Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Making Hay the Swiss

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Switzerland mid September and visit a number of farms. Here we had the chance to make "hay" the Swiss way. Farmer get different rebates from the government depending on how they manage their land.

 

Views: 548

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Schwartzentruber on October 6, 2011 at 10:14am
That is fascinating! Thanks for posting the video. Can't see some of our operators rushing to try that technology though!
Permalink Reply by Roadrunner on November 6, 2011 at 5:57am

Nice video Mackenna,

The Swiss must subsidize the milk producers alot if they can use lawn mowers to cut hay.

There practices are not likely cost competitive with the mass production dairy farms in California etc.

How large was the dairy you visited?

 

Permalink Reply by Mackenna Roth on November 8, 2011 at 5:36am

Hi Roadrunner,
This farmer here had about 50 head milking. It was a learning great learning experience and I really enjoyed seeing the differences in the North American vs European way of farming.

I also visited a few farms that were very modern as well as two apple farms. The Swiss had an amazing year for Apples, the trees were so full. Never had seem something like that before. As well as a mini - kiwi farm.
Mac

Roadrunner said:

Nice video Mackenna,

The Swiss must subsidize the milk producers alot if they can use lawn mowers to cut hay.

There practices are not likely cost competitive with the mass production dairy farms in California etc.

How large was the dairy you visited?

 

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Reducing On-Farm Pesticide Drift

Pesticide drift is a costly challenge for large farms. During National Pesticide Safety Education Month, here are key strategies—based on current EPA and Extension guidance—to keep applications on target.

US Ag Groups Join Forces to Call for Trade Pact Renewal

A new coalition of U.S. farm and agricultural organizations is ramping up pressure on Washington to ensure the renewal of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, or CUSMA as it is known in Canada) as the pact approaches its mandatory 2026 review. More than 40 farm and agri-food groups have launched the Agricultural Coalition for USMCA, highlighting the trade deal’s role as a key economic driver for American agriculture and warning that uncertainty around its future could disrupt farm planning and investment. The coalition on Thursday unveiled a new website and announced an aggressive advertising campaign in Washington aimed at reinforcing the agreement’s benefits to lawmakers and the administration. “USMCA is one of President (Donald) Trump’s signature achievements and one that has significantly propelled the ag economy,” said coalition spokesperson Bryan Goodman. While acknowledging that targeted improvements may be needed, Goodman said the group’s core message is tha

US Farm Income Forecast Lower for 2026

U.S. net farm income is projected to edge lower in 2026, with the USDA estimating inflation-adjusted net farm income will fall by $4.1 billion to $153.6 billion – setting up another challenging year for American producers. In nominal terms, American net farm income is estimated at $153.4 billion, down about $1.2 billion, or 0.7%, from 2025, said the USDA’s first farm income forecast for 2026 on Thursday. Net cash farm income, which measures cash flow, is expected to rise 3% to $158.5 billion, though inflation erodes much of that gain. Although still well down from 2022 when farm income peaked at $210 billion, both net farm income and net cash farm income for 2026 would remain above their long-term averages when adjusted for inflation. Total farm cash receipts are forecast to drop $14.2 billion, or 2.7%, to $514.7 billion in 2026. Crop receipts are projected to increase modestly in nominal terms, rising $2.8 billion to $240.8 billion, though they are expected to decline slightly o

New cereals seed treatment from Syngenta

Equento Cereals has six active ingredients including a new Group 30 insecticide

40 U.S. Ag Groups Unite to Launch Coalition Urging Renewal of USMCA

Over 40 U.S. farm and ag organizations have formed a new coalition advocating for the renewal of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service