Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition -Call to Action

Below is a bulletin outlining the status of the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition and actions needed to advance this initiative. This bulletin was provided to OPIC by Ontario
Pork and is being placed here for your information.Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition.doc

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by kevin g kimball on February 19, 2010 at 10:43am

--Agree 100% with Van der Burght family ,,gov't doesn't show much interest in having any livestock industry in Ontario,,,over the next few years SK and JK schooling will cost 6 billion and safety nets for livestock get??? Best luck too all and we will remember Dalton in the next election...regards-kevin kimball

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on February 22, 2010 at 3:35am

Good Call to Action.

We will do what we can to promote and encourage farmers and agri business to support with specific actions.

Joe Dales
Farms.com

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on February 23, 2010 at 10:52am

An Ontario Pork Producer sent me this email to share their thoughts. Thanks, Joe

To Whom This May Concern,

If the pork industry is unable to receive valiant financial aid from our Government in the near future, this industry will deteriorate rapidly. Without a financial program set in place in Ontario comparable to that in Quebec, many people will suffer job losses. Like many industries, the pork industry works with a boomerang effect. When one aspect of the chain diminishes, the pork farmers in current terms, many components of the chain will proportionally terminate. Therefore, due to many farmers becoming bankrupt, there will be many related employment to this industry such as veterinarians, feed companies, machinery manufacturers, Government Agricultural workers etcetera also suffering and can furthermore lead to bankruptcy as well due to job loss.

The Agri Stability Program that is currently in place is not beneficial to pork farmers, especially those who feed their own home grown crops to their herd. Farmers from Quebec have sufficient financial security in the ASRA Program. It is not ethical to fund their needs alone as all Canadian pork farmers are in the same desperation to continue their business.

The foreseen future from the path that we are currently encompassing by default will also lead to American pork plaguing our Canadian plates and cutlery. ’ In Canada, we have worked hard on our food safety and traceability so we know what we put in our mouths. Canadian pork is much more wholesome, without the unnatural ‘enrichment’ of unnecessary hormones and medicines that Americans rely on to make their product ‘better. The CFIA do not permit the use of some of these feed additives to enhance our meat. With American pork crossing the border into Canada, we will be less informed and confident in knowing what the meat contains. We should not be forced to eat American pork when we have the facilities to create our own better and more safe pork.

This has been an ongoing issue for the past 3 years. With this accumulating issue and poor Governmental support we have received to date showing no signs of improvement, the death of the pork industry is vastly approaching. Your help is crucial to keep pork farming alive in Canada. The missing piece to fix this disaster is virtually in your hands.

Permalink Reply by JoAnne Caughill on May 2, 2010 at 3:56pm

With the coalition's 'media blitz' (using their words) on April 13th @ Queens Park and on April 22nd @ Parliament Hill, a 'town hall meeting' in Stratford - and very little media coverage of it all - when will farmers say 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH'?

Permalink Reply by kevin g kimball on May 2, 2010 at 11:57pm

Pork producers have already said "enough is enough" as we just have too look at the numbers leaving or already exited the industry,,,they are sick of the regs., losing money and watching the cash crop farmers and supply managed commodities doing quite well, while our gov't abandons the beef and hog guys,,my cty.,Essex we are going too have 6 pork producers left--results will be no local industry services ,local marketing yard will close meaning no "new" people will start in our area as unless they can load pots they won't have a place too sell-deliver pigs and ones that have put 20-30+ yrs. in hog business will leave with no money except a little gov't buy-out if they bid cheap enough and most will have too seek off farm employment,,,,and with prices improving for hogs "especially US producers" I am sure with out a marketing plan we will be re-visiting these issues in a couple of years again --good luck too all--kevin kimball

RSS

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

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

Soybean Fungicide Decisions

As soybean crops move into flowering, questions are sure to be raised about whether fungicide applications are needed. In anticipation, let’s take a closer look at the potential disease threats and what Manitoba On-Farm Network research has told us. What Should We Be Concerned About? Foliar diseases infecting soybeans in Manitoba typically occur at low severity levels and are not expected to impact yield most years. These usually include bacterial blight, downy mildew and Septoria brown spot. Stem diseases generally have a greater impact on yield. White mould: infections begin at nodes along the main stem. Wilted plants may be spotted from afar, within a humid canopy may find white mycelial growth and black sclerotia bodies later in the season. This disease is the main target of fungicide applications. Cool, wet conditions throughout July and August favour white mould. For every 10% increase in the percent of plants infected with white mould, 2-5 bu/ac of yield are lost in soybeans.

Fungicide Decision Tool for Managing Mycosphaerella Blight in Field Peas

When your peas have reached V10 (10th node stage), it is an ideal time to start scouting each field to evaluate if a fungicide application to manage Mycosphaerella blight is warranted. Continue scouting for symptoms from V10 (10th true node) to R2 (beginning bloom), during mid-June to late July. Mycosphaerella (Ascochyta) blight is the most widespread and economically damaging foliar disease of Manitoba field peas. Peas are the single host crop of Mycosphaerella but it can be managed by foliar fungicide. This pathogen can be stubble-, air-, soil- and seed-borne. Spores can travel long distances by air, meaning there is a disease risk even in fields where peas have not been grown previously. The impact of disease severity on yield will depend on how early the disease sets in and how quickly it progresses into the upper crop canopy. Early infections during the bloom to early/mid-pod stages cause the most damage if left untreated. Use this fungicide decision worksheet when scouting to

Manitoba pork, canola producers hold steady amid heavy tariffs

A slab of back bacon from Natural Raised Pork comes with a waitlist. Ian Smith points to tariffs. Since the United States placed levies on imports from Canada, Manitobans have increasingly been calling Smith about his farm near Argyle, some 40 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. “There’s more people wanting to support local and I’m one of few people that do what I’m doing,” said Smith, 62. He estimates 90 per cent of his pork products are bought by Manitoba households; the latter goes to a packing plant. Last year, it was a 50-50 split. Smith works alone, hustling to meet the four-to-six week waitlist that’s accumulated. He keeps hundreds of feeder pigs and a couple dozen sows; it’s a relatively small operation, he noted. “If there’s any mistakes to be made, there’s only one person to blame and that’s me,” he said with a laugh. Smith doesn’t export to China — so he’s shielded from that nation’s levies still hanging over the Canadian industry.

KAP Welcomes Appointment of New U.S. Trade Representative

Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) welcomes the appointment of Richard Madan as Manitoba’s new trade representative to the United States. “We commend Premier Kinew and Minister Moses for making Manitoba’s voice a priority in Washington, D.C.,” said KAP President Jill Verwey. “We look forward to working with Mr. Madan to advance the interests of Manitoba farmers and the agricultural industry, ensuring these interests are at the forefront of his work as he forges stronger relationships with American policymakers and trade officials.” Agriculture is an important part of Manitoba’s economy, with $4.29 billion in agri-food exports to the U.S. alone in 2024, and KAP sees the new presence in Washington as instrumental in fostering strategic relationships with key states that are important to our trade interests. “The U.S. is Manitoba’s largest agri-food export destination and is one of Manitoba’s key trading partners on the international stage,” added KAP General Manager Colin Hornby. “

2025 Annual General Meeting

On Wednesday, June 18th, the Ontario Farmland Trust hosted its Annual General Meeting. The meeting was held hybrid again this year, with members and friends joining both virtually and in person.

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service