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The CFFO Commentary: Helping Out In The Rebuilding of An Agricultural Sector

By John Clement

June 3, 2011

 

The University of Guelph and Njala University in Sierra Leone have entered into a unique arrangement to strengthen the African institution’s ability to help in the rebuilding and development of agriculture and community service. As part of that arrangement, a delegation from the Sierra Leone university recently toured Ontario to gain a sense of how our province has put together a strong working relationship between farmers, producer groups,…

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Added by CFFO Blog on June 3, 2011 at 2:16am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Charting the Unknown Territory of Source Water Protection

By Nathan Stevens

May 27, 2011

 

Ontario is taking steps to protect our source water. However, we really don’t know what sort of impact this protection will have on farmers and their livelihoods. The requirements farmers may face, and the manner in which this process develops, will greatly impact agriculture’s support for the Clean Water Act.

 

There are a variety of options that source water committees are able to use to improve water quality. These range from…
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Added by CFFO Blog on May 27, 2011 at 2:07am — 1 Comment

The CFFO Commentary: Key Questions for a Changing Agriculture

By John Clement

May 20, 2011

 

Farming is changing. And it’s not just changing in the scale of operations we now have, or the increasingly diverse markets we now supply. It’s also changing in how we view the vocation of farming and how it connects to rural communities and our fellow farmers. Simply put, our emphasis on the business of farming now often overshadows other dimensions to farming that we used to take for granted.

 

At the core of this change is predominately the… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on May 20, 2011 at 3:15am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Social Change Creates Evolving Standards for Farmers

By Nathan Stevens

May 13, 2011

 

There are times when a series of events come together and force change within an otherwise stable industry, game, or community. The status quo can change over time as new knowledge or societal expectations emerge. A perfect example is the shift in attitude towards head-shots in hockey. The question arises – are there uncomfortable areas within agriculture that are not being dealt with because the pressure to change isn’t great enough…
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Added by CFFO Blog on May 13, 2011 at 4:39am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Promise of Federal Farming and Food Strategy Needs to Deliver

By John Clement

May 6, 2011

 

Now that the election signs are being gathered up and put away for another four years, it’s time to consider some of the implications of a majority Conservative government for Canadian agriculture. And nothing may be a greater opportunity for farmers than a commitment by the newly-elected Conservative government to create a new national farm and food strategy to guide and support agriculture over the… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on May 7, 2011 at 7:56am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Growing Forward 2 needs a Family Farm Focus

By Nathan Stevens

April 29, 2011

 

The CFFO brought forward a number of key messages during a recent dialogue between farmers and the federal government on Growing Forward 2, Canada’s next agriculture policy framework. Many of these important messages lie outside the limited scope the federal government wants to look at, but they are issues that need to be addressed for the good of Ontario farmers.

 

The current directions outlined in Growing Forward 2 fail… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on April 29, 2011 at 4:49am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Renewal in Public Policy and Whispers of Encouragement

By John Clement

April 22, 2011

 

Public policy development and advocacy is slow and steady work. It can take years for a good idea to move from conception to adoption on a wide scale, if it happens at all. Those who work for groups advocating proactive options realize that public policy development is more like a marathon than a sprint.

 

There are no shortages of challenges within agriculture. Developing and maintaining an agricultural system that offers optimum amounts of… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on April 27, 2011 at 3:47pm — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Agricultural and Rural Issues Loom Large for Federal Election

By Nathan Stevens

April 15, 2011

 

Another federal election is upon us. While some question the need for an election so soon, it is our democratic opportunity to make our individual voices heard. There are serious issues for farmers and rural Ontario as voters head to the ballot box on election-day.

 

The reasons behind voting patterns are naturally diverse. Some voters have a loyalty to a party regardless of minor policy concerns. Some look at local…

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Added by CFFO Blog on April 15, 2011 at 5:39pm — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Biotechnology Will Remain an Ongoing Discussion for Farmers

By John Clement

April 8, 2011

 

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has had a number of long, focused conversations about the role of Genetically Modified Organisms in agriculture. It’s a lightning rod of an issue, with most people either being for or against the use of the technology. Few individuals…

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Added by CFFO Blog on April 11, 2011 at 8:53am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Farmers Working Together Brings Results

By Henry Stevens

April 1, 2011



The hard work of the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition has finally produced positive results. As many people know, the 2011 provincial budget was announced this week and farmers received the eagerly anticipated news that new types of Business Risk Management programming are coming for many Ontario Farmers.

