Ontario cheese takes top spot Thursday, April 18, 2013 by SUSAN MANN The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix recorded two firsts this year with its Grand Champion award going to a ricotta cheese made by Quality Cheese Inc. of Vaughan. It’s the first time a fresh cheese won the top prize at the Grand Prix sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Canada and started in 1998. It’s also the first time a cheese from Ontario took the top spot. An April 19 press release announcing the winners says a jury of top Canadian food industry experts picked the winning ricotta from a field of 19 category winners. There were a total of 225 entries in the competition from cheese makers across Canada. The jury narrowed down the submissions in February to 58 finalists. Albert Borgo, who owns Quality Cheese Inc. along with his father, Almerigo Sr. and two brothers, Joe and William, says they make the ricotta in a very traditional way using their family’s recipe. “My father started making ricotta with his father (William) back in Italy.” Almerigo Sr. came to Canada in 1954 and established his own cheese company in 1957. The ricotta was traditionally made in straw baskets. Albert says he recently found a plastic basket from Italy that simulated the straw basket. “Once we improved our process in terms of packaging, I wanted to try making the cheese in that basket.” The cheese is made by hand and goes from the basket into the packaging without any alternations or processing after that. “The way it’s made is the way it’s packed,” he says. As for what contributed to the cheese’s win, Albert says it’s their use of whole milk added into a whey mixture. “Therefore you get a fluffy, rich, creamy, sweet product and you can taste all the milk sugars. It’s delicious.” The ricotta is available at Longo’s under their signature brand and will be available at Loblaw’s soon. Albert says it’s both overwhelming and gratifying that they’ve won this award. “You feel good because you worked really hard to get here.” The press release says to judge the cheeses the jury members tasted, touched and smelled each cheese, evaluating them for appearance, flavour, colour, texture, body and salt content. Dairy Farmers of Canada sponsors and hosts the Cheese Grand Prix every two years. The cheese awards celebrate the high quality, great taste and versatility of Canadian cheese. To be eligible, the entrants must be produced in Canada, have the 100 per cent Canadian milk symbol on their packaging and be available for retail, the release says. BF Wynn defends proposed Local Food Act Organization's videos will showcase food and farming projects across Ontario
Free Tools to Power Up Your Farm’s Digital Life in Canada Wednesday, October 22, 2025 For many Canadian farm families, the internet has become as vital as a tractor or combine. It is how producers manage precision planting, monitor commodity prices, check weather forecasts, pay bills and stay connected with suppliers and customers. However, fast and reliable broadband remains out... Read this article online
Precision Harvesting with HeadSight and TrueSight Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Modern harvesting relies heavily on precision and smart technology, and new systems for head height control and steering are making sure you are not leaving bushels in the field. These innovations ensure efficient crop collection, protect equipment, and reduce operator fatigue during... Read this article online
Remembering Ralph Winfield: Beloved Better Farming Columnist Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Ontario's farming community is mourning the loss of longtime agricultural writerRalph Gordon Winfieldof Glanworth, who passed away peacefully at St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital on Oct. 17, 2025, at the age of 85. Ralph’s name has been closely tied to Better Farming since 1999. His... Read this article online
Case IH FieldOps Brings Smart Connectivity to Modern Farming Friday, October 17, 2025 Lance Meyer, region precision manager at Case IH, told Farms.com that FieldOps operates on desktops through a web interface and on mobile devices through an app compatible with iPhone, Android, or iPad. This flexibility allows farmers to access critical machine and field information anytime,... Read this article online
New Holland Marks 50 Years of Twin Rotor Innovation Friday, October 17, 2025 New Holland is celebrating 50 years of leadership in twin rotor harvesting technology, a milestone that began with the introduction of the TR70 combine in 1975. This machine transformed agriculture by bringing the world the concept of twin rotor threshing and... Read this article online