Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

31st Annual Eco Farm Day conference in Cornwall, ON

Healthy Land, Healthy People, Healthy Profits

A winter day full of food, friendship and inspiration – it’s Eco Farm Day 2015 and it’s a highlight of the season for organic (and organic-curious) farmers and gardeners in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. As a matter of fact, Eco Farm Day is on of the largest agricultural conferences in the region, save the Ottawa Valley Farm Show!

Eco Farm Day takes place on Saturday, February 28, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ramada Inn in Cornwall. This is the 31st annual conference presented by the Ottawa-St Lawrence-Outaouais chapter of Canadian Organic Growers (COG-OSO), this year with the cooperation of Organic Meadow and the Bauta Initiative on Seed Security.

Keynoter Tony McQuail presents Healthy Land, Healthy People, Healthy Profits: Holistic Management for Sustainable Agriculture. A farmer since 1970, Tony has extensive experience with agricultural and government programs, and is an educator with the Holistic Management Institute. Holistic Management is a planning methodology used by farm families to help make short term and long term decisions on the farm that are ecologically, economically and socially sustainable.

After the keynote presentation, conference attendees have a number of interactive workshops to choose from, a buffet feast of organic foods (many also local) to enjoy for lunch, and plenty of opportunity to visit with old friends and new, as well as investigate the products and services of the exhibitors and sponsors.

Workshops focus on practical techniques and management skills that work in our area and emphasize sustainable organic stewardship of land, food and fibre.  Most presenters are producers, most from Ontario and Quebec, with knowledge and passion to share. Topics include:

  • Scaling up the market farm - increasing profits and sustainability
  • Organic certification - proposed alternative models for small-scale farmers
  • Crop rotations, cover crops and weed management in organic field crops
  • Organic pasture management optimizing animal health AND farm profits
  • Root cellars - modern profits from traditional root cellaring
  • Organic pastured pork - adding breeding stock to your organic farm
  • Open pollinated corn - growing and adapting varieties for organic farms
  • Don't sell the sprayer - Things you can do with a sprayer on organic farms
  • Growing and marketing organic medicinal herbs in the Outaouais region
  • Pasturing laying hens and ducks - balancing ecological, economical and animal welfare issues
  • Organic beehive management techniques

 

There is simultaneous translation from English to French of the keynote presentation and three workshops.

 

Registration, including lunch, is $60 (before Feb 14) or $75 at the door, with a $10 discount for COG and Organic Meadows members. A sliding scale down to $25 is available for limited-income individuals. Register online at ecofarmday.ca

 

Eco Farm Day is your best opportunity all year to learn from the experiences of other farmers in the region. Join us in Cornwall on February 28th!

 

More information and updates at: 

internet: ecofarmday.ca

facebook: facebook.com/cogosochapter 

twitter: @EcoFarmDay

email: ecofarmday@cog.ca

phone: 613-244-4000 ext.4 

Views: 200

▶ Reply to This

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Canada Launches Carbon Market Working Group and Agriculture Watches for Opportunities

Federal, provincial and territorial governments have launched a new working group to explore greater cooperation among Canada's carbon markets, farmers and agricultural organizations may be watching closely for future opportunities.

Ag Canada Raises Durum Export Forecast; Lowers Ending Stocks

Agriculture Canada has reduced its forecast for Canadian durum ending stocks in 2026-27 amid stronger-than-expected exports, while raising its average price outlook. In its October supply-demand update released Tuesday, Ag Canada lowered projected durum ending stocks by 150,000 tonnes from September to 1.35 million, reflecting an upward revision in expected exports, partially offset by lower anticipated domestic use. Despite the reduction, ending stocks are still projected above the 1.102 million tonnes carried out of 2025-26 and the 512,000 tonnes remaining at the end of 2024-25. Ag Canada increased its 2026-27 durum export forecast by 250,000 tonnes to 5.3 million, down 9% from last year's record but 15% above the five-year average. Meanwhile, expected domestic feed, waste and dockage use was reduced by 100,000 tonnes to 433,000 tonnes, partly offsetting the impact of higher exports on ending stocks. Canadian durum exports have started the crop year strongly, with 787,000 ton

Higher Diesel Prices Put Further Squeeze on Canadian Farm Margins: FCC Report

Record-high diesel prices are putting additional pressure on Canadian farm profitability and transportation costs, with consumers potentially facing higher grocery bills later this year, according to a new report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). The FCC Economics report examines how elevated diesel prices are affecting Canada's agricultural supply chain, from farm production and livestock operations to transportation, food processing and retail. Using an assumed 80% increase in diesel prices from pre-Iran war levels, FCC estimates Saskatchewan grain producers could see crop margins reduced by $14 to $21/acre, depending on soil zone. That scenario compares diesel at $1.18/litre before the war with $2.13 this autumn. For a 5,000-acre farm, the additional fuel expense would range from $68,000 to $106,000. In Ontario, FCC estimated that an equivalent increase in diesel prices, from $1.28 to $2.30, could reduce corn and soybean margins by $16 to $30/acre, depending on crop and tillage s

Saskatchewan Harvest Virtually Now Complete

Mostly dry weather this past week pushed the 2026 Saskatchewan harvest to near completion. The weekly crop report on Thursday pegged the provincewide harvest at 97% complete as of Monday, up 4 points from the previous week and slightly behind 99% last year. Favourable weather allowed producers to make good progress, leaving only a small number of acres of later-seeded crops still standing, the report said. Harvest is furthest advanced in the southwest and west-central regions, where 99% of crops have been combined. The northern regions are 97% complete, followed by the east-central region at 96% and the southeast at 95%. Most major crops are now almost entirely harvested. Spring wheat, durum, barley, lentils and field peas are all 99% complete, while oats are 98% finished and canola is 96% done. The harvest of fall rye, winter wheat, triticale, mustard and chickpeas is complete. However, some later-maturing crops remain further behind, including flax at 88%, canary seed at 92%,

Understanding and Applying Canola Disease Diagnostic Results

Disease testing through Canola Diagnostic Services can confirm which diseases are present in a field, but knowing how to act on them can be challenging. The real value of diagnostic testing is understanding what those results mean and using that information to make informed management decisions to protect future canola crops. Blackleg and Verticillium In Manitoba Canola Growers’ Diagnostic Testing, blackleg and verticillium stripe results are combined into a single report. For each stem analyzed, the report indicates whether blackleg and verticillium stripe were detected. For verticillium stripe, the report includes an estimated DNA load and an infection category. DNA load reflects the amount of pathogen DNA detected in the sample and can vary depending on plant maturity at sampling. The infection category provides a general indication of disease presence, but it cannot be linked directly to yield loss as the relationship between infection and yield loss is still being researched.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service