of farms one thing it seems to have mastered is keeping its financial books in order ... Read more
Carbon tax puts Canadian agriculture at competitive disadvantage, and Trump tariff not even imposed yet
Dalhousie University study reveals economic strain on farmers OTTAWA — The federal carbon tax has disadvantaged Canadian farmers against their American competitors and contributed to higher food prices for Canadian consumers. Those are among the key findings of a new study exploring the adverse effe... Read more
Beef prices high while Canadian cattle herd inventories down and smallest U.S. herd since 1951
OTTAWA — Cattle and beef prices are up, cattle inventories are down and the market effects are also rippling through the dairy sector while consumers are reacting by eating less beef. Read more
Ontario Human Rights Tribunal fines small northern town $10,000 for not flying a certain flag — even though it has no flag pole
THUNDER BAY — The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruled Nov. 20 that the northern Ontario township of Emo, west of Thunder Bay, had injured the feelings of an LGBTQ group and fined the municipality $10,000. The township’s offence was not celebrating pride month. The township did not fly the prid... Read more
Britain proposes cutting meat consumption by 50 %
UNITED KINGDOM — Residents of the United Kingdom must slash their intake of meat and dairy products by up to 50 per cent to achieve the country’s climate-control goals by 2050, according to an official proposal under consideration by Britain’s new socialist Labour government. Read more
SUPER CORN: Great yield, great harvest conditions
WILLIAMSTOWN — The 2024 corn harvest produced great yields and practically flew off the field as Eastern Ontario producers made the most of this fall’s exceptional harvest conditions. Read more
Royal Fair supreme bull comes from Renfrew County
TORONTO — The Royal Winter Fair marked a watershed moment for beef breeders Paul and Laura Stafford as part owners of the beef show’s supreme bull champion. Read more
Chesterville barn fire stopped before engulfing grain elevator operation
CHESTERVILLE — Vanden Bosch Elevators suffered a serious structural fire on Oct. 27, but the owners managed to resume drying operations only five days after the blaze consumed a storage barn. Read more
Ontario Agricultural Conference returns to three sites in January
The Ontario Agricultural Conference returns to Ridgetown, Waterloo and Kemptville in January with a full suite of informative and educational sessions for farmers looking forward to the 2025 cropping year. Read more
WILMOT WOES: Waterloo Region wants 770 acres but local farmers continue to resist
NEW HAMBURG — With an entire growing season come and gone, the Waterloo Region’s threat to expropriate 770 acres of irreplaceable Wilmot Township farmland has produced little more than one needlessly destroyed corn field and a bumper crop of angry community members. Read more
Working for $1 a day in Zambia: Ontario farmer reflects on 5 weeks in Africa
Ontario farmer reflects on 5 weeks in Africa Read more
Stephen Denys among three new farmer inductees into Kent County Ag Hall of Fame
CHATHAM-KENT — Kent County’s Agricultural Hall of Fame will add three more honourees this month, including well known Chatham-area cash cropper and seed company associate Stephen Denys. Read more
Is higher inflation in domestically produced food a sign of national descent into poverty?
OTTAWA – There’s a very troubling aspect to the most recent food inflation numbers that could signal Canada’s slide into poverty, according to a leading academic. Read more
Soybean yields are so variable that predicted record-breaking crop won’t be enjoyed by all
CHATHAM — Southwestern Ontario’s soybean harvest was variable but — to the pleasant surprise of many — at least average to better than average. And don’t rule out this year’s overall per-acre yield matching or breaking the 53 bu/ac provincial record, as projected earlier in September by both of the... Read more
Corn coming in average to awesome
Overall corn crop is above average and to some it looks awesome — downside is tar spot, heavy corn residue and price Read more
Beef farmer drops on-farm sales and goes online with home delivery
Beef farmer goes online with home delivery He’s happy he switched from farmgate sales Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EMBRUN — At Eric Patenaude’s beef farm, he ended farmgate sales in January and switched to online orders and home delivery. The Embrun-area farmer and abattoir owner hasn’t looked ba... Read more
Looking for a wheat price rally? Watch eastern Europe weather, economies
Looking for a wheat price rally? Watch eastern Europe weather, economies One of the more interesting things about Canadians is that we believe that we live in a nation that is a bread basket to the world. While agriculture is a critical piece of Canada’s economy, if we want to understand and appreci... Read more
Sylvain Charlebois: Chinese milk plant in Kingston ‘should have been Canadian’
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KINGSTON — China-based Feihe International’s baby formula products are about to hit Canadian store shelves, following the Sept. 27 official opening of the company’s 320,000-square-foot Kingston production plant that uses Ontario cow and goat’s milk. The operation, inc... Read more
Ontario agriculture needs more diversity, visible minorities, Premier Ford says — but farmers disagree
Ontario agriculture needs more diversity, visible minorities, Premier Ford says — but farmers disagree James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Forget about feeding the population, Ontario’s farm workforce isn’t racially, sexually, gender-queer or linguistically diverse enough. That’s the premise underl... Read more
FEATURE: Grocer and grower unite — One is a favourite country grocer, the other is a favourite organic supplier
Grocer and grower unite One is a favourite country grocery store, the other is a favourite organic supplier Food is plentiful and relatively cheap in Canada: despite rising prices, Canadians enjoy one of the lowest food-to-income ratios in the world. But, you get what you pay for, and... Read more
OPINION: What is the best invention for the farm?
What is the best invention for the farm? Thirty years ago I quizzed 50 farmers and asked them what they thought was the best invention that made life easier and better for farmers. There wasn’t one particular thing that stuck out as being the best. There were many. The round baler, tractor, combine,... Read more
Vets, dogs and cats get the rabies vaccine, but should a farmer?
11-year-old Brantford boy is first human rabies death in Ontario in almost 60 years Read more
FOOD CONSULTANT: Lab-grown meat is grotesque misadventure, failure
Food consultant argues: Lab-grown meat is a grotesque misadventure and failure Farmers Forum staff Lab-grown meat might well be a disastrous investment. In fact a major British newspaper last month ran a devastating analysis under the headline: “Lab-grown meat is proving to be a grotesque mis... Read more
OPINION: Food recalls remind me that being self-sufficient is the way to go
Barely a week goes by when there are not at least a couple of food recall notices issued by either the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) or by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It would seem that the more sophisticated and complex our food production facilities become, the greater is t... Read more
Vehicle theft across Canada still historically high
Vehicle theft across Canada still historically high Canada continues to be easy pickings for vehicle thieves. Data newly released by Insurance Bureau of Canada reveals that auto theft rates in Canada continue to soar well above historical levels. While the country saw a slight dip (19 %) — mostly in... Read more
OPINION: The best kept secret of the 21st century
OPINION: The best kept secret of the 21st century We live in dark and troubled times. We know it. Things are not going well. Freedoms are increasingly under assault here and elsewhere. The future looks grim. Many are losing hope and it often seems like there is nothing we can do. We write letters to... Read more
Wind turbine blade crash caused by broken bolt
Wind turbine blade crash caused by broken bolt Farmers Forum staff MOUNT FOREST — When a 75-ft. long wind turbine blade (photo above) crashed to the ground in Grey County back in 2021, the curious were left scratching their heads in wonderment as to how that could have happened. Time passed a... Read more
Ontario’s wind turbines a massive waste of money
Ontario’s wind turbines a massive waste of money New study says they are just not worth it James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Green Energy has been getting a pounding lately by researchers and consultants more interested in a cost-benefit analysis than in government-held ideology. It got an... Read more
SUPER SOYBEANS: But not the predicted record-breaker
SUPER SOYBEANS: But not the predicted record-breaker Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — It’s been a solid year for Eastern Ontario soybean growers but mostly not the outright yield record some had predicted. At Vanden Bosch Elevators in Chesterville, co-owner and farmer Brent V... Read more
Dairy and beef cattle prices are way up but inventories are way down
Dairy and beef cattle prices are way up but inventories are way down OTTAWA — Canada’s national cattle herd — which includes both beef and dairy animals — hasn’t been this small since 1987, Statistics Canada reported. South of the border, the American herd is down to the lowest level since 1951, acc... Read more
Corn coming in average to awesome
Overall corn crop is above average and to some it looks awesome — downside is tar spot, heavy corn residue and price Read more
STEVE KELL: Looking for a wheat price rally? Watch eastern Europe weather, economies
As soybean producers we’ve all learned that it’s critical to watch the South American growing season weather because that’s where the majority of the world’s soybeans are grown ... Read more
Working for $1 a day in Zambia: Ontario farmer reflects on 5 weeks in Africa
Ontario farmer reflects on 5 weeks in Africa Read more
UPDATE: Silo crushes excavator but operator escapes
Silo crushes excavator but operator escapes Farmers Forum staff CASSELMAN — No one was seriously hurt when an aging blue silo buckled and toppled onto an excavator as its operator escaped to safety. The excavator was pulling old haylage out of an opening in the side of the Harvestore structur... Read more
Renfrew motorcyclist killed after colliding with tractor
Renfrew motorcyclist killed after colliding with tractor Farmers Forum staff EGANVILLE — A 76-year-old man riding a motorcycle died in a daytime collision with a farm tractor at a rural intersection 15 km north of Eganville on Sept. 26. The crash occurred around 4 p.m. The Renfrew motorcyclist colli... Read more
This is what a 12-minute fire can do
This is what a 12-minute fire can do Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — The hulk of a burned-out combine sits blackened in a Winchester soybean field, a lump of unmoving steel and melted plastic a month after the 70-series 2011 John Deere went up in flames on Sept. 26. Cash cropper and cus... Read more
METCALFE FAIR: Vanessa Birt goes out on top
METCALFE FAIR: Vanessa Birt goes out on top Farmers Forum staff METCALFE — Vanessa Birt’s final competition of her 4-H career came with a teary-eyed win at the Metcalfe Fair. The 22-year-old Mallorytown resident captured the Grand Champion Showperson title at the 4-H regional dairy championsh... Read more
EAST-WEST SHOW: Herb Henderson does it again
Herb Henderson does it again But this year was even sweeter at the East-West Holstein show Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum METCALFE — Herb Henderson and family have scored their share of wins in the Holstein ring over the years, but the 2024 Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec championship show wa... Read more
Police foil a 16-vintage vehicle heist
Police foil a 16-vintage vehicle heist Farmer unwittingly buys stolen truck and now has no truck and no money back Farmers Forum staff STIRLING — Last May, in a rural shed north of Belleville, police recovered a $3-million trove of 16 stolen vintage and classic cars. The bust foreshadowed a ton of h... Read more
Barn fire damages dryer at Vanden Bosch Elevators in Chesterville
CHESTERVILLE — The owners at Vanden Bosch Elevators are mopping up after a fire that broke out in a storage barn beside the Chesterville operation’s collection of storage bins on Sunday morning, Oct. 27. The fire damaged the dryer, according to the family, but local firefighters from North Dundas an... Read more
Canadian dairy farmers dump enough milk each year to feed 4.2 million people, study says
OTTAWA — Canadian dairy farmers sent more than 6.8 billion litres of surplus milk down the drain between 2012 and 2021, a rate of milk-dumping higher than the U.S. and other major dairying countries. Read more
Town wants farm for lagoon
Casselman approves annexing land from resisting local farmer ... Read more
Five on-farm farm fatalities so far this year after two concrete workers killed
GREY COUNTY — Two concrete workers died when scaffolding collapsed inside a silo under construction at a grain elevator farm business just outside Owen Sound in Western Ontario earlier this month. Read more
Butter bandits strike again in Guelph
GUELPH — Remember when cartons of cigarettes were a favourite target of retail thieves in Ontario? Read more
Two airplanes unexpectedly touch down on Huron County farmland
HURON COUNTY — In unrelated events, two small planes inadvertently landed on farmers’ fields in Huron County last month. A 25-year-old student pilot, flying alone, made an emergency landing in a farmer’s field outside Goderich on Oct. 10. The pilot had engine trouble and was forced to touch down in... Read more
Farmer is taxed on gravel pit, but can’t have it
He gets big property-tax hike on gravel pit that he can’t use while someone else is taking all the gravel ... Read more
Foreign worker program limits how many you can hire but farms are exempt
Program for farms has worked well for 50 years, farmer says ... Read more
35 per cent of Canadians think global warming will be very good for Canada, survey says
OTTAWA — Despite an ongoing government and media campaign warning us about global warming (climate change), Canadians are not as scared as one might think. Read more
Some cattle farms in Spain don’t care much about meat as long as product is head-butting crowd pleaser
Olé! Some cattle farms in Spain don’t care much about the meat as long as the product is a head-butting crowd pleaser Nicholas Pascual-Meagher Special to Farmers Forum TOLEDO, SPAIN — Not all cattle ranches in Spain are what you might expect. There are two types: the typical bee... Read more
OPINION: Only in Canada — If you want freedom of speech you must be a white supremacist
Only in Canada: If you want freedom of speech you must be a white supremacist Have you noticed that suddenly Canada is awash in white supremacists? Five years ago, nobody knew a white supremacist and nobody talked about it. Now we discover they are our neighbours, our friends, the ones we live with... Read more
LIFE ON THE FARM: There’s happiness in hard work and joy in serving
There’s happiness in hard work and joy in serving They crop, raise livestock, run an equipment business and now they’re stocking their own on-farm store Behind weather and the government, poor cell phone service is running a close third place in things farmers like to complain about, and so it’s per... Read more
OPINION: What? We can’t get parts for our older JD models?
What? We can’t get parts for our older JD models? That doesn’t seem right When we started our farm all those years ago, we picked up farm machinery of any make as long as it was in good shape, could be repaired and the parts were available. Basically, the make didn’t matter so our equipment [... Read more
Peterborough Hereford and Angus beef farm awarded farm family of the year
Peterborough Hereford and Angus beef farm awarded farm family of the year Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum INDIAN RIVER — In 2001, newlyweds Scott and Paula Cornish founded a beef farm together on a compromise and an intoxicating name. Nearly a quarter century later, Whiskey Lane Livest... Read more
OPINION: It’s time to quit bitching about high food prices
It’s time to quit bitching about high food prices Be thankful we have clean and well-stocked supermarkets open 7 days a week Right off the bat I’m going to tell you that I’m not one of those whining nitpicking Canadians who think food prices are too high and that grocery store chains are ripp... Read more
OPINION: Exaggeration is lying and repeated lies gave us the monster called COVID
Exaggeration is lying and repeated lies gave us the monster called COVID John Carpay Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms Shortly before lockdowns were imposed in March 2020, Dr. Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London predicted 510,000 COVID-19 deaths in Great Britain and 2.2 million deaths... Read more
Hemp farmer with mobile harvesting machine among 78 grant recipients for new research
Hemp farmer with mobile harvesting machine among 78 grant recipients for new research Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A Cobden-area farmer is developing and testing a mobile machine to harvest fibre from a variety of plants, including hemp, and he has received a grant to assist with his project. Reuben... Read more
China looks at slapping tax on Canadian canola
China looks at slapping tax on Canadian canola Why? Retaliation after Canada decided to tax China’s vehicles Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Trudeau government recently threw agriculture under the bus by imposing a 100 % tariff on affordable Chinese-made electric vehicles, according to agricultural... Read more
FIELD OF DREAMS: Robots for every job – cutting grass, controlling weeds and working the field
FIELD OF DREAMS: Robots for every job – cutting grass, controlling weeds and working the field The three-day Outdoor Farm Show at Woodstock attracted about 40,000 visitors to see 600 exhibitors on 40 acres. Once again, the robotics demonstrations were a fascinating show. There were drones the size o... Read more
Get $90,000 to improve farmland, manure equipment
Get $90,000 to improve farmland, manure equipment Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — More grant money is up for grabs in farm country, through a program administered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. The Ontario Agricultural Stewardship Initiative is offering up to $90,000 per farm to... Read more
Netherlands-based mushroom company to open Peterborough gourmet mushroom-growing facility
OTTAWA — A company known for growing and selling magic mushrooms in Europe intends to erect a multi-million-dollar Peterborough-area facility ... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop report
Corn • Corn Heat Units as of Sept. 20: 3,142 (from May 1) • Corn Heat Units averaging 4.5 % more compared to 2023. • Sept. rainfall: 25.4 mm • Majority of grain corn is at black-layer stage/mature. • Some top die back observed due to plants using up nitrogen/cannibalization to finish the crop... Read more
Supply management bill unlikely to cause government to fall
OTTAWA — A political game of chicken over a key part of Canada’s agricultural economy threatens to send Canadians to the polls as early as this fall, according to some analysts’ breathless reading of the tea leaves. Read more
Future of fertilizing? Little 4-wheeled robots swarm corn field in trial run
WOODSTOCK — Imagine small robots fertilizing corn fields, gradually and discretely, working tirelessly amid the towering stalks through the entire growing season ... Read more
Brantford child dies from rabies after contact with bat
BRANTFORD — A Brantford child died of rabies last month in Ontario’s first human case of the disease in nearly 60 years. Read more
OPINION: We’re in a tougher market, so forward contract most of 2025 crop before next year’s harvest
BACK TO BASICS We’re in a tougher market, so forward contract most of 2025 crop before the 2025 harvest Grain is not scarce anymore. North American farmers are in the middle of harvesting their second consecutive record crop and between those two harvests, South America brought in the biggest... Read more
Bank of Canada’s dubious inflation forecast
Bank of Canada’s dubious inflation forecast Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — You can be forgiven for thinking that Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem is about as accurate as a weatherman with a long-term forecast. Macklem has repeatedly gotten it wrong with his inflation forecasts. In early September,... Read more
“Free” Canadian health costs a family of four $18,000 per year
“Free” Canadian health costs a family of four $18,000 per year VANCOUVER — Health care in Canada is not free. Somebody has to pay for it. How much does that somebody pay? A family of four will pay almost $18,000 this year. According to a recent Fraser Institute study, the average single Canadian ear... Read more
OPINION: Canada proposes pro-vegan anti-meat act
Canada proposes pro-vegan anti-meat act This anti-farming bill could allow the federal government to decide what you can eat It is almost inconceivable that Bill C-293 remains largely unknown among Canadians, given its potential to significantly expand governmental powers in response to future pande... Read more
Winchester combine bursts into flames, explodes
Winchester combine bursts into flames, explodes Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — Barely two hours into harvest and Jim Metcalfe lost his 2011 John Deere combine to a flash fire that engulfed the machine in a customer’s soybean field on a sunny Sunday afternoon west of Winchester.... Read more
Increasingly concerned about theft on the farm? You bet, farmers say (despite cameras and locks, dogs are your best defence)
Increasingly concerned about theft on the farm? You bet: more farmers put up alarm systems and cameras but police say best defence is a dog Farmers Forum spoke with farmers at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show to find out if theft is an increasing worry on the farm. It is and we’re not talki... Read more
WILD WEST DRONE FEST: Farmers break the law to spray fields with drones; enforcers turn a blind eye
WOODSTOCK — Canadian farmers are quietly rebelling against federal rules that prohibit spraying agriculture’s most important crop chemicals with drones, according to industry insiders ... Read more
After animal police take 102 cattle from 78-year-old beef farmer, he sues for $2 million
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH – Walter Ray, the 78-year-old Peterborough-area beef farmer whose cattle were scooped up and placed in costly foster care by provincial animal welfare authorities in December 2021 — without just cause — is seeking $2 million in damages in a lawsui... Read more
Mexican farm worker killed in late-night utility-vehicle rollover
Farmers Forum staff LINCOLN — A 41-year-old migrant farm worker from Mexico died Sept. 1 in a late-night utility-vehicle rollover on a rural road in Niagara Region fruit country, just west of St. Catharines. The unnamed man was travelling aboard the Kubota side-by-side on Fifteenth Street with two o... Read more
Yield forecast: Eastern Ontario soybean yield to smash record
Corn yields to be strong across the province, forecasters say Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The fields of Eastern Ontario are projected to yield substantially more soybeans per acre than Southwestern Ontario this year, with robust corn yields also predicted for this end of the province. T... Read more
WHOLE LOTTA HURT: Painful commodity prices mean harder times ahead
OTTAWA — Farmers are feeling the pinch of falling commodity prices and, in many cases, the sting of missed forward-contracting opportunities, especially on this year’s soybean crop ... Read more
EASY PICKINGS: What’s not to love about growing strawberries chest-high for easy picking and watering
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MORRISBURG — Nobody stoops to pick strawberries at Brian and Jenny Rijke’s produce farm. Workers stand upright and harvest the juicy, red fruit dangling chest high from strawberry plants rooted in bags of soil-free coconut fibre held aloft on fence posts. It almost lo... Read more
Farmer fined $4,500 for selling raw milk but it’s okay to sell cannabis
A Belgrave-area farmer was recently fined $4,500 after being convicted of running an illegal dairy. Read more
Wonders of sweet corn: money maker, crowd pleaser and gateway drug to everything else you grow
Zea mays, corn, maize, may be the New World’s greatest gift to world ... Read more
Eastern Ontario farmers see new local market for wheat straw compost
Composting operation to support production of 40-million pounds mushrooms annually ... Read more
Bird flu is a nothing burger
Bird flu is a nothing burger Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Bird flu continues to slowly — very slowly — infect a tiny number of American dairy herds and has yet to infect any dairy cattle or people in Canada. The total number of U.S. herds that have had bird flu infections since March [... Read more
OPINION: Global warming crisis is hot air on an audio loop
Global warming crisis or hot air on an audio loop The CIA ran an experiment years ago involving 18 people who were invited to sit in a room and look at a picture. Seventeen people were actually CIA agents. The 18th person was an unwitting volunteer. The 18 people were shown a picture of a […] Read more
Gouda kings in battle at Waterloo
Gouda kings in battle at Waterloo Wilmot Township cheese makers refuse to sell their land for industrial project Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NEW HAMBURG — The only farm-based cheesemaker in Waterloo Region will lose land needed to feed the operation’s dairy cattle if the municipality succ... Read more
STEVE KELL: Opportunity is in the weather forecast
Most of the conversations surrounding this year’s soybean crop has been about how good the crop looked and how big the production potential might be ... Read more
DIRTY MONEY: Gangsters launder illicit funds through Canadian real estate
OTTAWA — Canada is a magnet for dirty money and gangster activity ... Read more
70-year-old Picton Port to finally get grain-export capability while Oshawa port dithers
PICTON — Eastern Ontario farmers will get another much-needed export outlet for their crops with the planned addition of grain-handling facilities at an existing deep-water port on Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County ... Read more
CROP REPORT: Soybeans pre-harvest weed control
Soybeans: pre-harvest weed control OMAFRA’s latest crop report stressed pre-harvest weed control. A pre-harvest herbicide treatment can make harvest more efficient when there are an unacceptable number of weeds in a soybean crop. Drier plant matter will pass more easily through the combine, lowering... Read more
Will not comply: Amish farmers get hammered with COVID fines
Will not comply: Amish farmers get hammered with COVID fines including one who says he would rather go to jail than pay almost $25,000 DESBORO, GREY COUNTY – Nestled in the narrowing neck of land between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, the peaceful beauty of the rolling, fertile farmland belies a hideo... Read more
50 reasons to oppose wind turbines
Wind Concerns Ontario likes this opinion by Canadian Armed Forces veteran and former mining technician John Lee Pettimore, posted on “X” (formerly Twitter), on how wind power can’t replace fossil fuels ... Read more
Ontario wants to double wind turbine capacity
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford is dramatically reversing his policy on wind turbines ... Read more
Year of the big apple: Thanks to rain apples are ‘magnificent’ in size
Year of the big apple Yields are average but thanks to the rain the apples are ‘magnificent’ in size Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum BRIGHTON — Orchard operators report an average Eastern Ontario apple yield while the apples are pretty big and the market could be oversupplied. The crop is “average a... Read more
Sweet corn looks good: Sells for up to $11/doz at farmgate
Sweet corn looks good Sells for up to $11 per dozen at farmgate Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — The heat and extra moisture produced a great sweet corn crop for Eastern Ontario growers this summer, and the picking continued as the fall season approached. At J&L Produce and Farm Mark... Read more
Opportunity is in the weather forecast: What La Nina might mean for South American soybean crop
Opportunity is in the weather forecast There are more soybeans grown in South America than anywhere on the planet so with a good chance of a La Nina weather system it will mean lower yields and higher prices Most of the conversations surrounding this year’s soybean crop has been about how good the c... Read more
Eastern Ontario: Crop Report
About 75 % planted as of May 20 ... Read more
Having more fun farming this year than I ever had and my 2 hired amigos are earning 5 times what they get in Mexico
It’s a win-win-win: (If you count spit in the critic’s eye) Having more fun farming this year than I ever had and my two hired amigos are earning five times what they get back in Mexico Labour shortages have marked the entire Canadian project: there has always been too many opportunities and... Read more
The dairy paperwork is done: It’s a stressor, the demands get longer…
The dairy paperwork is done: It’s a stressor, the demands get longer and worst of all it requires calling a supplier and the vet to our farm Today, July 25, 2024, we have successfully completed our seventh CQM/ProAction validation. With our Cattle Assessment completed earlier in the spring without p... Read more
Don’t eat “farm fresh” eggs laid that morning – they’re much better if you let them age
Don’t eat “farm fresh” eggs laid that morning They’re much better if you let them age I want to shriek every time I hear or read about some dreamy person wanting to change the rules and allow chickens (laying hens) in towns and cities. The latest person to make the news was an 11-year-old Ottawa [... Read more
Feds offer reward to combat horror of cow burps
Feds offer reward to combat horror of cow burps Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Can a shot with anything other than a bullet stifle a cow’s methane burps? If the shot is a vaccine, quite possibly. ArkeaBio of Calgary, Alberta — one of 13 remaining competitors in the Trudeau government’s $12-million Agr... Read more
Who tried to kill President Trump and why official story doesn’t add up?
FORMER PRESIDENT SHOT Who tried to kill the former president and why doesn’t the official story add up? Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum The attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump is arguably the most significant story of this year. But that’s not immediately obvious because the... Read more
DUTCH POWER PLAY: Protests pay off as farmers are now inside new Netherlands gov’t
DUTCH POWER PLAY: Protests pay off as farmers are now inside new Netherlands gov’t Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The militant Dutch farmers’ protest movement has produced its first agriculture minister. Her name is Femke Wiersma. She and the rest of the Netherlands’ new right-wing coaliti... Read more
In first half of 2024, 64 Ontario farmers and processors quit producing organic food
Organic producers quitting due to management burden, higher costs Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — For more and more organic growers, going organic is too much work, not enough profit and consumers don’t even care as long as the food is local. An increasing number of Ontario farms and food m... Read more
Canada imports more farm products than it exports
Canada imports more farm products than it exports Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Despite the lower loonie, Canadian merchandise exports dropped 2.6 % in May as Canada is now importing much more than we are exporting. Canada exported $62.4 billion in products in May but imported $64.3 billion in produc... Read more
With maple syrup you make your money in the woods
With maple syrup you make your money in the woods And the money is there, producers say Charles Summers Special to Farmers Forum “You make your money in the woods,” is the saying that you hear over and over again in the maple industry, and it’s a fact. You can have the comfiest sugar house […... Read more
BEST OF X: Our favourite online memes this month
BEST OF X: Our favourite online memes on X (formerly Twitter) of the past month. Read more
Grocer code of conduct has the look of window-dressing
Grocer code of conduct has the look of window-dressing Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — All five of Canada’s major grocery chains have now signed on to a national ‘grocery sector code of conduct,’ with the last two holdouts, Walmart and Costco, recently agreeing to take part. Canadian agriculture minist... Read more
Stormont’s Krol family sells dairy herd at Winchester auction
Stormont’s Krol family sells dairy herd at Winchester auction Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — Stormont County’s Krolane Holsteins’ dispersal sale went off without a hitch as Hugh Fawcett Auctions in Winchester hosted its first live sale in five years. Approximately 300 people turned out... Read more
Managed money bets against farmers, expect price drop — big mistake
Managed money bets against farmers, expect price drop — big mistake The basic premise of the summertime corn and soybean markets in North America is the belief that farmer storage of old crop inventory is exceptionally big, and that this year’s crop growing in the field is also very large. There has... Read more
Immigration worsens doctor shortage
Immigration worsens doctor shortage Bad news for rural and urban Ontario: 2.5 million people in Ontario do not have a doctor Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As of last September, more than 2.5 million Ontarians — just over 16 % of us — lacked a primary care physician or family doctor, accor... Read more
Casselman loses three doctors
Casselman loses three doctors 2,300 people without a doctor after half of physicians leave medical centre Farmers Forum staff CASSELMAN — More than 2,300 people — including farmers — have recently joined the surging ranks of Ontarians without a family doctor after three of six physicians recently le... Read more
Ontario to combat invasive European Common Reed
Ontario to combat invasive European Common Reed Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA —The Ford government will spend $16 million to ‘stop the spread’ — of invasive species like the European Common Reed, a towering perennial grass also known as phragmites. The money will go to municipalities, conservation auth... Read more
Trips to Aruba and Bahamas don’t count as business expenses
Trips to Aruba and Bahamas don’t count as business expenses Farmers Forum staff ST. EUGENE — The Skotidakis goat-farming and dairy-processing family took an ongoing beef with Canada’s tax man to the Federal Court of Appeal but failed to persuade the three-judge panel on hundreds of thousands of doll... Read more
Ontario government wants to capture carbon and store it underground
A tough sell to farmers who don’t buy this save-the-climate illusion LONDON — It was a tough, skeptical bunch that responded to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ (MNR) request for landowner feedback on plans for storing carbon dioxide in the rocks beneath our feet and farmland. If MNR st... Read more
Stone age buries farmer in red tape
Ancient arrowheads on farmer’s property means he must pay for a $400,000 archeological dig and stay off the land Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CAMBRIDGE — A Waterloo Region farmer hoped to build a retirement dream home in one of his fields. Four years after seeking local permission, Bruce Cassel... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Wicked rain spells, but crops can recover
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — It’s been a wetter than average growing season, and some Southwestern Ontario fields are showing the strain while others are doing quite OK. Lambton County crop farmer Emery Huszka said that his own 800 acres of field crops — mostly corn and soybeans with som... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Wet weather but lush fields, as farmers optimistic about harvest
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — It’s been a wetter than average growing season, and the fields of Eastern Ontario are generally looking lush. Cash-cropper Dean Patterson of Metcalfe said that he “can’t complain” as his corn, soybeans and winter wheat “look fantastic considering the rainfall... Read more
Watershed authorities get butt kicked
Watershed authorities get butt kicked Province nixes radical and quick plan by conservation authorities to end farm expansion by turning woodland into wetland Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — When Eastern Ontario farmers learned that three Conservation Authorities were about to shut down far... Read more
One woman takes on globalists one municipality at a time
159 Ontario communities commit to money-sucking green agenda Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — A Peterborough woman is on a mission to stop global elites from turning your municipality into an environmentalist dystopia. Maggie Braun is pushing against an international climate-control ag... Read more
Teens can die of an enlarged heart with no connection to COVID vaccine
Teens can die of an enlarged heart with no connection to COVID vaccine Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RENFREW — An undiagnosed enlarged heart abruptly took the life of 15-year-old Renfrew dairy farmer Patrick van Lindenberg as he sat in a local theatre while on a date. His devastating loss on June... Read more
15-year-old dairy farmer’s heart stops while seated at movie theatre
15-year-old dairy farmer’s heart stops while seated at movie theatre R. Bruce McIntyre Local Journalism Initiative RENFREW — He was a farmer and it seemed like he was always on a tractor. He was a good student who planned to work on the family farm while at the same time earn a diploma as a [... Read more
We must want more than to live off the fumes of better days
We must want more than to live off the fumes of better days The Olympic games are a global celebration of cultures and countries in a showcase of the world’s top athletes. So, it leaves one mystified when the opening ceremony in Paris depicted Jesus Christ and the apostles at the Last Supper portray... Read more
Bird flu not a threat unless fear floats your boat
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The chances of a human being or a cow catching the bird flu in Canada are very close to zero. There have been no human or bovine cases and no milk samples have shown traces of the virus, also known as Avian flu or H5N1, in this country. Scary headlines […] Read more
79-year-old is this year’s 3rd Ontario farm fatality
79-year-old is this year’s 3rd Ontario farm fatality Farmers Forum staff WALLACETOWN — A 79-year-old Elgin County farmer was killed in a tractor rollover on July 29. Frederick John Small never stopped working on the Wallacetown-area family farm where he was born and raised, according to his obituary... Read more
Ottawa to fund assessment of greenhouse gases on dairy farms
Ottawa to fund assessment of greenhouse gases on dairy farms Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — More than $8.5 million in federal tax dollars will be pumped into the Dairy Farmers of Canada organization over the next five years, partly to assess greenhouse gas emissions on the country’s dairy farms. The f... Read more
Ontario farmer, 31, paralyzed in hay-baling accident; community rallies to help
UXBRIDGE — A 31-year-old Uxbridge-area farmer is recovering in hospital after being run over by a tractor and paralyzed from the waist down ... Read more
Firefighters pull man out of farm sprayer that dunked in ditch
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NAVAN — Firefighters extricated the trapped operator of a sprayer precariously ditched in a Navan farm field off Giroux Road, east of urban Ottawa. The Case 4450 sprayer — a model that comes standard with autosteer — left the soybean field and piled headfirst i... Read more
Owners scramble to re-open after Yarker abattoirs burns down
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum YARKER — The farm-based owners of Quinn’s Meats are “focused on the future” and are hoping to rebuild after a devastating fire in June destroyed the Yarker-area abattoir and retail meat shop that served the area for almost 50 years. Beef farmers Darold and Kara Enrigh... Read more
FARMERSVILLE: Heavy loads and mullet haircuts
ATHENS — Engines sputtered, roared and smoked as an army of agricultural iron returned for the 43rd annual Farmersville Exhibition. Also known as the Steam Fair, the July 19-21 event got its ‘Farmersville’ name from the original name of the village of Athens, northwest of Brockville. The Athe... Read more
Spencerville 4-H dairy shows attract almost 200 competitors
Farmers Forum staff SPENCERVILLE — Eighty-nine 4-Hers between 14 and 21 years old competed in EastGen’s annual showcase event in Spencerville where the Northumberland team earned Premier County recognition. Nadia Uhr, of Stormont County, captured the champion showperson banner, while Northumb... Read more
Online map locates plastic waste recycling depots
Online map locates plastic waste recycling depots Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farmers looking to drop off agricultural plastic waste for recycling should check out a new online website mapping these depots across Ontario. From chemical jugs to silage plastic, the drop-off locations are mapped-out a... Read more
Ticks carry four diseases, Ontario Public Health learns
Ticks carry four diseases, Ontario Public Health learns Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario’s black-legged blood-sucking ticks can transmit three other diseases besides the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Public Health Ontario has warned. Black-legged ticks can also carry diseases that usually c... Read more
OPINION: Novel idea to blunt housing crisis
Novel idea to blunt housing crisis Canada’s housing crunch is getting worse, not just in the big cities but even in rural areas. Once upon a time so called fixer-uppers were a dime a dozen, mostly old farm houses where the owners had sold and the house, barn and a few acres severed off. Depending [... Read more
Ontario couple buy their first dairy farm — but it’s in P.E.I.
Ontario couple buy their first dairy farm — but it’s in P.E.I. Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHARLOTTETOWN — The dream of milking their own cows on their own farm has finally come true for Ross and Nicole Toebes — but not in Ontario. The young Hamilton-area couple went from aspiring farmers to the... Read more
Comedian Tom Green to produce life on farm reality show – but he’s only got one donkey and six chickens
Comedian Tom Green to produce life on farm reality show – but he’s only got one donkey and six chickens Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Wacky and irreverent Ottawa comedian Tom Green is about to broadcast the travails of life as a celebrity-cum-farmer in rural Eastern Ontario. Green, who was once marri... Read more
Big media, big lies, big circus
Big media, big lies, big circus Everywhere it’s warming faster than everywhere else, media reports say. That doesn’t make sense. You get the picture. Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum There is no climate story too far out on the limb of hysteria for big media or the environmentalist shills who, like gro... Read more
Farm crime is a Canadian TV reality series
Farm crime is a Canadian TV reality series Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Thieves and crooks find victims everywhere, and Canadian agriculture is no exception. It’s all grist for the reality TV series Farm Crime, which has chronicled the shadowy threats to farming and food across the country since 201... Read more
A BERRY FOR ALL SEASONS: New methods create bigger strawberries year-round
A berry for all seasons Strawberry season used to be short but new methods create bigger berries year-round. Still, nothing is better than the ripening seasonal jewel Charles Summers Farmers Forum By the time you’ll be reading this, strawberry season in Ontario will have... Read more
Could the COVID vaccine cause harm? Absolutely
Yes – it has now been confirmed and there’s a similar flu vaccine coming James Pascual Farmers Forum Pfizer and Moderna studies of the COVID-19 vaccine reveal that there is a 1 in 800 chance of having a serious adverse event, which is a staggering high risk factor, far too high for the vaccines to [... Read more
Over-regulation and aggressive new bird breeds pushes producer out of organic farming
Over-regulation and aggressive new bird breeds pushes producer out of organic farming Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SEAFORTH — Small-flock egg producer John Kroonen adhered to the organic standard for 34 years, but this year his free-range hens will lose their organic status because of increasing... Read more
Bad news for the loonie: Canada cuts interest rate as economy crawls
Bad news for the loonie: Canada cuts interest rate as economy crawls Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian dollar isn’t likely to “crash” because of the Bank of Canada’s June interest rate cut and anticipated further rate cuts later this year, a Farm Credit Canada analyst suggests. But the loone... Read more
Have globalist tentacles ensnared your township?
Have globalist tentacles ensnared your township? Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Townships and counties across Canada are needlessly chasing environmentalist brownie points at local taxpayers’ expense. From hiring consultant greenhouse-gas-counting gurus to slapping down unused bike lanes a... Read more
How to make your play while expecting a big crop
How to make your play while expecting a big crop 2024 is going to be a big crop In spite of our wishful thinking during a wet and extended spring planting season here in Ontario, the majority of North America’s field crops are in good condition and appear to be on their way to […] Read more
Soybean Aphid Control: Insights from research trials
Soybean Aphid Control: Insights from research trials by Gilles Quesnel Soybean aphids have been a pest for Ontario farmers since they first emerged as a serious threat in the early 2000s. Initial infestations were overwhelming, with levels reaching up to 20,000 aphids per plant. However, over time,... Read more
OPINION: To hell and back
OPINION: To hell and back No matter how bad things get in Canada, or elsewhere, there is always a way to turn things around. In fact, one country proved that you can get out of hell in three weeks. El Salvador was the murder capital of the world. It was a very dangerous place. Then […] Read more
Ridgetown graduates 91 ag diploma students
Ridgetown graduates 91 ag diploma students Farmers Forum staff RIDGETOWN — The Class of 2024 graduated last month from the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus, including 91 newly minted holders of the school’s associate diploma in agriculture — down from 112 last year, but still the largest sing... Read more
Have globalist tentacles ensnared your township? Thorold, Ontario, pulls out of UN-affiliated climate program
UN targets local governments with climate bafflegab, offers money for restrictive policies — but Thorold is first to break free ... Read more
SECRET STUDY: Carbon tax will damage the economy
OTTAWA — A secret government report has revealed that the federal carbon tax will retard economic growth, be a net loss for Canadian families and that the prime minister lied about it. Read more
Liberal-stacked Senate sees climate change as biggest threat to farmland
Liberal-stacked Senate sees climate change as biggest threat to farmland Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — No surprise, the Canadian Senate has identified “climate change” as a leading threat to this country’s soil in a new report, which urges the federal government to take action by, among other things,... Read more
BREAKING: PROVINCE RETREATS ON WETLANDS
Just in by email to the desk of Farmers Forum editor Patrick Meagher: Hi Patrick: I called to let you know that your story on the wetlands designation set people ON FIRE in North Gower, Richmond and surroundings…MPP Goldie Ghamari just announced that she spoke to the Natural Resources m... Read more
Planting season interrupted to pay respects to John Vanderspank
Planting season interrupted to pay respects to John Vanderspank, who died suddenly at age 47 Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum LANARK — The Ottawa Valley agricultural community paid its respects to John Vanderspank, a popular crop farmer, custom operator and salesman whose funeral drew a parade of 100... Read more
CATTLE HEIST: 75 Black Angus vanish from Quebec farm
CATTLE HEIST: 75 Black Angus vanish from Quebec farm One of the largest single cattle thefts in Canadian history Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WESTERN QUEBEC — Quebec beef producer Jonathan Fortin has been left devastated after the brazen theft of his entire Black Angus cattle herd from a f... Read more
Watershed authorities unleash provincial sneak attack on dry, wooded land — redesignating as wetlands
Landowners have until July 11 to object ... Read more
BYVELDS TO WATERSHED BOARD: Wetland designation process ‘is not fair or right’
OTTAWA — South Dundas-area crop farmer and former mayor Steven Byvelds criticizes the new wetland mapping exercise recently undertaken by his local watershed authority ... Read more
Need commonsense approach on Avian flu
It’s just a seasonal illness, virologist says Read more
Avian flu likely nothing to worry about, says leading physician
While news pundits like to make it sound as if the Avian flu is spreading like wildfire in the United States ... Read more
OPINION: The power of poetry, sharing words and the exquisite month of June
By John Schwartzentruber “And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days…” Those words first fell on my hearing nearly 60 years ago as Dad and I walked outside in the morning, soaking up the sights and sounds of springtime. Something about those perfect mornings in June seeme... Read more
Capital gains tax confusion adds to weight of taxes on farmers
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Trudeau government’s planned increase in capital-gains taxes continues to cause confusion and consternation in farm country. As the beginning of June approached, important details of the impending tax hike — which is supposed to take effect June 25 — remained shroude... Read more
Lindsay-area organic do-it-yourselfers jumped at filling local demand
O’Briens earn Lindsay’s farm business family of the year award ... Read more
Ontario launches online training program for kids, as too many are killed on ATVs
Ontario launches online training program for kids, as too many are killed on ATVs Farmers Forum staff ONTARIO — All-terrain vehicles are fun and found on many farms, but a disproportionate number of children and teens are getting injured or killed while operating them. In fact, almost half of all se... Read more
Canada’s largest battery storage to be built near Spencerville
Canada’s largest battery storage to be built near Spencerville Farmers Forum staff SPENCERVILLE — Canada’s largest battery storage project will be erected in the rural countryside of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal Township. In May, Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator awarded a contract to the d... Read more
The perks of renting your farm from the government
The perks of renting your farm from the government You can start farming today as the National Capital Commission has one farm for rent Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Want to get into farming? Leasing farmland within the city of Ottawa — of all places — could be the ticket for aspir... Read more
Canadian farm equipment sales expected to decline in 2024
Farmers Forum The Canadian farm equipment market will take a breather in 2024 after last year’s strong performance in the segment, as recently projected by Farm Credit Canada. FCC expects combine harvester sales to decline the most with an anticipated drop of 20 %. That’s a stark contrast with 2023... Read more
Don’t miss out on student scholarships
Don’t miss out on student scholarships There’s still time for Ontario students to apply for a variety of scholarships, grants, and bursaries to help them pursue post-secondary studies in agriculture-related fields. Here is a partial list of what’s still available. Keith Gilmore Foundation: Hereford... Read more
Cut from a different cloth: A life dedicated to sheep shearing
Cut from a different cloth A life dedicated to sheep shearing — No money in the wool but the sheep still need a haircut Charles Summers Farmers Forum Clothes make the man, they say, and while we ought to judge people by the content of their character, the way we present ourselves says a lot [... Read more
OPINION: With all the modern equipment, why are wives with young children in the barns choring?
