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August 2009 Blog Posts (12)

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AgVisionTV: UnDiscussables with Elaine Froese: Death, Divorce and Disability.

Here is Elaine talking about a difficult… Continue

Added by Kevin Stewart on August 29, 2009 at 3:22am — 1 Comment

It's Official - I'm Now a Farmer.

So I think its official – I’m a real farmer. Now there was no certificate or degree from Guelph. No big ceremony or letter stating I was now accepted to the farming profession. I’ve decided I’m a real farmer because of one innocent thought. People told me I would have these thoughts, they warned me to expect them. I always shrugged those naysayers off saying I would not be like other farmers. But then it happened, just like it was suppose to. We were baling hay late yesterday afternoon. The… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on August 26, 2009 at 2:48am — 2 Comments

Which is Better-Livestock or Deadstock?

If you are going to have livestock, you are going to have deadstock.



I don’t know who coined that term, but every farmer knows it’s the truth. But that doesn’t mean you leave anything sick to die.



That would appear to be what some folks rather we do. As noted in an article in TIME Magazine and the New York Times, the world seems to have something against antibiotics.



I’m going to use our small dairy farm as an example. It’s been a tough couple of weeks. After… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on August 24, 2009 at 6:35am — No Comments

Learn How to Buy, Manage and Optimize Precision Agriculture Technology.

Wallace: The GPS Guru



My name is Jordan Wallace and I am a partner with a company called GPS Ontario. We have been in business for 8 years selling precision farming equipment to progressive farmers in eastern Canada.



I was asked to write this blog for Farms.Com to help growers learn more about the equipment, management and peripheral issues relating to GPS precision farming practices. With that said I’m hoping to settle a few myths and answer your questions, but my primary… Continue

Added by Jordan Wallace on August 22, 2009 at 4:31pm — No Comments

Agri-Traveller: Small Projects Pay Big Dividends in Rural Brazil

Bob Thomas: The Agri-Traveller A hand up……….not a hand out. On the wall of their simple church is written: “Nao podemos atraz e faxer um novo comeco Mas podemos recomecar fazer uma nova final” How true it is. “We are not able to go back to make a new beginning; but we can make a new ending.” I was meeting with the Sal e Luz (Salt & Light) youth group in the small town of Cha Grande in northeast Brazil to discuss their proposal to SHARE for funding of a screened shade house to raise peppers… Continue

Added by Bob Thomas on August 22, 2009 at 4:11pm — No Comments

New Opportunities Need to be Explored in Midst of Pork Crisis.

New Opportunities Need to be Explored in Midst of Pork Crisis



By Henry Stevens, Christian Farmers of Ontario



It’s no secret that Ontario’s pork sector is currently in a disastrous position. Unacceptably low live hog prices, coupled with high input costs and diminished export markets, have led to a situation in which producers lose money on every hog that leaves the farm. To top it off, there is considerable uncertainty about the role of the provincial marketing system in… Continue

Added by John Clement on August 22, 2009 at 1:55pm — 1 Comment

Leadership Lessons from a Retrofitted Lincoln

Leadership Lessons from a Retrofitted Lincoln



By John Clement



Neil Young has a vision that has leadership lessons for agriculture. Most know the singer-songwriter as either the crooner of acoustic ballads or the prototype of grunge rock. But the former Canadian musician is also sympathetic to the plight of family farmers and has been a strong force and founder of the U.S. Farm Aid concerts. He also fuels his tour bus with U.S.-based biofuels derived from the crops… Continue

Added by John Clement on August 22, 2009 at 1:52pm — No Comments

Emerging Opportunities for Farmers in the Bio-Economy

Emerging Opportunities for Farmers in the Bio-economy.



By Nathan Stevens

August 21, 2009



The emerging bio-economy has the potential to provide Ontario farmers with new and

innovative ways to improve the profitability of their farms. There are currently large hurdles

that are slowing down this process, from regulatory adjustments to policy challenges to

technological speed bumps to mature markets that make it profitable to produce for the… Continue

Added by Nathan Stevens on August 22, 2009 at 1:42pm — No Comments

Do you want biotech wheat?

Do you want biotech wheat?



Two weeks ago I wrote about my hopes for the next phase of biotech traits for agriculture. Since then, grower and processor organizations representing Canada, U.S. and Australia have come forward to indicate they are actively advocating for genetically modified wheat.



Earlier efforts to bring GM wheat with herbicide tolerance to the marketplace failed miserably. Importing nations, end users and consumers put a quick stop to this initiative a few… Continue

Added by Peter Gredig on August 22, 2009 at 1:15pm — No Comments

Interest Rates - Where From Here?

Interest rates – where from here?



Nothing sharpens management skills like a mortgage. For most producers, debt is an inescapable part of the business. In fact, it’s possible that knowing how to manage and optimize debt may be at least as important as agronomy and productivity considerations.



For agriculture, the silver lining to a global recession in outside markets is historically low interest rates. The temptation to take advantage of cheap money is very strong. For crop… Continue

Added by Peter Gredig on August 22, 2009 at 1:14pm — No Comments

Mid-Season Corn/Soy Review

Mid-Season Review



For corn and soybean growers, the calendar says we are well past the mid-season mark, but in many parts of corn/soy country, the crops didn’t get the memo.



