Provincial livestock insurance would be of interest to farmers says OFA president Friday, November 21, 2014 by SUSAN MANNIf a production insurance program were developed for livestock, there would definitely be a lot of interest from farmers, says Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Mark Wales.The Ontario government introduced the agriculture insurance bill at Queen’s Park Wednesday afternoon that, if passed, would allow more types of agricultural products to be covered by production insurance. Currently crop insurance is available for about 90 commercially grown crops, including grains, oilseeds and certain fruits and vegetables.But designing a livestock production insurance program is “a lot more complicated” for animals than crops because some animals are kept indoors while others are outside, Wales says. “What is it that you’re actually insuring? Are you insuring weight gain? Are you insuring mortality rates?”Production insurance is about insuring a crop for a number of perils, such as weather, disease or drought, he notes.For livestock production insurance, Wales says there would be interest from pork producers for mortality insurance, particularly with situations such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. There have been 64 confirmed cases of the virus in Ontario since it first showed up on a Middlesex County farm in January.Other farmers, such as beekeepers might be interested in insurance for bees. There already is production insurance for honey, but not for the bees themselves. Wales says he could see a strong demand for insurance for bees because of “the high mortality rates we had by some beekeepers in 2012 and 2013 and then the overwintering losses last year.”The model of premium costs being shared by farmers, the province and the federal government would be used for any new programs, he says. If the bill passes, commodity groups would go to the ministry and Agricorp, which delivers production insurance in Ontario, and request a program. “A lot of times it will take a year or so to develop a program.” BF New faces at the helm of OFA Ontario loses four per cent of its certified organic farmers in 2014
Updates to Case IH RB566 Round Baler Friday, November 7, 2025 The Case IH RB566 round baler has been redesigned with a strong focus on serviceability, dependability, and efficiency, offering farmers a more advanced and reliable baling experience. According to Brian Williams, livestock product specialist with Case IH, the latest improvements... Read this article online
Supreme Court Backs CFIA Ostrich Farm Cull Friday, November 7, 2025 Agency staff began rounding up the birds mid-afternoon on November 6, corralling the ostriches into an enclosure made of hay bales about three to four metres high. The cull order was originally given ten months ago, on December 31, after lab tests confirmed the presence of highly... Read this article online
Demco-Welker Farms Collab Delivers Big Buddy Thursday, November 6, 2025 Demco recently introduced the Big Buddy grain cart, a product of collaboration with Big Equipment, the makers of Big Bud tractors, Titan Tires, and the well-known Montana-based Welker Farms. The project began when the Welker family decided to rebuild and modify their iconic Big Bud... Read this article online
Lots of news from the Ontario Pork Congress Thursday, November 6, 2025 The Ontario Pork Congress (OPC) took place on October 20, 2025, at the Arden Park Hotel in Stratford, Ontario, with over 50 attendees. At the event, Arnold Drung, President of Conestoga Meats, was honoured with the . Drung has been a dedicated supporter of the OPC for over 23... Read this article online
Rooted in Resilience -- Women Cultivating the Future of Agriculture Thursday, November 6, 2025 Feeling the weight of a tough year in agriculture? If you’re a woman working in agriculture - whether your boots are in the field or your focus is in the boardroom - you’ve likely felt the weight of a tough year. But here’s the good news: you’re not alone, and your work matters more than... Read this article online