I grew up choring with my father and we never had women in the barn. My two sisters never set a foot in the barn until they were married and had young children who wanted to see the cows and calves. So when they came to visit from the city, they often came to the […] Read more
Summer Tour: the only three days in the year to visit maple syrup operators
Over the past two generations, maple syrup production has transformed from a relatively archaic cottage economy, relying largely on pure brute force: buckets and mountains of firewood, into a high tech, modern industry (which still requires a great deal of brute force) ... Read more
RICH MAN, POOR FARMER: Bill Gates buys up farmland while promoting fake meat
Computer boy Bill Gates is buying up farmland, promoting lab-cultured meat alternatives and telling people they should stop eating meat ... Read more
First live cattle sale in five years
First live cattle sale in 5 years Hugh Fawcett Auctions hosting first in-person event since 2019 Farmers Forum staff WINCHESTER — Stormont County dairy farmers Joe and Joy Krol are hanging up their milkers after 40 years and selling the cows. Their June 22 herd dispersal will be the first live cattl... Read more
St. Eugene farm owns Canada’s second-best income earning cow
St. Eugene farm owns Canada’s second-best income earning cow Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. EUGENE — By the end of 2023, 14-year-old Ivory made enough milk to fill almost five of the biggest dairy tanker trucks. She was the oldest Holstein cow at Yorellea Farms, and her lifetime milk revenue wa... Read more
Battle for Wilmot farmland stalls
Property owners get on with farming and hope developer goes away ... Read more
TOP KILLER: COYOTE. Sheep most common prey
TOP KILLER: COYOTE Sheep most common prey Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farmers lost 1,724 animals to wildlife predators last year and collected over $1 million from the province in compensation. That head count is down from the predator toll of 2,347 livestock killed in 2022. A cougar killed one she... Read more
U.S. cows, cats, workers catch bird flu
OTTAWA — Just as Canada seems to be getting over Avian flu in birds — we’ve euthanized more than 11-million poultry since 2022 — the worry has now shifted towards cattle ... Read more
International gangs increase vehicle theft crisis across Canada
NORFOLK COUNTY — The national auto theft crisis continues at full throttle in Southwestern Ontario, with Norfolk County proving to be a hotspot for pickup-truck thieves. Read more
OPINION: Beware — spec funds and short sellers can move markets
OPINION: Beware — spec funds and short sellers can move markets As grain producers, we tend to think of market movements being caused by things which fundamentally impact the supply of grain or the marketplace’s demand for it. However, there are actually a number of other drivers of commodity... Read more
Ontario farmer launches petition to change composition of milk for health benefits
Ontario farmer launches petition to change composition of milk for health benefits Farmers Forum staff Should Canadian dairy farmers be compelled to change the composition of milk for alleged health benefits? An online petition calling for the industry’s wholesale shift from one type of milk protein... Read more
Gene-edited crops approved for livestock feed
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has approved the use of gene-edited crops in livestock feed. The ground breaking May 3 decision means that the federal regulator will treat gene-edited crops the same as traditionally-bred varieties and cultivars, not as a novel technology. Approvals will... Read more
CHILLING WITH MISTER 89: Ford Patterson ‘died’ last year but that didn’t stop him
CHILLING WITH MISTER 89 Crop farmer Ford Patterson died last year but paramedics brought him back. He’s now committed to another 10 years of random acts of plowing Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum METCALFE — A paramedic’s defibrillator brought him back from the dead a year ago, and 89-year-old farmer... Read more
OPINION: Time for a real great reset
OPINION: Time for a real great reset It’s high time for a reset; a real reset. Not a World Economic Forum reset where they will own everything and you will be miserable. I’m talking about a reset that is a return to reality because right now we’re being fed a shovelful of lies: Boys can […] Read more
Three reasons why Canadian gun owners should be optimistic
Three reasons why Canadian gun owners should be optimistic The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights Under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals, law-abiding gun owners have experienced, arguably, the largest, most sustained and unprovoked attack on their community in recent memory, and all... Read more
Judge rules that animal activists are allowed to lie to get a farm job and snoop around
TORONTO — An Ontario judge has ruled that it is now legal for an animal rights ‘investigator’ to lie to get a job on a farm for the purpose of doing undercover snooping. Read more
OPINION: Believe it or not, lying to farmers is now a constitutional right
Have you ever heard of a justice system condoning the use of deceit, misrepresentation or outright lying to obtain what you want but stopping you if you are 100 % honest and forthcoming? Neither have I but now it seems that Ontario’s legal system has done just that. Read more
OPINION: Court gets it so wrong on the so-called ag-gag law
No matter how awful that first installment of Dune playing on the silver screen, you can’t send people fleeing to the exits unless the theatre actually is on fire. Read more
GPS signals knocked offline
North Gower GPS vendor got more than 1,600 calls in 3 days after solar storm ... Read more
CFIA: No bird flu in Canadian milk
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says that testing, as of May 16, has so far turned up no fragments of the H5N1 bird flu virus in Canadian retail milk. Read more
New-to-Canada virus kills 188 Ontario turkeys
OTTAWA — A bird virus new to Canada has struck two Southwestern Ontario turkey farms. ... Read more
Preventing a barn fire starts with good housekeeping
Preventing a barn fire starts with good housekeeping Barn fires are a major distress for farmers. It’s terrible when livestock, swine, horses, poultry, whatever, are inside a building when it goes up in flames. Along with the sizeable financial loss, farm operation losses include equipment, business... Read more
OPINION: Mega-farms, good or bad, or just bad for local businesses
Mega-farms: Good or bad or just bad for local businesses Once upon a time, not that long ago, every 100 acres along the concessions was an operating farm supporting a family: a husband, wife and some kids. Most milked some cows, kept some hens, pigs and occasionally sheep. As the children got older... Read more
Ode to the Farm Team: Recognizing workers who support the farm industry
Ode to the Farm Team These flourishing hard-working folk chart their own paths and serve the farm If an Ontario farmer is looking for a reference for how much the world has turned over the past couple hundred years, there’s no better reference than Farmer Boy. You’re no doubt familiar... Read more
Going with dumb luck: Farmers need to rethink safety
Going with dumb luck Farmers need to rethink safety on the farm, safety consultant says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Ryan Dick knows firsthand the culture of shrugging off risk on the farm. Two of his uncles were run over by a hay wagon after falling from a tractor fender as children. Th... Read more
REPORT: 25 % loss in property value when you’re 1.5 km away from turbine
Scientific study says wind turbines have little effect on housing prices but… New report sees 25 % loss when you’re 1.5 km away Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A recent ballyhooed study claims that industrial-scale wind turbines have only a “small and diminishing” impact on property values over t... Read more
Wind and solar projects way more expensive than we admit for unreliable energy
Wind and solar projects way more expensive than we admit for unreliable energy Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Wind and solar energy projects are way more expensive than the ‘green’ lobby wants to admit when all costs are fully accounted for, according to the world’s foremost “skeptical environmentalis... Read more
CFIA: No avian flu virus remnants found in Canadian retail milk
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says that testing has so far turned up no fragments of the H5N1 bird flu virus in Canadian retail milk. Read more
17-year-old boy dies in Watford farm accident
WATFORD — A teenaged boy lost his life in a May 9 farm accident outside the southwestern Ontario town of Waterford. Read more
Ontario appeals ruling that weakened farm-trespass law
OTTAWA — The Ford government is going to court in an attempt to fully restore a law that protected farmers from lying animal-rights activists posing as job seekers and intending to “expose” livestock conditions once hired. In 2020, the province passed Bill 156, which explicitly treated those engagin... Read more
Make more money: With marketing decisions that look one year ahead
Make more money: With marketing decisions that look a year ahead The years 2021 and 2022 taught grain markets some really dumb lessons. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, a bit of a summertime drought in the U.S. Midwest, and then two consecutive La Nina years in South American weather pushed up commo... Read more
New trucking log book rules spell grief for Beamsville fruit producer
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A Southwestern Ontario fruit farmer says he’s been ticketed three times for running a delivery truck without an electronic logging device — despite a clear exemption for farmers trucking their own produce in provincial law. Torrie Warner managed to get one of... Read more
They switched to Jerseys and earned a Master Breeder shield
They switched to Jerseys and earned a Master Breeder shield Nelson Zandbergan Farmers Forum LEFAIVRE — Alain Poirier remembers when he began switching the herd from Holsteins to Jerseys in 1999 — 10 years after he and his wife, Claudine, bought the dairy operation from her parents. “It’s funn... Read more
Ontario farm country an ongoing target for vehicle and equipment thieves
Ontario farm country an ongoing target for vehicle and equipment thieves 598 stolen vehicles intercepted at Montreal port Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORFOLK COUNTY — Thieves have had their sights on trucks, rigs and farm tractors in Norfolk and Wellington counties, even scoring five semi-tracto... Read more
Alleviate housing crisis by allowing more houses on rural properties, township council urges
Alleviate housing crisis by allowing more houses on rural properties, C-K council urges Farmers Forum staff One of Canada’s greatest needs today is housing. So, isn’t it time that rural municipalities opened their doors to allow more house-building on agricultural properties? Chatham-Kent Council in... Read more
Court order quashes key parts of farm trespass regulation; lying to gain access OK
TORONTO — An Ontario judge has ruled that it is now legal for an animal rights ‘investigator’ to lie to get a job on a farm for the purpose of doing undercover snooping ... Read more
My top 3 gripes. Farmers Forum asked 20 farmers what top three things are ticking them off
My top 3 gripes Canadians, farmers included, seem discontent these days on a number of fronts. Farmers Forum asked 20 farmers what top three things are ticking them off. Here are some replies. 1. “The lack of any sort of vision for food and who produces the food in this country as reflected by almos... Read more
The COVID vaccine is a big problem
Many people are beginning to believe they have been played by their own government into thinking the COVID vaccine was effective. It isn’t and sometimes it’s harmful. Mainstream media is not telling you the whole story. Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum The COVID pandemic is long over but, as of last mo... Read more
Comedian Quick Dick McDick set to perform June 28 at Eastern Ontario grain elevator
KAWARTHA LAKES — Comedian Quick Dick McDick is whipping out to Eastern Ontario for a June 28 show jointly presented by Victoria County Grains and Maizeing Acres. Read more
Peel region has most expensive farmland in Ontario, University of Guelph survey says
Peel region has most expensive farmland in Ontario, University of Guelph survey says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Ontario farmers reported a rise in 2023 farmland prices but not in rental rates. Rents either declined or remained unchanged in 15 of 25 counties where 1,116 Ontario farmers responded... Read more
End free rural water well testing, Ontario auditor says
End free rural water well testing, Ontario auditor says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — City residents will continue to get their drinking water tested for free, but rural residents will have to pay for the privilege if the province pulls the plug on free well-water testing as recently proposed. The we... Read more
Fill dumped in ditch blocks drain, going to court might be only way out
PLUGGED DRAIN PAIN Fill dumped in ditch blocks drain and going to court might be only way out Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum staff RAMSAYVILLE — Ramsayville crop grower Vince Pizzamiglio is annoyed that a drainage ditch on his farmland is filling up with water because huge piles of fill have been d... Read more
Dairy farms got $101,400 each after Canada gave up foreign access to cheese market
Dairy farms got $101,400 each after Canada gave up foreign access to cheese market OTTAWA — A third of Canadian dairy farmers received direct subsidies after a 2017 trade pact increased imports of tariff-free European cheese, says a Department of Agriculture audit, reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.... Read more
Crop insurance payouts down significantly
Crop insurance payouts down significantly Soybeans, corn and apples were highest claims Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GUELPH — Yields and quality were overall above average for corn, soybeans and wheat in Ontario last year and crop insurance payouts were down significantly. Agricorp insurance clai... Read more
Ag Gag law rebuked
You can lie to trespass on a farm — but wait for the hearing, judge says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Lying is protected speech, so it’s fair game for animal rights activists to misrepresent themselves to gain access to farm facilities for purposes of snooping around and shooting video... Read more
Modern tap system boosts maple syrup profit margin
Modern tap system boosts maple syrup profit margin Charles Summers Farmers Forum It goes without saying that everything in farming depends on the weather, but few things are as touchy as enticing maple trees to run sap. Some years it’s stop and go. Some years you can’t stay on top of it all, and som... Read more
IMPOSSIBLE CLIMATE GOALS: Gov’t blames farmers, GFO commissioner says
OTTAWA — The chairman of Grain Farmers of Ontario is incensed with Canada’s commissioner of the environment and sustainable development for calling out agriculture for lagging behind targeted greenhouse gas emissions reductions ... Read more
OPINION: Maybe the government hates you
Maybe the government hates you Left-wing American TV host, pundit and comedian Bill Maher calls it as he sees it. I usually disagree with him but, when it came to assessing Canada, he nailed it. “The only problem thinking that everything is better in Canada is that it’s not,” he told his TV audience... Read more
Most Ontario farmers confident but not making big investments, OFA survey says
Most Ontario farmers confident but not making big investments in their farms, OFA survey says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A substantial majority of Ontario farmers are holding off on major capital improvements plans in 2024, but confidence levels otherwise remain strong, according to a recent Ontar... Read more
Hey, Waterloo and Wilmot councillors, Stay off our land!
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum analysis KITCHENER — Councillors from Wilmot Township and the Region of Waterloo have a lot of explaining to do. They gave 12 farmers and property owners in the township 10 days to agree to sell and accept $35,000 per acre or face expropriation of 770-acres of la... Read more
Canadian dairy farmers told to be vigilant as Avian flu strikes 36 U.S. herds by May 1
OTTAWA — Canadian dairy farmers are being urged to stay vigilant with biosecurity protocols after the avian flu virus spread in five weeks to 36 American herds in nine U.S. states as of May 1 ... Read more
Suspected but never convicted, infamous Jimmy Wise dead at 80
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Jimmy Wise — the former Chesterville mechanic and murder suspect in the infamously known Eastern Ontario serial killings — died April 19 at Ottawa’s Montfort Hospital. He was 80 years old. Wise’s life story began as a troubled teen in a small town where he be... Read more
TICKED OFF: Canadians are not happy and neither are farmers
TICKED OFF: 62 % of country are pessimistic or angry about the federal government. Here’s what ticks off farmers Patrick Meagher and Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — With no carbon-tax relief in sight, Ontario farmers emerged from a winter of discontent to another April Fool’s Day car... Read more
Woman crashes ATV and owner is responsible for damages, court rules
Woman crashes ATV and owner is responsible for damages, court rules Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A rural Prince Edward County couple and their adult son are liable for the lasting severe brain injury suffered by a young woman who crashed their all-terrain vehicle, according to an Ontario Court of Ap... Read more
Farmers in the fight of their lives to stop local governments from expropriating prime farmland
Farmers in the fight of their lives to stop local governments from expropriating prime farmland WILMOT TOWNSHIP — A solitary vulture circled the yard where half a dozen Wilmot Township farmers and homeowners met to discuss the local government’s attempt to put them off their property. The black buzz... Read more
Axe carbon tax, says ag minister, 25 Ontario farm groups
Axe carbon tax, says ag minister, 25 Ontario farm groups Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A who’s who of Ontario farm organizations recently backed Ontario ag minister Lisa Thompson’s recent call for Ottawa to “pause” the latest 23 % carbon-tax increase as a “first step” toward eliminating the unpopular... Read more
Federal gov’t awards millions to ag-related climate change projects
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Trudeau government rolled out the latest round of Agricultural Clean Technology Program funding grants last month with 29 Ontario farms and agribusinesses awarded $16.7 million. Over 80 % of the most recently approved projects were located in Southwestern... Read more
What on earth is regenerative farming? It’s looking long-term, rebuilding soil life and just plain farming
It’s leveraging Mother Nature, looking long-term, utilizing cattle, rebuilding soil life, and just plain farming Read more
$4 in Zambia gets you more fish fritters than you can shake a stick at
Daily life in rural Africa Read more
LOVE THE BARN, LOVE TO MILK: Acredale Farms rebuilds after devastating fire
MANOTICK — A new milking operation has risen from the ashes at Acredale Farms. Read more
Ontario farmland prices cool down, but still pop 11 % in 2023, FCC says
OTTAWA — Average Ontario farmland prices climbed by almost 11 % in 2023, but only at about half the phenomenal rate of increase measured in 2022, according to a Farm Credit Canada report. Eastern Ontario’s most eastern counties, however, bucked the provincial trend. Read more
Consumers are drinking more milk and richer milk
ISIDORE — It’s been a truism of the Ontario dairy industry for years that consumers are drinking less milk ... Read more
OPINION: They’re coming for your freedom of expression — again
If you’ve been paying attention to the political landscape you might have noticed that our Liberal government has chosen a path of self-destruction, for itself and for the country ... Read more
RECIPE FOR depression: Atheism and a smart phone
Prominent podcaster and U.S. Catholic bishop Robert Barron has sounded the alarm about a second pandemic, as an unintended consequence of the first ... Read more
STEVE KELL: Strategies to score profits in the spring market rally
April, May and June are critical months for corn and soybean producers to take advantage of the seasonal price volatility to both clean up old crop marketing and to forward contract a significant portion of their new crop production. Read more
U.S. STUDY SAYS: Organic production spurs more pesticide use by neighbours
OTTAWA — Conventional farmers apply more pesticides when next door to organic crops in order to stave off their neighbours’ more plentiful pests. That’s the upshot of a recent study that suggests organic cropping increases overall pesticide usage on the landscape because of the “spillover” reaction... Read more
Retrofit your tractor with autonomous kit
OTTAWA — Forget about taking your hands off the tractor steering wheel. That’s so 2005. The technology is now available to get the farmer out of the driver’s seat altogether ... Read more
NOW FOR SALE AT $75,000: an electric 45-hp tractor
OTTAWA — Fully electric tractors made a modest debut at the 2024 Ottawa Valley Farm Show, with a pair of small-horsepower units imported from Europe being the only examples amid all the machinery at the EY Centre ... Read more
ROGER DRUDGE DRIVE-BY: Community rallies for Listowel farmer, elevator operator fighting cancer
John Schwartzentruber Farmers Forum LISTOWEL — The smiling faces of Roger and Martha Drudge, a Listowel-area farming family, spoke louder than words as nearly 150 drive-by visitors passed through the yard of Drudge Elevators Ltd. on Saturday, March 23. Well-wishers came in highway tractors, farm tra... Read more
Market for electric tractors is anyone’s guess
OTTAWA — Electric tractors are just a tiny slice of the overall global tractor market at this point — so small that market-share estimates and projections vary wildly. Read more
Producers see average yield as maple syrup runs early
OTTAWA — For all the hand wringing over the warm winter just past, Ontario maple syrup producers reported at least an average sap run by the end of March, which followed an early start to the season in February. Read more
SUNSHINE LIST: 376 OMAFRA employees earn more than $100,000
ONTARIO — No surprise, the number of public-sector employees paid six figures in Ontario continued to grow last year. Read more
THEY WANT TO STEAL OUR LAND: Waterloo Region farmers fight expropriation threat
NEW HAMBURG — A small group of Kitchener-area farmers are incensed by what appears to them as an attack by their own local governments to rip them off and steal their land. Read more
European farmers storm capitals, block highways
Protests spread to 27 countries over three months Read more
CANADA-WIDE PROTESTS: Carbon tax protests peppered across the country
CANADA-WIDE PROTESTS: Grassroots carbon tax protests peppered across the country Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum OTTAWA — April 1 was marked by the annual carbon tax hike and an immediate jump in gas prices at the pump. The day was also marked by pockets of pr... Read more
24-year-old Western Ontario chicken farmer killed in tractor accident
STRATFORD — A 24-year-old chicken farmer was killed March 6 when the tractor he was driving careened into a ditch on Line 29, just south of Stratford ... Read more
Consumers want dairy calves with their mothers
But that plan is at least 10 years away Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. ISIDORE — The change may be years away, but get ready for the day when dairy calves are raised alongside their milking mothers — suckling at their udders for weeks or even months after birth and traipsing around the barn or... Read more
RARE MILESTONE: Smiths earn 4th Master Breeder shield
A rare milestone achieved Smiths earn 4th Master Breeder shield, including two without milking a single cow Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHESTERVILLE — The Smith family hasn’t milked cows in nearly 23 years, but these former dairy farmers and their storied Sunnylodge prefix continue to make an im... Read more
TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN: Connection to land makes rural life a better life
Noblesse Oblige is a historical concept wherein the upper strata of society, as a demonstration of conscientious responsibility, acted with a form of unselfish care for the population of their communities. In Medieval times this took the form of almsgiving and church building. In the Industri... Read more
OPINION: Downside of freestall barns includes demise of the barn cat
Downside of freestall barns includes demise of the barn cat As more and more massive free stall barns are built across the country, usually towering characterless structures of steel and canvas, I often wonder what has happened to the barn cats which inhabited the older wood barns they replaced. At... Read more
OPINION: Inside man — My OFA annual meeting observation report
INSIDE MAN: My OFA annual meeting observation report I enjoyed the annual OFA convention. The first one I attended was in 1983 when Ralph Barrie was president. This annual two-day meeting with about 250 delegates was held in November at the Delta Toronto Airport Hotel and Conference Centre. There we... Read more
OPINION: Gov’t kills beef industry by favouring dairy
Gov’t kills beef industry by favouring dairy The last sentence says it all for the beef sector: “Ontario beef farm hasn’t earned a profit after capital depreciation since 2016.” (Farmers Forum website) With the number of beef operations in Canada near steady decline since 1981, the average age of a... Read more
Embrun Freedom Convoy camp served 600 coffees a day
Embrun Freedom Convoy camp served 600 coffees a day Farmers Forum staff EMBRUN — Two years ago, Parliament Hill and downtown Ottawa brimmed with a carnival atmosphere as the Freedom Convoy gathered together a multitude of Canadians in common cause to defend freedom and bodily autonomy during an extr... Read more
Toronto takes on slave trading name to replace the famous Dundas, who opposed slave trading
Toronto takes on slave trading name to replace the famous Dundas, who opposed slave trading Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Rural Dundas County won’t lose its name to historical revisionism, but Toronto politicians have no such scruples about dumping the ‘Dundas’ moniker from the prominent... Read more
FLEXIBLE FARMING: Creative ideas with a beef herd on marginal land
FLEXIBLE FARMING Parents and adult children pasture beef animals on marginal land; creative ideas make it work Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SIMCOE COUNTY — It takes exceptional pasture management to efficiently raise beef on the dry, sandy soil at the Chalmers family beef farm in Oro-Medonte Town... Read more
5 Eastern Ontario dairy farms among top 25 best-managed herds in Canada
5 Eastern Ontario dairy farms among top 25 best-managed herds in Canada Farmers Forum staff ALEXANDRIA — Two Eastern Ontario dairy farms ranked among the top-10 best managed in Canada last year as measured by Lactanet (formerly CanWest DHI). Alexandria-based Lochdale Holsteins, owned by David, Anne... Read more
Statistics Canada says no money in beef farming — but there is for full-time operators
Statistics Canada says beef farms don’t earn money But, hey, the full-time operators do Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ATHENS — Ontario beef producers don’t make money, according to the latest statistics. Statistics Canada reported that on average that last time an Ontario beef farm squeaked out a... Read more
Incentives attract doctors and nurses to rural communities, Employment Canada says
Incentives attract doctors and nurses to rural communities, Employment Canada says OTTAWA — A federal government incentive program to attract health care workers to rural areas is working. Since 2012, the federal government has drawn nearly 18,000 doctors and nurses to rural Canada, Employment Canad... Read more
120,000 small Canadian businesses closed down during 2020 lockdowns
120,000 small Canadian businesses closed down during 2020 lockdowns Farmers forum staff OTTAWA — More than 120,000 small Canadian businesses closed their doors during Covid lockdowns in 2020, new federal data reveals. The Department of Industry said nationwide 120,344 businesses “disappeared” in the... Read more
Want to use a drone to spray pesticides? Be patient as rules are coming
Want to use a drone to spray pesticides? Be patient as rules are coming Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — A lot still has to be figured out before Canada permits drones to spray pesticides, leaving much of the technology’s potential unfulfilled for the time being. “You’re all wondering, wh... Read more
“Animal-free” milk approved for sale in Canada
“Animal-free” milk approved for sale in Canada OTTAWA — A milk protein excreted by genetically modified yeast has won federal approval for sale in Canada. Israel-based Remilk touts its product as an “animal-free” but identical version of the whey protein found in cow’s milk. Remilk’s production proc... Read more
OPINION: POWER PLAY
Conservative MP calls out World Health Organization for trying to seize power Ontario MP Leslyn Lewis (CON-Haldimand-Norfolk) wants Canada to pull out of the United Nations and its subsidiary organizations. That would include the World Health Organization. Lewis started a petition and collected more... Read more
Ontario farmers irked by U.S. crop farming advantages
Ontario farmers irked by U.S. crop farming advantages Higher U.S. support payments and no carbon tax Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Once upon a time, low crop prices sparked Ontario farmers to roll tractors on Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park. That was 20 years ago, and a big part of the farmers’ ange... Read more
COVID vaccine has seriously injured almost 12,000 Canadians and killed 4
COVID vaccine has seriously injured almost 12,000 Canadians and killed 4 James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — There has been far too much hyperbole about the COVID vaccine. We’ve heard everything from the vaccine is 100 % safe (not true) to if you get the jab it will definitely kill you (not true).... Read more
The Coutts 4
The Coutts 4 Terrorists or political prisoners? Here’s the background. You make the call James Pascual Farmers Forum Not many know of the Coutts Four. But they should. They are four Alberta men who were locked in prison for two years, including in solitary confinement, without a trial. We were tol... Read more
Every single milk tank to be tested
Every single milk tank to be tested Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. ISIDORE — Every single tank of milk picked up at Ontario dairy farms will be tested for bacteria levels starting March 1. That’s up from the previous four-tests-per-month policy. However, the Dairy Farmers of Ontario won’t be us... Read more
Don’t tell dairy farmers that the customer is always right
Don’t tell dairy farmers that the customer is always right Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum Ontario dairy farmers were lectured recently by a University of B.C. animal welfare research professor who told them that sometime in the future farmers will not separate calves from their mothers. It was a matt... Read more
Alexis Pageau wins 20th annual photo contest
Happiness is Farming: Alexis Pageau wins 20th annual photo contest Alexis Pageau’s photo of Embrun dairy farmer Eric Patenaude is the winner of Farmers Forum’s 20th annual photo contest. Pageau’s photo was chosen by the judges who said it was not only a well-composed slice-of-life but most exemplifi... Read more
Farm dealer outlines how to protect yourself from new scam in credit card fraud
Farm dealer outlines how to protect yourself from new scam in credit card fraud Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TEESWATER — An Ontario farm equipment dealer was recently swindled out of a $4,000 tractor part by a scammer who bought the salvaged John Deere rear end over the phone with a fraudulently... Read more
37,000 vehicles stolen in Ontario in 2022
37,000 vehicles stolen in Ontario in 2022 Thieves target pick-up trucks and SUVs Farmers Forum Staff OTTAWA — Even rusty old farm trucks aren’t safe anymore. A 20-year-old pickup truck was recently stolen from a Southwestern Ontario farm — another sorry statistic in Canada’s ongoing vehicle theft cr... Read more
Environmental farm plan about to change to satisfy climate change policies
Environmental farm plan about to change to satisfy climate change policies Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — An update is in the works for the Environmental Farm Plan — one that incorporates the latest concerns about climate change and sustainability into the key document that many farms are now effectiv... Read more
STEVE KELL: Black Sea War creates price swings both ways
Black Sea War blocks and increases trade creating price swings both ways One of the most compelling and dynamic factors influencing world grain markets over the past two years has been the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its impact on global commodity prices. In the early days of the war, there was... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: What was your biggest challenge with succession planning?
“We’ve been talking about this the last number of years. I think every situation is different. “Tax — it’s the cost of doing it. The value of the farm has gone so high in the last 10 or 15 years, when you put that value in there, the market value, then all of a sudden […] Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Farmland prices keep going up but now by only 10 %
WESTERN ONTARIO: Farmland prices keep going up but now by only 10 % Perth was highest-priced county with median price of about $38,000 per acre Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PERTH — The headwinds of higher interest rates and lower corn prices slowed the rise in Southwestern Ontario farmland prices... Read more
Ottawa Valley Farm Show to host 360 exhibitors over 3 days; starts March 12
OTTAWA — The Ottawa Valley Farm Show returns to the EY Centre with a full complement of familiar attractions at the agribusiness extravaganza ... Read more
$8-billion BSE lawsuit heads to Supreme Court
TORONTO — Lawyers are headed to the Supreme Court in a final attempt to revive an $8-billion class-action lawsuit on behalf of Canadian cattle producers who were damaged by the BSE crisis of two decades ago ... Read more
European farmer protests rage on
MADRID, SPAIN — European farmers continued their tractor rallies and demonstrations straight through the month of February and now into March ... Read more
CFIB: Feds holding billions in carbon taxes that should be returned to small businesses
OTTAWA — The federal government has been sitting on $2.5 billion in carbon tax revenue collected since 2019 despite repeated promises to return it to small businesses ... Read more
Farm dealer outlines how to protect yourself from new scam
TEESWATER — An Ontario farm equipment dealer was recently swindled out of a $4,000 tractor part by a scammer ... Read more
New annual reporting rule for legal trusts a potential tax-time headache for farmers
Filing deadline is April 2; presentation on topic March 21 in Elgin, Ontario ... Read more
Small Bancroft farm boasts market garden, mixed salads, maple syrup and a variety of meat
A little bit of everything ... Read more
Farmers sue new neighbour, township after barn building permit revoked
Farmer was granted barn permit but it was pulled to allow for new house across the road ... Read more
Townships drift left, perceived as turning against farmers
LANARK — As federal and provincial governments drift to the left, townships are heading the same way. Read more
Farmers worry about high costs, labour shortage, direction of government
HAVE YOUR SAY Farmers worry about high costs, labour shortage, direction of government There’s a lot of uncertainty in the province and across the country and people are feeling the pressure on a number of fronts: in their businesses, in the economy, in their communities and in even in their familie... Read more
Sevita IP bean warehouse goes up in flames
WINCHESTER — An early morning fire at Sevita International’s Inkerman IP soybean-processing plant on February 22 destroyed a warehouse and 50 % of processing capacity ... Read more
Rabies cases down across the province affecting only bats, skunks and one cat
Rabies cases down across the province affecting only bats, skunks and one cat Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency counted 56 cases of rabies in Ontario animals in 2023, down from 61 a year earlier. The number of infected bats went up but the number of infected skunks wen... Read more
Soup for the soul
Soup for the soul 10,000 volunteers produce 9-million servings of soup mix destined for 30 countries John Scwartzentruber Farmers Forum MOOREFIELD — Who of us knows hunger? No, not the hunger of stomach walls clapping a grumpy protest at merely being denied a timely meal. But instead, the hunger tha... Read more
Supersize your soybean yield
Supersize your soybean yield Specialists note yield challenges but U.S. farmer hits 206 bu/ac Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KEMPTVILLE — A one-acre soybean plot at the Winchester Agricultural Research Station yielded more than 100 bu/ac in 2023, an eye-popping figure for field-grown soybeans raise... Read more
WEST: Farmers worry about high costs, gov’t missteps
WEST: Farmers worry about high costs, gov’t missteps There’s a lot of uncertainty in the province and across the country and people are feeling the pressure on a number of fronts: in their businesses, in the economy, in their communities and even in their families. So, Farmers Forum asked farmers wh... Read more
Love that lightning in a bottle
Love that lightning in a bottle The world has discovered Canada’s maple syrup, offering local producers a growing opportunity You may recall the James Bond parody, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. In the story, the villain Doctor Evil is launched into space, cryogenically freezing... Read more
As weeds increase in resistance, try cover crops, specialist says
As weeds increase in resistance, try cover crops, specialist says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KEMPTVILLE — Weeds are increasingly resistant to the current suite of herbicides used in agriculture, but there are alternative techniques to bolster the dwindling chemical arsenal. “The reality is, I’v... Read more
Wild boar producers shift gears as ban bites
Wild boar producers shift gears as ban bites Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum VANKLEEK HILL — Two of Ontario’s better known wild boar producers have switched to other heritage breeds as the provincial ban on Eurasian Wild Boar took effect at the end of 2023. Existing breeders had until Dec. 31 to be... Read more
OPINION: Remembering Elmer Buchanan as one of the best
The other day Quora Digest, which comes in my inbox daily with news items, asked the question: Has a celebrity ever randomly sat down next to you? Well, yes! It happened last November at the Delta Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre. I was there for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (O... Read more
OPINION: Going robotic, on the farm and in the farmhouse
Going robotic, on the farm and in the farmhouse It seems that everyone is doing it and/or talking about it. Ads for various makers’ latest products are everywhere and, at any gathering there will always be a group discussing the pros and cons of their chosen make vs the others. I’m talking robotics... Read more
Expect fewer corn acres planted
Expect fewer corn acres planted If governments force electric vehicles on public, what happens to ethanol production? Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KEMPTVILLE — When and if electric vehicles seriously displace conventional cars and trucks, North American corn growers — like oil companies — will ha... Read more
“It’s been a long haul”
“It’s been a long haul” Dairy barn reconstruction nears completion 39 months after fire Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FRANKFORD — As 2024 approached, milk production was getting closer to restarting at an Eastern Ontario family dairy farm whose barn was destroyed in a devastating fire 39 mo... Read more
Meat packer fined $75,000 after steer runs down worker
Meat packer fined $75,000 after steer runs down worker Farmers Forum staff GUELPH— Thanks to a broken latch on a livestock gate, a Western-Ontario abattoir was fined $75,000 after an employee was critically injured by a charging steer. Peel Meat Packers Ltd. pleaded guilty Nov. 15 to violating the O... Read more
Fines for activists who trespass on farms could increase to $500,000
Fines for activists who trespass on farms could increase to $500,000 Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Activists trespassing on-farm face whopping new fines for breaching Canadian livestock biosecurity rules, under a private member’s bill passed by MPs in December. Bill C-275 is now headed to... Read more
Dial 9-8-8 for national suicide prevention talk and text line
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A national 9-8-8 suicide prevention line recently went into service in Canada. Since Nov. 30, people from across the country have been able to call and text 9-8-8 to speak with appropriately trained responders who listen without judgment. The free, confidential service i... Read more
FEBRUARY’S HEROS
February’s heroes Remembering the Freedom Convoy when thousands of Canadians joined in protest A mighty river is not so at its start. Instead, it grows from a thousand tributaries which merge to form one powerful current. However insignificant they may first appear, when enough streams flow t... Read more
DeLaval training centre opened in Peterborough
DeLaval training centre opened in Peterborough Farmers Forum staff PETERBOROUGH — DeLaval has opened a national training centre in Peterborough, the only one of its kind in Canada. The recently renovated 3,600 square foot facility will host training sessions for DeLaval dealer technicians and staff... Read more
Gov’t announces no more sales of most gas-powered vehicles by 2035
Gov’t announces no more sales of most gas-powered vehicles by 2035 But heavy pick-up trucks will be exempted Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Pickup-truck-loving farmers with rumbling engines, take heed: Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has announced the end of the road for your favour... Read more
Higher interest rates, weak consumer spending leads to recession, almost
Higher interest rates, weak consumer spending leads to recession, almost Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The weak Canadian economy would be diagnosed with an official recession today if not for a late Statistics Canada tweak retroactively adding to the economy’s measured health in the secon... Read more
Lime substitute free for farmers
SEELEY’S BAY — Farmers can get a free lime substitute that is mined right here in Eastern Ontario, and global tech companies are happy to foot the bill because of the product’s carbon-capture properties when spread on farmland ... Read more
INTERVIEW: Farmers face too much red tape and taxes, OFA president says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Farmers are facing too much red tape and taxes, and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture will drive that message home with the Ford government in early 2024, according to new OFA president Drew Spoelstra. But the biggest red tap headache is municipal stormwa... Read more
STEVE KELL: Expect more soybean acres planted, less corn
It’s time to stop looking back. 2023 was an unmatched year in terms of North American grain production, and those huge corn and soybean yields have had a significant impact on prices, but that’s all behind us now ... Read more
BAKER TILLY ACCOUNTANTS: 6 tax tips for farmers gearing up for tax season
Canadians are preparing for tax season and getting their finances in order. In the agriculture sector, producers have unique circumstances and therefore may prepare for taxes differently. Baker Tilly is an independent firm of chartered professional accountants that offers six essential consid... Read more
FARMER REVOLT: Angry Europeans protest climate policies
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Tractorcades have rolled across Europe this winter as tens of thousands of angry farmers protest the European Union’s green- and climate-driven policies that have roiled producers from the Mediterranean to the Baltic. Beyond tying up highways and city... Read more
Statistics Canada says beef farms don’t make money but the full-time operators do
ELMWOOD —Ontario beef producers don’t make money, or at least that’s what Statistics Canada says. Read more
Adzuki beans were Ontario’s money maker crop of 2023
Hard to grow, hard to harvest but sweet price when you can get it ... Read more
Feds dole out $89 million to supply-managed processors
Farmers Forum staff INGLESIDE — Food processors in the supply-managed dairy, egg and poultry sectors will share up to $89 million in federal tax dollars for facility and equipment upgrades. The money has been earmarked for 49 individual projects across Canada — with 22 Ontario sites getting a combin... Read more
CARBON TAX CRUSH: Mushroom farm paid $100,000 in carbon tax in one year
OTTAWA — An Eastern Ontario mushroom farm that pays about $100,000 annually in federal carbon tax — a cost slated to quadruple to $400,000 by 2030 — got little sympathy from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a heated exchange in the House of Commons. Read more
Ontario farms earned on average $108,000 in profit after expenses in 2022
OTTAWA — The average Ontario farm earned just over $611,046 in gross operating revenues in 2022 and was left with a profit of $108,295 after expenses (including wages but before capital depreciation), according to Statistics Canada. Read more
OPINION: Big lies and monumental failures
EDITORIAL: Big lies and monumental incompetence Another big lie has been exposed. I know, there has been so much misinformation from big lies to just monumental incompetence. We saw it with COVID. We learned that our governments lied or misled about the origin of COVID, how to treat COVID, the effic... Read more
Lactalis president to address Southwestern Ontario Dairy Symposium in February
WOODSTOCK — Lactalis Canada President and CEO Mark Taylor has been tapped as keynote speaker for the 39th annual Southwestern Ontario Dairy Symposium, Feb. 22 at the Woodstock fairgrounds. Read more
Remember the Emergencies Act two years ago?
https://youtu.be/jSaIAchQPbQ?feature=shared Read more
$500-million lawsuit takes aim at crucial Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program
SAWP ‘a really good program’ that ‘works for both sides,’ Ken Forth says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Disgruntled foreign farm workers are seeking $500 million in damages from the federal government because they can’t collect Employment Insurance and are “tied” to... Read more
20-year-old Toyota truck stolen from farm
GREY HIGHLANDS — A 20-year-old pickup truck was recently stolen from a southwestern Ontario farm — another sorry statistic in Canada’s ongoing vehicle theft crisis. Read more
2024 Eastern Ontario Dairy Days conference series set for February
OTTAWA — After a three-year pause, the annual Eastern Ontario Dairy Days conference series is set to resume in February ... Read more
Hamel replaces outgoing Sherk as DFO chair
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Elmwood-area milk producer Mark Hamel has been elected chair of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) board. He replaces the outgoing Murray Sherk, who completed his final term as chair and retired as member for Oxford and Waterloo (Region 8). Hamel, representing Bruce an... Read more
SHOW ME THE BILL: Website collects farmers’ exorbitant carbon-tax bills to show politicians
Mushroom farm paid $16,000 in one month in carbon tax for natural gas ... Read more
Farmers invited to participate in annual farmland value and rental survey
GUELPH — Ontario farmers are again invited to participate in an annual farmland value and rental-rate survey conducted by the University of Guelph. Read more
Rise in farm cash receipts slows during first nine months of 2023
OTTAWA — Ontario’s farm cash receipts continued to rise in the first three quarters of 2023 but not at the same torrid pace as a year earlier ... Read more
Five on-farm fatalities in Ontario in 2023
OTTAWA — On-farm accidents took the lives of five Ontarians in 2023, down from 12 in 2022 ... Read more
Winchester’s ‘Baby New Year’ is born to dairy farmers at 20:24 on first day of 2024
WINCHESTER — Dairy farmers Marissa and Ben Noort became proud parents for a second time with the arrival of a baby boy at a very newsworthy time Read more
2023’s top 10 news themes and events
OTTAWA — Farmers headed into 2023 with average crop yields in the bin, while under the gaze of government policymakers increasingly concerned with agriculture’s output of greenhouse gases, not grain. Read more
Canadian economy skirts recession, for now
OTTAWA — The weak Canadian economy would be diagnosed with an official recession today if not for a late Statistics Canada tweak retroactively adding to the economy’s measured health in the second quarter of 2023. Read more
No sympathy from PM for carbon-tax burden imposed on Eastern Ontario mushroom farm, tomato grower
OTTAWA — An Eastern Ontario mushroom farm that pays over $100,000 annually in federal carbon tax — a cost slated to quadruple by 2030 — got little sympathy from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a House of Commons exchange in December. Read more
DeLaval returns to Peterborough with national training centre
PETERBOROUGH — DeLaval has opened a national training centre in Peterborough, the only one of its kind in Canada. Read more
Cow-burp emissions trading scheme set for summer 2024 in Canada
OTTAWA — Beef-cattle burps and flatulence are slated to become part of a methane emissions trading scheme cooked up by the Trudeau government. Read more
Man, 27, killed in Wellington County farm accident
Farmers Forum staff ERIN — A 27-year-old beef farmer, James Bailey, lost his life Dec. 11 when a large hay bale fell on him as he operated a front-end loader at a rural property northeast of Guelph. “He was taking the bale off a pile with the loader,” Centre Wellington Township deputy fire chief Jon... Read more
Bill targeting farm trespassers as biosecurity hazard passes House, headed to Senate
OTTAWA — Activists trespassing on-farm face whopping new fines for breaching Canadian livestock biosecurity rules, under a private member’s bill passed by MPs in December. Read more
FARM DOUBLE FEATURE: Halloween and Christmas
KITCHENER — Halloween and Christmas are good for business at Snyder Family Farm. The agri-tourism operation’s “Fear Farm” fright nights are followed by the hustle and bustle of Christmas tree sales ... Read more
Durham Region’s ‘farm family of the year’ a major lamb producer
DURHAM REGION — The Found family has embraced change at their fourth-generation farm. Read more
Milking water buffalo
STIRLING — Lori Smith and Martin Littkemann were both conventional dairy farmers, married to other people, before they formed their own union and forged a new path together as trailblazing water buffalo farmers. Read more
Anonymous complaints and animal activists attack Stirling farm
STIRLING — Success is the reward for a stand-out farm that produces and sells excellent food directly to eager consumers ... Read more
Have ciderhouse, will travel
Brothers haul sophisticated mobile apple-crushing unit on trailer ... Read more
Farmland prices rising but pace cooling off, FCC says
OTTAWA — Ontario farmland prices continued to track upward during the first half of 2023 but at a substantially slower pace than 2022, according to Farm Credit Canada data analyst Corbin Chau. Read more
Avoid more accidents: Light up your farm equipment at night
CHESTERVILLE — After her son drove into the back of grain wagon, Pam Kirkwood, of Chesterville, called Farmers Forum to remind farmers to put reflectors and lights on farm equipment at night. Read more
Should Environmental Farm Plan expand into climate change concerns? Survey now online
OTTAWA — An update is in the works for the Environmental Farm Plan — one that incorporates the latest concerns about climate change and sustainability — and Ontario farmers have until Dec. 17 to participate in an online survey ... Read more
OPINION: Avoid toxic commercial products
Use natural cleaning products and potato peelings in the fireplace ... Read more
OPINION: Pass bill to protect supply management system from future trade deals
On June 13, 2022, MPP Luc Theriault (Bloc Quebecois – Montcalm, Que.) introduced a bill into our Federal Parliament which would stop the further erosion of our Supply Management System (dairy, eggs and poultry) ... Read more
Winter wheat contest winner nets 173 bu/ac
GUELPH — London’s Jeff Cook posted the highest winter wheat yield among Ontario and Michigan growers who took part in the 2022-2023 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network competition. Read more
Gov’t admits 80% of foreign worker jobsite ‘inspections’ involved no physical visit
OTTAWA — Just over 80 % of workplace “inspections” carried out as part of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program were done remotely without actual in-person visits during the 2022-23 federal fiscal year. Read more
Senate vote dooms farm carbon-tax relief bill, triggering filibuster by Poilievre Conservatives
OTTAWA — The Canadian Senate all but killed carbon-tax relief for farm grain-drying and barn heating during Dec. 5 deliberations in the red chamber, prompting a vow by the Poilievre Conservatives to filibuster the Trudeau government agenda unless the carbon tax is scrapped entirely. Read more
Ontario temporary gas tax cut extended to June 30
TORONTO — Ontario’s temporary tax cut at the gas pumps is being extended until June 30 next year. Read more
OPINION: A hopeful and new way to look at the mess we’re in
There are deep problems in the Western World and some days Canada appears to be heading the charge over the precipice of civilization and into chaos ... Read more
Auction Day in Elmira
The ‘Mennonite Toronto’ hosts three auctions a week with a lot of guys named Martin ... Read more
OPINION: Did climate hysteria just hit the wall of good stewardship?
“Sustainability” is a cliché woven into so many Western government and organizational communications, we’re exhausting its meaning and welcome. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Good corn yields, but no bin buster
WELLINGTON — Southwestern Ontario farmers are seeing solid corn yields, though not a record bin buster. The crop also coincides with the biggest corn harvest ever recorded in the United States — which is tempering prices — and an upward blip in vomitoxin levels in some areas. Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Concerned about global warming?
There is so much hype and exaggeration about global warming that it can be hard to sift through the fog of distractions and confirmation bias to know what is actually going on. So, what do farmers think? Are they concerned about global warming? We asked them. Some are concerned, some aren’t. Read more
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROPOSAL: Companies pitch battery storage systems in farmers’ fields
DUNDAS COUNTY — Proposals for multi-million-dollar battery energy storage projects are popping up around Eastern Ontario farm country and generating controversy and local opposition ... Read more
CONTEST OFFERS MILLIONS: If you can cut methane emissions
Farmers Forum staff MAXVILLE — The Liberal government has launched a multi-million-dollar contest to entice farmers into cutting the natural methane emissions from cattle, whose bodies are already fuelled entirely by a renewable form of energy known as plant matter. Eastern Ontario MP Francis Drouin... Read more
CRIME: Farm thefts up, vehicle thefts skyrocket but convictions are rare
Farmer rented plane, spotted his tractor on native reserve Read more
FINANCIALLY RESILIENT: Few farmers go bankrupt
Only 23 farms in farm debt mediation filed for bankruptcy in 2020 OTTAWA – Despite turbulent times, very few Canadian farms run into insolvency issues. Of 191,000 farmers across the country only about 170 a year use the Farm Debt Mediation Service, a free counselling service for farmers having diffi... Read more
Perth County sheep farmer loses leg in auger accident
MONKTON — A 34-year-old Perth County sheep farmer suffered life-altering injuries in what a family member said was an auger accident. Read more
Thieves steal trailer loaded with farm equipment at 3 a.m.
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GREY COUNTY — In the dark of night, thieves got away with a large flat-bed trailer loaded with used farm equipment from Brindley Farm Equipment in Markdale. The stolen equipment alone was worth over $150,000, while the nearly new trailer — owned by an American truckin... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Farmland prices range from $5,700-$18,900
EASTERN ONTARIO: Farmland prices range from $5,700-$18,900 Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Ontario farmland prices continued to track upward during the first half of 2023 but at a substantially slower pace than 2022, according to Farm Credit Canada data analyst Corbin Chau. Higher interest rates may ha... Read more
ROYAL WIN: Plumber who became beef farmer three years ago wins big
Plumber became beef farmer 3 years ago, and his female wins Royal top honours Farmers Forum staff EASTERN ONTARIO — The Thaxter Cattle Company brought their entire Hereford herd to the Royal Winter Fair – a grand total of three animals. They have only been in the beef business for three years and th... Read more
AT THE ROYAL: Top beef bull sells for $15,000
Royal’s top beef bull sells for $15,000 Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Among all the beef bulls judged at the 2023 Royal Winter Fair, the best of them all was entered by Baker Farms of Madoc. ‘Baker Farms Justified’ is the name of the two-year-old Charolais bull. He was named grand champion of his br... Read more
VICTORY FOR LANDOWNERS: Crop farmer wins court battle
Crop farmer wins big Conservation Authority calls 10 acres of dry land “wetland” and loses in court Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum BELLEVILLE — A Campbellford crop farmer and grain elevator operator has won a victory for landowners in a battle to keep the tentacles of the local conservation authority... Read more
THE MARKETS: What do we make of a strengthening loonie?
Weak loonie boosted crop prices, inflation… But what do we make of a strengthening loonie? If you ever have a city person ask you what you do on your farm, tell them that you’re a currency trader. First of all, that reply generally creates some interesting responses, and more importantly: it’s... Read more
NEW EXECUTIVE: Hamilton dairy, crop farmer is new OFA president
Hamilton dairy, crop farmer is new OFA president Brekveld steps down after three years Tyler Brooks OFA GUELPH — Drew Spoelstra, a dairy and crop farmer from Binbrook in the southeast corner of the city of Hamilton, was elected as the new president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OF... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Solid corn yields, but not a bin buster
SOLID CORN YIELDS: But not a bin buster Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Eastern Ontario farmers are seeing solid corn yields this fall, though not a record bin buster, alongside the biggest corn harvest ever recorded in the United States, which is tempering prices. North of Wincheste... Read more
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: OFA reports $1.83 million profit
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: OFA reports $1.83 M profit James Pascual Farmers Forum TORONTO — If you look only at the bottom line, Ontario’s largest farm organization is top shelf. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture enjoyed its 8th stellar year in a row. It reported a profit of $1.83 million for its 2022... Read more
THE MARKETS: Weak loonie, inflation boosted prices – but what to make of now strengthening loonie?
