Ontario Agriculture

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Andrew Campbell's Blog (11)

Future of Dairy Farming = Efficiency

Dairy farmers can sometimes get a bad reputation. Because of supply management, I'd agree that some farms can hang on longer than they would if they were open to the free market. The free market can be very good and eliminating the least efficient very quickly. Unfortunately - it can also eliminate some good farmers who just get mixed up in a market they can't control (just ask a hog farmer).



However - I think those least efficient dairy farmers are going to have to make…

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Added by Andrew Campbell on May 20, 2010 at 7:00am — 1 Comment

When Bigger Isn't Better

When I think of farming, I think of a few things. Feeding cows, planting and harvesting corn, baling hay. They, and most of the jobs I do around the farm, all relate to production. Most of you will agree that is one of the big reasons we farm -- we like being around animals, we like being on the land, we don't like numbers.



But I was lucky enough to get the chance to realize that even if we don't like the numbers, we all like making more money.



The Ontario Dairy Youth…

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Added by Andrew Campbell on May 12, 2010 at 8:32am — 1 Comment

Fireflies = Lower Nitrogen Costs

Researchers have created a new and cheaper test that producers can use to see how much nitrogen they should… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on April 12, 2010 at 6:04am — 1 Comment

A View of FCC Spending

Found this very interesting post on the Canadian Agri-Food blog, managed by the Agri-Food Unit at the Ivey School of Business.



Written by Brandon Schaufele - with the article available at - http://www.canadianagrifood.ca/?p=374



" Today’s edition of the London Free…

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Added by Andrew Campbell on March 5, 2010 at 2:00am — No Comments

Lessons In Farming

I'm a young farmer. I can say that now - especially since just a couple of weeks ago we moved out to one of our family farms. This is a house my great-grandfather built in the early 1900's, and is the farm where the dry cows and heifers are kept. My mom and dad are a few kilometres away at the farm I grew up in - where the milking cows are.



As I get settled on the farm, I thought I'd share some of my experiences. Along the way I'd invite any and all pieces of advice I can get - as I… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on December 17, 2009 at 7:24am — 6 Comments

The Future of Pork

We all know about the struggles facing the pork industry -- the big question though is how do we fix it.



Here are a couple of videos with some involved in the sector discussing how to move forward. Take a look a add your thoughts below.…



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Added by Andrew Campbell on December 16, 2009 at 4:30am — No Comments

A Lesson From Best Buy

This was written by Matt Hardecke from the Young Producers' Council, which is part of the US based National Cattlemen's Beef Association. It's an interesting perspective...



As the future leaders of American agriculture and the beef industry, we need to not only know the facts but understand the thought process of our consumers. I am looking to buy a new flat screen TV. Over the weekend I went to Best Buy to gaze at the selections of options for my view pleasure. For an hour I stood… Continue

Added by Andrew Campbell on November 3, 2009 at 3:48am — 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

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

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

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

Innovation Saskatchewan Invests Nearly $460,000 in University of Regina Research Advancing Water, Waste and Antimicrobial Innovation

Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $459,095 in three University of Regina (U of R) research projects through the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) to advance solutions in water security, environmental sustainability and antimicrobial resistance.   The investments match funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), effectively doubling the resources available to U of R researchers to accelerate their work.   "The U of R is leading research that's making a real impact and helping shape a stronger, more sustainable future for our province," Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. "These investments help ensure Saskatchewan stays at the forefront of innovation and is ready to tackle challenges with solutions developed right here at home."   The projects build on U of R strengths in climate science and population health, advancing Saskatchewan's priority research areas of life sciences, agriculture and energy:  

Enrol now in AgriStability

About AgriStability AgriStability is an important tool to help you manage risks and financial losses due to tariffs, poor yields, low commodity prices, or rising input costs. AgriStability provides support when you experience a large margin decline. AgriStability is delivered by the federal government in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories and Yukon. Use the Benefit Estimator to help you understand how the program works and how benefits are calculated. Learn more about the AgriStability program or access My AAFC Account to sign in to your account or create a new account. Benefits of participating Provides support when risks are beyond your capacity to manage Offers personalized and affordable coverage Helps you manage your farm during periods of market downturns, falling market prices and rising input costs Protects your farm against drought, flooding, poor yields or other unexpected disasters Can be used to secure financing Prov

WCC/RRC Meeting Update

The Western Canadian Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCC/RRC) met in early February to review candidate cultivars and make key decisions that help guide canola and rapeseed variety registration in Western Canada. These meetings play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the canola quality system and ensuring new cultivars entering the market meet established standards. The WCC/RRC is an independent committee comprised of all sectors of the value chain including researchers, industry representatives, farmers, sector experts and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Variety Registration Office as a non-voting observer. Its primary role is to evaluate candidate cultivars against defined quality and performance criteria to determine whether they meet the requirements for canola or rapeseed registration. In addition, on behalf of the WCC/RRC, the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) staff coordinate testing and inspection of pre-registration varieties, public blackleg trials at

Manitoba Canola Growers Announces Board Election Results and Executive Appointments

Manitoba Canola Growers is pleased to announce the results of its board elections held this winter, as well as executive appointments made during the organization’s recent reorganization meeting. During the 2025 board election process, three members put their names forward for four available director positions. As a result, Warren Ellis, Jackie Dudgeon MacDonald, and Jay Derkach were all acclaimed to the board. With one seat remaining vacant following the election, Manitoba Canola Growers initiated a board application process, inviting members to submit their names for consideration. The organization was pleased to receive a strong number of qualified candidates. Following a shortlisting process and interviews, the board is pleased to announce that Brad Crammond has been selected to join the board for a four term. “We’re really encouraged by how much interest our members showed and by the strong group of candidates who put their names forward,” said Warren Ellis, Chair. “It’s great

How to cover all the bases with a land rental agreement

It doesn’t make sense to pay to use a piece of land, invest time and effort into raising a crop, and not even have a paper outlining an agreement with the owner. Yet it’s something lawyer James Steele, of Robertson Stromberg LLP, says he sees repeatedly, as well as handshake agreements and handwritten rental deals. Across the country, none of these informal agreements are sufficient if there's a disagreement and the rental matter ends in court. Overall, having a written land rental agreement in place is a critical, yet often neglected, piece of farm business that could save both parties time and money if anything with the rental ever went wrong. Include all the details A rental agreement needs to be longer than a one—to two-page document and include as many details as possible. Steele says he often sees producers show up with an agreement where the term and rate have been determined, but not much else. A rental agreement document must spell out the obligations and consequences, and

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