Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

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

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?
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?
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
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

Gophers gotcha going gaga?

With escalating gopher populations causing increasing concern for landowners across Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), with the support of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), is stepping up to offer practical assistance. Gophers are a significant cause of crop loss and land degradation, impacting the livelihood of Saskatchewan producers and landowners, according to the SEF. In response, the SWF is connecting landowners with trusted SWF members who are ready to assist in controlling gopher numbers in a responsible and ethical manner. Landowners experiencing challenges with gophers are encouraged to contact the SWF office at 306-692-8812. The SWF will then work to identify available SWF members in that area to co-ordinate arrangements directly with the landowner. All SWF members participating in this initiative carry an additional $5 million in liability coverage, and are expected to uphold the highest standards of safety, conduct and la

Attention Researchers: The BCRC Opens Call for Letters of Intent

The Beef Cattle Research Council invites letters of intent (LOIs) for research projects. The application deadline for this call is September 2, 2025,?at 11:59?PM MT. The purpose of this call is to achieve specific priorities listed in the 2025 Call for Letters of Intent – Research document (selected through consultation with industry stakeholders from the Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy).  Approved projects will be required to?use the industry funding to leverage additional funds from government or other funding organizations to fulfill project budgets.  Preference will be given to projects that are one to three years in duration; if the need for a longer timeframe can be clearly demonstrated, four or five-year projects may be considered. Projects will commence no earlier than May 1, 2026. Refer to the documents below for more information. All call-related information can also be found on the BCRC’s Call for Proposals webpage. Sharing or reprinting BCRC posts

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

A young man from Milverton auctioned a prize calf, raising over $31,000 for Autism Ontario, inclusive sports, and milk programs, with huge support from the local community.

BFO Cow-Calf Financing Survey

BFO is soliciting feedback from Ontario cow-calf producers on the use of various financial assistance and herd financing programs through the completion of a short survey.

Moving More Lentils: Progress & Priorities in Europe

Work is underway to expand opportunities for Canadian pulses in the European Union and United Kingdom, particularly for lentils, while addressing regulatory and policy barriers that continue to impede market access.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service