THE MARKETS: Weak loonie boosted crop prices, also inflation – but what do we make of now strengthening loonie? If you ever have a city person ask you what you do on your farm, tell them that you’re a currency trader. First of all, that reply generally creates some interesting responses, and more im... Read more
APPLE HEAVEN: From 25 to 500,000 apple trees
From 25 apple trees to more than 500,000 Partnerships helped them grow to 700 acres with more than 400 seasonal workers John Schwartzentruber Farmers Forum There was only one Johnny Appleseed, the much-loved historical figure from American pioneer days. Johnny’s famed passion was planting apple tree... Read more
OPINION: My Remembrance Day Memory is meeting a WW2 bomber crew
My Remembrance Day Memory: Meeting a WW2 bomber crew In my public school days, I didn’t have hockey or baseball trading cards; I had Second World War cards of fighter and bomber planes and all the horrible stuff associated with war. That interested me. I have also watched every war movie made... Read more
OPINION: Don’t sweat the small stuff (A life’s lesson worth remembering)
Don’t sweat the small stuff: A life’s lesson worth remembering There is a bit of good stuff that gets printed in the news or spread through cyber space on social media. There is a lot more undiluted crap that gets propagated via those ubiquitous means. Thank goodness, we can ignore most of it. Howev... Read more
Americans want more kids, survey says
Americans want more kids, survey says Americans are seeing a resurgence in the preference for larger families of three or more children that hasn’t been seen since 1971, according to a Gallup survey. This marks a significant shift from the long-standing belief that one or two children were ideal fam... Read more
OPINION: Sick? My boys try to work through it
Sick? My boys try to work through it They said it would be returning and after a few months of shopping maskless, I am back to donning the damn thing again. I am often the only one in the store wearing it but recently I have noticed more doing so. It started slowly, first hearing […] Read more
Technology is moving too quickly for many farmers
HAVE YOUR SAY: Is technology moving too quickly for you? Farmers Forum staff Technology is moving at such a rapid pace, it can be overwhelming. We’ve already got robotic weeders, seeders and drones, GPS and auto-steer. The latest big advancement is A.I. (artificial intelligence) that can give... Read more
Fruit, vegetable growers to get protection from buyers who go bankrupt
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Fruit and vegetable growers will get top priority to collect from bankrupt Canadian food retailers, under a new private member’s bill that recently passed third reading in the House of Commons and is on its way to becoming law in the Senate. Just as important, Bill C-280... Read more
UNSUNG HERO: Farmwife and mom
UNSUNG HERO: Farmwife and mom Women didn’t just show up recently to farm – they’ve been here all along If you glance at advertising in any farm publication these days, one might conclude that the primary market for tractors, seed, and chemicals were women. Obviously, this is not the case, but more a... Read more
Gun buyback program delayed
Gun buyback program delayed Critics see buyback as disarming responsible Canadians, not criminals James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA – Firearm owners are becoming increasingly frustrated by a proposed national gun buyback program that is part of a huge gun ban. But the program has faced such stiff o... Read more
Some post-pandemic steel prices doubled but market now sees price plateau
Some post-pandemic steel prices doubled but market now sees price plateau Farmers Forum staff WINCHESTER — Manufacturers serving the farm community continue to grapple with the economic fallout of ruinous pandemic policies and inflation but there is now some stability in the supply chain and related... Read more
Farmers applaud Bill C-359
Farmers applaud Bill C-359 New inputs would be approved and into farmers’ hands faster Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canadian farmers would benefit if they could get their hands on new and improved inputs when they are ready for market. A new federal private member’s bill is designed to make that hap... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Soybean harvest good enough, white mould tempers yields
CHATHAM — Southwestern Ontario’s soybean crop looked good and bountiful coming off the field this fall, though white mould arising from this season’s moist, lush conditions tempered yields. Read more
Liberal senators could torpedo grain-drying bill and farmers are ticked off
OTTAWA — The farmer-friendly carbon-tax exemption bill that passed with majority support in the House of Commons was on life support in the Senate in the first week of November ... Read more
What Royal judges look for
Here’s what four judges are looking for in the cattle show ring ... Read more
IT’S THE UDDER
It’s the udder Glengarry Holstein wins East-West show, boosts farm’s marketing for cow sales Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum METCALFE — A Glengarry County cow — appropriately named Bonnie — was named grand champion at the 2023 Eastern Ontario-Western Quebec Holstein Show. “She’s got a really balance... Read more
Vaccine booster reveals high level of risk, Swiss study shows
Vaccine booster reveals high level of risk, Swiss study shows Farmers Forum staff If there is a health risk when taking a COVID vaccine booster don’t you think we ought to know? Don’t you think it should at least be studied? Well, it has. In fact there is more than one study. A recent study [... Read more
Dutch farmers fight back
Dutch farmers fight back Gov’t plans to buy, shutter 3,000 farms Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Dutch farmers continue to push back hard against their national government and ongoing plans to put many of them out of business. Those farmers have picked up a lot of clout in their battle against nitrogen... Read more
Corn prices could go up, but it will take patience to find peak range
Corn prices could go up, but it will take patience to find peak range Monitoring export sales is a great indicator of whether or not prices should move The volume of grains used in domestic demand doesn’t change very much when prices move. If you have a local flour mill, you need to buy wheat. [... Read more
Corn-on-corn-on-corn…
Corn-on-corn-on-corn… Why farmers skip crop rotation and just grow corn every year, same fields Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MORRISBURG — Though it defies conventional crop-rotation wisdom, growing corn in the same field year after year has always had its place. West Quebec’s Peter Finlayson rece... Read more
Liberals could torpedo carbon tax exemption
Liberals could torpedo carbon tax exemption Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — With the harvest season in full swing, a proposed carbon-tax exemption for farm-based grain-drying and barn-heating appeared to be in serious trouble and farmers are ticked off. In late October, bill C-234 was heade... Read more
Velthuis Farms win junior champion again at World Dairy Expo
Velthuis Farms win junior champion again at World Dairy Expo Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OSGOODE — For the second year running, a Kingsway-prefix heifer has notched a junior championship win at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, and Velthuis Farms of Osgoode is again part of the victory... Read more
Indian River beef sale sees Simmental bull sell for $50,000
Indian River beef sale sees Simmental bull sell for $50,000 Farmers Forum staff INDIAN RIVER — Indian River Cattle Company hosted its ‘Quality Control VI’ Simmental and Angus sale Oct. 1, selling 62 lots with an average bid of $11,773. The top sale was of a Simmental bull — named Legit — that McMill... Read more
2024 forecast not as sunny for corn, soybeans
2024 forecast not as sunny for corn, soybeans Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA —The 2023-24 crop-marketing season won’t be as profitable as the early 2020s, Farm Credit Canada says in its latest outlook. Canadian farmer margins are being squeezed by declining commodity prices in combination with still-hig... Read more
Ontario farmland prices rise 7% in six months
Farmland values increase almost 7 % in first half of 2023 but FCC expects continued slowdown ... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Almost awesome soybean yields
White mould sobers hope for outta’ the park yields ... Read more
Man killed, plowed into horses on highway
OTTAWA — If you spot a damaged farm fence along a highway, call the authorities or the affected farmer as soon as possible. Lives could depend on it. ... Read more
Soybeans, corn exports stopped as strike closed Seaway lock system
OTTAWA — As the last weekend of October approached, Ontario farmers and agricultural organizations had their fingers crossed in hopes that St. Lawrence River and Welland canal ship traffic would resume ... Read more
OPINION: Canada’s new moral code — Tyranny masked as compassion
Canada’s new moral code: Tyranny masked as compassion School is back in session and you’re in it. Your compulsory classes include D.E.I., E.S.G. and C.S.R. There’s no sign up sheet for these courses – they come right to you. They show up in emails from business associates, correspondence from farm o... Read more
Equipment prices plateau
Equipment prices plateau But some prices doubled since pre-pandemic Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK — Farm equipment manufacturers continue to grapple with the economic fallout of ruinous pandemic policies and inflation but there is now some stability in the supply chain and related costs. Two manufac... Read more
OPINION: CBC unleashed
Things appear more than a little off with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. After all, what would you call men, armed with rockets, grenades and machine guns, who attack villages and kill more than 1,000 innocent people, entire families, including babies? What would you call them if they cut of... Read more
Fake U.S. equipment ads rip off Ontario farmers
Fake U.S. equipment ads rip off Ontario farmers OPP reports buyers have lost thousands of dollars to scammers Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Beware of fraudulent farm equipment and heavy machinery listings posted for sale online. The OPP has received recent reports of buyers losing hundreds of thousan... Read more
New bill targets trespassing activists with huge fines
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A new federal private member’s bill hopes to put the boots to trespassing activists with fines of up to $50,000 or more, a huge jump from the paltry $250 fines levied now. Groups organizing an illegal occupation would face up to $500,000 in fines. If the bill... Read more
NEW FARMERS START SMALL: They’re bold, innovative and cheeky
New farmers need to start small, use all they’ve got and not be afraid to borrow ... Read more
IS CANADA HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? Farmers don’t think so
Is Canada headed in the right direction? Poor leadership, high taxation and push toward communism worry farmers WOODSTOCK — Farmers Forum was at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock last month and asked, “Is Canada headed in the right direction?” We found that Ontario farmers generally don’t thin... Read more
GOOD NEWS: Fertilizer prices down 40 per cent
GOOD NEWS: Fertilizer prices down 40 per cent Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — A resilient global market has reacted to drive down the cost of fertilizer from record highs reached when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Fertilizer prices have since fallen (as of September 2023) by over 40 %. Nothi... Read more
Install your own auto-steer
OTTAWA — A farmer can download free software from the Internet and retrofit a tractor to set up his own do-it-yourself auto-steer system. Read more
HAY BARN DOWN: To one man it’s a dismantled barn, to another it’s a tale of generations
For a certain vintage of farmer, the remaining skeleton timber frame of the huge old bank barn on “the Bowman place” near Brussels, Ontario, served to shout out rich, rural history. It was late August and another traditional barn, aged a century-plus, was being taken down. In a day or two, the only... Read more
Concrete silos lose strength, fall over
Concrete silos lose strength, fall over At least two concrete silos have toppled onto dairy barns in one year Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SOUTH DUNDAS — At least two Ontario dairy farms picked up the pieces after concrete tower silos fell over and destroyed their barns for reasons unrelated to w... Read more
Feedmill transforms into MacEwen Agricentre
Unemployed car salesman put his heart into new venture, now runs three locations ... Read more
OPINION: Small town people have changed
There is no pride in supporting local businesses ... Read more
OPINION: Farming is a mystery to some
Farming is a mystery to some They don’t know the difference between plowing and discing and all cattle are cows Every spring I hear observing people remark that farmers are on the field “plowing their fields.” You’ll also hear newscasters say things such as “You can tell it’s spring, I saw a few far... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Another yield boom?
WESTERN ONTARIO: Another yield boom? Expect strong corn and soybean yields, forecasters say Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Great Lakes Grain is projecting strong Ontario corn and soybean yields this fall — but not a provincial record. The company’s 14th annual crop as... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Defeated clear-cutting bylaw targeted farms
Was motivated by money, says Chatham group Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHATHAM — Chatham-Kent farmers banded together and successfully persuaded their municipal council to finally repeal the region’s “temporary” clear-cutting bylaw that only affected local farmers. The Sept. 25 meeting included... Read more
WATCH CHINA: The World’s Biggest Market
China wants corn, soybeans as livestock feed to produce meat for huge population ... Read more
Blyth Steam show a blast from the past
Blyth Steam show a blast from the past Erupting relics, 600 trailers and fiddling into the night John Schwartzentruber Time took on a different meaning to the folks who roamed the sprawling grounds of the 62nd Annual Blyth Steam Show and Threshers Reunion held in Blyth last month. Oh, they su... Read more
METCALFE FAIR: 4-H members compete at regional show
METCALFE — The 2023 Metcalfe Fair buzzed with 4-H activity that culminated with the 4-H steer and lamb auction on Saturday night, Sept. 30. Read more
HWY 400 CRASH: Tons of celery stalk highway
Tons of celery stalk highway Highway 400, north of Toronto and near Aurora, was closed for several hours Oct. 3 after a transport truck overturned and dumped tons of celery sticks over the road. The incident occurred around 10 a.m., south of Highway 9, turning Hwy 400 into a slick, juicy mess. The c... Read more
OPINION: Grocery tax will backfire
Federal government grocery tax would discourage food production, economist says ... Read more
ROBOT CITY: Show features field of dreams if you’re into robotic weeders
ROBOT CITY WOODSTOCK — There were daily demonstrations of robots at the Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock last month. The odd-looking machines are increasing in popularity among field vegetable growers who prefer to lease them. All the robotics were provided by Haggerty AgRobotics, of Bothwell... Read more
OPINION: COVID again?!?
At an Ottawa news conference, our chief public health officer Theresa Tam recently told Canadians it’s time to wear masks again. Yet, she knows that any old mask can be worth less than nothing. Some people wearing masks suffer side effects and even an N95 mask only slows down a travelling microscopi... Read more
Bill C-234 would save farmers $1 billion, Ottawa study shows
Bill C-234 would save farmers $1 billion, Ottawa study shows Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is demanding immediate passage of legislation in the Senate to expand carbon tax exemptions for agriculture after a Parliamentary Budget Officer analysis shows it would save fa... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Close to record-highs for corn and soybeans forecast
Record-breaking yields or close to it expected for corn and soybeans ... Read more
Sheep farmers buy farm next door, earn Peterborough’s farm family of year award
Sheep farmers buy farm next door, earn Peterborough’s farm family of year award Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORWOOD — Chalk up another honour for the Asphodel Sheep Company and owners Todd and Jennifer Payne. The Paynes have been named the 2023 “Farm Family of the Year” by the Peterborough and K... Read more
NO GLOBAL WARMING HERE: Farm weather station reports average temperatures
ORMSTOWN, QUE. — A Quebec crop farmer and longtime government weather station operator says he’s not worried about climate change ... Read more
OPP WARNING: Beware fake U.S. equipment listings
OTTAWA — Police are warning about fraudulent farm equipment and heavy machinery listings posted for sale online in the U.S. Read more
Farmer punches back at UN for saying foreign workers in Canada vulnerable to slavery
LYNDEN — Rocky retired about four years ago after working for 35 years on Ken Forth’s Western Ontario broccoli farm. He was 66. Read more
GOING UNDERGROUND: Water your corn from below and watch yields increase
OSGOODE — Irrigation of any sort is rare enough in the corn and soybean fields of Eastern Ontario — let alone an underground drip irrigation system. Read more
Bureaucracy stifling Ontario fruit industry
Grower says anti-farm policies will lead to fewer labour-intensive orchards, vineyards Read more
Thousands march across Canada to defend children from gender ideology
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Thousands of Canadians marched on Sept. 20 in opposition to gender ideology taught in the classrooms. The 1 Million March 4 Children included 102 cities and towns across Canada. The Ottawa march included as many as 8,000 people. Protestors voiced their opposition t... Read more
Glengarry farmer dies after tractor forks hit road
GREEN VALLEY — A 69-year-old Glengarry County farmer died Sept. 6 when he was thrown from a tractor while hauling a load of hay on the road that afternoon. Read more
Sollio opens St. Thomas fertilizer coating plant
ST. THOMAS, September 18, 2023 – Today, Sollio Agriculture, the Agri-business Division of Sollio Cooperative Group, inaugurated CRF Agritech, a new controlled-release fertilizer production plant in St. Thomas, Ontario. The project was launched in 2021, after Sollio Agriculture entered a joint ventur... Read more
Mixed farming in a post-modern world
Mixed farming in a post-modern world Kingston-area farm has beef, broilers, crops, dairy, hogs, horse stable and on-farm store Charles Summers Farmers Forum KINGSTON — Charlie Cumpson is a lean mean farming machine. And I mean that very literally. There’s no cushioning on the 35-year-old, whose phys... Read more
Legal process was the punishment
Legal process was the punishment Beef farmer wins but the stress was exhausting, the herd is gone and he has legal bills to pay Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WARSAW — Ontario’s animal police have dropped their whopping $375,000 claim against Peterborough-area beef farmer Walter Ray for cattle-boar... Read more
Dairy expands to bulls and beef
Dairy expands to bulls and beef He breeds and raises beef and beef-dairy crosses Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KARS — The bull calves born at Cranberry Creek Dairy Farms avoid the typical dairy-farm fate: They don’t go to the sale barn at the earliest opportunity. Instead, they are raised a... Read more
Robotic weeder saves farmer time and money
Robotic weeder saves farmer time and money Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NEW LISKEARD — A weed-controlling robot has saved garlic farmer Doug Inglis a bundle in labour costs this season. He says his cost of leasing the Naio Oz robot is $3,000 less than the combined wages of three workers he employ... Read more
Shuttered dairy farmer program gave farmer a future for his family
SUCCESS STORY New dairy farmer program gives farmer a future for his family Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ATHENS — Nearly four years ago, John Newman, 30, realized his dream of reviving the dairying tradition that had long since disappeared at his family’s ancestral farm. His grandfa... Read more
The infamous plow that went the wrong way
The infamous plow that went the wrong way A few weeks ago there was an artist’s painting on Facebook of a farmer walking beside a one-furrow walking plow pulled by two horses and boy of maybe six years old holding the handle bars of the plow, and doing the plowing. There was a list of [... Read more
Phew! August is over
Phew! August is over August has never been my favourite month. Besides the usual signal of the end of summer, it has always been the month that I seem to be rushing from one job to another and never getting ahead of any of them. Everything piles up no matter how hard I work. When […] Read more
WEATHER FORECAST: Warm and dry
Farmers Forum staff SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — Despite a cooler and wetter summer than average, the weather outlook for Southwestern Ontario happily suggests warm, dry conditions for the coming fall harvest, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist David Philips. Summer weather often sets th... Read more
Sheep check-off fees up 22 %
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Sheep producers will pay 22 % more in licensing check-off fees after the Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) board imposed its first fee hike in 13 years. The new rate, announced at the beginning of August, has been set at $2.20 per live animal sold, an increase of 40 cents. The... Read more
Ontario’s young farmers of the year
Listowel pork couple employ 15, supply organic, conventional markets Read more
FINDING THE LIGHT: How mental health advocate and hog farmer survived the dark days of COVID
LISTOWEL — Stewart Skinner has made no bones about reaching the brink of suicide in December 2012. Read more
Forecast: Ontario corn, soybean yield record
Farmers Forum staff ONTARIO — The prognosticators with the Great Ontario Yield Tour are projecting record corn and soybean yields in Ontario this year. Based on data collected during the 8th annual tour, Ontario growers will have an average yield of 203 bu/ac for corn and 53.5 bu/ac for soybeans. Ox... Read more
Minimum wage laws don’t work… but they’re going up $1.05
Minimum wage laws don’t work… but they’re going up another $1.05 in October IROQUOIS — Farmers in the labour-intensive fruits and vegetable sector are feeling the squeeze on stagnant farmgate prices while hourly wages continue to surge upward. “That’s the problem when it’s all hand-harve... Read more
New fertilizer plant to open near Brockville in fall 2024
Farmers Forum staff MAITLAND — A $25-million fertilizer plant has broken ground at Maitland as Eastern Ontario-based V6 Ag moves production of its multi-compound granular fertilizers out of Europe. For the last seven years, the small company headquartered in North Augusta, northeast of Brockville, h... Read more
Got space in the barn? Could be a hot short-term rental opportunity
Got space in the barn? Could be a hot short-term rental opportunity James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — City folk want to get away from the concrete and see trees, animals and water. They want it bad and they want a unique experience. Coupled together, you can rent out a barn loft, an old cabin [... Read more
Take Raisin River, South Nation bus tour
Take Raisin River, South Nation bus tour Learn about grants for water projects, erosion control, tree planting Farmers Forum staff CORNWALL — A bus tour is set to roll through the Raisin River and South Nation River watersheds on Sept. 12, and farmers are invited aboard the free ride to learn about... Read more
What’s all the fuss? Farmers not worried about global warming
What’s all the fuss? Farmers not worried about global warming Farmers Forum staff NORTH GOWER — We’ve entered the era of “global boiling,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sensationally declared this summer amid reports describing July 2023 as the hottest July in recorded his... Read more
Electric truck not worth the hassle, says stranded user
Electric truck not worth the hassle, says stranded user Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Detroit’s first battery-powered pickup truck, the Ford F-150 Lighting, made a media splash this summer, for all the wrong reasons. The worst fears of consumers, who are skeptical about the practicality, range and hi... Read more
OPINION: Guitar man calls out the entitled
Oliver Anthony was a nobody four weeks ago. He’s the smash hit writer of a song posted on YouTube on Aug. 8 that in two weeks racked up 35 million views. Raw lyrics, powerful, clean voice, accompanied only by his guitar and surrounded by trees and his three napping dogs, Anthony belts out the plaint... Read more
STEVE’S MARKET MINUTE: Will there be storage?
Huge volume of wheat is in the bin and an above-average corn and soybean crop is coming Read more
SWEET CORN: Great crop, great price, great taste
SWEET CORN: Great crop, great price, great taste Farmers Forum PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY — The cornfields are towering lush and tall around the region, so it’s no surprise that sweet corn producers have also been seeing — and reaping — a great crop this season. “Come September, people think sweetc... Read more
Fallen farmer took over farm at 21, 21-year-old daughter poised to carry on
INKERMAN — Don Grotenhuis was just 21 when his father died, and he found himself taking over the family dairy farm, southwest of Winchester. He worked the farm for more than 40 years and last month died of a massive heart attack at age 64 while out late at night looking for the family dog. Read more
Harvest sees big apples, lots of them
CORNWALL — Heading into September, Eastern Ontario orchards reported a good crop of nice-sized apples. Read more
Milk tanker catches fire in Morewood
MOREWOOD — Firefighters extinguished a burning milk tanker trailer in Morewood early this morning, Aug. 25. Read more
CALF RAISING SPECIALIST: He raises 60 calves at a time and is about to expand in a big way
Calf raising specialist 60 calves raised at one time but this operator is about to expand Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MARVELVILLE — As a university student, Mark Nyentap visited an American farm that custom-raises tens of thousands of dairy calves at any given time. “They had 30,000 hutch... Read more
TILE DRAINING SINCE AGE 5: This water witch unveiled his tile maps — a thing of beauty
Tile draining since age 5 Breathing new life into soil, the water witch unveiled his tile maps – a thing of beauty God gave us the rainbow as a sign and promise that he would never flood the world again. He put Herman Geenevasen here to make sure of it. “Well, my parents were from […] Read more
One in 35 people suffered heart damage after Moderna booster shot, study says
One in 35 people suffered heart damage after Moderna booster shot, study says Farmers Forum staff A new study from Switzerland has found alarming rates of heart inflammation, or myocarditis, among people who received a booster shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The peer-reviewed work, publ... Read more
OPINION: When milk board was created, farmers protested
I remember when the Ontario Milk Marketing Board (OMMB) was created in August of 1965. It wasn’t a happy occasion for most milk shippers in Ontario. The OMMB encountered resistance among dairy producers who had strong relationships with local dairies or who were part of successful dairy co-operative... Read more
OPINION: Got Canada Revenue Agency issues? Arm yourself with patience
Got Canada Revenue Agency issues? Arm yourself with patience Back in 2020, the Canadian Revenue Agency admitted that its security system had been breached mid-August by hackers. They said that about 5,600 accounts were affected, although it was likely a lot more. This admission came be... Read more
OPEN HOUSE AUG. 22: Robotic ‘KITCHEN’: Feeding system saves at least two hours a day
Robotic ‘KITCHEN’ Feeding system saves more than two work hours a day Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORTH AUGUSTA — The Oosterhof family’s robotic journey has recently taken another quantum leap. Not only do robots milk the cows at JoBo Farms, they feed them now, too. The additional labour... Read more
Non-profit legal group racks up victories against COVID restrictions
Non-profit legal group racks up victories against COVID restrictions Restrictions far worse than virus, critic says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The pandemic is over, and many Canadians and their policymakers are eager to forget about the falloutthat lingers for many who faced fines, a... Read more
WANT TO BE A DAIRY FARMER? You have until Oct. 31 to apply for program
Want to be a dairy farmer? New entrant program has attracted 111 dairy farmers since 2010 Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — Do you dream of becoming a quota-holding dairy farmer but lack the family connections to make it happen? The Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) offers a way forward for these un... Read more
PAWS visit beef farm following ‘wild accusations,’ farmer says
PAWS visit beef farm following ‘wild accusations,’ farmer says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORWOOD — John Lunn believes that somebody in his community has a beef with him — and is showing their displeasure by calling provincial authorities to complain about his cow-calf-to-finishing opera... Read more
$106,000 electric pickup turns heads
The trunk is where an engine would be Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RENFREW — Crop farmer Bob Stuart quips that he only had to wait 83 years to buy his first electric pickup truck. Stuart, 83, purchased his Ford F-150 Lightning in January. The $106,000 price tag didn’t faze him, given the mileston... Read more
OPINION: Sometimes all you need is a few good men
If there is a lesson to be drawn from the farmers’ protests in the Netherlands, it’s that a small segment of a population, if desperate and angry enough at the unjust and intentional destruction of their livelihood, can win public sympathy and shake an overreaching government to its core. By no mean... Read more
NEAR MISSES: Farmers want CP to clear crossings
NEAR MISSES To avoid collisions, farmers want train company to clear railway crossings Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FINCH — A Stormont County beef and hay farmer says he was left shaken after a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train came perilously close to hitting his tractor on a railway crossi... Read more
OPINION: Artificial intelligence is taking over – perhaps, too quickly
Artificial intelligence will majorly disrupt the entire economy in as little as three years’ time, if some of the experts are to be believed. The amazing but somewhat scary technology, we are told, will change society as we know it. Civil unrest is not beyond the realm of possibility as jobs are rap... Read more
Funding to return land to natural state
OTTAWA — Dairy Farmers of Canada has introduced a new program for a farmer to get funding if he takes land out of production. Dairy farmers will get a helping hand with the construction of habitat that will return land to wetlands, grasslands and treed areas. Called the New Acre Project, it is a one... Read more
Soybean handlers relieved as Vancouver port strike ends
Soybean handlers relieved as Vancouver port strike ends Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum BLENHEIM — The two-week port strike in Vancouver interrupted the shipping of food-grade Ontario soybeans set for export around the world in shipping containers. The strike ended with the International Labour... Read more
HOG FARM HACKED
Cyber attacks on the rise but this one has a twist: Activists demand public apology, not money ... Read more
ANOTHER WIN FOR WALTER RAY: Beef farmer hounded by animal police but was never charged
Another win for Walter Ray Court punts animal activists from case involving beef farmer who has never been charged but faced $400,000 in animal care fees Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OSHAWA — Activists with Animal Justice failed to gain intervenor status in an upcoming court appeal that pits Onta... Read more
Eastern Ontario median farmland price hits $15,000 per acre, report says
Farmland rental rates range from $50 to $250 per acre Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CORNWALL — Farmland mostly increased in value in Eastern Ontario last year but remained substantially cheaper than the most expensive agricultural areas of the province, according to an annual survey that asks farm... Read more
KCAT alumni awards two $1,000 scholarships
KCAT alumni awards two $1,000 scholarships Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The sons of two Eastern Ontario farm families picked up $1,000 scholarships from the Kemptville College Alumni Association earlier this year. Dylan Wallace of Kemptville and Arden McWilliams of Navan were se... Read more
ANOTHER REASON NOT TO LIVE IN TORONTO: Mayor wants to ban two-stroke engines, including lawnmowers
Toronto mayor wants to ban two-stroke engines, including lawnmowers Farmers Forum staff Renfrew County Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant is shocked and appalled by “Toronto’s new socialist mayor” who is pushing for a ban on two-stroke engines in that city. She fears that it “will only be a matter of ti... Read more
SLOW DOWN when heading into town
You could be charged with stunt driving Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Pay very close attention to your speedometer when entering the outskirts of any rural Ontario village from a swift drive in the country. The road may be straight and smooth as glass, but the potential punishment can be immediate an... Read more
10 trucks taken off the road in Sharbot Lake inspection blitz
10 trucks taken off the road in Sharbot Lake inspection blitz One driver abandons truck and livestock Farmers Forum staff SHARBOT LAKE — The driver of a cube van abandoned the vehicle and its cargo of four calves and three chickens after police and Ministry of Transportation officials pulled... Read more
Court rules text with thumbs-up emoji was as good as signing a grain contract
Court rules text with thumbs-up emoji was as good as signing a grain contract Farmers Forum staff When a Saskatchewan farmer texted a thumbs-up symbol to a grain buyer, it was as good as putting his signature on a contract, a judge ruled in June. Swift Current producer Chris Achter must pay over $82... Read more
Watch for USDA upcoming yield estimates and how crop prices react
Steve’s Market Minute Watch for USDA upcoming yield estimates and how crop prices react There has been more than a small amount of frustration amongst corn growers this summer as new crop corn prices seem to be lazy to react to weather pressure and market events which one might have expected w... Read more
‘Nation River Lady’ identified after 50 years, man charged
‘Nation River Lady’ identified after 50 years, man charged CASSELMAN — A local farmer discovered the wrapped and bound remains of a woman floating face down in the South Nation River, just outside Casselman, on May 3, 1975. The so-called ‘Nation River Lady,’ as she became known, went unidentified fo... Read more
Fertilizer targets impossible without cutting usage
Ottawa plan to cut fertilizer emissions must include reduction in use, study says James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Canada can’t cut fertilizer emissions 30 % by 2030 without cutting actual fertilizer usage, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s contrary insistence, according to a recent report... Read more
Super corn borer resistant to Bt corn could infect Eastern Ontario first
WINCHESTER — European corn borer is becoming resistant to the Bt corn varieties that have effectively repelled the pest for 25 years, and Eastern Ontario producers are likely to see it munching on their crop first ... Read more
FOR SALE: Alfred College research farm and 323 acres
ALFRED — The research farm at the former francophone agricultural Collège d’Alfred is for sale. But there is no listed price. Read more
Yes, you can plant soybeans before corn in Eastern Ontario
WINCHESTER — Does it make sense to plant soybeans before corn in Eastern Ontario? The jury is still out on the question. Read more
Around 75 Ontario municipalities now part of ‘Emily Project’ Farm 911 initiative
NORTHUMBERLAND — Field entrances continue to benefit from the installation of civic address numbers in order to ensure better 911 emergency response times on rural farmland. These markers remain relevant and important even with the rise of a mobile phone program that can help to independently pinpoi... Read more
Buy a house and get a farm at Thornbury Acres
37 houses for sale; buyers share in vegetable farm Read more
Kemptville College grad? Register for the annual Alumni reunion, Aug. 19
LOMBARDY — The Kemptville College Alumni Association looks forward to its annual reunion on Aug. 19th, 2023, at Lombardy Fairgrounds. Read more
Empire Farm Days runs Aug. 3-5 in upstate New York
POMPEY — Empire Farm Days, the largest outdoor trade show in the northeastern U.S., returns to Pompey, New York, in early August. Read more
Bibeau out, MacAulay back in as federal Ag minister
OTTAWA — PEI-based farmer MP Lawrence MacAulay (LIB — Cardigan) is back as federal Agriculture and Agri-food minister, replacing MP Marie-Claude Bibeau (LIB — Compton-Stanstead) in the role she had assumed from him in 2019. Read more
MAN VS. MACHINE: Agronomist John Seliga rates crop knowledge of a smart computer called ‘Norm’
Artificial intelligence has come to agronomy with the recent launch of ‘Norm,’ an “AI ag advisor,” introduced by U.S. based Farmers Business Network. Read more
200 Canadian farms each have more than 25,000 acres
OTTAWA — The biggest farms in Canada are on the Prairies. And they are huge. Read more
MAPLE SYRUP A NEW GROWTH MARKET: If only Ontario knew
Imagine, if you will, a tree that bleeds money. A tree that doesn’t have to be planted or pruned, which grows naturally in abundance ... Read more
U.S. approves sale of lab-cultivated chicken
WASHINGTON – The United States has approved the production and sale of lab-grown chicken cells, a move that has alarmed farm groups that say the product should not be called meat. Read more
OPINION: Sure, farmers are tough and hard-working, but they’ve got sentimental hearts, too
When anyone thinks of farmers, words such as tough, capable, hard working, inventive, independent, disciplined, efficient, come to mind. Read more
INFLATION explained with pizza
Federal government is absolutely to blame for rising prices and the reason is simple ... Read more
OPINION: My hot sun protection makes much more sense than government advice
There is something I don’t understand about people and it really perplexes me. Read more
Farm family helps disabled man buy the wheelchair he needed
STRATFORD — When stories are written about important people in various publications, a writer sometimes doesn’t always know where the story might lead. Read more
Ontario corn-fed beef receives internationally recognized ‘Superior Taste Award’
LONDON — Ontario corn-fed beef recently earned another 3-Star Superior Taste Award from the International Taste Institute. Read more
An unusual year of replanting
A lot more farmers replanted soybeans this year ... Read more
HAGERMANS JUST HAVING FUN: From truck crops and dairy farming to an on-farm store and restaurant
In my experience there are few better measures of the current health and the future success of a farm than the number of children’s bicycles strewn about the dooryard. Read more
REPORT: It’s impossible to cut fertilizer emissions without cutting fertilizer use
OTTAWA — Canada can’t cut fertilizer emissions 30 % by 2030 without cutting actual fertilizer usage, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s contrary insistence, according to a recent report by researchers at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. Read more
Tractor driver chases 5 teens after they allegedly damage vehicle, all 6 facing charges
Farmers Forum staff LONDON — A bizarre chase involving the enraged operator of a farm tractor in pursuit of five teenaged cyclists concluded with no reported injuries — and arrests and criminal charges for everyone concerned. The July 18 disturbance on a rural road north of London kicked into gear w... Read more
FCC forecasts lower farm cash receipts in Ontario, Quebec this year
OTTAWA — Weaker hog and crop revenues in 2023 will mean an overall drop in farm cash receipts in Ontario and Quebec this year ... Read more
PAUL VS NORM: Agronomist rates knowledge of a smart computer crop advisor called ‘Norm’
Artificial intelligence has come to agronomy with the recent launch of ‘Norm,’ an “AI ag advisor,” introduced by U.S. based Farmers Business Network. Norm is a specialized version of the popular ChatGPT platform to help farmers and their agronomists with almost limitless agriculture, livestock and c... Read more
STATE OF EMERGENCY: Rural hospital exodus is no accident
The fire in the eyes of Sarah White (name changed) matched the intensity in her voice as she described the turmoil ripping through her hospital ... Read more
Farmers upgrade dairy barn — then move in
STIRLING — Brian and Donna Kerby sold the cows years ago and recently moved into their dairy barn ... Read more
Oxford, Perth cropland ranks as Ontario’s costliest
OXFORD — Farmland prices increased almost everywhere in Southwestern Ontario last year, with the most expensive hitting a median value of $30,000 per acre in Oxford and Perth counties, according to a survey ... Read more
25 YEARS AGO: Renfrew farmer paid $1 for Pembroke hospital, a pile of headaches, and dream of retirement living come true
PEMBROKE — Twenty-five years ago last month, Renfrew County crop farmer and Farmers Forum columnist Maynard Van der Galien handed the province a $1 note for the purchase of the former Pembroke Civic Hospital ... Read more
The man who took down the OSPCA
Chesterville farmer David Robinson beat their charges, but it financially flattened him ... Read more
New research will help farmers predict health issues in cattle long before you can
Work is already underway at two undisclosed pilot dairy farms, one in Eastern Ontario and one in Quebec, although they say this will “quickly” expand to a network of over 100 farms across both provinces ... Read more
Farmer survives tractor runover
31-year-old sustains non-life-threatening injuries Read more
Two ATV collisions, two deaths, including a 16-year-old
LISTOWEL — The 16-year-old operator of an all-terrain vehicle died in hospital more than a week after a June 12 collision with a pickup truck on a country road in rural Perth County ... Read more
20 Ontario cow-milk producers now processing dairy on-farm
ONTARIO — Once rare as hen’s teeth, there are now 20 farms processing and selling their own cow-milk dairy products in Ontario. Read more
Young and old pull together at 30th vintage tractor jam
Metcalfe resident Victoria Dooley, 12, peers up at her father, Darrell, as she drives a 1950s Cockshutt 30 in a tractor pull at Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm, southeast of Ottawa. It was Victoria’s first time competing in a tractor class. The 30th anniversary Vintage Tractor Jam drew visitors from... Read more
Late Stan Vanden Bosch receives Award of Excellence
The OVSGA Award of Excellence recognizes outstanding achievement in agriculture. Read more
Farmer fought at tribunal to establish Ontario’s first on-farm organic dairy processing plant
ST. EUGENE — Ontario has 20 cow-milk dairy producers licensed to process and market at least some of their own milk, and the Dairy Farmers of Ontario happily encourages this niche industry. Read more
Crop diagnostic day returns to Winchester, July 19-20
WINCHESTER — After a three-year hiatus, Eastern Ontario Field Crop Diagnostic Day is set to attract farmers back to the Winchester Agricultural Research Station later this month. Read more
Genetic mutation means Holstein calves cannot stand up
Since 2019, American dairy farmers began to notice a few calves in their herds that couldn’t stand up. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop report, July 2023
Rows closed on most corn planted by mid to later May ... Read more
Two wind turbines catch fire in Western Ontario
Farmers Forum staff CHATHAM — There were two wind turbine fires in Western Ontario last month. A wind turbine burst into flames just northeast of Goderich on June 3. Despite speculation of a lightning strike, “there was no lightning that day,” said Goderich fire chief Jeff Wormington. In discussion... Read more
STEVE KELL: What was the price bandit that stole our crop rally? The Canadian dollar
Steve Kell’s Market Minute Agricultural commodities markets tend to have a reliable seasonal cycle to them, and that “seasonality” in prices is almost entirely the result of weather during the growing season for the major crops in the significant production regions around the world. For North... Read more
KNOW THIS GUY? Suspects sought in theft of Kubota tractor, trailer
NORFOLK — Police have released photos of suspects connected with the theft of a tractor, a trailer and a pickup truck from a Norfolk County business on Highway 3. The combination was stolen sometime during the early morning hours of June 22. The truck has been recovered but the hunt is still on for... Read more
Ridgetown graduates 112 ag students
RIDGETOWN — The Class of 2023 graduated last month from the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus, including 112 graduates with an associate diploma in agriculture, the largest single discipline on campus. That’s up from the 51 agricultural diploma graduates of 2022 but down from the 126 graduates... Read more
Dogs are not livestock killers, townships say
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SPENCERVILLE — How deadly are domestic dogs to farm livestock when compared with wild predators like coyotes, wolves, foxes and weasels? Not very deadly at all, based on the informal recollection of municipal officials familiar with livestock losses inflicted by dogs.... Read more
Lab-cultivated chicken approved for sale in the United States
WASHINGTON — The United States has approved the production and sale of lab-grown chicken cells, a move that has alarmed farm groups that say the product should not be called meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted approval on June 21, opening the door to an entirely new alternative pr... Read more
MEGA-FARMS: 200 farms in Canada each have more than 25,000 acres
200 farms in Canada have more than 25,000 acres Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report, June 21
CORN • 7- to 9-leaf stage on June 20. • 691 Corn Heat Units (CHU) measured in Kemptville from May 1 to June 20, down from the 53-year average of 831 CHU. • Corn stands overall in good to excellent ratings. • July tassel time will be fungicide time. Look at reduced tillage, corn-on-corn and […... Read more
Lockdowns’ cancerous legacy
Lockdowns increased undiagnosed cancer, shuttered businesses, was disastrous policy, studies show Read more
World’s biggest soybean processor Bunge inks merger with rival Viterra
ST. LOUIS — Bunge Ltd., a leading U.S. grains merchant and the world’s largest soybean processor, will merge with Viterra ... Read more
OPINION: Food Day best celebrated without those in charge
The first Food Day Canada will be celebrated on August 5. But is it a day of celebration? Some nationally recognized days are for celebrating. Others are for honouring or mourning. Christmas is celebrated. Easter is first mourned (the brutal execution of Christ) on Good Friday, then celebrated (His... Read more
The case against banning glyphosate in Canada
Glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, has been a vital tool in modern agriculture for several decades. Read more
U of G breaks ground on $16-million honey bee research centre
GUELPH — The University of Guelph has broken ground on a new 15,000-square-foot headquarters for the school’s honey bee research centre. Read more
Cover crops can be good or bad, depending on environment and implementation methods, study finds
Researchers at Stanford University have conducted the first large-scale, field-level analysis to understand the impact of cover cropping on crop yields. Read more
Rotational grazing hinders cattle weight gain, US study finds
A 10-year study conducted by researchers at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that rotational grazing produces cattle with less weight-gain than continuously-grazing cattle. Read more
Combine sales up, tractor sales down
New combine sales on both sides of the border have increased in April. Read more
Newspaper declines farmer candidate’s ad ahead of Oxford by-election
BEACHVILLE — Oxford County crop farmer John Markus said he has been bombarded with positive feedback after a local newspaper declined to publish a full-page ad that he had already paid for. Read more
When bulls, cows become killers
The day after celebrating his 44th birthday, Teeswater area farmer, Martyn Van Meeteren got a late, unwanted present. Read more
OPINION: Allowing more rural housing on farmland makes no sense
As good arable land becomes harder to find, the less likely farmers will be to sever any lots, especially at the larger sizes that by-laws now require. Read more
Bottle-fed bulls are more dangerous
Did you know that bottle feeding a bull makes him more dangerous? Read more
Predators killed 2,346 livestock last year
GUELPH — Predators killed 2,347 livestock in one year, from April 2021 to March 2022, and farmers collected over $893,000 from the province in compensation. That’s up from the 1,938 livestock killed by predators one year earlier, but short of the nearly 2,500 farm animals lost to predation in 2020. Read more
OPINION: In almost 60 years, the courses I have taken can be counted on one hand
I’m not one to take courses. The number of courses I’ve taken in the last 57 years since I left school in 1965 can be counted on one hand. Read more
OVSG supports youth with scholarships
Young people are the future of the agriculture industry. Recognizing this, the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) provides scholarships to youth of the Ottawa Valley planning to pursue a career in agriculture and entering at least their second year of post-secondary studies. Up to four 2... Read more
Dundas ag hall of famer, Estella Rose, recalls her first milk cheque was $50
NORTH DUNDAS — They were local farm kids and high school sweethearts: Estella and Ed Rose started married life with a modest herd of 10 Ayrshire and 2 Holstein milk cows on a 100-acre farm they bought on credit from the previous owner ... Read more
Gutsy move, grisly business: beef farmers buy Athens abattoir
ATHENS — Chad Hunt always knew that he wanted to be a farmer, and he always farmed with all of his might — but the financial realities of agriculture made it a morning/evening/weekend lifestyle rather than a full-time occupation ... Read more
STRESSED OUT: 45% of Canada’s entrepreneurs suffer mental health issues
... and you can thank inflation Read more
Parent distrust of government on vaccines has increased, survey says
After three years under a COVID pandemic scare and lockdown, the Canadian government is discovering that Canadians are more likely to question COVID vaccines. Read more
The future of dairy farming: On-farm direct sales an alternative to herd expansion
LANCASTER — Not every Ontario dairy producer is meant to take the plunge into cheese and ice cream production, but local cheesemaking pioneer Margaret Peters Morris says it’s an attractive idea for some farmers ... Read more
New boon for food and farming: Gene editing
OTTAWA — Gene editing is awesome and it’s too bad most Canadians don’t know what it is, says Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, professor and senior director of the agri-food analytics lab at Dalhousie University ... Read more
Mad Cow, 20 years later
For most Canadians, May 20, 2003, means little. But for the beef industry, the situation was nothing less than dreadful ... Read more
Health Canada calls for end of capitalism, says racism causes global warming
Holy cats! What’s up with Health Canada? It looks like they are suggesting we overthrow capitalism, Western society, and even the very concept of “liberty and individualism.” I mean, who needs those things, right? They’re so overrated. Read more
Activists eager to cut off Ontario from essential oil and natural gas needs
SARNIA — In a relentless battle that shows no signs of abating, the operation of the multinational Enbridge Line 5 pipeline has attracted the attention of anti-energy activists ... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report, June 2023
Planting generally wrapped up by May 22 ... Read more
Jamaican report finds happy workers, not “slavery” on Ontario farms
Noisy activists with a strategy to unionize foreign farm workers just had the rug pulled out from underneath them. Read more
Ontario farmers’ realized net income increased 4.1% in 2022 but decreased for farmers nationally
OTTAWA — The dollars are getting bigger in agriculture but a farmer’s realized net income is shrinking as farm expenses rise faster than farm cash receipts, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada. Read more
Ottawa offers farmers more interest-free loans
OTTAWA — More interest-free money is now available to help farmers with rising production costs, through the federal Advance Payments Program. The program offers cash advances on a producer’s future sale of crops and livestock. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop Report, June 2023
Corn was 99 % planted by May 23 ... Read more
Farm severance off the table, but you can still build a new house on your farm
TORONTO — The Ford government has pulled the plug on a controversial proposal that would have permitted some farmers to convert some of their prime agricultural land into housing lots. Read more
Spring frost easy on corn but tough on tomatoes
CHATHAM-KENT — Southwestern Ontario saw overnight freezing temperatures on at least two nights in late May. Major grain and oilseed commodity crops were mostly unscathed by Jack Frost, but some tender fruits and tomato plants were not. Read more
THE MEGA-FARM: 48 Ontario farms have 5,000 or more acres
OTTAWA — There are 48 Ontario farms of 5,000 acres or more in size, according to the 2021 Canadian Census. Thirty-three of those farms are in southwestern Ontario. Read more
OPINION: Get off my land, says farmer who wants stricter trespassing laws
Angela Dorie Farmers Forum CORNWALL — Our phone rang for the fourth time that Sunday afternoon, the same unknown number. Husband working the land, I answered, knowing it would be the same as the other three. “Your cows on the 4th have no water!” a voice bellowed. “I’ve checked, the tank is full and... Read more
OPINION: Is Food Day a time for celebration?
The first Food Day Canada will be celebrated on August 5. But is it a day of celebration? Some nationally recognized days are for celebrating. Others are for honouring or mourning. Christmas is celebrated. Easter is first mourned (the brutal execution of Christ) on Good Friday, then celebrated (His... Read more
Ganaraska Grain vexed by incoherent bills — slapped with $245,000 bill to cover two years of errors
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PORT HOPE — The co-owner of an Eastern Ontario grain-drying operation is fuming after she alerted natural-gas supplier Enbridge of billing discrepancies and was retroactively billed $254,000 in a metering mess dating back two years. Margot Currelly says the dispute wi... Read more
DRONE ON: applying pesticides using drones could be two years away
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHATHAM-KENT — Drones are dropping seed and fertilizer onto some Ontario farm fields this season. It’s a niche market that keeps contractor Adrian Rivard busy enough — until the day that regulators fully unleash the technology by adding pesticides to a drone’s legally... Read more
Inkerman ‘olive oil’ from soybeans a hit with Asian customers
Farmers Forum staff INKERMAN — Move over olive oil: Canadian-owned soybean company Sevita International has developed and released this country’s first non-genetically modified soybean variety high in omega-9 fatty acid — also known as oleic acid — a trait desired by overseas food companies and proc... Read more
Labour Ministry launches safety blitz with unannounced visits to farms
TORONTO — Hundreds of inspectors across the province will soon be visiting manufacturing operations and farms to ensure that they are in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The safety campaign began May 1 and will last until March 2024. Inspectors could arrive on your farm unanno... Read more
Carbon tax exemption bill gets push-back
OTTAWA — The Senate recently debated a farmer-promoted bill to exempt grain-drying and barn-heating from the federal carbon tax. But the bill is getting push-back from a British Columbia senator appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Senator Yuen Pau Woo argued against Bill C-234, saying “the v... Read more
Ontario Lyme disease areas of risk largely unchanged from last year
ONTARIO — Black-legged tick territory appears largely unchanged in Ontario this year, based on the latest information from the province, although the blood-sucking species has turned up in one new corner of Eastern Ontario. Public Health Ontario’s recently released 2023 Lyme disease ri... Read more
Carbon tax increases again; monthly charge already hit almost $21,000 for one grain elevator last fall
OTTAWA — The federal carbon tax jumped another 30% in April ... for buyers of natural gas, which includes for barn heating and grain drying, that translates into a carbon-tax burden of 12.4 cents per cubic metre — up from 9.79 cents last year. Read more
No one wants a big truck on electric power
A 19-hour trip in an electric transport truck would take 69 hours — including 50 hours for recharging ... Read more
STEVE KELL: If 2023 looks very similar to 2021, what does that mean for crop prices?
The spring of 2023 has been a rough ride down for farmers watching grain prices and waiting for an opportunity to make sales. Read more
Farm groups line up against Bill 97 allowing new housing lots on ag land
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — It’s been impossible for farmers to carve out housing lots on their prime agricultural land since the retirement-lot allowance ended decades ago in Ontario. But the Ford government is set to turn back the clock by allowing some farmland owners to extract a f... Read more
$8 billion BSE lawsuit appealed, goes back to court
TORONTO — A judge’s dismissal of a class action lawsuit launched on behalf of Canadian cattle producers hurt by the BSE crisis 20 years ago will be the subject of an appeal to be heard in a Toronto courtroom, likely this year. Read more
OPINION: Has our province re-discovered the value of rural schools?
Angela Dorie Farmers Forum A few days ago I was scanning through Premier Doug Ford’s latest offering, Bill 97 (aka “ Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act”). I was looking for references about the possibility of extra severances for farmers and the concept of extra taxes on unoccupied houses (s... Read more
UPDATE: City wants 700 wind turbines!? Ottawa also approves 36-square km of solar panels
OTTAWA — Ottawa is one of the world’s largest rural cities with about 1,200 farms and thousands of acres of cropland and pasture. Read more
TRUE GRIT: Two men who stood the test of time and trials are still persevering
Despite how busy everyone is, farmers don’t seem to mind to stop and talk with you. Two I’ve had the good fortune to interrupt lately are both living local legends. Let me tell you about them ... Read more
OPINION: Food can still be a good deal if you shop smart
I’m fed up with all the negative news and stories about high food prices. Enough! The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) leadership said government workers earning $40,000 to $65,000 a year have to go to a food bank in Ottawa. They can’t afford groceries. It’s ludicrous. A CTV reporter was out... Read more
OPINION: Reason, hysteria and the facts about climate
A voice of reason was heard from the Hill. It was not God. It was the House of Commons Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. In a 57-page report, the committee concluded that farmers should not be forced to reduce fertilizer use if it reduces yield. Among 22 recommendations, the one that cr... Read more
Circle irrigation cheaper than buying more land
Farmer saw technology he needed while looking out of an airplane Read more
Carbon-tax exemption bill: Senator questions if farmers would plow savings into solar, geothermal
OTTAWA — A British Columbia senator appointed by Justin Trudeau has questioned the need to exempt grain-drying and barn-heating from the federal carbon tax, as the Senate recently debated a bill to make that change. Read more
DREAM CHASERS: Herdsman dreamed of owning farm for years, seizes chance in PEI as Ontario too costly
JERSEYVILLE — Ross Toebes, 31, admits he just about tore the steering wheel off his Toyota when the radio blared an alleged impending shortage of 30,000 farmers in Canada ... Read more
Governments wouldn’t dare steal our land, would they?
The spring-like, late-April day in Huron County started with a phone call from neighbour Rockin’ Ronnie Redbeard asking if Square Deal Niel had gotten in touch to get me wound up over changes to his Official Plan mapping ... Read more
Breeding cattle for more easily digestible milk
Dairy farmer John Van Dyk advocates for A2 milk Read more
In this succession plan, communicating is key
Shares offered without a price tag and daily coffee meetings keep farm humming along ... Read more
Parliament grants official recognition to ‘Food Day in Canada’
OTTAWA — Twenty years ago, the late Anita Stewart of Wellington County spearheaded “the world’s longest barbecue” as a show of support for beef farmers hard hit by the BSE border-closure crisis in 2003. Read more
10 companies share $2 million grant to find alternative fertilizers
Farmers Forum staff ONTARIO — Ten Ontario companies are sharing $2 million in grant money recently awarded through the Ontario ‘fertilizer challenge.’ The recipients include a new cricket manure vendor, crop-input companies, a robotic farm implement dealer, and a couple of biogas developers. The pro... Read more
CAUTION: Don’t try to fool these readers on what’s raising prices
James Pascual Farmers Forum GUELPH — It was a strange commentary from the get-go. University of Guelph’s Evan Fraser and Lenore Newman, director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, together penned an article for the National Post recently arguing that you sh... Read more
Antique seed drill gets 7 hours of action once a year
Farmers Forum staff BRINSTON — The Westervelt family farm is a modern dairy operation with cow-milking robots near Brinston, south of Winchester. But functional equipment from the past still has a place, such as the vintage Massey Ferguson 33 “nine-foot” seed drill that farm partner Martin Westervel... Read more
Make money by growing for the food bank
BRECHIN — Inspired by “sky-high” prices for off-season squash in his local grocery store, Don MacDonald began growing gourds at his Brechin cash-cropping farm. He’s since discovered the financial benefits of squash production but with a twist: He donates his squash to food banks in return for charit... Read more
How did thieves steal 30,000 chicks?
