Ontario Agriculture

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December 2009 Blog Posts (4)

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You Can't Eat Energy--Peaker Plant in the Holland Marsh

PEAKER PLANT IN THE HOLLAND MARSH





My name is Avia Eek. My husband, Bill, and I farm in the Holland Marsh. My husband, and many of the farmers in the Holland Marsh are descendants of the first pioneers who broke this land in 1934. Although, it should be noted the first industry here was the harvesting of the marsh grass for mattresses. This business took place from 1880 to approx. 1915, when it peaked.



The soil in the Holland Marsh is organic based, the result of… Continue

Added by Avia Eek on December 19, 2009 at 6:03am — 1 Comment

Lessons In Farming

I'm a young farmer. I can say that now - especially since just a couple of weeks ago we moved out to one of our family farms. This is a house my great-grandfather built in the early 1900's, and is the farm where the dry cows and heifers are kept. My mom and dad are a few kilometres away at the farm I grew up in - where the milking cows are.



As I get settled on the farm, I thought I'd share some of my experiences. Along the way I'd invite any and all pieces of advice I can get - as I… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on December 17, 2009 at 7:24am — 6 Comments

The Future of Pork

We all know about the struggles facing the pork industry -- the big question though is how do we fix it.



Here are a couple of videos with some involved in the sector discussing how to move forward. Take a look a add your thoughts below.…



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Added by Andrew Campbell on December 16, 2009 at 4:30am — No Comments

Ontario food processors: access SODP before Dec 22, 2009

Strong Ontario food and beverage processors – particularly those located in communities that have been hardhit by the recent economic downturn – are encouraged to apply to the Southern Ontario Development Program (SODP). SODP’s food and beverage initiative includes a $20 million fund of federal interest-free loans for upgrades, expansions, or modernization of commercial food and beverage production facilities, or fund a strategy to access new markets.



Ontario Food and Beverage… Continue

Added by Lisa McLean on December 15, 2009 at 4:18am — No Comments

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

Rural councillors reject rezoning land for controversial battery energy storage system

Ottawa’s Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee has rejected rezoning a property near Dunrobin as a site for a massive battery to store electricity. Three of the five rural councillors on the committee voted against rezoning land on Marchurst Road from rural countryside to rural general industrial to allow for construction of the controversial battery energy storage system, or BESS. A BESS is a giant collective battery — in this case, a lithium-ion battery — used to store electricity and distribute it as needed. Under the proposal from Brookfield Renewables, the 15-acre site on Marchurst Road would be home to a substation, 256 battery containers with noise walls and a stormwater management system to capture runoff. Residents have concerns, including noise, potential fires and contaminated well water. They also say details are sparse about decommissioning the $650-million facility once it has outlived its 25-year life expectancy. The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO),

FCC report highlights productivity as key to Canada's agricultural future

Canadian farmers could see significant income gains and new opportunities if agricultural productivity growth returns to historic highs. The Farm Credit Canada (FCC) report titled Reigniting agricultural productivity in Canada, estimates that boosting productivity growth to two per cent annually could unlock $30 billion in additional farm income, generate $31 billion in GDP, and create nearly 23,000 jobs across the country. Canada has long been a standout among global food producers. Over the past half-century, the agriculture industry has achieved significant productivity growth through better farm management, improved input efficiency and technological innovation. The report warns, however, that productivity growth has slowed in recent years, threatening the industry's competitiveness and Canada's ability to meet growing national and global food demand. "Canada's agricultural productivity growth has consistently outpaced other G7 countries for more than three decades, showing the s

Ontario’s manufacturing jobs fall to lower rate since 1976: budget watchdog

The Ford government's push to make Ontario a "manufacturing powerhouse" appears to be faltering, according to the latest data from the province's budget watchdog, which found manufacturing activity is at its "lowest level since 2015." The Financial Accountability Officer's (FAO) latest economic review found that manufacturing - which represents about 10 per cent of the province's economy - has faced a number of challenges, including pandemic-related shutdowns, supply-chain disruptions, shipping issues, auto plant retooling, slowing demand, and, most recently U.S. tariffs on Ontario’s exports. The result, the watchdog found, was a decline in manufacturing output in seven of the past eight quarters between mid-2023 to mid-2025, leading to 20,600 fewer jobs, representing a declining share of the province's economy. "Manufacturing jobs as a share of Ontario’s total employment recently fell below 10% for the first time since record keeping began in 1976," the FAO said. The report offers

Briefs: $110K hospice gift; Vet student scholarship; Pork conference

The contribution, one the last from the foundation, was made recently in memory of longtime Beattie Foundation president Jack Morrison, who died Oct. 26, the hospice foundation said in a release. The family has opted to donate remaining Beattie Foundation funds to local initiatives close to their hearts, with donations also going to the Chatham-Kent Children’s Treatment Centre and Chatham-Kent Health Alliance foundations, the release said. “Jack was determined to ensure that all arrangements and donations were taken care of before his passing,” his daughter-in law, Jill Morrison, said. “He was deeply passionate about the James A. Beattie Foundation, and I know he would be smiling, likely with tears in his eyes.” The Beattie Foundation, which has contributed $240,000 to the hospice over the years, “has long exemplified the power of quiet generosity, making a significant and meaningful difference throughout Chatham-Kent,” hospice foundation executive director Brock McGregor said. Eri

Eastern Ontario Reopens A Strategic Agricultural Gateway After 30 Years

Eastern Ontario has reopened one of Canada's most strategic agricultural gateways with the arrival of the Federal Montreal, the first bulk vessel fertilizer cargo to dock in the region in almost three decades. Its discharge – coordinated through a logistics partnership led by V6 Agronomy alongside the Port of Johnstown – reactivates a long-dormant section of the St. Lawrence Seaway and establishes a modern Prairie-Seaway trade corridor connecting Western Canadian producers to Eastern and international markets. This renewed corridor links inbound fertilizers with outbound grain, pulses, and agri-products through an integrated marine-rail pathway. The result is a Canadian-controlled logistics chain that improves rail asset utilization, strengthens national food security, and reduces reliance on foreign infrastructure for critical agricultural inputs and exports. "This moment marks the renewal of a corridor that has been dormant for nearly three decades," said Ryan Brophy, CEO of V6 Agr

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