Apple growers look at fertilizer alternatives Monday, May 12, 2008 By MARIBETH FITTS Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs nutrition lead, Christoph Kessel, showed some hard numbers related to types of nitrogen fertilizers used in apple orchards at an Apple Information Meeting at Horticultural Experiment Station, Simcoe on May 8. Fertilizer prices rose by about 20 percent in 2007 and Agriculture and Agri-food Canada is predicting another 20 percent rise again in 2008. Extrapolating from a research study which was conducted in British Columbia, Kessel compared costs of spring soil-applied urea or ammonium nitrate with seven applications of foliar urea and with trees fertigated through the season with calcium nitrate or potassium nitrate. He showed that either the soil applied urea or ammonium nitrate was the most economical to use with foliar applications of urea costing about 1.5 times that of the soil-applied over the season. Fertigation was the most expensive option, costing about three times that of soil-applied fertilizer. The products were compared based on the actual amount of nitrogen content. Kessel explained that foliar applied urea is a different grade than that used on the soil and therefore is a more expensive product to purchase. Yields were similar among all treatments in the trial, he stated, but were greater than the control trial where no fertilizer was applied. He suggested that growers might also take another look at organic nitrogen sources such as manure to save on fertilizer costs. His calculations showed that manure would cost about half that of the soil-applied inorganic fertilizer. Kessel stressed the importance of soil and tissue analysis in apple orchards for determining the exact amount of fertilizer the trees need. BF Frost hits Ontario apple blossoms Letter from Europe: Controlled traffic farming winning favour with European farmers
Looking for a heritage machine Tuesday, February 10, 2026 A Brantford, Ontario area heritage organization—the Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre (CIHC)—is putting out a call to the Canadian agricultural community in hopes of locating a rare piece of machinery that helped transform grain harvesting around the world. The CIHC is preparing... Read this article online
Why farmers built their own renewable energy association Tuesday, February 10, 2026 When renewable energy developers come knocking on rural doors, farmers often find themselves staring at 40-page leases, unfamiliar terminology, and long-term commitments that could shape their land for decades. For many, the opportunity is exciting and enticing—but also... Read this article online
Food Freedom Day 2026 - What Canada’s Grocery Costs Really Tell Us Monday, February 9, 2026 The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has announced that Sunday, February 8th, 2026, marked Food Freedom Day—the date by which the average Canadian household has earned enough income to cover its entire annual grocery bill. Each year, CFA analyzes how much of Canadians’... Read this article online
Canadian Grain and Pork Sectors Join Others in Sound Alarm Over AAFC Research Cuts Friday, February 6, 2026 The Grain Growers of Canada (CGC), the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), and Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) are expressing serious concern following recently announced staff reductions and facility closures or consolidations within Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada (AAFC). The groups warn that... Read this article online
Red Tape Pushes 70% of Agri Businesses to Deter Next Generation from Farming Thursday, February 5, 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