Do you think the Peace River region is about the furthest north one can farm? Not so fast. Yukon is flipping the script on traditional agriculture, and Alberta farmers may want to take notes. For over 40 years, Canada’s westernmost territory has quietly turned over almost 40,000 acres for agricultural development. That’s not massive by Alberta standards but a game-changer for the so-called “Land of the Midnight Sun” — Yukon is about twice the size of the United Kingdom but has a population of only around 40,000. With a goal of reducing reliance on expensive imported food, Yukon’s agriculture policy is driven by one thing: food security. And with the high cost of transporting food north, it’s easy to see why. Local produce means Yukon can stay stocked whether the roads are open or not, says the territory’s agricultural lands manager, Jonathan Lucas. “That said, getting into farming in Yukon isn’t easy,” he says. Canadian residency is required, and Yukon makes sure you’re committed b
The US corn and soybean harvests inched closer to completion this past week, with most of the crops now safely binned. Tuesday’s USDA crop progress report showed the nationwide corn harvest at 95% complete as of Sunday, up 4 points on the week and well ahead of 86% last year and 84% for the five-year average. The national soybean harvest was 96% done, a gain of 2 points on the week – 2 points ahead of last year and 5 points ahead of average. The Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois corn harvests were 95%, 94%, and 97% complete as of Sunday, with the soybean harvest in the three states at 99%, 96%, and 97%. The Michigan corn harvest advanced 9 points to reach 91% complete as of Sunday, compared to just 49% last year and 60% on average. The soy harvest in the state was 97% done, up 2 points from a week earlier and 15 points ahead of average. The corn harvest in Ohio gained 7 points on the week to move to 96% complete as of Sunday, 30 points ahead of average, while the soybean crop was 99%
With moisture levels improving, so is the condition of the 2025 US winter wheat crop. The condition of the nationwide crop was pegged at 44% good to excellent as of Sunday in Tuesday’s USDA crop progress report. That is up 3 points from a week earlier and exactly on par with the average pre-report trade guess. The condition of the crop has now improved 6 points over the past two weeks, after starting out with one of the lowest initial ratings on record due to dryness in large portions of the central Plains and Midwest. Meanwhile, that portion of the crop rated in poor to very poor condition declined to 18% as of Sunday, compared to 23% a week earlier. With recent rainfall that has dented abnormal dryness and drought, the overall condition of the crop is now just 3 points below last year. The crop in the No. 1 production state of Kansas was reported at 47% good to excellent as of Sunday, up 7 points from a week earlier and a 9-point improvement over the past two weeks. The Oklah
The Ontario Organic Council (OCO), The Voice for Organics in Ontario, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Erica Shelley as our new Executive Director. Dr. Shelley brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture and organic practices across Ontario.
Supply management needs to be protected in all trade negotiations, Canada’s dairy sector says
RSVP for Profitable Pastures Free Webinar Series to add comments!
Join Ontario Agriculture