Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

LITWIN FARMS OF HIGHGATE-C-K CONSERVATION FARM OF THE YEAR 02/16/11



l- r Dave Emery( 2nd Vice-President, Kent Soil and Crop Improvement Association- co-sponsor), Greg Van Every (Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority- co-sponsor) Bill and Susan Litwin (recipients)
Photo Courtesy Janet Campbell

Bill and Susan Litwin, under Litwin Farms Inc., produce field crops on about 400 acres near Highgate, Ontario. Their land is mainly sand loam to clay loam. Their predominant rotation includes corn, soybeans, and winter wheat under-seeded to red clover. Alfalfa is included on some of the heavier ground. Vertical tillage (Salford RTS) is used to manage crop residues when necessary.

Over the last 23 years, windbreaks of spruce and cedar have been planted to reduce wind erosion. These are systematically thinned as the trees become crowded, to optimize windbreak porosity and maximize tree health.

Bill and Susan have both participated in the Ontario Environmental Farm Plan program with projects including water well and farm fuel storage upgrades.

Views: 383

Reply to This

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

Wet Spring Delays Ontario Field Crop Progress

Wet spring conditions delayed Ontario fieldwork, but improving weather is accelerating planting while raising disease concerns in winter wheat.

Sunrise Farms Expanding National Footprint in Ontario

Sunrise Farms is investing $100 million in a new Ontario poultry processing facility, strengthening the Sargent Farms brand, supporting local farmers, and expanding Canada’s supply chain.

Steady Ontario Planting Progress

Ontario producers continued to make steady planting progress over the past week, although intermittent rainfall and uneven field conditions are still creating a patchwork of advancement across the province. Corn planting reached 86% complete as of Wednesday, according to Grain Farmers of Ontario’s weekly field observations report on Thursday. That is up from 74% a week earlier. Progress varies widely by region, with some areas wrapping up seeding while others remain delayed due to rainfall differences, heavier soils, and lingering wet field conditions. Corn development remains in its early stages, ranging from emergence to the two-leaf stage, but warm temperatures forecast this week are expected to support rapid crop growth. As planting windows narrow, some producers are beginning to shift intended corn acres into soybeans, the report said. Soybean planting also accelerated during the week, reaching 61% complete compared to 39% previously. However, heavy-clay regions remain behin

Canadian Farm Debt Rises in 2025, but at Slower Pace

Canadian farm debt continued to increase in 2025, although at a slower pace. A Statistics Canada farm income report released earlier this week pegged total nationwide farm debt at the end of last year at $179.1 billion. That is still a 7.5% increase from the previous year but well down from the 14.1% increase in debt that farmers took on in 2024 compared to 2023. Meanwhile, StatsCan data shows farm interest expenses reached $9.19 billion in 2025, up $90.99 million from $9.1 billion in 2024, representing a modest year-over-year increase of about 1%. The increase in 2025 interest expenses followed a much steeper jump in 2024, when annual farm interest expenses surged by roughly $2.02 billion to $9.1 billion — an increase of 28.6%. That sharp rise in 2024 interest expenses reflected the impact of higher interest rates across the economy, which significantly increased borrowing costs for producers at a time when many farms were already facing elevated expenses for inputs, machinery,

Chicago Close: Weaker into Weekend as Crude Falls

Losses in crude oil weighed on crop futures Friday, as easing geopolitical tensions and improving crop prospects combined to pressured into the weekend. Wheat led the declines as traders removed weather and geopolitical risk premium from the market. Benchmark Chicago wheat fell for the sixth time in seven sessions amid improving weather conditions across key production regions. Losses in crude oil, due to growing expectations the U.S. and Iran could move closer to a peace agreement, added to the downside. July Chicago dropped 13 ½ cents to $6.10 ½, and July Kansas City dropped 15 ½ cents to $6.49 ¾. July Hard Red Spring tumbled 36 ½ cents to $6.72 ¼, and July Minneapolis lost 13 ½ cents to $6.63 ¾. Corn futures also moved lower as traders reduced risk exposure ahead of the weekend. Export demand offered limited support, with USDA reporting 1.015 million tonnes of old-crop export sales for 2025-26, near the lower end of expectations and down sharply from the previous week. However,

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service