DFO outlines Region 1 by-election plans Wednesday, February 12, 2014 by SUSAN MANN The representative of a neighouring region will step in temporarily to act for the dairy farmers in Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s Region 1 following the sudden departure of their provincial board member. Eastern Ontario farmer Ron Versteeg was the board member for Region 1, which includes Ottawa-Carleton, Cumberland Township, Glengarry, Prescott and Russell. He resigned for personal reasons during the DFO’s annual meeting in January. He first joined the board in 2005, and his most recent four-year term started on Jan. 12, 2012 when he was acclaimed in the Region 1 elections. Laural Adams, Dairy Farmers communications manager, says Versteeg’s position is currently vacant but Henry Oosterhof, the board member for Region 3 (Frontenac, Grenville, Lanark, Leeds and Renfrew), is representing the farmers from Region 1 for the time being. Oosterhof will represent the region until another representative is elected in a by-election this spring to replace Versteeg. The successful candidate will serve the remainder of Versteeg’s four-year term. The nomination period is now open and nominees have until Feb. 24 to get their forms in to Dairy Farmers’ head office in Mississauga. To be nominated, a candidate needs signatures from 10 licensed dairy farmers in Region 1. The candidate also must be a licensed dairy farmer from the region. After the due date for nomination forms, candidates have until Mar. 7 to drop out of the race. Mail-in ballots will be sent to all licensed dairy farmers in Region 1 by Mar. 18, and they must be returned to Dairy Farmers with a postmark no later than Apr. 8. Ballots postmarked after that date won’t be counted, Dairy Farmers said in a letter to farmers. The ballots will be counted on Apr. 15. Graham Lloyd, Dairy Farmers general counsel and communications director, is the returning officer for the election. BF New Canadian ice wine standard released Feds target rural Internet access in budget
First Northern Cohort Joins Ontario Vet Program Thursday, September 4, 2025 This September, the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph welcomed its inaugural Northern Cohort of 20 students through the Collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program (CDVMP). This initiative, created in partnership with Lakehead University, marks a milestone... Read this article online
Manitoba Farmers Defend Their Whisky Roots Amid Ontario Backlash Thursday, September 4, 2025 As most reader will know by now, on August 28, beverage alcohol giant Diageo announced it will be closing its Amherstburg, Ontario bottling plant. Located just 25 kilometres from the nearest U.S. border crossing, the company says the decision is part of a strategy to streamline its supply... Read this article online
Global grain trade gets a shake-up: What it means for Canadian farmers Tuesday, September 2, 2025 The global grain and oilseed trading industry is undergoing a major transformation—and Canadian farmers should take note. A recently published study in the September 2025 issue of discussed how the traditional dominance of a few multinational giants is giving way to a more competitive,... Read this article online
Canadian Farmers Face Weaker Soybean Yields Ahead Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Statistics Canada forecasts that Canadian soybean production will decline in 2025, reflecting weaker yields across major producing provinces. Nationally, output is projected to fall by 7.3% year over year to 7.0 million tonnes. The decline is linked to a drop in yields, which are expected... Read this article online
Canadian Corn Outlook Shows Mixed Regional Trends Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Statistics Canada projects Canadian corn-for-grain production to grow slightly in 2025, despite drier-than-normal weather and high temperatures that have pressured yields. National production is forecast to rise 1.4% year over year to 15.6 million tonnes. This gain comes from higher... Read this article online