Perth County processor expands to support niche marketers Saturday, July 9, 2011 By BETTER FARMING STAFFExpansion of two Perth County niche pork ventures has prompted an area processor to expand its facilities too.“This will give us a great lift up to help our customers to meet their demand and expand their businesses,” says John Koch who owns Walnut Hill Farm with his wife Julieanne. The Gads Hill company that’s adjacent to the family farm processes pork for Perth Pork Products and Willowgrove Hill. “Our capacity is pretty much maxed out for production of those products so we needed to make a decision to expand our production or just stay where we were,” John says.Located near Sebringville, Perth Pork Products is owned by Fred and Ingrid de Martines and specializes in growing rare and heritage breed pigs. Paul and Rosie Hill own Willowgrove Hill near Mitchell and produce antibiotic-free pork enhanced with DHA/EPA Omega-3 and selenium. The Kochs also process their own lines of low sodium and allergen-free pork products as well as some beef products and do some custom work for other local farmers. The business does everything from cutting up carcasses to curing, smoking and packaging. It wound down slaughter operations in 2010.Work on the expansion began last week and includes shifting the former slaughter area to processing and adding a spice room, as well as converting other space in the facility for ready-to-eat packaging, a shipping cooler and dry curing. Half of the nearly $280,000 project comes from the province’s rural economic development program.An Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs news release issued Friday to announce the provincial funding indicates the project will double the company’s production, increase its annual sales to $1.3 million and create more opportunities for local farmers. Walnut Hill currently process 40 to 50 hogs a week. Koch says the goal is to have the project complete by the end of March 2012 “but a real life expectation might be July of next year.” BF 'Victims' missed message about pigeon scheme meeting Mitchell refuses federal provincial agreement
Grain Bin Emergencies Turn Deadly in Seconds, but Training Can Save Lives Thursday, May 7, 2026 Would you know what to do if someone you loved was trapped in a grain bin? The reality is sobering. Compared to a flowing mass of grain, a person is only several bushels in volume. When grain begins moving, escape becomes nearly impossible. In most cases of full grain engulfment,... Read this article online
Applications open for GFO 2026 Legacy Scholarship Thursday, May 7, 2026 Applications are now open for the 2026 Grain Farmers of Ontario , an annual program designed to support students pursuing post‑secondary education that contributes to the future of the province’s grain and agri‑food industries. Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) represents 28,000... Read this article online
Farmland Rents Lag Land Values Thursday, May 7, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released a new economic analysis highlighting a growing gap between farmland values and rental rates across the country, a trend that will likely reshape expansion decisions for Canadian producers. According to the analysis, Canada’s average farmland... Read this article online
How to Keep Your Groundwater Safe and Clean Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Groundwater plays a vital role for families and businesses in rural and agricultural settings. It supports essential activities such as livestock care, irrigation, and cleaning processes, and in many areas, it's the sole source of drinking water. For this reason, it's critical for rural... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online