Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition -Call to Action

Below is a bulletin outlining the status of the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition and actions needed to advance this initiative. This bulletin was provided to OPIC by Ontario
Pork and is being placed here for your information.Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition.doc



Views: 281

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by kevin g kimball on February 19, 2010 at 10:43am
--Agree 100% with Van der Burght family ,,gov't doesn't show much interest in having any livestock industry in Ontario,,,over the next few years SK and JK schooling will cost 6 billion and safety nets for livestock get??? Best luck too all and we will remember Dalton in the next election...regards-kevin kimball
Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on February 22, 2010 at 3:35am
Good Call to Action.

We will do what we can to promote and encourage farmers and agri business to support with specific actions.

Joe Dales
Farms.com
Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on February 23, 2010 at 10:52am
An Ontario Pork Producer sent me this email to share their thoughts. Thanks, Joe



To Whom This May Concern,



If the pork industry is unable to receive valiant financial aid from our Government in the near future, this industry will deteriorate rapidly. Without a financial program set in place in Ontario comparable to that in Quebec, many people will suffer job losses. Like many industries, the pork industry works with a boomerang effect. When one aspect of the chain diminishes, the pork farmers in current terms, many components of the chain will proportionally terminate. Therefore, due to many farmers becoming bankrupt, there will be many related employment to this industry such as veterinarians, feed companies, machinery manufacturers, Government Agricultural workers etcetera also suffering and can furthermore lead to bankruptcy as well due to job loss.

The Agri Stability Program that is currently in place is not beneficial to pork farmers, especially those who feed their own home grown crops to their herd. Farmers from Quebec have sufficient financial security in the ASRA Program. It is not ethical to fund their needs alone as all Canadian pork farmers are in the same desperation to continue their business.

The foreseen future from the path that we are currently encompassing by default will also lead to American pork plaguing our Canadian plates and cutlery. ’ In Canada, we have worked hard on our food safety and traceability so we know what we put in our mouths. Canadian pork is much more wholesome, without the unnatural ‘enrichment’ of unnecessary hormones and medicines that Americans rely on to make their product ‘better. The CFIA do not permit the use of some of these feed additives to enhance our meat. With American pork crossing the border into Canada, we will be less informed and confident in knowing what the meat contains. We should not be forced to eat American pork when we have the facilities to create our own better and more safe pork.

This has been an ongoing issue for the past 3 years. With this accumulating issue and poor Governmental support we have received to date showing no signs of improvement, the death of the pork industry is vastly approaching. Your help is crucial to keep pork farming alive in Canada. The missing piece to fix this disaster is virtually in your hands.
Permalink Reply by JoAnne Caughill on May 2, 2010 at 3:56pm
With the coalition's 'media blitz' (using their words) on April 13th @ Queens Park and on April 22nd @ Parliament Hill, a 'town hall meeting' in Stratford - and very little media coverage of it all - when will farmers say 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH'?
Permalink Reply by kevin g kimball on May 2, 2010 at 11:57pm
Pork producers have already said "enough is enough" as we just have too look at the numbers leaving or already exited the industry,,,they are sick of the regs., losing money and watching the cash crop farmers and supply managed commodities doing quite well, while our gov't abandons the beef and hog guys,,my cty.,Essex we are going too have 6 pork producers left--results will be no local industry services ,local marketing yard will close meaning no "new" people will start in our area as unless they can load pots they won't have a place too sell-deliver pigs and ones that have put 20-30+ yrs. in hog business will leave with no money except a little gov't buy-out if they bid cheap enough and most will have too seek off farm employment,,,,and with prices improving for hogs "especially US producers" I am sure with out a marketing plan we will be re-visiting these issues in a couple of years again --good luck too all--kevin kimball

RSS

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

I’m switching my wheat variety; do I need to change my seeding rate?

The short answer is yes; you will most likely need to change your seeding rate, but this is not just because you are planting a different wheat variety. Rather, seeding rates should be adjusted annually to reflect seed source characteristics (germination, thousand kernel weight [TKW]) and the environment the seed is being planted into, to ensure you can achieve your target plant population.   Let’s dig into why this is. For spring wheat, provincial target plant population recommendations are between 23-28 pl/ft2, with many producers targeting the upper end of this recommendation. Achieving your target plant stands sets your crops up for success, as crop uniformity is improved, weed pressure is combatted and resources are optimized.  Seeding rates should be calculated to achieve your target plant stand, which means accounting for germination percentage, expected mortality and, importantly, your TKW. TKW changes year-to-year and from variety to variety. Let’s consider an example to ill

How much 10-34-0 can be applied with my corn seed?

Oddly, I have had this conversation more this winter/spring than ever before. On paper, there is a finite answer. Anecdotally, there are a few different options and it is all dependent on soil type and soil conditions, moisture, etc. First of all, side-banding any type of fertilizer is much safer than placing it with the seed. Some fertilizers are safe in certain quantities with the seed, but very few. Side-banding is much safer and provides quick access to the roots. Midrow banding is the safest method, but roots take that much longer to access the fertilizer row, which negates the “starter” effect. The other factor that indicates the level of safety is soil moisture; the drier the soil, the more risky it is to place any fertilizer with or near the seed. I’m guilty of thinking that fertilizer toxicity to the seed is mainly due to the nitrogen content and a result of ammonia burn. Salt injury is actually more common and affects germination and early season growth, so applying fertili

AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. Announces Date for Q1 2026 Results and Conference Call

AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. (TSX: AGTF) ("AGT" or the "Company") announces the release of its Q1 2026 results on May 12, 2026 after market close and has scheduled a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on May 13, 2026. To join the conference, please dial 1-833-821-0163 (toll free from Canada & the U.S.) or +1-647-846-7232 (from outside Canada & the U.S.). An audio replay of the conference call will be available on AGT's website after the call by visiting www.agtfoods.com. The financial statements and notes thereto for the three months ended March 31, 2026, as well as the related management's discussion and analysis will be filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and will also be available on the AGT website at www.agtfoods.com prior to the conference call. About AGT AGT is a globally diversified food company that produces high-quality, nutritious products for everyday consumption. Our products reach consumers in 127 countries, and our global footprint consists of 39 state-of-the

Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond

With flooding affecting several Canadian provinces, farmers are being urged to act quickly to protect crops, animals, infrastructure, and long-term soil health.

Is Your Bull Ready? A Year-Round Approach to Bull Management

Every cow-calf producer has either lived it or knows someone who has. Breeding season wraps up and everything looks fine, until fall preg-checks tell a different story: open cows, late calvers and a breeding window that slipped wider than planned. While cow nutrition, body condition and management are frequently evaluated, one critical factor is often underestimated—the bull. Most frustrating is that there are often no obvious warning signs during breeding. The bull was turned out, was covering cows and looked the part. On the surface, everything appeared normal. That’s exactly why a bull breeding soundness evaluation (BBSE) matters more than many producers realize. It is one of the few opportunities to take some guesswork out of bull performance. On a cow-calf operation, bulls get a lot of attention for a couple of months out of the year and very little once breeding season wraps up. The reality is that a bull’s value doesn’t start on turnout day, and it definitely doesn’t end when

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service