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
Tips for first year university students Friday, August 29, 2025 The final weekend of summer is here, and students across Ontario will be returning to class next week. That includes at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus, where staff, faculty, and volunteers are preparing to welcome a new crop of first year students. “There’s definitely a... Read this article online
Sterling buckle marks 170 years at Spencerville Fair Friday, August 29, 2025 For its 170th anniversary, the Spencerville Fair is presenting a distinctive piece of Canadian silverwork that reflects nearly two centuries of agricultural tradition. The 170th Anniversary Spencerville Fair Sterling Silver Buckle was designed and handcrafted by Alex Dordevic of TRIBE, a... Read this article online
Corn and Soybean Crops Fall Short in 2025 Predicts Great Ontario Yield Tour Thursday, August 28, 2025 Ontario’s 2025 corn and soybean harvest is shaping up to be one of the most challenging in recent memory, as persistent drought and heat have pushed yields below the Agricorp 10-year average say experts and master scouts Moe Agostino and Henry Prinzen of the 2025 Great Ontario Yield Tour.... Read this article online
Global grain trade gets a shake-up: What it means for Canadian farmers Thursday, August 28, 2025 The global grain and oilseed trading industry is undergoing a major transformation—and Canadian farmers should take note. A recently published study in the September 2025 issue of discussed how the traditional dominance of a few multinational giants is giving way to a more competitive,... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers Share Yield Strategies Amid Drought Wednesday, August 27, 2025 The Great Ontario Yield Tour held an event at Petersen Custom Farming in Osgood, Ontario, on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The farmer panel during lunch was one of the highlights of the event. Farmers and industry experts gathered to discuss yield strategies and the realities of this season’s... Read this article online