Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Canadian-made biofuel more efficient, study claims

Thursday, May 5, 2011

by PAT CURRIE

If the most recent study on biofuels released this week by the Guelph-based Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) has a familiar look, it’s because "it’s the same as one we did in April, only from a different (global) perspective," Dr. Terry Daynard said today.

Daynard, a retired crop sciences professor at the University of Guelph and a former chief of staff for Ontario corn producers for 19 years, authored both studies and his daughter, owner of KD Communications in Guelph, helped produce it.

Asked if the GFO has an interest in maintaining currently high prices for grain, corn and soybeans, Daynard said: "Very much so. They’re looking for alternative markets."

GFO spokesperson Erin Fletcher said the farm organization asked Daynard to include his April study in a newer work "taking in the entire body of research, a review of all biofuel efforts around the world." She said she was not authorized to divulge the cost of the study.

Daynard said the later study takes in factors such as food prices, world hunger, gasoline prices and ecological effects of gasoline fuel laced with five per cent ethanol, which, his report said, has cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2.3 million tonnes annually.

"That’s equivalent to removing 440,000 Canadian cars from the road. About two-thirds of this benefit is in Ontario," Daynard said.

The study attributed higher efficiencies in Canadian biofuel to differences in farming practices and the fact that all Canadian ethanol plants use natural gas rather than coal as their source of energy. BF

 

Current Issue

August 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Sunflower farming in Ontario

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

While Manitoba dominates sunflower production in Canada—accounting for about 90 percent of the national output (https://oggardenonline.com/where-in-canada-are-sunflowers-grown.html)—Ontario is home to a growing number of sunflower farms. These farms are often smaller in scale and... Read this article online

2025 Livestock Tax Deferral Regions Announced

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has published the initial list of prescribed regions eligible for the 2025 Livestock Tax Deferral provision, a key support measure for Canadian livestock producers grappling with the impacts of extreme weather. “As we continue to see the very... Read this article online

Better Soil Health Improves Rain Absorption

Monday, August 18, 2025

The OMAFA Fieldcropnews.com team recently held demonstrations regarding how soil management can greatly affect the amount of rainfall absorbed into the soil for crop use. This is especially important for corn, soybean, and wheat growers facing dry spells or intense summer storms. In early... Read this article online

Farm ponds and the trouble with algae

Monday, August 18, 2025

Farm ponds are more than just tranquil features on rural landscapes—they’re essential tools for water management, livestock care, irrigation, and biodiversity—especially in North America. They are also considered to be a key agricultural asset outside North America, especially in... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top