Quota exemption for Ontario's small chicken farmers Thursday, December 18, 2008 © Copyright AgMedia Incby BETTER FARMING STAFFIn Canada the chicken, turkey, egg and dairy industries employ a quota system that matches supply with demand ensuring stable pricing and consistent supply. Beginning in 2009 however the chicken board will allow operators to sell up to 300 birds a year at the farm gate without having to buy quota.Ann Slater, president of Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO), says her association is “happy” with the marketing board’s Thursday announcement. The EFAO and the National Farmers Union have been pushing for a relaxation of the board’s quota exemptions since 2005. Small flock operators have been able to raise birds for their own use since 2006, says Mary Fearon, a spokesperson for the board. Quota prices are negotiated between farmers for each sale but quota value for 300 birds could be around $15,000 according to numbers published on the board’s websiteFearon says the decision to relax marketing restrictions follows a pilot program held this year. It attracted more than 8,000 participants.Participants sold an average of 61 birds over the course of a year. “So the number 300 more than accommodates the majority of the people,” she says.Although considerably more than the 102 allowed until 2006, Fearon admits Ontario is still more restrictive than other provinces.Alberta Chicken Producers don’t require those growing and marketing up to 2,000 birds a year to buy quota. Communal farms with up to 6,000 birds are also exempt.“In the West they may have had to address some Mennonite communities,” she says. “But there are other provinces that have 300 as a number.”In Ontario, producers must register with the marketing board to get their birds. “We’ve coordinated with the hatcheries and broker dealers so they need the form 300 in order to purchase the chicks.”Producers will also have to take the form to the custom processor “so that there’s some coordination along throughout the system.”Fearon says there’s no cost for registering right now, but the regulation permits the board to impose a fee in the future if it wants.Producers can register online and with broker dealers and hatcheries early in 2009.She anticipates the board will see the same numbers participating as those in 2008.Harry Pelissero, general manager of Egg Farmers of Ontario, says his organization looked at its quota exemption limit for egg-layers and decided against an increase.Those with layer flocks of up to 100 birds don’t have to pay quota. They can use the eggs for their own use or farm gate sales. There are no registration requirements.Pelissero says there some quota exempt producers with flocks numbering 500. They are members of the Mennonite community and obtained special exemption arrangements in the early years of the marketing board’s operation. BF Fruit tree census underway Consultant calls for a better way to corral stray voltage
Corn and Soybean Crops Fall Short in 2025 Predicts Great Ontario Yield Tour Thursday, August 28, 2025 Ontario’s 2025 corn and soybean harvest is shaping up to be one of the most challenging in recent memory, as persistent drought and heat have pushed yields below the Agricorp 10-year average say experts and master scouts Moe Agostino and Henry Prinzen of the 2025 Great Ontario Yield Tour.... Read this article online
Global grain trade gets a shake-up: What it means for Canadian farmers Thursday, August 28, 2025 The global grain and oilseed trading industry is undergoing a major transformation—and Canadian farmers should take note. A recently published study in the September 2025 issue of discussed how the traditional dominance of a few multinational giants is giving way to a more competitive,... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers Share Yield Strategies Amid Drought Wednesday, August 27, 2025 The Great Ontario Yield Tour held an event at Petersen Custom Farming in Osgood, Ontario, on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The farmer panel during lunch was one of the highlights of the event. Farmers and industry experts gathered to discuss yield strategies and the realities of this season’s... Read this article online
2025 Livestock Tax Deferral Regions Announced Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has published the initial list of prescribed regions eligible for the 2025 Livestock Tax Deferral provision, a key support measure for Canadian livestock producers grappling with the impacts of extreme weather. “As we continue to see the very... Read this article online
Why Pork Producers Should Care About Canada’s Pig Code Update Tuesday, August 26, 2025 As many farmers will know, as part of the normal process for review, the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) has launched a comprehensive review of Canada’s Pig Code of Practice, last updated in 2014. The review was announced in May. The process, expected to span three years,... Read this article online