Ag leaders' debate tepid Sunday, April 10, 2011 by BETTER FARMING STAFF The Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s national agriculture leaders debate, carried live on the organization’s website Monday, highlighted the two solitude's if nothing else. If you are a unilingual English speaker, you missed a quarter of the debate because Bloc Québécois agriculture critic Andre Bellavance spoke only in French. If you speak French only, you were sidelined for 75 per cent of the discussion because the other three debaters spoke only in English. There was no on-line translation. What we did get were a series of thoughtful questions from farmers from across the country on trade, business risk management, environmental sustainability, and food safety. Responses seemed largely scripted, there was little drama and there were no surprises. The debaters were Bellavance, Gerry Ritz, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Wayne Easter, Liberal agriculture critic, NDP representative Pat Martin and Green Party agriculture representative Kate Storey. If there was a spark in this debate, it was around free trade and supply management with everyone draping themselves in the supply management flag while spreading the blame for threats to supply management stemming from World Trade Organization negotiations. While Ritz said the government had lost “wiggle room” in international trade negotiations because of commitments made by the Liberals during the Doha round of negotiations which began in 2001, Easter said the Liberals are the party of supply management. “We are the ones that brought in supply management. We’re the party of supply management and we support it strongly and we believe in supply management.” The NDP’s Martin said Ritz’s attempts to shut down the Canadian Wheat Board are proof he does not support supply management. “You have spent the better part of your career trying to undermine and sabotage the Canadian Wheat Board,” Martin said. He said Ritz “expects” the WTO to “do your dirty work” and dismantle supply management in Canada. Easter said if the Canadian Wheat Board goes, supply management “wouldn’t be far behind.” Ritz assured viewers, “We’ve always fully supported our supply management sector.” BF Funds boost goat cheese presence Entry program for Ontario egg producers
Ontario Farmers Considering more Drainage Investments to Adapt to Climate Change Monday, September 22, 2025 Farmers from Southwestern Ontario gathered at the Great Ontario Yield Tour event in Woodstock held a panel discussion, moderated by Steve Denys from Maizex Seeds, to chat about practical ways to increase corn, soybean, and wheat yields in the future, based on this year’s corn and soybean... Read this article online
Ontario’s most problematic weed -- Canada Fleabane Cuts Corn and Soybean Yields Friday, September 19, 2025 At the 2025 Great Ontario Yield Tour, Dr. Peter Sikkema of the University of Guelph highlighted the persistent challenge of Canada fleabane, one of Ontario’s most problematic weeds. Once easily controlled with glyphosate, the weed has now developed resistance not only to glyphosate but... Read this article online
Augusta Van Muyen selected as the 67th Grape King Friday, September 19, 2025 Grape Growers of Ontario and Farm Credit Canada have announced that Lincoln vineyard manager Augusta Van Muyen has been chosen by her peers as the 2025-2026 Grape King. Currently, the vineyard manager at Tawse Winery, Van Muyen, followed a path to success that took her across Ontario and the... Read this article online
Empowering the Next Generation -- Scholarship Opportunity for Agriculture Students Friday, September 19, 2025 Are you a student studying agriculture with a passion for leadership, innovation, and making a difference in the agri-food sector? The Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference (AWC) East 2025 is offering an incredible opportunity for students to attend this transformative event through... Read this article online
Celebrating Tradition and Skill - The Art of the Plowing Match Friday, September 19, 2025 Plowing matches are more than just agricultural contests—they’re a celebration of heritage, craftsmanship, and community. These events bring together farmers, enthusiasts, and spectators to witness the age-old skill of turning soil with precision and pride.TheInternational Plowing Match &... Read this article online