Former farm leader remembered for mental health advocacy Saturday, September 27, 2014 by DAVE PINKA past president of the Ontario Grape Growers Marketing Board, and a long-time champion for mental health issues, has died.Thomas William Greensides died Tuesday at Toronto Western Hospital. He was 68.Greensides was diagnosed with an untreatable form of depression in his 50’s. At the time, he was deeply involved in several farm and community organizations, all while operating his 95-acre farm near Grimsby. In addition to the grape board, he was past president of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, was a pioneer member of the Agricultural Adaptation Council, was a past president of the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival, a past president of the Grimsby Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.The onset of his depression in the 1990s changed his life. He was forced to abandon his community commitments and was eventually forced to sell his farm. At the Canadian Mental Health Association chapter in St. Catharines, Greensides is remembered as a willing volunteer and a strong advocate for mental health services.“He was a really fine fellow,” remembers George Kurzawa, executive director of the CMHA branch in St. Catharines. “He was always willing to volunteer for any of our committees, or for public speaking.“He was one of our outstanding volunteers. He used his own experience with mental health issues to help others, and to fight the stigma of mental illness.”Greensides was the subject of a Better Farming article that detailed the stresses that farmers face, and the difficulty rural people have in getting treatment for mental health problems.Greensides is survived by his wife Gayle, his mother Hilda, sons Harold Greensides and John Greensides, and step-sons David Vickers and Michael Vickers. He had 10 grandchildren.A memorial service took place on Saturday at the Caistor Centre Free Methodist Church at 8488 Regional Road 65 (Silver Street) in Caistor Centre. BF Deadline looms for members of Ontario's chicken industry to make digital conversion Chicken Farmers of Ontario policies stand - for now
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online
Canada Post Strike Continues to Threatens Agri-Businesses and Rural Communities Thursday, October 2, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government to take swift action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption is causing serious harm to small businesses – including many in the agriculture sector. “The government’s... Read this article online
Farmland Values Climb Across the Prairies-Manitoba Leads, Ontario Holds Steady Thursday, October 2, 2025 Canadian cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 6.0 per cent in the first half of 2025, according to the mid-year farmland values review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC). This marks a modest acceleration compared to the first half of 2024, which saw a 5.5 per cent increase. Over... Read this article online
Setting Foundations for Higher Yielding Soybeans Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Farmers can achieve higher soybean yields by focusing on strong foundations and careful field management according to Shaun Casteel, Extension Soybean Specialist from Purdue University, who spoke at the in August. He emphasized that no single method guarantees success—each field... Read this article online