DuPont Pioneer Invests in Rural Safety By Funding New Equipment And Training.

DuPont Pioneer will invest $100,000 in rural safety across Canada over the next year, with the launch of FIRE, the Funding Initiative for Rural Emergencies. The program - launched today following its first donation to the Howick Fire Department in Howick, Ontario - will provide much-needed rescue equipment and training for rural fire departments and emergency services.

Today, Howick community members, Pioneer employees, local dignitaries and media were on-hand to watch a live demonstration of training and equipment made possible by a $8,500 donation from Pioneer in March 2013. The demonstration simulated a grain bin rescue emergency - a likely scenario for farming communities dependent on local volunteer fire departments.

"The Pioneer donation will dramatically improve our ability to respond to agriculture-related emergencies and we are pleased they are making a commitment to help other rural departments like ours," said Howick Fire Department Chief Shawn Edwards.

The Dundalk Fire Department also received FIRE support today. Pioneer contributed more than $7,000 to help purchase an air bottle containment fill station. Pioneer has made 14 donations to rural emergency services over the past three years.

"Many Pioneer employees and their families live and work in rural areas like Howick and they are also volunteer firefighters," said Tara Moir, public relations manager, DuPont Pioneer. "We're proud to support these brave men and women, who voluntarily risk their lives to help their neighbours in times of need, and we want to make sure they have access to the tools and training they need to be safer."

Pioneer will work with local fire departments and rescue services to determine areas of need. These funds are being devoted to the purchase of necessities such as grain entrapment rescue equipment and training, air bottle containment refill stations among other emergency resources. In addition to providing funds to communities across Canada, Pioneer will work to increase awareness of the vital role volunteer rescue workers play in rural communities through its DuPont Pioneer Facebook page. To learn more about funding opportunities, individuals are encouraged to contact their local Pioneer sales representative.

DuPont Pioneer is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success®.

Sources: DuPont Pioneer news release.

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

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

Ag in the House: Dec. 1 – 5

A Liberal minister reminded the House the carbon tax doesn’t apply to farmer

Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) Swine Network Quarterly Industry Report

Starting in 2015, Senecavirus A (SVA) has caused intermittent complications with respect to the export of Canadian cull animals to the United States. This disease resembles reportable swine vesicular diseases. This is a national issue and since June 2025 has impacted Ontario cull sow movements. In July 2025, the APHIS and the USDA removed the export eligibility status for a cull sow assembly in Ontario due to SVA lesions being seen in cull sows sent to a USDA processing facility. These lesions initiated foreign animal disease investigations at this US processing plant. The suspect animal(s) were initially quarantined for individual inspection and further testing. Since the initial site, another 2 Ontario cull sow assembly sites have also had their export eligibility status revoked by APHIS and the USDA for similar reasons. The affected assembly sites accept cull sows from Quebec, the Maritimes and Ontario. Each affected assembly site must action the USDA requirements including emptyin

New restrictions placed on hunting, farming 'incredibly destructive' wild boars in Alberta

Wild boars have been declared "a pest in all circumstances" by the Alberta government effective Dec. 1, meaning new restrictions have been placed on keeping them in captivity and hunting them in the wild. It is now illegal to keep, buy, sell, obtain or transport wild boars in Alberta without a permit. That also means no new wild boar farms will be permitted in the province. The hunting and trapping of wild boars in Alberta is banned as well, with the exception of land owners or occupants killing the animals on their own land. Any person who kills a wild boar is now required to report the date, location and number of boars killed to the province as soon as possible. Hannah McKenzie, the province's wild boar specialist, says the changes were made due to the dangers posed by existing wild boar populations and the risks associated with more escaping from captivity. "In addition to damaging agriculture and the environment, wild boar pose a serious risk for the introduction and spread of

CUSMA Review Raises Concerns Over Potential U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Pork

As the first formal review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) approaches in July, pork producers across North America are bracing for potential impacts—especially the possibility of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian agriculture. Florian Possberg, Partner at Polar Pork Farms, says the U.S. political landscape is shaping expectations. He notes that U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed for a baseline 15% tariff on foreign goods in recent global trade discussions. If that approach carries into the CUSMA renegotiation, it could disrupt one of the pork sector’s most critical trade corridors. Free Trade Has Been Essential for Pork Movement Possberg emphasizes that under CUSMA, both live hogs and processed pork products have flowed freely across borders without tariffs. This freedom is especially important given the highly integrated nature of North America’s pork supply chain. The best-case scenario, he adds, is that tariff-free access continues unchanged. The wor

FCC report highlights productivity as key to Canada’s agricultural future

Canadian farmers could see significant income gains and new opportunities if agricultural productivity growth returns to historic highs. The Farm Credit Canada (FCC) report titled Reigniting agricultural productivity in Canada, estimates that boosting productivity growth to two per cent annually could unlock $30 billion in additional farm income, generate $31 billion in GDP, and create nearly 23,000 jobs across the country. Canada has long been a standout among global food producers. Over the past half-century, the agriculture industry has achieved significant productivity growth through better farm management, improved input efficiency and technological innovation. The report warns, however, that productivity growth has slowed in recent years, threatening the industry’s competitiveness and Canada’s ability to meet growing national and global food demand. “Canada’s agricultural productivity growth has consistently outpaced other G7 countries for more than three decades, showing the s

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service