Council introduces new fee for on-farm food safety audits Thursday, April 19, 2012 by SUSAN MANNThe Canadian Horticultural Council will be charging a $50 per farm flat fee on all CanadaGAP audits starting in 2013 to help the national organization continue its advocacy work on behalf of growers.Anne Fowlie, council executive vice-president, says the fee will be added in to the overall CanadaGAP (Good Agricultural Practices) registration fee. Delegates to the council’s annual meeting in March approved the fee.There are two components to the cost of CanadaGAP certification. One part is the annual program enrolment fee participants pay to the council. The fee varies depending on which audit option a participant chooses. Audit costs participants pay directly to the certification body form the other part.When the council started the on-farm food safety program many years ago, discussions at that time noted “at some point in time there would need to be something in terms of a return on investment (for council),” she says.The council put in time and money to develop the CanadaGAP program and the money from the $50 per farm fee on all audits will be used to continue the overall work of the council “which will include in part continuing to monitor and look at food-safety related issues,” she explains. CanadaGAP is the council’s on-farm food safety program. It consists of national food safety standards and a certification system for the safe production, storage and packaging of fresh fruits and vegetables.The council is a voluntary, non-profit organization. The amount of money the council raises from the fee will depend on the number of participants, Fowlie says. BF Minister clarifies RMP cap New organization elects board
Ontario Crops Progress with Cool Stress Monday, June 2, 2025 Ontario field crops are progressing despite challenging spring conditions, according to OMAFA's FieldCropNews.com. Winter wheat has reached the heading stage in the southwest, with T3 fungicide applications beginning. Fields in the north and east are at the flag leaf stage. This is a... Read this article online
Be ready for your next flat tire Friday, May 30, 2025 By Braxten Breen Farms.com Intern The Andersen Hitches Rapid Jack is a three-in-one tool - a tire jack -- that can also be used as a post block or a wheel chock. Its main purpose is to help change tires on trailers, and this cool tool is made in the USA. It is an innovative Tire Jack... Read this article online
An Ontario Foodbelt? Two MPPs want to see it happen Friday, May 30, 2025 Ontario has a Greenbelt and a Whitebelt, and if two MPPs are successful with a piece of legislation the province’s future will include a Foodbelt. Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner (Guelph) and independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady (Haldimand-Norfolk) tabled Bill 21, the Protect Our... Read this article online
Livestock Research Innovation Corporation welcomes new board members Thursday, May 29, 2025 Two new board directors have joined the leadership of Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC). Mohamad Yaghi with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Sonya Fiorini from Burnbrae Farms both fill appointed director positions on the LRIC board. Yaghi replaces Franco Naccarato from Meat and... Read this article online
Did you Know you can Experience IPM 2025 in the Comfort of Your RV? Thursday, May 29, 2025 The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) is making a grand return to Niagara this fall for the first time in nearly a century. Visitors can now stay close to the excitement by booking a spot at the official IPM 2025 RV Park. Located just steps away from the main action, the... Read this article online