Agronomist earns international nod for his work Wednesday, July 6, 2016 by SUSAN MANNAn Ontario-based certified crop advisor, Dale Cowan, has received a major international award.Cowan, the senior agronomist and sales manager for AGRIS and Wanstead co-ops and a contributor to Better Farming magazine, has received the International Certified Crop Advisor of the Year Award.About his win, Cowan says, “It’s very humbling and quite an honour. It has been unexpected.”The award recognizes a certified crop advisor who delivers exceptional customer service, is highly innovative, has shown leadership, and has contributed substantially to idea exchanges and agronomic knowledge transfer within the agricultural industry, according to a July 5 press release from the American Society of Agronomy.Cowan says being active in the industry and on a lot of volunteer boards, along with bringing new ideas and concepts to the farming community helped to earn him the international honour. He also mentors other crop advisors.It’s the second major award Cowan has won this year. He is also this year’s winner of the Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Award of Excellence. Cowan received his certified crop advisor designation in 1997.Cowan says he knew as the Ontario excellence award winner his nomination would be forwarded to the international certified crop advisor program along with nominees from other regions. The international board chooses the recipient.Susan Fitzgerald, secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Association, says by email Cowan is the first Ontario certified crop advisor and the second Canadian one to win the international award.For winning the award, Cowan receives an all expenses paid trip for two to the American Society of Agronomy annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in November, a $2,000 honorarium, a commemorative plaque and a one-year membership in the society. BF Slight decline in farm input index reflects stable prices in agriculture says expert New hatchery in Woodstock will open in 2017
Québec names Lori Anne Berthiaume and Steeve Nadeau as 2026 Outstanding Young Farmers Friday, January 30, 2026 Berthiaume’s leadership at Ferme Porc SB Inc. and her team-centred approach helped drive major productivity gains and earned recognition from Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers. Québec’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) program has named Lori Anne Berthiaume and Steeve Nadeau as the... Read this article online
Canada’s Ag Day Is Coming Soon – Here is why it matters! Thursday, January 29, 2026 Canada’s Ag Day is a national moment to recognize the people who grow, raise, make, and move our food. Ag Day will be on February 10th and it will be celebrating its 10th anniversary. But beneath the celebration lies something even more essential: our food system depends on... Read this article online
Red Tape Pushes 70% of Agri Businesses to Deter Next Generation from Farming Thursday, January 29, 2026 Canada’s food production system is under mounting pressure as agri-businesses warn that regulatory overload is discouraging the next generation from entering the industry. A new snapshot from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reveals that almost 70% of agri... Read this article online
Yield Energy debuts ag-focused DERMS to turn farm operations into grid assets Thursday, January 29, 2026 Yield Energy, the company formerly known as Polaris Energy Services, has launched a new distributed energy resource management system designed specifically for agriculture—a move that positions farms as a major source of flexible, utility-grade grid support. The new platform, ,... Read this article online
Canada Urges Action Against EU Grain Trade Barriers Wednesday, January 28, 2026 The Canada Grains Council has released a new white paper urging stronger Canadian leadership to address emerging trade barriers linked to agricultural innovation in the European Union. These barriers, the council warns, could reduce the competitiveness of Canada’s grain exports and limit... Read this article online