With late planting and cool weather from spring through the end of July, it’s a race to the finish line for many corn and soybean fields. The “F” word – frost – is starting to pop up in farmer conversations and with market analysts trying to get a handle on whether we are headed for bumper crops and… Continue

Added by Peter Gredig on August 19, 2009 at 2:30pm — No Comments

Welcome to the new Ontario Agriculture Online Community Website.

We hope you will enjoy visiting and participating in this website that is set up for the Ontario Agriculture Community to share information and network together.

Please take a few minutes to set up an account and share your thoughts and comments on the major issues that are important to you.

Let us know how we can make this a valuable meeting place and resource for Ontario Agriculture.

Thanks,

Joe Dales
Farms.com Ltd.

Added by Joe Dales on August 18, 2009 at 9:35am — No Comments

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

Map: Prairie Dryness, Drought Little Changed in May

Abnormal dryness and drought across Western Canada were little changed in May compared to a month earlier. The latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor shows 19% of Prairie agricultural lands were being impacted by abnormally dry or drought conditions as of the end of May. That is 2 points higher than the end of April but slightly below 21% at the end of March and sharply below 47% in February. Much of the Prairie Region received below to well below normal precipitation in May, with the Peace Region, south-central Saskatchewan, and southern Manitoba recording less than 25% of normal. On the last day of the month, however, a large storm system in Alberta produced 40 to 80 mm of precipitation alone. In east-central Alberta up to 300% of normal monthly precipitation fell in the one day. Significant rainfall was also recorded in western regions of Saskatchewan but at lower levels than in eastern Alberta, the monitor said. Temperatures were generally below normal across

U.S. Soybean Ending Stocks Steady

U.S. soybean ending stocks – both old and new-crop - were left unchanged in USDA’s June supply-demand update on Thursday. For 2026-27, USDA made no changes to the U.S. soybean balance sheet this month. Estimated production remained at 4.435 billion bu, up 173 million from 2025-26, while the crush was held at 2.75 billion bu and exports at 1.63 billion. With no changes, forecasted 2026-27 U.S. soybean ending stocks were left steady from May at 310 million, modestly below the average trade guess of 314 million bu. The USDA also kept the 2026-27 season-average farm price unchanged at $11.40/bu, up from the 2025-26 estimate of $10.40. For old-crop 2025-26 soybeans, the USDA raised crush by 20 million bu, citing stronger soybean meal exports and domestic meal use, while soybean oil use for biofuel was also increased. However, exports were lowered by 20 million bushels based on available U.S. Census data, offsetting the increase in crush and leaving ending stocks unchanged at 340 mi

Only Modest Adjustments for Old-, New-Crop U.S. Corn

The USDA left its 2026-27 U.S. corn outlook virtually unchanged this month, with the only supply-side change a 3 million-bu increase tied to a higher import forecast carried in from the old-crop balance sheet. In its June supply-demand update on Thursday, USDA left 2026-27 U.S. corn production unchanged at 15.995 billion bu, while all major demand categories were also steady. Feed and residual use was held at 6.1 billion bu, food, seed and industrial use at 6.955 billion, including 5.6 billion for ethanol, and exports at 3.15 billion. With no change in use, the small increase in 2026-27 beginning supplies carried directly into ending stocks, which were raised 3 million bu from May to 1.96 billion, slightly above the average pre-report trade guess of 1.942 billion. The season-average farm price was unchanged at $4.40/bu. Corn futures were trading about 7-8 cents/bu lower this afternoon, following the report’s noon hour EST release. For old-crop 2025-26, USDA also made only mo

Don’t miss June 12 deadline: Share your feedback on the Beef Cattle Code of Practice

Public comment period nearing close on proposed updates to national beef cattle care standards.The Beef Code outlines expected and recommended animal care practices for beef cattle. The public comment period is an opportunity for anyone who has an interest in how beef cattle are raised in Canada, including consumers, veterinarians, food service professionals, and producers, to review the draft content and share feedback. Feedback gathered through the public comment period is critical and helps determine the content of the final document. Strong producer feedback from all regions of Canada is an important step in this process. The Beef Code is meant to drive continuous improvement in animal welfare and is built to be scientifically informed, practical, and reflect societal expectations for responsible farm animal care. The Code uses an outcome-based approach that focuses on achieving successful standards while allowing for flexibility in how these outcomes are met rather than dictati

From the Government Desk: ABP keeping up momentum

Spring is always one of the best times of year in this business. Calving is underway, seed is going into the ground, and there’s a sense of momentum heading into the grazing season. This year, that momentum also includes a few policy wins worth noting. Strychnine is back in 2026! After its approval was pulled in 2023, producers have been searching for a useful option to control infestations of Richardson’s ground squirrel. If you’re impacted, you’ll know why this is a meaningful development. The rollout is still underway, with initial access expected toward the end of May. For some, that timing will miss the most effective spring window, which is frustrating. There is expected to be another opportunity later in the summer, but it won’t fully replace what many producers were hoping for this spring. That said, getting this approval across the line was no small task. This was very much an Alberta-led effort, with strong collaboration between cropping groups and ABP to build the case. A

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