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Interest in farming is a great communications opportunity

The world’s food needs are under the microscope and we hear near-daily pleas from groups such as the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization for greater investment in feeding hungry people. So why are development agencies such as USC Canada dedicating scarce resources to hackneyed anti-corporate promotions such as this latest poll?



That’s what I’m pondering in this week’s… Continue

Added by Owen Roberts on October 23, 2009 at 10:51am — 1 Comment

I guess nightshade doesn't get frost bite

The sight of nightshade's purplish/black berries in a "food grade" soybean crop is every producer's worst nightmare. They stain the seed and dramatically reduce the value of the crop. In theory, you would kill uncontrolled nightshade prior to harvest with either a herbicide (i.e. Reglone, glyphosate) or mother nature (i.e. a frost), the berries would drop to the ground, never go through the combine and the seed would be left unstained. Unfortunately this is a theory, and reality shows us… Continue

Added by Mike Cowbrough on October 20, 2009 at 7:09am — 3 Comments

Canadian Farm Land Values Increased 2.9% during first half of 2009.

Farm Credit Canada’s semi-annual land value survey for the period Jan. 1 to June 30, 2009,

By Farms.com Editors

The average value of Canadian farmland increased 2.9 per cent during the first six months of 2009, following increases of 5.6 and 5.8 per cent in the previous two reporting periods.

Farmland values increased in most provinces. New Brunswick experienced the highest increase at 5.6 per cent, followed by Manitoba, with an increase of 5.5 per cent.

Two provinces… Continue

Added by Frank Borszcz on October 20, 2009 at 5:09am — No Comments

Finding Efficiency Through Trade Policy Change

“Give me a level playing field and we can compete with the world’s best”



I heard this quote last September 22nd at a meeting for hog farmers set up by Ontario Pork. It was one statement that I classed as optimism in a room that was overwhelmingly negative. I can completely understand why negativity abounded at this meeting, every farmer in that room faces a very uncertain future but I want to focus on the positive.

While our farm at home is one of the many hog farms that faces… Continue

Added by Stewart Skinner on October 7, 2009 at 3:05am — 1 Comment

Shaun Haney: How Ontario and the West are Different.

I have posted this commentary by our friend Shaun Haney of Alberta, he dropped in to the Farms.com office for a visit a couple of weeks ago on his trip to Ontario.







How Ontario and the West are Different.

By Shaun Haney, Realagriculture.com



I recently traveled to Ontario to attend some meetings that pertained to my seed business. I had a great time and was hosted by some great companies and people. The real treat was getting to spend some time with local… Continue

Added by Joe Dales on October 4, 2009 at 8:38am — 2 Comments

Field Bindweed Control in the Fall

Field bindweed is an aggressive perennial weed that reduces crop yield and slows harvesting speed especially in soybeans and cereals. Eradication is impossible, but minimizing its impact in field crops is possible with a management strategy that includes a fall application of glyphosate at 1.5 L/ac (360 g/L concentration). The photo below was taken in late May of 2004 and compares field bindweed populations in the untreated… Continue

Added by Mike Cowbrough on October 1, 2009 at 10:20am — 3 Comments

Funding initiatives

This past summer has been an interesting one along the lakeshore. Living and farming in the Ashfield Twp area is particularly interesting each summer due to the influx of tourists that bring their stress and frustrations to the lakeshore for some quality recharge time. Smooth washing waves, romantic sunsets, green fields of crops, quiet countryside and tourist events.

In order to keep them coming some people suggest we need to improve our environmental standards when it comes to water… Continue

Added by Wayne Black on September 26, 2009 at 2:00am — 1 Comment

People Watching

Over the last several years I've been fortunate to be part of the Western Fair - the big fall fair in London. Each year I'm in the barns doing some livestock show announcing and new this year kids pedal tractor pulls. In between events barn staff tend to find each other for a visit and some people watching. You really do get people from all walks of life coming to the fair in the city and the one thing I've learned from all of them, is that people really don't know anything about agriculture.… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on September 14, 2009 at 1:30am — 1 Comment

REACH Grand Opening Gala and Open House

This past week I was fortunate enough to participate in two events at the new Regional Equine & Agricultural Centre of Huron. The first was the "black tie" Gala for invited guests in the new Riding Arena on Thursday night. A great list of sponsors made it a fabulous entertaining night that people will be talking about for quite a while. Not very often something like this happens in Huron County. The REACH staff made sure everything was as close to perfect as possible. It was also quite… Continue

Added by Wayne Black on September 12, 2009 at 2:04pm — 2 Comments

Pass the Mayonaise originally written for the September issue of the Rural Voice Magazine

Don't read this article on local food; go to http://www.eatrealeatlocal.ca/ and watch a short video. Seriously, watch the video, download it, send the link to all your friends and contact lists. It should be required reading for every politician and bureaucrat.

