Extension granted for quarry comments Monday, May 16, 2011 by PAT CURRIEThe Grand River Conservation Authority and Guelph have joined a number of municipalities and agencies seeking an extension on the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ deadline to file resolutions and comments opposing the establishment of a megaquarry near Melancthon, about six kilometres northwest of Shelburne in Dufferin County.Mayor Bill Hill of Melancthon Township appeared at a GCRA board committee meeting April 14 asking for, and receiving the authority’s endorsement of his township’s request that the original April 26 deadline be extended. The Highland Companies have applied to operate a large quarry in the township on a 2,300-hectare site immediately east of the boundary between the Grand River and Nottawasaga Valley watersheds.Although the quarry proposed lies outside the Grand River watershed, the conservation authority said it wanted more time to study its impact on the headwaters of the Grand River. Other opponents have cited dangers to the headwaters of the Nottawasaga, Saugeen and Mad rivers which all rise in the same area.Conservation Authority staff submitted comments to the applicant and the ministry on the April 26 deadline but asked for more time to review the submission and seek additional information from Highland.On May 5, Guelph added its voice to the chorus opposing the April 26 deadline, partly on grounds that it fell too close to Easter weekend (April 22-25).Anti-quarry activist Carl Cosack, a Dufferin farmer, described the deadline as "totally unrealistic." The ministry has since extended the deadline to July 11. BF How did you beat the weather to plant your crops - or did you? Egg Farmers spending on research
Ontario Supports Farmers Through 4R Nutrient Program Thursday, January 22, 2026 Several key agricultural organizations and the provincial government have renewed the Memorandum of Cooperation for the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program for a third term. The agreement brings together the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Fertilizer Canada, Grain Farmers of... Read this article online
Canada-Ontario Funding Aims to Expand Agri-Food Markets Wednesday, January 21, 2026 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $20 million through the new Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative to help farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses expand sales of Ontario-grown products domestically and internationally. The initiative... Read this article online
Bushel Plus rebrands to BranValt for global harvest-tech growth Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Bushel Plus Ltd., a well‑known name in harvest optimization tools and training, is preparing for a major brand transformation as it shifts to a new global identity: BranValt. The company recently announced that the transition will officially take effect in July 2026, marking a... Read this article online
Canada Negotiates Tariff Reductions on Canola Seed by China Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Mark Carney has concluded his visit to Beijing for high-level meetings with Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping. The visit marked the first trip to China by a Canadian prime minister since 2017 and resulted in a joint statement outlining a new strategic partnership between the two countries.... Read this article online
Ontario Pig Producer Disease Advisory -- PED and PDCoV Risks Rising This Winter Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) and Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) continue to pose significant risks to swine operations across the industry. Both viruses are highly infectious, spread easily through manure, contaminated equipment, transport vehicles, and human movement, and can have... Read this article online