In just a few short days many Ontarians will be heading to the polls in order to cast their vote in this year’s provincial election. There are serious issues for rural Ontario as they head to the ballot box on election day. The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has a number of issues that we feel need to be addressed by our future government.
The Christian Farmers strongly supports Environmental Goods and Services. We hope that… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on September 30, 2011 at 3:41am —
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Over the past few weeks, my colleague Nathan Stevens has been discussing different dimensions of supply managed marketing systems for agricultural products. In particular, he’s been responding to comments made by Andrew Coyne, a columnist for MacLean’s magazine. As the commentary series progressed, we had a number of readers correspond with us about why the organization chooses to become involved in a debate about supply… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on September 23, 2011 at 3:41am —
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Andrew Coyne, one of Canada’s most respected journalists, has garnered a lot of attention in his recent article in Maclean’s that turned a harsh eye towards supply management. He makes a number of strong assertions in his article that are worthy of further discussion. This is the third in a series of commentaries that will provide counter-points to those assertions, this time focusing on trade and a final comment on the necessity for… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on September 16, 2011 at 1:37am —
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Here's video from the opening ceremony of Canada's Outdoor Farm Show with show VP Doug Wagner and Mike Wilson, editor, Farm Futures and President of the International Federation of Agricultural…
Visit me & my alpacas in the Alpaca Ontario booth @ Woodstock Outdoor Farm Show, Thurs Sept 15, and you'll see the fabulous products we make from there fibre.
Alpacas produce one of the world’s most luxurious natural fibres, much…
Andrew Coyne, one of Canada’s most respected journalists, has garnered a lot of attention in his recent article in Maclean’s that turned a harsh eye towards supply management. He makes a number of strong assertions in his article that are worthy of further discussion. This is the second in a series of commentaries that will provide counter-points to those assertions, this time focusing on trends towards higher prices and fewer… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on September 9, 2011 at 2:34am —
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Andrew Coyne, one of Canada’s most respected journalists, has garnered a lot of attention in his recent article in Maclean’s that turned a harsh eye towards supply management. He makes a number of strong assertions in his article that are worthy of further discussion. This is the first in a series of commentaries that will provide counter-points to those assertions, this time focusing on why there are different rules for different… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on September 2, 2011 at 5:42am —
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Farmland preservation is a key component in keeping a strong and vigorous agricultural sector. And with Ontario having one of the biggest agriculture and food clusters in North America, it only makes sense that our citizens be proactive in ensuring that we do our best to preserve and maintain our best farmland.
The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has a long history of advocating for farmland preservation. We’ve taken up the fight… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on August 26, 2011 at 1:51am —
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The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario places a lot of emphasis on values. And, arguably, one of the biggest and most constant values for most of our members comes down to “fairness.” It’s not always stated upfront when our members engage each other at committee meetings and seminars, but it’s a steady presupposition that drives a good deal of conversation. Over the years, many CFFO conversations and position statements have emphasized the… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on August 12, 2011 at 2:59am —
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The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs recently announced that the 30-year old wildlife damage compensation program has finally been updated. This has been an important issue for members of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario over the last number of years, and as an organization we are pleased that this could finally be updated. This is a solid step forward in balancing the broad number of goals desired by society… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on August 5, 2011 at 1:32am —
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A decade or more ago, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario hosted a number of seminars and other events centered on the theme of “Farming in the Park.” The title was kind of a cheeky expression designed to attract people’s attention and get them thinking about critical issues in farming. The key issue at the root of the discussion was the ongoing relationship between farmers and urban society.
The Ontario election is looming for Ontario’s politicians and the voting public. Energy is emerging as “the” hot button topic for many voters. The big question is how we are going to organize a sustainable energy system that truly considers the economic, environmental and social consequences.
