Sidebar 4: Cathy McKay, 55, South of Port Perry (Durham Region) Monday, May 4, 2009 McKay is the main operator of Nature's Bounty, a farm which she owns with her husband, Marvin Stevenson. They have one son. An apple orchard is the 100-acre farm's primary focus. She also grows pumpkins, squash, gourds, decorative corn and the operation includes 40 ewes, pasture and alfalfa. In the mid-1990s, the couple shifted the farm from exclusively wholesale apple sales to on-farm retail and wholesale. Greatest success. Implementing the transition from wholesale to retail and transforming the farm from a money loser to a profitable business.Greatest challenge. "Being pulled in many directions. Sometimes people don't understand that you are working. Yes, you're home, yes you have some flexibility, but you are working."Words of advice. Farming is a "huge commitment," she says. "You have to really like it." Sidebar 5: Laura Kivits, 32, Dalkeith (Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry) Sidebar 3: Trudy Reid, 29, District of Thunder Bay
US-Canada tariff uncertainty continues to concern businesses and farmers Tuesday, August 25, 2026 As of late August 2026, trade relations between Canada and the United States remain under pressure as both countries work to finalize an agreement aimed at preventing a new round of tariffs from disrupting cross-border commerce. While a temporary reprieve has been secured, uncertainty... Read this article online
Alveo partners with AgriNerds on bird flu surveillance Tuesday, August 25, 2026 Poultry producers may soon have access to a new tool designed to improve how they monitor and respond to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) threats. Alveo Technologies and AgriNerds have announced a partnership that will combine rapid on-farm molecular testing with real-time... Read this article online
OPA Secures Lambton County Site for 2027 International Plowing Match Monday, August 24, 2026 Lambton County is preparing to welcome one of Ontario agriculture’s biggest events after the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA) announced it has secured a site for the 2027 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM). The event is scheduled for September 21 to 25, 2027, on... Read this article online
Grain Prices Rise as Crop Tours Raise Yield Concerns Monday, August 24, 2026 Grain markets ended the week on August 21, 2026, with a strong tone as traders assessed the latest Pro Farmer Crop Tour results, crop damage concerns across the U.S. Midwest, improving demand prospects and growing fund interest from speculative traders. During the August 21 Farms.com... Read this article online
AALP Dream Gala tops $110,000 for leadership programming Sunday, August 23, 2026 The 2026 Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) Dream Gala raised more than $110,000 to support leadership development within Ontario’s agri-food sector, according to the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI). Held at The GrandWay Events Centre in Elora, the biennial fundraising event was... Read this article online