Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Family Farm Values

If you have ever visited a local farm operation to pick fruit or buy fresh bread or meat, you know how friendly and welcoming farmers can be. This is because over 98% of Canadian farms are family owned and operated and farmers want to share what they produce with their neighbours.

In Ontario, just 1.6% of the province’s entire population is made up of farmers, even though we all benefit from the fruits of their labours (literally!).

There are about 230,000 farms in Canada, a number that continues to decrease every year. However, demand for food and other agriculture products is not slowing, so farmers need to find ways to increase production and make the most of their land. The average size of a Canadian farm increased from 676 acres in 2001 to 728 acres in 2006. That's the same as 361 football fields!

Fewer young people are taking over their family operations as they did in the past, leaving more work to fewer farmers –their parents. The average Canadian farmer is 52 years old.

Among the younger farm population, more operators are earning post-secondary education than ever before. In 2001, almost 38% of male farm operators and 46% of female farm operators had a post-secondary education.

Visit www.growourfarms.ca

Rating:
  • Currently 5/5 stars.

Views: 112

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

FDA approves gene-edited pigs resistant to costly swine disease

British animal genetics company Genus on Wednesday said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its PRP gene edit under its PRRS Resistant Pig ("PRP") programme for use in the US food supply chain, reported Reuters. The gene edit is designed to provide pigs resistance to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), a disease affecting swine globally, whose symptoms include fever, respiratory distress, premature births. PRRS caused an estimated $1.2 billion per year in lost production in the US pork industry from 2016 to 2020, an 80% increase from a decade earlier, according to an analysis published in 2024 by an Iowa State University expert. In its capital market update in November 2023, Genus had said that its PRP is resistant to prevalent PRRS strains. Genus' shares rose as much as 30% to a near six-month high, and were on track for their biggest one-day gain since December 2008. PRP won't really start affecting Genus' income statement until fiscal year 2027

US pork gains ground in New Zealand despite softening demand in Oceania

US pork exports to New Zealand reached 864 metric tonnes (mt) in February, a 19% increase from the previous year, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Export value surged 54% to $3.7 million. Cumulative January–February shipments climbed 43% to 1,927 mt, with export value up 59% to $7.6 million. In contrast, overall pork exports to Oceania dipped slightly. Total volume for the region edged down 1% to 18,634 mt, while export value fell 2% year-over-year to $66.4 million, as Australian demand softened compared to last year’s elevated levels.

FDA approval for technology to breed PRRS-resistant pigs

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval to swine genetics company PIC for the gene edit used in its pig resistant to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). The FDA determined that the technology is safe and effective. The gene edit will be used to breed the company’s PRRS-resistant pigs, but the company adds that the approval does not automatically trigger commercialisation in the US. In a press release, the company said that it “becomes among the first companies to gain approval for gene editing in commercial livestock in the US.” “Milestone for the entire pork industry” PIC’s COO Matt Culbertson was quoted, saying it was a “major milestone for consumers, farmers and the entire pork industry.” He said, “We have spent years conducting extensive research, validating our findings and working with the FDA to gain approval.” Also quoted was Banks Baker, the company’s global director of product sustainability. He said, “Addressing PRRS c

Former federal ag minister Charlie Mayer passes away

Charlie Mayer served as minister of agriculture for nearly all of 1993

Maple Leaf Foods Advances Spin-Off of Pork Division into Canada Packers Inc.

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX: MFI) has announced a major step forward in its previously disclosed plan to spin off its pork operations into a separate entity, Canada Packers Inc. The company has secured an interim court order allowing it to proceed with a special shareholder meeting scheduled for June 11, 2025, to vote on the transaction.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service