Pilot uses local food for school fundraisers Wednesday, September 25, 2013 by SUSAN MANN The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is handling the procurement and distribution of fruits and vegetables for a new pilot project where students at participating schools can sell these items to raise money for their schools. The pilot is being offered to 379 elementary and secondary schools at 10 different school boards in Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties, the City of London, and the districts of Cochrane in Timmins and Algoma in Sault Ste. Marie. Alison Robertson, program manager and special projects coordinator with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, says in addition to the association, the partners in the Fresh From the Farm pilot are the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Education and the Dietitians of Canada. Robertson says schools have until Oct. 8 to sign up. She doesn’t know yet how much fruits and vegetables in total will be used in the program because this is the first year. The schools have until Oct. 18 to send in their orders and all the deliveries will occur in November, she says. The program is designed to create consumer awareness for fruits and vegetables, healthy eating and buying local. “As a parent I’d rather put money towards fruit and vegetables than cookie dough,” she says. Students will sell an eight-pound box of apples for $20 and a 10-pound bag of root vegetables for $10, which includes carrots, onions, potatoes and parsnips. Robertson says growers will get 50 per cent of the amount charged for the fruits or vegetables, while the schools get 40 per cent and the remaining 10 per cent goes back to the program to pay for the coordinator, website and other items. The Ontario program is based on a similar program that has been going in Manitoba since 2010. That program has been “highly successful,” she says. Robertson says the program doesn’t compete with farmers’ markets because the markets aren’t involved in school fundraising. “I think it complements it all and it complements Ontario agriculture.” BF Commission plans December release of egg industry report Rural Ontario needs natural gas infrastructure says OFA president
Free Tools to Power Up Your Farm’s Digital Life in Canada Wednesday, October 22, 2025 For many Canadian farm families, the internet has become as vital as a tractor or combine. It is how producers manage precision planting, monitor commodity prices, check weather forecasts, pay bills and stay connected with suppliers and customers. However, fast and reliable broadband remains out... Read this article online
Precision Harvesting with HeadSight and TrueSight Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Modern harvesting relies heavily on precision and smart technology, and new systems for head height control and steering are making sure you are not leaving bushels in the field. These innovations ensure efficient crop collection, protect equipment, and reduce operator fatigue during... Read this article online
Remembering Ralph Winfield: Beloved Better Farming Columnist Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Ontario's farming community is mourning the loss of longtime agricultural writerRalph Gordon Winfieldof Glanworth, who passed away peacefully at St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital on Oct. 17, 2025, at the age of 85. Ralph’s name has been closely tied to Better Farming since 1999. His... Read this article online
Case IH FieldOps Brings Smart Connectivity to Modern Farming Friday, October 17, 2025 Lance Meyer, region precision manager at Case IH, told Farms.com that FieldOps operates on desktops through a web interface and on mobile devices through an app compatible with iPhone, Android, or iPad. This flexibility allows farmers to access critical machine and field information anytime,... Read this article online
New Holland Marks 50 Years of Twin Rotor Innovation Friday, October 17, 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