It's time for a new approach to farm property assessment says OFA Wednesday, December 18, 2013 by SUSAN MANN The Ontario Federation of Agriculture recommends the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation use a different model to determine farm property values. Currently there aren’t enough farm sales in many areas “to get a real value on land,” says president Mark Wales, who met with MPAC board chair Dan Mathieson earlier this week. The federation also made the same presentation to the parliamentary assistant for Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa. Farmland in Ontario is assessed based on farmer-to-farmer sales and according to the farmland’s productive value. MPAC is the organization in Ontario that does property assessments across the province. The assessments are used by municipalities to calculate property taxes. “We’re proposing some different models on how they can get more of an average value rather than values that are all over the map,” says Wales, noting the presentations to various officials is in preparation for the pre-provincial budget submission both the federation and MPAC will be making. Wales says many of the changes the federation is suggesting are “operational changes.” Wales says he can’t get into more details about what they’re suggesting because it first has to be presented as part of the pre-budget process. BF Bee expert joins University of Guelph Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission releases long awaited egg industry report
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