Joe Dales's Blog (72)

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