SOUTH HURON — Call it Huron County’s great chick robbery ... Read more
STEVE KELL: How to be sure crop grading discounts are fair
One of the most frustrating things in the cash cropping business is to deliver grain to an elevator or end user and find out that the receiver has a different idea about your grain’s quality than you did ... Read more
Growers need to find better way to ensure crop grading is accurate, Grain Farmers of Ontario says
When an Ontario farmer’s grain was tested at Grade 2 he balked and took his load to another elevator. He was behind the wheel, so he had the option ... Read more
Car plant wipes out 1,500 acres of farmland and we likely wasted billions of dollars
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ST. THOMAS — Thousands of farmland acres and billions of taxpayer dollars will be sacrificed to a new Volkswagen electric vehicle battery plant in St. Thomas. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is decrying the loss of prime agricultural land, while the Canadian Tax... Read more
$80K tractor stolen from 401 carpool parking lot
ELGIN — Police are on the lookout for a full-sized farm tractor stolen from a carpool parking lot north of Highway 401 in the Municipality of Dutton Dunwich. Read more
HEALTH CANADA calls for end of capitalism, says racism causes global warming
By James Pascual Holy cats! What’s up with Health Canada? It looks like they are suggesting we overthrow capitalism, Western society, and even the very concept of “liberty and individualism.” I mean, who needs those things, right? They’re so overrated. According to a New Health Canada report,... Read more
Study finds pandemic took its toll on the mental health of rural Ontarians
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — The mental health of rural Ontarians — particularly rural women — took a unique hit amid the lockdowns and other disruptive measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s a key takeaway of a new University of Guelph pilot study that surveyed almost 3,500 adult res... Read more
Jean Sullivan earns food champion award
Farmers Forum staff ELORA — A longtime local 4-H leader and farm organization volunteer from the Ottawa Valley was recognized for “telling the story” of agriculture and food in her community. Jean Sullivan received the Farm & Food Care Champion Award April 13 at a ceremony in Elora. Farm & F... Read more
Agricorp pays out $113.6 M in Ontario for the big three
Prescott-Russell gets biggest crop insurance claims for corn, soybeans James Pascual Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Even though the 2022 crop yields were slightly above average for Ontario corn and soybeans – and 15 % above average for wheat – there’s always crop failure and many farmers are grateful... Read more
Canadians prefer real meat, survey says
Sales of plant-based products have dropped significantly in recent months, giving livestock producers the opportunity to rejoice in knowing that Canadians much prefer real meat. Turns out that “Price” was the biggest factor. The drop in plant-based sales prompted researchers at Dalhousie... Read more
Grain Farmers of Ontario commend agriculture standing committee for recognizing farmers need fertilizer
STANDING COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD RECOGNIZES FARMERS NEED FERTILIZER Guelph, ON – April 28, 2023 – Today Eastern Canadian farmers from Atlantic Grains Council, Grain Farmers of Ontario, and Grain Farmers of Quebec commend members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food f... Read more
TIE-STALLS BANNED? Depends on who you talk to on the committee that made the rules
OTTAWA — Just don’t call it a ban on new tie-stall dairy barns: The recently updated national dairy code requires that all newly built dairy barns “must allow daily, untethered freedom of movement and social interactions year-round.” That will be the rule as of April 1, 2024. Read more
Farmer rankled by new vacant house tax that comes with unanswered questions
OTTAWA — As a farm grows, it’s not unusual for the operation to end up owning a number of houses, and that’s creating a new paperwork and tax hassle courtesy of the Trudeau government. Read more
Don’t force farmers to reduce fertilizer use, federal committee urges
James Pascual Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farmers should not be forced to reduce fertilizer use if that reduces yield, argues a report released this month by the House of Commons Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. The 57-page report titled Feeding the World: Strengthening Canada’s Capacity to... Read more
1 in 200-MILLION: Dundas County’s agri-triplets
OTTAWA — There were double and triple takes as identical triplets Dan, Tim and Andrew Van Gilst took a walking tour together around the 2023 Ottawa Valley Farm Show ... Read more
Canada and Ontario investing up to $6 million in market development effort
TORONTO – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $6 million through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) to help eligible agri-food businesses and industry organizations expand into domestic and foreign markets. The Grow Ontario Market Initiative is... Read more
OPINION — Farm wives have their own cache of tools too
Angela Dorie Farmers Forum If a survey of Canadian farm wives asked if they had their own tools in the house, despite having access to machinery sheds and workshops full of them, I bet the answer would be a resounding, “You bet I do!” from at least 98 % of them. The tools might range […] Read more
OPINION: Why I never saw wildlife as a kid but now city people do
Maynard van der Galien Farmers Forum There have been many changes to farm life since I was a boy in the 1950s and a teenager in the 1960s. One change that never seems to be mentioned is wildlife. You didn’t see wildlife back then. They stayed in the bush hidden from view. The only wildlife […... Read more
HOG HELL: Producers worry as Olymel announces closure of third processing plant in Quebec
OTTAWA – The Canadian Pork Council said Olymel’s April 14 announcement of the closure of its Vallée-Jonction, QC plant is tough news for the industry ... Read more
GO OR GROW? 44-year-old dairy farmer let the pencil decide
WINCHESTER — At a certain point in his career, a tie-stall dairy farmer faces an almost inevitable choice: Spend big bucks or get out. Read more
Homeless man lands job on farm while asking for change
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NEWCASTLE — Sixty-year-old Brian Bannister, was a local homeless man secretly living inside a rickety, tiny backyard shed in a residential area when a chance street encounter with a hobby farmer changed his world. Danielle MacDuff, who operates a 50-acre animal-rescue... Read more
How loving your cows can lead to a Master Breeder shield
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MOUNTAIN — Members of the Velthuis family at Vriesdale Holsteins in Mountain will officially pick up their first Master Breeder shield in Montreal later this month. And the women in the family have been key to the achievement, co-owner Robert Velthuis says. “Like anyt... Read more
Dutch, New Zealand farmers could fill farmer shortage in Canada: report
TORONTO — Displaced Dutch, European and New Zealand farmers should come to Canada as policymakers in their home countries drive them out of business, advises the Royal Bank of Canada and other authors in a new report that addresses a presumed impending shortage of 30,000 farmers in this country by 2... Read more
More than half of farmers asked to pay fertilizer tariff, survey says
GUELPH — More than half of Ontario crop farmers last year were asked to pay a surcharge to cover a tariff on fertilizer, a recent survey of about 1,000 farmers reported. Read more
NEXT STEP FOR VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS REDUCTION: an Ottawa working group to encourage volunteers
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Trudeau regime has set up a “fertilizer working group” to help develop a plan for “voluntary” fertilizer emissions cuts in agriculture, a plan that includes improved “measurement and tracking” of fertilizer emissions on Canadian farms. The group — involvi... Read more
OPINION: Corn price could push higher with weather uncertainty
By Steve Kell One of the really interesting conversations in the Ontario grain industry over the past few weeks is word that at certain times the Great Lakes export terminal operators have been “no bid” on both corn and wheat for spring or summer ’23 movement. The “no bid” news is a big anxiety for... Read more
WEATHER FORECAST: Warmer than normal spring
WINDSOR — Ontario farmers can expect a warmer than normal spring and summer, according to Environment Canada’s senior climatologist David Phillips. Read more
Farm succession law tweaked: Still offers tax fairness for in-family sales
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Trudeau government’s 2023 federal budget contained a surprise Easter egg: A tightening up of the tax rules that apply when transferring farms and small businesses from parents to children. The tweaks aren’t raising too many alarm bells, barely two years after the law... Read more
Eastern Ontario dairy farmer still rebuilding 31 months after fire
FRANKFORD — Quinte West dairy farmer Maurice Suurdt appears to have some more time to restart production at his Frankford-area operation after DFO’s end-of-February deadline came and went ... Read more
Dutch-farmer revolt exposes net-zero
Dutch journalist argues climate change fearmongering is an attack on freedom ... Read more
Agricultural ‘sustainability’ includes people and the planet … but don’t forget profit, panelists urge
OTTAWA — A farm isn’t “sustainable” — to use the current buzzword — if that farm is unprofitable ... Read more
50-year KCAT grads re-unite on April 27
IVY LEA — Kemptville College’s class of ’73 will mark their 50th anniversary with an April 27 reunion in the 1000 Islands ... Read more
U of G develops rapid testing to detect fake maple syrup
GUELPH — Fake and adulterated maple syrup will be harder to pass off as the real thing now that scientists have used ultraviolet light to effectively measure the different “fingerprints” of both pure and contaminated syrup. Read more
U of G: Mental health tops list of COVID-related impacts in rural communities
GUELPH — The mental health of rural Ontarians — particularly rural women — took a unique hit amid the lockdowns and other disruptive measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic ... Read more
Trucker gets one-year probation for striking, killing animal activist who stepped in front of truck
BURLINGTON — A semi-truck driver who fatally ran over an animal-rights protester in 2020 as he hauled a load of pigs into a Burlington pork-processing plant will pay a $2,000 fine ... Read more
Majority of Canadians oppose government intervention as ‘solution’ to food inflation
HALIFAX — Canadian consumers aren’t too keen on having the government intervene in the grocery marketplace as a solution to high food inflation ... Read more
Ontario sees whopping 19.4 % increase in farmland prices
The average value for cultivated land in Ontario increased by 19.4 % in 2022, according to the Farm Credit Canada farmland values report ... Read more
ANALYSIS: Fertilizer-emissions reduction won’t work, isn’t scientific and farmers don’t like it
For the most part, the farm organizations have seemingly resigned themselves to reluctant acceptance of the Liberal government’s strong-arm tactics even though they might not agree with the methodology or the ideology driving it ... Read more
Simcoe County potato farmer killed in equipment accident
Farmers Forum staff ALLISTON — A young potato farmer died after being critically injured in an equipment accident at his family’s Alliston farm late last month. Jonathan Vander Zaag, 24, died in hospital after emergency crews responded to P&K Vander Zaag Farms around 12:30 p.m. on Friday aftern... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you buying what the prime minister is selling?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured farmers at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s annual general meeting in Ottawa that his government is working on voluntary — not mandatory — measures to achieve a 30 % reduction in fertilizer emissions b... Read more
Ottawa backs off on fertilizer restrictions, CFA president says
Ottawa backs off on fertilizer restrictions, CFA president says Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — While many Ontario farmers fear that government regulations will come down hard on fertilizer use, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Keith Currie says that Ottawa has backed off and credits pu... Read more
NO REFUND: Federal Budget misses the mark on fertilizer tariffs, groups say
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farmers won’t be reimbursed for the fertilizer tariffs they’ve paid out, nor will they see the removal of Ottawa’s controversial 35 % levy anytime soon. Federal finance minister Chrystia Freeland dashed both of those hopes in the 2023 budget, and Eastern Canada’s unhappy... Read more
Carbon tax farm exemption passes, moves to Senate
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Parliament passed a carbon-tax exemption for grain-drying and barn-heating on March 29, sending private member’s Bill C-234 to the Senate for final approval. The third and final vote in the House of Commons passed 176-146 with the Conservatives, NDP and Bloc... Read more
18-year-old Western Ontario teen killed in grain auger accident
AYLMER — A Western Ontario teenager was killed after getting caught in an auger at Elgin Feeds in Elgin County on March 15. Read more
SUNSHINE LIST: 296 OMAFRA employees earn more than $100,000
ONTARIO — The number of Ontario public servants paid six figures continues to rise ... Read more
Norwood sheep farmers specialize in genetic sales, win sheep pasture award
NORWOOD — A Peterborough area sheep farm, with a niche market in genetics, is the latest recipient of the Ontario Sheep Pasture Award for their expertise in pasture management for their flock of 800. Read more
Federal report on fertilizer emissions: 2,000 submissions but you can’t see them
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The Trudeau regime has set up a “fertilizer working group” to help develop a plan for “voluntary” fertilizer emissions cuts in agriculture, a plan that includes improved “measurement and tracking” of fertilizer emissions on Canadian farms. The group — involving governme... Read more
Southwestern Ontario farmland prices spike 51 % in two years
Farmland most pricey in Perth and Oxford Farmers Forum staff PERTH — Southwestern Ontario farmland values surged 51 % between 2020 and 2022 and hit a median value of $23,000 per acre, according to figures compiled by analyst Ryan Parker of Valco Consultants in London. That whopping percentage is bas... Read more
SELLING AT THE ROADSIDE: It works but you have to deal with people
LYNDHURST — As the world’s second oldest profession, turning your land and labour into cash money has been the perennial problem in agriculture for thousands of years. Read more
FOOD FRAUD: Found most often in expensive oils and honey
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Food fraud worldwide is on the rise and was found in Canada most often in expensive cooking oil and honey, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in its annual report Meat products, however, are most often, exactly what the importer, processor and retailer adv... Read more
Ford is Canada’s favourite pickup truck
OTTAWA — No surprise, Detroit still dominates when it comes to a farmer’s most indispensable vehicle: the pickup truck. Read more
BACK IN THE DAY: circa. 1960
Milk man In 1960, Bob Dainard travelled door-to-door in Lindsay, Ontario, bringing milk and butter often to each house on a street. At each delivery he would blow a whistle to let homeowners know that fresh milk had just arrived. Dainard then moved to the next house, dropping off filled bottles and... Read more
Farmers balk at Trudeau’s ‘voluntary’ fertilizer emission cuts (VIDEO 4:46)
OTTAWA — At the Ottawa Valley Farm Show, Farmers Forum asked farmers for their take on the prime minister's recent assurance that his government's fertilizer emissions strategy will be 'voluntary.' Read more
HAVE A PLAN: three dairy farmers on exiting the industry
EASTERN ONTARIO — Twenty years ago, there were 6,000 dairy farms in Ontario ... Read more
Scammer tries to rip off farmer
Kijiji ad for $800 cultivator goes sideways quickly ... Read more
Farmer builds first methane digester to handle 10 farms
BRINSTON — A multi-million-dollar silo digester that can handle manure from about 10 dairy farms is nearing completion on Thurler Farms, southwest of Winchester. It’s the first in a planned fleet of 310 units nationwide to extract methane from most of the manure produced on Canada’s 10,000 dairy far... Read more
ACTION ON THE FARM: 19th annual Farmers Forum photo contest
CAMBRIDGE — Cassi Brunsveld loves to take photos on her Cambridge-area family farm and of her three-year-old son Conrad who would rather be doing chores than playing in the sandbox. Read more
Farming in Zambia is barely scratching the surface
Wrestling down my deeply-rooted training against eating with my fingers, I broke off a small chunk of the thick, white mush on my plate, following the example of my host. Read more
OPINION: What’s easier? Helping a neighbour by phone to AI his pig or getting a government worker to process a form?
Having turned 65 this year I reached my target for applying for CPP (Canada Pension Plan) and OAS (Old Age Security) benefits. Read more
MASSIVE MANURE INJECTOR: Kills odour, covers 90 acres a day
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KEMPTVILLE — In just two cropping seasons, a massive, tractor-drawn manure tanker-injector system has displaced enough fertilizer to recoup the investment made by North Gower Grains. “The amount we’ve reduced our commercial fertilizer use has paid for the machine,” De... Read more
RURAL REVOLUTION: The Lanark Landowners Association exploded onto the scene 20 years ago
It was 20 years ago this month when a small group of about 15 rural property owners and farmers in Lanark County met to unload their burdens about escalating government overreach ... Read more
OPINION: Making firewood, a productive winter workout
After retiring from keeping livestock five years ago, I needed something to do that would make the long winters go by quicker ... Read more
RJ Farms holds master breeder honours for both Holsteins, Jerseys
CORBYVILLE — Rare is the farm that wins a master breeder shield in more than one dairy breed, but the Jarrell family managed it earlier this year. Read more
Dairy farmer launches petition to stop milk dumping — gets almost 30,000 names
STRATFORD — When Dunnville dairy farmer Jerry Huigen publicly dumped 30,000 litres of over-quota milk at the end of January, it inspired another Ontario dairy-farm family to collect almost as many signatures on a petition decrying the waste. Read more
Welcome to the Ottawa Valley Farm Show
Jeff Waldroff OVSGA President Guest Column OTTAWA — On behalf of the Directors of the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association, I invite everyone to visit the 2023 Ottawa Valley Farm Show. We are all are very excited to welcome you back in-person. After a three-year absence we have missed you! OVSGA d... Read more
OPINION: All dairy farmers dump milk but rarely do they dump saleable milk
If you are of a certain age or had parents who were diehard fans of “Dragnet,” the popular 1950s police crime drama, you will remember Sergeant Joe Friday and the phase ... Read more
Ottawa Valley Farm Show is back with 365 exhibits
OTTAWA — Re-emerging from a three-year hiatus, the Ottawa Valley Farm Show returns this month to the EY Centre, next to Ottawa’s international airport. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: What crop farmers worry about
Increasing costs and government disconnect on fertilizer ... Read more
STEVE KELL: China buys Brazilian corn for first time but it won’t affect global prices
One of the most interesting things that has happened in the corn market during the winter of 2023 is that China has reached an agreement with Brazil to allow Brazilian corn to flow into the Chinese marketplace. Read more
Ontario farmers go North for cheap land and grant money
SUDBURY — There is a small but remarkable migration of farmers going north, attracted by inexpensive farmland and government grants for tile draining the land. Read more
POTASH WARS: Blackrock to compete with Nutrien, world’s largest fertilizer company
Farmers Forum staff SASKATOON — The largest fertilizer company in the world posted record earnings in 2022, despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Canadian government war on farm fertilizer. Nutrien Ltd., of Saskatoon, reported net earnings of $7.7 billion, despite lower 4th quarter sales a... Read more
Ag truck ticketed for going over 40 km/hr, evokes criticism directed at police
FERGUS — Is it time to liberate modern farm machines from the 40 km/h maximum speed limit that applies to them when on the road in Ontario? Read more
78 % of Ontario field-crop farmers use GPS technology, mostly for tracking and guidance
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum VERNON — The vast majority of Ontario farmers use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in their tractors and combines and the number of users continues to rise, according to Statistics Canada’s latest farm management survey results for 2021. StatCan conducts the... Read more
More farm unrest predicted for Europe
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Farmer unrest in Europe is growing as politicians ratchet up environmental restrictions. In 2022, European farmer protests jumped 30 % over 2021 — led by the Netherlands — according to Verisk Maplecroft, a consulting firm specializing in risk assessment and data analytic... Read more
Hire a European worker through exchange program
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Aside from trying to hire local farm workers on Kijiji or Indeed.com or hiring Mexican and Caribbean labourers through the seasonal workers program, more than 100 Canadian farms are signed up for a program that hires mostly young adults from Europe. The federal governmen... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: What crop farmers worry about — the cost of everything
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum AILSA CRAIG — With another growing season just around the corner, crop farmer concerns vary but the biggest worries are about costs. Many crop farmers are concerned that there is no resolution on the fertilizer tariff issue “that’s making us uncompetitive with US and... Read more
AG CANADA NO LONGER BACKS FARMING: backs wild prediction of future climate
AG Canada no longer backs farming, backs wild prediction of future climate Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum OTTAWA — Agriculture Canada no longer appears to have the farmers’ backs. That’s the word from an increasing number of Ontario crop farmers who are not happy that the federal department, with a s... Read more
CANADA IS BROKEN: 76 per cent of rural people agree
CANADA IS BROKEN: 76 per cent of rural people agree and a survey of one week of news reveals they have good reasons Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum An online Leger poll of 1,554 Canadians found that we think that the country is in really bad shape and half the population is downright angry abou... Read more
BEEF FARMERS TARGET ANIMAL POLICE in one of 17 new resolutions
Farmers Forum staff TORONTO — The 2020 law governing Ontario’s animal police needs to be changed to treat farm livestock differently from house pets, according to one of 17 resolutions passed at the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) 2023 annual general meeting. The approved resolution calls for a “segre... Read more
Push back or get hammered on climate change policies
Federal gov’t is making bad decisions, environmental economist argues ... Read more
Countries that ban nitrogen fertilizer “hate their people,” top scientist says (VIDEO 49 sec.)
Dr. David Legates, at the international conference of climate change in Orlando, Florida, speaks of the benefits of nitrogen fertilizer. Read more
OPINION: Science vs. climate hysteria (hysteria is winning and farmers are paying the price)
If you want to stoke fear about the environment, talk to the people who are most afraid. Talk to people who are taught to fear climate change. Talk to young Canadians. The federal government did that, paying Leger Marketing $56,500 to interview more than 2,000 people between ages 18 and 34. The poll... Read more
Farm Credit Canada paid all managers bonuses during three pandemic years
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The farmers’ lender, Farm Credit Canada, paid bonuses to every senior manager in all three years of the pandemic, records show. The Regina-based lender was one of nine federal agencies to pay 100 per cent of executives a bonus year after year, reported the Ottawa-based B... Read more
Provincial decree opens prime ag land to housing developers
LINDSAY — Believing it’s wrong to build on prime agricultural land, cash-cropper Doug Shaw says he flatly refused a housing developer’s $10-million offer for his Lindsay-area farm. Read more
DOUBLE WHAMMY: Canada persists with tariff on Russian fertilizer and now exempts Ukrainian chicken from supply-management agreement
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government’s response to the war in Ukraine has come at the expense of Canadian farmers on two fronts: added fertilizer costs and — as it turns out — potential lost chicken meat sales displaced by imported Ukrainian chicken. Read more
Ontario farm net worth pops 19 % — but farmers say that’s not good if you want to expand
Farmers Forum staff BOURGET — During the lockdowns and pandemic restrictions of 2021, Ontario farm operations grew in net worth by a whopping 19.2 % — almost double the still-impressive national increase of 10 % — much of it driven by rising farmland prices. In Ontario, farms hit a total net worth... Read more
Carbon-tax exemption bill still on track to become law before summer
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A carbon-tax exemption bill for grain-drying and barn-heating still awaits a third and final vote in the House of Commons, but the bill remains on track to pass both the House and Senate and become law by summer. However, this means farmers won’t get relief i... Read more
Farmers illegally dismantle emissions system on “every single” tractor, insiders say
... and “right to repair” legislation will make it even easier Read more
Ontario farm cash receipts increased 12 % in 2022
ONTARIO — Canadian farm cash receipts went up by $11.7 billion — or 14.1 % — to hit $94.9 billion in 2022, according to Statistics Canada. Ontario farmers’ share of this national increase was $2.3 billion, the highest after Alberta (up $3.5 billion). Read more
Mushroom farm’s carbon-tax plight highlighted in Parliament
OTTAWA — Indoor-grown mushrooms are saddled with the federal carbon tax, but indoor-grown vegetables, flowers and even cannabis get an 80% break from the fickle federal levy. Read more
POTASH WARS: Nutrien vs. “woke giant” BlackRock
World’s largest potash producer reports record income but will soon compete against woke giant BlackLock Farmers Forum staff SASKATOON — The largest fertilizer company in the world posted record earnings in 2022, despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Canadian government war of... Read more
VERTICAL FARMING and the future of lettuce
CORNWALL — Canadians love their romaine lettuce. You can’t make a Caesar salad without it. But to eat it we need to import almost all of it ... Read more
PLOWED UNDER: Much to love about the hand plow but it just got harder to find
Charles Summers Guest Columnist Salt of the Earth Farm Fleeing bankruptcy and debtors’ prison in his native Vermont, a 33-year-old blacksmith named John Deere took his last $73 and headed west to the then frontier of Illinois. A year later, in 1837, forging a steel sawmill blade, the disc snapped... Read more
OPINION: Freedom Convoy gave the people hope
John Schwartzentruber Farmers Forum One woman stood out, unique from the throng of a thousand exuberant celebrants lining the main street of our little town one year ago. With one arm outstretched, like a stately statue she held a beautiful red and white maple leaf pennant high and proud. It wasn’t... Read more
RINK IN A PIG BARN: Farm family puts unused barns to good use
SHANLY — A Spencerville-area farm has turned a former pig barn into a private indoor rink. Read more
DO JERSEYS MAKE MORE SENSE? He replaced entire Holstein herd, others try to make Holsteins more Jersey-like
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SPENCERVILLE — Not so long ago, the prevailing wisdom suggested that everyone loved cute Jersey cows, just not quite enough to give up their almighty Holsteins. But things are changing. Some Ontario dairy farmers really are switching from the venerable black-and-white... Read more
KAWARTHA LAKES FARMER PROTECTS LAND with conservation easement
Kawartha Lakes farmer protects land with conservation easement Agreement allows him to continue working the land or pass it on to next generation Ed Hand Farmers Forum KAWARTHA LAKES — Debate rages in Ontario over the government’s Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, which has opened up... Read more
CANADA GOES TO POT: Cannabis-impaired driving has skyrocketed
It’s now easier to find pot than a Tim Hortons coffee shop .... Read more
OPINION: U.S. proposal of less soy in biodiesel would cool soybean market
Steve Kell’s Market Minute One of the most remarkable things to watch in the agricultural commodities markets in the 21st century has been the emergence of renewable fuels, and the groundswell of demand for grains and oilseeds as farmers fuel motor vehicles. Ethanol typically carries the headlines i... Read more
WHAT’S WRONG WITH NET ZERO? It’s based on a fallacy of a crisis while innovation is best path forward
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum The Dairy Farmers of Canada has been running online advertising that makes some dairy farmers cringe. The video reveals a drone’s view of Canadian farms as a voice-over reports that “Reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 takes a lot of work. Who would commi... Read more
SIZZLING SOYBEANS: Soil is poorly understood in soybean production
GUELPH — What’s it take to grow a “sizzling” soybean crop? Soil plays a key role, naturally, but experts at the 2023 Ontario Agricultural Conference admitted that relatively little is understood about the below-ground processes ... Read more
FARM-FAVOURITE DOC QUITS: Dr. Matt Strauss eased restrictions, skeptical of masks
SIMCOE — Dr. Matt Strauss, the straight-shooting Haldimand-Norfolk medical officer of health who was hired after farmers denounced the pandemic policies of his predecessor ... Read more
GLOBAL WARMING HAS BEEN GREAT (for North American agriculture), scientist says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum For decades, the farmers of Canada and the U.S. have enjoyed ever increasing yields, and a lot of that extra bounty is due to a slight increase in global warming and extra sunshine, says Iowa-based plant physiologist and research scientist Dr. Jeff Schussler. He also... Read more
Dairy farmer dumps milk, makes video, faces backlash
HALDIMAND COUNTY — A stainless steel pipe gushes fresh milk over the milking-parlour floor as unhappy Dunnville dairy farmer Jerry Huigen loudly decries having to waste 30,000 litres ... Read more
PROFESSOR SAYS: U.S. egg prices skyrocket but supply management keeps Canadian prices stable
OTTAWA — The avian flu crisis has driven up the price of eggs in the U.S. but not so much in Canada and you can thank our supply management system, says the professor who supply management farmers love to loathe. Read more
WINTER IS SHOW SEASON: Farm shows, conferences are back
WINTER IS SHOW SEASON: Farm shows, conferences are back Farmers Forum staff EASTERN ONTARIO — February and March are a traditional time for farmers to get out, get together and check out the latest technology and information at a variety of winter shows and conferences. And after the upheaval of the... Read more
BREEDING LOW METHANE CATTLE: Genetic trait a game changer for dairy industry
BREEDING LOW METHANE CATTLE: Genetic trait a game changer for dairy industry GUELPH — Knowledge is power, and Ontario dairy farmers will soon be empowered to breed low-methane cattle to gradually cut their herd’s emissions of the greenhouse gas 20 to 30 % by 2050, according to Semex. The bovine seme... Read more
CAR SURGERY: Creates utility buggy from a Dodge
CAR SURGERY: Creates utility buggy from a Dodge Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SPENCERVILLE — Retired mechanic Tom Luimes has a thing for turning old cars into dune buggies. But this one is for moving empty wagons around the farm. Since 1992, this buggy (at left) has proven useful at... Read more
ONE YEAR AGO: Freedom Convoy shook the nation
ONE YEAR AGO: Freedom Convoy shook the nation Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum There was a noticeable increase in vehicles sporting Canadian flags in downtown Ottawa and it was not Canada’s birthday. Snow was piled high on the sidewalks and it was -8 C. Government employees were told to keep an eye out... Read more
EVERYTHING IS ON THE RISE… from mental health issues to food prices
As 2023 starts off, things don’t look much better. Groceries are forecast to increase another 5 % to 7 % in the first six months of this year on top of the 10.3 % they increased last year. Plus the Bank of Canada has increased the overnight rate by another 0.25 % placing home ownership […] Read more
ROBOT MINDS MAKE FARMING DECISIONS
A robot can now give you better advice than your neighbour and give the crop advisor a run for his money. Read more
ONTARIO SAW 152 BARN FIRES IN 2021
TORONTO — Ontario had 152 barn fires and record damages of just over $54 million in 2021, according to the most current statistics from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office ... Read more
The animal police took his cattle, did not charge him, but are still after him
Beef farmer wins another round with PAWS trying to stick him with foster-farm bill Read more
FEDERALLY-INSPECTED SLAUGHTERHOUSE SUSPENDED OPERATIONS, CFIA reports
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Farmer-owned TruHarvest Meats in Toronto, one of the last federally inspected beef packing plants in Ontario, stopped taking cattle for slaughter at the end of January, according to industry insiders. “TruHarvest has indicated to the Canadian Food Inspection... Read more
GREENHOUSES, NURSERIES AND FLOWER PRODUCERS – report top Ontario farm income
Greenhouses, nurseries and flower producers report top Ontario farm income Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Total farm income increased in the first year of COVID restrictions. The average Canadian farm family’s total farm income in 2020 was $179,724. Ontario farm families were slightly below the nation... Read more
EMPLOYMENT DROPPED IN CANADA DURING COVID but not on farms
Nelson Zandbergen Farmer Forum OTTAWA — The number of farm employees in Canada held steady during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic while non-farm jobs plummeted. The number of people working on Canadian farms stood at 278,762 in 2020, a decline of just 0.3% — or 878 — from 2019, according to... Read more
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM: The super-rich and their super-bad ideas
The World Economic Forum is not your friend unless you’re close to a billionaire or a president James Pascual Farmers Forum Canada was back at the World Economic Forum last month. But this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and most G7 leaders stayed away. Some say it’s a backlash against the super... Read more
90 % OF RURAL CANADA WORRIES ABOUT GETTING PROPER HEALTH CARE
ONTARIO — The vast majority of rural Canadians are worried about the healthcare system, and to an even greater degree than other parts of the country, according to a recent survey by Leger and The Association for Canadian Studies. The survey found that 90 % of rural residents reported being worried... Read more
FARMERS AT HIGHER RISK OF SUICIDE: Beware of stress, psychotherapist warns
Farmers at much higher risk of suicide Beware of chronic stress, heavy workload, psychotherapist warns Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum A Western Ontario farmer was under such a heavy burden of stress for so long that when he read a cruel social media message directed at his personal life and family, t... Read more
OPINION: My big 2022 victory, no pesky houseflies in the house — none
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County Back in September I asked an acquaintance, who lives in the country but doesn’t farm, if they had the usual number of house flies, or more or fewer than other summers? “Terrible,” was the reply. They couldn’t understand how all those flies got into their house w... Read more
GRAIN ELEVATOR CHALLENGES: Handling grain shrink, contract executions, quality anomalies
SIMCOE COUNTY — Everyone who handles, conditions, and stores grain knows that there are more than a few challenges in the business ... Read more
TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH: Paralyzed after accident, farm boy back in the combine
WALLACETOWN — At age 20 and fresh out of Ridgetown College, where he studied agriculture, Garrett Dieleman was one of many up-and-coming farmers in the area ... Read more
OPINION: Cynicism has the floor
Patrick Meagher Editor Last year was a year of lows. We went from having little confidence in our leaders and experts to having even less. We don’t trust them and our leaders and experts have themselves to blame. I present to you one of my favourite examples of cynicism to emphasize my point. It is... Read more
LAND OF MILK ‘N HONEY: Dairy farmer sells debt-ridden business, now sells prize-winning honey
MOREWOOD — Glenn Smirle hasn’t looked back since trading in his Holsteins for honeybees six years ago. Read more
OPINION: Ignoring science has damaged trust in world’s scientific institutions
John Tierney Fraser Institute There have been worse plagues than COVID, but none has ever done so much damage to the world’s scientific institutions. In the pre-COVID era, the public health establishment had been gradually falling under the sway of progressives pushing their agenda, but it retained... Read more
KEEPING IT NATURAL: Sheep farm employs horses, skips on inputs, avoids debt
LYNDHURST — In light of the extremely productive, but also very intensive manner of today’s farming, it is also possible to produce food through more of an “ecology management” technique ... Read more
ROYAL WINNING BULL: Once-in-a-lifetime deal has now spiked in value, says Perth owner
PERTH — Shane Reid was especially delighted at the performance of an American-born Black Angus yearling — Buchanan’s Bruno — in the ring at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto this past November. Reid — Bruno’s co-owner — watched as the animal, which he purchased stateside several months earlier, was r... Read more
FLORIDA TO BAN CHINA FROM BUYING FARMLAND: Canada needs to track land purchases
Canada needs to keep track of land purchases here, researcher says James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The state of Florida plans to ban Chinese nationals from buying farmland and property in the sunshine state. Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis initially expressed worry about Chinese purc... Read more
SECOND ROUND LEUKOSIS TESTING: Herd health surveillance project continues in 2023
Second round leukosis testing begins University of Guelph’s herd health surveillance project continues in 2023 GUELPH — Milk at all Ontario dairy farms will soon be sampled and tested again for several endemic bovine diseases in early 2023, as a herd health surveillance project overseen by Universi... Read more
GET’R BUILT OR LOSE QUOTA: Race to complete barn reconstruction
Get’r built or lose the quota Barn burned three years ago, race on to complete reconstruction by end of February Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FRANKFORD — Quinte West dairy farmer Maurice Suurdt has been working feverishly to wrap up reconstruction and restart milk production after a devastating f... Read more
STEVE’S MARKET MINUTE: Follow world politics to predict wheat prices
One of the most important marketing considerations as we market Ontario’s potentially record large 2023 wheat crop is that international export markets are going to become a key driver of domestic price. With the expectation that this province will harvest more than 3-million tonnes of winter wheat,... Read more
SELLING AT A LOSS: 44% of Canadian fruit and vegetable growers sold produce at a loss in 2022
44 % of Canadian fruit and vegetable growers sold produce at a loss in 2022, growers say Rebecca Lee Executive director of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada Speaking to the House of Commons agriculture committee on Dec. 5: According to Statistics Canada, fresh fruit prices were up 9.6 % in M... Read more
DERECHO REPAIR AND DESPAIR: Ottawa area farmers face insurance hassles after huge storm
Ottawa-area farmers face insurance hassles after huge storm ... Read more
BILL C-244: Why steal secrets if right-to-repair bill gives them away?
OTTAWA — Farm equipment manufacturers are sounding the alarm over proposed invasive “right to repair” legislation in Canada that will make their proprietary technology easier for China to rip off and malevolent hackers to exploit. Read more
CHATHAM FARM SHOW RETURNS: 2023 show set for Jan. 25-26
CHATHAM — After a two-year pandemic pause, the annual Chatham Kent Farm Show returns to the John D. Bradley Convention Centre on Jan. 25-26. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Local Dutch farmers glad to be in Canada
Local Dutch farmers glad to be in Canada While Dutch farmers cry in their barns, Ontario farmers don’t see doom and gloom here Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WESTERN ONTARIO — Ontario farmers continue to be concerned about Dutch farmers as the Netherlands government presses ahead to shrink herd-siz... Read more
U.S. FRUIT & VEGETABLE FARMERS GET MORE GREEN FUNDING: Growers take risks, grocery chains reap rewards
U.S. fruit and vegetable farmers get more green funding Growers take all the risks, while grocery chains reap the rewards Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada needs to level the playing field to make Canadian fruit and vegetable growers more profitable, the executive director of the Fruit and Vegetab... Read more
DELETED DATA: StatCan wipes out 25 years of food inflation information
StatCan wipes out 25 years of food inflation data, Food Professor says Read more
ONTARIO DROPS $35 MILLION: Aims to bolster food automation, address labour gaps
Ontario drops $35 million to bolster food automation and address labour gaps Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — Ontarians will eat more food grown and processed in the province 10 years from now, if all goes according to plan. The Ford government’s newly released ‘Grow Ontario’ strategy inten... Read more
BEEF FARMER RAY WINS AGAIN: Animal police loses second round
PETERBOROUGH — Ontario’s animal police have lost a second legal round in their bid to extract more than $375,000 from a 78-year-old Warsaw-area beef farmer to cover costly animal-boarding fees when 100 of his beef animals were confiscated. Read more
DOWN THE DRAIN: Ontario farmers dump 1.7 million litres of milk
Ontario farmers dump 1.7 million litres of milk One farmer dumped milk last year but got no compensation Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WESTERN ONTARIO — Nobody picked up the tab when bad winter weather forced Meaford-area dairy farmer Paul Vickers to dump milk last winter. So he was unimpressed w... Read more
OPINION: Follow world politics to predict wheat prices
One of the most important marketing considerations as we market Ontario’s potentially record large 2023 wheat crop is that international export markets are going to become a key driver of domestic price. With the expectation that this province will harvest more than 3-million tonnes of winter wheat,... Read more
OPINION: Milk producers told to dump milk after hours of waiting for milk pickup truck
There was plenty of warning of the “generational storm” forecast to hit Ontario Christmas weekend. Even if the predictions changed (as weather forecasts are prone to do) and it wasn’t expected to be as bad, it was still going to be nasty. Most started prepping mid-week, changing travel plans and Chr... Read more
CANADA SETS CORN YIELD RECORD: Ontario sets winter wheat record
Canada sets corn yield record, Ontario sets winter wheat record Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Canada’s 2022 crop season produced a record corn harvest and third-largest wheat harvest. But Ontario saw a winter wheat yield record for both soft red and soft white which cracked 100 bu/ac for the first ti... Read more
Expect strong demand for farm equipment in 2023, FCC says
Expect strong demand for farm equipment in 2023, FCC says Farmers Forum staff ONTARIO — Strong demand for increasingly expensive farm equipment will persist into 2023 despite higher interest rates, a weakening Canadian dollar and continuing low equipment inventory levels, according to a Farm Credit... Read more
Ontario beef herd numbers on decline since 2018
Ontario beef herd numbers on decline since 2018 Farmers Forum staff ONTARIO — Ontario’s beef herd numbers continued their decline in 2022, in line with an overall North American trend identified in Rabobank’s 2023 animal protein outlook. That outlook points to a continued “multi-year decline” in Nor... Read more
Top 10 stories of 2022
OTTAWA — Farmers headed into 2022 amid strong crop prices that followed one of the most bountiful growing seasons in living memory. Alongside this optimism, however, was an intensified societal malaise ... Read more
13 farm fatalities in Ontario in 2022
EASTERN ONTARIO — Last year, 13 Ontarians died in on-farm farm-related accidents. There were 9 fatalities in 2021 ... Read more
WHEN VOTING COMES TO NOTHING : Why resolutions from the OFA delegates get shot down
LONDON — Leeds County members of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture feel like they don’t get respect ... Read more
Local Dutch watch the Netherlands’ anti-ag policies and fear they are coming here
EASTERN ONTARIO — Ontario farmers continue to be concerned about Dutch farmers as the Netherlands government presses ahead to shrink herd-size and impose fertilizer cuts — and now, expropriate 3,000 farms while paying out 120 % of market value for the properties. Read more
Christmas blizzard stopped trucks, forces farmers to dump 1.7 million litres of milk
EASTERN ONTARIO — Ontario dairy farmers dumped about 1.7 million litres of milk due to the Christmas weekend blizzard that left roads impassable to traffic, including the tanker trucks that pick up milk from dairy farms every other day. Read more
January 18 deadline for On-Farm Climate Action Fund grants
ONTARIO — Ontario farmers have until Jan. 18 to apply for federal environmental money through the Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association. Individual grants range up to $30,000 for nitrogen management projects and up to $20,000 for cover-cropping or rotational grazing projects, through the s... Read more
Napanee farmer dies in blizzard on farm
NAPANEE — Sixty-three-year-old Napanee-area farmer Laurie Simpson wore a green John Deere toque as he walked out of his house around 6 p.m. to do some chores during the Christmas Eve blizzard that lashed Eastern Ontario. He never returned to the house and was found dead the next day on the property. Read more
THE BIG BETRAYAL: 190 countries sign deal to stifle global development and agriculture
TORONTO — More than 190 nations got together in Montreal this month to figure out how to protect nature from people. They came away with a deal for the world that is so vague, it’s difficult to assess what it means. Read more
Remember when experts believed interest rates would hit 1.5% at year’s end? FCC 2022 Economic Year in Review
The ever-optimistic among us hoped we’d seen the worst COVID impacts. If that were true, a moderation in demand would help to lower inflationary pressures without invoking dramatic monetary intervention from the Bank of Canada (BoC). But with inflation at 5.1% to start the year and the omicron wave... Read more
Grains innovation fund invests in new ideas from straw-pellet bedding to kitty litter and Asian-style soy cakes
GUELPH — From corn-fed beef to bran-based kitty litter, the Grain Farmers of Ontario have invested in all manner of special projects to spur increased usage and awareness of the corn, soybeans and cereals grown by member producers. Read more
OPINION: Cancel free trade
Make what we need at home, reduce pollution, create well-paying jobs Read more
BACK IN THE DAY: The Royal Winter Fair
This year was the 100th anniversary of the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Cattle judging, above, dates back to 1930. Read more
OPINION: Cover your head and ditch those big cheap red balloon-like junky Christmas things in the front yard
I got some groceries on the first snowy day in November and was rather amused to see a few shoppers come out of the store with a long handle ice scraper among their groceries ... Read more
Beef-dairy cross breeds open new beef markets
EMBRUN — Sexed semen technology allows Ontario’s dairy herds to produce hybrid beef cattle but the technology can be a double-edged sword. Read more
How to get involved or compete in seed shows
Volunteers with the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association have been working closely with seed shows in the valley since 1927. Over the decades, local involvement opportunities have continued to expand with support from farmers and agribusiness. Read more
Blackstock dairy farm wins family award
BLACKSTOCK — Add another honour to the award shelf for the owners of Altona Lea Farms in Blackstock. Read more
Potatoes could outrank grapes as Ontario’s top vegetable/fruit crop for 2022
KINBURN — At Bruce Hudson’s Kinburn farm, potatoes are a sideline compared to his 700 acres of conventional cash-crops and a commercial farrow-to-finishing hog operation. Read more
Hospital treats cow and bull attack on same day
ALMONTE — A cow and a bull claimed victory in separate attacks on humans last month. Read more
World population hits 8 billion
On November 15, the world’s population reached eight billion people. Read more
Beef-dairy cross breeds open new beef markets
THEDFORD — At Stewardson Dairy in Thedford, co-owner Jeff Stewardson estimates that a female beef-dairy calf fetches $100 more than a Holstein bull calf. The difference rises to $200 for a beef-dairy bull calf, over a Holstein bull calf. Read more
Dial-a-vet: Out-of-the-way and smaller farms now have access to a veterinarian
Need a vet but can’t get one to come to your farm? Read more
Ontario farm cash receipts up 13.5 % so far this year
ONTARIO — Ontario’s farm cash receipts continued their upward trajectory in the first three quarters of 2022. The January through September period saw Ontario farm cash receipts hit almost $14.65 billion, up 13.5 % from the same period in 2021, Statistics Canada reports. Read more
Gigantic combine-tractor in testing stage
How’s this for next-level huge? Read more
OPINION: World population growth is a marketing opportunity
On November 15, the world’s population reached eight billion people ... Read more
Chronic labour shortage: 75 % of agribusinesses say they are short-staffed and working longer hours
ONTARIO — Nearly three quarters of Canadian agribusiness owners are working more hours because they are short-staffed and nearly half are turning down sales or contracts for the same reason, according to a new Canadian Federation of Independent Business report on the negative impact of chronic labou... Read more
The Ontario Agricultural Conference returns for real Jan. 4-5; see registration details
KEMPTVILLE — For the first time in two years, the Ontario Agricultural Conference will welcome back in-person attendees in Kemptville, Waterloo and Ridgetown in January. But act fast if you want to physically attend the revived tradition: Seating is limited and registration for in-person participant... Read more
OPINION: The rich world’s climate hypocrisy
They beg for more oil and coal for themselves while telling developing lands to rely on solar and wind ... Read more
ENBRIDGE LINE 5 BATTLE: Sarnia mayor frustrated by “extremely passive approach of waiting around for treaty negotiations”
SARNIA — Newly re-elected Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer is still trying to shut down Enbridge Line 5 — even at a time when cutting off a neighbour’s energy supply reeks more of Putin-ism than environmentalism. Read more
Feds offer $1.7 billion for producers hit by USMCA
GUELPH — Canada’s supply-managed dairy, poultry and egg producers will collect billions in taxpayer funds as compensation for concessions this country made in the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement on trade. Read more
Used pickup truck prices slow down
The price of a used pickup truck by mid-2021 was 45 per cent higher than the previous year. You can thank COVID restrictions that hampered new vehicle production and interrupted supplies of new parts. Read more
Ontario farm profits jump 45.5 % in 2021
ONTARIO — Canada’s farm gross income jumped 15 % in 2021 over 2020, the largest one-year increase in 40 years, while Ontario farm profits jumped by almost 50 %, Statistics Canada reported. Read more
OTTAWA THE GRINCH: Farm groups demand return of 35 % tariff on Russian fertilizer
OTTAWA — Six farm groups are again calling on the Trudeau government to refund Canadian farmers for extra fees and costs resulting from tariffs imposed on fertilizer in 2022. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Fast and furious corn harvest
Happy with average or better but farmers feared worse ... Read more
Carbon tax exemption for farmers inches closer to getting Ottawa approval
OTTAWA — A private member’s bill to exempt grain-drying and barn-heating from the Trudeau government carbon tax will proceed to third and final vote in the House of Commons — but with an added amendment. The carbon tax exemption will expire in 8 years unless parliamentarians pass a resolution to ext... Read more
Housing bill could mean more houses in your area whether you like it or not
TORONTO — On Nov. 28, the Ontario government passed what appears to be a developers’ dream of a housing bill in hopes of getting 1.5 million new houses built in 10 years to ease what it recognizes as a housing shortage. But farm groups and family advocates are not happy. Read more
Farm Financial Fluency training available online this month
ONTARIO — Farm Management Canada and accounting firm MNP will offer six-hour online ‘Farm Financial Fluency’ training programs for hog and beef producers this month. Read more
OFA passes 19 resolutions for change at annual meeting
LONDON — Delegates at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s 2022 annual general meeting passed 19 of 27 resolutions on Nov. 22. Read more
STEVE KELL: Don’t confuse harvest speed with crop size
One of the things which Ontario grain farmers are going to remember about the 2022 harvest for many years is just how fast this year’s harvest went ... Read more
Province to extend gas tax cut for another year
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford is extending the government’s gas tax cut for another year, lowering gas taxes by 5.7 cents per litre. Read more
OFA has another stellar year with healthy profit
Financial statements reveal $9.6 million earned in membership fees ... Read more
THE SWITCH: Peterborough farm family winners move from beef to vegetables and love it
INDIAN RIVER — Kevin Cornish and wife Janet Dawson started their vegetable business with just two acres of sweet corn and a serve-yourself farm stand at the end of their driveway. Read more
Good weather, quick harvest, makes it feel like a bumper crop
JOHNSTOWN — Trucks were lined up at the Port of Johnstown Nov. 10 as the facility continued to take in the region’s soybean crop in advance of the corn crop that was soon to follow. Read more
Food cost concerns reach historic highs
The cost of food remains the top concern for Canadians and is the main factor influencing purchasing decisions, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) reported. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Eye-popping corn yields
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Under excellent harvest conditions, farmers made quick work of the 2022 corn crop that ranged from average to extremely bountiful. Growers reported near-record yields in Eastern Ontario, dropping to more average production levels in Central Ontario a... Read more
82-year-old dairy farmer dies in on-farm truck accident
CASSELMAN — Daniel Coulange was already a middle-aged farmer and a veteran of the Algerian war when he immigrated from France to Canada with his wife, Hélène, and their three children. Read more
Emergencies Act Inquiry: Freeland says elected officials not involved in Farm Credit Canada blacklisting
OTTAWA — In her turn on the public inquiry stand yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland testified that elected officials were not involved in Farm Credit Canada’s customer blacklisting activities after the Trudeau government invoked the Emergencies Act last February. Read more
Beef king Billy racks up 40 ribbons
INDIAN RIVER — It was an impressive showing for the Indian River Cattle Company and the Elmhirst family who won 40 ribbons in their return to Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair after a pandemic pause. Read more
Eastern Ontario heifer wins at World Dairy Expo and Royal
Third win at national level Holstein show in one year ... Read more
MacLean farm of Kingston devastated by fire
KINGSTON — More than 70 purebred Holstein died in a barn fire at the MacLean family farm east of Kingston on Nov. 14. The owners managed to save only 14 animals from the ‘Duart’ prefix herd — a mix of bred heifers and dry cows. Read more
THE ROYAL IS BACK
TORONTO — The thundering hooves on the 6-horse hitch were back. So were the bull riders, trick dogs, and prize-winning cheeses, apples and butter tarts ... Read more
Ontario farmers see risk management program as vital to the economics of farming, study shows
OTTAWA — A new study, commissioned by a coalition of farming organizations, evaluated the risk management program (RMP) and self-directed risk management program (SDRM) and found that almost all farmers say the programs are vital for their operations. Read more
20 tips for preparing seed show samples
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column County seed shows are coming again in the spring — and now is the time to think about getting ready! Volunteers of the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association put their heads together and came up with their best tips to help you prepare. Find out when your So... Read more
19-year-old pays $11,000 for cow that later wins show
2022 Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec Holstein Show Read more
First farm to earn cash from cow gas
ILDERTON — A London-area dairy farm is first in the province to sell methane — produced from cow manure and other waste — directly into the natural gas grid, and enough to supply 1,300 homes. Read more
Farmers need to take precautions as farm theft on the rise
Farm theft and trespassing incidents are increasing, and sadly, it’s a trend that is expected to continue as people struggle with inflation and growing fears of economic recession, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture reports. Read more
MAYNARD’S FARM HISTORY QUIZ: Question 1 is a stumper
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County I’m a history buff and was reading through the Renfrew County Federation of Agriculture’s first minute book that begins in 1941 and goes to 1960. There are over 300 large pages filled with handwritten minutes. It’s slow reading and much of the handwriting is har... Read more
COMMENTARY: Nothing like waiting until the last minute
Angela Dorie Backroads Nothing like waiting until the last minute DFO demands for more milk with little warning leave farmers scrambling The morning of October 1, 2022, the men here got up early and hurried to the barn, just as they had a month earlier on September 1, 2022 and on numer... Read more
Join Progressive Dairy Operators on California trip this February
GUELPH — See how individual farms milk thousands of cows with the latest technology in California. A dozen agriculture- and dairy-industry stops are scheduled during an extensive tour of the Golden State being organized this February by the Guelph-based Progressive Dairy Operators organization. High... Read more
88-year-old man dies in Perth East after one tractor rolls into another
PERTH EAST — An 88-year-old man was killed while working on a tractor Nov. 10 in the Township of Perth East. Read more
Jaylor feed-mixer dealership opens at Winchester
Mejer Ag offers made in Ontario product ... Read more
Ontario less free than it used to be, think tank study says
VANCOUVER — Ontario is not as economically free as it used to be. The province trails all American states and ranks only above Mexico in the latest North America economic freedom index published by the Fraser Institute. Read more
Rebuilding after the storm
McFaddens to rebuild bigger dairy barn with robots ... Read more
Potato harvest variable but dismal at unirrigated farm
HAMILTON — Variable precipitation had an impact on this year’s potato crop in southwestern Ontario, especially if the operator didn’t have irrigation. Read more
Young farmers place speed above safety
23% of farms report a serious injury or close call in one year ... Read more
HEALTH CRISIS HITS RURAL HOSPITALS
Nurses quit, emergency departments close down ... Read more
OPINION: Crisis of encouragement
Troubled American actor Shia LaBeouf found God while living in his truck in California. He had come to the end of himself, presumably finding nothing much left that he liked and even had a gun on a table ... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Shifting yields, but many see better corn yield than expected
BORNHOLM — This year’s Ontario corn crop was nothing if not variable as combines started rolling into the region’s corn fields last month. Read more
OPINION: How do we adjust our marketing strategy for winter wheat?
