Ontario Forage Council's Page

Member profile: Flour & Flower provides an experience for the senses.

Manitoba Women in Agriculture & Food (MWAF) member, Rachel Nedelec is the owner of Flour & Flower, a Winnipeg bakery specializing in bespoke cakes, cookies and baked products that all incorporate an edible, organic flower. Flour & Flower blends baking, nature and mechanical art to create an experience that delights all the senses. “Every one of our products is handmade, small batch, with a lot of intention behind it and each one is unique because every flower is unique,” says Rachel. “It’s offering that experience of taking a quiet moment to slow down and enjoy something that is truly unique.” Rachel, who has made custom cookies for Gucci, the Grammy Awards gift bags and for Adam Sandler to celebrate his receiving the Mark Twain Award, never planned to start a business. “It was a happy accident,” she says. “I have always enjoyed baking and always loved flowers and nature, and when I first started in my home back in 2019, it was all word of mouth.”

Policymakers Join Farmers in the Field

On July 8th, elected officials and agricultural stakeholders gathered near Airdrie for a farm tour hosted by Team Alberta Crops—a collaboration between seven provincial crop commissions: Alberta Grains, Alberta Canola, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, Potato Growers of Alberta, Alberta Beekeepers Commission, and the Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers. Together, these organizations represent over 20,000 Alberta farmers and work collectively to bring forward a unified voice on shared on-farm issues. The event welcomed MLAs from across the province, municipal councillors, Agricultural Service Board members, and industry representatives. MLA Jennifer Johnson (Lacombe–Ponoka) brought greetings on behalf of Premier Danielle Smith, recognizing the immense economic value that Alberta’s crop producers bring to the province. Hosted at Chitwood Farms, the day featured a guided tour and discussion sessions covering key priorities: international trade and market access, regul

Driving Domestic Demand for Canola with Renewable Diesel

The moment Alberta’s canola sector has been anticipating has arrived: Imperial Oil Ltd. has officially begun producing renewable diesel at its Strathcona refinery in the Greater Edmonton area. This brand-new facility is the largest renewable diesel facility in Canada, with a production capacity of 20,000 barrels a day. The renewable diesel produced by Imperial Oil at Strathcona “is similar to traditional diesel, can be used with no engine modifications and is well-suited for Canada’s cold weather conditions.”1 The production of renewable diesel aims to empower hard-to-decarbonize industries to lower their GHG-emissions in their industry. A Major Win for Canola “This facility creates a secure, domestic market for a significant share of our crop, right here in Alberta,” said Roger Chevraux, Chair of the Government & Industry Affairs Committee, Alberta Canola. “It adds value to our economy, reduces reliance on volatile export markets, supports jobs across the agriculture and energy sect

Alberta Canola’s Response to International Trade Frictions

Alberta’s canola farmers operate in a global marketplace where open, rules-based trade is essential for economic stability and growth. Recent and ongoing international trade frictions, including tariff disputes, shifting market access conditions, and regulatory uncertainty, threaten the competitiveness of our industry and the livelihoods of farm families across the province. Over 90% of Canada’s canola is exported as seed, oil, or meal, with the United States, China, and other key markets being vital to our success. Disruptions in these trade relationships reduce demand, depress prices, and create uncertainty that affects on-farm planning, investment, and rural economies. Alberta Canola’s Actions and Advocacy Efforts Alberta Canola has been urging all levels of government to work collaboratively with industry to defend and expand market access. This includes pursuing unrestricted tariff-free movement of goods with our key trading partners. Since the announcement of the anti-discrimi

New Hardiness Map Shows Shifting Climate Impacts On Plant Growth

Canada’s updated plant hardiness zone map shows climate-driven shifts, guiding gardeners, farmers, and foresters in choosing plants suited to new growing conditions.