Ontario lags in farm income Sunday, May 24, 2009 by BETTER FARMING STAFFDespite huge leaps in their operating expenses last year, Ontario’s farmers took home a tidy profit, according to figures released today from Statistics Canada.But with the country’s highest building depreciation expenses (the amount of money farmers must set aside to replace older buildings at current market prices) and third-highest machinery depreciation expenses for 2008, that extra cash may be needed for on-farm improvements.And so far this year, farm cash receipts for Ontario farmers don’t appear to be as lucrative as they are elsewhere in Canada: while nationally, receipts were up 7.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same time last year, Ontario’s dropped 1.1 per cent.StatsCan attributes a 14.1 per cent increase in 2008 market receipts for Canadian farmers to strong prices for grains and oilseeds. The prices peaked in mid-2008 and have since fallen off. In the livestock sector there were increases in market receipts for cattle (2.4 per cent) and supply-managed commodities (5.7 per cent). Hog revenues dropped 2.9 per cent. In total, Canada’s farmers brought home $41.8 billion in market receipts.Total net income for Ontario’s farmers jumped to $262 million in 2008 from -$220 million in 2007; federally, it jumped to $6.1 billion from $1 billion in the same time period.Stephen Boyd, head of the agriculture division farm expenses unit at Statistics Canada, says Ontario had the highest operating expense level compared to other provinces in both 2007 and 2008 as well as the highest revenues. “This is because Ont. is the province with the largest number of farms,” he writes in an email. In 2006, Ontario had 57,211 farms; Alberta had the next highest number at 49,431. BF Wheat dust-up isolates director 'Aggregate trumps a lot of things'
Canadian Meat Sector Seeks Fast Reforms from Newly Elected Government Tuesday, May 27, 2025 With Parliament resuming under Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) is calling for quick government action to support Canada’s pork and beef sector. This industry contributed over $9.4 billion in exports and supported nearly 200,000 jobs in 2024. “Canada’s red... Read this article online
RaboResearch says tariffs are disrupting global pork trade Saturday, May 24, 2025 According to a recent report from Rabobank, pork prices have rebounded and remain strong despite shifting trade flows and growing economic and consumer uncertainties. Rabobank is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services company specializing in the global food and agricultural... Read this article online
Livestock Research Innovation Corporation welcomes new board members Friday, May 23, 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
Northern Ontario Farms Get Ag Plastic Recycling Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Northern Ontario agriculture communities have compacted 27 metric tons of agricultural plastics. The Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance (NOFIA), in partnership with the northern caucus of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), is proud to announce major progress in its... Read this article online
Ontario's Foodbelt: A Bold Move to Protect Farmland and Food Security Tuesday, May 13, 2025 The Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmers Union, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, and Ontario Farmland Trust are collaborating with Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner and Haldimand-Norfolk independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady to introduce legislation aimed at... Read this article online