Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

USDA programs targets small farms and beginning farmers

Here is a great concept - whether it works is another story. When will someone in Ontario have the guts to develop a program like this?

Wayne Black

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm

USDA plans to award approximately $18 million in value-added grants nationwide to farmers and business owners to help them add value to the commodities they produce.

USDA will award planning grants of up to $100,000 and working capital grants of up to $300,000 to successful applicants. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that use existing agricultural products in non-traditional ways or merge agricultural products with technology in creative ways. Businesses of all sizes may apply, but priority will be given to operators of small to medium-sized farms operating as a family farm — those with average annual gross sales of less than $700,000 — USDA said.

Applicants must provide matching funds equal to the amount of the grant requested. Ten percent of the funding being made available is reserved for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. An additional 10 percent is reserved for projects involving local and regional supply networks that link independent producers with businesses, and cooperatives that market value-added products.

Views: 132

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andrew Campbell on September 9, 2009 at 6:15am
It is about time Wayne. I would think it should work - as long as there is a solid business plan attached to it. I mean - a grant of up to 400K total would make a big difference to a small or medium sized operation. Now they just need something like this for young farmers who want in the business on some of the traditional commodities as well.
Permalink Reply by Wayne Black on September 9, 2009 at 7:30am
It would make a huge difference for farmers - you are correct. The benefit I see is the support for the "outside the box" thinking that the next generation wants to build and develop while still carrying on with traditional farming. An example I thought of when reading this was using new technology to further process traditional commodities to bring new products such as a bio-fuel process that can be used on farm.
New ideas and creative ideas often come from the younger generation - the generation with little capital.

Wayne

Andrew Campbell said:
It is about time Wayne. I would think it should work - as long as there is a solid business plan attached to it. I mean - a grant of up to 400K total would make a big difference to a small or medium sized operation. Now they just need something like this for young farmers who want in the business on some of the traditional commodities as well.

RSS

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

Canada Launches Carbon Market Working Group and Agriculture Watches for Opportunities

Federal, provincial and territorial governments have launched a new working group to explore greater cooperation among Canada's carbon markets, farmers and agricultural organizations may be watching closely for future opportunities.

Ag Canada Raises Durum Export Forecast; Lowers Ending Stocks

Agriculture Canada has reduced its forecast for Canadian durum ending stocks in 2026-27 amid stronger-than-expected exports, while raising its average price outlook. In its October supply-demand update released Tuesday, Ag Canada lowered projected durum ending stocks by 150,000 tonnes from September to 1.35 million, reflecting an upward revision in expected exports, partially offset by lower anticipated domestic use. Despite the reduction, ending stocks are still projected above the 1.102 million tonnes carried out of 2025-26 and the 512,000 tonnes remaining at the end of 2024-25. Ag Canada increased its 2026-27 durum export forecast by 250,000 tonnes to 5.3 million, down 9% from last year's record but 15% above the five-year average. Meanwhile, expected domestic feed, waste and dockage use was reduced by 100,000 tonnes to 433,000 tonnes, partly offsetting the impact of higher exports on ending stocks. Canadian durum exports have started the crop year strongly, with 787,000 ton

Higher Diesel Prices Put Further Squeeze on Canadian Farm Margins: FCC Report

Record-high diesel prices are putting additional pressure on Canadian farm profitability and transportation costs, with consumers potentially facing higher grocery bills later this year, according to a new report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). The FCC Economics report examines how elevated diesel prices are affecting Canada's agricultural supply chain, from farm production and livestock operations to transportation, food processing and retail. Using an assumed 80% increase in diesel prices from pre-Iran war levels, FCC estimates Saskatchewan grain producers could see crop margins reduced by $14 to $21/acre, depending on soil zone. That scenario compares diesel at $1.18/litre before the war with $2.13 this autumn. For a 5,000-acre farm, the additional fuel expense would range from $68,000 to $106,000. In Ontario, FCC estimated that an equivalent increase in diesel prices, from $1.28 to $2.30, could reduce corn and soybean margins by $16 to $30/acre, depending on crop and tillage s

Saskatchewan Harvest Virtually Now Complete

Mostly dry weather this past week pushed the 2026 Saskatchewan harvest to near completion. The weekly crop report on Thursday pegged the provincewide harvest at 97% complete as of Monday, up 4 points from the previous week and slightly behind 99% last year. Favourable weather allowed producers to make good progress, leaving only a small number of acres of later-seeded crops still standing, the report said. Harvest is furthest advanced in the southwest and west-central regions, where 99% of crops have been combined. The northern regions are 97% complete, followed by the east-central region at 96% and the southeast at 95%. Most major crops are now almost entirely harvested. Spring wheat, durum, barley, lentils and field peas are all 99% complete, while oats are 98% finished and canola is 96% done. The harvest of fall rye, winter wheat, triticale, mustard and chickpeas is complete. However, some later-maturing crops remain further behind, including flax at 88%, canary seed at 92%,

Understanding and Applying Canola Disease Diagnostic Results

Disease testing through Canola Diagnostic Services can confirm which diseases are present in a field, but knowing how to act on them can be challenging. The real value of diagnostic testing is understanding what those results mean and using that information to make informed management decisions to protect future canola crops. Blackleg and Verticillium In Manitoba Canola Growers’ Diagnostic Testing, blackleg and verticillium stripe results are combined into a single report. For each stem analyzed, the report indicates whether blackleg and verticillium stripe were detected. For verticillium stripe, the report includes an estimated DNA load and an infection category. DNA load reflects the amount of pathogen DNA detected in the sample and can vary depending on plant maturity at sampling. The infection category provides a general indication of disease presence, but it cannot be linked directly to yield loss as the relationship between infection and yield loss is still being researched.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service