Ag minister wants feedback on wildlife control Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Wildlife damage to livestock is an important issue of concern both for Ontario's farmers and my ministry. The Livestock, Poultry and Honey Bee Protection Act which manages livestock damage compensation programs is over 30 years old and out of date, so earlier this spring we took action and proposed a number of changes to the act to better meet the needs of farmers. Modernizing this legislation will give us the ability to update livestock damage compensation programs to expand the number of species that farmers can be compensated for and increase the prescribed maximum compensation rates to reflect current market values. Over the summer we have been meeting with producer organizations to gather input on our proposal and make sure that the updated compensation rates are both fair and reasonable. It is important for us to get input on the overall concept of the new program first, as this will help shape the more detailed design elements. We've also developed a discussion paper which includes the broader, major agriculture-wildlife issues expressed by members of our agricultural community and is another way for us to proactively engage farmers, producers, and other interested parties in discussions. We want to hear from as many people as possible, and our discussion paper has been posted online since early August for public comment. The Managing Agriculture-Wildlife Conflicts Discussion Paper can be found on OMAFRA's website under Quick Links and is available for comment until October 1st. The McGuinty government is committed to supporting Ontario's farmers. Developing a strategy that will help minimize the damages their operations face as a result of wildlife damage is just one of the many ways we're working together with farmers to develop meaningful programs that work for all of us. Sincerely,Carol MitchellMinister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs No plans to revise drain laws says ag ministry MPP proposes tax break for food donations
Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth Monday, June 30, 2025 Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online
Twelve Ontario Agri-Businesses Receive Funding Support Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Bioenterprise Canada has announced the successful recipients of the second call for proposals under the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. Twelve organizations across Ontario will receive support to bring innovative agri-food solutions to the... Read this article online