One of the really interesting things about the fall of 2022 has been how good the weather was for harvesting beans, (both edibles, and soys), and replanting those fields into winter wheat. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop report
Corn harvest underway in most areas by Nov. 2. Progress ranged from just started to over 50% complete ... Read more
Teen trapped in skid steer, airlifted to hospital
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MOOREFIELD — A teenaged boy was airlifted to hospital after his leg was crushed Oct. 29 at a Mapleton Township dairy farm, north of Kitchener in Wellington County, local firefighters say. The teen was operating a skid steer loader near the concrete wall of a manure pi... Read more
Young child struck, killed by tractor in Waterloo Region
WATERLOO REGION — A young girl was struck and killed by a tractor as it backed up in rural Woolwich Township in Waterloo Region. Read more
Two-time North American top Harvestore salesman retires
Henk Huizenga found his calling in sales at age 49 Read more
THE LONGEST YEAR: Acredale Farms lost its entire milking herd in a devastating fire and it’s taking months to recover
MANOTICK — It only took 15 minutes for the fire to rip through the tie-stall barn and wipe out 127 dairy cattle, including 85-milking cows. Read more
Carbon tax exemption could be here by Christmas
Future of Bill C-234 looks promising ... Read more
No glee in Ontario over New Zealand proposal to tax cattle burps and farts
Ontario dairy farmers not amused ... Read more
EAST: Crop report
A leaf frost (-2 C) on October 3rd capped CHU accumulation at 3150 for the season, which is in line with normal ... Read more
SURPRISE, SURPRISE: A recession around the corner after recent ruinous economic policies
OTTAWA — The experts predict a recession for Canada early next year as fallout of rising inflation and interest rates spurred by massive pandemic spending and soaring energy prices. Read more
FCC forecast: Excellent crop prices for 2022-23
CANADA — As this year’s harvest draws to a close, Farm Credit Canada foresees “excellent” prices for the 2022-23 crop-marketing year in soybeans, canola, lentils and durum wheat. While well above the 5-year price average, the current period will fall short of the highs for those commodities seen in... Read more
HERE COME THE JUDGES: What they look for in cows at the Royal
TORONTO — The judges are eager to put their discerning skills back to work in the cattle show ring at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto this month, following a two-year pandemic pause. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Solid soybean yields but highly variable fields
MANOTICK — Eastern Ontario farmers have been seeing high variability in soybean yields but overall have seen above-average yields, Winchester agronomist Gilles Quesnel says. Read more
ORANGE HEAVEN
At front, Warren Abrams puts a pumpkin on the wagon. Other workers are Denholme Angus, Stedley Neil and Dennis Black. Read more
17-year-old Eastern Ontario girl finishes second at World Dairy Expo
MADISON, WISCONSIN – Nadia Uhr, 17, took a Jersey heifer to near the top of her age division in the Youth Showmanship Contest at last month’s World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Read more
PUBLIC COMMISSION: Why was the Emergencies Act needed to quash non-violence?
OTTAWA — Former Ottawa police chief Steve Bell offered a novel way of looking at violence during the Freedom Convoy protest in downtown Ottawa in February. According to his own testimony at the Public Order Emergency Commission, Bell didn’t say there were violent acts but that he “felt” violence. Wh... Read more
None the worse for wear: Farmer takes liquid-manure dip
WISCONSIN — Will Scholze was up to his chest in liquid manure while operating a bulldozer that slid into a cow manure pit. Read more
Food inflation hit highest rate in 41 years, in September
CANADA — Grocery prices in September were up 11.4% from a year earlier, the fastest food-inflation pace in 41 years. Not since August 1981, when Pierre Trudeau was prime minister, have Canadians witnessed a higher (11.9%) year-over-year rise in the cost of store-bought food, according to the latest... Read more
Quebec farm dominates at Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec Holstein Show
METCALFE — The first cow ever purchased by Samuel Guay, 19, of Ferme Lolisee in Brownburg-Chatham, Que., turned out to be grand champion at the 2022 Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec Holstein Show last month. A friend described 5-year-old Berwen Avalanche Fantom as “Sam’s baby.” “I knew she was the one... Read more
Tractors aren’t treated the same as other vehicles
ONTARIO — Farm tractors are treated quite differently from other road users, under the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario. The Workers Safety and Prevention Services (which now includes the former Farm Safety Association of Ontario) published a handy guide to remind everyone — farmers and police officer... Read more
Farmer calls 9-1-1 on “rogue” officer
Rules of the road not well understood by police and farmers ... Read more
He rides broncos and bulls and, so far, no broken bones
ELMIRA — The rollicking, bone-crushing rodeo ring is a long way from the tranquil world of horses and cattle on the old-order Mennonite farm where Lester Bowman grew up. Read more
THE NETHERLANDS: Gov’t crackdown could force sale of 600 farms
Farmers Forum staff NETHERLANDS — Ontario farmers standing with protesting Dutch farmers over draconian plans to limit farming in the Netherlands are now fearing the worst. Six hundred Dutch farmers face the forced sale of their farms to their unmoved national government in the next year, according... Read more
HELICOPTER CRASHES NOT SO UNCOMMON: Crop dusting pilot at Brantford did not see low-hanging lines
BRANTFORD — More than one year after a helicopter crashed while spraying a Brantford-area farmer’s field, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada issued its official report, concluding the pilot’s view was obscured by the early morning “glare from the sun” when it crashed into the “unexpected posi... Read more
SHOCK: Farmer’s storm water management fee jumps 10,000 %
RICHMOND HILL — Crop farmer Paul Doner has become the latest victim of urban government overreach. But for many, it is not a surprise. He is one of the few farmers remaining in the city of Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, where farming is not well understood. Read more
Man dies after motorcycle and farm tractor collision
WEST LINCOLN — A motorcyclist died after sustaining serious injuries in a collision with a farm tractor Oct. 11 in West Lincoln Township. Read more
In days of prim and proper and the one-room
There were 26 students at this Richmond-area quarried limestone school back in 1907 at 7511 Trail Road. It eventually closed in the 1960s. Like so many one-room school houses, this one was sold and became a family home. Author of the One Room Schoolhouse, Joy Forbes drew up a list of rules for “Byto... Read more
She’s launched a new look in barnyard attire
KEMPTVILLE — Brantford-area market gardener Nicole Toebes always found men’s overalls too bulky. So the mother of three young children and wife of a local dairy farm manager took matters into her own hands. In September 2020, she and her husband launched their own line of workwear — Mudeas (pronounc... Read more
OPINION: With all the major advancements what have we lost?
There have been major advances in farming over the years, but what have we lost? Our son owns our old McCormick International 80 pull type combine, built in the early’50s if not earlier. In August there was an antique combine day held a few miles away and our combine was one of the participants. Eac... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Is farming more stressful today than five years ago?
Inflation, new regulations, increasing taxes and volatile commodity markets can contribute to the feeling that farming is getting tougher and tougher ... Read more
Local Conservation Authority manager takes charge of all 36 watersheds
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FINCH — The South Nation River watershed authority has spawned a new leader at the organization representing all 36 watershed — or conservation — authorities in the province. Angela Coleman left her general manager’s position at South Nation Conservation Sept. 19 to b... Read more
ABOUT TIME: Ottawa to investigate grocery store prices
Ottawa will investigate food prices. It’s about time. By Sylvain Charelbois With the hype caused by the scandal at Hockey Canada, few noticed last week that Ottawa decided to investigate food prices and the alleged abuse by large grocery chains. This was decided by the Parliamentary Standi... Read more
9-year-old wants to be a beef farmer; sells bird houses to buy his first calf
Farmers Forum staff OMEMEE — Nine-year-old Cameron Ormiston aspires to be a beef farmer like his parents at Windyvew Farm, so he’s building and selling birdhouses to start his own herd. The resourceful youngster is beginning modestly, with a single calf. His birdhouse project has so far raised about... Read more
Canadians react to food inflation and grow their own gardens, seek food bargains
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois Dalhousie University Retail food has increased by 11 per cent in one year, according to Statistics Canada. What are some Canadians doing about it? 15.5 per cent of Canadians have started growing their own food, just in the last year. Canadians have been trying to cope with hi... Read more
Combine-driving farmer calls 9-1-1 after cop pulls him over
ORILLIA — Cash-cropper Mike Sternberg says he had to call 9-1-1 on a “rogue” police officer who pulled over his combine and demanded to see the “licence” to operate it. Except there’s no licence of any kind required for a combine. The Highway Traffic Act exempts farm tractor and combine operators fr... Read more
Rise of the Black Knight
Farmers Forum staff WOODSTOCK — Case IH has revived its rare “Black Knight” painted tractor in an extremely limited edition of its Magnum 310 model, the company’s most popular-selling tractor. One out of only 12 made for North America and the only one in Eastern Canada was displayed at Canada’s Out... Read more
Thanksgiving is all about gratitude
I was perplexed by Reader’s Digest’s 66 reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving. Many of their reasons seem to be way off my way of thinking. One of the prime reasons why people are so discontent with life is that they are not appreciating the things that we already have. We have so much to [... Read more
What is your favourite song while working on the farm?
KEMPTVILLE — The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo in Kemptville last month included more than 40 entertainment acts. On some days, the expo felt more like a music festival. For fun, Farmers Forum asked visiting farmers the song they most like to sing or hum while farming? Not sure we want... Read more
Helicopter crashed due to glare from sun and unusual position of overhead wires: report
Farmers Forum staff BRANTFORD — More than one year after a helicopter crashed while spraying a Brantford-area farmer’s field, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada issued its official report, concluding the pilot’s view was obscured by the early morning “glare from the sun” when it crashed into... Read more
WEST: Crop report, October 2022
Soybeans: A very variable situation: some fields look gorgeous, others do not. Read more
Grain farmers want Ottawa to respect farmers, end fertilizer emissions cuts
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — With future yields at stake, Ontario’s grain farmers are insisting that Ottawa respect their already judicious use of fertilizer and sustainable farming methods, including the longstanding ‘4R’ nutrient stewardship strategy. The sector’s existing practices are highlighte... Read more
Quebec co-op to sell six Ontario grain elevator operations
Shetland, Staples, Talbotville, Princeton, Becher and Palmerston locations to be sold Read more
Farms walk a fine line on their finances, FCC says
Farmers Forum staff Farm Credit Canada’s chief economist says that Canadian agriculture remains well positioned to weather higher interest rates — though J.P. Gervais concedes there is a limit to that resilience. It all depends how high rates go, and the key overnight rate now stands at 3.25%. He sa... Read more
Small businesses and farms are the best job creators
OTTAWA — Canada has 1.2 million small businesses, who employ more people than government, making small businesses the largest employer in the country, according to a 2021 Department of Industry report Key Small Business Statistics. Small operators account for 38 per cent of private sector GDP and a... Read more
RISE OF THE INNOVATORS: They are named young farmers of the year
DELHI — Tobacco and hard work made it possible for David and Jenn VanDeVeld to transform their Delhi farm into a successful market garden and local vegetable retail operation known as ‘Wholesome Pickins.’ Read more
Ontario farmland values shoot up 28 % in one year
REGINA — Despite higher interest rates, farmland values shot up over the last year, jumping almost 28 per cent in Ontario from July, 2021 to the end of June, 2022, rising faster than in any other province. Average farmland values continued to increase in most parts of Canada, according to a mid-year... Read more
Cardinal semen seller honoured at Wisconsin’s World Dairy Expo for opening markets to the world
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MADISON — In 1981, Mark Comfort noticed that his then-employer, Eastern Breeders, was barely tapping American bulls to improve the Canadian dairy herd. EBI used only 16 units of U.S. semen while servicing an area with nearly 150,000 dairy cattle that year, according... Read more
Record amount of corn, soybeans insured: 3.81 million acres enrolled
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Ontario farmers planted a record amount of corn and a near-record amount of soybeans in 2022, so it’s no surprise that crop insurance coverage is up. Enrolled land with corn and soybeans respectively reached 1.66 million acres and 2.15 million acres this year, according... Read more
EDITORIAL: He’s clear, concise, concrete and can tell a great story
The new leader of the Conservative Party has become well-known for churning out short one-and-two-minute videos that are entertaining, educational and tell a strong message. His team is putting out TikTok and YouTube videos that are often simply Pierre Poilievre standing up and asking straightforwar... Read more
STEVE’S MARKET MINUTE: South America will tell us the future bean price
Soybean pricing and marketing opportunities are on everyone’s mind as we work to get this year’s crop put away. What’s been really interesting this fall is how radically different the northern and southern hemisphere soybean crops are turning out to be and how those situations could pull prices i... Read more
ELEVATORS FORCED TO TIE UP TOO MUCH CREDIT: Agricorp demands millions as security, some grain operators say
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum NORTH GOWER — Some unhappy Ontario elevator operators say that Agricorp is making it harder to renew their grain dealer licenses and is treating their operations as extra risky these days because of higher commodity prices. They complain that Agricorp now requi... Read more
New livestock trucking paperwork ignored but you can now be fined
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The enforcement grace period on Canada’s updated livestock trucking regulations ended last February and has not been extended, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. A two-year “compliance promotion period” around mandated intervals for feeding, watering and r... Read more
Grape harvest drops 50% but not in Eastern Ontario
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TWEED — Ontario’s grape production was expected to drop 50% from last year, although the stories of discontent vary from vineyard to vineyard. The Ontario Grape Growers was projecting a 42,000 tonne grape harvest this fall, down from the 82,000 tonnes yielded on the p... Read more
HOW TO FIGHT BACK: When the law overreaches and you feel alone, you need a landowner strategy to push back
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum STITTSVILLE — Conservation Authorities are still among the worst offenders when it comes to government overreach, says the feisty Ontario Landowners Association, which has an excellent track record of racking up victories for the little guy. They say the best tools to... Read more
POILIEVRE: Loved and loathed
Farmers Forum staff According to the political pundits the new federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is either a breath of fresh air, a fire-breathing dragon or something in between. What he is not is barely breathing. He is a man on a mission, full of pep and ideas and with an answer for alm... Read more
MANITOBA BOUND: Two farm boys go west where farms are bigger and jobs are plentiful
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GLENGARRY — Two 18-year-old Glengarry County farm boys have been living out the classic Canadian call to adventure and opportunity, by heading west. After almost three days of driving just to get out of Ontario, Malcolm ‘Mac’ McRae and Liam Spence crossed the border i... Read more
Big apples, great harvest
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum BROCKVILLE — The 2022 apple crop is looking great, producers say, as aapples are bigger and there are more of them. “We’ve got a fantastic crop this year,” Chris Hall, owner at Hall’s Apple Orchard, said in mid-September, just as the operation was set to switch from... Read more
Metcalfe Fair makes big comeback
METCALFE — The Metcalfe Fair didn’t skip a beat as it returned in full form for the first time in two years during the first weekend of October. The fair’s 166th edition tapped into pent-up demand for large gatherings and events in the community south of urban Ottawa. Big crowds turned o... Read more
EAST: Crop Report
Eastern Ontario Corn • From May 1 – Sept. 25: 3100 CHUs (50 over average) • Precipitation May 1 – Sept. 25: average 450 mm. • Corn maturity roughly a week behind normal. • Yields expected to be above average. • Killing frost (stalks and leaves) at 1/2 kernel milk line reduces yields b... Read more
Strong corn and soybean yields projected for Eastern Ontario
EASTERN ONTARIO — Ontario’s two most popular crop assessment tours are both projecting strong corn and soybean yields this season— but nothing like a record in either commodity. Statistics Canada also sees it the same way. The recently concluded 13th annual Great Lakes Grain Assessment Tour... Read more
Farmer Wellness draws night owls
GUELPH — A “very significant” number of calls to the Farmer Wellness helpline are being made in the wee hours, after midnight and before 6 a.m., according to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. More precise figures on those reaching out to the free service are not currently available. The Farmer... Read more
HELP IS OUT THERE: List of mental health contacts for you or a neighbour in a dark place
OTTAWA — Research reveals that farmers have much higher rates of stress than the rest of the population and living in rural areas, as well as stigma, can make seeking help more difficult. But help is out there for those who need it and for those who can help a neighbour. Here is a […] Read more
CALL FOR ANIMAL POLICE PROBE: BFO inspired by Peterborough farmer billed $400,000 for care of confiscated cows
The appeal process could take months, meanwhile Walter Ray, who was never charged with any offence in connection with the case is left on “pins and needles”. Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) are calling for a review of Ontario’s animal welfare s... Read more
BIGGEST CASE IN CANADA: Mainstream media ignores vaccine mandate court challenge
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers have been saying for months that they have been following the science and the advice of their experts on COVID-19. Explosive testimony in federal court says otherwise ... Read more
Roseneath Lintons: A family of plowing champions
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum KEMPTVILLE — Terry Linton and his two sons are a trio of champions at the International Plowing Match. He has won the horse plow competition (his class is the walking plow single furrow) at least six times and at the last IPM in 2019 his son Brad finished first. His sec... Read more
Bull tossed him right into the crowd
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum KEMPTVILLE — A bucking bronco sent Allan Mussell flying high over an 8-foot-tall corral fence and into the spectator stands. His cowboy boots were the last thing to slip from view as he disappeared headfirst — and backwards — into the crowd. That wild ride in St-Tite,... Read more
5 DAYS OF PLOWING, CAMPING AND ENTERTAINMENT
KEMPTVILLE — The 2022 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo drew 67,128 visitors to the Kemptville area last month exceeding the goal of 60,000, as the Ontario Plowmen’s Association revived its annual provincial event after a two-year pandemic pause. The 103rd IPM also marked its first time bac... Read more
Record amount of corn, soybeans insured
Farmers Forum staff GUELPH — Ontario farmers planted a record amount of corn and a near-record amount of soybeans in 2022, so it’s likely no surprise that crop insurance coverage is up. Enrolled land with corn and soybeans respectively reached 1.66 million acres and 2.15 million acres... Read more
Who’s who at Queen’s Park
TORONTO — Your Member of Provincial Parliament is back at work. Following the recent June provincial election here are four MPPs worth watching. Sam Oosterhoff MPP (PC-Niagara West) It is almost always a treat to see a young, energetic kid, filled with ideas and a dream, stick it to the establishm... Read more
New paperwork law not popular with livestock truckers
CARGILL — The federal regulation requiring livestock truckers to document if the animals they’re carrying were recently fed, watered and rested is prompting a collective shrug in southwestern Ontario cattle country — nearly eight months after the authorities supposedly began enforcing the poorly und... Read more
RAM trucks popular among thieves who don’t need keys
TORONTO — Farmers beware: Pickup trucks are among the most stolen vehicles in the nation, whether you leave the key in the ignition or not. Read more
OPINION: Memories of summer threshing
1958 Canadian documentary captures harvest time Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop report
A bit of corn silage was harvested on some moisture-stressed elds. Whole plant moisture should be monitored for ideal harvest time depending on storage method. Read more
Good wheat harvest but fewer acres planted
HANOVER — Southwestern Ontario’s wheat harvest turned out well — though the number of acres harvested was down substantially because of challenges at seeding time last fall. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: God doesn’t make more land — but StatCan does
Statistics Canada says Chatham-Kent farmland increased but locals say that’s impossible Read more
Farm protection from cyberattacks almost non-existent
U of G researcher says farmers need to ensure their technology can ward off cyber threats Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Is it more stressful to be a farmer today than 5 years ago?
Farmers Forum asked them if farming is more stressful today than five years ago. Yes, they mostly said. Read more
OPINION: Angela’s very unfortunate gardening adventure
In retrospect, our apple trees should have been an omen of what our gardening success was to be this summer. All ten along our lane flowered towards the end of an extended hot spell. A day later the temperatures plummeted and the winds picked up, ripping petals off the blossoms and turning our lane... Read more
Four students receive $2,500 scholarships
OTTAWA — The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association recently presented scholarships to four exceptional Eastern Ontario youth who are planning to pursue a career in agriculture. Read more
Canola hard to harvest but growers see more upside in the future
As September approached, Eastern Ontario’s canola crop looked good, and the winter variety showed particular promise. Read more
SCREAMFEST: Advocacy groups attack foreign worker program; farm groups stay calm, resort to facts
HAMILTON — Ken Forth doesn’t like to be screamed at. But he was under attack for three hours in an online Zoom call in early August. Read more
FUTURE IS HERE: Garbage truck powered by cow manure
LONDON — A garbage truck is using waste to pick up waste. It’s powered by manure from local cows. Bluewater Recycling Association, which collects waste from more than 20 municipalities in Middlesex, Huron, Perth and Lambton counties, has unveiled a waste collection truck that runs on renewable natur... Read more
New paperwork law mostly ignored by livestock truckers
EASTERN ONTARIO — A new federal regulation requiring livestock truckers to document if the animals they’re carrying were recently fed, watered and rested appears to have about as much muscle behind it — and about as much relevance — as the law requiring bells on bicycles. Read more
Small businesses screwed by COVID rules, survey finds
Nearly four in five (78%) small business owners are still dealing with pandemic stress. Read more
NEW CONSERVATIVE LEADER: No fertilizer restrictions (Video: 26 sec.)
https://youtu.be/BzNCNUlsHcM Read more
CONTRAST: POILIEVRE CALLS FOR FREEDOM (Video: 44 sec.)
https://youtu.be/CjCn29OKZKs Read more
Vet shortage for large animals off the beaten track
Lack of veterinarians in Haliburton area leaves farmers on their own Read more
Inquiry calls on public to share Freedom Convoy experience
Farmers, truckers and their supporters who took part in the Freedom Convoy in downtown Ottawa in February are beginning to feel vindicated as more evidence comes out. Read more
Sweet corn “nice and sweet”
Sweet Corn nice and sweet this year, but sales drop to pre-COVID levels Read more
Ottawa plan to reduce farm emissions 30 % by 2030 is “reckless,” University of Guelph prof says
The federal government’s plan to reduce agricultural emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 would mean reducing the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers that are necessary for sustainable harvests, says a University of Guelph plant agriculture researcher, who calls the plan “reckless and not serious.” Read more
Canada’s Outdoor farm show at Woodstock is back
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is back. Stymied by the pandemic for the last two years, the show returns full-bore Sept. 13-15 near Woodstock, Ontario Read more
Farmers Forum celebrates 30 years in Eastern Ontario, 10 years in Western Ontario
OTTAWA — Farmers Forum newspaper has been telling it like it is in Eastern Ontario since 1992 and this year celebrated its 30th anniversary. The newspaper has had a loyal following from its humble beginnings in the founder’s basement. “Our advertisers and readers have been extremely loyal,” said ed... Read more
Locals fight prison on former Kemptville College grounds
Locals fight prison on former Kemptville College grounds Read more
PRICE TIP: Watch Eastern markets and southern price
The question that Ontario farmers need to wrestle with is not if prices can remain strong through this fall and winter, but rather how to set reasonable and realistic targets for crops as this market unfolds. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: God doesn’t make more land — but farmers do. . . by clear-cutting
EASTERN ONTARIO — God doesn’t make land anymore but farmers do. They are increasing cropland in the five Eastern-most counties of Ontario, led by Prescott-Russell. Those two counties increased cropland by 10.3% between 2011 and 2021. Read more
Brinston dairy farmer leads charge to build 310 biogas facilities to handle Canada’s dairy manure
One of the first bio-digesters in the pilot project is currently being built at Nick Thurler’s dairy farm near Brinston. Read more
Grey County dairy farmer killed in tractor and wagon accident
FLESHERTON — A respected Grey County dairy farmer lost his life Aug. 25 in a farm accident outside Flesherton. Brian Betts, 58, was pronounced dead at a local hospital, where he was transported after the incident involving a tractor and wagon. Paramedics and other first responders were called to the... Read more
OPINION: Rethink the plan on fertilizer
If you want the Liberal government’s version of the story, go to the Liberal government-owned news agency. Read more
USED EQUIPMENT: Expensive and hard to find
Prices of used farm equipment have increased by at least 20 per cent Read more
53 MIGRANT WORKERS VS. OPP: Police discriminated against migrant workers in 2013 rape case
Tribunal rules police wrongly targeted black migrant workers in 2013 rape case Read more
SURVEY: 1 in 4 farmers had suicidal thoughts
Canadian farmers are thinking about suicide at a rate twice as high as the general public, according to a new survey by University of Guelph researchers who found deteriorating mental health among farmers in the last five years. Read more
Foster’s grain elevators celebrate 15 years
Customers bring their grain to North Gower Grains from a broad swath of Eastern Ontario and beyond, from the Quebec border and all the way across to Napanee. Nine-hundred of them typically show up at Foster’s annual customer appreciation day that recently resumed this summer after a two-year pandemi... Read more
EAST: Crop Report
Eastern Ontario Corn • 2,650 CHUs from May 1 to August 31, 50 CHUs above normal. • Total precipitation from May 1 to end of August, 415 mm, 50 mm above average. • Corn disease pressure remains low. • Good stand establishment, timely rains point to above-average yields. Soybeans • Maturity was genera... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Exceptional wheat yield at exceptional prices
MORRISBURG — When all was said and done, Eastern Ontario’s wheat crop came in much better than average during last month’s harvest. Read more
Kemptville IPM booked more than 40 entertainment acts
KEMPTVILLE — After a two-year hiatus, the annual International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) revs back to life this month with the traditional spectacle and array of attractions spread over hundreds of acres over five days. Read more
Chesterville’s Jimmy Wise acquitted of murder
WINCHESTER — Trouble seemed to follow Jimmy Wise everywhere. And some of it was of his own doing. Read more
Child killed under skid steer on Peterborough-area farm
A young child was trapped under a skid steer at a farm north of Omemee and was pronounced dead at the scene on the evening of Tuesday, August 23. Read more
SHOCK: Not charged but animal police took his cows anyway and billed him $400K in boarding fees — He fought back and won. They appeal
Animal police take man’s cows, charge him $375,000 for housing them elsewhere; Tribunal slashes fee, says cows were not in distress but the animal police appeal Read more
New Statistics Canada report analyzes reasons for beef price hikes
OTTAWA — What has contributed most to rising beef prices at the checkout counter in the last couple of years? Statistics Canada comes up with some answers in a new report issued Sept. 2. From slaughter to supermarket: how supply-chains inform beef prices concludes that cost pressures largely arose i... Read more
WEATHER FORECAST: Dry harvest
EASTERN ONTARIO — The 2022 growing season benefited from some of the best spring and summer weather conditions ever recorded in Eastern Ontario (and Ontario generally), and it’s a good bet that positive trend will carry through with good, dry harvest conditions over the next couple of months, Enviro... Read more
OPINION: Sometimes a dog can be a bird’s best friend
Angela Dorie Backroads Our day-old turkey poults arrived in the middle of June, another step to self sufficiency (aka spending as little at the grocery store as possible). We haven’t raised any chicks or poults for many years and the 10 foot by 10 foot log building we had built for them was... Read more
OPINION: My advice to the plowing match:
Ensure grounds are smooth for walking and don’t turn it into a flea market Read more
Timing is everything for weed management
Consideration of species and emergence key to control Read more
Grain Growers of Canada want farmer-led plan for net zero emissions
The Grain Growers of Canada says it wants to work with government to achieve net zero carbon emissions, but not be told how it must do so. Read more
Canada’s health care system is not free
VANCOUVER – Canada’s health care is “free,” right? Read more
FARMLAND INCREASE: Western Ontario cropland increases 2.5 per cent over 10 years
SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — Disappearing farmland? The reality on the ground in southwestern and Western Ontario contrasts with recent OFA messaging on the topic, at least in terms of productive farmland used for crops. Read more
Back in the Day: Hopping on a bad hat day
Hop pickers at Bert Cooper’s Bloomfield farm pose for a photo in 1902. By one account, a good worker could earn a measly $12.50 per month filling baskets with hops or by what was also called hopping. By other accounts, each day of picking was long and monotonous. Wrote Englishman Henry Johnson the s... Read more
Dutch family comes to Canada for its lifestyle and looks to buy dairy farm
TILLSONBURG — Kornelis Schaafsma sold off the family dairy farm in the Netherlands earlier this year. Now he’s searching for a replacement here in Ontario, and the pickings are slim. Read more
VIDEO (7:58): 310 biogas facilities planned for Canadian dairy farmers to hit ‘net-zero’
CANADA — Canada's dairy farmers are planning to transform much of their cow manure into green energy as a key part of the industry's pledge to be 'net zero' by 2050. Read more
If this is unceded, unsurrendered native territory, Do I own my land?
“Unceded territory” terminology is being used flippantly — a native land claim will not take away your farm, historian says Read more
OPINION: Politicians made horrific mistake
Matthew Lau Fraser Institute Another school year has come to an end. Eventually, there must be a full accounting of the extraordinary restrictions of economic and civil liberties that governments imposed in the past two-plus years to mitigate the pandemic. The evidence—what was justifiable, what was... Read more
WEST: Crop report, August 2022
Soybeans: A very variable situation: some fields look gorgeous, others do not. Read more
Beef farmers adapt to rise and fall of plant-based fake meats
Ed Hand Farmers Forum The death knell for the beef industry due to plant-based options has been grossly exaggerated. The worry over Beyond Meat and the Impossible Burger replacing beef has dimmed. “It’s lost its lustre,” according to Sylvain Charlebois, Canadian researcher and professor in food dist... Read more
Nadia Uhr captures overall individual championship at EastGlen 4-H dairy showcase
SPENCERVILLE — The cattle ring in Spencerville returned to life July 5-6 as EastGen’s 4-H dairy showcase was back in action after a two-year pandemic pause. Nadia Uhr of North Stormont captured the overall individual championship while showing ‘Rapid Bay Tequila in the Dark,’ a jersey calf owned by... Read more
Resized IPM next year in Dufferin County’s Bowling Green and Laurel communities
DUFFERIN — A “resized” International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) will take place on farmers’ fields around the rural communities of Bowling Green and Laurel, Dufferin County, next year. Although Dufferin was previously announced as the site of the 2023 IPM, the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (... Read more
No off-farm income here
38% of Ontario beef farms report no off-farm income Read more
Watch for travelling display of Eastern Ontario’s ag hall of famers
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column Four Eastern Ontario ag community leaders of the past and the present all have something in common. Dwayne Acres of Osgoode, Vera Mitchell of Metcalfe, Jack James of Russell and William Schouten of Richmond are among an impressive list of contributors to Ontar... Read more
OPINION: Net-zero on the road to ugly
Patrick Meagher Editor The Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) has embraced net-zero by 2050 and have persuaded hard-working dairy farmers to embrace the same goal. And who wouldn’t? Tell me you have a plan to save the planet and “I’m in.” I’m “all in” if the alternative is global warming to such a degree... Read more
Consumers buy local to support farms, study says
HALIFAX— Local food enjoys popular sentiment in Canada but not at the cash register. Read more
Stockdales carry on family tradition
Young couple wins prestigious Peterborough County Agriculture Leadership Award Read more
CNG Power: Spiking fuel costs create buzz for compressed natural gas
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum The surging price of diesel is sparking some renewed interest in cheaper “compressed natural gas” (CNG) to fuel the internal combustion engines of agriculture. Exhibit A: The buzz created by New Holland’s U.S. release of a new 100-hp tractor that runs on CNG. Natural... Read more
OPINION: Slow and steady is the way to market wheat
In 2021, Ontario harvested about 1.1 million acres of wheat at an average yield of 94 bushels per acre for a total crop of slightly over 2.8 million metric tonnes. In 2022 with fewer seeded acres, Ontario will likely have harvested 600,000 acres of wheat, and if our yields stay around the trendline... Read more
Farm numbers decline but women are now 30 per cent of all farmers
Trailblazer Dianne Harkin fought for farm women to be counted in the 1970s Read more
How many wind turbines are needed to replace Ontario gas plants?
PICTON – Former bank executive Parker Gallant is like a one-man shadow cabinet minister when it comes to green energy. Read more
Meet Me on Main Street returns
CHESTERVILLE — After a two-year pandemic hiatus, the villages of North Dundas Township resumed their annual street-party tradition this summer. Read more
EAST: August 2022 crop report
The region accumulated 1,900 CHUs from May 1st to July 31st – 50 CHUs more than normal. Read more
Ontario plants record corn acres
OTTAWA — Ontario farmers planted their highest grain corn and second-highest soybean acreages this spring, according to StatCan’s 2022 June field crop survey. Read more
Chicken production to increase to meet demand
BURLINGTON — Amid higher prices for other meats, Canadian consumers are flocking to chicken. Read more
Beef farmer vs. animal police
Tribunal judgement saves farmer from almost $400,000 bill after beef animals removed for no reason Read more
Disappearing farmland? Not in Eastern Ontario
EASTERN ONTARIO — Disappearing farmland? Not in Eastern Ontario. While Statistics Canada reports that Ontario farmland is disappearing at a rate of 319 acres per day, the reality on the ground in Eastern Ontario is much different. Read more
Grain farmers want compensation for purchasing Russian fertilizer
OTTAWA — Grain Farmers of Ontario and their Quebec counterparts are among the leading agricultural groups demanding farmers be compensated for the 35% tariff paid on Russian fertilizer this season. Fertilizer and agribusiness organizations also took part in the joint message aimed at the Trudeau gov... Read more
Pride Seeds enthusiastic salesman Ron Ferguson dies at 73
OSGOODE — Like his hero Gordie Howe, the late Ron Ferguson was a long-time star in his field. Read more
Net-zero or bust: Dairy groups support it but not sure how to get there
ONTARIO — Yes, milk will be produced with “net-zero” carbon emissions by 2050, a goal publicized earlier this year and recently reaffirmed by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) and Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) to Farmers Forum. Read more
Local farmers speak out on Dutch plan to change agriculture
CASSELMAN — Local farmers were very vocal at a July 23 Casselman tractor roll and protest against Dutch farm policies. Farmers Forum asked them, “Are you concerned that Dutch-style ag policies — including drastic cuts to nitrogen fertilizer use — are coming to Canada?” You bet they are. “It’s... Read more
Avian flu control-zone restrictions lifted in Eastern Ontario
LANCASTER — No commercial poultry operations remain under avian flu control-zone restrictions in Eastern Ontario, after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency lifted those measures at prior outbreak sites in the region last month. The CFIA eliminated the zones connected with three North Lancaster-area... Read more
No charges laid but farmer faces punishment anyway
PETERBOROUGH — Beef farmer Walter Ray, 76, remained on tenterhooks awaiting an adjudicator’s ruling on a whopping sum of almost $500,000 for animal boarding fees and transportation costs after Ontario’s animal police took 101 cattle from his Warsaw farm before Christmas. Read more
2022 International Plowing Match in Kemptville seeking volunteers, exhibitors, food vendors and utility vehicle supplier
They also need a loan of 30 to 40 all-terrain utility vehicles. Sites at the temporary RV park were going fast, however, with 500 out of 650 spots booked by July 26. Read more
Local farmers protest Dutch plan to cut fertilizer use
CASSELMAN — Eastern Ontario farmers rolled tractors and pickup trucks in a day-long show of solidarity with Dutch farmers who have for weeks protested onerous impending fertilizer restrictions and herd cuts in the Netherlands. Read more
Canada set to copy Dutch plans for farming
OTTAWA — Eastern Ontario farmers who fear that drastic Dutch policies on farming are coming to Canada, appear to be right. Read more
Volunteering is in David Blair’s blood
Every organization has one of those “go-to” volunteers ready to help with any task. They are reliable, personable, knowledgeable, hard-working, and quietly enthusiastic. Read more
Lambton Agricultural Hall of Fame inducts new members
LAMBTON COUNTY — The Lambton Agricultural Hall of Fame has three new members: Carolynne Griffith, Mac Parker and the late Charlie Srokosz were inducted June 12 by the Lambton Federation of Agriculture. Read more
Ontario farmers feel their Dutch cousins’ pain
Local farmers fear Canada is next for crippling rules Read more
Moving day
The Moulinette Anglican church was moved to Upper Canada Village museum in 1957. It dates back to 1837 and was moved during the St. Lawrence Seaway project to deepen the river for shipping lanes. Read more
Save the barn swallow: Build them a nest and they will come back
Linda Marie Glass Ward Special to Farmers Forum Barn and Cliff Swallows have been nesting inside man-made structures since the dawn of civilization. Their preference for nesting in old barns or under bridges is not a coincidence. They are aerial insectivores, entirely dependent on insects for food,... Read more
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is back in-person for 100th anniversary this November
TORONTO — After a two-year in-person hiatus, The Royal will be back bigger than ever to celebrate its 100th anniversary this fall. The event is scheduled Nov. 4-13 at Toronto’s Exhibition Place. “Since 1922, The Royal has celebrated the very best of what Canada has to offer through world-class compe... Read more
4-H on the rebound as youth return
GUELPH — The non-profit 4-H clubs have been a staple in the life of young rural Canadians for over a century. The youth organization boasts some 23,000 members across the country and is now recovering from huge memberships losses under COVID restrictions Read more
INFLATION: Groceries continued torrid year-over-year price rise in June
CANADA — The relentless toll of inflation continues. Canadian grocery prices in June were almost 9% higher than a year earlier and down less than a point from the milestone inflationary rise at the checkout counter in April and May, according to the latest Consumer Price Index update by Statistics C... Read more
‘Canadians bracing for impact’ of higher interest rates amid higher prices for everything
ONTARIO — Fingers are crossed about a “soft landing” for the economy as the Bank of Canada attempts to tame inflation with recent interest rate hikes. “But as the brakes start to screech” on the economy, the Conference Board of Canada says “Canadians are bracing for impact.” In its July 20 “quick ta... Read more
OPINION: When some old barns collapse we should be glad they did
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County Whenever high winds or fire topples or destroys old barns that were a relic of the horse and buggy days, reporters often trot out to the farm and do a story of the loss. It certainly is tragic if animals are lost in the fire. But why the fuss […] Read more
Mud Run
About 500 people paid to fall, jump and slide into the mud at the 6-kilometre and 10-kilometre Mud Hero run at the Commando Paintball grounds, near Navan, east of urban Ottawa. The annual mud run was sidelined by COVID restrictions for two years. It was revived on June 10. (Nelson Zandbergen photo) Read more
Breakfast in Paris
More than 70 farmer volunteers answered pressing questions from the curious and helped distribute 500 breakfast bags to guests at the Paris fairgrounds on June 4 for another Breakfast from the Farm event, this time organized by Farm & Food Care Ontario and the Paris Agricultural Society. The br... Read more
OPINION: The government plan to censor freedom of speech on the Internet
Jay Goldberg Canadian Taxpayers Federation Sign first, then we’ll discuss the details. Nobody would trust a real estate agent or used car dealership with that approach, but that’s how the Trudeau government is trying to sell its plan to regulate the internet. The government is currently trying to ru... Read more
Farm groups team up to demand compensation for fertilizer tariff
OTTAWA — Grain Farmers of Ontario and their Quebec counterparts are among the leading agricultural groups demanding farmers be compensated for the 35% tariff paid on Russian fertilizer this season. Fertilizer and agribusiness organizations also took part in the joint message aimed at the Trudeau gov... Read more
‘Dirty dozen’ explained
Why the 12 fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residue are safe to eat Read more
Canadian farmers’ equity rises 10% to $627.2 billion, driven by rising land values
Farmers Forum staff CANADA — During pandemic lockdowns and restrictions last year, Canadian farming increased in value by an impressive 10 per cent, driven largely by upward pressure on land prices. The farming sector had a total net worth of $627.2 billion at the end of 2021, up 10% from a year e... Read more
Meet four Ridgetown grads from southwestern Ontario
Graduated with distinction. Earned academic proficiency award as top student with a minimum 80% average; award for highest cumulative grade average; and the agriculture and environmental stewardship award. She delivered graduation speech on behalf of the ‘aggies’ Read more
Farm trust has protected 20 farms from development
GUELPH – With updated Census of Agriculture statistics reflecting a loss of 319 acres per day in Ontario, Ontario Farmland Trust’s new executive director Martin Straathof is stressing the need for farmland protection amid the calls to address housing supply issues. Read more
From Toronto auditor in a suit to Australian cowboy on a motorbike, he finally came home to farm
SPENCERVILLE — Samuel Cleary was fresh out of Queen’s university with business and accounting degrees — and a new position behind the glass doors at one of Canada’s largest accounting firms in Toronto’s financial district, just off bustling Bay Street. Read more
As Dutch farmers make headlines, OFA ‘very concerned’ over similar ‘absolute’ fertilizer cut here
Empty grocery store shelves in the Netherlands have made headlines recently, as farmers blocked food distribution centres in protest of strict government nutrient regulations. They’re very worried that pending legislation will not only put many of them out of business but will also affect food... Read more
Cricket food production facility gets $8.5 million grant
Edible insects an alternative protein source LONDON — The world’s largest edible cricket production facility recently wrapped up construction in London and snagged a federal grant of up to $8.5 million. Aspire Foods aims to fill a reputed multi-billion-dollar market demand for the juicy insects as a... Read more
IPM 2022 calling for exhibitors and campers
KEMPTVILLE – Organizers of the 2022 International Plowing Match (IPM) in Kemptville are calling on prospective exhibitors to book their spots in the ‘Tented City,’ the central attraction at the major show scheduled this September in the North Grenville community. Similarly, prospective c... Read more
Tall ship grew up in farm country
Builder spent 20 years constructing 51-ft. boat James Pascual Farmers Forum staff SOUTH MOUNTAIN — Murielle Ovenden has always wanted to build a boat. She and her husband, Mark, — when they met, he was living on a boat on the Ottawa River — looked for some acreage near Ottawa so that she... Read more
Volunteering is in David Blair’s blood
Every organization has one of those “go-to” volunteers ready to help with any task. They are reliable, personable, knowledgeable, hard-working, and quietly enthusiastic. Read more
Municipalities got paid to host cannabis stores
Ontario could have 1,900 cannabis stores — more than Tim Horton’s restaurants ... Read more
OPINION: Secret to soybean prices is in the Pacific Ocean
Steve Kell’s Market Minute More than 90 % of the world’s soybeans are grown in North and South America. With the three biggest producers (Brazil, United States, and Argentina), and a handful of minor producers like Paraguay, Uruguay, and Canada, the world’s number one oilseed crop is actually grown... Read more
Teen entrepreneurs: Students land government grants for summer business bale wrapping, stump grinding
NORTH STORMONT — A couple of teens from rural Eastern Ontario are powering up practical summer jobs baling hay and grinding stumps. Read more
Russia uses food as tool of war
Farm fields have land mines while Russia bombs grain facilities, railways, ports ... Read more
Bull-ieve it!
