Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

BASF Invites Some Urban Consumers To The Farm. Sustainability Video Series.

 

 

 

Conversations On Sustainability online video series captures the
dialogue when urban consumers meet the farmers that grow their food.


MISSISSAUGA, ON - BASF Canada (BASF) today launched an online
video series called Conversations On Sustainability on its AgSolutions YouTube
channel. The videos feature highlights from the conversations five urbanites had
with five Canadian farmers when they travelled from the city to the farm to see
how food is grown, and how the industry can sustain it.

"We invited
average urban consumers, who had some not so average questions and opinions
about food, to speak openly with the farmers who grow it," says Scott Kay,
Canada Business Director at BASF. "When it comes to food supply, we're all in
this together. Whether you're the consumer, the grower or the innovator, it's
really about us all working together. Through the video series, these urban
consumers had the opportunity to speak openly and connect with growers like
never before."

Each of the five consumers got a tour of a Canadian farm
- in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario - to see the field, the
machinery and the crops close up. They spoke one-on-one with growers and asked
them questions like how much it costs an acre to run a farm, to how growers
apply their herbicides, to how and why growers select particular seed varieties.


"I'm from downtown Toronto. I have no idea what life is like on a farm,"
says Ron Schlumpf, a banker.

Schlumpf spent a day with Dan Ronceray on
his farm in Somerset, Manitoba, where the two were able to share their
perspectives.
"We have nothing to hide," says Ronceray. "We produce a good
crop and quality products, and if they [consumers] need to know every step of
the way, I'm happy to open my farm and show them how we do it."

Other
participants included Humphrey Banack, a grower in Camrose, Alberta who met with
Detlev Kloss, an inventory control manager from Whitby, Ontario; Curt Gessell,
who operates a farm in Delisle, Saskatchewan who met Marie Duggan, an
administrator from Tottenham, Ontario; Brian Vandervalk, a producer in Fort
McLeod, Alberta, who met Mike Reid, a recent university graduate from Toronto;
and Steve Twynstra, a grower in Ailsa Craig, Ontario, who met Gerry Johnston, a
registered nurse from London, Ontario.

Views: 89

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

‘It’s another blow’: Farmers deal with surging fertilizer prices ahead of seeding

Fertilizer is an essential part of Kevin Peters’ farm in southwestern Manitoba. But since Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran, the average price of urea fertilizer, which is widely used around the world, has skyrocketed, surging around 30 per cent over the last week. Peters says the interruption in supply didn’t come as a huge surprise to him. “We deal with geopolitical issues all the time with markets, be it pork, be it grain, and now fertilizer,” he said. “There’s always some disruption seeming to happen somewhere in the world that is changing our daily prices.” Peters says he pre-purchased his fertilizer for this farming season back in the fall but is concerned about prices later this year when he has to buy fertilizer again. “We’ll see what the market looks like in eight months,” he said. Like Peters, Andrew James also pre-bought his fertilizer in the fall for his farm in Anola, Man., and he says he is happy he did. “My fertilizer bill for that (at the time) was around $350,00

From a Piece of Wire to Contaminated Feed: Preventing Foreign Material Hazards in Beef Cattle Operations

Foreign material and toxin consumption by beef cattle can lead to significant health problems, reduced performance and economic losses. Canadian cattle producers take great pride and care in how they manage their farms and ranches, from providing proper nutrition to stewarding their land and ensuring excellent animal care. Yet even with the best intentions, foreign materials and toxins can quietly find their way into feed, water or pastures. Understanding where they come from and how to prevent exposure is a key part of protecting your herd. Foreign materials and toxins often slip in through everyday farm activities such as repairing fences, running equipment, feeding hay or dealing with weather-stressed crops. A small piece of wire, leftover net wrap or contaminated feed source might not seem like much, but if consumed by cattle, it can trigger health issues, lost performance or even death. Understanding Hardware Disease When cattle consume sharp metal objects like nails or pieces

Farmers Balance Costs and Technology Investments - Tractor Sales Down

Tractor sales fell across most categories in February, but strong combine demand highlights farmers’ continued investment in productivity boosting technology.

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Outlook - What Farmers Need to Know in 2026–2027

Brent crude prices surge as Middle East conflict disrupts supply. See the 2026–2027 outlook for oil, natural gas, and electricity—and what it means for U.S. agriculture

Principal field crop areas, 2026

Canadian farmers expect to plant more canola, barley, soybeans and corn for grain in 2026, while they anticipate area seeded to wheat, oats, lentils and dry peas to decrease compared with the previous year. Wheat At the national level, farmers anticipate planting 26.7 million acres of wheat in 2026, down 1.1% from the previous year. If this anticipation is realized, national wheat area would remain well above the five-year average, despite a decrease from 2025, which would likely be attributable to continued strong global demand. Producers expect spring wheat area to edge down 0.1% to 18.8 million acres in 2026. They anticipate durum wheat area to decrease 2.4% to 6.4 million acres, while they expect winter wheat area to fall 6.7% to 1.6 million acres. Farmers in Saskatchewan anticipate planting 13.9 million acres of wheat in 2026, down 1.0% from the previous year. Producers expect spring wheat area to fall 0.6% to 8.7 million acres, while they anticipate durum wheat area to remain

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service