Agricorp audit reaches final stage Thursday, June 19, 2008 by SUSAN MANNThe audit field work is now done and the report is being finalized, auditor general communications coordinator Tina Randoja told Better Farming Tuesday. Areas that were studied can’t be released until the report goes to Ontario Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky. She’s expected to get it the first part of July. It will be made public sometime after that.The auditors have done a very thorough review of the organization, Agricorp spokesperson Annie Cote-Kennedy says. “What we do expect is to have a detailed report back from them with recommendations on areas of improvement.”Dombrowsky wrote to the auditor in August, 2007 requesting the audit after hearing from general farm groups and individual farmers that program delivery is mired in delays.“There had been some concerns from farmers that they wanted a value-for-money audit of Agricorp to ensure that the programs are being delivered the way that they should be,” says Kelly Synnott, the minister’s spokesperson.Anecdotal evidence shows Agricorp is slow in delivering program funds to farmers “when in other provinces they’ve been able to kick the money out the door in a relatively quick fashion,” says Grant Robertson, Ontario coordinator for the National Farmers Union.In response, Cote-Kennedy says a report from the federal government shows Agricorp was ahead of other jurisdictions in getting its CAIS applications processed for the 2005 and 2006 program years.Auditing Agricorp is a good first step but problems in the agricultural sector are much deeper and more widespread, Robertson explains. That’s why NFU has asked Ontario’s ombudsman to thoroughly investigate the entire ministry.“OMAFRA is failing in its duty to properly direct and shape Ontario food and agriculture systems,” NFU wrote in its November, 2007 brief to the ombudsman.The ministry has lost its way. “Led astray by too close a relationship with agribusiness and in search of short term political goals, the ministry is mismanaging both our food system and our rural economy leaving them weak and vulnerable,” it wrote in the brief.In criticizing the ministry, NFU made it clear that it wasn’t attacking OMAFRA staff. “NFU doesn’t question their professionalism nor their commitment to positive outcomes.”To read the entire 28-page brief go the NFU Canada website at: www.nfu.ca/ and click on ‘Briefs and Policy’ at the top of the page.The current government has made some positive moves on, for example, local food initiatives. But NFU still believes there’s a huge overdependence within the ministry on encouraging farmers to focus on exports and not ensuring they’ve captured their own local markets. “There’s lots of money to be made here and we’re allowing that money to be made by others and not Ontario farmers,” Robertson says.NFU is expecting to hear from the ombudsman by this summer or fall. BF Pigeons no circovirus threat Government wants PKI birds destroyed but where are they?
Potato industry on PEI to save up to $7 million because of cuts to bridge tolls Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Effective August 1, 2025, tolls on the Confederation Bridge will drop dramatically, with personal vehicle tolls falling from $50.25 to $20. Commercial vehicles will also benefit from these reductions. In addition, ferry tolls in Newfoundland and Labrador and other regions will see... Read this article online
Soil Compaction Challenges Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Ontario’s spring planting faced challenges from soil compaction, impacting crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat. Despite some areas experiencing rapid planting under ideal conditions, other regions, even those with lighter soils, struggled due to excessive rainfall. The team at OMAFA –on... Read this article online
2026 Grains Innovation Fund is now open Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is now accepting applications for its . “This year marks another exciting chapter for the Grains Innovation Fund,” stated Paul... Read this article online
Applications Open for Grains Innovation Fund 2026 Monday, July 28, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing 28,000 farmers, is now accepting applications for the 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund offers grants up to $75,000 to support innovative projects that promote the use of Ontario’s grains such as... Read this article online
Sowing the Seeds of the Future -- A Fresh Look at Farm Succession in Canada Monday, July 28, 2025 “You’ve worked the land for decades—through changing seasons, shifting markets, and long days that begin before sunrise," says Jason Castellan, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Skyline when he spoke with Farms.com. “You know every acre, every decision, every responsibility that... Read this article online