Pig farmers will have to examine these latest government handouts and determine if the glass is half empty or half full. I would like to thumb my nose at all government programs. They are all made up of half measures and ad hoc vote… Continue

Added by John Beardsley on September 10, 2009 at 4:20pm — 2 Comments

It Isn't Always Our Fault

Covering agriculture has meant I've been to a pile of meetings. Meetings on getting more profit on your farm, meetings on government regulations, meetings on just about anything you can think of in order to help you be a better farmer. One of the topics that comes up a lot for livestock producers is developing a consistent product. While this usually is directed towards beef producers today, at one time it applied to everyone. Processors and retailers say if you want a better price - they need… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on September 7, 2009 at 12:44am — 1 Comment

Unseen Losses By Stewart Skinner

Too often we get caught up in the economic impacts that the loss of an industry can have. We never talk about the social costs of the disappearing jobs. In my own community I have witnessed the devastation to the rural social fabric that follows a major loss of jobs. Children have left rural schools as their families search for better opportunities elsewhere; heck, we haven’t had a full slate of hockey teams in Wallace Township since I was playing peewee. I look at what my own family does in… Continue

Added by OntAG Admin on September 1, 2009 at 2:30pm — 1 Comment

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

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

APG Seeks Advisors in All Zones to Grow Pulse Industry

Pulse producers who want to grow the province’s pulse industry while developing their own leadership skills are invited to let their names stand for election as an Alberta Pulse Growers (APG) Advisor at their zone meeting this fall. “Any interested pulse farmers are strongly encouraged to join the APG team,” APG Chair Shane Strydhorst said. “I began as an Advisor like most APG Directors, and the experience has been more rewarding than I imagined. Becoming an Advisor is a great way to get involved in the industry. Each of our five zones has available positions and it’s a good introduction to the organization, working on committees, and making things happen for Alberta pulse farmers.” A team of Advisors leads extension activities specific to each of APG’s five zones. Directors on APG’s provincial board often serve as Advisors first. Producers must have sold pulses and paid service charges since August 1, 2023 to be eligible as an Advisor. Anyone interested in letting their name stand

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Launches Enhanced Pulse Variety Hub: New website delivers advanced tools and data for pulse crop producers

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is pleased to announce the launch of the new and improved Pulse Variety Hub (https://rvt.saskpulse.com/), a comprehensive digital platform that helps pulse crop producers select the best varieties for their specific growing conditions and locations across Western Canada. The Pulse Variety Hub serves as a central resource where farmers can access detailed variety information, compare performance data across different regions, and make informed decisions about which pulse crops—including lentil, pea, chickpea, faba bean, and dry bean—will perform best in their specific geographic areas and growing environments. The enhanced platform represents a significant advancement in agricultural technology, building upon the proven foundation of the previous tool while delivering substantial improvements across all aspects of user experience and functionality. Key Features and Enhancements The new Pulse Variety Hub delivers enhanced value through several significant imp

Manitoba farmers racing to finish harvest

Rain and strong winds in Manitoba’s eastern and Interlake regions and snow in the Northwest slowed the harvest. In its weekly crop report, Manitoba Agriculture Cereal Crop Specialist Ann Kirk said roughly 93 per cent of the crop is harvested, and farmers are getting close to wrapping things up. “Over the past week, we did have fairly good harvest conditions. We did have rain and then snow which put a pause on harvest over the weekend and the beginning of this week,” Kirk said. Harvesting of spring cereals are basically complete and canola is very close to finished. The dry beans are about 96 per cent complete. Soybeans are also very close at about 90 per cent. “What’s left is about 25 per cent of the flax crop, 80 per cent of the sunflowers and about 60 per cent of the grain corn , so we have made good progress, and it’s just those remaining later season crops to come off,” Kirk added. Spring cereals had a very long harvest season, and as a result, some of the crops are of poorer

Agriculture innovation part of TIME’s list of best inventions

An agriculture innovation from a Winkler, Man. based company has been named to TIME’s list of the Best Inventions of 2025. Thunderstruck Ag was recognized for its Razors Edge Concaves. Thunderstruck Founder and CEO Jeremy Matuszewski said the concaves were designed to minimize harvest loss, maximize machine efficiency, and simplify operations across multiple crops. The system’s patented variable bar spacing tightens where impact is greatest and opens where flow matters most delivering a cleaner thresh, reduced equipment overload, and higher yields, all without cover plates or hardware swaps.

Halloween characters suitable for farmwork

Farmers can use all the help they can get these days

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