Agricultural labour law challenge on hold Friday, April 3, 2009 © AgMedia Inc.by SUSAN MANNShould Ontario farm workers have collective bargaining rights?The two sides on this question - the Ontario government and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada - have another chance to argue their cases in court later this year or early next year. The Supreme Court of Canada decided Thursday it will hear the Ontario government’s appeal of a lower court decision to strike down the six-year-old provincial Agricultural Employees Protection Act.In November the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled the Act “substantially impairs” farm workers’ ability to bargain collectively. The justices gave the provincial government 12 months to determine how “to protect the rights of agricultural workers to engage in meaningful collective bargaining.”Union spokesman Stan Raper says now the Supreme Court has decided to hear Ontario’s appeal no changes will be made to the Act until the hearing is finished, possibly not until 2011.Raper adds the union is disappointed the appeal is going ahead.“At the end of the day I think we’ll finally get some justice but it’s a huge time delay,” he says. “Workers continue to have to live under a piece of legislation that is unconstitutional.”Ken Forth, chair of the agricultural industry’s Labour Issues Coordinating Committee, says they expect the Supreme Court to decide in favour of hearing the appeal.“We’re pleased,” Forth says. The committee asked the Ontario government to appeal the ruling on Ontario’s farm workers legislation.The committee is applying to be an intervener at the Supreme Court. Forth says the status would allow the committee’s lawyer to make a small presentation during the hearing.“Agriculture has to be reflected in this,” he says. BF Pigs on the rampage 'Pink' isn't necessarily pigs
Ontario crops respond to summer heat Wednesday, July 2, 2025 According to the OMAFA Field Crop News team, Ontario field crops are showing rapid development as summer-like temperatures have dominated late June early July. The warm spell has accelerated growth and helped reduce the heat unit deficit from a cool spring. Corn fields have seen a burst... Read this article online
Canada’s Place in Global Food System Resilience Wednesday, July 2, 2025 Canada’s food system is facing serious pressure due to global supply chain issues, climate change, and rising food prices. According to a KPMG report, bold and united action is needed now to make Canada’s agriculture sector more resilient and self-reliant. With the global population... Read this article online
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