The May 27-28 Kubota Pro Rodeo Metcalfe rodeo was a sold out show that included local bull riders and bronco busters. The next regional Kubota rodeos will be at the South Mountain Fair on Saturday, August 20 at 4 p.m. and at Petawawa on August 26-27. (Allysa James photography) Read more
OPINION: Shifting our way to ruin
Patrick Meagher Editor Why didn’t Prime Minister Trudeau come out of hiding back in February, throw a bbq bash on Parliament Hill, and announce an end – even in the near future — to the vaccine mandates? He could have held up his Louisiana-sauce-dripped racked rib and posed for selfies and won the h... Read more
Maxville Show returns but fewer entries
Farmers Forum staff MAXVILLE — The cattle show ring at the Maxville fairgrounds was restored to life last month, as the North Glengarry community welcomed the return of its annual fair after a two-year pandemic pause. The highlight of the Maxville Fair is the open Holstein Show, traditionally the fi... Read more
Don’t panic over price, fertilizer vendor says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum RIDGETOWN — By mid-June, wholesale fertilizer prices were down about 35% from the near-record highs seen in late March and were trading back in the range of where they were in January. With the market now better adjusted to world circumstances, Growmark Ontario’s fert... Read more
Brown Swiss herds have top milk, fat and protein
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WILLIAMSTOWN — The Brown Swiss breed remains an integral part of Rimann’s Maple Boom dairy farm in South Glengarry Township — no matter that the operators recently added 50 Holsteins to rapidly expand the output of the production herd. The 80 Brown Swiss cows still ou... Read more
Crazy good investment: Farmer says combine inflated $100,000 in value
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHESTERVILLE — On the downside, ‘Farmer John’ Brugmans’ new combine rolled into his yard too late for the 2021 harvest. On the upside, the hulking Case 7250 — mint and unused — has probably increased in value by about $100,000. The circumstances reflect the supply-c... Read more
Crop prices recover from ‘annihilation’
Should be good for harvest, analyst says Read more
Farmer John’s summer bash postponed
CHESTERVILLE — Farmer John’s well-known summer party has been postponed until 2023. Read more
Community pulls for their repair guys: Fundraiser nets over $11K for business gutted by fire
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum METCALFE — The place practically glowed with Allis-Chalmers orange as the farm community and vintage farm machinery buffs gathered June 12 to show support for Skuce Repairs, the well-respected independent tractor repair shop that lost most of its property in a devasta... Read more
Stop worrying about trees: Canada has 36 million acres more than we thought
James Pascual Farmers Forum OTTAWA — While environmentalists discourage farms from clearing their land, they should take heart in knowing that Canada has just discovered it has 36 million more acres of trees than we thought. The Department of Natural Resources counted 858 million acres of trees. But... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Biggest worry? Fuel is on everybody’s mind
We asked farmers: Which inflationary costs do you most worry about and does anything worry you more?” Read more
OPINION: Milk price increase that dairy farmers didn’t want makes them look bad
On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, the Canadian Dairy Commission announced they were increasing the price paid to dairy farmers for their milk by 2.5%, which works out to $1.92 per hectolitre or just under two cents per litre effective September 1. Read more
EAST: July 2022 crop report
We accumulated 350 CHUs from May 1st to 24th — 50 CHUs above normal. Read more
Bank quota, find a partner, then expand: Williamstown dairy farm features new ventilation system
WILLIAMSTOWN — A next-generation freestall barn serves as the bright and efficient workplace of a South Glengarry Township dairy farmer and his next-generation business partner, a young man who comes to the operation through sweat equity instead of bloodline. Read more
Filling big boots: After unexpected death of Avonmore farmer, wife and kids take over
AVONMORE — A year after his unexpected death, David Phillips’ legacy lives on through his family and the continued fruits of their labours at Avonmore Berry Farm. Read more
Diagnostic Days goes west
WINCHESTER — After a two-year pandemic pause, Ontario’s annual Field Crop Diagnostic Days are returning as in-person field events this month — but not in Eastern Ontario. Because of a tight supply of staff presenters, organizers have consolidated the event at Ridgetown for 2022, eschewing the tradi... Read more
Tri-County Protein soybean crushing plant sold
WINCHESTER — Eastern Ontario’s only commercial scale mechanical soybean oil extraction and crushing plant is operating under new ownership. The Tri-County Protein Corp. facility in Winchester was sold May 9 to Agrocentre Belcan of Sainte-Marthe, Quebec, long-time manager of the Gypsey Lane plant, Ad... Read more
Meet 4 Ridgetown grads from Eastern Ontario
Samuel Cleary, 29, Spencerville Dairy herdsperson apprenticeship Background: 7th-generation at the Cleary family dairy farm where he now works. Earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree and CPA accountant designation at Queen’s University in 2015, then worked at a downtown Toronto accounting firm for a c... Read more
Perth ag-business course designed by farmers fills Kemptville College void
When one door closes another one opens is the time weathered phrase, and it rings true for young people looking to grow their farming knowledge into a career. A void was left when Kemptville College closed in 2014, but enter Eastern Ontario’s agriculture community and a new door opened. Read more
Large vegetable farm fined $156,250 after Mexican worker died of COVID
Law assumes employer is always guilty of something, critic says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum HAMILTON — Ontario’s first-ever prosecution for an alleged breach of occupational health and safety laws in connection with a COVID-19 outbreak ended last month with a settlement in which the involved far... Read more
Vet howls over new dog laws
Outdoor dog law requires grooming, nail care, longer leashes, unfrozen water in winter Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum MIDLAND — An Ontario veterinarian, trained to conduct animal welfare investigations, is highly critical of new laws on outdoor dogs, including a requirement to regularly cut nails and... Read more
Want your horses back? Build them a roof
Animal police confiscate two horses Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CARLETON PLACE — Does a horse legally require a roof over its head? Not according to Canada’s national code of practice for equine care, a document very familiar to Carleton Place horse owner Kevin Rintoul, who had a recent run-in w... Read more
Canada stands alone punishing farmers with fertilizer tariff, MPs say
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Canada stands alone among G7 nations by punishing its own domestic farmers for Russia’s wrongdoings. The Official Opposition Conservatives complain that the Trudeau government has earned the dubious distinction by applying a 35% tariff on Russian and Belarus... Read more
Canada’s best managed dairy herd focuses on costs and goals
THEDFORD — Half of the top-10 best-managed dairy herds in the country are located in southwestern Ontario, including the best in Canada. Stewardson Dairy of Thedford — operated by the Stewardson family — was recognized as tops in the nation, as calculated in 2021 by Lactanet Canada, the milk-recordi... Read more
OPINION: Farmers keep driving, buying expensive diesel but change field plans due to sky-high inputs
The one thing that really impressed me when spending a weekend in the Russian city of St. Petersburg a few years ago was that there were almost no cars on the streets on Sunday. Read more
OPINION: We can’t cut costs anymore
Our farm is fairly self-sufficient, but diesel and gasoline are breaking the budget Angela Dorie Backroads Open any paper, turn on any radio or TV and stories of rising prices are always forefront… and not just food, but everything. Even the increase paid to dairy farmers earlier this year has... Read more
Back in the Day: Disc jockey
Wait a second! Was this back in the day or just the other day? Renfrew County resident Ellwyn Behm took this photo only two years ago on June 7, 2020, of Mennonite farmers discing by horse near Renfrew. But in black and white the photo looks decades old. “Not too many farmers prepare their fields [... Read more
Kemptville College alumni scholarships awarded
Kemptville College continues to make an impact on the next generation of young farmers — thanks to the scholarship support offered by the defunct institution’s active Alumni group. Read more
Farmer struggles with Via Rail to get paid for killed bull
SMITHS FALLS — As a kid waiting for the bus, Corey Streight recalls seeing seven cattle killed in one shot as a Via Rail train struck them on the company track that cuts through his family’s 400-acre beef farm. Read more
Pay market gardens to erect greenhouses to supply food year-round, Ottawa told
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Market garden farms should get “transition” funding to erect greenhouses and provide local food year round in an effort to combat global warming, the House of Commons agriculture committee was told last month. The committee was also told that one acre is enough land for... Read more
Food oils biggest culprit in food fraud
OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspec- tion Agency’s (CFIA) annual report on food fraud shows expensive oils are more likely to be substituted or diluted than any other food groups tested. Read more
Osgoode farm makes show champions with top cows that get pricey
OSGOODE — For her owner, there was the sentimental echo of another great animal when Velthuis Doc Happy Dance pranced away as Champion Fall Yearling at the recent Quebec Spring Holstein Show. Read more
Canada’s best managed dairy herd focuses on costs and goals
THEDFORD — Half of the top-10 best-managed dairy herds in the country are located in southwestern Ontario, including the best in Canada. Stewardson Dairy of Thedford — operated by the Stewardson family — was recognized as tops in the nation, as calculated in 2021 by Lactanet Canada, the milk-recordi... Read more
1,000 LB. OF HURT: Dairy farmer fully recovered two years after being hit by round bale
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum FRONTENAC — Planting season means even more to Gary Gordon these days as he counts another anniversary spring since the farm accident that could have easily crippled or killed him. Two years ago, a 1000-lb round hay bale fell on the Inverary dairy farmer, north of Kin... Read more
All Russells from Russell now honoured in Russell
RUSSELL — This rural township southeast of Ottawa says its name no longer honours an 18th century Upper Canada slave owner, Peter Russell, whose surname was bestowed on the community generations ago. In a recent twist, however, Russell Township Council is no longer in the market for another acceptab... Read more
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers support youth scholarships
Again in 2022, volunteers at the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) will offer scholarships of $2,500. Youth of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec planning to pursue an agricultural career and entering at least their second year of post-secondary studies are invited to apply. Up to four... Read more
How flooding affects corn growth and how nitrogen comes to the rescue
When flooding occurs, growers are concerned about corn growth and development and possible yield effects. Read more
OPINION: Commodity prices adjusted to satisfy demand
The purpose of price is to ration demand. It’s a simple concept, but when we allow ourselves to star-gaze at these record high prices, we forget this simple truth. Read more
1 IN 400,000: Cow has triplet heifers at Dunvegan
MAXVILLE — Dunvegan dairy farmer Eric Villeneuve walked out to the barn at 4:30 a.m. on May 7 to discover that the 5-year-old pregnant cow had already given birth — she was a week early — and to his surprise a second calf was coming out. Read more
WEST: June 2022 crop report
Most corn planted May 9 to 15. Many never saw such a fast pace for planting in their careers. Read more
PRICIEST BEEF ON PLANET: Eastern Ontario farmer sells Wagyu cuts for $25 per lb.
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OSGOODE — The most discerning beef buyers have begun beating a path to an Eastern Ontario dairy farm to satiate their taste for full-blooded Wagyu meat that cuts like butter and costs $250 per 10-lb box. While the beef breed was made famous in Kobe, Japan, this 40-hea... Read more
Is Ottawa trying to cancel beef?
OTTAWA — Is the Trudeau government trying to “cancel” juicy burgers? Read more
FORD WINS BUT — only 22% voted for him and this was worst voter turnout in history
ONTARIO — Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives handily retained majority government and grew their seat count to 83 in the June 2 Ontario election, up from the 76 ridings won in 2018. Rural and agricultural areas of the province proved a stronghold for the party, building on the sweep of fo... Read more
EAST: June 2022 crop report
We accumulated 350 CHUs from May 1st to 24th — 50 CHUs above normal. Read more
International Plowing Match in Kemptville seeks 600 more volunteers
KEMPTVILLE — Organizers of the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) are preparing for this fall’s event at the former Kemptville College campus farm are still looking for an army of volunteers. Organizers told Farmers Forum that they still had to fill about 600 of 1,200 volunteer posit... Read more
Ag net income continues to grow: Ontario farms’ net income grew 11% in 2021
OTTAWA — Despite supply chain issues, shocking inflation and an infuriating fertilizer tariff , Canadian agriculture continues to look as healthy as ever. Crop farmers are seeing unprecedented input costs but many are still pencilling out a bigger return this year over 2021 as commodity prices rocke... Read more
Bill to end carbon tax on grain drying and barn heating on way to third reading in fall
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GODERICH — A private member’s bill to eliminate the carbon tax on fuel used to dry grain and heat barns will be debated by a parliamentary committee this month, on its way to an expected third and final vote in the House of Commons this fall. Spearheaded by MP Ben Lob... Read more
Census reveals farm transformation underway: Tech, sustainable practices and direct-to-consumer sales embraced
Tyler Brooks Ontario Federation of Agriculture GUELPH — Canada’s farms are increasingly sustainable and high-tech and they’re modernizing rapidly to adapt to the changing world. The latest census of agriculture data released by Statistics Canada shows more widespread use of sustainable farming pract... Read more
Many farmers stuck paying the Russian fertilizer tariff
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum JARVIS — Just as feared, farmers are often being asked to eat those new fertilizer tariffs this spring. Matt Bergman, partner in County Line Custom Farming, a 3,000-acre organic and conventional cash-cropping operation at Jarvis, said he was retroactively charged the... Read more
OPINION: On dumb tariffs, onerous taxes and government interference
Six months before Russia invaded Ukraine, many Canadian farmers booked their Russian fertilizer and for their good planning, they are now paying a 35 % tariff penalty to the Canadian government. How dare they not see clearly into the future and know that Russia would start a war. Read more
No new avian flu outbreaks reported in Ontario since May 18 as producers look toward recovery
MOUNT BRYDGES — With the spread of avian flu seeming to abate — with no new outbreaks reported in Ontario since May 18 — the process of bringing affected flocks back into production will take some time. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has identified 26 infected farm sites in the province since M... Read more
Blown away: Storm smashes dozens of barns, uproots hundreds of trees, hydro poles
MOUNT BRYDGES — Mount Brydges chicken and cash cropper Becca Bakker saw firsthand the fury of the May 21 thunderstorm as it blasted through her and her husband’s farmstead, 20 km west of the hard-hit city of London. Read more
Deer showed up at farm and won’t leave
MANOTICK — A white stag deer showed up at Pierre Leonard’s Manotick hobby farm, north of Kemptville, last year and hasn’t left. Leonard has horses and the deer appears to want to be a part of the pack. “I have four mares and sometimes they are in heat. I think he thinks he might get […] Read more
OPINION: The power of the townhall meeting has been lost
Nelson Zandbergen Assistant Editor ROEBUCK — There’s a famous Norman Rockwell painting — Free Speech — in which the artist depicts a man standing at his chair and earnestly voicing his opinion at a public meeting, Fellow citizens listen in interest from their surrounding seats. These were the golden... Read more
Ottawa paramedic calls it quits after witnessing disturbing effects of vaccines
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum OTTAWA — As the world opens up post-pandemic, more evidence emerges about the COIVD-19 vaccines. While safe for most people, the vaccines come with risks that most people are willing to accept. But not 13-year Ottawa paramedic Thomas O’Connor. In February, he was so con... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are your governments working for you?
ROEBUCK — Farmers who were among about 50 people who showed up for a provincial all-candidates meeting in Leeds-Grenville last month were generally optimistic about government. Read more
Dundas Agri Systems merges into AgriHub Group of Companies
BRINSTON — Dundas Agri Systems has merged into the AgriHub Group of Companies — a collection of several like-minded agri-businesses in Canada and the U.S. Local customers should notice no change at the prominent regional Lely and Boumatic dealership located in Brinston, north of Iroquois, local mana... Read more
Show me the money: Farmer calculates per-acre input costs of over $928
CHESTERVILLE — By all accounts, the 2022 crop will be the most expensive ever put in the ground. Farmers are hearing that cost of production for some has hit $1,000 per acre. Derks Elevator co-owner Marty Derks has his own cost of production penciled out to the penny: $928.41 per acre. From tillage... Read more
Canada caused our high fuel prices and unity of the country is now at stake
Affordable energy advocate explains why fuel prices are high and how to change that Read more
Beef Farmers of Ontario seeks Environmental Stewardship Award nominations
ONTARIO — Do you know an Ontario beef farmer who exemplifies good stewardship practices and conservation leadership? Or maybe that farmer is you? Nominate them for the Environmental Stewardship Award through the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Producers may also apply for the award on their own behalf. Dea... Read more
Blown away: Storm destroys dozens of barns, uproots hundreds of trees, hydro poles
NAVAN — A devastating wind storm pounded Ontario and Quebec and was especially nasty around Peterborough and Ottawa. Read more
Cases in decline: Almost two million birds destroyed due to Avian flu
NORTH LANCASTER — While reports suggest the spread of Avian flu might be slowing down, the three afflicted Glengarry County farms could be receiving shipments of new chicks to refill their barns in June. Thousands of poultry from the three locations were destroyed in April after the Avian flu virus... Read more
Skotidakis dispute could head to Superior Court; DFO tries to enforce $7 million surcharge
GUELPH — A mid-sized Eastern Ontario dairy processor and dairy goat farm operator has paid $5 million to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario for under reporting the milk it purchased for its premium products. Read more
OPINION: Good fences make good neighbours but are useless if there’s no livestock
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County American poet Robert Frost penned the popular expression “Good fences make good neighbours” in his poem The Mending Wall back in 1914. In the poem he questions this suggesting that we often separate ourselves from each other unnecessarily. The poem is about a ru... Read more
Almost 2,000 farm livestock lost to predators in 2021
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Farmers lost 1,938 animals to predators last year and collected over $737,500 from the province in compensation, with coyotes again accounting for the large majority of claims. The wily canine species killed 1,268 head of domestic livestock in 2021, triggeri... Read more
Guelph’s vet college ranks 5th best in world … again
It’s the third consecutive year that the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College has ranked fifth worldwide — and first in Canada — for its excellence in veterinary science. The World University Rankings by Subject are conducted annually by the Quacquarelli Symonds international education... Read more
Clark defends Kemptville campus prison plan as Brockville-area candidates talk agriculture
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ROEBUCK — Ford government cabinet minister Steve Clark defended plans for a jail at the former Kemptville College campus and absorbed a potshot or two over his use of ministerial zoning orders — a controversial power opposed by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture —... Read more
BACK IN THE DAY, 1908: The beginning of the free mail era
Locals pose in front of the Brinstion post office, southeast of Kemptville, in 1908. Postal service in Canada in 1908 operated under the name The Royal Canadian Mail. It was in this year that Canada instituted the first free rural mail delivery service but it was first introduced only between Ancast... Read more
WHAT GREAT RESET? A pile of socialist baloney promoted by the ultra-rich of the World Economic Forum that wants to take away your property
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Analysis High-flying billionaires and political elites return this month to Davos, Switzerland, to gather as the planet’s most exclusive club — the World Economic Forum. The organization is otherwise known for openly floating radical, dystopian ideas like “the Great R... Read more
OPINION: World is on brink of a food shortage
Food supply chain hangovers due the pandemic and the global impact of the invasion of Ukraine have enticed many to question the global nature of our food systems. Some are suggesting we need to deglobalize and refocus our energy into making most economies around the world food sovereign, including C... Read more
Earthworms will not replace fertilizers, but they do have a role in nutrient cycling
Earthworms are getting more credit than they deserve. A recent Irish study found a rapid nutrient transfer from earthworms to plants but it has been wrongly reported that earthworms can replace fertilizers. Read more
Bachelor farmer brothers from Blyth leave $2M to local hospitals
BLYTH — In life, bachelor farmers Cliff and Don Schultz diligently cultivated a Blyth-area cash-cropping and beef farm, as well as an impressive tractor and toy tractor collection. In death, their accumulated wealth — $2.17 million — has been split between four local hospitals, as willed by the late... Read more
Cockshutt tractor auction includes expensive wheel barrow
CAMBRIDGE — A collection of Cockshutt tractors was sold at auction last month, including a Cockshutt 1555 White Tractor that sold for over $11,000. Read more
Ottawa tax policies discourage older Canadians from working
VANCOUVER — If governments in Canada want to help seniors who want to continue working, they should remove barriers that discourage them from remaining in the workforce, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “All Canadians... Read more
Scan QR codes on beef cuts and learn all about it
Consumers can now scan QR codes on packaged beef cuts and get all the information they need about the meat’s nutritional value, storage requirements, and cooking tips. Read more
Two-thirds of farmers cautiously optimistic about future, RBC/Ipsos poll finds
TORONTO — Despite current challenges, two thirds of Canadian farmers are feeling cautiously optimistic about the future, according to an Ipsos Canada poll commissioned by RBC. The RBC Agriculture Poll involved telephone interviews with 150 farm owner/operators across the country between Dec. 10, 202... Read more
Farmers eager for drones but restrictions on the technology limit their use
Farmers are eager to hire drone servicing companies to spray their fields but are less eager to buy the drones themselves, says a Western Ontario drone company. Read more
OPINION: Climate change obsession makes everything worse
Over the past decade, the global elite’s obsession with climate change has taken away from the many other major problems facing the planet — shown most dramatically by the invasion of Ukraine. Western European leaders should have spent the past decade diversifying energy sources and expanding shale... Read more
OPINION: What do Ontario businesses want? Predictability
It’s an election — there will be mudslinging, gimmicky promises, and sometimes lofty or untested policy concepts without a price tag. So, what do businesses want? Read more
Big chain grocer squeezes vegetable growers, farmer says
DELHI — Pepsico, the makers of Frito-Lay potato-chips, recently sparred with Loblaws over price. For one week there were no potato chips in Loblaws stores, then both sides reached an agreement. Vegetable farmer Bill Nightingale doesn’t have that bargaining clout. Read more
Raisin River run dumps competitors into Devil’s Chute
More than 200 paddling enthusiasts roll down (and into) the river Read more
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers auction raises $30,000 for CHEO
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association held its 30th annual prestigious pedigreeds auction online earlier in March. Traditionally an in-person auction held at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show, the seed auction was online for the second year in a row. Auction it... Read more
Get free mental-health counselling by phone
ONTARIO — Ontario farmers and farm families now have access to unlimited free, professional telephone counselling — amid growing recognition of the mental-health pressures placed on the sector. Initially launched in January with an available four free counselling sessions, the Farmer Wellness Progra... Read more
Country fairs survive lockdowns
ONTARIO — The last two years have been a rollercoaster for Ontario’s agricultural fairs but it appears all have survived the pandemic and are ready to fully re-emerge this year. Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS) Manager Vince Brennan told Farmers Forum that he’s not aware of any o... Read more
4-H Ontario loses almost half of members
The beloved 4-H program for ages six to 21 was decimated by a two-year pandemic lockdown. Read more
OPINON: The crazy hasn’t even started yet
I’m going to start off with a confession. While contemplating potential column topics for both the January and February issues of Farmers Forum, I wrestled with the idea of a “what if” essay on how the grain markets might react if Russia made an incursion into some portion of Ukraine. Read more
Chinese milk plant at Kingston strikes deal with 120 goat milk producers
KINGSTON — Canada Royal Milk’s Kingston plant has tapped into a supply of goat milk from over 120 Ontario and Quebec producers, allowing the Chinese-owned baby-formula maker to fulfill its original goal of processing both goat and cow milk. The involved goat farms are part of the Ontario Dairy Goat... Read more
Lawyers, human rights groups push back on federal government over Freedom Convoy
OTTAWA — A Calgary-based freedom-fighting legal team is working on numerous challenges to the federal government in support of the three-week trucker protest that saw more than 400 trucks and other vehicles clog Ottawa’s downtown core. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is funding the le... Read more
Lamb prices head up, up, up
More than 400,000 new immigrants each year create new demand. Read more
Peterborough candidate blasts Premier Ford
Marazzo calls Ford out for pandemic mismanagement and draconian plans for the future Read more
OPINION: Election invites us to pick our poison
To quote a book by Pope John Paul ll, We are crossing the threshold of hope. But we are not going in the direction he intended. Read more
Ontario beekeepers face huge colony losses
When beekeepers put their hives away for the winter, they always expect some losses, but not this many. Read more
Grain growers want tariff relief on fertilizer purchased from Russia
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GUELPH — Two major grain-growing groups are demanding answers from the Trudeau government and relief from fertilizer tariffs imposed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over two months ago. “Farmers need action now,” the Grain Farmers of Ontario and Grain Grow... Read more
Agricorp payouts way down for corn, soybeans and wheat losses
GUELPH — Just about every Ontario county saw 2021 yields well above the 10-year average, based on numbers from crop insurance enrollees, but good fortune didn’t land everywhere. Wet weather delayed soybean harvest and drought in northwestern Ontario led to yield loss. Among the three big crops — cor... Read more
Farmers railroaded: CP tells property owners to pay for rail crossing upkeep or they get ripped out
EASTERN ONTARIO — You can forgive farmers and property owners along the region’s CP Rail line for feeling railroaded. The company is coming after them for costs to maintain private crossings over rail lines. Read more
Post-fire fundraiser for Skuce Repairs
EDWARDS — A farm fundraiser will donate its proceeds to Skuce Repairs, a farm equipment repair shop, south of urban Ottawa, that lost most of its property in a Boxing Day fire. The fundraiser will be held June 12 at Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm. Earl Stanley, owner of the sugarbush, and a group of... Read more
Ontario farmers will grow more corn, soybeans
OTTAWA — Ontario farmers plan to grow more corn and soybeans over last year — a record acreage in corn’s case — according to the latest Statistics Canada survey of planting intentions. Read more
International Plowing match coming to Kemptville
75,000 visitors expected to attend the five-day event KEMPTVILLE — After a two-year hiatus, the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo is set to resume just five months from now — in Kemptville. Held in a different location each year, the event goes ahead Sept. 20-24, 2022, at the former Kempt... Read more
UPDATE: 425,000 Ontario birds destroyed due to Avian flu; 1.75 million nationally
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WATERLOO — Ontario poultry farms have been hammered by the worst outbreak of the Avian influenza virus ever seen in Canada, with flocks infected in nine provinces and 1.725 million birds destroyed as of May 5. That toll includes 425,000 birds culled in Ontario... Read more
50-year-old poultry abattoir handles 800 birds a day
Customers drive up to three hours, pay $5 a bird Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SOUTH MOUNTAIN — In an era when abattoirs have become almost as scarce as hen’s teeth, Berube Poultry continues to thrive in the specialty niche of handling chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and other farm fowl on their f... Read more
Crop prices pop but so did costs
NAPANEE — The prices of corn and soybeans are soaring, which presents some opportunities for Ontario farmers. At the Chicago Board of Trade corn futures surged past $8 a bushel. Soybeans are enjoying the same wind in its sails. Sure, prices are high but Napanee corn, soybean and wheat farmer Mark Da... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Maple syrup bonanza as producers report high yields, big crowds, increased sales
EASTERN ONTARIO — Last year’s maple syrup production — down about 20 per cent across the province—left many disappointed. Not this year. Read more
Who are Ontario’s new animal welfare police?
ONTARIO — When the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals got out of the business of enforcing animal welfare laws in 2019, the Ford government replaced that sometimes controversial private organization with a new provincial entity. Read more
READ THE DOCUMENTS: Farm Credit compiled list of 9 names for possible blacklisting
OTTAWA — Farm Credit Canada compiled a list of nine people to be potentially blacklisted because of possible participation in the Freedom Convoy protest in February, according to internal FCC emails acquired by Farmer Forum through an access to information request. Read more
$144,000 beef boarding fee? Farmer faces hefty boarding charges after animal police confiscate 101 cattle
PETERBOROUGH — Peterborough-area beef farmer Walter Ray could be out $144,000 and he’s not taking it lightly. The province confiscated 101 of his beef animals and he was billed between $20 to $50 per head per day for their care over six weeks. Read more
KILL ZONE: 19 Ontario poultry operations infected with avian flu
NORTH LANCASTER — Ontario poultry farms have been hammered by the worst outbreak of Avian flu in more than a decade. Read more
Sprayer crushes Leeds County crop farmer
LEEDS — Mark Claessen grew up wanting to farm and decided Canada was the place to go. For the last 44 years he toiled diligently on the Leeds County farm, west of Mallorytown, where he and his wife, Jean, arrived as newlywed Dutch immigrants in 1978. Read more
Lyme disease risk: Province releases 2022 tick map
ONTARIO — Black-legged tick territory appears largely unchanged in Ontario, but with some observed expansion in the blood-sucking arachnid’s range between Peterborough and Durham counties. That’s based on newly released mapping data from Public Health Ontario showing specific “ris... Read more
Farmers sell milk from on-farm do-it-youself vending machine
WOODSTOCK — Bring your own bottle to Ontario’s latest on-farm processor where a featured vending machine will allow customers to conveniently fill up with cold, beautiful milk — all by themselves. Read more
Crop optimism — if you pre-paid for inputs
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum LAMBTON COUNTY — Input costs and supply-chain anxieties are soaring to new heights as war in Ukraine picks up where the pandemic left off. While conflict in Europe’s breadbasket has pushed up crop prices to levels unheard of, it has also doubled the price of fuel and... Read more
OPINION: What’s the point of ear tags to trace cattle if they don’t trace cattle?
Angela Dorie Backroads Dairy Trace (DT), operated by Lactanet Canada that is also doing the proAction and cattle inspections as well as herd management for the Canadian dairy industry, was developed to provide a means of tracing Canadian dairy animals in case of an emergency such as when Mad Cow dis... Read more
New labour force? Vegetable growers see robots as means to end labour crisis
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum BOTHWELL — There is a surge in interest for robots that help with vegetable crops. “There’s been an exponential increase in interest in these robots,” said Grant Elgie, agriculture innovation lead at Haggerty AgRobotics, at Bothwell. “We get lots of calls asking about the r... Read more
OPINION: What farmers didn’t invest in when interest rates were high in the 1980s
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County In the spring of 1981, when I was paying off an FCC farm mortgage for the on-going dairy operation we’d bought in 1970, I bought something extraordinary that had most of our friends and acquaintances shaking their heads and frowning. I bought a cottage at a near... Read more
Michigan’s curious kick-me strategy: Closing Line 5 pipeline would brutally hurt Ontario and Michigan
Farmers Forum staff If Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer succeeds in closing down Enbridge Line 5, she will stick American families and businesses with billions of dollars in higher costs at the pump, says a new consumer group report that pegs the extra gasoline and diesel expense at $23.7 billion... Read more
OPINON: Ukraine’s corn decline offers Ontario selling opportunities
I’m going to start off with a confession. While contemplating potential column topics for both the January and February issues of Farmers Forum, I wrestled with the idea of a “what if” essay on how the grain markets might react if Russia made an incursion into some portion of Ukraine. Read more
Farmers sell milk from on-farm do-it-youself vending machine
WOODSTOCK — Bring your own bottle to Ontario’s latest on-farm processor where a featured vending machine will allow customers to conveniently fill up with cold, beautiful milk — all by themselves. Read more
Hot market for used cars, pickup trucks
OTTAWA — Canada has banned sales of new ve- hicles powered by gas or diesel by 2035 – only 13 years away. There will be exceptions for semi-trucks and agricultural vehicles. Meantime, used pick-up truck and car sales have been hot, thanks largely to the semi-conductor shortages in new vehicles. Acco... Read more
Crop optimism — if you pre-paid for inputs
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum LAMBTON COUNTY — Input costs and supply-chain anxieties are soaring to new heights as war in Ukraine picks up where the pandemic left off. While conflict in Europe’s breadbasket has pushed up crop prices to levels unheard of, it has also doubled the price of fuel and... Read more
Dundas federation finally meets — in MacGregor’s mancave
Dundas Federation of Agriculture holds its first in-person no mask annual general meeting since the start of the pandemic. The meeting was held last month at Tom MacGregor’s Moorewood-area dairy farm and included Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Peggy Brekveld. (DFA photo) Read more
All-Canadian Holsteins include Eastern Ontario regional stars
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — The latest group of “all-Canadian” Holsteins includes a handful of animals owned by Eastern Ontario farmers. All-Canadian recognition is bestowed on the cream of the Holstein crop, based on show performance in the previous year. Holstein Canad... Read more
Get ready for $1,000 to $4,000 new tax on pick-up trucks
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — The federal government is considering a big, fat tax on the purchase of new and used pick-up trucks. The Ministry of Environment, headed by former Greenpeace activist Steven Guilbeault, has proposed a $1,000 to $4,000 tax. The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation worries tha... Read more
READ THE DOCUMENT: 15 human rights groups fear Ottawa will not have a transparent inquiry into Emergencies Act
Ottawa — Fifteen Canadian human rights groups don't trust the federal government with an inquiry into the Emergencies Act. Read more
Chesterville family died aboard Titanic 110 years ago
Betty Vanden Bosch has never been able to watch that last Titanic blockbuster movie, complete with its highly realistic portrayal of the maritime tragedy that shocked the world 110 years ago this month. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Slightly warmer spring forecast
WESTERN ONTARIO — Southwestern Ontario’s spring forecast points to temperatures trending slightly above average with anyone’s guess on rainfall. That’s according to Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Gerald Cheng. Based on forecast data, “I think there is a good chance of above norm... Read more
2022 scholarships available for ag students
Ontario students can now apply for a variety of scholarships, grants, and bursaries to help them pursue post-secondary studies in agriculture-related fields. Here is a partial list, organized by application deadline. APRIL Angelo and Frank Agro Undergrad Scholarship Seven $7,000 scholarships (payabl... Read more
READ COURT DOCUMENT: Lawyer says judge sees the Freedom Convoy protest as peaceful and lawful
Alberta lawyer Keith Wilson, who has represented Freedom Convoy leader Tamara Lich, argues that an Ontario judge agrees that the Ottawa protest was peaceful and lawful. Attached below is the Court injunction on honking. Go to the second page. Read point number 7. Ontario Superior Court Justice Mr. M... Read more
Meat-eaters live longer, global study says
Farmers Forum staff The effects of meat intake on human health have been extensively debated for years, and negative correlations have popularized vegetarianism and veganism. Australian researchers took a shot at this controversial topic and received surprising results. The researchers examined Unit... Read more
John Deere to allow more self-repair of its equipment
MOLINE, Illinois — John Deere announced on March 21 that it will enhance the capabilities of existing diagnostic tools and expand their availability. Specifically, John Deere will make customer Service ADVISOR (a digital database of operator, diagnostic and technical manuals) available through John... Read more
WHERE’S THE MONEY IN BEEF? Profits are with the processors
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Where’s the money in beef? Not so much in retail and definitely not on the farm, even as beef demand hit a 30-year high in 2021. Ontario consumers should know that beef producers are actually losing about $100 on each head of cattle produced and even grocery... Read more
Sevita launches 13 new soybean varieties
Largest increase in company’s history INKERMAN — Sevita International has rolled out 13 new soybean varieties — including seven IP varieties — for the 2022 growing season — the largest single-year increase in the company’s 25-year history — and plans to add another 10 varieties in 2023. And to assis... Read more
Ottawa wants to cut nitrogen fertilizer by 30%. Will that cause a food shortage?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The federal government has proposed cutting farm nitrogen fertilizer usage 30 per cent by 2030 but says reductions on farmland will be voluntary. That’s raising eyebrows. Opposition agriculture critic MP John Barlow (Conservative — Foothills) doesn’t believe... Read more
A2 protein milk gaining traction
Waterloo dairy farmer finds niche market for easier-to-digest milk Irena Vélez Farmers Forum WATERLOO — Waterloo dairy farmer Jim Eby started selling milk from his Guernsey cattle — a breed with naturally higher amounts of A2 protein — a decade ago after finding many lactose-sensitive customers happ... Read more
Corn stalks could be sold for methane
ONTARIO — An effort to process corn stalks into saleable methane could be in the market for 10,000 acres’ worth of Ontario corn stover bales this fall, rising to 100,000 acres by 2025 — if all goes according to plan. Read more
Ottawa championship seed show awards presented
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column GREELY — It was a rainy day outside, but things sure were shining inside the Greely community centre when the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) celebrated 95 years of ag in the valley and hosted an awards presentation event. On March 19 in Greely,... Read more
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers net $25,000 in seed auction for charity
GREELY — Even with the Ottawa Valley Farm Show cancelled for a third consecutive year, organizers with the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association managed to raise more than ever in the charity auction associated with their 95th annual seed and forages competition. The 30th annual Pedigreed Seed Auct... Read more
Avian flu hits 10 Ontario flocks, on-farm security ramps up
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Avian influenza continues to infect a growing number of Ontario poultry farms and it’s the more pathogenic version — now the worst outbreak seen in more than a decade. As of Thursday evening, April 6, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has tallied Avian flu (N5H1 vir... Read more
Schneckenburger heads up Soil and Crop
New president to push on-farm research, crop tours and a return to twilight tailgate meetings Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MORRISBURG — Warren Schneckenburger remembers his first farm meeting. He was just a kid, tagging along with his dad to the local Soil and Crop Improvement Association. “It wa... Read more
Farmers support truckers with no regrets
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — The Truckers’ Freedom Convoy is rapidly retreating into history’s rearview mirror. But for the Eastern Ontario farmers that took part, there are achievements to reflect upon and fond memories of a time that won’t soon be forgotten. No one expects the... Read more
OPINION: A unifying climate action plan — we can loathe it together
Nelson Zandbergen Assistant Editor It’s a top-down, command-economy, central planner’s fantasy come true. But Justin Trudeau’s recently released “Climate Action Plan” is truly disturbing for the reckless ruination of the Canadian economy it represents. Damn the torpedoes, in just over 7-and-a-half y... Read more
Hillier bows out: Maverick bombastic MPP Randy Hillier will not seek re-election this year
LANARK — He bootstrapped a political career on the central demand that government “back off” as Ontario Landowers’ Association co-founder and rural rabble rouser. Now MPP Randy Hillier (Independent, Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston) is backing off and bowing out. Ontario’s most controversial provincial pol... Read more
Ontario farmers had a great 2021 but many farmers saw expenses rising with revenues
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Gross farm revenues soared last year but so did input costs. Fuelled largely by rising crop and livestock prices, Canadian farm cash receipts jumped 13.7 % to almost $82 billion in 2021, an increase of nearly $9.9 billion over the previous year, according to... Read more
Bill to kill agricultural carbon tax still in the works
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — A private member’s bill that would exempt grain-drying and barn-heating from the federal carbon tax continues to work its way through the legislative system. Sponsored by MP Ben Lobb (Conservative — Huron-Bruce), Bill C-234 was due to begin second reading Mar... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: “Crazy times” as fuel, fertilizer prices spike
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — With the 2022 growing season just around the corner, input costs and supply-chain anxieties are soaring to new heights as war in Ukraine picks up where the pandemic left off. While conflict in Europe’s breadbasket has pushed up crop prices to unheard... Read more
TRUCKERS WERE RIGHT: Freedom Convoy protest was legal, judge says, and Ottawa is now being sued
Farmers Forum Staff MONTREAL — The Canadian government trampled on fundamental human rights with its COVID restrictions, then overreached on dealing with the Freedom Convoy and must now answer to numerous lawsuits, including one by a former premier, says a well-respected constitutional lawyer. Speak... Read more
ROBOT OR PARLOUR? Lower labour costs for robots but lower parlour investment
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EMBRUN — The cost of owning robotic and parlour milking systems are very similar overall, including — somewhat surprisingly — repair and feed costs. Those are among the key findings of a “myth-busting” analysis touted as the first-ever objective financial review of Ca... Read more
OMAFRA salaries: $100,000 and up
2021 “sunshine list” grows 8 per cent at ag ministry Farmers Forum staff ONTARIO — The crop of Ontario public servants paid six figures continues to rise. In a harbinger of the impending spring planting, the province in March released the annual “sunshine list” of employees collecting $100,000 or mo... Read more
GREAT INVESTMENT: Ontario sees 22% farmland value increase in one year
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum Ontario saw a 22.2% farmland value increase last year, nearly three times the national average, according to Farm Credit Canada’s annual Farmland Values Report. Limited supply of land coupled with increased demand in many areas contributed to the increase. 2021 was a “very... Read more
CFFO joins call to allow Russian fertilizer into Canada, warns of tariff impact
ONTARIO — To avoid jeopardizing Canadian crop production, Ottawa needs to lay off the punitive tariffs on Russian and Belarusian fertilizer ordered before March 2nd of this year, says the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO), adding its voice to the original request made by the Ontario Agr... Read more
Forecast: Slightly warmer spring
EASTERN ONTARIO — Eastern Ontario’s spring forecast points to temperatures trending slightly above average with potentially more rain as well. That’s according to Steven Flisfeder, Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist. Flisfeder warns that precipitation is notoriously more difficult t... Read more
OFA’s Rejean Pommainville dies at 67
LIMOGES — Eastern Ontario’s farm community is mourning the loss of one its leaders, Rejean Pommainville, who died March 21 of a sudden heart attack, about a month after his 67th birthday. The Limoges-area dairy farmer was involved with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for over 50 years. Since 2... Read more
OPINION: 50 years of climate predictions and they were all wrong
The recent UN climate summit in Glasgow was predictably branded our “last chance” to tackle the “climate catastrophe” and “save humanity.” Like many others, US climate envoy John Kerry warned us that we have only nine years left to avert most of “catastrophic” global warming. But almost every climat... Read more
How the freedom convoy was misunderstood
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum analysis Now that the dust has settled on the Freedom Convoy, what are we to make of it? If you believe the Liberal-NDP coalition, the mainstream news media and many social media posts, the trucker convoy was an insurrection bent on overthrowing the government. The prot... Read more
Bison producers don’t waste single acre or single part of animal, win pasture award
SHALLOW LAKE— A Grey County family of bison farmers are the 2021 recipients of the Ontario Pasture Award for their unique regenerative farming methods. The award recognizes producers implementing outstanding pasture management strategies that maximize production per acre. Mark and Heather Shouldice,... Read more
YOUNG & OLD ON THE FARM: 18th annual Farmers Forum photo contest
SEELEY’S BAY — Little one-year-old Charlie and his mom Lindsay Berry were visiting the barn one evening in January, watching Charlie’s father Brian Berry push feed to the cows. “Charlie decided that he no longer wanted to be held, so I set him down and he started crawling across the barn floor towar... Read more
Trudeau gov’t drops proposed vax requirement for domestic truckers — also backing away from other federally regulated workplaces?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The Trudeau government appears to be backing away from imposing a vaccine mandate on all federally regulated private-sector workplaces, which would include ports and feedmills. The proposed mandatory vaccine to cross provincial borders has already been droppe... Read more
How a 22-year-old started a beef farm: Working up to 120 hours per week, no bank loans, and a lot of planning
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum RAVENNA— At age 22, Grey County’s Tom Aikins is running his own beef operation. And he started it himself without a single bank loan. Neither of Aikins’ parents farmed, but he says he had a keen interest in agriculture after spending time on his cousins’ farm. When a nearby... Read more
Does Ottawa want a food shortage? Federal government wants to cut nitrogen fertilizer by 30 per cent but that will reduce food supply, farm group says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum OTTAWA — The federal government has proposed cutting farm nitrogen fertilizer usage 30 per cent by 2030 but says reductions on farmland will be voluntary. That’s raising eyebrows. Opposition agriculture critic MP John Barlow (Conservative — Foothills) doesn’t believe... Read more
Risks and investments in crop farming have never been higher (video 40 sec.)
https://youtu.be/B6xH-AZL77o Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Essex County farms earn top dollar among 21 regions
TORONTO — Crop farming represented the biggest source of gross revenue in southwestern Ontario farm country in 2020. That’s based on OMAFRA latest farm-cash receipts calculations (using 2020 figures) adopted from Stats Canada across the region’s 21 counties. While dairy production represented the la... Read more
Ontario farmers increased cash receipts 7% in 2021
OTTAWA— Fuelled largely by rising crop and livestock prices, Canadian farm cash receipts jumped 13.7 % to almost $82 billion in 2021. That’s an increase of nearly $9.9 billion over the previous year, according to the latest report from Stats Canada. Ontario farmers accounted for nearly $1.24 billion... Read more
OPINION: No disease detection system exists for dairy calves
Dr. Robert Tremblay Veterinarian There is always more than enough work to do on any farm but especially on dairy farms. The uptake of automatic milking systems on so many farms is strong evidence of that. Researchers are now exploring to see if there are other management tools that might assist dair... Read more
Appeal filed in BSE class action dismissal
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum TORONTO — An appeal has been launched after an Ontario judge dismissed a multi-billion-dollar class-action lawsuit against the federal government that sought to compensate Canadian cattle producers for the economic damage wrought by the BSE crisis. The suit alleges th... Read more
Passion for soil health: Woody Van Arkel OSCIA’s 2022 Soil Champion
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum CHATHAM-KENT – For the last 10 years, Laurent (Woody) Van Arkel has farmed with three goals in mind: disturb the soil as little as possible, leave the ground covered as much as possible, and keep a living root system in the soil as much as possible. He strip-tills cor... Read more
OPINION: In praise of the farm dog
Dan Needles Farmer Thinking My vet doesn’t do dogs. He knows all about dogs after seven years at the vet college and a brief stint interning in an urban clinic, but when he opened a large animal practice up here in farm country he made it known he was leaving the dog and cat business […] Read more
OPINION: Loving foods from countries visited
One of the good things about winter and cold days and nights, is enjoying some of the favourite traditional foods we grew up with and trying new ones. Many of the popular foods we eat on occasions began as peasant food — food our ancestors lived on. Read more
On ice for two years, Maple Weekend returns April 2-3
ONTARIO — COVID-19 stymied the sweet outing two years, but the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association says its annual Maple Weekend is finally back for 2022. Running 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 2-3, the weekend celebrates the maple syrup season. It’s an opportunity for the public to visit t... Read more
FCC 2022 forecasts: Strong prices for grains, oilseeds, beef — limited growth potential for dairy, hogs
OTTAWA — Farm Credit Canada says demand for commodities and food are a growth opportunity, but one requiring farms, agribusinesses and food processors to innovate and manage risk. The organization sees strong prices for grains, oilseeds and beef into 2022 — but more limited growth potential for dair... Read more
Repair jobs while hanging by a rope
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ORANGEVILLE — Like nimble spidermen, “rope access” specialist Chad Neve and his workmates regularly dangle above Ontario farm country — and sites across Canada — while performing maintenance and repairs on wind turbine blades, grain elevators and communication towers.... Read more
Beef farmers go after animal police in their 21 resolutions
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GUELPH — The province’s new animal welfare enforcement regime was scrutinized — and found lacking — at the Beef Farmers of Ontario annual general meeting. Beef farmer delegates passed three resolutions concerning the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) system. T... Read more
OPINION: North America could plant record-high soybean acres
Steve Kell’s Market Minute The key variable which drives our grain prices each winter is South American weather. However, now that it’s March and we’re deep into harvest in the southern hemisphere the power of Brazilian weather to impact world prices has diminished. The question now is how did the S... Read more
All-Canadian Jersey champion raised on Finch farm
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Eastern Ontario again has some of the best Jersey cattle in the country, as recognized by Jersey Canada. Breeders and owners in the region are among those with Jerseys recently accorded 2021 “All Canadian” status — an internal contest showcasing top-flight a... Read more
Russell Jersey herd earns Master Breeder shield
RUSSELL — Jersey Canada awards only one Master Breeder shield at a time, and this year’s sole national recipient is Drentex Jerseys at Russell. Mike and Monique Bols’ operation features a milking herd of 35 — source of many top-flight animals over the years. “It’s quite humbling,” Mike Bols said of... Read more
Making a go of cover crops: Looking to take the plunge? Talk to a neighbour, check online resources for advice
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — What does it take to “make cover crops work” on your farm? OMAFRA soil management specialist Anne Verhallen addressed that question — bolstered by the advice and experience of several producers — in her video presentation at the annual Ontario Agricultural C... Read more
OVSGA hosting training day: Workshop offers insight into judging seeds, crops, feed and forages
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) has been in the seed, crop and forage judging business for 95 years. Assessing and comparing samples to determine superior exhibits is what the show has been based on since the first annual show in 1927. In or... Read more
ANALYSIS: Freedom Convoy wildly successful; not so for Trudeau (video 2:41)
https://youtu.be/UdigROcdCMU Read more
The quest for higher yields: Kernel weight, not number of kernels, gives corn yield’s biggest boost
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GUELPH — In the quest for higher corn yields, what’s more important, number of kernels or bigger (heavier) kernels? Purdue University’s Dr. Tony Vyn and the University of Guelph’s Dr. David Hooker say that both aspects are crucial to yield, but increased kernel weight... Read more
Did Farm Credit Canada draw up a blacklist of convoy supporters?
REGINA — Farm Credit Canada appears stuck between a rock and a hard place. While an Ottawa news website reported that FCC’s Ottawa master asked for a list of clients who are also Freedom Convoy participants and supporters, it is not clear that the farm lending agency had an obligation to comply. On... Read more
New market for farm-based biogas
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — It’s been years since a new, on-farm biogas-fired power project has plugged into the provincial power grid, following the 2016 cancellation of Ontario’s controversial Feed-In Tariff program and related Green Energy Act. But biogas proponents see a brewing op... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Prescott-Russell farms top earnings per capita
Dairy and soybeans have highest cash receipts east of Toronto OTTAWA — Dairy remained the richest source of gross revenue in farm country while soybeans was the second-highest generator in nine of 14 counties east of Toronto. The latest data on farm cash receipts — for 2020 — breaks down the dollars... Read more
Ontario doubles loans to experienced beef farmers to $1.5 million
TORONTO — Experienced Ontario beef farmers can tap into more government-backed credit through the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program. The province on Feb. 23 doubled the loan limit to a maximum of $1 million for individual co-op members and up to $1.5 million for corporations participating in feed... Read more
Ontario officially eliminates licence plate stickers on March 13
ONTARIO — An annual rite of vehicle ownership is over with the permanent elimination of licence plate renewal fees and stickers, effective March 13. The province announced the surprise change last month and will refund licence plate renewal fees paid since March 2020, the start of the pandemic. A mo... Read more
Stressors weighing heavily on farmers
Financial concerns, rising costs, uncertain weather, farm succession creating anxiety Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Family dynamics around farm succession, financial pressures, and the unrelenting uncertainty of weather and crop prices: All of these stresses may push a farmer to... Read more
Four Eastern Ontario farms share in $7.4 million clean technology grants
EASTERN ONTARIO — Four Eastern Ontario farms are among 17 in the province recently awarded a combined $7.4 million for clean technology projects. The money flows through the federal Agricultural Clean Technology program that’s intended to boost on-farm energy efficiency, green energy, precision agri... Read more
Canadian Agricultural Youth Council seeking new members ages 18 to 30
OTTAWA — The Canadian Agricultural Youth Council has started its second round of recruitments and is looking for innovative, outspoken individuals. The council meets regularly with Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and other department officials to discuss the concerns of y... Read more
Scare tactics with little bite used on Freedom Convoy, protestors say
ONTARIO — Despite tough talk from the federal government, provincial government and the Mayor of Ottawa, as soon as Prime Minister backed off the Emergencies Act, the aggressive attack on Freedom Convoy protestors evaporated, protestors say. Those honking trucks famously towed away from Ottawa’s dow... Read more
Supply chain problems make glyphosate even harder to get
EASTERN ONTARIO — The tight supply of glyphosate got even tighter as Bayer warned agribusinesses of a possible impact on deliveries after a mechanical failure at the factory of a key ingredient supplier. The chemical and pharmaceutical giant issued a letter to vendors Feb. 11 explaining that the unn... Read more
OPINION: A tale of two hostage takings
Emergencies Act to break up “Freedom Convoy” protest was the right thing to do Angela Dorie Backroads Watching the so-called “ Freedom Convoy” and its hangers on last month was not easy. A minority purporting to represent an industry which I hold in the highest regard, took Ottawa hostage. The commo... Read more
University of Guelph offers short-term biz course in eight 20-minute videos
GUELPH — Farmers need a solid understanding of business basics to run a successful operation, especially as farms become larger and more complex. That’s why the University of Guelph is offering a virtual farm business program for free. Read more
OPINION: Trudeau war powers Act another measure that scares off foreign investment
Niels Veldhuis and Jason Clemens Fraser institute The cabinet decision by the Trudeau government to invoke the Emergencies Act with its wartime-like emergency powers to deal with the current protests, without Parliamentary consultations on its justification, has garnered massive negative internation... Read more
AVALANCHE OF BANK WITHDRAWALS: Bank failures unlikely after Ottawa froze convoy supporters’ accounts, retired banker says
OTTAWA — Canadians began taking their money out of the bank after the Trudeau government recently used the Emergencies Act to freeze bank accounts of supporters of the Freedom Convoy that parked more than 400 trucks and vehicles in Ottawa’s downtown core for three weeks. Farmers Forum spoke with eig... Read more
LETTER: Blinded by Science
I recently wrote a letter to our local MPP of Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry, Conservative member Jim McDonell, expressing my concerns over the continued restrictions, vaccine passports and mandates put in place. Something that their federal brethren seem to be adamantly against. The reply I r... Read more
Maple syrup producers “had to change to survive” and hope customers return
PAKENHAM — Maple syrup producers are hoping for a return of more in-person customers after two years of lost income. Read more
Corn-based ethanol not more green than gasoline, U.S. government-backed study says
Corn-based ethanol has a carbon footprint at least as bad as the gasoline into which it is routinely blended as a “green” additive. That’s the upshot of a new study funded in part by the United States Department of Energy and released last month — though it’s bitterly contested by Canada’s ethanol l... Read more
Animal police seize farmer’s cattle, repeatedly send him bills for food and care
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum PETERBOROUGH — A provincial court will hear an appeal this month from an elderly Peterborough-area beef farmer whose cattle have been seized by animal welfare authorities who repeatedly send him bills for their care instead of just sending them to market or giving the... Read more
OPINION: Canada the cruel
Patrick Meagher Editor The three-week Freedom Convoy and protest could have been avoided if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had agreed to meet with the truckers and simply acknowledge the science he says he follows. They are not bad people. Before we had a COVID vaccine, Trudeau thanked trucker... Read more
FORCE VS. FREEDOM: Truckers and farmers leave Ottawa as police use sticks and tear gas
OTTAWA — Splendron Trucking owner Brent Barton got behind the wheel of his grain-hauling rig and pulled away from its long-time spot on Kent Street, amid the dwindling remnants of the 2022 Freedom Convoy. Read more
Freedom convoy timeline: One wild ride through February
Jan. 15, 2022 • Full COVID-19 vaccination requirement introduced for truckers crossing U.S.-Canada border. • GoFundMe fundraiser named “Freedom Convoy 2022” started by Tamara Lich and B. J. Dichter. Jan. 22, 2022 • First convoy leaves B.C. Jan. 27, 2022 • Trudeau calls Freedom Convoy a “small fringe... Read more
OPINION: What’s the emergency?
