Beavers, ostriches enter the wheat board debate Sunday, December 4, 2011 From Hansard: Oct. 25, 2011Mr. Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, NDP): "Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives really believe that Prairie grain farmers will make more money by selling their grain outside of the Canadian Wheat Board, then that means every single Conservative MP involved in the grain industry is in a conflict of interest and must recuse themselves from the vote on Bill C-18 . . ."Gerry Ritz: Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board: "Mr. Speaker, farmers will never be intimidated by what I think is a lingering case of beaver fever over there . . ." Martin: "Mr. Speaker, coming from a failed ostrich jockey, I do not know what the member knows about beaver fever . . ."The Speaker (Andrew Scheer): "Order. I think some of these metaphors involving animals may be causing a little disorder in the House. I would urge all hon. members to try to avoid using them so that we can get through question period."Ritz: "Mr. Speaker, that is sound advice. Over the top never works. I will say that farming ostrich allowed me the opportunity to get used to working with the lesser life forms I sometimes see here on the floor of the House of Commons . . ."The Speaker: "Order. Similarly, those types of comments when referring to our colleagues are also unhelpful during question period."("Beaver fever" generally refers to Giardiasis, a parasitic disease causing diarrhea. Beavers and muskrats harbour the water-born cysts.) BF Cover Story: The cash-crunch woes of rural municipalities Debate over global warming causes heat
Ontario Grows Most of the Nation's Celery Friday, July 24, 2026 When Canadians reach for a stalk of celery at the grocery store, there is a good chance it began its journey on an Ontario farm. While celery occupies only a small share of Canada's overall vegetable acreage, the crop continues to play an important role in the country's fresh... Read this article online
University of Guelph Receives $1 Million Gift to Advance Sustainable Materials Research and Bioeconomy Growth Friday, July 24, 2026 The University of Guelph has received a $1-million gift from The WB Family Foundation to expand research into sustainable materials and support the continued growth of Ontario's bioeconomy. The investment will support the University's Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre... Read this article online
Southco Launches R4-50 Rotary Latch with Dual Triggers for Equipment Cabs Friday, July 24, 2026 Southco has launched a new cab access solution aimed at improving safety, durability, and ease of operation in demanding environments. The company’s latest product, the R4-50 Rotary Latch with Dual Triggers, is designed specifically for agricultural and heavy-duty... Read this article online
Zucchini Harvest and Summer Squash – Ontario leads the way. Friday, July 24, 2026 Ontario has the largest field vegetable sector in Canada, with approximately 859,000tonnesof field vegetables produced in 2024, representing about 34% of total Canadian field vegetable production. Quebec was second at about 694,000tonnes. Ontario also has the largest number of field... Read this article online
Pilot project supports Ontario and Quebec ag Friday, July 24, 2026 A new two-year pilot project is designed to help livestock farmers in Quebec by giving them access to an Ontario abattoir. The project, a collaboration between the Quebec and Ontario governments, with additional support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), would see a limited... Read this article online