Ontario Agriculture

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Women in Agriculture

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Women in Agriculture

A forum for women running and working on the farm

Members: 33
Latest Activity: Oct 23, 2014

Video: Challenges of City Girls Becoming Farm Wives.

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Women and Farming - Strategic Iniative - School Project

Hello!I am in the Assaulted Women and Children’s Counsellor/Advocacy program at George Brown College. I am currently working on a project with a group that looks at the impacts of globalization and…Continue

Started by Anna Morgan Mar 28, 2012.

Women in farming: School project 4 Replies

Hi everyone! I am a third-year journalism student at Loyalist College. Currently, I am working on a documentary about women on the family farm.I want to explore how these days, women are taking on…Continue

Tags: agriculture, farming, women

Started by Katrina Geenevasen. Last reply by Katrina Geenevasen Nov 14, 2011.

heads up

headsup for those who stick with us through good and not so good times.

Started by rein minnema Nov 10, 2009.

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Comment by Joann on December 18, 2013 at 5:42am
I read the comments concerning family names on barns especially the comments from Prof. Lonnie Aarssen.

Through personal research, I would like to supply a different dimension.

If one reads Agricultural Laws in roman times, you will be astonished at the similarities to today's customs on the farm in Ontario. One such law, 2000 years ago, was a farm shall be named by the former owner or the original owner. It was about property identification. Old English laws have their roots in old Roman laws. The first Act in Upper Canada dealt with property rights which found its roots in Roman Law.

Why were women omitted in farm property identification? Simple. Women for centuries were not considered "persons".

When it came to property rights, there were a few conditions to be considered a person but the main one was a "person" had to have a "soul". If one had a "soul" then you were considered a "person". If one did not have a "soul" you were not a "person" and could be considered as "property".

"Persons" could own "property". That is why corporations ( except the Sovereign and the Church) could not own land.


If you search for old land patents, you will notice the lands were granted in the men's names.

I have not followed the research through such as in the case if there were no male heirs, so I do not know what the actions were in those cases.

As society has evolved, old customs die hard in rural Rural areas. Our old way to quickly identify farm land has been replaced by civic addresses. There is little need to put a name on a barn today.
Comment by AgOntario on December 30, 2011 at 5:55am

Women need mentors for farm leadership roles


Farmers where I grew up, near Wallaceburg in southwestern Ontario, had at least one common trait. They proudly proclaimed their name and their male heir on the sides of their barns.

A half-century ago, I guess it was a sign of the times. For example, my uncle, who called his farm Ambitious Acres, had the barn painters stencil in “Don Cadotte and son,” the son being my cousin Greg.

It's hard to read the name on the side of this barn, near Stouffville.

Indeed, Greg was his only son. But Uncle Don and his tireless wife Marie also had five very capable daughters, namely my other cousins Donna, Angela, Connie, Cathy and Michelle.

When it came to the barn, what about them?

Well, it turns out someone else from Wallaceburg, one of my oldest friends, Prof. Lonnie Aarssen, has come up with at least a partial answer. Aarssen, a biologist at Queen’s University, says my uncle and others like him were given to show off what Austin Powers would call his Mini Me – that is, a biological copy of himself.

“We’re aware of our mortality,” says Aarssen, “and having copies of ourselves is a mortality buffer.”

Aarssen and his research team asked almost 2,400 Queen’s students what gender of baby they would prefer first. Traditionally, in southwestern Ontario culture, boys were mentioned first. In the farm sense, they were not only heirs, but also as built-in farm labourers and schoolyard watchdogs for little sisters to come.

Aarssen anticipated traditional boy-first patterns. And he did, to an extent – 65 per cent of boys in the study said they want a boy first.

But the surprise came when more half of the women respondents said they wanted a girl, not a boy — a female version of Mini Me.

I’d love to see this survey applied specifically to modern farms. It’s still important that labourers be hale and hearty, but as mechanization continues to advance, a strong back isn’t all that counts anymore. That’s especially true when it comes to farm management, such as choosing crop protection, borrowing money and hiring labour, which is becoming increasingly fine tuned. It’s not a male domain.

Women say they need mentors to assume leadership positions in agriculture. I write about this in my Urban Cowboy column this week in the Guelph Mercury.


