Ontario Agriculture

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April 2012 Blog Posts (8)

The CFFO Commentary: The City of Waterloo focuses on Intensification over Expansion

By Nathan Stevens

April 27, 2012

 

The city of Waterloo recently approved its new official plan with a focus on intensification of existing built areas. The tone of the plan is a strong encouragement that some cities are seriously considering the implications of expanding their borders and taking land out of food production. The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has always stood for the preservation of our best agricultural land for…

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Added by CFFO Blog on April 27, 2012 at 3:04am — No Comments

Spring work and..Surveys?

Been doing my best not to plant corn yet.  Nights are just too cold.  Taking the extra time to get things ready has been well worth it.  While moving equipment around I noticed a slash on the front tire of my planting tractor.  At first I thought I had driven over something, but it was far worse.  The rubber was simply peeling away from the cords.  Can't be too upset, the tires were likely over 20 years old.  My first thought was replace the damaged one, then I immediately decided, the other…

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Added by Gus Ternoey on April 25, 2012 at 1:46pm — No Comments

Moe Agostino: How Will The USDA Detection Of BSE Impact Commodity Prices?

Added by OntAG Admin on April 25, 2012 at 12:16pm — No Comments

FCC Video: How To Use Social Media Tools On The Farm.

Added by Kevin Stewart on April 17, 2012 at 1:45pm — No Comments

1, 2, 3rd Week of April Already!

Wow, does time fly when your busy.  The mild and dry spring has given me plenty of opportunity to take care of a lot of field maintenance issues.  New culverts, fixed tiles, disc/level plowed ground.  I have made use of every minute of sunlight and good use of tractor lights as well.  

The ground has dried out well, allowing field work on what is usually the last to be fit, that plowed ground.  Even spreading urea on the wheat, not a mark in the field.  The moisture is there, just…

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Added by Gus Ternoey on April 17, 2012 at 12:40pm — No Comments

Son of a Beekeeper Blog on Ontario Agriculture Network

Hello from Rob Campbell the original Son of a Beekeeper in Ontario Canada.

 

I hope to keep a blog presence here on the Ontario Agricultural network to keep readers updated on the latest challenges facing Canadian beekeepers. Because I have the good fortune of living near and helping out my family's…

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Added by Robert Campbell on April 15, 2012 at 4:50am — 1 Comment

The CFFO Commentary: Balancing Trade Interests in a Changing World

By Paul Boostsma

April 6, 2012

 

A great deal of Canadian agriculture is based on the ability to trade with other nations. When we look at progress on trade the World Trade Organization is struggling to gain momentum, bilateral deals are moving forward at a faster and faster rate, and ambitious regional deals are being developed. Our government has some tough things to put into consideration as this growing trend towards selective…

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Added by CFFO Blog on April 5, 2012 at 7:32am — No Comments

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

Which Farmer’s Almanac Is Going Out of Print?

it’s not the iconic yellow-covered Old Farmer’s Almanac that’s closing its doors. The Farmers’ Almanac, based in Lewiston, Maine, will publish its final edition in 2026, marking the end of a 208-year legacy.

USask horticulture student honours peace by growing poppies

The display is a project of the heart for University of Saskatchewan (USask) horticulture student Corporal Fikret Ükis, who has been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces since 2018. “I thought it would be meaningful to have real poppies growing here on campus. They’re such a powerful symbol; simple, but deeply emotional,” Ükis said. It has been more than 100 years since the First World War and 80 years since the Second World War, and the world continues to see terrible conflict, he noted. “People sometimes forget that the freedoms and sovereignty we enjoy today were paid for by the sacrifices of those men and women,” he said. “It’s sad to see how fragile peace can be. The Ukrainians know this better than anyone right now; their sovereignty is currently under threat. Here in Canada, we take peace for granted, and we’ve forgotten how hard people had to fight during the First and Second World Wars, and how hard we still have to fight, to protect it.” Ükis said the poppy is a delicate

USask graduate investigates gene to improve the health of barley

Feeding the world requires healthy crops that can resist plant disease. Barley is the world’s fourth largest cereal crop in terms of production. This important crop is at risk worldwide from the fungus, Ustilago hordei, which infects barley with a disease called covered smut. This fungal infection starts on the surface of barley seed and causes the kernels of the barley plant to be replaced by masses of brown spores. Fan Yang’s research sought to identify a gene that can prevent barley yield loss from covered smut and thus improve economic returns to farmers. “My research focused on identifying a resistance gene, called RuhQ, within the barley genome that provides long-term resistance to covered smut,” said Yang. “I investigated how the pathogen infects barley seedlings and reduces grain quality and yield. I also explored which defense pathways are activated by the RuhQ gene to help barley defend against covered smut.” In July 2025, she successfully defended her PhD thesis, A study

Pulse Market Insight #286

Another Headwind for Yellow Peas The first quarter of the 2025/26 marketing year is now over and the pea market’s performance can be described as good, considering China’s 100% tariffs on Canadian pea imports, but not great. According to the CGC, farmers’ pea deliveries through 13 weeks were 1.13 mln tonnes, below the 5-year average of 1.21 mln and last year at 1.37 mln tonnes. Licensed pea exports totaled 865,000 tonnes, slightly above the 5-year average of 855,000, but trailing last year’s strong pace of 1.05 mln tonnes. In a “normal” year, this movement of peas wouldn’t be a big concern but the 2025 pea crop is nearly a million tonnes larger than last year, including 700,000 tonnes more yellow peas. Canada needs to export more peas, not less, in 2025/26 to avoid a large buildup in ending stocks. Unfortunately, the Indian government’s recent announcement of a 30% import tariff on yellow peas (from all origins), effective November 1, won’t help the situation. Several months ago, In

FVGC executive director plans to retire

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) president, Marcus Janzen, has announced that Massimo Bergamini will begin a transition from his role as executive director as he moves toward retirement. The Board is grateful for his leadership and for the organizational achievements made during his tenure.

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