Andrew Campbell's Blog (11)

Canada adopts ePhytos for grain shipments to Mexico

Electronic certificates eliminate longer delivery times

Kent County Agricultural Hall of Fame: Five area growers named to farm shrine

Five more people have been inducted to the Kent County Agricultural Hall of Fame for their longstanding involvement and contributions. John Jaques, a Thamesville-area asparagus farmer for more than 40 years, North Buxton farmers Bryan and Shannon Prince and the late Bill and Jean Sloan, Christmas tree farmers from the Bothwell area, were inducted at a ceremony at Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club Tuesday. Biographies of the newest inductees were read during the ceremony. Jaques, 74, was recognized for his substantial contributions to agriculture as an industry leader in technological and policy advancements. His accomplishments include implementing proven marketing strategies and creating disaster coverage programs and sustainability initiatives. Jaques is credited for his tireless support of Ontario’s asparagus industry hard work to develop horticulture support programs across Canada. “He was a driving force behind the SDRM (self-directed risk management) program . . . to provid

‘Two, three, four million dollars’ to inherit a farm: advocate

An advocate is calling for additional exemptions that would allow farmers to pass on their land to other family members without getting hit by what could be millions of dollars in taxes. Derryn Shrosbree, a farmer and advocate with 33seven, told CTV Your Morning on Monday that there’s an exemption for children but nieces and nephews should also be exempt, which “would be great for farming and to keep rural communities vibrant.” “There’s a lot of cases where nieces and nephews have been actively working on the farm for 10 or 15 years already, but then they can’t actually inherit the farm without massive amounts of capital gains tax,” he said. More than 40 per cent of farmers will retire by 2033, according to a 2023 report from RBC. Two thirds of those producers do not have a plan to transfer those holdings, “leaving the future of farmland in doubt,” according to the bank. The Income Tax Act grants farmers the option to transfer the property to a “child” on a tax-deferred basis but

Joe Hudson joins Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame

Joe Hudson, who turned Lyn-based Burnbrae Farms into a national egg-producing powerhouse, has been posthumously inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame. Hudson, who died last year at the age of 94, was one of six people formally inducted at a special ceremony in Victoria, BC on Nov. 8. Officials at the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Association described Hudson as “the architect of one of Canada’s most successful agri-food businesses, transforming Canada’s egg sector with his vision for a vertically integrated model. “From humble beginnings and a few chickens, the late Joe built Burnbrae Farms into a leading pillar of Canadian agribusiness and a household name that continues to thrive with the subsequent generations, thanks to the legacy he established,” they added. Hudson was nominated by Egg Farmers of Canada. The Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Association honours and celebrates Canadians for outstanding contributions to the agriculture and food industry. Po

Workwear gap leaves women in agricultural jobs underserved and unsafe

Dairy farmer Nicole Tobes was frustrated with the lack of workwear options for women in agriculture. Women's coveralls were either far pricier than what was available for men, or of an inferior quality and missing a lot of important features, like pockets, that made her workday easier. After trying, and being disappointed by, too many options, Toebes would usually just go back to wearing men's coveralls, which were ill-fitting and uncomfortable to work in. “Even if you have to pay more [for a woman's garment], I'm willing to do it to have something that makes my day easier, better, [to] get the job done,” Toebes said during a Nov. 20 online discussion hosted by the National Women in Agriculture and Agri-food Network. “I couldn't find it. So I thought, ‘Well, how hard can it be?’ And here we are, five years later.” Toebes, who's based in Prince Edward Island, is the founder and owner of AgPro Workwear, which designs and manufactures coveralls for women working in agriculture. Feat