Buchanan takes the reins Wednesday, October 16, 2013 by BETTER FARMING STAFF This month, Premier and agriculture minister Kathleen Wynne nominated Elmer Buchanan as head of a revamped Ontario Racing Commission. It will be Buchanan's job to lead revitalization and re-invention of horse racing in Ontario. Buchanan, a former provincial agriculture minister and a frequent appointee to government panels concerning agriculture, is no stranger to farming. Nor is he new to the horse industry – he was one of three assigned to a horse industry transition panel whose final report on how to save the industry was released last week. But many in the province’s horse industry might not be familiar with Buchanan’s involvement in the industry. So we’ve dug into our archives and found this excellent profile by Bernard Tobin published in 1995 by the former Farm and Country magazine. Tobin spent three years covering Buchanan's dealings as agriculture minister and penned this story just prior to the 1995 provincial election that saw the New Democratic Party lose power to Progressive Conservative Mike Harris and his Common Sense Revolution. Harris would then go on to establish the slots at racetracks program, which was dismantled by Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government in 2012. Tobin, as you may remember, won this year’s gold award for monthly press reporting at the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation annual awards for his Better Farming feature profiling the impact of the ending of the racetrack slots program. BF Behind the wheel with Buchanan Listowel farmer, milk board at odds over direct payment policy Vomitoxin levels in Ontario corn are low for second year in a row
Ont. farmer Tony McQuail reflects on NDP leadership race Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Huron County farmer Tony McQuail is back at Meeting Place Organic Farm in Lucknow after vying to replace Jagmeet Singh as the leader of the federal NDP. “It was a very hopeful and positive experience for me,” he told Farms.com. “I was very pleased with what we were able to bring to the... Read this article online
Broadband Access is a Defining Issue for Rural Canada’s Future Monday, March 30, 2026 Broadband connectivity took centre stage during the on March 26, as speakers emphasized that reliable, high-speed internet is now foundational to rural economic growth, community well-being, and Canada’s broader ambitions in technology and resource development. The Coalition’s latest... Read this article online
Rural Canada Is an Economic Powerhouse that Policymakers Need to Build Upon Monday, March 30, 2026 Rural Canada is a far bigger driver of the national economy than many policymakers realize, and leaders say the time has come to place a rural lens at the centre of public policy decision-making. That message was front and centre during the Coalition for a Better Future’s Scorecard... Read this article online
Spring Swine Events Across Canada that are Not to be Missed Monday, March 30, 2026 It’s a sure sign of Spring, several swine events will be taking place over the next few months. Between April and June 2026, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario will all host significant swine-focused events, ranging from producer AGMs and pork quality competitions to large-scale... Read this article online
Boosting Wheat Production with Better Nitrogen Use Monday, March 30, 2026 A University of Guelph research team is pioneering new ways to grow wheat more sustainably by improving nitrogen efficiency and supporting soil health. Dr. Kari Dunfield, professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at the Ontario Agricultural College, received $3.92 million from the... Read this article online