Minister clarifies RMP cap Thursday, April 19, 2012 by SUSAN MANNThe provincial government’s spending on the risk management program for this crop year will depend on the demand for it, says Ontario Agriculture Minister Ted McMeekin.“However the program has been set up, whatever unfolds we’ll meet that cost,” he says. McMeekin was responding in an interview to an open letter from Progressive Conservative agriculture critic Ernie Hardeman questioning if the risk management program is capped at a $100 million for the 2012 crop year.No it is not, McMeekin says. The first year of the program-spending cap will be 2013.McMeekin says he told Hardeman that in a private meeting last week. “I gave him the same answer that I would give him today. The plan as presented for 2012 remains intact.”The agriculture minister says he thinks $100 million will be enough to cover program demand this year “but if it goes over we’ll cover that in 2012.”For the 2011 production year, the first year of the permanent program, the payout was about $105 million, McMeekin’s press secretary Mark Cripps says by email. The program will run as designed for 2012 so the payout will be production driven, meaning it could be $80 million, $150 million or more.Hardeman says in his letter the 2012 provincial budget released last month says that in the 2011 budget, about $100 million of taxpayer support was committed net of producer premiums. “The commitment remains to support the program up to a maximum of $100 million,” it says in the budget document.Hardeman says he interprets the words “up to a maximum of $100 million” in the budget as a cap. “It seems to me quite clear that the Minister of Finance (Dwight Duncan) was capping the expenditure of the program in 2012 at a maximum of $100 million.”Using the word ‘maximum’ means they won’t spend any more than that and that’s what a cap is, Hardeman says.There’s no mention in that section of the budget of the cap starting in 2013, he adds.The budget document also says given the province’s fiscal challenges the Ontario government will work with farmers to redesign these programs to focus on supporting productivity while capping the overall program at sustainable levels to manage taxpayers’ exposure and leverage federal dollars.Cripps says in the addendum to the budget, under the section for the agriculture ministry titled “rethinking business risk management” there’s a dash under the 2012/13 column, “which means the program has no retraction” in that year.Cripps says the redesigned program is supposed to be in place for the provincial government’s 2013/14 fiscal year and that’s when the $100 million cap will kick in. BF Court orders egg 'whistleblower' to pay $63,000 Council introduces new fee for on-farm food safety audits
Be ready for your next flat tire Friday, May 30, 2025 By Braxten Breen Farms.com Intern The Andersen Hitches Rapid Jack is a three-in-one tool - a tire jack -- that can also be used as a post block or a wheel chock. Its main purpose is to help change tires on trailers, and this cool tool is made in the USA. It is an innovative Tire Jack... Read this article online
An Ontario Foodbelt? Two MPPs want to see it happen Friday, May 30, 2025 Ontario has a Greenbelt and a Whitebelt, and if two MPPs are successful with a piece of legislation the province’s future will include a Foodbelt. Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner (Guelph) and independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady (Haldimand-Norfolk) tabled Bill 21, the Protect Our... Read this article online
Livestock Research Innovation Corporation welcomes new board members Thursday, May 29, 2025 Two new board directors have joined the leadership of Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC). Mohamad Yaghi with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Sonya Fiorini from Burnbrae Farms both fill appointed director positions on the LRIC board. Yaghi replaces Franco Naccarato from Meat and... Read this article online
Canadian Farm Income Sees Sharp Decline Thursday, May 29, 2025 In 2024, Canadian farmers experienced a significant financial setback, with realized net income dropping by $3.3 billion, or 25.9%, to $9.4 billion according to Statistics Canada. This marks the steepest percentage decrease since 2018. When cannabis is excluded, the drop stands at... Read this article online
Did you Know you can Experience IPM 2025 in the Comfort of Your RV? Thursday, May 29, 2025 The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) is making a grand return to Niagara this fall for the first time in nearly a century. Visitors can now stay close to the excitement by booking a spot at the official IPM 2025 RV Park. Located just steps away from the main action, the... Read this article online