Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Interest in farming is a great communications opportunity

The world’s food needs are under the microscope and we hear near-daily pleas from groups such as the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization for greater investment in feeding hungry people. So why are development agencies such as USC Canada dedicating scarce resources to hackneyed anti-corporate promotions such as this latest poll?

That’s what I’m pondering in this week’s Urban Cowboy column in the Guelph Mercury. The poll shows people want to know more about farmers and farming…so farmers need to use the opportunity to explain what they do, and why they use technology and research. Farmers have long lamented the urban media gets things wrong or doesn’t listen to them. But people learn by being taught. Farm community, it’s time to ramp up communications.

Views: 57

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by Roadrunner on October 31, 2009 at 4:06am
Good points...the challenge is that farmers only talk to a few consumers directly and the marketing resources are with the food companies and grocery chains.... We also grow corn, soys and wheat and most consumers don't relate with those crops... Big challenge in the future as the city kids are even more distant to the farmer and their food production.

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

Kubota Brings Precision Guidance for Smaller Machines

Kubota is bringing precision guidance technology to smaller machines with the launch of WorkSmart Autosteer which is compatible with select tractors, mowers, and RTVs.

Advanced space technology is driving smarter farming

NASA and K-State are advancing satellite-based farming tools at the Flickner Innovation Farm, helping Kansas producers improve water management, crop monitoring and long-term agricultural sustainability.

Peak Deer Season Raises Collision Risk for Rural Drivers

As deer activity increases during the fall mating season, drivers face a greater risk of collisions. Experts say November is usually the most dangerous month, making extra caution essential on rural roads.

Dairy farmer turned Liberal MP vows to be voice for tariff-hit Quebec region

Newly elected Liberal MP Daniel Gobeil says his experience as a dairy farmer and agricultural leader will help him be a voice in Ottawa for a Quebec region on the front lines of the Canada-U.S. trade war. The former president of Quebec’s dairy producers says he may already have contributed to Canada’s approach to the Trump administration, even before voters in Chicoutimi—Le Fjord elected him to Parliament in an Aug. 31 byelection. “My opinion was taken into account, even when I was still a candidate,” Gobeil said in an interview on Friday with The Canadian Press. Gobeil, who also served as vice-president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, said Prime Minister Mark Carney gave him a “receptive ear” during the campaign as Canada negotiated with the United States. And Gobeil said he spoke with Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, as Washington pressed Canada over its supply-management system, particularly in the dairy sector. Canada’s supply-management system regu

End of an era: Agricultural Campus water tower comes down after 70 years

For more than a century, water towers have been part of the landscape of the Agricultural Campus. The former Nova Scotia Agricultural College had 60,000 gallons of elevated water storage supplied by five wells on campus from as early as 1906. Following the 1946 science-building fire, the campus went through a major period of rebuilding and expansion in the early 50s. Students returned from their temporary Debert location in 1953 with the opening of Harlow Institute and a central heating plant. With a rising student population and an expanding campus, the current water tower was constructed in 1955, replacing the original tower that had stood for nearly five decades. The water tower, 110 ft high and holding 104,000 gallons, has become a familiar landmark for generations of NSAC students and alumni. The tower was not only a landmark, but an important part of the campus water system. The elevated tank provided water-storage capacity for the campus, including equalization and emergency

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service