Fund honours biomass pioneer's memory, supports leadership program Wednesday, January 22, 2014 by MATT MCINTOSH A memorial fund to help support innovation and forward-thinking in agricultural and agri-business is being established by the Rural Ontario Institute. In a January 21 press release, the Rural Ontario Institute announced that the Dean Tiessen Memorial Fund will be used to support their Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program, which works to develop leadership in Ontario’s agricultural sector. The fund is named after Dean Tiessen, who was killed in Brazil this past December, and was considered by many to be a leader in Ontario’s biomass and greenhouse industries. There are eight seminars in each Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program class,” says Arlene Warner, manager of communications and fund development for the Rural Ontario Institute. “The Dean Tiessen fund will be in place for the next ten years, and donations will be used to support the third seminar of our program classes.” Tiessen was the president of New Energy Farms near Leamington Ontario, and a graduate of the program’s Class 10, which ran from 2003 to 2005. A Class 10 committee has been organized to establish the fund. In the press release, Henry Koskamp, a member of the committee, credits Tiessen’s hard work and solution-oriented attitude with helping to start Ontario’s biomass industry. He was “a pioneer in energy crops, not just here in Ontario but also internationally,” says Koskamp. The press release says that donations for the fund will be accepted at Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program’s “Dream Auction” in Guelph on February 8. Those interested can also donate online though the Rural Ontario Institute’s website, or by mail. BF Layoffs at Agricorp Farmers market adopts restaurant venue
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
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
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... 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