Feds eye tender fruit damage Saturday, May 12, 2012 by SUSAN MANN The federal government is committed to working with Ontario’s government along with its apple and tender fruit industries to assess weather-related damage, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. The minister made the comments in response to Ontario Agriculture Minister Ted McMeekin, who has been talking to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials about frost damage to the province’s apple and tender fruit crops. Ritz says in an email the federal government is committed to helping growers when extreme weather conditions severely impact their viability. “It is still too early to tell what damage has been done but we are working with industry and the province to assess the situation.” About programs already in place that growers can use, Rtiz says they’re the first line of defense to help producers manage the risks associated with farming. McMeekin says its good news the federal government will work with Ontario. It also pledged to help ensure existing safety-net programs, such as crop insurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest, are responsive enough. McMeekin toured a Niagara-area tender fruit and apple farm Thursday afternoon to see the damage first hand. As he toured the orchard of Rich Feenstra in Beamsville, McMeekin says he was “saddened.” But “there’s some secondary blooming going on which is providing some reason for hope.” Fruit crops hard hit after warm weather in March accelerated bloom growth and frost in April destroyed the blossoms include pears, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and apples. “We have our OMAFRA people on the ground doing the scientific assessment,” he notes. McMeekin also met with Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Pierre Corbeil in Montreal earlier this week. McMeekin says the tender fruit sectors in both Quebec and Nova Scotia have not been devastated. BF CFIA restricts New Mexico horse imports to prevent spread of disease Endangered Species Act change approved for further study
Ontario Promotes Local Food to Boost Economy and Jobs Thursday, June 5, 2025 Ontario is celebrating Local Food Week from June 2–8, 2025, honoring the people behind the province’s strong and self-sufficient food supply. From farmers and food processors to retailers and restauranteurs, these individuals contribute to the economy and food security. The agriculture... Read this article online
Scientists at Guelph Target Avian Threat Thursday, June 5, 2025 The University of Guelph (U of G) is activeey engaged against the spread of avian flu. Experts from a variety of departments, including virology, engineering, veterinary medicine, and computer science, are working together to stop this growing threat. “This is not just a crisis for the... Read this article online
Trouw Nutrition launches IntelEgg Thursday, June 5, 2025 Trouw Nutrition has announced the launch of , a digital platform designed to empower layer producers with real-time insights and data-driven decision-making tools. The image above shows an demo screen. This browser-based application is set to transform how poultry farmers monitor,... Read this article online
New Report Highlights Farm Housing Needs in Greenbelt Areas Wednesday, June 4, 2025 The Greenbelt Foundation has released a new report titled Housing Needs and . It highlights the urgent need for housing solutions in rural Ontario for farm families, farm workers, and agri-business employees. As the farming community knows, agriculture is a vital part of Ontario’s... Read this article online
New Precision Ag Digital Digest Coming Soon Wednesday, June 4, 2025 The Summer 2025 Farms.com Precision Ag Digital Digest will be released on June 11. Summer is upon us! Tillage and seeding are mostly completed (…hopefully), so we are shifting focus to irrigation, baling, spraying, guidance, and harvest (among other topics and technologies). In... Read this article online