Presenting solutions that will cover the programming gaps found in existing programs like Agri-Stability has been the…

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Added by CFFO Blog on April 3, 2011 at 5:41am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Legislation and Regulations Reflect Underlying Goals and Values

By John Clement

March 25, 2011

 

At a recent provincial meeting of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, a guest speaker challenged our members to keep in mind that all public policies are aimed at particular goals and outcomes, based on an understanding of what we value in life. I think it’s an important piece of advice and one that needs to be kept front and centre when we create and debate new laws and regulations for farming.  

In my experience, most…

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Added by CFFO Blog on March 25, 2011 at 11:32am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Wading Through the GMO Debate

by Nathan Stevens

March 18, 2011

 

MP Frank Valeriote recently held a public discussion on Genetically Modified Organisms in Guelph. The panel represented a wide diversity of opinion with many valid points raised by the knowledgeable presenters. The discussion highlighted the potential benefits and threats represented by GM crops.

 

For those supportive of GM crops, the goal is to improve crop productivity in a sustainable way. Genetic modification is…

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Added by CFFO Blog on March 18, 2011 at 3:53pm — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Seminar Series to Focus on Improving the Farm Regulatory Process

By John Clement

February 25, 2011



Ontario’s farmers are fed up with the heavily regulated business environment in which they operate their businesses. At the same time, society and government have become overly cautious, trying to out-smart common sense by putting more and more costly rules and regulations in place that are burdening our farming community.



This year’s CFFO Seminar Series is entitled Enough is Enough and examines the case for an improved regulatory process.… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on February 25, 2011 at 6:59am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Have We Learned Anything From Agricultural History?

By Henry Stevens

February 18, 2011 

I’m a firm believer in paying attention to the lessons of history. With that in mind, I took great interest in some speeches from past CFFO leaders that our staff recently uncovered when searching through the organization’s archives. And it’s led me to ask, “Have we learned anything from history?”

One of the speeches was written by then Vice-President, Sid Sikkema, in 1986. Sikkema had attended a workshop entitled “The Globalization of…

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Added by CFFO Blog on February 20, 2011 at 11:26am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: The Pile of Reports on Canada’s Agricultural Potential Grows Higher

Plans for national or provincial food strategies have become hot commodities in recent years. In addition to the CFFO’s Goals for an Ontario Food Strategy, other farm groups and think-tanks have either issued reports or are in the development stages.



A new report from the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute is the latest foray into this marketplace of ideas. Entitled Canada’s Agri-Food Destination, the report highlights growing problems for Canadian agriculture. In addition to… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on February 11, 2011 at 6:50am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Water, Water Everywhere ... But We Need to be Stewards

By Nathan Stevens

February 4, 2011



A recent Water Innovation Forum focused on the importance of water for agriculture and food. The people of Ontario are blessed with tremendous access to fresh water and this has instilled the belief that we live in an area of water abundance. The reality is that while there is a considerable amount of water available for use, wise stewardship of this resource is needed to ensure that we do not create a “Tragedy of the Commons” with our water… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on February 4, 2011 at 6:41am — 1 Comment

The CFFO Commentary: Focusing in on Feeding the World

By Nathan Stevens

January 21, 2011



At a recent policy conference on the future of food and farming, Robert Thompson of the University of Illinois painted the big picture for agriculture worldwide over the next 40 years. There are huge factors that are shaping the future of food that have created an array of challenges and opportunities for agriculture.



The most obvious challenge will be that of ensuring that nine billion people are able to get the food they require to… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on January 21, 2011 at 6:44am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: The Positive and Negative Roles of Farm Debt

By John Clement

January 14, 2011



Farm debt can be a contentious issue in farm circles. Used properly, and with clear sailing on the horizon, debt is a very practical tool for building a business. However, used improperly, or accompanied by stormy economic times, debt can be a millstone that strangles a business and limits future options.



The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario is currently taking some time to re-examine the role of debt within farming businesses. Many… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on January 14, 2011 at 6:13am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Helping our Consumers to Choose Ontario Food

By Henry Stevens

January 7, 2011



Canada has some strict rules regarding truth in advertising. Advertisers are expected to tell the truth about their products and refrain from misleading the buying public. There are consequences for failing to do so. That leads to several questions about whether labels, and the information they contain, should qualify as advertisements. I would argue that labels and advertisements should be held to the same standard regarding accuracy and… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on January 7, 2011 at 5:51am — No Comments

The CFFO Commentary: Prognostications for Farming in 2011

By Nathan Stevens

December 31, 2010



As 2010 draws to a close, a new year in agriculture is about to unfold. The sheer diversity of Ontario agriculture ensures that some farmers will be blessed with great production and good prices while others will face another trying year. Beyond the vagaries of weather and the market there are issues that Ontario farmers may have to face in the year… Continue

