Sheep flock improvement program changes hands Tuesday, July 6, 2010 by PATRICIA GROTENHUISOne Ontario sheep producer hopes a change in the administration of the Sheep Flock Improvement Program will mean speedier results. The Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency (OSMA) is taking over the program from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.“It’s important [for producers] to get results in a timely fashion for flock management,” says Bill McCutcheon, sheep producer from Grand Valley. McCutcheon explains that sometimes he had already sold his lambs before results arrived from the province. The program has offered producers access to genetic evaluations to aid management decisions since the 1970s. It was administered by the provincial agriculture ministry until April 1, 2010. The marketing agency’s takeover is scheduled to be complete by September 7, 2010, preventing any interruptions to producers, states Sandy Sorbara, OSMA project coordinator in a July 5 email.The agency and ministry hope the change will increase the benefit to producers.“We are currently working on making this program more user-friendly by developing a web-based system,” Sorbara writes, explaining that this will make the information available to producers anywhere and at any time.It’s hoped that the combination of a closer link to producers with the marketing agency running the program and changes such as the web-based approach will encourage more producers to sign up. The provincial ministry anticipates the online presence will facilitate integrating the program with other programs such as traceability, states spokesperson Susan Murray in a July 5 email.The province provided OSMA with a one-time payment of $275,000 to administer the program over the next three years. Sorbara says the money will help develop more genetic reports, outsource the run of genetic evaluations, marketing and promotions, and working with the national and other provincial sheep organizations.Currently, the Canadian sheep industry only fills 41 per cent of domestic demand. Jennifer MacTavish, executive director of the Canadian Sheep Federation, says genetic selection can help improve individual ewe productivity. BF Co-op says solar rate changes will sink it Lower solar incentive expected to hit industry hard
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