Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Research event highlights ongoing dairy research

A recent dairy research event at the University of Guelph provided research updates to Dairy Farmers of Ontario board members and staff, as well as local dairy producers and industry partners.

“It is highly important and rewarding to share research results with the end users, such as dairy producers and dairy advisors,” says Dr. Todd Duffield, a professor in the Population Medicine Department at the Ontario Veterinary College. “If our dairy research results are to be adopted and truly utilized and applied in the field, they need to be shared with the dairy producers and dairy advisors of the province. The Dairy Research Communication and Extension event is an excellent forum to highlight our broad dairy research program to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario board members, executive and producer committee members.”

The day-long event highlighted ongoing UofG research in dairy food science, economics, production and health management, including: impact of environment and management on somatic cells counts; diagnostic accuracy of on-farm methods for detection of ketosis in dairy cattle; survey of management of reproduction on Canadian dairy farms; the effect of prepartum housing on metabolic and reproductive health in dairy cows; and incidence of hoof lesions in dairy cattle classified as high, average or low immune responders.

The research day wrapped up with Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity, speaking about “Values Trust and Science - Building Trust in an Age of Radical Transparency.”

“The dairy industry in Ontario has been highly supportive of dairy research programs at the University of Guelph and this event is an opportunity to showcase the fruits of their support,” adds Duffield. The annual event as it exists now was first started in 2004 by Dr. Ken Leslie.

The dairy farmer organization funds the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) Chair in Dairy Cattle Health at the Ontario Veterinary College, as well as the DFO Professorship in Dairy Microbiology in the Ontario Agricultural College’s Department of Food Science. DFO has also contributed significantly to the new state-of-the-art Dairy Innovation Centre currently under construction adjacent to the Elora Research Station.

 

Views: 115

Comments are closed for this blog post

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

Ag in the House: April 13 – 17

Canada is attracting billions of dollars in foreign investment, the minister said

Poll shows Canadians support supply management

More than 70 per cent of Canadians voiced some level of support

Sharing Your Story, Growing Our Reach

Alberta Canola has been hard at work championing growers, strengthening agriculture literacy, and building connections across the province. Here’s what we’ve been up to and what’s ahead. STAMPEDE SEASON: SADDLED UP FOR ANOTHER YEAR With the Calgary Stampede fast approaching, July 3 to 12, 2026, our team is gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors to our now two-year-old interactive booth in the AltaLink Hall. This walkthrough exhibit continues to be a favourite among families, food lovers, and international guests, offering a hands-on, friendly space to explore canola’s journey from seed to table. Calgary Stampede remains one of our strongest platforms for meaningful conversation. Visitors are eager to understand how their food is grown, and they’re often surprised and impressed to hear directly from Alberta growers. In an age of swirling misinformation, your stories matter more than ever. By meeting people with empathy and clear, simple facts, we can counter myths while building

New Research Funding for 2025-2026

As the 2026-27 call for research Letters of Intent are well underway, Alberta Canola wraps up signing agreements from the 2025-26 cycle. A total of 16 Full Proposals were accepted for funding by Alberta Canola, totaling over $1.42 million. This level of funding was possible due to the collaborative efforts of SaskOilseeds, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), Alberta Innovates, Alberta Grains, and Prairie Oat Growers Association, as the projects’ total costs were $5.83 million. “Targeted research investments today are building a more resilient canola crop for tomorrow.” Canola diseases remain a top priority for canola growers and consequently received the most funding, just under $1 million. The 10 disease projects include clubroot, verticillium, and sclerotinia with an emphasis on genetic and agronomic advancements. Additional high level research priorities including abiotic stresses, weeds, nutri

Hello Canola: Growing Momentum, Growing Connections

As another growing season begins, Alberta Canola is excited to share how the National Canola Marketing Program (NCMP) is continuing to build nationwide consumer trust, one upbeat touchpoint at a time. Now in Year 3, the Hello Canola campaign is stronger than ever, connecting with urban millennial Canadians and shining a bright spotlight on one of Canada’s most important crops. WHY THIS CAMPAIGN MATTERS FOR GROWERS Hello Canola isn’t just a fun, friendly marketing effort, it’s a strategic investment in long-term consumer confidence. By meeting Canadians where they spend their time and speaking in the language and formats they prefer, this campaign helps shift public perception from “I’ve heard of canola” to “I’m proud to choose Canadian canola.” Every positive impression contributes to stronger trust in the crop you grow, strengthens our domestic market, and boosts long term demand. CAMPAIGN PERFORMANCE THAT TURNS HEADS So far, this year’s paid media performance is turning out to be

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service