Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Wet Weather in Holland Marsh

Well, usually I am a very up-beat, optimistic person. Today, not so much! This year has been really challenging. Worrying about white rot in the wet onion fields, sclerotinia in the carrots, Onion harvest should be winding down right now, and it has barely begun. The onions didn't mature properly this year, some are still standing for heaven sake, not even dug yet! We have crop insurance on the onions, as do many Farmers, but that's not exactly a light at the end of the tunnel! I'm sure they'll find some way to weasel out of having to pay the Farmers for their losses, one way or another. Any onions that have been harvested may or may not dry properly. Farmers who have dryers are using them, but that adds additional costs to the production of this product, on top of the higher than normal input costs already incurrred to keep the onions healthy during the damp summer we've had. The buyers of onions are only willing to pay $5.50 /50# right now. We need at least $6.00, just to break even. When is our government going to realize that the trade they insist on having does not come with fair playing rules. We cannot compete with our trading partners in the global market. There are too many unequal variables, and they're not in our favour!

Views: 223

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on October 9, 2009 at 7:36am
I hear ya'. Some white bean fields in Huron County are getting into that "questionable" stage. Farmers are starting to get edgy about the soybeans. Some corn fields, locally, are starting to lodge due to the wet weather. I checked the corn a few days ago - no where near ready. This past week some farmers have done corn silage (thanks for the cattle to eat that up!) when they have been doing it early September (month late!). If we did not have the cattle to eat corn silage there would be a lot of wasted crop this fall.
Wonder if the cattle would like a top dressing of onions and carrots on their silage?
Permalink Reply by Avia Eek on October 9, 2009 at 10:12am
There's going to be lots of cull onions, but I don't think cattle or pigs would even want to eat them. As a result of the cold damp Spring, smut became a problem, and since the entire growing season has been damp, that has encouraged white rot in some varieties of onions (some can resist). I guess, even though we're in different sectors, we have very similar problems. Oh, the joys of being a Farmer!

Wayne Black said:
I hear ya'. Some white bean fields in Huron County are getting into that "questionable" stage. Farmers are starting to get edgy about the soybeans. Some corn fields, locally, are starting to lodge due to the wet weather. I checked the corn a few days ago - no where near ready. This past week some farmers have done corn silage (thanks for the cattle to eat that up!) when they have been doing it early September (month late!). If we did not have the cattle to eat corn silage there would be a lot of wasted crop this fall.
Wonder if the cattle would like a top dressing of onions and carrots on their silage?
Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on October 10, 2009 at 5:28am
Sorry to hear about the tough weather Avia...I image the strong Canadian dollar is another punch to the gut when you are fighting it out with imported veg...

Have a happy thanksgiving and take care,

Joe
Permalink Reply by Avia Eek on October 10, 2009 at 8:39am
Yes it is. When the dollar is high, exporting our produce gets a little trickier. Gone are the days when the Farmer bought the seed, planted, harvested, and sold--all very simple! In this day and age not only is the Farmer the Steward of the Land, but a futures forecaster, health and safety inspector, mechanic, financial wizard, human resources manager, biology major, scientist, botanist,...did I miss anything?

Enough ranting for one day! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well!!!!

Joe Dales said:
Sorry to hear about the tough weather Avia...I image the strong Canadian dollar is another punch to the gut when you are fighting it out with imported veg...
Have a happy thanksgiving and take care,
Joe

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Waterloo Farmer Convicted for Breaking Detention

On April 27, 2023, investigators with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness’ Regulatory Compliance Unit executed a Provincial Offences Act search warrant at Joris Salverda’s farm in Wilmot on an unrelated matter. Investigators found unlabelled meat product and subsequently detained it to determine if it was from an inspected source. Detention involved marking a potentially non-compliant product with a detention tag and placing it in a freezer or cooler to preserve its integrity until it could be determined whether the meat product was compliant. No person shall move or interfere with a thing that has been detained unless authorized or required to do so by an inspector. Later, officers conducted an inspection at Salverda’s farm and discovered the detained meat product had been removed without authorization. Following an investigation into the movement of the unlabelled meat product, Salverda was charged with one count of breaking detention of a thing without autho

Guelph Business Owner Convicted of Obstructing Inspectors

Background: On October 4, 2023 and January 10, 2024, Compliance and Advisory Officers with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (then the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) attended Klops Meat and Deli for the purpose of verifying compliance. On both occasions, the owner/operator, Leszek Rzeznik, refused the inspectors entry to complete an inspection. Subsequently, investigators in the Ministry’s Regulatory Compliance Unit initiated an investigation that resulted in Rzeznik being charged with two counts of obstructing an inspector under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001. On January 8, 2025, after a trial in absentia, Rzeznik was convicted on both counts by Justice of the Peace Michael Cuthbertson. Rzeznik was fined $3,000 for each count, plus a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which totalled $7,500.

York Region Man Convicted of Obstructing an Inspector

Background: On September 25, 2024, an inspector from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness appointed under the Food Safety Quality Act, 2001 attended Ve & Be Corporation at 793 Alness Street to conduct an unannounced inspection. As a free-standing, licenced meat plant, the business is subject to inspection by ministry inspectors. When the inspector arrived, the plant operator, Andrei Berliaev, behaved in an aggressive manner and prevented the inspector from conducting the inspection. The inspector then left the plant and withdrew the inspection. Following an investigation, Berliaev was charged with one count of obstructing an inspector under the Food Safety Quality Act, 2001.

From soil to supper – how farmers care for the Earth all year long

Every April, countries around the world mark Earth Day – an excellent and vital opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of caring for and protecting our environment. As farmers, we often like to say that every day is Earth Day on the farm, and while that sounds a bit cliched, it actually is very true. That’s because in raising livestock and growing crops of all kinds, farmers work very directly with the soil, the air, and the water every single day. The weather is our constant companion and more than almost anything else, will influence the kind of year we’re going to have. Whether it’s too much or too little rain, temperatures that are hotter or colder than normal, or snow, ice and rain storms, it all impacts the quality and quantity of the products we’re able to produce on our farms. I farm near Burford close to Brantford with my wife and son where we raise sheep and grow hay, corn, and soybeans as well as a biomass crop called miscanthus. I’m also a director on the bo

Q+A: Trevor Jones to draw on experience as Ontario agriculture minister

Chatham-Kent–Leamington MPP Trevor Jones is settling into his role as Ontario agriculture, food and agribusiness minister. The former Leamington town councillor and OPP officer was named to cabinet last month in just his second term as an MPP. We asked Jones about his new role in cabinet. His responses have been edited for style and brevity. Q: Just beginning your second term as an MPP, can you describe the honour of being named minister for a portfolio as prominent as Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness? A: It is an honour . . . I grew up and continue to live and raise my family in Chatham-Kent-Leamington, where our communities have a long tradition of farming, greenhouse growing and food processing. As such, I developed a strong appreciation for this sector and remain inspired by the hard-working people who feed Canada and the world. Early in my career with the OPP, I earned a position on the Emergency Response Team and . . . was given the opportunity to work with members of the

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service