Ontario chicken farmers rethink growing cycles Tuesday, June 21, 2016 by SUSAN MANNOntario chicken farmers will have a chance to produce chicken in a seven-week growing cycle starting next year, while farmers using the 12-week cycle will have to switch to another cycle as that option is being discontinued.Chicken Farmers of Ontario introduced the seven-week growing cycle after learning through consultations with farmers, processors, hatcheries and other stakeholders “there was an increased demand for a shorter (production) cycle,” says Michael Edmonds, communications and government relations director.Farmers can start producing for the seven-week cycle starting Feb. 19, 2017, the first quota period of the new year, according to a Chicken Farmers’ June 13 press release. The other cycles are eight, nine or ten weeks.Edmonds says Chicken Farmers doesn’t know how many farmers will use the seven-week cycle once it’s available.Farmers make decisions on what growing cycle to use based on several factors, including the size of birds needed by the processor they have a contract with and how they’re going to “optimize their barn,” Edmonds says.The idea behind giving farmers choices in the cycles is to give them and processors flexibility and “to make sure they’re optimizing the production cycle for both the industry and for their own needs,” he notes.As for the 12-week cycle that’s being discontinued as of Feb. 19, 2017, Edmonds says less than five per cent of Ontario’s 1,155 commercial chicken farmers currently use that option.The board is continuing to study how to simplify the system so it may reduce the number of cycles, currently at four, at a later date. BF Funding reveals the geographic spread of Ontario's wine industry Farm leaders react to federal funding for Canadian ag research infrastructure
Farmers—protect yourself from fraud Thursday, February 6, 2025 Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay It can happen to anybody. It doesn’t matter how safe you are or how smart you are; there’s always a chance you are going to get scammed over something. And the agricultural community is no exception. One of the latest instances involves... Read this article online
Canadian tech leads the way for egg gender testing Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash Canadian Egg Technologies and MatrixSpec Solutions Inc. have announced that their technology is delivering accurate in-ovo gender determination for white and brown eggs as early as the fourth day of incubation. Called a transformative breakthrough for... Read this article online
Nortera celebrates $25M expansion Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Nortera, a North American leader in frozen and canned vegetable processing, has celebrated the $25 million expansion of its Wright Street frozen warehouse in Strathroy, Ontario. This investment directly supports the local economy by sustaining over 270 jobs and strengthening... Read this article online
Profitable Pastures 2025 webinar series Wednesday, February 5, 2025 The Ontario Forage Council (OFC) has announced that its is back, providing best management practices for pasture and grazing managers. There will be three webinars airing daily from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm EST over March 4-6, 2025. Registration is required, but there is no cost to... Read this article online
OFA says farmers appreciate risk management program funding Increase Monday, February 3, 2025 Ontario farmers are expressing their support for the January 28, 2025, announcement that the provincial government is expanding risk management funding for farmers. Over the next three years, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is phasing in a $100 million... Read this article online