Expropriation of land in Wilmot Township in the Region of Waterloo is a window into Ontario’s challenges as industrial and population growth clash in areas with high quality farmland. Farmers, landowners and residents are loudly protesting the use of prime farmland for industrial purposes and say they are fed up with political support for agriculture that disappears when it comes to land use and development. Why it matters: There has been a flurry of land development policy changes from the provincial government in recent years and regional authorities are still trying to determine what those ..read more

Recent weather suggests Ontario planting will occur in line with the five-year average or slightly later. A later planted crop tends to result in lower yields. Quick look Soybeans: Ontario soybean production is expected to reach 4.031 million tonnes. Corn: Leafhopper damage has lowered Argentine yield forecasts. Wheat: European production will be lower and there are quality concerns. The Ontario wheat market will be sensitive to world values due to lower acreage and production for 2024. Statistics Canada will release its March 31 Stocks Report on May 7. The USDA released its April World Agricu ..read more

South Korean researchers have grown beef cells in rice grains in what they say is a major step toward achieving a sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly source of protein. Professor Jinkee Hong of Yonsei University in Seoul, who led the research, said the “beef rice” is the first product of its kind. It uses grain particles as the base for cultivating animal muscle and fat cells. Why it matters: The beef rice has a greater amino acid profile than traditional rice and could improve the nutrition of people living in areas where livestock production is not practical. In the research ..read more

When Bill Leask and Mark Olson met at a Lion’s Club meeting about four years ago, Leask was a cow-calf operator with a need and Olson was an information technology expert who could build him a solution. Why it matters: The technology is made for cattle farmers but the company now requires seed money to take the invention into commercial production. That meeting resulted in the development of Flokk Systems, a durable hardware and software solution that can work for people who need to record data in the sometimes harsh weather conditions of the cattle business in Canada. Flokk now has a product ..read more

A new study shows that over the last two decades, Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers have been widely adopting a range of practices that support sustainable local food production. In a release, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (OFVGA)said these practices include investments in technologies and practices that support more efficient use of water, energy and fertilizer; use of tools like soil testing and cover crops; and reducing water and synthetic pesticide use. According to the study, in the greenhouse sector, 95 per cent of survey respondents use water efficient irrigati ..read more

Glacier FarmMedia – The agriculture industry can still get a hand on the reins of climate change discussions, said members of a panel at the 2024 Canadian Crops Convention in Winnipeg. Why it matters: Farmers are being pushed to be more sustainable and to have evidence to support sustainability claims. Kristjan Hebert was the farmer voice on the panel. He is president and CEO of the Hebert Group and managing partner of Hebert Grain Ventures, a 30,000-acre grain and oilseed operation in southeastern Saskatchewan. He was joined by Nick Betts, managing director for the Canadian Alliance for Net Z ..read more

A New Brunswick-based company is offering personalized micro-solar farm systems to Ontario farmers to help them lower on-farm electricity costs and bolster supply. “The cost of electricity is skyrocketing. It’s unpredictable. Farmers love finding unique solutions to help generate their independence,” said Jeff McAloon, Smart Energy co-owner. “And we help farmers generate independence.” Why it matters: As energy costs continue rising and the electrical grid is under increased pressure, federal incentives for renewable energy projects make on-farm solar power more attractive. McAloon’s brother M ..read more

Canada has a growing nation-wide shortage of veterinarians, particularly in rural and remote areas. An Ontario start-up has launched a solution aimed to lessen the burden on struggling veterinary practices and make services available to more farmers. Colin Yates and his father, Glen, who has been a mixed practice veterinarian for more than 45 years, have launched VETSon, an artificial intelligence-powered virtual healthcare platform designed to let veterinarians service more clients and give more animal owners access to care. Why it matters: The shortage of food animal veterinarians, particula ..read more

Iowa-based Kinze Manufacturing in January announced the debut of its model 5670 line of pivot-fold, split-row planters, which it says offers more convenience and easy serviceability. The planters are available in 12/23-row and 16/31-row configurations that will work on both 15- and 30-inch row spacings. The pivot fold gives them a narrow width for road transport. “Our 5670 model planters are new from hitch pin to closing wheels,” said Kinze Manufacturing president Susanne Veatch, in a press release. “Building on the proven design of our 5900 and 5700 model planters, the 5670 is packed with sta ..read more

Launch of the first GPS yield monitors altered the world of on-farm data collection. That was followed by variable-rate technology, precision planting and aerial/satellite imaging. Most growers have now been accumulating data for 20 years or longer, and many have resolved to keep that data in the hopes of finding value from the gigabytes and terabytes of accumulated information in the form of increased on-farm efficiencies, cost reductions and improved yields. But how should growers and agronomists interpret this data? That’s the goal of a venture by agronomist Aaron Breimer. With his new busi ..read more