This entry was posted in Guelph Mercury and tagged farmers, Guelph Mercury, Urban Cowboy, women. Bookmark the permalink.
Comment by Kaitlin Schuster on December 21, 2011 at 7:19am

Hi everyone, I would like to introduce myself as Kait Schuster.  I currently work for Canada's Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change (www.frutveg.ca).  We are Canada's largest outdoor horticulture trade show, which will be this coming July 12, 13, 14  2012. 

This year we are incorporating a greatly overlooked category, women in agriculture.  We are adding a, "Farm Females XPO" portion to our event.  We are currently still in the planning process of what this XPO will all include although it will be geared towards what woman want and need within this industry, as well as other related interests.  I am eager to hear thoughts, comments, opinions, etc from women directly involved in agriculture.  If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments, etc please feel free to post on here or contact me directly at info@fruitveg.ca. 

Thanking you in advance!

Kait Schuster

Comment by Sandra Dales on November 29, 2011 at 3:24am

Farm Credit Canada looks to celebrate exceptional women in agriculture

Regina, Saskatchewan, November 22, 2011 – Nominations for the 2012 FCC Rosemary Davis Award officially open today, as Farm Credit Canada (FCC) seeks to recognize and honour Canadian women for their leadership and commitment to agriculture.

Agriculture matters and women positively impact the industry and their communities. FCC is looking for five women who deserve recognition for their achievements. Past nominees range from producers and educators to agrologists and veterinarians.

“More and more women play a leading role in the agriculture and agri-food industry,” says Kellie Garrett, Senior Vice-President, Strategy, Knowledge and Reputation at FCC. “Their leadership makes a significant difference to agriculture and their local communities. This award gives FCC the opportunity to recognize these exceptional women.”

Individuals are encouraged to take time to recognize a woman that they see making a difference in the agriculture industry. Self-nominations are also encouraged. Candidates are selected based on their demonstration of leadership – through giving back to their community and the agriculture industry – as well as their vision and passion for the industry. Since 2006, FCC has honoured 25 outstanding women with the Rosemary Davis Award.

Created and named after a successful Canadian agribusiness owner and operator – and the first female chair of the FCC Board of Directors, the FCC Rosemary Davis Award is testament to the growing number of women who are choosing to make a career in agriculture. 

Winners will be announced in March 2012. They will have the opportunity to attend the Simmons School of Management Leadership Conference in Boston on April 5, 2012 (http://www.simmons.edu/leadership).

“Coming together at this conference is a unique opportunity for winners of the award,” says Garrett. “They will have a chance to network and share knowledge. They’ll also hear from some of the world’s most accomplished women who have made their organizations – and the world – a better place to work and live.”

Last year’s winners included:
• Bertha Campbell – nurse, farm co-owner and community volunteer – Kensington, Prince Edward Island
• Wynne Chisholm – cow-calf producer, management consultant, volunteer – Calgary, Alberta
• Liliane Colpron – businesswoman, agri-food industry leader, visionary – Montreal, Quebec
• Rossana Di Zio Magnotta – philanthropist, educator and entrepreneur – Vaughan, Ontario
• Sherri Grant – producer, educator, volunteer – Val Marie, Saskatchewan

FCC Rosemary Davis winners must be 21 years of age or older, and actively involved in Canadian agriculture. Entries will only be received online atwww.fccrosemarydavisaward.ca. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. (Central Standard Time) on January 22, 2012. Nominees who applied but did not win in previous years are encouraged to reapply. For more information, call 1-888-332-3301 or email prixrosemaryaward@fcc-fac.ca.

As Canada’s leading agriculture lender, FCC is advancing the business of agriculture. With a healthy portfolio of more than $21 billion and 18 consecutive years of portfolio growth, FCC is strong and stable – committed to serving the industry through all cycles. FCC provides financing, insurance, software, learning programs and other business services to producers, agribusinesses and agri-food operations. FCC employees are passionate about agriculture and committed to the success of customers and the industry. For more information, visit www.fcc.ca.