After the short-lived Emergencies Act came to the rescue police used force – sometimes tear gas, sticks to the face, the end of a rifle and horses – to move the truckers out of Ottawa and set up ongoing police checkpoints on the downtown sidewalks and streets. Read more
Farm groups rally behind new carbon-tax exemption bill
OTTAWA — The battle to snuff out the federal carbon tax on grain-drying and barn-heating has resumed with farm groups cheering on the latest effort in Parliament. Read more
ONE WEEK LATER: Freedom Convoy truckers say it’s not over (video 2:47)
https://youtu.be/nUnb75DRC2k Read more
OPINION: Please, God, give us the Alex we remember and loved
Angela Dorie Backroads The Dairy Farmers of Ontario Friday newsletter on January 14, 2022 held a glimmer of hope for Ontario’s dairy farmers who are disenchanted with the proAction program and the big sticks being wielded by DFO and other appointed officials. It was the announcement that Alex Hamilt... Read more
OPINION: How animal welfare can ruin a farm business
Dan Needles Farmer Thinking Everywhere a person turns these days someone has pointed advice for him about how to behave: his driving, his shopping habits, his telephone manner, his respect for all living things and quite a few dead ones. Rules have been written for every conceivable human action, to... Read more
OPINION: Canada to get new code of practice for dairy cows
Dr. Robert Tremblay Veterinarian As another step in the long path of creating a new version of the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle, the draft Code was released for public comment late last year. Comment period ended in late January. The next step towards finalizing the Cod... Read more
Using ‘mindfulness’ as a practical tool to relax
Special to Farmers Forum Many of us lead busy lives. We are busy thinking about yesterday and busy planning for tomorrow. When we focus on the past and future, we aren’t paying a lot of attention to the present—where we are right now. Mindfulness is simply an invitation to step out of the clutter an... Read more
Dairy master breeders stick to the basics
Sticking to the basics and doing it well has paid off for two Ontario dairy farms that have earned this year’s prestigious Master Breeder shield from Holstein Canada. Read more
OPINION: Keep life simple
Disconnect, learn to say no. Don’t buy on credit. Ask yourself: “Do I really need it?” Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County I try to live a simple life and I don’t sway easily. I never fall for switching a service that I’m satisfied with because someone offers a cheaper rate. The same insurance com... Read more
University of Guelph offers short-term business course in eight 20-minute videos
GUELPH — Farmers need a solid understanding of business basics to run a successful operation, especially as farms become larger and more complex. That’s why the University of Guelph is offering a virtual farm business program for free. Read more
OPINION: Corn, soybean contract opportunities around the corner
Steve Kell’s Market Minute One of the major forces that drives the grain markets through the late winter and early spring is speculation over how many acres of each crop are expected to be planted in the spring, and this year is no different. Planting intentions are the first critical step in... Read more
Federal ag minister highlights meat industry concerns as Trudeau invokes Emergencies Act
OTTAWA — Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-food minister says that meat producers are concerned about the impact of the trucker border blockades on their livelihoods. The office of Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has highlighted her Feb. 14 meeting with Canadian meat industry representatives — same d... Read more
ANALYSIS: Emergencies Act (video 2:20 min.)
https://youtu.be/w4_Nhxt-KOE Read more
Trucker group leader on what it will take for him to leave (video 1:01 min.)
https://youtu.be/QuH5xoVc5uc Read more
YIKES! New gas tax hikes coming in 2022; expect pump prices to hit $1.65 per litre
OTTAWA — Canadians have shelled out fuel taxes since 1925. But by the end of last century the tax started to hurt. By January 1990, a litre of gas cost $0.55 and included just under 19 cents in provincial and federal taxes. Read more
OTTAWA STATE OF EMERGENCY? (video 2:13)
The Ottawa mayor says the the city core has become too dangerous for people as protestors have put up bouncy castles, hot tubs and are having a party. Read more
HAPPY PEOPLE: Inside Ottawa Freedom Rally trucker camp (video 3:55 min.)
https://youtu.be/5zIZpNunv44 Read more
Tractorcade slows traffic at Cornwall international bridge (video 2:16 min.)
Fifty to 60 farm tractors arrived at the foot of Cornwall's international bridge this morning in support of the ongoing truckers' protests. Traffic flow was not cut off. Read more
Farmer and veteran demonstrator analyzes Freedom Convoy (video 3:39 min.)
https://youtu.be/9iUIKxigF8s Read more
VIDEO (1:44 min.): Just another night on Parliament Hill
https://youtu.be/sZOg7vhoaZw Read more
Farm groups rally behind new carbon-tax exemption bill
OTTAWA — The battle to snuff out the federal carbon tax on grain-drying and barn-heating has resumed with farm groups cheering on the latest effort in Parliament. Read more
Book follows pioneer life and working horses on the farm
ALMONTE — An Almonte historian has self-published a book on Eastern Ontario life with horses in 202 pages filled with anecdotes. Titled Horses of the Country: an homage the book follows the history of horses working in the bush and plowing and also carrying milk cans to cheese factories and w... Read more
Milvalea Holsteins awarded Master Breeder shield
BALTIMORE — The cows go outside every day of the year for both exercise and effective heat detection at Milvalea Holsteins, and that traditional practice is one factor in the herd’s newly recognized success. Read more
RECIPE: Boerenkool Stamppot
“It’s damned good, even if the appearance doesn’t meet the standards of French cuisine” says Farmers Forum’s Nelson Zandbergen, who grew up on a dairy farm in South Dundas. “We’re Dutch. We’re humble.” Read more
Celebrate Canada’s Agriculture Day on February 22
GUELPH — On February 22, Canadians are invited to celebrate Canada’s Agriculture Day by sharing their passion for food and farming with official social media hashtag #CdnAgDay. “Canada’s Agriculture Day is a day designated for the country to come together to recognize and celebrate... Read more
Destruction of PEI potatoes has begun
PEI — The destruction of Prince Edward Island’s stranded potato crop has begun, federal Agriculture and Agri-food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau acknowledged in a Feb. 10 statement. “What should have been a great year for PEI—a bumper crop and favourable market conditions—has turned into an incredibly... Read more
He started breeding cattle at age 12. Now, at 36, he has a Master Breeder shield
PICTON — Shawn Koopmans got his first taste of breeding cattle when he was a 12-year-old 4-Her who went on to buy his first cow just two years later. Read more
Lanark County seed show history includes recent champions
Farmers have recognized for many years that better seed equals better crops. Seed shows have evolved as just one way to develop and reward quality seed production. There are currently nine counties in Eastern Ontario holding seed shows each spring. The top entries from each local show are granted th... Read more
Winter farm shows and conferences cancelled due to ongoing COVID restrictions
Ontario’s ever-changing pandemic restrictions have put agricultural organizations in a tough spot as they wrestle with whether or not to move forward with their annual events and meetings and in what format. Read more
IPM returns: International Plowing Match plans to open in September at Kemptville
After two consecutive cancellations in 2020 and 2021, organizers are finally planning for a return of the International Plowing Match this fall. Read more
Don’t eat ham sandwiches in a hog barn, pork producers say
Go vegetarian if toting a lunch box through a hog barn — or at least ensure that wiener or ham sandwich stays off the premises. So serious is the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF), your leftover hotdog poses a risk of carrying the disease to the domestic hog industry. Ontario Pork has been promoti... Read more
Tech-boost grants for vets to fill rural service gap
There’s new funding to help veterinary operations fill service gaps in rural Ontario through specialized equipment and upgrades to allow for onsite monitoring cameras and more portable medical tools for on-farm diagnostics. Read more
What’s new in taxes? Tax professional provides timely tips for farmers
KEMPTVILLE — It’s tax season and there are some changes that farmers should know about. Fran Beach, who prepares tax returns for farmers at Sheppard & Associates in Kemptville, offered four tax reminders for farmers. Most notably, the payback for the COVID relief loan has been extended by one y... Read more
New business, store sees unexpected flood of customers
When working a 70-to-80-hour week, things get done. Brian and Jenny Rijke bought 100 acres, had a barn built, and opened a farm store all within half a year, welcoming so many customers in their first season that they’re already looking to expand. Read more
OPINION: Why the battle for truth is one to show up for
To quote a book by Pope John Paul ll, We are crossing the threshold of hope. But we are not going in the direction he intended. Read more
VIDEO (1:11): More farmers join truckers’ Freedom Convoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLcc1lNXdw4 Read more
VIDEO (1:29min): TRUCKER CONVOY TURNS INTO A PARTY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3puvyfldXU Read more
VIDEO (0.53 min): Parliament Hill or BBQ City?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u82e2Z3hQA Read more
Fire destroys Glengarry dairy barn, 60 cattle
NORTH LANCASTER — The cause of a barn fire that killed 60 dairy cattle near North Lancaster is still under investigation. Firefighters from all five South Glengarry fire departments were called around 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. When they arrived at Josef Hagen’s farm on County Road 18, the barn was compl... Read more
REMEMBERING FARMERS FORUM NEWSPAPER FOUNDER: Terry Meagher dead at 88
Terry Meagher never stopped: he taught at Kemptville College, was a Korean War gunner ... Read more
Upping the ante: Ottawa considers banning unvaxxed truckers from federal workplaces, ports, feedmills and truck cabs — impacting ag sector
ONTARIO — If the impact of the Trudeau government’s newly imposed vaccine mandate on border-crossing truckers isn’t controversial enough, imagine barring unvaxxed haulers from all federally regulated workplaces in Canada. Read more
Farmers join historic freedom convoy
OTTAWA — Jubilant truckers occupying the streets around Parliament Hill vowed to remain with their parking brakes firmly engaged as the freedom convoy protest approached its second weekend in Ottawa. Read more
Only 42 cases of rabies in Ontario in 2021
ONTARIO — Rabies continued to decline in Ontario last year, led especially by a drop in the number of bat carcasses testing positive for the virus. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recorded 42 infected animals in Ontario in 2021, down from 49 cases in 2020. The cases included bats (27), skunks (1... Read more
FRINGE? Truckers gain support from across the country as organizers say they’re not leaving Ottawa
OTTAWA — A massive convoy of trucks that started out in British Columbia and gathered thousands of supporters along the route landed at Ottawa’s Parliament Hill on Friday, Jan. 28, while raising more than $10 million in support in one week. Read more
OPINION: The Great Canadian truck convoy
The great Canadian truck convoy flooded Ottawa with several thousand trucks and tens of thousands of supporters on its first day in the city. It had raised more than $10 million on a Gofundme page in one week. Read more
2021 Ontario corn crop a new record by a country mile, while soybeans tie record: Agricorp
ONTARIO — The province’s 2021 corn crop established a major new yield record of about 200 bu/ac, while soybean output tied the previous record of 53 bu/ac, according to the latest numbers published Jan. 20 by Agricorp. Both crops clocked in well above their 10-year yield averages — 173 bu/ac f... Read more
FARMERS FORUM PHOTOS: Freedom Convoy’s first weekend in the Nation’s Capital
The weather may have been frigid but the atmosphere was energized on Parliament Hill during the first weekend of the Freedom Convoy protest. See images below Read more
Truckers’ Freedom Convoy makes impact on Parliament Hill
OTTAWA — A massive convoy of truckers that started out in British Columbia, and gathered thousands of supporters along the route, landed at Ottawa’s Parliament Hill on Friday, Jan. 28, while so far raising more than $9 million in support. Read more
Robots to the rescue: Autonomous tractors will be commonplace in five years, dealers say
GUELPH — As the automation experts spoke, the videos showed a variety of machinery efficiently sweeping over farm fields doing planting, fertilizing, weeding and harvesting in orderly rows. Read more
FCC watching for continued inflation, supply-chain and labour challenges, in 2022 forecast
Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) economics team has been studying their “crystal ball” charts to forecast what’s in store for Canada’s agriculture and food industry in 2022. “Sometimes the best indicators of what will happen in the future can be found in the recent past,” said J.P. Gervais, FCC’s chief ec... Read more
Exempt grain drying from carbon tax, grain farmers demand
GUELPH — Grain-drying must be exempted from the federal carbon tax and any money paid to date must be reimbursed to those farms and agribusinesses. That’s the continued demand of the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), whose president decries the Trudeau government’s rejection of such relief as “inconce... Read more
Surging inflation hampers forward contracting
ONTARIO — Surging inflation has one Ontario grain grower feeling like an Argentinian farmer reluctant to trade his harvested crop for ever-eroding pesos unless absolutely necessary. Read more
Ottawa Valley Farm Show cancelled for third straight year
OTTAWA — The 2022 Ottawa Valley Farm Show has been cancelled. It’s the third consecutive year that uncertainties arising from the pandemic have led organizers with the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association to pull the plug on the annual event held at the EY Centre. The Association announced t... Read more
Delta Power buys Reis Equipment in Winchester, St. Isidore, Renfrew
WINCHESTER — Reis Farm Equipment’s three Eastern Ontario CASE IH dealership locations have been sold. Delta Power Equipment, a growing southwestern Ontario dealership chain, was expected to acquire the outlets at Winchester, Renfrew and St. Isidore on Feb.1. Read more
Mental health support hotline now open
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum GUELPH — A toll-free hotline providing mental support for Ontario farmers and farm families was up and running as of New Years’ Day. At 1-866-267-6255, the phone line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round. Callers can access up to four free hour-long cou... Read more
Farmers Forum newspaper founder dead at 88
Terry Meagher never stopped: he taught at Kemptville College, was a Korean War gunner Read more
Grain elevators, ports the next no-go zones for unvaxxed truckers?
EASTERN ONTARIO — If the impact of the Trudeau government’s newly imposed vaccine mandate on border-crossing truckers isn’t controversial enough, imagine barring unvaxxed haulers from all federally regulated workplaces in Canada. Read more
Trucks invade Ottawa: Eastern Ontario farmers join historic rally for freedom
Nelson Zandbergen and Patrick Meagher OTTAWA — It took just one week to mobilize thousands of people and more than 1,000 trucks in a nationwide rally for freedom that was joined by many Eastern Ontario farmers and truckers. Though sparked by Ottawa’s cross-border vaccination requirement, the convoy... Read more
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms co-author sues Ottawa for violations
OTTAWA — The only surviving drafter and signatory of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is suing the federal government for breaching those rights during the pandemic. Brian Peckford, 79, former Newfoundland premier, is the main applicant in the suit filed Jan. 26 in Federal Court by the Ju... Read more
Russian aggression in Ukraine and Chinese aggression in Taiwan could have big impact on corn, soybean and wheat prices, analyst says
Rising tensions in Ukraine — a long-reputed breadbasket of Europe — has Ontario agricultural market watchers keeping a close eye on the upward implications for crop prices. Read more
BACK IN THE DAY: Moulinette burning
The path of progress often runs through heartbreak, and the St. Lawrence Seaway was no exception. In order to allow large container ships to make their way through the St. Lawrence River and a system of locks and canals, to travel as far west as Duluth, Minnesota, the river needed to be wider and de... Read more
OPINION: Farmer math has ability to transform bummer yield into banner year
Dan Needles Farmer Thinking The guys in our driveshed coffee club have announced that we are now in the ‘storm before the calm’ and have decided they will talk about almost anything rather than the latest virus variant. So the subject moved this week to the calls they have been getting... Read more
Canadian farmers bought more new farm equipment in 2021
Canadian farmers bought more farm equipment in 2021 compared to the year before, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Both tractor and combine sales stayed above a 20 per cent growth rate. The association says Canadian farmers purchased 30,500 new tractors from January to Novembe... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: What do you see as your biggest challenge in 2022?
“The rising cost of inputs is the main thing on people’s mind and availability of supplies. How soon do you have to order stuff like vaccines for cattle to make sure you get them on time? It’s a bit nerve-wracking. You try to get ahead of the game but just one thing can hold you […] Read more
LETTER: Nation Rise wind project costing millions
Postmedia correspondent Jim Algie is misleading when he refers to the Ford government’s 2019 cancellation of green energy contracts, which he terms an “obsessive anti-climate” position. In fact, the government cancelled contracts for intermittent and unreliable solar and wind power that was surplus... Read more
Four Ontarians among nine Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees
WINNIPEG — Nine Canadians, including four Ontarians, were inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 2021 induction ceremony on Nov. 21. Read more
LETTER: Vaccinated? Not vaccinated? No difference
The new round of restaurant and school closures in Ontario suggests to me that Covid injections and boosters have missed the mark and have proven to be ineffective in stamping out the pandemic. Moreover, this also confirms for me that all the hype about vaccine passports has been essentially meaning... Read more
Young and awesome: Canada’s 2021 outstanding young farmers are Brantford on-farm store owners
BRANTFORD — Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers rose to the top at the national event, winning the competition alongside another farming couple from BC. Read more
OPINION: Paul Bunyan Theme Park is a money-maker in Northern California — so why can’t we do that in the Ottawa Valley?
I enjoy walking through old-growth forest and seeing towering trees. A friend and I walked through the 1.6-kilometre trail of protected old-growth forest at Shaw Woods near Eganville one morning last fall ... Read more
LETTER: Stop proposed prison on Kemptville College farmland
It has come to our attention that the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO) is considering the transfer of the former Kemptville College farm property from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to the Ministry of the Solicitor General (SolGen) ... Read more
OPINION: How many of your cows have broken tails?
Dr. Robert Tremblay Veterinarian In 2005, a researcher at Guelph investigated injuries to cows in over 300 tie-stall barns in Ontario. She looked at barn-related injuries that most people recognize like neck abrasions and hair loss and open wounds on hocks. She recorded information on docked tails,... Read more
‘COOKIES FOR COWS’: On-farm soy meal maker saves money, now includes roaster
LISTOWEL — Expensive soybeans are driving an appetite for on-farm processing of feed as a cost-saving measure. Read more
Winery expands to include events, RV camping, hot sauce — and now beer
Paul Leblanc can’t seem to sit still. You might think that after a 32-year military career, retiring as a chief warrant officer, it might be time to slow down. Not Paul. Read more
Farmers find ways to cope with the cold, dark days of winter
Like millions of other Canadians, farmers contend with a heavy workload and soaring debt. But they also face unique challenges such as bad weather conditions and problems with livestock. Read more
U.S. grower nets 602 bu/ac to win national corn yield contest again
Who knew corn yields could ever exceed 600 bushels per acre? David Hula of Charles City, Virginia has done it not once, but twice. And he’s the only one who’s ever done it. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: 2021 was a record breaker in more ways than one
WESTERN ONTARIO — It’s official: The province’s corn, soybean and winter wheat growers reaped record yields in 2021, according to Statistics Canada. And not only was it a chart-topping year for Ontario’s grains and oilseeds producers, hay fields also proved abundant for many livestock farmers growin... Read more
What you learned is wrong. Soybeans need nitrogen, researcher says
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — American growers are losing soybean yield potential due to inadequate management of the crop — and it starts with the mistaken belief that soybeans need less fertilizer than is actually the case. Ontario growers would do well to avoid the same pitfall. That... Read more
OPINION: Expect a wild ride as wheat market volatility is certain
2022 promises to be another really interesting year in the grain markets. In particular, Ontario’s winter wheat crop has all of the makings for a turbulent price cycle in the months ahead. Read more
Agricorp to cover COVID losses in 2022
Crop insurer Agricorp announced in late December that it has automatically extended coverage for 2022 production losses due to farm labour disruptions caused by COVID. Read more
U of G project to breed cattle for lower methane
Cows are inadvertently contributing to climate change every time they digest their feed, since it ferments in the rumen and produces methane gas, critics say. Read more
Warner family earns fourth master breeder award
EASTERN ONTARIO — The Warner family at Ronbeth Holsteins didn’t make it to Quebec to pick up their fourth master breeder shield at the Holstein Canada banquet in November, but the achievement is nonetheless a proud one. Read more
First John, then Henry: A family legacy
The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association is rich in family and traditions and is strengthened by its volunteer directors. The Posthumus family of Wolfe Island is an excellent example. Henry Posthumus recently joined OVSGA as a director and is “excited to carry on the Posthumus legacy at the Ottawa... Read more
U.S. border reopens for live breeding stock sheep, goats
Ever since the start of the BSE crisis in 2003, U.S. restrictions have blocked the import of live sheep and goats. Nearly 18 years later, the border has finally been reopened. Read more
Nimble spidermen repair turbine towers
Forget cherry pickers and scaffolding, Vertical Access Solutions of Orangeville, Ontario, specializes in nimble, cost-effective “rope access” methods of reaching high places to carry out repair and maintenance — especially for the owners of wind turbines dotting Ontario farm country. At Crysler, VAS... Read more
Police raid farm of former raw milk seller Michael Schmidt who says he is obeying law; among three farms hit by crackdown in 2021
The crackdown on raw milk sales in Wellington and Grey Counties now includes three farms including that of previously charged raw milk seller Michael Schmidt. Read more
Top 10 farm stories of 2021
OTTAWA — 2021 was another year of COVID restrictions dominating everything, while increasing anxiety, fear and frustration. Increasingly, people are now asking themselves, will life ever return to normal? Read more
Win $200 in Farmers Forum photo contest
The deadline for the 18th Farmers Forum annual photo contest is just around the corner. This year’s theme is “Young & Old on the farm.” Photos don’t need to have been taken this past year. Submissions may include people, crops, animals, machinery and scenery. The top entry will earn $200. You ca... Read more
Beats online school! Hawk serves up natural spectacle to farm kids
Tuesday Jan. 4 was supposed to be the first day back at school until the province decided to lock down again. But at Yann Bossel’s South Mountain dairy farm, the first day of lockdown offered its own unique schooling as his children watched a Hawk snag a pigeon in mid-air and spend the next 10 minut... Read more
Every deer carcass tested had EHD disease — but there were only four tests in Ontario
EASTERN ONTARIO — While only four Ontario deer carcasses were confirmed as positive for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in 2021, they were also the only carcasses the province managed to test for the disease. Read more
Four trends shaping agriculture in 2022
Each year brings its own changes, and in the agriculture industry, being prepared to face them and adapt can be essential. Futurist and former naval intelligence officer Jack Ulrich has his eye on four trends — blockchain technology, regenerative agriculture, electric vehicles and plant-based protei... Read more
Residents have a blast naming snowplows
SDG — The snowplows of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry counties are fanning out this season, each one newly denoted with a whimsical name on its door. Read more
COVID inspectors of farms failed to do their job, auditor general report concludes
Farmers employing temporary foreign workers can expect a stronger enforcement of COVID-19 safety inspections after a recent auditor general report scrutinized Employment and Social Development Canada for failing to conduct adequate pandemic farm assessments. Read more
Tractor repair shop goes up in flames on Boxing Day
VERNON — Skuce Repairs is running again after a devastating Boxing Day fire heavily damaged the mom-and-pop operation that has been fixing tractors and farm machinery for over a generation. Read more
OPINION: Too many voices, far too much fear
The week before Christmas there were people terrified of the Omicron coronavirus based on a worldwide death count of 10. There were also people who wanted to contract this weaker virus to obtain natural immunity. Read more
Quebec company launches second-generation tie-stall milking robot for huge Eastern Canada market
SAINTE-MONIQUE, Quebec — Milkomax, which calls itself the only global manufacturer of milking robots for tie-stall farms, just launched its second-generation milking robot called the ROBOMAX. Read more
Five seconds of terror: Combine chain rips skin from farmer’s leg
PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY — Derk Prinzen exudes gratitude in the aftermath of a gruesome farm accident he concedes could have been so much worse. Read more
What do you see as your biggest challenge in 2022?
“Cost. Just the cost of operating is exponential. Parts, machinery, fuel. Government costs enforcing green energy, carbon tax. Just costs in general. Everything just costs more and more and more. Scott Kinloch Crop grower, Martintown, Ont. ——- “The biggest challenge is going to be gettin... Read more
Fulton’s close Pakenham pancake restaurant, open store at sugarbush attraction
PAKENHAM — The beautiful log pancake house at Fulton family’s maple sugarbush is a pancake house no more. The rustic dining facility that previously seated 120 will instead enter the coming 2022 season as a permanently expanded store featuring the family’s sweet products drawn from the 5,800- tap op... Read more
Nine Ontario farm fatalities in 2021 include two children
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — In 2021, nine Ontarians came to the end of their lives in accidents on the farm — the reputed most dangerous workplace in the country. That’s up three from six on-farm fatalities recorded by Farmers Forum in 2020. Farmers Forum records do not include farm-r... Read more
Ontario barn fires dropped to 114 in 2020
In 2020, Ontario recorded its lowest number of barn fires in at least 10 years. Read more
FCC Forecast: higher interest rates, more inflation and a stronger Canadian dollar
The “blind optimism” that greeted 2021 “has given way to resignation” amid the still-unresolved pandemic and related supply crunches and inflationary cost pressures that persist into 2022, says Farm Credit Canada in a recent precursory look forward. 2021 ended with a resurgent of virus cases, despit... Read more
Thieves steal 40,000 kilograms of butter from Trenton truck facility
TRENTON — Just like gold, 40,000 kilograms of stolen butter may have been melted down and turned into ‘ghee’ — a popular Indian and Middle Eastern cooking ingredient — according to one industry theory on the recent Christmas Day butter heist in Trenton. Read more
Possibly the most bountiful season in living memory
BRINSTON — It’s official: The province’s corn, soybean and winter wheat growers reaped record harvests in 2021, as tabulated by Statistics Canada. Read more
Judge still to rule on $8-billion BSE lawsuit, but decision possible this month
TORONTO — It’s possible a ruling may be handed down this month in the Canadian Beef Farmers’ $8-billion class-action lawsuit against the federal government for allowing BSE into the country decades ago. Duncan Boswell, senior partner with Gowling WLG in Toronto and lead counsel in the lawsuit, said... Read more
Holstein Canada contributes $25K to genomic reconstruction effort for flood-affected BC herds
BRANTFORD — In solidarity with British Columbia dairy farms affected by flooding last month, the Holstein Canada board has voted to put $25,000 into a joint effort benefiting those producers. With other industry partners (Lactanet, Ciaq, Eastgen, Westgen and Semex), the Association will participate... Read more
Farmer Wellness Program arrives in Durham Region
DURHAM — The Durham Region Federation of Agriculture (DRFA) is ensuring better access to mental health counselling for its member farmers. Two experienced mental health practitioners who know the pressures of rural and farming life are assisting the organization with the endeavour, under a new partn... Read more
Milk producers can collect next dollop of trade compensation, equivalent to $475 per cow
OTTAWA — Canadian dairy producers can now collect their third annual instalment of the Dairy Direct Payment Program (DDPP), a sum of about $38,000 for a typical 80-cow dairy herd (or $475 per cow). A fourth and final payment of a similar amount is also lined up for 2023 as the federal government dis... Read more
Global prices up 80 % — coping with higher nitrogen fertilizer prices
As the global nitrogen fertilizer shortage worsens and prices continue to rise, farmers wonder how much it will affect their next planting season. Read more
OPINION: Today, everyone is an expert but I see red flags unless expert talk includes humility that inspires confidence and trust
Dan Needles Farmer Thinking Last month my cardiologist put me on a beta blocker to lower my blood pressure and asked me to take daily readings with the little Chinese-made monitor I keep on my desk. After a week, I was alarmed to see that the readings were going higher. “Of course, they are,” said [... Read more
OPINION: How many of your cows have broken tails?
In 2005, a researcher at Guelph investigated injuries to cows in over 300 tie-stall barns in Ontario. She looked at barn-related injuries that most people recognize like neck abrasions and hair loss and open wounds on hocks. She recorded information on docked tails, which is something that is not re... Read more
OPINION: Compost your leaves — don’t brown bag them for the dump
I’m always surprised by the many large brown bags filled with leaves and twigs that rural folks and those who live in small towns and villages put out by the road. Read more
OPINION: South American crop progress key to future corn price
Steve Kell Market Minute In addition to record high prices for corn during the 2021 harvest, Ontario farmers have also been able to enjoy higher than expected yields. While it’s not news to Ontario grain producers in mid-December that they harvested a pretty big crop, from a market forecasting point... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Lessons learned by on-farm store owners
Three on-farm store owners talk about mistakes made, good advice, biggest mistakes and when they knew they would make it Starting an on-farm business is risky with inevitable hiccups along the way. About 60 per cent of all start-up businesses will fail before the end of their third year. So, who kno... Read more
OPINION: We love growing food — but it isn’t a job for sissies
As I sat there in the middle of our extensive garden we had painstakingly planned and planted, with what seemed like a thousand pieces of an irrigation system in my lap, I realized for the first time we might be in over our heads. Read more
OPINION: We love growing food — but it isn’t a job for sissies
As I sat there in the middle of our extensive garden we had painstakingly planned and planted, with what seemed like a thousand pieces of an irrigation system in my lap, I realized for the first time we might be in over our heads. Read more
Ending animal cruelty: How Ontario milk board would have handled the beating of cows on a B.C. farm and how canes are no longer acceptable
EASTERN ONTARIO —After video surfaced of cattle being beaten in a Fraser Valley barn in August, the British Columbia milk board suspended milk pick-up for three weeks. Read more
Pounded with paperwork: Small farms consider quitting, others are a mental health risk, dairy farmers say
WOODSTOCK — Some farmers argue that a rising paperwork burden is having negative mental health consequences for dairy farmers and is pushing some to quit. Read more
OPINION: Paperwork almost killed me but I’m not going to take it anymore and speaking out is part of the healing
Angela Dorie Backroads The response to my September piece telling of my slide into and battle with depression has been overwhelming to say the least. It was written as part of my “opening up” and admitting to it and I ex- pected little if anything from readers. Was I wrong! Both Patrick (my editor)... Read more
Global prices up 80 % — coping with higher nitrogen fertilizer prices
As the global nitrogen fertilizer shortage worsens and prices continue to rise, farmers wonder how much it will affect their next planting season. Read more
OPINION: OFA likes the provincial investments in agriculture and minimum-wage hike
The Ontario government released the fall economic statement entitled 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Overview: Building Ontario. At a time when we’re beginning to experience positive progress towards a possible end to the pandemic, the government has released their plan for the future with... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Double-crop in a year that could
Fewer than one per cent planted soybeans after winter wheat harvest in exceptional year Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINGHAM — Some producers did manage to pull off “double-cropped” soybeans this fall — though, as usual, the feat remained rare during a year that otherwise saw increased interest a... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Lessons learned by on-farm store owners
Four on-farm store owners talk about mistakes made, good advice, bad advice and when they knew they were going to make it Starting an on-farm business is risky with inevitable hiccups along the way. About 60 per cent of all start-up businesses will have failed before the end of their third year. So,... Read more
Ontario pumps in $25 million to strengthen agri-food supply chain
TORONTO — In an era of supply-chain woes, the Ontario government is pumping $25 million over three years to strengthen the agri-food sector supply chain. The money is supposed to spur projects that will enhance the province’s food security by boosting processing capacity, industry competitiveness an... Read more
‘Rhinestone Plowboy’ and ‘Saltzing Matilda’: Snowplows proudly display new names in rural SDG counties
SDG — The snowplows of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry counties are fanning out this season, each one newly denoted with a whimsical name on its door. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: ‘No doubt about it’ — corn yield could smash record
CHATHAM — This year’s bin-busting corn crop in southwestern Ontario looks like it will be one for the record books. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Lessons learned by on-farm store owners
Four on-farm store owners talk about mistakes made, good advice, bad advice and when they knew they were going to make it Starting an on-farm business is risky with inevitable hiccups along the way. About 60 per cent of all start-up businesses will have failed before the end of their third year. So,... Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you fed up with COVID restrictions?
“It is tiresome, but it is reality now. It’s one of those things that doesn’t affect you every day. We’re so busy here, some days I forget about it completely until I see someone with a mask on, and then it’s like, oh yeah, COVID. Read more
Back in the Day: Road Crew
Local officials proudly pose with road construction equipment in the Camden East area, north of Napanee around 1900. Most roads were earth roads. The best roads were covered with gravel and stone. Read more
Celebration of life service this spring for Simcoe County market gardener who died in farm accident
Bob Giffen, 77 GLEN HURON — A spring celebration of life is planned for the late Bob Giffen, a senior family member behind Giffen’s Country Market and orchard in Simcoe County. Giffen died Oct. 13, aged 77, following a combining accident. The Creemore Echo describes the deceased as the “force” behin... Read more
Swiss entrepreneur Eugen Burgin dead at 63
WARWICK — Eugen Burgin was born into a Swiss farm family that still relied on horses when he entered the world in 1958. Read more
OPINION: War on happiness; divided in so many ways
Look at the economy if you want to measure the freedom and happiness of a people. Countries that allow the most freedoms, also have the most innovation, motivation and are happiest. Read more
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you fed up with COVID restrictions?
“It is tiresome, but it is reality now. It’s one of those things that doesn’t affect you every day. We’re so busy here, some days I forget about it completely until I see someone with a mask on, and then it’s like, oh yeah, COVID. Read more
Farmers find ways to cope with the cold, dark days of winter
Submitted by the Canadian Mental Health Association Champlain East Like millions of other Canadians, farmers contend with a heavy workload and soaring debt. But they also face unique challenges such as bad weather conditions and problems with livestock. For example, an outbreak of mad cow disease co... Read more
New York’s Chobani exports yogurt to Canada
EASTERN ONTARIO — Eight years and one cancelled processing plant later, Chobani’s famous American-made Greek yogurt is back in Canada again, under an exclusive retail agreement with Loblaws in effect since September. The U.S. company that brought Greek yogurt to the masses south of the border made a... Read more
B.C. bans, blames mink for COVID; fur group buys vaccine doses
'There are probably as many cats in British Columbia with COVID as mink,' breeder says Read more
Mink farmer switches to dog food
BATTERSEA — A former long-time fur farmer has quit the industry and transitioned to producing dog food, four years after an activist filmed on his farm and posted online video that resulted in threats to the farmer. Walt Freeman, 65, who owned 3,200 breeding female mink, bowed out of the industry on... Read more
The Hudsons are the Farm Show go-to family
Seed shows have been a tradition in the Ottawa Valley since 1927. And they are a tradition as well for the Hudson Family at Panmure Farms of Kinburn. Read more
Back in the Day: Road Crew
Local officials proudly pose with road construction equipment in the Camden East area, north of Napanee around 1900. Most roads were earth roads. The best roads were covered with gravel and stone. Read more
Two vet practices partner up to serve more farms
It’s been two years since Rideau-St. Lawrence Veterinary Services partnered with Navan Veterinary Services to better meet the needs of farmers in Eastern Ontario. Both businesses noticed a decreasing number of veterinary graduates pursuing large animal medicine and decided to combine workforces to f... Read more
100 ATV fatalities each year in Canada; roll bars now required in Australia
ONTARIO — Earlier this year 22-year-old James Scissons headed out to look for a missing calf on his All-Terrain Vehicle. The Ottawa-area dairy farmer was crushed and killed after his ATV flipped over. Scissons was one of about 100 ATV fatalities in Canada each year, Statistics Canada reports. Of tho... Read more
Empty lots, tire shortages and the phone keeps ringing: Shortage of new equipment leads to shortage of used
The shortage of used equipment is being caused by the shortage of new equipment, says Routhier. When customers aren’t buying new stuff, they’re not trading in their used stuff, he said. Read more
OFA achievements in 2021 include conversations on the carbon tax
MURILLO — From farmer mental health support to farmland protection, Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Peggy Brekveld says her organization will continue working on issues in 2022 that were set as priorities in 2021. Read more
Farmers score double-crop in a year that could — soybeans followed winter wheat
CHESTERVILLE — Three Eastern Ontario farmers managed to pull off “double-cropped” soybeans this fall — harvesting a crop planted in mid-summer after a yield of winter wheat from the same land. Read more
Four Ontario white-tailed deer die of rare disease, three around Kingston
EASTERN ONTARIO — Four white-tailed deer are confirmed to have died of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in Ontario this fall, three around the Kingston area and one around Amherstburg. Read more
Farmers score double-crop in a year that could — soybeans followed winter wheat
CHESTERVILLE — Three Eastern Ontario farmers managed to pull off “double-cropped” soybeans this fall — harvesting a crop planted in mid-summer after a yield of winter wheat from the same land. Read more
Corn bonanza: Eastern Ontario records one of its best corn yields and great quality
EASTERN ONTARIO — The combines made quick progress on Eastern Ontario’s bountiful cornfields in mid-November. Read more
OFA resolutions focus on risk management, wild parsnips but shy away from carbon credits, at AGM
TORONTO — The Ontario Federation of Agriculture pondered six resolutions at the organization’s online 2021 annual general meeting on Nov. 22. The OFA demanded that the Co-operators insure older barns. Here are three other resolutions: More timely Business Risk Management programs (approved) Leeds al... Read more
EFAO ‘Living Lab’ speaker series underway
GUELPH — This week, the 2021 Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario Conference will host the first event in a Speaker Series from Living Lab — Ontario partners, to discuss their on-farm research experience. It’s the first of five Living Lab — Ontario events covering topics like cover crops,... Read more
Forecast: near normal winter weather
OTTAWA — Environment Canada meteorologist Peter Kimbell says temperatures will be “near normal” this winter but “there’s no conclusive predictor.” He noted that “a month ago, our models were forecasting above normal in December and now they’re forecasting near normal for December. We’re now forecast... Read more
Corn bonanza: Eastern Ontario records one of its best corn yields and great quality
EASTERN ONTARIO — The combines made quick progress on Eastern Ontario’s bountiful cornfields in mid-November. Read more
Ontario farmers vote to demand that insurance company covers older barns
TORONTO — Ontario’s largest farm organization has overwhelmingly passed a resolution demanding the Co-operators insurance company reverse an alleged new policy dropping insurance coverage for older dairy barns. Read more
Fast, funny and fair auctioneer Gary Hill dead at 60
UXBRIDGE — Friends and family bid farewell last month to late Uxbridge-area Gary Grant Hill, a two-time Canadian champion auctioneer. He died Oct. 19 at age 60. Read more
‘The Brainy Bunch’: Stormont County 4-H captures first place in provincial organization’s ‘Go For the Gold’ competition
The Stormont County 4-H Association captured first overall in the provincial 4-H organization’s ‘Go For the Gold’ competition. The 2021 edition of the trivia-style game took place virtually Nov. 6 and was sponsored by Ontario Mutuals. 4-H Ontario touts the competition as a means to empower youth as... Read more
Concrete silo cap explodes like a bomb as silo fills with corn
VARS — Dairy farmer Matt Nooyen of Brabantdale Farms Ltd. was filling his 25-year-old silo with its third or fourth load of dry corn in late October when suddenly the domed-cap exploded. Read more
OPINION: Prices just keep going up and attracting urbanites to the country is no solution
Prices on everything are rising ... when you can find what you need to buy that is. House prices rise, food, energy, fuel, vehicles, clothes, entertainment, travel. Nothing is unaffected … except maybe farmgate prices paid to farmers. Read more
Back in the Day: Suits, ties, straight skirts and bobs
Morrisburg high school students dressed up for the annual shot in typical fashion of the times ... Read more
OPINION: Dog owners are the new smokers — inconsiderate of others
I have a bone to pick with dog owners. Why am I seeing drivers with a dog on their lap as they’re driving? Read more
Milk products reduce bone fractures in elderly, Australian study finds
Farmers Forum staff The risk of bone fractures in the elderly is reduced by 33 per cent when they are consuming enough cheese, yoghurt and milk, concludes a recent study published in the British Medical Journal. The two-year study involved 7,195 older adults in 60 residential care facilities in Aust... Read more
Back in the Day: Suits, ties, straight skirts and bobs
Morrisburg high school students dressed up for the annual shot in typical fashion of the times ... Read more
OPINION: Increase milk production with sand bedding, increased alley cleaning and free traffic system, study says
Automatic milking systems, often called robot milking, rely on cows coming to robot to be milked. It is understandable to expect that lame cows may be less likely to visit a robot. Lame cows might also make fewer visits to the feed bunk. Read more
OPINION: Got the supply chain blues that only a guy from Georgia with a garbage can bacon smoker can cure
This whole past year has given us a steady diet of bad news about supply chain issues, with hungry factories, tight inventories, shipping bottlenecks, resource shortages and thousands of people who don’t seem to care if they go back to work again anytime soon. Read more
Milk products reduce bone fractures in elderly, Australian study finds
Farmers Forum staff The risk of bone fractures in the elderly is reduced by 33 per cent when they are consuming enough cheese, yoghurt and milk, concludes a recent study published in the British Medical Journal. The two-year study involved 7,195 older adults in 60 residential care facilities in Aust... Read more
Animals can be plaintiffs and a lawyer can file on their behalf, a U.S. court ruled
What does a now-deceased international drug lord and a hippopotamus have in common? And why should a farmer care? Read more
OPINION: Got the supply chain blues that only a guy from Georgia with a garbage can bacon smoker can cure
This whole past year has given us a steady diet of bad news about supply chain issues, with hungry factories, tight inventories, shipping bottlenecks, resource shortages and thousands of people who don’t seem to care if they go back to work again anytime soon. Read more
What does a farmer look like to the average Canadian?
Source: Canadian Centre for Food Integrity Read more
What does a farmer look like to the average Canadian?
Source: Canadian Centre for Food Integrity Read more
$7-million to establish two new mental health programs for farmers
TORONTO – Ontario farmers will benefit from two new mental health programs — including free counselling — funded with $7-million in provincial and federal dollars through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Announced Nov. 22, the ‘Guardians Network’ and a new initiative modelled after the success... Read more
Watch: OFA’s 2021 annual general meeting
Watch the full day's proceedings, above. Read more
Horse ivermectin helped me, says Ontario farmer
WESTERN ONTARIO — Port Lambton crop farmer Robert Johnston said he has been using ivermectin for months even though he was only able to buy the horse medicine, not the ivermectin to treat parasites in humans. He picked up a tube at the feed store and thinks it did such a good job, he bought more. Read more
Spiced with Currie: OFA’s Keith Currie on 20 years of farm politics and the biggest issue of the day — sprawl
Collingwood-area crop farmer Keith Currie has stepped down from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture after 20 years, including four as president. Read more
Animals can be plaintiffs and a lawyer can file on their behalf, a U.S. court ruled
What does a now-deceased international drug lord and a hippopotamus have in common? And why should a farmer care? Read more
Collapse of mid-sized farms threatens farm power, think tank says
Farmers Forum staff A steep decline in the number of mid-sized farms in Canada since 2011 poses a threat to farmers’ own clout, according to the researcher behind a new paper released Nov. 2 by thinktank Agri-Food Economic Systems. The “disruptive” implications range from an impact on traditional fa... Read more
Ontario to monitor white-tailed deer and additional species for COVID-19
ONTARIO — A whopping 80% of white-tailed deer tested positive for COVID-19 in a recent study of the species in Iowa. The news made headlines, and not surprisingly, Ontario now hopes ... Read more
Spiced with Currie: OFA’s Keith Currie on 20 years of farm politics and the biggest issue of the day — sprawl
Collingwood-area crop farmer Keith Currie has stepped down from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture after 20 years, including four as president. Read more
Rural mental health crisis: Seven farmers in one Western Ontario county committed suicide
EASTERN ONTARIO — While farmers experience chronic stress and anxiety more than the general population, pressures have increased during the pandemic and yet farmers are less likely to seek help, sometimes with devastating consequences for themselves and their loved ones. Read more
VIDEO (1:15 min): Farmers use boats, jet skis to rescue hundreds of cows trapped in Abbotsford, B.C. flood
https://youtu.be/pfjiiiy1D_I Read more
Biggest challenge: rising land prices
OTTAWA — 2021 has been a challenging year that included ongoing COVID restrictions, supply chain interruptions, rising prices, a labour shortage, and a higher carbon tax. So, Farmers Forum asked Eastern Ontario farmers: What is your biggest challenge to expanding your business? “The availabil... Read more
Guatemalans to the rescue
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum A domestic labour shortage continues to burden agriculture but for those who need full-time year round help, foreign labour has been a gratifying solution. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture says four in 10 farms can’t find the labour they need and veterinarian Ma... Read more
Unvaccinated pariahs have strong arguments
At least 86 per cent of Canadians have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, so everybody who wanted to get vaccinated has been vaccinated. Should we force it on everyone else? Read more
These pumpkins are trucked across the continent
ST. THOMAS — Patrick Butters and his brother Chris grow some of the most beautiful pumpkins, gourds and corn cobs you’ve ever seen. Read more
Biggest challenge: rising land prices
OTTAWA — 2021 has been a challenging year that included ongoing COVID restrictions, supply chain interruptions, rising prices, a labour shortage, and a higher carbon tax. So, Farmers Forum asked Eastern Ontario farmers: What is your biggest challenge to expanding your business? “The availabil... Read more
1956 tractor has two wheels, no steering wheel, no seat — but gets the job done
WINCHESTER — Luke Mollema’s vintage “walk-behind” tractor turns heads when taken on parade as it has no seat. It’s a two-wheel unit that is also not so easy to turn and tricky to drive, its owner says. Read more
Have your say: Fed up with COVID rules?
TILLSONBURG — As COVID restrictions continue, just about everyone is looking forward to a return to normal; not a new normal but the old normal. Read more
Is this the Great Reset? Limit freedom and prosperity
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum analysis The Liberal government has set a new goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 40 per cent below 2005 levels and wants to do that by 2030. That’s a great strategy for countries who want to be uncompetitive and disadvantaged. Not to be outdone in self-inflict... Read more
Investment firms see safe bet in farmland, even when it’s like a fixer upper
EASTERN ONTARIO — Corporate land investors continue to make waves in the southwestern Ontario farmland marketplace — and increasingly around the province. Read more
1956 tractor has two wheels, no steering wheel, no seat — but gets the job done
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — Luke Mollema’s vintage “walk-behind” tractor turns heads when taken on parade as it has no seat. It’s a two-wheel unit that is also not so easy to turn and tricky to drive, its owner says. The 1956 air-cooled 10-hp Bucher-brand machine also lacks a steeri... Read more
Vet shortage: OFA has been concerned about future shortage of veterinarians for 20 years
ROCKWOOD — A tightening supply of large animal veterinarians continues to be a concern in Ontario farm country. Read more
Twin-trailer corn transport skids onto side after harrowing incident involving passenger vehicle
LAKESHORE — A harrowing incident this morning in Lakeshore Municipality left a twin-trailer transport on its side and splayed across Naylor Side Road, a passenger vehicle resting in a nearby ditch further up the roadway. The collision sent two people to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. L... Read more
More grants available for Ontario abattoirs, slaughter plants to boost capacity
BLYTH—As pandemic pressures wear on, Ontario abattoirs and slaughter plants can apply for public grants of up to $150,000 each to expand processing capacity, starting Nov. 19. Up to $7-million is up for grabs, the combined pledge of the governments of Canada and Ontario to the second intake of the M... Read more
Deadstock collection pricey for farmers, here’s why
Worries over limited deadstock disposal resulted in the Beef Farmers of Ontario and Sheep Farmers of Ontario hosting a Zoom meeting that attracted about 200 farmers. Read more
Adzuki beans for an Asian market; a challenging crop with a profit advantage
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum In 2018, there were only 13,000 insured acres of adzuki beans grown in Ontario. This year there were 80 producers growing 15,700 insured acres, according to Agricorp’s seasonal summary. Mark Burnham, an adzuki bean grower in Cobourg, says he started growing the high value... Read more
Adzuki beans for an Asian market; a challenging crop with a profit advantage
In 2018, there were only 13,000 insured acres of adzuki beans grown in Ontario. This year there were 80 producers growing 15,700 insured acres, according to Agricorp’s seasonal summary. Read more
Campbellford Blonde d’Aquitaine sale yields $2,524 per head
CAMPBELLFORD — Thirty-four consigned Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle went on the block Oct. 23 at the 21st annual ‘Cream of the Crop’ sale, yielding an average $2,514 per head. Read more
SUPPLY CRUNCH: Shortage of everything from tractor parts to construction material and labour
Hank Daniszewski Farmers Forum As Ontario farmers try to harvest a big crop, they continue to struggle to find equipment, parts and supplies as global supply chains are disrupted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A shortage of shipping containers, factory shutdowns and trucking tie-ups, combined... Read more
Regulations cost apple orchard $20,000 in lost income
CANNAMORE — A heavy red tape burden still has Ontario businesses tearing their hair out. Among them is a popular agritourism destination south of Ottawa that estimates its losses at about $20,000 after a bureaucratic water-testing runaround with their local health unit prevented the opening of their... Read more
Campbellford Blonde d’Aquitaine sale yields $2,524 per head
CAMPBELLFORD — Thirty-four consigned Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle went on the block Oct. 23 at the 21st annual ‘Cream of the Crop’ sale, yielding an average $2,514 per head. Read more
Charolais sale sees cow sell for $16,000
CAMPBELLFORD — Thirty-eight animals went on the auction block at the annual Charolais Fall feature sale Oct. 16 at Hoard’s Station. This year’s average winning bid was $5,200, up $954 from last year’s debut sale that drew 37 animals. Fall feature sale group chairman Josh Taylor said he was “very ple... Read more
‘Climate change’ tops priority list for Canada’s next Agricultural Policy Framework
GUELPH — “Climate change and the environment” top the priority list for Canada’s next Agricultural Policy Framework, according to this country’s agriculture ministers in a joint communiqué issued after their meeting in Guelph. The so-called “Guelph Statement” outl... Read more
Opinion: It looks like we know where prices are going
Steve Kell’s Market Minute One of the most interesting things about the 2021 North American grain crop as harvest wraps up is how astonishingly similar it is to just one year ago. There are some significant differences in crops like hard red spring wheat and canola, which are primarily produce... Read more
Ottawa’s plan to reduce on-farm fertilizer will mean billions in lost farm sales, critic says
OTTAWA — Ottawa’s radical plan to put agriculture on a strict fertilizer diet will end up costing Canadian farmers big bucks in lost income. Read more
Morrisburg’s Farlinger has grand champion at East-West Holstein Show
METCALFE — A mature Morrisburg-area cow with poise placed first overall Oct. 14 as the Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec Championship Holstein Show marked 80 years of judging the best of the breed. Another mature cow from Ashton placed second. Read more
Are you sure your barn is insured?
