Parchment offers clues to old-time sheep breeding Sunday, March 8, 2015 Archeologists with the University of York and Trinity College Dublin are using parchment to learn about the history of sheep breeding in Britain, Modern Farmer reports.According to GenomeWeb, parchment – made from animal skin – was the material of choice for legal documents prior to the mass production of paper. Archeologists used genetic sequencing on documents from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, then compared those genomes with modern breeds to see how sheep breeding changed in Britain. According to Modern Farmer the archeologists found that the late 17th century sample was from an unimproved sheep, similar to the black-faced breeds found in northern Britain. The early 18th century sample was from an improved sheep more alike to breeds now common in southern Britain and the Midlands.According to Headlines & Global News, York archaeologist Prof. Matthew Collins said "we want to understand the history of agriculture in these islands over the last 1,000 years and, with this breath-taking resource, we can." BF An Ontario Phosphorus Reduction Strategy Cleaning up oil spills with milkweed
A little US – Canada Competition to Boost Wheat Yields Friday, February 7, 2025 The Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is a data-driven initiative designed to help wheat farmers understand and enhance their crop yields. Developed in partnership with leading agricultural organizations, the program provides detailed insights into field performance through... Read this article online
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
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