-30-

For more information, photos or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Anaïk Bernèche (bilingual)
Corporate Communication
Farm Credit Canada
306-780-3351
anaik.berneche@fcc-fac.ca 

 

Comment by Sara Avoledo on May 2, 2011 at 8:52am

Hi Ladies,


I have been running an informal group called Professional Women in Agriculture - Guelph chapter (PWAG) for awhile now...if anyone is interested in meeting up with us please let me know.  We do networking lunches, sometimes dinners and a few events here and there depending on how busy we all are.


Thanks,

Sara

Comment by Sandra Dales on January 26, 2011 at 8:36am
This is interesting ..click on this link to view a CBC archieve piece from 13 years ago... More women heading up the family farm
Comment by Kim Leatherdale on January 7, 2011 at 12:42pm

Hi Ladies,

I joined in December but whew that was a busy month so now wanted to touch base and find out a bit more about this forum. I am looking to connect with other women, share idea and passion and a bit of stress as I build a on-farm store business while at the same time learning the ropes of mixed farming. My husband and I bought the farm 4 years ago and currently are raising cattle, sheep and chickens for meat sales in our little store off the back of our house.

Comment by Sandra Dales on November 24, 2010 at 7:36am
Farm Credit Canada looks to celebrate exceptional women in agriculture
November 23: Nominations for the 2011 FCC Rosemary Davis Award officially open today, as Farm Credit Canada (FCC) seeks to recognize and honour women from coast to coast for their leadership and commitment to agriculture.

Women involved in agriculture positively impact the industry and their communities. FCC is looking for five women who deserve recognition for their achievements. Past nominees have ranged from producers and educators to agrologists and veterinarians, to name a few.


Since 2006, FCC has honoured 20 outstanding women with the Rosemary Davis Award. Individuals are encouraged to take the time to recognize a woman they see making a difference in the agriculture industry. Self-nominations are also encouraged.


"The agriculture and agri-food industry in Canada has benefited from the valuable contributions of women", says Kellie Garrett, Senior Vice-President, Strategy, Knowledge and Reputation at FCC. "This award allows FCC to honour remarkable women who make a difference to their communities and to the industry at large."


Candidates are selected based on their demonstration of leadership - through giving back to their community and the agriculture industry - as well as their vision and passion for the industry.


Created and named after a successful Canadian agribusiness owner and operator - and the first female chair of the FCC Board of Directors - the FCC Rosemary Davis Award is testament to the growing number of women who are choosing to make a career in agriculture.


Winners will be announced in spring 2011 and will have the opportunity to attend the Simmons School of Management Leadership Conference in Boston on April 26, 2011. For more information about the conference, visit http://www.simmons.edu/leadership/.
Comment by AgOntario on October 14, 2010 at 7:20am
On Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 85 people including men and women attended the first Women in Agri-Business Symposium in Guelph. There were representatives from numerous agriculture organizations including Ontario Pork. Speakers urged women to get involved and that they can make a difference.

The Canadian Consulate in Minneapolis has been instrumental in arranging for several women from Canada to participate in the American Agri-Women (AAW) Convention in November 2007, 2008 and 2009 as members of panel discussions on agricultural issues and trade. American Agri-Women officially began in November 1974 founded by four state women’s agriculture groups which had previously organized.

Today, AAW has 50 state and commodity affiliate organizations as well as individual members throughout the country, representing tens of thousands of women involved in agricultural businesses.

Following the 2008 AAW Convention, the concept of organizing a similar organization or annual meeting in Canada began to form. Subsequently, four Ontario women were invited to participate in Syngenta Crop Protection’s “Leadership at Its Best” program as members of the AAW contingent. They were:
- Brenda Lammens – asparagus grower, Chair of the Ontario Asparagus Growers’ Marketing Board, and former Chair of Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Assoc.
- Denise Zaborowski – Manager, Domestic Marketing Unit, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Angela Stiles – former Executive Director, Agricultural Adaptation Council
- Susan Fitzgerald – operates Fitzgerald & Co., which manages agricultural associations and provides project management services.

