Chairman of Syngenta's board high on modern agriculture Tuesday, June 3, 2008 by BETTER FARMING STAFF“Agriculture is sexy for the first time since the Bronze Age,” Taylor said and the debate about how to deal with a worldwide food crisis is running high. But world leaders aren’t talking about adopting modern technology as a means of solving it. “I don’t know if they are embarrassed by it (the technology) or politically opposed to it,” he said. “Maybe they don’t know about it.”Yet for Taylor, modern technology’s role was apparent and crucial: “The world has to choose between technology, deforestation and hunger,” he said.“I can’t see another way out.”He decried “the move towards mediaeval agriculture, especially in Europe,” where he says hostility towards agricultural technology “is extraordinarily pronounced.” He predicted that genetically modified foods that are now banned will be allowed into Europe gradually, first as animal feed and then later as food for humans. He doesn’t see that changing in the short term as the European Union commissioners who have the power to bring changes won’t raise controversy until their terms are renewed in the next year.The European attitude towards farmers is perverse, Taylor said. Their view is that “growers are a parasitic bunch as a whole. Individual growers are heroes who go out in the snow.”The food crisis should have been foreseen, Taylor said. Agricultural productivity gains have slowed from the rapid in pace in the 1970s and ‘80s. For years storage stocks have shrank but price increases that should have sparked more production failed to take place. “Population growth is the steady drumbeat, behind this,” along with diet changes in China, the world’s most populous nation.“On top of all this is the diversion of crops towards biofuel,” he added, noting he was “not one of these that believe biofuel is a wicked experiment. It is unfortunate this (perception) has gained so much currency.”Taylor said Canada has an important role in solving the food crisis. It is one of five countries that can ramp up agricultural production to meet increasing worldwide demand for food; the other areas being Russia, the Ukraine, Argentina and Brazil.On top of that, Canada, which has generally adopted new agricultural technology, is viewed as a reasonable country in Europe, where ideas are sometimes rejected simply because they come from the United States. BF Maryland alleges pigeon fraud Short Takes - June/July 2008
Potato industry on PEI to save up to $7 million because of cuts to bridge tolls Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Effective August 1, 2025, tolls on the Confederation Bridge will drop dramatically, with personal vehicle tolls falling from $50.25 to $20. Commercial vehicles will also benefit from these reductions. In addition, ferry tolls in Newfoundland and Labrador and other regions will see... Read this article online
Soil Compaction Challenges Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Ontario’s spring planting faced challenges from soil compaction, impacting crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat. Despite some areas experiencing rapid planting under ideal conditions, other regions, even those with lighter soils, struggled due to excessive rainfall. The team at OMAFA –on... Read this article online
2026 Grains Innovation Fund is now open Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is now accepting applications for its . “This year marks another exciting chapter for the Grains Innovation Fund,” stated Paul... Read this article online
Applications Open for Grains Innovation Fund 2026 Monday, July 28, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing 28,000 farmers, is now accepting applications for the 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund offers grants up to $75,000 to support innovative projects that promote the use of Ontario’s grains such as... Read this article online
Sowing the Seeds of the Future -- A Fresh Look at Farm Succession in Canada Monday, July 28, 2025 “You’ve worked the land for decades—through changing seasons, shifting markets, and long days that begin before sunrise," says Jason Castellan, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Skyline when he spoke with Farms.com. “You know every acre, every decision, every responsibility that... Read this article online