Dig Deep Archive

Dumping dirt: Excess soil turns up on farmland

Chatsworth Township producer encouraged municipality to pass site alteration bylaw

By Kaitlynn Anderson
Staff Writer
Better Farming

Many rural Ontario municipalities have struggled to deal with soil dumping operations. In the process, some residents have diligently tackled this problem and encouraged change in their regions.

Pat Cardoza, a beef farmer in Holland Centre, is one such individual.

Sensing your soil’s potential

Image detection systems could enable producers to reduce chemical usage by up to 90 per cent

By: Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Better Farming

Producers could use sensor-based precision herbicide applications as another tool to fight hard-to-control weeds in their fields.

Canada’s cannabis race blossoms

Ontario horticulturist agrees to rent land to a cannabis producer

By Nicholas Van Allen
Writer
Better Farming

WeedMD’s management built the company’s Strathroy facility with the help of Jerry Zakaria, CEO of Perfect Pick Farms.

Zakaria owns 98 acres of land and rents five of them to WeedMD. Soon, this rental arrangement will grow to 12 acres as part of WeedMD’s expansion into cannabis extraction. WeedMD also has an option to buy the other 86 acres.

Laying the groundwork for better soil

Agronomist discusses how farmers can adopt soil best management practices

By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Better Farming

As stakeholders consider ways to implement Ontario’s soil health strategy, a Certified Crop Adviser from Middlesex County provides grounded tips on how producers can adopt new soil management practices on their farms.

Taking the fear out of data sharing

Cash cropper shares how precision ag benefits his farm business

By Kaitlynn Anderson
Staff Writer
Better Farming

Jason Robinson, a third-generation cash crop and vegetable farmer in Courtland, Ont., uses a range of precision ag technology in his family’s operation. Much of his equipment can collect data.

Robinson, who farms with his father, uses this data to make decisions throughout the year.

Tracking data from farm gate to dinner plate

Canada’s beef industry strives to show traceability and sustainability throughout the supply chain

By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Better Farming

Blockchain is an emerging technology that provides supply chains with an online documentation system, which the agri-food industry can use to improve traceability and food safety, as well as reduce food waste.

Reaching the end of the road

The municipality of Dutton Dunwich continues to support its local businesses, despite increasing infrastructure expenses

By Kaitlynn Anderson
Staff Writer
Better Farming

Cameron McWilliam runs a cash crop, beef and turkey operation with his wife, Anne Marie, in Elgin County.

He also serves as mayor of Dutton Dunwich, a rural municipality in southwestern Ontario.

Through both of these roles, McWilliam is familiar with the importance of rural infrastructure.

Walking down the barn aisle

An American ag group promotes on-farm wedding venues

By Jim Algie
Writer
Better Farming

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture wants a bigger slice of the US$72-billion American wedding industry spending to be directed to local farms. So, the agency has kicked off an active campaign to encourage publicity for the state’s 650 agri-tourism destinations.

Growing forward to CAP: Building on success

Ontario producers share their views on the new partnership

By Kaitlynn Anderson
Staff Writer
Better Farming

Farmers and other industry members are familiarizing themselves with the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), which came into effect earlier this month.

To understand how some farmers have reacted to the transition from the Growing Forward 2 framework, Better Farming reached out to two Ontario producers.