Added by CFFO Blog on January 3, 2011 at 4:12am — No Comments

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Dry Ontario Weather Dents Canadian Corn, Soy Output

Canada’s final 2025 corn and soybean production numbers are in, and both crops finished the year noticeably weaker than Statistics Canada had projected in September. Drier late-season conditions in Eastern Canada reduced yields, pushing corn and soybean totals below earlier expectations and under last year’s levels, Statistics Canada’s survey crop production report on Thursday showed. Nationwide corn production has slipped to 14.867 million tonnes, down from StatsCan’s model-based September estimate of 15.5 million tonnes and 3.1% below last year’s crop. Yields were the key factor, falling to 162.2 bu/acre, below September’s 165.3 bu/acre forecast and down from 168.1 bu/acre in 2024. Harvested area grew slightly to 3.6 million acres, but not enough to counter the yield losses. Soybean output dropped to 6.793 million tonnes, below September’s 7.133 million-tonne forecast and 10.2% below 2024 levels. Yields slipped to 43.5 bu/acre, below September’s 45.7 bu forecast and down from

Celebrate Farm Transition Appreciation Day on January 8, 2026

Farm Management Canada, together with partners across Canada’s agricultural community, is proud to announce that Farm Transition Appreciation Day (FTADay) will take place on Thursday January 8, 2026. FTADay is a national initiative designed to encourage and celebrate the progress Canada’s farmers are making to secure the future of farming through farm transition planning. It has created a groundswell movement to motivate farmers to start, restart, and keep going on their farm transition journey, farmers, advisors, agricultural organizations, and industry leaders are invited to share stories and advice through a national campaign using social media, agricultural media and hosting learning events across Canada to encourage Canada’s farmers. This year’s theme, The Future is Now, highlights the importance of taking proactive steps today to strengthen the resilience, continuity, and long-term sustainability of Canada’s farming community. “The New Year is the perfect time to reflect on and

Dairy Farmers Of Ontario Brings Holiday Magic To Children's Hospitals With Annual Holiday Donation And Heartwarming Milk And Cookies Pop-up

This season, in the spirit of spreading holiday magic and supporting our communities, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) will make a donation of $500,000 to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and other Ontario children's hospitals in Hamilton (McMaster Children's Hospitals), London (Children's Hospital) and Ottawa (CHEO). Since 2019, DFO's cumulative donation of $3.6M supports the highest-priority needs across the hospitals and initiatives for patients and families spending the holidays in Ontario children's hospitals. Beyond the donation and inspired by the tradition of milk & cookies for Santa, Dairy Farmers of Ontario is inviting Ontarians to rally around patients in Ontario children's hospitals. The ritual of leaving out milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve sparks holiday magic and joy. However, for children spending the holidays in hospitals, they worry that Santa won't know where to find them. So, to let these kids know we are all thinking of them, DFO's annual Milk &

Worst bird-flu season in years hits Alberta’s poultry farmers

Alberta’s poultry producers are working through the worst avian flu season in years. Scott Olson has been through it twice before. The Wetaskiwin-area turkey farmer lost his 10,000-bird flock in the spring of 2022, when the wild geese migration passed over, then again when they returned in the fall.  Now he is dealing with his third outbreak and third cull. Olson is again pressure-washing his two large barns — disinfecting them as he awaits an inspection — and preparing to restart a recertified operation after Christmas with new hatchlings.  “It’s such a bad disease,” said Olson, also a director with Alberta Turkey Producers.  “We work with a stamp-out policy, essentially so we’re not affecting our neighbours … It’s like a fire: you’re just trying to put the fire out.” Olson’s was one of 11 commercial poultry farms in Alberta under the direction of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as active quarantine and containment zones as of Nov. 30.  There were six in all of 2024 in Alb

Collège Boréal tackles crop-damaging fruit fly in Ontario

Researchers at Collège Boréal in Sudbury have declared war on an invasive fruit fly that could threaten fruit crops in northeastern Ontario. Morel Kotomale, an associate researcher in agricultural research, and Jean Pierre Kapongo, a professor in Collège Boréal’s agriculture programs, are leading a two-year project to find new ways of combatting the spotting wing drosophila, an invasive fruit fly. The insect attacks most temperate-climate fruits, including cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, the college noted. It was first detected in British Columbia in 2009 and had spread to most fruit-growing regions by 2010. Crop losses can range between 20 per cent and 100 per cent of yields, representing an estimated annual value of $6.8 million. Boréal will be aided in its efforts with $150,000 from the Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative, which Research and Innovation Boréal, the college's applied research arm, announced Nov. 28. “Thanks to the growing expertise of our

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