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
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online