Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Leadership is a Key to Agriculture’s Future Success

The future success of agriculture in this province will depend on many factors. There are some factors that are far beyond our control, like the weather in the Midwestern United States, but there are some where we can take pro-active steps. As a sector, we often consider the physical factors that impact our businesses, but we do not always consider other factors including developing quality leadership for the future.

Agriculture needs a variety of leaders that can look at a broad range of issues from a number of perspectives. The modern world we live, with its ever-changing technology, ever-changing consumer demands, the demand of climate and weather pattern change, and the pressure of international competition requires strong leadership if Ontario agriculture is to succeed. The way we farm today is not the same as twenty years ago and it will change at least as much in the next twenty years.

The sector will need a wide variety of leadership styles to meet these challenges. The sector needs people with a caretaker mentality, looking out for the well-being of their industry. The sector needs innovators that are willing to push the limits of our current practices. The sector needs visionaries that can lead the way towards future opportunities. The sector needs facilitators that can forge these divergent views into a coherent strategic direction as a whole.

Many of the men and women that work within agriculture have the potential to be these leaders, but may lack either the skills or the confidence to step up to the plate. The Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program stands at the forefront of developing the next generation of leaders. Fourteen classes have been completed over the years and many graduates have taken on significant roles within the sector. Recruiting for class 15 has begun. If you have the desire to step up to the plate and lead your industry or the sector, this may be the next step on your journey.

The challenges of the future need to be met with strong leadership. For every anticipated challenge agriculture faces, another completely unexpected issue will arise. With strong leaders at the helm, agriculture in Ontario will prosper in our ever-changing world.

Views: 99

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

Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency Scholarship Winner

The Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off Agency is pleased to announce that Ryan Trefiak of Edgerton, AB has been awarded the 2026 $2000 scholarship. Ryan is pursuing studies in Agricultural Systems Technologies at Iowa State University. This year’s judging panel noted they were impressed by the quality and dedication of all candidates, making the selection process a difficult one. Since its launch, the scholarship program has grown into one of the Agency’s most wide-reaching communications initiatives, connecting with students across the beef industry and helping support the next generation of leaders in Canadian agriculture. Congratulations, Ryan! We wish you continued success in your studies.

Field Week: Covering distance, literally and academically

There is only so much environmental science that can be learned in a classroom or science lab. Field experience is woven throughout Lakeland College’s environmental sciences programs, with labs taking place in the natural spaces on and around campus throughout the year. Each year, however, that experience is intensified during Field Week. That’s when second-year environmental sciences students find themselves knee-deep in the river electrofishing, setting up and checking small mammal traps, deploying autonomous recording units, constructing bat houses, capturing, banding and releasing songbirds, reading soil profiles, touring mine sites and assessing wetlands. “I love the hands-on experience,” says Mackenzie Hamm, a second-year environmental sciences student majoring in wildlife and fisheries conservation. “We’ve got to learn quite a few different things. It really brings into context what we’re learning in the classroom, so I can actually apply all of that theory that we’ve been doi

Growing the future: Judy Sweet invests in Lakeland’s ag students

Judy Sweet is continuing her longstanding support of Lakeland College agricultural sciences students by investing in the Student-Managed Farm (SMF) Lab Revitalization project. Sweet’s gift will support upgrades to the calving barn on the Vermilion campus farm, enhancing agricultural teaching, applied research, animal care and industry collaboration. The improvements will also strengthen facility functionality, sustainability and long-term operational capacity. “Judy Sweet’s generosity is an investment in the future of agriculture and in the students who will lead it,” says Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO of Lakeland College. “Her continued support of Lakeland’s Student-Managed Farm helps us provide the modern facilities and hands-on learning experiences our students need to put their education into action. This gift will strengthen animal care, help advance applied research and prepare graduates to make a meaningful impact in this essential industry. We are deeply gra

Canada could add $5.4B to GDP by processing more of its crops at home: EY

Canada could generate up to $5.4 billion in additional GDP and support approximately 34,000 full-time-equivalent jobs by redirecting just 10 per cent of its raw crop exports to value-added processing here at home, according to new EY analysis released today by Protein Industries Canada. The findings come as the federal government has made domestic food processing a national priority through its National Food Security Strategy. The strategy calls for Canada to reduce its dependence on other countries by processing more of the food it grows and sets an explicit objective to increase domestic processing to strengthen self-sufficiency and drive economic growth. Canada already has an extraordinary foundation to build from. Its food and agriculture sector contributed $149.2 billion to GDP in 2024 and supported 2.3 million jobs, while Canada remains a leading producer of major crops including wheat, canola and corn. But too often, Canadian crops leave the country before the higher-value pro

Thiesse, Parman discuss farm economy, tight margins at Big Iron

Live from the Big Iron Farm and Construction Show on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Kent Thiesse, farm management analyst, and Bryon Parman, NDSU farm management specialist, joined the Red River Farm Network’s “Issues and Events Center” to discuss the farm economy and the tight margins farmers are dealing with. The conversation kicked off with both guests discussing their concerns when it comes to farm balance sheets heading into 2027. “I think there’s certainly some positivity out there in the markets,” Thiesse said. “We’ve seen a runup in both corn and soybean prices, even wheat prices. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a runup in input costs, as well. Fertilizer costs a year ago at this time were a big concern. They’ve kind of leveled out, but they haven’t really come down much. “As we look forward and start running the pencil for next year, even with higher commodity prices, we’re maybe breakeven on soybeans and we’re in the red with corn based on the numbers I’ve looked at. We’re facing som

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service