Ontario's newest marketing board comes into effect Wednesday, April 1, 2015 by SUSAN MANNVeal farmers began paying their $4 per head checkoff fee yesterday to the newly formed Veal Farmers of Ontario organization.But veal farmers will now be exempt from paying the checkoff fee to Beef Farmers of Ontario under the Beef Cattle Marketing Act. At the same time regulations were implemented to establish the new veal board, exemptions for veal cattle were installed in the Beef Act, a Veal Farmers of Ontario press release says. The organization, Ontario’s newest marketing board, came into being on April 1 through regulations under the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Act. The first board of directors, made up of eight people, was appointed by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission for the first year of the organization’s operations.Brian Keunen of Palmerston was elected as chair at the organization’s first board meeting Wednesday, while Chris Vervoort of Arthur was elected vice chair. Other members of the board are: Pascal Bouilly of Cambridge, Judy Dirksen of Harriston and past president of the Ontario Veal Association, Randy Drenth of Clifford, Joyce Feenstra of Belwood, Tom Kroesbergen of Ailsa Craig and Tom Oudshoorn of Auburn.Executive director Jennifer Haley says in an April 2 press release the formation of Veal Farmers of Ontario has occurred almost 25 years after its predecessor organization, the Ontario Veal Association, was formed. That organization was incorporated in 1990, Haley says. She couldn’t be reached for comment.At the 2014 annual meeting, veal producer delegates voted unanimously to formally dissolve the association and transfer all assets to Veal Farmers of Ontario.Farmers voted in favour of creating Veal Farmers of Ontario during a mail-in producer vote in March 2013 conducted by the farm products marketing commission. BF Farm builder helms Ontario's construction industry group Cucumber buyer slashes commitments for Ontario's 2015 crop
RaboResearch says tariffs are disrupting global pork trade Wednesday, May 21, 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
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
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Protecting Plant Health Supports All Life Monday, May 12, 2025 Healthy plants are vital to the survival and well-being of people, animals, and nature. They clean the air, support biodiversity, and are the foundation of food and economic systems. On May 12, Canadians celebrate International Day of Plant Health. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)... Read this article online
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