Ontario turkey processor streamlines operation Monday, January 31, 2011 by SUSAN MANNA Dashwood area turkey processor expects to triple sales thanks to an almost $350,000 grant from the Ontario government.Hayter’s Turkey Products Inc. is using the money from the government’s Rural Economic Development program to renovate its existing facility to improve production capacity, relocate its retail store to a different spot in the building and establish a test kitchen to develop new, healthy turkey products. The improvements are expected to help triple sales, create up to six jobs and retain more than 60 positions. Sean Maguire, Hayter’s IT and sales manager, says they started renovations before Christmas. They’re adding on to the front of the building so there will be more room in the back. “We’ve done the actual physical cutting down of walls and making doorways.”Maguire says they applied for the grant in June, 2010 and were informed before Christmas by Agriculture Minister Carol Mitchell their application was approved. They were pleased and surprised when she called with the news. “Because it was six months later we kind of put it on the back burner and kind of forgot about it until all of a sudden we got this phone call.”The idea behind the renovations is to improve production flow so meat will come in one way and be processed evenly through the building instead of going back and forth all the time, he says. “The less handling and the smoother the flow is the higher our output is.”Hayter’s will also be getting new equipment and upgrading some machinery that will enable it to process larger batch sizes and have faster and increased product output.Hayter’s produces whole turkeys, turkey parts, and further processed items, such as sausages and burgers, for markets in London, Kitchener and Longo’s in Toronto. They also do custom processing for other turkey producers. “These upgrades are allowing us to produce a ready-to-cook, case-ready product.” Maguire explains.Since 2003, the government has funded 311 projects with more than $120 million through the Rural Economic Development program. That’s generated more than $1 billion in new economic activity, it says in an agriculture ministry press release. BF Traceability measures prompt fears of spiraling costs Ontario and Quebec chicken industries reach agreement on interprovincial trade
New Holland Marks 50 Years of Twin Rotor Innovation Friday, October 10, 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
Farmland Values Climb Across the Prairies-Manitoba Leads, Ontario Holds Steady Friday, October 10, 2025 Canadian cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 6.0 per cent in the first half of 2025, according to the mid-year farmland values review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC). This marks a modest acceleration compared to the first half of 2024, which saw a 5.5 per cent increase. Over... Read this article online
Canada Post Strike Continues to Threatens Agri-Businesses and Rural Communities Thursday, October 9, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government to take swift action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption is causing serious harm to small businesses – including many in the agriculture sector. “The government’s... Read this article online
Gleaner T Series Combine Updates Thursday, October 9, 2025 Gleaner continues to advance harvest technology with its new T Series combine, delivering major improvements in power, reliability, and ease of operation. Designed with the farmer in mind, the T Series focuses on performance, accessibility, and cutting-edge precision tools for... Read this article online
Ontario Invests $41M to Boost Agri-Food Innovation Wednesday, October 8, 2025 The Ontario government has announced an investment of more than $41 million over the next four years to enhance and modernize infrastructure under Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO). This initiative, part of the province’s plan to safeguard Ontario’s agri-food sector,... Read this article online