Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

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 that consistent quality. They say without it, shoppers just won't look at your product, won't even give it a chance. Well, the reality is, as farmers we do need to improve consistency of our product, but it isn't just on our shoulders. Here's why... I do a lot of my shopping at Loblaw's branded stores. There isn't any real reason for it - other than they are the closest to my house. That means there is a lot of President's Choice product available. I don't buy a lot of meat from the grocery store, but now and again I will buy chicken. This time it was boneless skinless chicken breasts for a pasta dish I was trying out. When I got to opening that chicken I found it was far from boneless. (I've attached the picture of what I found underneath the breast) Needless to say I wasn't happy about having an extra step in my meal preparation. It did get me thinking though. If I was a consumer with no experience in cutting meat, and came across this unsightly scene - would I buy chicken more or less? I'm honestly worried about what their response is - because if they decide to eat less chicken, the poultry industry has lost a bit of their market - and it was completely out of their control. I'm not writing this to bash one particular brand. This is merely to point out that when retailers and processors say it's up to farmers to produce a better product, ask them what they are doing to bring in new customers and keep the ones they've got. In the words of Red Green - 'we're all in this together'.

Views: 44

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by Wayne Black on September 7, 2009 at 1:10pm
A similar situation is when we buy milk and it is soured long before the expiry (two days in our fridge). The first question from the brand manufacturer was "is your fridge the correct temperature?" So they mail some fridge thermometers. No power outage, using the same fridge since it was new (I think it was two or three years old at the time), and never had milk sour before its expiry before or since - uhm - did the retailer check their fridge?
I run across this usually at a restaurant when buying the 250 or 500 mL cartons. It is pretty sick when sludge pours out of your milk carton. If I was not involved in a dairy farm - probably would not buy milk again from that processor (funny how it is the same processor each time?!)
Wayne

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

Reducing On-Farm Pesticide Drift

Pesticide drift is a costly challenge for large farms. During National Pesticide Safety Education Month, here are key strategies—based on current EPA and Extension guidance—to keep applications on target.

US Ag Groups Join Forces to Call for Trade Pact Renewal

A new coalition of U.S. farm and agricultural organizations is ramping up pressure on Washington to ensure the renewal of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, or CUSMA as it is known in Canada) as the pact approaches its mandatory 2026 review. More than 40 farm and agri-food groups have launched the Agricultural Coalition for USMCA, highlighting the trade deal’s role as a key economic driver for American agriculture and warning that uncertainty around its future could disrupt farm planning and investment. The coalition on Thursday unveiled a new website and announced an aggressive advertising campaign in Washington aimed at reinforcing the agreement’s benefits to lawmakers and the administration. “USMCA is one of President (Donald) Trump’s signature achievements and one that has significantly propelled the ag economy,” said coalition spokesperson Bryan Goodman. While acknowledging that targeted improvements may be needed, Goodman said the group’s core message is tha

US Farm Income Forecast Lower for 2026

U.S. net farm income is projected to edge lower in 2026, with the USDA estimating inflation-adjusted net farm income will fall by $4.1 billion to $153.6 billion – setting up another challenging year for American producers. In nominal terms, American net farm income is estimated at $153.4 billion, down about $1.2 billion, or 0.7%, from 2025, said the USDA’s first farm income forecast for 2026 on Thursday. Net cash farm income, which measures cash flow, is expected to rise 3% to $158.5 billion, though inflation erodes much of that gain. Although still well down from 2022 when farm income peaked at $210 billion, both net farm income and net cash farm income for 2026 would remain above their long-term averages when adjusted for inflation. Total farm cash receipts are forecast to drop $14.2 billion, or 2.7%, to $514.7 billion in 2026. Crop receipts are projected to increase modestly in nominal terms, rising $2.8 billion to $240.8 billion, though they are expected to decline slightly o

New cereals seed treatment from Syngenta

Equento Cereals has six active ingredients including a new Group 30 insecticide

40 U.S. Ag Groups Unite to Launch Coalition Urging Renewal of USMCA

Over 40 U.S. farm and ag organizations have formed a new coalition advocating for the renewal of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service