Ontario has a new official soil Monday, November 30, 2015 by SUSAN MANNThe province’s designation of an official soil helps raise Ontarians’ awareness about the importance of soils, says Alan Kruszel, president of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.On Monday, provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal designated the Guelph soil series as Ontario’s official soil. The designation was made to commemorate the soil’s important role and historical significance to the Ontario agri-food industry’s development, according to the ministry’s Nov. 30 press release.Kruszel says the association helped the ministry “figure out which soil should be the one to be chosen.”There are almost 300 soil series in Ontario. Soil series is one of the ways soils are classified.The Guelph soil series is one of the most productive agricultural soils in Ontario, the release says. It’s found on the rolling hills across Wellington County and the surrounding regions. More than 173,000 acres of Guelph soils have been mapped across Wellington, Brant, Dufferin, Oxford, Perth and Lambton counties, Waterloo and Halton regions and the city of Hamilton.The soil’s texture ranges from loam, to sandy loam to silt loam and it typically has few stones. It’s well drained but capable of retaining enough moisture for crop production.Kruszel says the Guelph soil series is “an excellent soil with good fertility and supports the growth of a variety of crops. It’s a perfect choice” to be named the official soil. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared this year as the International Year of Soils and Dec. 5 is World Soil Day. BF CFIA steps up breeding sheep and goat import restrictions Municipalities take a pass on land transfer tax powers
Strategies to Optimize Market Returns in Ontario Monday, September 15, 2025 Berkley Fedorchuk, grain marketing specialist with Hensall Co-op in Southwestern Ontario, recently shared insights into the current corn market and strategies for forward marketing during his presentation at the . With a focus on the Ontario and Eastern Canadian grain sectors,... Read this article online
From Plows to Plates - The 2025 International Plowing Match Returns to Niagara Friday, September 12, 2025 For the first time since 1926, the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) is returning to the Niagara Region Setpember 16 to 20. Set to take place in West Lincoln, the 106th edition of this iconic event will run under the theme “,” celebrating the deep roots and fresh flavours of... Read this article online
Festival of Guest Nations returns to Leamington Friday, September 12, 2025 On Sunday, September 14, 2025, Seacliff Park in Leamington, Ontario, will come alive with music, food, and celebration as the Festival of Guest Nations returns to honour the migrant worker communities who play a vital role in Essex County’s agricultural economy. With more than 20 years... Read this article online
York Region launching new Agri-Food Startup Program Thursday, September 11, 2025 A new program in York Region is designed to help entrepreneurs find their footing in the food space. The 14-week hybrid Agri-Food Start-up Program partners entrepreneurs with local organizations like the Foodpreneur Lab, Syzl, York Region Food Network, and the Chippewas of Georgina Island... Read this article online
Corn and Soybean Diseases Spread This Season Wednesday, September 10, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, as well as in previous articles by Farms.com, the 2025 growing season is nearing its end with corn and soybean farmers in Ontario and the U.S. Corn Belt facing disease challenges that reflect changing weather conditions. For corn, two... Read this article online