Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

AALP Class 13 North American Study Tour Day 8


July 12, 2010 – The eighth day of our tour took Class 13 to Chesapeake Bay to learn about the opportunities and challenges in this area. The Chesapeake Bay area is the 2nd largest watershed footprint after the Mississippi.

We started the day touring a cucumber harvesting operation and had a great tour by a young and ambitious farmer named Hannah (who was also a member of the Maryland Lead program). After a ride around the field on the cucumber puller we drove over to tour the grading plant. It was a great stop and thankfully our driver Paul was able to get our bus unstuck (they had 5 inches of rain the day before).

From there we visited the Wye Research Station for an update on the Maryland Lead Program. Then on to the Wye Black Angus farm where we met 40 year Virgin, Forester and Briar.

A visit to a local winery and a large dairy were next on the list. Each stop provided a great look into the opportunities and challenges that are faced in the Maryland Delaware area. Plus we are bringing a taste of Maryland home to our loved ones (which is only 4 days away).

The day wrapped up with a good home cooked dinner with the Iowa Lead group. It was a great day of tours and speakers that provided a better understanding of the local environment. Many similarities were noted throughout the day with the struggles and challenges faced by farmers in both the Chesapeake Bay region and Ontario.

There is a resilience to defend the different agriculture industries with the environmental challenges that are being placed on the shoulders of the agriculture industry.

Tomorrow promises to be another great day – stay tuned!

Neil Hemingway, Nathan Klages, Christa Royce – AALP Class 13

Views: 38

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

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

How Farmers Can Help Keep Wheat Innovation Alive: Listen to Our CrossRoads Panel Discussion

The funding model for plant breeding in Canada is at a crossroads. The impending withdrawal of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) from commercializing field-ready cultivars has sparked a conversation about how to fill the resulting gap without losing decades of investment in infrastructure and expertise. That was the premise of a panel discussion held today at the CrossRoads Crop Conference in Edmonton and facilitated by Alberta Seed Guide editor Marc Zienkiewicz. Panelists were Todd Hyra, western business manager for SeCan; Stuart Smyth, agricultural economist at the University of Saskatchewan; Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) chair and farmer Dean Hubbard; and SeedNet science advisor and retired AAFC wheat breeder Rob Graf. Key points included AAFC’s shift towards upstream research, the need for collaboration with universities and private sectors, and the importance of maintaining a robust innovation pipeline. Metrics showed that 75% of wheat varieties come from AAFC,

U.S. tariffs on Canadian canola industry will have widespread, devastating impacts

Today, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that tariffs of 25 per cent will be applied to imports of a broad range of Canadian goods, including canola seed, oil and meal, effective February 4, 2025. “The application of these tariffs on Canadian-grown canola and canola products will be felt across the canola value chain,” says Chris Davison, Canola Council of Canada (CCC) President & CEO. “Tariffs will have devastating impacts on farmers, input providers, canola crushing activities and exports of canola seed, oil and meal.” The U.S. is Canada’s number one market for canola exports and also a market that is highly integrated with the Canadian canola industry. Total export value in 2023 was $8.6 billion, including almost 3 million metric tonnes (MMT) of canola oil valued at $6.3 billion and more than 3.5 MMT of canola meal valued at $2.0 billion. Canola is the single largest contributor to farm crop cash receipts – grown by nearly 40,000 farmers across the country. “The damaging blo

Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing Launches the National Farmer Crisis Line

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing (CCAW) is proud to announce the launch of the National Farmer Wellness Network (NFWN) Crisis Line, 1-866-FARMS01 (1-866-327-6701), a transformative initiative designed to address the unique mental health challenges faced by Canada’s farmers, farm families, and agricultural workers. This program, made possible through an investment of $1.5 million over three years from Farm Credit Canada (FCC), provides tailored mental health support delivered by licensed professionals trained in the Canadian Agricultural Literacy Program (CALP). Farming is one of the most demanding and high-stress occupations. The financial pressures, isolation, and emotional demands of caring for livestock and crops can take a toll on mental health. The National Farmer Wellness Network Crisis Line bridges the gap by offering accessible, culturally informed, and confidential crisis services, ensuring farmers receive care tailored to their needs in moments of crisis. Quot

New mental health hotline for Cdn. ag industry

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing launched the National Farmer Wellness Network Crisis Line

Statement from Dairy Farmers of Canada regarding the announcement of tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States

David Wiens, President of Dairy Farmers of Canada, issued the following statement regarding the announcement of tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States:

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service