Rather than focusing on a women’s group to deal with agricultural issues, we determined that the best way forward was to focus on an initiative to encourage/foster women in agri-business leadership roles. The symposium targeted Canadian women involved in agricultural businesses from farm through to retail and in agricultural leadership roles either within an association/company/agency or on Boards and Committees.
Comment by Sandra Dales on September 16, 2010 at 10:34am
This sounds like a great event. I was just speaking to Marcie Williams, Past President/Finance Chair of the American Agri-Women. Marcie and Chris Wilson, President, will be coming up to speak at the conference.
http://www.americanagriwomen.org/
 

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

Farmers Urged to Sell Rallies

Current crop prices and farm returns may be weak but there will still be rallies and selling opportunities in the days and months ahead that producers must be ready to cash in on, an analyst says. Ben Buckner, chief grains analyst for AgResource Co., said at the Ontario Agricultural Conference earlier this month that such factors as the weather could come into play to lift crop markets out of the doldrums. The key for farmers, he said, will be recognizing and jumping on those rallies. “I don’t think the markets will be without opportunities,” he told the crowd. “But as your neighbours may start to see rising prices, thinking this is maybe the start of a long-term, sustained bull trend, I want you. . . to sell those rallies.” A weather problem somewhere in a major global production region will often spark a rally in the markets, and Buckner said those instances are becoming increasingly common. Prior to about 2017, it was only about once every 10 or 12 years there was a major drou

Bountiful Year for Corn and Soybeans

United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, also known as NASS, has released its annual crop production summary. In Iowa, 2024 was a bountiful year for corn and soybeans. Corn production in the state was estimated at a remarkable 2.63 billion bushels, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. Iowa’s corn for grain yield reached a record-breaking 211 bushels per acre. Though the harvested area decreased slightly to 12.5 million acres, the impressive yield more than made up for it. Additionally, corn for silage production was up by 7%, totaling 8.16 million tons. On the soybean front, Iowa farmers harvested an estimated 598 million bushels, a 4% rise from last year. The average soybean yield was 60 bushels per acre, with a harvested acreage of nearly 10 million acres. The state saw an increase in both planted and harvested soybean areas, contributing to the overall production boost. Turning to hay, all hay production in Iowa surged by 19%, rea

Revolutionizing Farming Through Sensing Technology

A Lethbridge researcher is leading the effort to accelerate the digital transformation of the Canadian agriculture sector. In modern farming, innovation is key to addressing both biotic and abiotic stresses. Exciting research being done out of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Remote Sensing and Phenomics Lab (RSP Lab) at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre is harnessing data-driven tools to transform farming practices, including helping accelerate the development of new crop varieties. Keshav Singh, who leads the RSP Lab group, has dedicated several years to developing cutting-edge technologies that empower farmers. Over the past three years, Singh’s lab has worked to develop digital tools that help producers make better decisions using advanced technology. One of his projects, supported by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), focuses on spectral imaging technology to estimate nitrogen (N) fertilizer-use-efficiency to optimize grain yield and quality in

Consider high-flying seeders

 It was a clear, dry day when Tony Kurt welcomed a small group of neighbors, local officials and media personnel to his fields near Cascade for a drone-seeding demonstration. The fourth-generation farmer has a strong historical connection to his land and its past. But in hosting the event featuring cutting-edge technology he was looking ahead to the future. During the demo, a professional drone pilot on the ground flew small unmanned aircraft with four arms and eight propellers about 20 feet in the air over corn stalks that were.then yet to be harvested. Kurt was among the first farmers in the county to take part in a drone-seeding program that was new in 2024. The machines can hold about 100 pounds; they dropped seeds between corn and bean rows. Those seeds would become cover crops. “I’ve had (seeds) flown over in airplanes before, but this is the first time for drones,” said Kurt as he walked his land several weeks after the demonstration. By then the corn had been picked and radi

Be strong; ask for help

As a society we’re learning about variants in mental health – and consequently how to treat the diseases as well as the stigmas associated with depression and anxiety. Every facet of our culture is prone to mental illness, but the agricultural and farming communities are an at-risk segment. Karen Endres is the Farmer Wellness Program coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. She looks for ways to help Wisconsin farmers with their mental health. She’s not a psychiatrist or therapist. Rather, she said, she likes to consider herself a bridge between farmers and mental-health connections. Her job requires a lot of public speaking to farmer organizations as well as speaking at expos. “I’ve been in the agricultural industry since I graduated college,” she said. “I worked at a dairy co-op for 10 years as head of communications.” Her husband is a farmer; she said being around farming every day has helped her recognize how the industry provides in

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