GFO study seeks to explain price spikes Tuesday, May 17, 2011 by PAT CURRIEA new study released by the Grain Farmers of Ontario has concluded that neither farmers nor the diversion of grain into production of ethanol can be blamed for persisting higher food prices that do not mimic any cyclic fall after each rise in world grain prices.A comparison showed many similarities between the recent double price spike in 2008 and 2011 – when ethanol production boomed – and the double spike in 1974 and 1980, well before the ethanol industry was established. Common factors were crop failure in key production regions caused by extreme weather, high oil prices and price increases for agricultural inputs like fertilizer. Both double spikes were followed by several decades of declining real grain and food prices. "The truth is that farmers receive only about 19 per cent of the retail price of food," said GFO CEO Barry Senft.The impact of bio-fuels on world food prices in 2007, according to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, was no more than three per cent.In the 1970s and 1980, it was forecast that high food prices were permanent and that the world’s food-supplying capacity will have to increase by 70 per cent between 2000 and 2050, or about 1.1 per cent per year, just to keep pace.But in inflation-adjusted dollars, crop and food prices moved to new lows after 1980 as the world food supply grew at a rate that exceeded population growth, the study found. The GFO study noted that average world grain yield increased by 1.5 per cent per year from 1987 to 2007 and concluded that continued growth is achievable with modern agriculture. BF Ritz returns Research combines water, agriculture
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