NORTH DUNDAS — Farmers beware when insuring your barn. Be sure the barn is structurally sound or you might not collect on a claim. Read more
SUPPLY CRUNCH: Shortage of everything from tractor parts to construction material and labour
As Ontario farmers try to harvest a big crop, they continue to struggle to find equipment, parts and supplies as global supply chains are disrupted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Soggy, slow soybean harvest sees yield variability, followed by “wet feet” in wheat
SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — The soybean harvest didn’t break any speed records in Southwestern Ontario this fall as a significant portion of the crop remained stubbornly untouched by combines as a soggy October turned to November. Read more
The hazards of harvest season
This overturned gravity wagon was spotted Nov. 8, at the corner of county roads 31 and 43, outside Winchester. (Bryce Douglas photo). Read more
Wild boar banned; existing producers eligible to collect $200 per head
ONTARIO — The keeping of Eurasian wild boar will be outlawed in Ontario starting Jan. 1. But unhappy producers can apply for a temporary exemption until Dec. 31, 2023. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Moisture up, corn yield up, but a bin buster?
SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — With about half the crop in the bin by the first week of November, southwestern Ontario’s 2021 corn harvest was looking very good, though too early to calculate an overall regional record yield. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop report, November 2021
The riskiest time for prussic acid poisoning ... Read more
Soggy, slow soybean harvest sees yield variability, followed by “wet feet” in wheat
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — The soybean harvest didn’t break any speed records in Southwestern Ontario this fall as a significant portion of the crop remained stubbornly untouched by combines as a soggy October turned to November. And while the crop overall has been goo... Read more
Thanksgiving was bonanza for turkey growers selling smaller birds
Turkey farmers are reaping the benefits of people staying home during the second pandemic Thanksgiving and cooking their own birds. But big turkeys aren’t the best sellers this year, small turkeys are. Read more
Online fund for killed ginseng farm worker
WATERFORD — A Vietnamese ginseng farm worker in Norfolk County was killed after being hit by a piece of farm equipment on September 23 south of Waterford. Van Ngoc Le was working in a field on Lan Anh Ginseng Farm “when a piece of equipment from a trailer struck him, causing serious life-threatening... Read more
CASE dealers — Hubs and Stoltz — to merge equipment companies
The two leading CASE IH equipment dealers in the province will be combining their businesses to form Equipment Ontario by the end of the year. Read more
Want to clear-cut trees in North Glengarry? It will cost you $50 per acre
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ALEXANDRIA — The Township of North Glengarry now has a clear-cutting bylaw on the books, first of its kind within the rural counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. Two or three years in the making, township council unanimously passed the much-debated local legisla... Read more
Metcalfe Fair returned with livestock show but no 4-H
METCALFE — It was a bittersweet return of the beloved Metcalfe Fair ... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Moisture up, corn yield up, but a bin buster?
SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO — With about half the crop in the bin by the first week of November, southwestern Ontario’s 2021 corn harvest was looking very good, though too early to calculate an overall regional record yield. Read more
Metcalfe Fair returned with livestock show but no 4-H
METCALFE — It was a bittersweet return of the beloved Metcalfe Fair ... Read more
Farm income up but so are costs and regulations, farmers say
KINGSTON — While overall farm profits spiked during the pandemic, farmers will tell you that the raw numbers don’t tell the full story. Read more
Rural restaurants pounded by COVID took solace in support from locals
EASTERN ONTARIO — Restaurants Canada estimates there are 38,000 restaurants in the province and at least 10 percent closed down during the pandemic. Read more
What are the odds? A South Mountain peach tree bears fruit
SOUTH MOUNTAIN — Call it the little peach tree that could. It had no business sprouting out of a peach pit in the old compost pile ... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: November 2021 crop report
3,340 CHUs accumulated between May 1st and first frost of October ... normal is about 3,000 ... Read more
Turkey sales and demand for smaller birds spiked during pandemic
Thanksgiving sales make up a whopping 36 per cent of the Ontario turkey market, says Brian Ricker, a turkey farmer in Dunnville and chair of the Turkey Farmers of Ontario board. Read more
What are the odds? A South Mountain peach tree bears fruit
SOUTH MOUNTAIN — Call it the little peach tree that could. It had no business sprouting out of a peach pit in the old compost pile ... Read more
Justice Centre sues Ontario government over vaccine passport
Pamela Vanmeer Special to Farmers Forum TORONTO — The Justice Centre has led a constitutional challenge against Ontario’s vaccine passport mandate in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice. The legal challenge is brought on behalf of eight Ontario citizens who are exercising their Charter rights and fr... Read more
Workers wanted: Some farmers find retired locals or hire foreigners
GLENGARRY COUNTY — A domestic labour shortage continues to burden agriculture — exacerbated through the pandemic — as many farmers can’t find local labourers to fill full-time jobs. Read more
Turkey sales and demand for smaller birds spiked during pandemic
Thanksgiving sales make up a whopping 36 per cent of the Ontario turkey market, says Brian Ricker, a turkey farmer in Dunnville and chair of the Turkey Farmers of Ontario board. Read more
Don’t want to work? No problem, here’s free money
Why can’t farmers find local labourers? In part, fewer and fewer Canadians want to get their hands dirty or work hard. But the federal government has also contributed to the shortage. Read more
Ottawa farm show will be back for March 22
What’s up with the farm show? That is the number one question we are being asked. And the answer … it is now business as normal. Read more
Workers wanted: Some farmers find retired locals or hire foreigners
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum GLENGARRY COUNTY — A domestic labour shortage continues to burden agriculture — exacerbated through the pandemic — as many farmers can’t find local labourers to fill full-time jobs. Morrisburg crop farmer Arden Schneckenburger is among the 4 out of 10 farmers not able... Read more
Growers see strong pumpkin harvest and sales
Fall just wouldn’t be the same without this bright-orange vegetable. And this year’s pumpkin harvest is looking great so far. Read more
Ottawa farm show will be back for March 22
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column What’s up with the farm show? That is the number one question we are being asked. And the answer … it is now business as normal. Directors of the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association are very excited to be planning ahead with confidence for the 2022 edition... Read more
Growers see strong pumpkin harvest and sales
Fall just wouldn’t be the same without this bright-orange vegetable. And this year’s pumpkin harvest is looking great so far. Read more
When corporations come calling: Corporate investors buy Eastern Ontario farmland
EASTERN ONTARIO — Corporate land investors are starting to make waves in the Eastern Ontario farmland marketplace. Read more
Corn harvest late but good quality, yield, price
EASTERN ONTARIO — The corn harvest was off to a slow start amid wet conditions in Eastern Ontario as some producers were forced to wait until Oct. 27 to get into their first field. In Morewood, south of Ottawa, Bluejaq Custom Farming’’s Tim Jaquemet had taken off 150 acres as high-moisture feed and... Read more
When corporations come calling: Corporate investors buy Eastern Ontario farmland
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Corporate land investors are starting to make waves in the Eastern Ontario farmland marketplace. Though he wasn’t involved in the transactions himself, Iroquois-based farm realtor Marcel Smellink says a corporate investment vehicle recently snapped u... Read more
Corn harvest late but good quality, yield, price
EASTERN ONTARIO — The corn harvest was off to a slow start amid wet conditions in Eastern Ontario as some producers were forced to wait until Oct. 27 to get into their first field. In Morewood, south of Ottawa, Bluejaq Custom Farming’’s Tim Jaquemet had taken off 150 acres as high-moisture feed and... Read more
Eastern Ontario soybean crop looks good, not record-breaking
Farmers Forum staff Eastern Ontario’s soybean crop looks good in the bin, though lingering wet and humid weather in October slowed the harvest and ensured much of the crop required drying. Morrisburg-area cash-cropper Arden Schneckenburger reported a “better than expected” soybean crop, yielding “a... Read more
Is divide and conquer government policy?
There was little to cheer about after the federal election. It was the lowest percentage voter turn out in the country’s history and all we did was return the Liberals to power with 860,000 fewer votes than the last time. Read more
Remember this guy? Former ideological Greenpeace activist is now Environment minister
OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau’s naming of a former radical Greenpeace activist, Steven Guilbeault, as Canada’s new environment minister has food and energy producers fuming. Read more
Canada no longer among world’s top 10 economically free
TORONTO — In the Fraser Institute’s annual Economic Freedom of the World report, Canada is no longer among the top 10 most economically-free countries in the world. Read more
Canadians buy less beef, chicken and pork as prices rise
Farmers Forum staff Canadians are eating less beef, chicken and pork as pandemic pricing has hit meat counters and grocery aisles, says food analyst Sylvain Charlebois in a recent column. Since May, beef sales have dropped 6% nationwide — and, surprisingly, even more than that in Alberta — reports t... Read more
OPINION: So you want to be a columnist? Can you dish out criticism and take it too?
In the almost 35 years that I have been writing newspaper columns, I have only met one person who expressed interest in becoming a columnist. Read more
Ontario’s 2021 Outstanding Young Farmers
BRANTFORD — Not many farms start from scratch and have a successful dairy operation within a decade, pasteurizing and processing all milk on-site. Little Brown Cow Dairy Farm & Store made it happen, which is one of the reasons why owners Jenny Butcher and Wes Kuntz have been named Ontario’s 2021 Out... Read more
OPINION: What is it about rural living? Moments of clarity for the exhausted
I have a friend who moved out of the city with his wife 30 years ago to pursue a career as an editor and a shepherd on a small farm near Peterborough. Read more
Trespass law tested: Police arrest six and turn back 160 animal rights activists attempting sit-in at Kitchener turkey farm
KITCHENER — Police stymied a planned sit-in that included 160 animal rights activists at a Kitchener-area turkey farm in the leadup to Thanksgiving. Apparently tipped off, Waterloo Regional Police officers were ready and blocking the entrance to the Hybrid Turkey company’s Mapleglen Farm location wh... Read more
The risks of doing business with China
Many Canadians are understandably concerned about trading with China, a country widely viewed as playing by its own rules. Its human rights record is horrific and its practices include stealing secrets. What should a country do? Read more
OPINION: What is it about rural living? Moments of clarity for the exhausted
I have a friend who moved out of the city with his wife 30 years ago to pursue a career as an editor and a shepherd on a small farm near Peterborough. Read more
Back in the day: Railway world
The railway arrived in 1887 and it didn’t take long for the Apple Hill train station, north of Cornwall, to bustle with traffic. By 1910, every Wednesday farmers lined-up to move their produce and livestock to Montreal by rail. The King Edward Hotel with the Bank of Hochelaga is in the background be... Read more
Back in the day: Railway world
The railway arrived in 1887 and it didn’t take long for the Apple Hill train station, north of Cornwall, to bustle with traffic. By 1910, every Wednesday farmers lined-up to move their produce and livestock to Montreal by rail. The King Edward Hotel with the Bank of Hochelaga is in the background be... Read more
Farmers provide drive-thru breakfast to 1,800 people
LONDON — Farm and Food Care Ontario recently held its third Breakfast from the Farm event this year and it was again sold out. The Saturday, Oct. 2 event included 520 vehicles (with three to four people per vehicle). Farmers at the Western Fair District fairgrounds fed about 1,800 people. The event... Read more
Trudeau climate plan ignores climate science
Robert Murphy, Fraser Institute — During the election, Prime Minister Trudeau ran as a bold leader in the fight against climate change. Yet even if we agree that the voters have given Trudeau’s Liberals a mandate to enact policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions Read more
Farmers provide drive-thru breakfast to 1,800 people
LONDON — Farm and Food Care Ontario recently held its third Breakfast from the Farm event this year and it was again sold out. The Saturday, Oct. 2 event included 520 vehicles (with three to four people per vehicle). Farmers at the Western Fair District fairgrounds fed about 1,800 people. The event... Read more
Insured corn, soybean acres up: Agricorp
GUELPH — Ontario farmers took out 5.3 million acres in production insurance in 2021, the same as last year, according to Agricorp, provider of the provincial crop insurance program. Insured corn acres hit 1.65 million in 2021 out of a total of 2.146 million seeded corn acres. Last year, farmers insu... Read more
Insured corn, soybean acres up: Agricorp
GUELPH — Ontario farmers took out 5.3 million acres in production insurance in 2021, the same as last year, according to Agricorp, provider of the provincial crop insurance program. Insured corn acres hit 1.65 million in 2021 out of a total of 2.146 million seeded corn acres. Last year, farmers insu... Read more
Mental health crisis: Seven farmers in one county commit suicide in one year and mental health workers are not equipped to handle it
CHATHAM — Farmers report experiencing chronic stress more than the general population and when the pressure ... Read more
Mental health crisis: Seven farmers in one county commit suicide in one year and mental health workers are not equipped to handle it
Nelson Zandbergen farmers forum CHATHAM — Farmers report experiencing chronic stress more than the general population and when the pressure gets to be too much, they’re not apt to seek the help of professionals — sometimes with devastating consequences. The declining stigma around mental health stil... Read more
Stress busters: Jog, chew gum, laugh, pray
Harvest can be the most stressful time of the year and when some farmers need help coping with stress and depression. Read more
OPINION: Paperwork is the monster that crushed me
Despite the warnings about mental health in agricultural publications, I thought we were unaffected. Read more
21-year large animal vet sees looming vet shortage in Eastern Ontario
Dr. Jeff Sleeth is a long-hauler. The Kingston veterinarian treats cattle and horses, always travelling rural roads to visit clients on the farm as an intrinsic part of the job. Read more
Looking for a hoof trimmer? Good luck as many are booked solid
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum NEW HAMBURG — Hoof trimmers are becoming harder and harder to find in Ontario. “I’ve been trimming for 24 years and I haven’t taken a new customer in 15 years,” said Randy Lichti. He works out of New Hamburg and has about 20 regulars. Renfrew County hoof trimmer Derek Sween... Read more
Enter the Ottawa Farm Show photo contest
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column What’s in a photo? A good photo will give you a feeling – make you happy, angry, frustrated or simply inform. It may need a caption, or more often it will stand alone. It’s easy these days to take a photo – we all have a camera on our […] Read more
21-year large animal vet sees looming vet shortage in Eastern Ontario
Dr. Jeff Sleeth is a long-hauler. The Kingston veterinarian treats cattle and horses, always travelling rural roads to visit clients on the farm as an intrinsic part of the job. Read more
OPINION: Observations on the COVID pandemic and ivermectin
Although my focus has been on the infectious diseases of cattle, it is difficult for me not to pay attention to what is happening with infectious diseases in other species, too ... Read more
Paddock innovation: 32 one-acre sections and cattle moved daily
BLACKSTOCK — For their environmental improvement and exceptional pasture management, Denise and Jeff Byers of MurrayHill Farm received the 2021 Mapleseed Pasture Award earlier this year — and they again demonstrated that skill through the ensuing dry summer. Denise counts as a successful inno... Read more
New farm group focuses on changing municipal restrictions and drainage act
Ed Hand Farmers Forum LONDON — Ontario’s farmers may soon have another option when it comes to provincial farm organizations. Currently, farmers have a choice of three; the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmers Union-Ontario and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The new... Read more
Enter the Ottawa Farm Show photo contest
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Guest Column What’s in a photo? A good photo will give you a feeling – make you happy, angry, frustrated or simply inform. It may need a caption, or more often it will stand alone. It’s easy these days to take a photo – we all have a camera on our […] Read more
New farm group focuses on changing municipal restrictions and drainage act
Ed Hand Farmers Forum LONDON — Ontario’s farmers may soon have another option when it comes to provincial farm organizations. Currently, farmers have a choice of three; the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmers Union-Ontario and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The new... Read more
Landowner handcuffed by “moronic” township rules on severing surplus dwellings
SIMCOE COUNTY — Are some municipal planning departments in rural Ontario making the province’s acute housing shortage even worse by effectively encouraging farmers to demolish surplus farmhouses dotting the landscape? Read more
Farmers see 60 bushels per acre of soybeans or more
Hank Daniszewski Farmers Forum Southwestern Ontario farmers are generally confident of a substantial, perhaps even record soybean yields. “It looks like it’s going to be a great crop …Everything kind of clicked,” said Paul Hill, who farms at Bayfield in Huron County. Hill’s optimism is borne o... Read more
OPINION: Don’t get stuck with crop in the bin as we could see record-breaking yields
Steve Kell’s Market Minute One of the most encouraging things to develop out of the summer of 2021 is our potentially record-breaking crop size. Ontario has already harvested its biggest wheat crop ever, and this fall’s soybean and corn yields might also be record breaking. Despite a significa... Read more
Farmers see 60 bushels per acre of soybeans or more
Hank Daniszewski Farmers Forum Southwestern Ontario farmers are generally confident of a substantial, perhaps even record soybean yields. “It looks like it’s going to be a great crop …Everything kind of clicked,” said Paul Hill, who farms at Bayfield in Huron County. Hill’s optimism is borne o... Read more
Timothy grass in short supply: dealers
OXFORD STATION — Timothy and other staple grasses of hay and pasture fields look to be in short supply as a result of drought conditions on the seed plantations of western Canada. “Timothy is scarce,” says Richard Lavigne of Summit Seeds, south of Kemptville, adding that other popular grasses, such... Read more
Which farm publications are getting federal funding?
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Almost 1,500 news media companies in Canada received money from the Liberal government’s $61 million pre-election “emergency relief” fund, including farm publications. When the millions in taxpayer money was handed out by Heritage Canada, its minister, Steven Guilbeaut,... Read more
Canada forces U.S. to negotiate crucial oil pipeline
SARNIA — By triggering a never-before-used 1977 treaty, the Trudeau government has finally gone over the head of Michigan’s governor to preserve the flow of gas and oil on Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline through the state and into Sarnia, Ontario, a critical refining city for Eastern Canada. Read more
Which farm publications are getting federal funding?
Farmers Forum staff OTTAWA — Almost 1,500 news media companies in Canada received money from the Liberal government’s $61 million pre-election “emergency relief” fund, including farm publications. When the millions in taxpayer money was handed out by Heritage Canada, its minister, Steven Guilbeaut,... Read more
St. Isidore Bercier family launch their own seed line including soybeans
ST-ISIDORE — The seed-dealing Bercier family have launched their own house brand of locally grown seed. Centre de Criblage Marc Bercier Inc.’s new ‘CCMB’ line includes individual varieties of soybean, hard spring wheat, barley and oats. The new varieties are competitively priced and are intended to... Read more
Land-merger law from hell
It’s a no-brainer for Ontario to finally nix law that merges adjacent properties with same owners, legal expert says Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum ONTARIO — Some Ontario farm families have felt the sting of seeing their land locked into larger parcels after a loved one’s death, the result of a byz... Read more
Got an innovative agri-food project? Apply now to GFO’s Grains Innovation Fund
GUELPH — Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is now accepting applications for the 2022 Grains Innovation Fund. The Grains Innovation Fund supports Ontario grain utilization projects that... Read more
Apples: quality up, yields down
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum CORNWALL — The peak of apple picking in Ontario is in September, when the popular Honeycrisp apples are ready for harvest. However, Diane Lunan, co-owner of Cornwall’s Marlin Orchards, says they began apple picking in mid-July, 11 days earlier than last year. They grow over... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop report, October 2021
Between 25 and 75% of soybeans were harvested in southwestern Ontario by Oct. 4 ... Read more
Land-merger law from hell
It’s a no-brainer for Ontario to finally nix law that merges adjacent properties with same owners, legal expert says Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop report, October 2021
The silage corn harvest was pretty well wrapped up ... Read more
Stress busters: Jog, chew gum, laugh, pray
Harvest can be the most stressful time of the year and when some farmers need help coping with stress and depression. Read more
Rose revives the farm
Five years after his father died and cows and quota were sold, Jeremy Rose decided to take on the family farm WINCHESTER — Jeremy Rose may be a “new” dairy farmer at his family’s tranquil farmstead tucked behind corn fields at the end of a long laneway off County Rd. 43. But he also embodies [... Read more
Apples: quality up, yields down
CORNWALL — The peak of apple picking in Ontario is in September, when the popular Honeycrisp apples are ready for harvest. Read more
Richmond Fair is back
The Richmond Fair made a comeback this year after a year of pandemic lockdowns. The Sept. 16-19 fair was back to the real deal with a midway, 4-H shows, horse and cattle shows and demolition derby. The recent Renfrew Fair was also re-opened this year with a midway and most in-person events. The Rich... Read more
Rose revives the farm
Five years after his father died and cows and quota were sold, Jeremy Rose decided to take on the family farm WINCHESTER — Jeremy Rose may be a “new” dairy farmer at his family’s tranquil farmstead tucked behind corn fields at the end of a long laneway off County Rd. 43. But he also embodies [... Read more
Driver almost killed as his car plows into North Gower Home Hardware
NORTH GOWER – It was shortly after midnight when a Mazda 3 sped through the North Gower intersection heading west on Rogers Steven Road, crossed lanes and flew straight into the side wall of the local Home Hardware. The car ripped through the wall, wiping out two aisles of plumbing and electrical su... Read more
Richmond Fair is back
The Richmond Fair made a comeback this year after a year of pandemic lockdowns. The Sept. 16-19 fair was back to the real deal with a midway, 4-H shows, horse and cattle shows and demolition derby. The recent Renfrew Fair was also re-opened this year with a midway and most in-person events. The Rich... Read more
Canada’s biggest farm labour shortage is in Ontario and will get worse
OTTAWA — There is a farm labour shortage around the world and in Canada. From relief milkers, to manual labourers to agronomists, crop specialists and veterinarians, the agriculture and food sector is constantly in search of help. Ontario is the most worker-deficient province and the problem is goin... Read more
Ontario farmland spiked 15.4 per cent in one year, FCC says
Every province has seen an increase in farmland values in 2021 thus far, according to Farm Credit Canada’s mid-year report. But Ontario has seen the largest increase in the country. Farmland values increased by an average of 6.1 per cent in Canada in the last year, between July 2020 and the end of J... Read more
Canada’s biggest farm labour shortage is in Ontario and will get worse
OTTAWA — There is a farm labour shortage around the world and in Canada. From relief milkers, to manual labourers to agronomists, crop specialists and veterinarians, the agriculture and food sector is constantly in search of help. Ontario is the most worker-deficient province and the problem is goin... Read more
Celebrating Sam Ault: The man who expanded a cheese plant that became the largest in Canada
WINCHESTER — The Winchester hockey arena has been rechristened the “Sam Ault Arena,” and the building is now adorned with a new mural celebrating the late local Ault Foods boss, an important figure in the modernization of Ontario’s dairy industry. Part of Winchester’s Main Street in front of the are... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Best yields ever?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Ontario’s two most popular crop assessment tours are projecting a provincial yield record for corn and possibly for soybeans. The recently concluded 6th annual Great Ontario Crop Tour forecasts an Ontario average of 191.5 bushels of corn per acre whi... Read more
Celebrating Sam Ault: The man who expanded a cheese plant that became the largest in Canada
WINCHESTER — The Winchester hockey arena has been rechristened the “Sam Ault Arena,” and the building is now adorned with a new mural celebrating the late local Ault Foods boss, an important figure in the modernization of Ontario’s dairy industry. Part of Winchester’s Main Street in front of the are... Read more
OOPS! Did the province pull the trigger too early on banning neonicotinoid-treated seeds?
Honey bee winter loss down to 10-year low and pesticides are only one of many threats ONTARIO — The percentage of Ontario honeybee colonies dying over the winter declined for a third straight year, as hive mortality fell to its lowest level in a decade. The latest annual survey of beekeepers by the... Read more
2021 federal election rural results
ONTARIO — Rural Ontario stayed true to its Conservative roots winning 22 out of 25 ridings in Ontario farm country, in the recent federal election. Farmers Forum identified 25 rural ridings in farm country in Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario and Southwestern Ontario. We excluded all ridings with a p... Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Best yields ever?
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum EASTERN ONTARIO — Ontario’s two most popular crop assessment tours are projecting a provincial yield record for corn and possibly for soybeans. The recently concluded 6th annual Great Ontario Crop Tour forecasts an Ontario average of 191.5 bushels of corn per acre whi... Read more
Big winners, big losers, big gaffes
Peterborough Liberal loses, calls Taliban “my brothers” The Liberal incumbent in Peterborough-Kawartha, Maryam Monsef, who was also the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, lost her seat. Some say it was her own doing. She recently and infamously addressed the Taliban in Afghanistan by saying “I... Read more
2021 federal election rural results
ONTARIO — Rural Ontario stayed true to its Conservative roots winning 22 out of 25 ridings in Ontario farm country, in the recent federal election. Farmers Forum identified 25 rural ridings in farm country in Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario and Southwestern Ontario. We excluded all ridings with a p... Read more
OPINION: Watching Mennonite neighbours with horses, hayloader and loose hay brings back 70-year-old memories
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County I have never been around work horses so I’m fascinated by my Old Order Mennonite neighbours who farm with horses and have no tractors. I often stop by the road where they farm and watch horses pull a grain binder, cut stalks of corn that are laid onto a [... Read more
FARM CHARGED IN MIGRANT WORKER COVID DEATH: 200 workers tested positive in summer of 2020
NORFOLK COUNTY — A southwestern Ontario vegetable farm is the first business in the province charged with violating workplace safety law in connection with a COVID-19 outbreak last summer before vaccines were available. Scotlynn Sweetpac Growers was charged with 20 counts after a 55-year-old Mexican... Read more
OPINION: Barn cats are the latest pandemic trend fetching $500 each and I missed it
Angela Dorie Backroads For the past 21 months, since COVID-19 was first recognized, it seems the world has not only become more fearful, and more threatening but also far, far crazier. Probably, out here in farming territory, the wackiest yet are the stories circulating about barn kittens. Now barn... Read more
OPINION: Watching Mennonite neighbours with horses, hayloader and loose hay brings back 70-year-old memories
Maynard van der Galien Renfrew County I have never been around work horses so I’m fascinated by my Old Order Mennonite neighbours who farm with horses and have no tractors. I often stop by the road where they farm and watch horses pull a grain binder, cut stalks of corn that are laid onto a [... Read more
OPINION: The best drive test ever
Just reading in this newspaper about teenage drivers heading out on the road without licenses because the province can’t deal with the enormous backlog in testing created by the pandemic. Read more
OPINION: Nutrition and young animal health are top farm management concerns
Dr. Robert Tremblay Veterinarian Several of the codes of practice for the care and management of farm animals are currently undergoing revision or will be going through the revision process in the next few years. The process involves work by members sitting on two committees for each commodity group... Read more
No, the United States government is not paying farmers to destroy their crops — manure runs deep on the internet
An online video hoax by a small group of Nebraska farmers has been circulating and scaring the life out of people. Read more
OPINION: The best drive test ever
Just reading in this newspaper about teenage drivers heading out on the road without licenses because the province can’t deal with the enormous backlog in testing created by the pandemic. Read more
Potash the “forgotten nutrient” : Agronomist tells farmers to test soil, build potash if it’s low
Connor Lynch Farmers Forum KINBURN — When it comes to getting nutrients into the crop, nitrogen often gets all the attention. But it’s far from the only nutrient crops need. Potassium, or potash as it’s commonly known, matters more than many farmers think, and is in shorter supply than many of them... Read more
No, the United States government is not paying farmers to destroy their crops — manure runs deep on the internet
BROKEN BOW, Nebraska — An online video hoax by a small group of Nebraska farmers has been circulating and scaring the life out of people. The series of short videos are narrated by farmers and show them cutting down their crops. One video shows a farmer pouring what appears to be oil on his field. [... Read more
UK academics argue that animals can be victims of hate speech
Imagine insulting a chicken and getting charged with hate speech. According to two academics from England’s Sheffield University, animals can be victims of hate speech and should be protected from it. Read more
Cattle Battle beef show draws almost 300 entries
As a result of the pandemic, the cattle industry has been dealing with show cancellations for far too long. Cattle showmen had hoped for a revival of shows in 2021 but that didn’t happen. So, the Indian River Cattle Company took matters into its own hands. Read more
A new green revolution? U of Chicago-led research found new way to boost rice, potato yields by 50%
CHICAGO — Manipulating RNA can allow plants to yield dramatically more crops, as well as increase drought tolerance, say a group of scientists from the University of Chicago, Peking University and Guizhou University. Read more
Cattle Battle beef show draws almost 300 entries
As a result of the pandemic, the cattle industry has been dealing with show cancellations for far too long. Cattle showmen had hoped for a revival of shows in 2021 but that didn’t happen. So, the Indian River Cattle Company took matters into its own hands. Read more
Back in the day: The Big Cheese
In 1893, 12 Eastern Ontario cheesemakers produced enough curds to prepare a “Mammoth” block of cheese that they sent by rail to the Chicago World’s Fair. The cheesemakers used 207,000 pounds of milk and the final product weighed 26,000 pounds. They reported that they used one day’s milk from 10,000... Read more
$750K fire destroys London-area barn; no animals lost
LONDON — A chicken broiler barn went up in flames south of London on the evening of Sept. 22, in a loss that local media reported at $750,000. No animals were destroyed as the barn was between bird batches, the owner told Farmers Forum. The broilers grow up “for five-and-a-half weeks and then they’r... Read more
Strong ag sector could continue into new year, equipment makers say
Canada and the United States are enjoying an economic boom – Canada returned to pre-pandemic levels for the first time in June – and agriculture and construction equipment manufacturers are upbeat about the coming months. As a sign of economic health, farm machinery sales are strong and coupled with... Read more
‘Shrinkflation’ on the rise
Food companies hide price increase with smaller packaging Oreo cookie boxes dropped from 303 g to 270 g without a price change. Quaker Chewy bars went from 6 to 5 bars in a box without a price change, and Kraft singles went from 24 slices to 22 without a price change. What’s going on? Shrinkflation.... Read more
Back in the day: The Big Cheese
In 1893, 12 Eastern Ontario cheesemakers produced enough curds to prepare a “Mammoth” block of cheese that they sent by rail to the Chicago World’s Fair. The cheesemakers used 207,000 pounds of milk and the final product weighed 26,000 pounds. They reported that they used one day’s milk from 10,000... Read more
LOVING THE RIDE: Bull rider explains why he does it
Eastern Ontario bull rider talks about breaking his ankle, getting nervous and loving the adrenaline rush ATHENS— Emerson Moulton, 28, grew up on a family farm with beef cattle and horses. He works full-time as an Ottawa Community Housing maintenance worker. But he is also a professional rodeo bull... Read more
Farmers can now apply for cover crop incentives
CAMBRIDGE — The Grand River Conservation Authority is now accepting applications from farmers for their cover crop program. It’s a one-time incentive for producers to grow cover crops in their fields over the winter months. The program is offered in Waterloo region, Wellington, Brant, Haldimand, and... Read more
Rodeo coming to Metcalfe, Petawawa
METCALFE — Who loves a good rodeo more, the competitors or the spectators? Both are eager to attend the few shows taking place this season. Black Creek Rodeo Company is holding its third Kubota Gold Buckle Series Pro Rodeo this year. Read more
Family comes first: 75 years, one big fire later and Jack family farm still growing
MAXVILLE — Owning his own farm was this Second World War veteran’s biggest dream. And Kenneth Jack made it happen. Seventy-five years later and Mylyn Farm is still operating, now owned by his grandson Charlie Jack. Read more
Fertilizer coating plant coming to St. Thomas
ST. THOMAS— A new $20 million plant will be erected for the production of controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs); granular fertilizer particles coated with polymer that gradually release nutrients into the soil. Sollio Cooperative Group, Canada’s largest agricultural cooperative, and Pursell Agri-Tec... Read more
Rodeo coming to Metcalfe, Petawawa
METCALFE — Who loves a good rodeo more, the competitors or the spectators? Both are eager to attend the few shows taking place this season. Black Creek Rodeo Company is holding its third Kubota Gold Buckle Series Pro Rodeo this year. Read more
Family comes first: 75 years, one big fire later and Jack family farm still growing
MAXVILLE — Owning his own farm was this Second World War veteran’s biggest dream. And Kenneth Jack made it happen. Seventy-five years later and Mylyn Farm is still operating, now owned by his grandson Charlie Jack. Read more
Computer chip shortage creates long delays for new trucks and farm machinery
The global shortage of computer chips has been wreaking havoc on auto and tractor production, forcing many manufacturers to temporarily close their factories and store hundreds of unfinished vehicles. And the worst part is that a shortage could persist for some time. The chip shortage is a result of... Read more
Leave Russell be, survey says
Rural village of Russell named after a land grabbing, slave owning, gambling loser and the locals are okay with it RUSSELL — This rural community south of Ottawa is known as a place of dairy cattle, pastoral farm fields and burgeoning bedroom neighbourhoods of urban commuters. However, Russell Towns... Read more
Canada’s biggest farm labour shortage is in Ontario and will be worse in 2029
OTTAWA — There is a farm labour shortage around the world and in Canada. From relief milkers, to manual labourers to agronomists, crop specialists and veterinarians, the agriculture and food sector is constantly in search of help. Read more
Russell village and County named after this feckless fellow
Who was Peter Russell? Read more
Seed growers award three youth scholarships
OTTAWA — The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association recently awarded three post-secondary students with $2,500 scholarships each to pursue agricultural careers. Read more
Ottawa Seed Growers welcome dairy farmer Jeff Waldroff as president
At the 2021 Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) annual meeting held in the Navan and Sarsfield area Aug. 17, the association thanked outgoing president Robert Dessaint for his leadership and welcomed incoming president Jeff Waldroff. Read more
COVID information that the news media is under-reporting
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum Anyone on social media can see how elusive coherent conversations are when it comes to COVID-19 and the vaccine. Views are highly polarized and shaming others for their opposing views has become the new normal. This temptation to attack must be resisted. It is not at al... Read more
Russell village and County named after this feckless fellow
Who was Peter Russell? Read more
Paul Hellyer (1923-2021): Farm boy turned maverick politician, dead at 98
TORONTO — Long-time politician and political maverick Paul Hellyer, who grew up on a pioneering ginseng farm near the town of Waterford, died last month in Toronto at age 98, after a fall. Hellyer tried twice to establish his own party, made runs for leadership of the federal Liberal and Progressive... Read more
OPINION: Election exposes the left
Canada’s main three federal political parties are drifting farther to the left. Read more
Crop duster recalls near misses and the thrill
TILLSONBURG — Jim Horvath has crashed a few times and clipped the tops of trees but it never occurred to him to retire. Read more
Ottawa Seed Growers welcome dairy farmer Jeff Waldroff as president
At the 2021 Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association (OVSGA) annual meeting held in the Navan and Sarsfield area Aug. 17, the association thanked outgoing president Robert Dessaint for his leadership and welcomed incoming president Jeff Waldroff. Read more
Crop duster recalls near misses and the thrill
Patrick Meagher Farmers Forum TILLSONBURG — Jim Horvath has crashed a few times and clipped the tops of trees but it never occurred to him to retire. Until now. The 74-year-old crop duster has been flying small planes for more than 55 years. He figures it might be time to stick to pleasure flying. I... Read more
Seaforth Fair goes ahead — includes 4-H shows and fireworks
SEAFORTH — The year that the Seaforth Fair was supposed to celebrate its 175th anniversary, the world shut down. Read more
OPINION: Sometimes a sale price is not as firm as you think
Steve Kell Market Minute The Ontario wheat harvest of 2021 has turned out to be a frustrating and perplexing experience for a great number of wheat producers as they have been forced to learn a lot about falling numbers, load rejections, and evolving discount tables. One of producers’ biggest issues... Read more
OPINION: Election exposes the left
Patrick Meagher Editor Canada’s main three federal political parties are drifting farther to the left. Use the year 2000 as a baseline and the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP are extreme. When it comes to family values and social issues, Canada’s big three parties are to the left of Lenin. On fiscal... Read more
A lot of cheddar: Canada’s largest cheese plant must pay $747.5K in fines and penalties for Winchester stink
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum WINCHESTER — The owner of Canada’s largest cheese factory has been convicted of releasing foul odours into the surrounding community on three occasions between 2017 and 2019, as Parmalat Canada Inc. ramped up flow-through at the site in downtown Winchester. And... Read more
Seaforth Fair goes ahead — includes 4-H shows and fireworks
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum SEAFORTH — The year that the Seaforth Fair was supposed to celebrate its 175th anniversary, the world shut down. This year, one of Ontario’s oldest fairs will finally be celebrating the postponed milestone. This year is ‘take two’. The Sept. 16-19 fair, organized by the Sea... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Crop report, September 2021
Slightly ahead of recent years, the crop was into the dent stage by Sept. 8: early-planted or shorter maturity fields were in mid to later dent. Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Early wheat, so-so quality, saving grace was decent price
BOTHWELL — The wheat came off early — or at least started to come off early — this summer in southwestern Ontario. Growers report a generally good crop with decent or better yields. But the harvest stretched out longer than hoped as the early summer turned wet for a period, resulting in some quality... Read more
Locals make their own self-install scales: Chesterville product allows you to weigh-as-you-go your harvest or seed
NORTH DUNDAS — Cooke Scales of Chesterville can make that gravity wagon or planter weigh itself, on the fly. And proprietors Matt and Hayley Cooke are now using their own in-house line of onboard-weighing technology — branded as Evoweigh — to make it happen. Read more
Sevita to build $3.6-million soybean processing plant with $500,000 grant
NORTH DUNDAS — Sevita International Corp.’s footprint outside the rural hamlet of Inkerman is about to grow. The North Dundas Township firm specializing in human-edible soybean production will construct a new soybean processing plant, assisted with a $500,000 provincial grant on the over-$3.6... Read more
D.M.D. Picard now serving Eastern Ontario with a long line of equipment, including robotic milkers, security cameras
FOURNIER— D.M.D. Picard Enterprises Inc., a dairy farming equipment and services provider, has expanded its business to cover all of Eastern Ontario, in addition to its existing Western Quebec presence. Read more
Brazil’s soybean farmers not selling, expect price jump
Brazilian soybean farmers are in no rush to sell this year’s crop. A global soybean shortage coupled with high demand and an expected price rise has led farmers to hold onto their beans and wait. Brazil is the world’s largest producer and exporter of soybeans — the U.S. is second — accounting for ab... Read more
Canola yield average, price doubles but does not attract growers
“The price of canola has almost doubled in one year,” says Darcy Smith, a Renfrew County canola farmer. But even at $500 per tonne, growers still prefer to grow soybeans. Read more
Locals make their own self-install scales: Chesterville product allows you to weigh-as-you-go your harvest or seed
NORTH DUNDAS — Cooke Scales of Chesterville can make that gravity wagon or planter weigh itself, on the fly. And proprietors Matt and Hayley Cooke are now using their own in-house line of onboard-weighing technology — branded as Evoweigh — to make it happen. Read more
EASTERN ONTARIO: Crop report, September 2021
From May 1 to August 31, we accumulated 2600 CHUs, on par with normal. Read more
Canola yield average, price doubles but does not attract growers
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum “The price of canola has almost doubled in one year,” says Darcy Smith, a Renfrew County canola farmer. But even at $500 per tonne, growers still prefer to grow soybeans. So, why does the Pembroke farmer grow it? The early September harvest allows him to plant his winter wh... Read more
Winchester tractor parade draws up to 70 machines
WINCHESTER — About 70 tractors rolled down Main street in Winchester Aug. 8 in what would have been the Dairyfest annual tractor parade. Dairyfest was cancelled last year and this year because of COVID. Read more
A win-win for crop farmers and elevators: How grain elevators make money when grain prices crash
VANKLEEK HILL — The local grain elevator is calling, eager to buy a farmer’s unsold crop. It’s a sure-fire indicator of that grower’s impending exploitation before prices take a sudden leap, right? Read more
Winchester tractor parade draws up to 70 machines
WINCHESTER — About 70 tractors rolled down Main street in Winchester Aug. 8 in what would have been the Dairyfest annual tractor parade. Dairyfest was cancelled last year and this year because of COVID. Read more
New app for farmers: ‘Resilient Fields’ launches in Ontario
ONTARIO — It’s official: A new online tool and app to help farmers find the ideal mix of sustainable, best-management solutions on their fields and farms is available now for free. Launched Aug. 16, ‘Resilient Fields’ is meant to assist users in four key areas — soil management, nutrient management,... Read more
WESTERN ONTARIO: Weather forecast, warmer fall
WESTERN ONTARIO — Environment Canada modelling suggests Western Ontario and Southwestern Ontario will see a warmer harvest but a wetter September and average precipitation for October and November. Temperatures will be more than likely above seasonal overall, and likely a little drier in the Sarnia... Read more
Corn and soybean yield forecast points to record-breaker
ONTARIO — Ontario’s two most popular crop assessment tours are projecting a provincial yield record for corn and possibly for soybeans. The recently concluded 6th annual Great Ontario Crop Tour forecasts an Ontario average of 191.5 bushels of corn per acre while the 12th annual Great Lakes Grain Ass... Read more
A win-win for crop farmers and elevators: How grain elevators make money when grain prices crash
VANKLEEK HILL — The local grain elevator is calling, eager to buy a farmer’s unsold crop. It’s a sure-fire indicator of that grower’s impending exploitation before prices take a sudden leap, right? Read more
90,000 Eastern Ontario homes to get internet upgrade by 2025
CRYSLER — More than 90,000 Eastern Ontario homes and businesses are expected to see fibre-optic internet service arrive in their neighbourhoods within four years as the federal and provincial governments spend a combined sum of more than $362-million to make it happen. Fibre-optic internet service i... Read more
Raw milk should be illegal, Farmers Forum poll says
ONTARIO — Ontario’s non-supply-managed farmers appear to have the backs of their supply-managed brethren on the subject of keeping raw milk out of the hands of regular consumers. A recent Farmers Forum poll of 50 farmers — targeting only those operators outside of the dairy, egg and poultry sectors... Read more
Canadian Federation of Agriculture hosts National Agriculture Leaders’ Debate tonight, Sept. 9
OTTAWA — Catch the CFA’s National Agriculture Leaders Debate, sponsored by FHCP, Sept. 9th at 7 p.m. The livestreamed event (on YouTube) brings together the agriculture leaders from each party to debate priority issues and show their vision for the future of agriculture. Read more
Raw milk should be illegal, Farmers Forum poll says
ONTARIO — Ontario’s non-supply-managed farmers appear to have the backs of their supply-managed brethren on the subject of keeping raw milk out of the hands of regular consumers. A recent Farmers Forum poll of 50 farmers — targeting only those operators outside of the dairy, egg and poultry sectors... Read more
Manotick’s SunTech Greenhouses sells to Newcastle farm family
Irena Vélez Farmers Forum MANOTICK — After starting the business from scratch and running it for 22 years, Robert Mitchell and wife Carmen Pérez sold their 23-greenhouse business to a Newcastle farming family. In April of 2021, Brothers Devon and Benjamin Allin purchased SunTech Greenhouses, a year-... Read more
Technology boom in Agriculture: Explosive ‘agtech’ investment wave began in 2015
ONTARIO — Robots in the barn, precision planters on the field, drones in the sky, and smartphones nestled in every denim pocket: ‘agtech’ grows ever more present and indispensable on Canadian farms — and valuable overall — according to a recent national report by KPMG’s David Guthrie. The North Amer... Read more
Michigan gets blowback from Michigan businesses
State’s attack on Enbridge Line 5 pipeline not good for business Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum MICHIGAN — Michigan farms and agribusinesses are hoping for a compromise in the ongoing dispute between the state and the Calgary-based Enbridge energy company over the use of the Line 5 pipeline.... Read more
Carbon tax is major election concern for farmers
GUELPH — Offer a proven alternative to fossil fuels for drying grain or exempt us from carbon pricing, Ontario’s largest commodity organization tells political candidates during this federal election campaign. Read more
Loving the ride: Bull rider explains why he does it
Eastern Ontario bull rider talks about breaking his ankle, getting nervous and loving the adrenaline rush ATHENS— Emerson Moulton, 28, grew up on a family farm with beef cattle and horses. He works full-time as an Ottawa Community Housing maintenance worker. But he is also a professional rodeo bull... Read more
Manotick’s SunTech Greenhouses sells to Newcastle farm family
MANOTICK — After starting the business from scratch and running it for 22 years, Robert Mitchell and wife Carmen Pérez sold their 23-greenhouse business to a Newcastle farming family. Read more
WEATHER FORECAST: Expect a warm harvest in Eastern Ontario
EASTERN ONTARIO — Eastern Ontario will see above average seasonal temperatures for the fall harvest period, Environment Canada reports. Read more
Early harvest: Eastern Ontario wheat looks good
Almost entirely off the field by the third week of August, Eastern Ontario’s wheat harvest looked good overall. Eastern Ontario Crop Consultant Gilles Quesnel says the winter wheat harvest was finished about a week and a half earlier than usual and yielded respectably, despite dry conditions early i... Read more
LOVING THE RIDE: Bull rider explains why he does it
Eastern Ontario bull rider talks about breaking his ankle, getting nervous and loving the adrenaline rush ATHENS— Emerson Moulton, 28, grew up on a family farm with beef cattle and horses. He works full-time as an Ottawa Community Housing maintenance worker. But he is also a professional rodeo bull... Read more
Sweet delivery to Ottawa Food Bank
Hugh and Dianne Fawcett (left side of pickup), at their Winchester farm, enjoyed an ample supply of sweet corn — ... Read more
Early harvest: Eastern Ontario wheat looks good
Nelson Zandbergen Farmers Forum Almost entirely off the field by the third week of August, Eastern Ontario’s wheat harvest looked good overall. Eastern Ontario Crop Consultant Gilles Quesnel says the winter wheat harvest was finished about a week and a half earlier than usual and yielded respectably... Read more
Federal Election 2021: Platforms and promises
As expected, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election and Canadians will cast their verdict Sept. 20 on his minority government. Until then, what are the political parties selling that may be of interest to rural and agricultural Ontario? Here’s a snapshot. Liberal Party The Liber... Read more
OPINION: Read the labels — some grocery stores sell U.S. produce as Canadian food
Angela Dorie, Backroads — Walking into an area grocery store, a member of the Loblaws group, I was pleased to still see the signs up announcing that they sell produce from 450 Ontario farms; a nice, subtle way to remind shoppers to buy Canadian. Read more
Sweet delivery to Ottawa Food Bank
Hugh and Dianne Fawcett (left side of pickup), at their Winchester farm, enjoyed an ample supply of sweet corn — ... Read more
Ontario Farm receipts up 8% in first half of 2021, says Stats Canada
ONTARIO — As commodity prices surged, Ontario farmers saw an 8% rise in cash receipts — nearly $600 million — during the first six months of 2021 compared with the same January to June period of a year ago, according to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada. Country-wide, farmers took in 12.4% m... Read more
OPINION: Why do people who can’t swim go in the water?
It’s interesting talking to elderly people who lived beside a river or lake all their life and never learned to swim. I remember chatting with some elderly farmers who said they worked all week from dawn to dusk when they were young and they didn’t have time to go to the river. Read more
OPINION: Read the labels — some grocery stores sell U.S. produce as Canadian food
Angela Dorie, Backroads — Walking into an area grocery store, a member of the Loblaws group, I was pleased to still see the signs up announcing that they sell produce from 450 Ontario farms; a nice, subtle way to remind shoppers to buy Canadian. Read more
Opinion: UN report offers scare scenarios but climate change saves lives and increases planet’s green spaces
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) just released its latest climate report, and reactions from politicians and media pundits could not have been more predictable. Read more
OPINION: Johne’s disease is frustrating to control or prevent, while some cows are super shedders
A few years ago many dairy farmers in Canada participated in a voluntary program intended to reduce the risk of transmission of the bacterium that causes Johne’s disease, an often chronic infection of the small intestine that can cause weight loss, diarrhea and edema. Read more