Producer information theft couldn't happen here says ACC chief Tuesday, June 10, 2008 by BETTER FARMING STAFFA representative of the company that administers the federal advance payments program in Ontario for crops ranging from grains and oilseeds to fruit, vegetables and greenhouse products says the information of farmers who apply to the program is kept on a fixed computer system and hard copies are located in a secured room.“Nothing we have is on a laptop,” says Brian Stover, manager of lending operations at ACC Financial.Stover made the comments after learning on Wednesday of the recent theft of a laptop containing financial information from farmers in Western Canada.The laptop belonged to the Canadian Canola Growers. The organization administers advance payment programs for several western provinces connected to grain and oilseed commodities such as canola, canary seed, flax, mustard seed, oats and rye.The theft occurred while the computer was off-site for maintenance.News reports estimate the financial information of up to 32,000 farmers in Western Canada has been put at risk from the heist.Stover says he is surprised and shocked that such information would be carried on a laptop.“It doesn’t seem to be a secure system at all,” he says.He notes that ACC has its own in-house computer system, “which we had for our own program since 1992 so it has certain firewalls. I’m not sure it’s as secure as a major chartered bank but we’ve never had any problems.” Stover says he hasn’t received any phone calls from farmers concerned about the issue.Carrie James, the general manager of the Canola Growers of Ontario says her phones have been quiet too. A representative from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs was the only inquiry she has received so far about the issue.James emphasized the theft “doesn’t touch Ontario farmers at all.”“It has no relation at all to our farmers here.” BF Wheat crop holds promise Bean leaf beetle numbers modest - so far
Potato industry on PEI to save up to $7 million because of cuts to bridge tolls Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Effective August 1, 2025, tolls on the Confederation Bridge will drop dramatically, with personal vehicle tolls falling from $50.25 to $20. Commercial vehicles will also benefit from these reductions. In addition, ferry tolls in Newfoundland and Labrador and other regions will see... Read this article online
Soil Compaction Challenges Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Ontario’s spring planting faced challenges from soil compaction, impacting crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat. Despite some areas experiencing rapid planting under ideal conditions, other regions, even those with lighter soils, struggled due to excessive rainfall. The team at OMAFA –on... Read this article online
2026 Grains Innovation Fund is now open Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is now accepting applications for its . “This year marks another exciting chapter for the Grains Innovation Fund,” stated Paul... Read this article online
Applications Open for Grains Innovation Fund 2026 Monday, July 28, 2025 Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing 28,000 farmers, is now accepting applications for the 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund offers grants up to $75,000 to support innovative projects that promote the use of Ontario’s grains such as... Read this article online
Sowing the Seeds of the Future -- A Fresh Look at Farm Succession in Canada Monday, July 28, 2025 “You’ve worked the land for decades—through changing seasons, shifting markets, and long days that begin before sunrise," says Jason Castellan, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Skyline when he spoke with Farms.com. “You know every acre, every decision, every responsibility that... Read this article online