There is a need for broad deliberations regarding this province’s energy policy. In particular, balance needs to be struck to accommodate both long… Continue
Added by CFFO Blog on July 22, 2011 at 4:30am —
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Shares in Canada’s cannabis companies surged after reports U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to ease federal restrictions on the drug. The Washington Post first reported that the president is expected to direct agencies to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. The move would make it similar to some common prescription painkillers, the newspaper says. A reclassification of the drug in the U.S. could offer an opportunity for Canadian cannabis companies to expand their businesses stateside. Shares of Tilray Brands Inc. jumped 29 per cent or $3.35 to $14.94 in mid-morning trading Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, while Canopy Growth Corp. shares were up 32 per cent or 49 cents at $2.07. Aurora Cannabis Inc. shares were up 13 per cent and Organigram Global Inc. was up nearly 10 per cent. While many states have passed laws legalizing cannabis for adult use in the U.S., federally it remains a Schedule I drug, the same category as heroin and LSD. This report by The Cana
Thanks mainly to a record large Canadian crop, 2025-26 global rapeseed output is estimated by the USDA at a new peak as well. The USDA this week pegged world rapeseed production for the current marketing year at 95.27 million tonnes. That’s up 3 million tonnes or 3.25% from last month’s projection and now sits almost 9.3 million or 10.8% above the 2024-25 global crop of 86 million. The rebound comes after the 2024-25 crop was hit by poor weather in major producing countries. The USDA has raised its 2025-26 Canadian rapeseed (canola) production estimate to 22 million tonnes, up 2 million from its November forecast, following updated Statistics Canada data released last week. The survey-based StatsCan report pegged national canola output at 21.803 million tonnes, up about 1.7 million from the federal agency’s model-based September projection and now 13.3% above the 2024 crop of 19.239 million. If accurate, it would be the largest crop on record, surpassing the 2017 crop of 21.458 m
For more than two decades, Aaron Beattie has been a driving force behind some of Western Canada’s most prominent oat and barley varieties. Based at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC), Beattie continues to shape the future of Prairie cereals — work that increasingly impacts growers in Alberta. Beattie’s latest oat material, showcased earlier this year at the meetings of the Prairie Grain Development Committee in Winnipeg, continues to deliver standout performance. “OT3125 did perform really well again this summer. So it is still up there — over 10% higher than Camden,” he says. While the variety does not yet have a commercial name, Beattie expects significant discussion around it next year as it moves further into promotion and industry awareness. Momentum in the Market Beyond pipeline material, several CDC varieties are gaining traction with Prairie growers. “CDC Anson really took a big jump this year, from no acres to about 10% of the oat acres all in
Unexpected wheat midge outbreaks across Western Canada highlight why the varietal blend remains essential. As farmers look ahead to spring, it’s a good time to revisit the cornerstone of protecting the Sm1 (midge tolerant) wheat gene: understanding why Midge Tolerant Wheat is sold as a varietal blend. In these blends, a variety of Midge Tolerant Wheat is mixed in with a small amount (10%) of wheat that isn’t tolerant to the wheat midge. That is, it doesn’t contain the gene Sm1, the source of genetic resistance. These non-tolerant wheat plants serve as a “refuge” to ensure the wheat midge doesn’t develop resistance to the Sm1 gene. “You never know when the wheat midge is going to strike or where it’s going to strike,” says Tyler Wist, an entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). “Sometimes it’s predicted to be a low-risk year, and then the rains come at just the right time and — boom — population explosion.” Wheat Midge Can Appear When Least Expected Forecasting too
There are an abundance of different careers in agriculture, and Angela Pearen has tried several of them. Now the coordinator of the agriculture extension programs at Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment, Assiniboine College, Angela has also worked helping producers diversify their farm income, and held positions in rural leadership, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning with Manitoba Agriculture. She says her role at Assiniboine College brings her back to the work she loves the most. Describe your job or product in one sentence. I coordinate training programs for people working in the ag industry and those that support the ag industry. Where did you grow up? Was it an agriculture or urban environment? I grew up in the Roseland district, southwest of Brandon on an acreage. We crop shared with our land neighbours and my parents still crop share with the next generations of that family – it’s been over 50 years. What was your dream job when you were a kid? The